Let me break down what this book is supposed to be about before diving into my thoughts!

**The Sirens** weaves together two timelines: In 2019, Lucy flees to her sister Jess's coastal home after a disturbing sleepwalking incident where she almost chokes her ex. But when she arrives, Jess is mysteriously missing, and Lucy discovers the town has a history of vanishing men stretching back decades. Meanwhile in 1800, Irish sisters Mary and Eliza are forced onto a convict ship to Australia, experiencing strange bodily changes during their journey. The stories converge through dreams and folklore, exploring themes of sisterhood, transformation, and the mysterious power of the sea.

Now for my review:

This book had me swimming in circles, and not in the magical mermaid way I hoped for! As my first Emilia Hart experience, it's unfortunate it didn't deliver. The pacing was glacial - seriously, watching actual tides might have been more dramatic.

Lucy's decision-making had me constantly questioning her judgment. Who responds to a missing sister with such casual energy? "Oh, my sister's gone? Guess I'll just hang out here for a bit!" 🤷‍♀️ Make it make sense!

The sleepwalking setup initially seemed promising but then faded into background noise. And those alternating timelines? Rather than creating intrigue, they just created confusion and drag. I tried both Kindle AND audio versions hoping something would click, but this story was determined to keep me at arm's length.

I'm giving it the extra .5 stars bc the UK version is stunning, so .5 stars for packaging. At least it'll look pretty on my shelf while collecting dust!

The vibes we're tracking:
🐌 Glacial pacing energy
🧠 Questionable decision-making
💤 Sleepwalking plot that goes nowhere
🌊 Ocean metaphors beaten to death
📚 Beautiful cover hiding disappointment

Based on other reviews, Hart's debut "Weyward" seems to be where the magic actually happened. This sophomore effort unfortunately feels like a pale imitation - all the ingredients for something special, but the recipe just didn't come together.

For a book about sirens, it's ironic how it failed to lure me in with its song. Let's hope Weyward proves to be the enchanting read this one promised but couldn't deliver!

4.5 ⭐️

"There’s something about this place, something different. It keeps its women safe.”

After loving Weyward, I knew I needed to read this, and it did not disappoint. I'm a sucker for multiple timelines, and Emilia does it so well. I always finish her books with a feeling of satisfaction that I rarely find with others.

When I tell you, I DEVOURED this, I read it every single second I could find. There were a few things I DID NOT see coming. I was so invested in the story and each character. I was angry with them, and for them, relating to them, happy with them, and jealous of them a bit. Because what I wouldn't give to feel that free.

This is a must-read you should all add to your TBRs.

**Review of *The Sirens* (ARC)**

*The Sirens* is a hauntingly beautiful novel that weaves together elements of mythology, romance, and self-discovery. The story follows its protagonist as they navigate a world where the line between reality and illusion is often blurred, with sirens acting as both literal and metaphorical forces. The prose is lyrical and immersive, drawing the reader into a world of mystery and danger.

The characters are well-developed, with their own emotional depth and motivations that make their struggles both relatable and captivating. Themes of temptation, choice, and the search for identity are explored in a way that feels both timeless and fresh. While the pacing can be slow at times, the payoff is rewarding, with a conclusion that is both thought-provoking and satisfying.

Overall, this is a mesmerizing read that will stay with you long after the final page. Perfect for fans of dark, atmospheric fantasy with a touch of the mythical.

I read the first 40% of the book by ebook and thought… I’ll wait until the book releases and listen to it on audio. AND THEN when I was able to listen early (thank you Macmillan audio 😘) the book was a lot more enjoyable for me.

What you need to know:
Lucy is a university student and wakes to find her hands around the neck of the boy she thought she may have loved. She grabs her stuff and makes her way to Comber Bay, the place her older sister moved to not to long ago. Lucy hopes that the nightmares and sleepwalking can be explained and that Jess might be able to help her. Jess and Lucy’s relationship has been strained, but Lucy feels this pull to this town full a secrets where her sister has found refuge. Only when she gets to her sister’s house Jess is nowhere to be found. Are the secrets to where her sister is linked to the towns past?


My thoughts: (warning- potential spoilers ahead)

Overall I enjoyed the book. I think I preferred listening to the book over reading it with my eyeballs. I think it you liked Weyward and even The Lost Apothecary I think you might enjoy this book, but it was a slow start for me.

Now this could be a me problem but I had a hard time knowing the difference between Eliza and Mary (even though the chapter was told in third person from Mary’s pov when we jumped to the past.) I don’t think this was because of the audio performance though.

It felt like we weren’t in the past long enough for me to differentiate between the two. I don’t know if that was the third person pov, or just me needing more info in Mary’s chapters to understand the difference between the two girls- granted they are sisters joint at the hip but still.

I thought the way Emilia wove the past chapters to the present was really creative. So I understand maybe why we weren’t in the past longer at the beginning on the book.

Audio review:
I thought Barrie Kreinik did a fantastic job on the audio and within the chapters I was able to differentiate between the characters. She switched between an Irish accent and an Australian accent and thought it was well done. Truly made me want to continue listening. The sisters did sound pretty similar when we switched over to the diary since we didn’t get much dialogue of them at the same time, so it would have been nice for that to be a little more distinct but overall it was executed well.


Thank you to Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the alc.



SPOILER:



I don’t quite know how I feel about the epilogue… kinda wished it wasn’t there at all, but I guess it did answer some questions I had, though don’t ask questions you aren’t gonna like the answer for 🫣.

2.75⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love a book about sisters and a sisterly bond. This was not that for me. This book definitely has an eerie-ness to it. I found the story overall intriguing. It had potential to be something really great which is the only reason I kept going. Finally the story started to unravel 75% in.
There was not much dialogue in the book which I was not fond of. It was one main character’s inter dialogue throughout the current timeline. Might be why it was hard to connect with the characters and why the story felt a little stale at times.
I also struggled with the connection and storyline to the past. I was really hoping for a WOW ending to make this read worth it. Unfortunately I didn’t happen.

The stunning cover and premise drew me in to this lush and breathtaking story about femininity, sisterhood, and the bonds that keep us together. I absolutely loved the split-timeline narrative and thought it added a unique element to the story that both juxtaposed and tied the women's tales together really beautifully. 10/10 would recommend.

Spoiler: I LOVED IT

@emiliahartbooks is truly such a talented writer and this book is a masterpiece. I’ll read anything this woman writes.

I enjoyed Weyward, but man, did I LOVE The Sirens. I was instantly hooked from the beginning and so intrigued of where the story was heading.

This is a story that has multiple timelines and multiple POVs but was still pretty easy to follow. I listened to the audiobook (thank you, @macmillan.audio ) and really enjoyed it. I reallllyyy wish it was full cast because I think this would be phenomenal then, but still it was fantastic.

If you’re into stories with magical realism, family secrets and hidden pasts, pick this one up immediately! It’s a great book to discuss with a friend, I had so much fun chatting with @chelseahudsonreads as I read.

Just published YESTERDAY so swing by your favorite indie bookshop and grab a copy. Also the @gmabookclub pick of the month!

The Sirens opens with quite the scene - Lucy awakens to discover herself in a bed not her own, in the midst of committing a crime. She’s not sure what drives her, but suddenly she is filled with the need to see her sister. Following the long drive to the small seaside town her sister now lives in, Lucy is surprised to find her sister missing. Her phone is there, her keys and car, but Jess is nowhere to be found. As Lucy tries to retrace her sister’s last steps, we learn more about the town of Comber Bay and the tragedies that have taken place over the years.

It was so easy to lose myself in this audiobook. The Sirens follows two sets of sisters, Mary and Eliza in the past and Jess and Lucy in present day. The narrator did great work of distinguishing the sisters from one another and it was just a joy to listen to them. The story takes turns you would not expect and I enjoyed the bit of magical realism that is revealed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.

The Sirens by Emilia Hart is just as beautiful as I expected. Her writing always has a lyrical, almost magical quality, and this story was no exception. The atmosphere was immersive, the characters deeply compelling, and the way the narrative unfolded kept me captivated. Hart has a way of weaving history, emotion, and a touch of mystery into something truly special. A stunning read!

The Sirens was a very compelling read and I think it will be a big hit for folks who loved A Sea of Unspoken Things, Outlander, or The Warbler! It tells the story of women on two different timelines and winds them together perfectly.

I found the Sirens to be thought provoking and captivating and I look forward to recommending it to others! It's also the encouragement I needed to finally read Weyward!

I could not more highly recommend reading The Sirens as an audiobook, it was so engrossing and immersive!

The Sirens offers a dual timeline story from multiple POV's. University student Lucy leaves school after a shocking sleepwalking incident and flees looking for comfort from her big sister Jess. I found Lucy and Jess's story in the present timeline to be the more developed of the two timelines, with the past story taking on a fairytale quality, albeit a dark fairytale. In 1800, sisters Mary and Eliza, get into trouble one night, defying their father's rule to stay away from the shore. They are sent to the colonies on a convict ship, and the horrors are often inserted into and as support for Lucy and Jess's story. The past and current stories are ultimately connected in a surprising way.

At its heart, The Sirens is a tale of female empowerment, believing in yourself and embracing the skin you're in. And very well done indeed. Hart writes compelling characters, and I enjoyed seeing them come to life on the page. I loved the pacing and the way the story revealed itself, with a little bit of a mystery and magical realism entwined throughout. I found it lovely and memorable. 💖

I've seen a lot of comparisons to Wayward, which has a witchy vibe. It was one of my favourite books a few years ago. They are very different, so I won't compare. I'll just say read them both!

The Sirens by Emilia Hart
Publish Date 4/1/2025
Audiobook narrated by Barrie Kreinik

Happy Publication Day!
This book wins the most beautiful cover of 2025 thus far - It is beautifully dreamy, and I couldn't say no to this.
Then I realized that this is a follow-up to her smash hit, "Wayward" that came a few years ago. That book cover was also beautiful with a black raven on the cover. I was tempted to pick it up many times, then I realized that it was described as a YA fantasy with a gothic kick.
Now I was a little worried about reading this without reading Wayward. Fere not, I didn't feel as though I was missing important information from the previous book. I don't think they are related... but I might be wrong. This book can be stand alone I believe.

The book has multiple female characters with multiple timelines, One in 2019, another in 1999, and twin sisters from 1800 making a dangerous passage from Ireland to Australia. It is very atmospheric and has some supernatural feel to it. As the title suggests, there are references to mysterious force calling from the sea. All these timelines converge in the story, and personally I didn't feel these connections were strong. I almost felt that they are better in separate stories. The story also deals with feminist ideas which are important but felt a bit overworked, and I felt they might worked better from different angles. I felt the presentation is simplistic, which made me feel the book is targeted to YA (and not to me). I also felt the book is too long for the contents. I did like the plot twist, but it took so long to get there - by then, I didn't care so much.

I felt this book might be enjoyed by young feminists around the college age like the main character. Also, I don't read many books set in Australia, and it was great to read a book based in Australia.

The audiobook is narrated well, and the narrator has a great singing voice.

An advance copy of this audiobook was provided courtesy of NetGalley and Macmillan Audio. My opinions herein are my own. Thank you!

I am sorry but I had to DNF this book at the half way mark. I could not connect with the plot or the characters. I thought I would enjoy it but it was not for me.

Thank you for the opportunity to preview this audiobook.
I will not share my review so that I do not taint others view of the book because it was not for me.

My Quick Takes:
- 4/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Language 🤐 strong
- Spice ❤️‍🔥 a few instances of fade to black and vague open-door all in the past
- Content 🤔 infertility, miscarriage, assault

I really enjoyed all the different plot elements at play: historical events, mysterious family past, dual timeline, multiple points of view, missing persons case/podcast, folklore, magical realism. It all combined together to weave an alluring tale.

I listened to this on audio and absolutely loved the narrator. The book is set in Australia and Ireland and the narrator added another of interest with great accents and voices for the separate points of view. The history of how Australia came to be populated under the crown has always intrigued me and I enjoyed the history and insight into how it happened, and how bleak it all truly was.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Sirens, by Emilia Hart. Unlike her book, Weyward, this story included fantasy/magical realism elements. These are often a fail for me, but I enjoyed every aspect of this story.

Told as two timelines, the historical story is of two sisters removed to Australia for petty crimes back in Ireland. The central storyline is in the present and focuses on two sisters and the many secrets surrounding their lives. I loved the intrigue, was surprised by the surprises, and cared about the lives of both sets of sisters.
If you like stories depicting female resilience with a bit of fantasy thrown in - and especially if you are intrigued by mermaids, I'd give this book a read.
I listened to the audio version of the book, narrated by Barrie Kreinik, and the listening experience improved the book for me. The voices were wonderfully rendered, it was easy to follow, and the Aussie accent was music to my ears.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an electronic version of the book in exchange for a review.

This audiobook had me hooked from the start. The story has just the right amount of mystery, the narrative weaving between the perspectives of three women, all connected by the sea. While some of the twists were a little bit predictable, I was not disappointed. The story was not about the men, who will surprise no one with their actions. The women are strong and smart and survive so much. The narrator brings an extra something to the story that one doesn’t hear often. I’ll be recommending this book, and the audio, to anyone interested in stories about women overcoming the inevitability of men, and those who love a good mystery. I’ll definitely be checking out Emilia Hart’s previous work and looking out for Barrie Kreinik’s narration as well.

Hart is proving to be a master at crafting stories that sweep between the past and present, interweaving characters into interesting and unexpected patterns together. The Sirens is a beautiful and haunting story of women doing what women do best - look out for one another and make the most of every bad situation they are thrust into. Kreinik is a wonderful narrator, switching not only between age groups but accents swiftly. And I appreciate that she sang the songs rather than spoke them.

BIG thanks to Macmillan Audio for the widget to read this hauntingly beautiful story!

WOW. This is so incredibly descriptively written. So heartbreaking, and haunting, and atmospheric. I loved the writing and the story. The multi-timeline was done well. I found it easy enough to keep track. The narrator's different accents for each woman helped with that. Some aspects of this story were easier to unravel but overall this was a surprising read and the mysteries were all unraveled by the end.

The narration of this was FANTASTIC. The narrator used different accents for the different characters POV. She even sings (soooo beautifully) the parts where the women sing. The presentation kept me invested in the story and wanting to know what would happen.

The epilogue of this was perfection! Also that cover is gorgeous!

Two years after releasing her first novel, Emilia Hart is back with her second book, The Sirens. Set mainly in Australia in alternating timelines between 1800, 1999, and 2019, it follows pairs of sisters grappling with what makes them different and the otherworldly rumors surrounding their communities.

Why I Chose This Book:
Though I haven’t yet read Weyward, I was excited to read Emilia Hart’s new novel. As the title suggests, mermaids play a role here, and that’s a theme I’ll be reading a lot this year. (I already read one mermaid book in February, and I have several upcoming releases on my radar!) I also liked the themes of sisterhood, mothers and daughters, and the secrets that can drive us apart or unite us.

What I Liked:
- Relationships between sisters and between mothers and daughters. Feminine relationships are at the heart of The Sirens in each timeline. In 1800, Irish sisters Mary and Eliza are convicted of a crime and put on a ship headed for the newly colonized Australia. They have only each other to rely on for memories of their parents. In 2019, Lucy seeks out her older sister Jess during a trying time, but upon finding Jess mysteriously vanished, she discovers how similar they are by reading Jess’s diary from 1998-1999.
- Dealing with sexual harassment. Both Jess and Lucy have their own journeys of sexuality, abuse of power, and grappling with betrayal. While their respective stories are distinct, there are clear commonalities, too.
- Community and the power of women. Tying those previous two points together, there is a strong sense of how sisterhood can give women strength in the worst of times. The way it unfolds borders between magical realism and overt fantasy, but the result nonetheless is empowerment.
- Multiple time settings and POVs: Lucy (2019); Mary (1800); Jess (1998-1999, initially as diary entries). I enjoyed reading the different characters and seeing how their stories paralleled each other. For me it was never hard to differentiate between the characters and plots.
- So many secrets! From the truth behind family ties to the rare skin condition (aquagenic urticaria) that Lucy and Jess hide, there is so much that lurks just beneath the surface. Those secrets—paired with the local mysteries, strange dreams, and sleepwalking—give this novel a haunting and unreal atmosphere, much like Jess’s paintings.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Ending felt a bit lackluster or rushed. There is so much woven throughout The Sirens, but the ending seemed to let certain threads go without much explanation. I wish some of the themes here had carried through more fully into the end.

Audiobook:
Barrie Kreinik does an excellent job of narrating The Sirens. She easily navigates both Australian and Irish accents for the different characters. I also loved her singing! There’s a repeated refrain of an Irish-sounding folk song, and her voice is at once beautiful and suitably haunting. Her narration serves this novel well across POVs and timelines.

Final Thoughts
I greatly enjoyed The Sirens for its many themes surrounding sisterhood, empowerment, and the magic we hold. It tackles some harder themes (sexual harassment; family secrets), but also infuses it all with a rich atmosphere. I only wish the ending had a bit more power to it, too. Overall this was a wonderful read, and I look forward to reading more from Emilia Hart.

Book review: 3.75/5 ⭐️
Genre: women’s fiction, magical realism
Themes: sisterhood, resilience, family secrets, being different
📖 Read if you like: The Mercies, Weyward

A genre melding narrative with elements of historical fiction, folklore, magic and contemporary women’s fiction. It sheds lights on all the ways society condemns women from past to present, the ways in which they are made to feel small or less important than their male counterparts. From a young impressionable girl getting used in vulnerable moments or a teen being told to stay silent to those imprisoned for saying no or stealing bread to avoid starvation. An ode to female resilience tied to the magic of the sea and the bonds between women.

Once again Emilia Hart displays the power of immersive writing. A slower pace with descriptions full of magic and emotion in equal measure. The mystery in this novel was a little more predictable than Weyward, so the story seemed to be playing catch up to my own knowing. Using dreams and a journal to unveil all the secrets in this family can be a dangerous technique to drive a storyline, but it worked here. Overall, I thought the novel could have used more suspense or tension. Most of the revealing moments were a little anti-climactic and if I wasn’t listening to this as an audiobook or in the right mood I may have found it a little too slow. Like the sea it ebbs and flows. Part family drama, part exploitation this managed to be modern and historical all at once.

Shout out for the inclusion of art in the story and the rather sweet father-daughter relationships. In a story about all the big and small ways men can abuse power, it was a silver lining to have these male figures that genuinely cared and sought to protect.

Synopsis: In 2019 Lucy has always felt different with an unusual skin disorder. When sleepwalking finds her hands wrapped around an ex-lovers throat, her life begins to unravel. She searches for her estranged sister Jess who used to suffer from a similar affliction. Jess is an artist that has moved to a remote town made famous with a series of cold cases. When Jess goes missing and Lucy’s dreams of two girls on the sea continues, two girls who Jess has also been painting, the story between all these women unravels. It vacillates between 2019, Jess as a self-conscious 16-year old diagnosed with an allergy to water and an art teacher who finally sees something special in her in 1999 to twin sisters Mary and Eliza who have been banished to the colonies after an encounter with unwanted attention in the 1800s. As each of the women begin to notice changes in their bodies, their fear of water turns into something else entirely, the legacy of their people.

🎧 Thank you to Netgalley and @Macmillan.Audio for a copy of this audiobook. The seamless narration by Barrie Kreinik between an Aussie and Irish accent was perfect in this story. It really brought this story to life and took me to the places where this novel takes place.