after loving her novel weyward, i was incredibly excited about a new novel from her, and it was everything i wanted! a far departure from her first book in terms of vibes, i loved her storytelling in this book specifically and it seems as if her writing has only gotten better. i read this in one solid sitting, and i implore everyone whose enjoyed her work before (or is new) to go pick up this book!!!

Emilia Hart's talent lies in her ability to brilliantly communicate the poignancy of how it feels to live as a woman, whether in the past or the present. Women have long been persecuted for defending or protecting themselves from men, at the cost of their own lives. Emilia uses this history to weave rich stories of ancestry and the bonds of womanhood that linger long after I've finished reading. I was spellbound while reading Weyward, which is ripe with similar themes, and while The Sirens had a slower start that didn't capture me quite as quickly, it soon turned the corner into a book that I couldn't put down as the story continued to unfold.

First off, that cover drew me in! The premise of the story followed easily and I was hooked from the beginning. I was completely invested in the characters and the storylines. I found myself constantly trying to figure out how both lines interconnected as the mystery is well interwoven into the tale. Honestly, I was so intwined myself, it took nearly the entire tale for me to realize the connection. I really enjoyed everything about this tale and can't wait to read more by Emilia Hart!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Emilia Hart for an ARC of this beautiful novel.

This book gave me creepy vibes all throughout and had me hooked from the first chapter. The first night I was reading, I had some pretty crazy dreams that were definitely induced by the story.

I loved this story! I loved Weyward and as soon as I saw that Ms. Hart would be publishing a second novel, it was going on my TBR for sure. This story is told in dual(ish) timelines, Lucy & Jess's tale and Mary & Eliza's tale.

After Lucy suffers a traumatic event at Uni, she sets off to visit her sister at Cliff House where she is residing working on her art. Jess may be the only person who understands what Lucy is going through, so despite having distanced herself from Lucy, Lucy doesn't know where else to turn. When Lucy arrives her sister is nowhere to be found. While staying at the house awaiting Jess's return, she runs across Jess's diary and begins to read. Soon she discovers family secrets that may hold the key to what is going on in her life and why things are starting to unravel.

We flash back to the past as Mary and Eliza are traveling aboard a convict ship destined for unknown lands. Mary and Eliza's chapters weave the story of how they ended up here.

Back at Cliff House, Lucy is realizing that Jess may be in trouble and she needs to find her before it is too late and tragedy strikes.

In this feminist tale of female empowerment, nothing and no one is who they seem. I can't wait to read more from Emilia in the future!

Eerie, haunting read. Two sisters aboard a convict ship bound for Australia, a young woman plagued by nightmares in search of her missing sister and a mystery surrounding 6 men who have disappeared over a span of decades are all intersperced within the storyline of this gripping read.

Thank you to author Emilia Hart for this awesome read and NetGalley for offering this book to all members, love when you guys do that!

Fantastic book. Kept me enthralled throughout the story. I loved this author’s debut book, but this was even better. Spooky and atmospheric. Definitely 5stars and worth the read

This story begins with Lucy, a mild-mannered college student that mistakenly commits assault while sleepwalking. She flees repercussions by traveling to her sister’s home on a cliff in a small seaside town. When she shows up to an empty house, the search for her sister turns into a time of self-discovery and uncovering the secrets of not only the sea below her, but her own family.

I was expecting this novel to read like a mystery, but it was much more heartfelt than that. Hart beautifully explores the power of fellowship among women and the bond of sisterhood. I really enjoyed the slight fantasy aspects that were incorporated into the plot. The role of dreams throughout the novel was very interesting. The back and forth between past and present, as well as both sisters point of view could have been hard to follow if it wasn’t so well done. Oftentimes the role of “sirens” in a novel is reduced to a sexual predator, only caring for pleasure and destruction. Hart instantly gave it much more depth, creating such solid characters and a very realistic quality to a fantastical subject. I commend Emilia Hart on this wonderful novel and cannot wait to see what she comes out with next!

The Sirens is available March 4, 2025. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

I was a huge fan of Weyward, and The Sirens definitely lived up to my expectations. I love the way Hart writes dual timelines; the different stories weave together perfectly and I find that I'm always equally interested in each timeline, which doesn't happen often. All of the characters in the book, as with Weyward, are all fully realized and well-rounded. Hart clearly did a lot of historical research, and managed to tie that into a suspenseful mystery that left me unable to put the book down. Definitely a favorite of the year.

I am a sucker for ANYthing mermaid related or adjacent, so I knew this was a book I needed to get my hands on!

Our present day heroine, Lucy, held the most intrigue for me, but the way the past and present converged was rich and engaging. The use of the ocean as a metaphor and as a setting power it holds had *me* by the throat (to quote the fantastic cover copy). The tone of the book was (intentionally) eerie, and it reminded me of the HP Triwizard tournament scene where they were swimming underwater as fast as they could to rescue their prized person. That is a tone I love and appreciate!

If you love sisterhood stories, magical realism, strong figurative language as a storytelling device, and alternating timelines, you've got to pick this one up!!

This was a phenomenal read. Seriously a new and wonderful take. I have been raving about it to everyone I know. I want more but the characters were amazing.

another beautifly written book by emilia hart. the sirens is another captivating story about women and their struggles about feeling different. I adore how easily she manages to write magical realism while also writing so many povs from characters that are so amazingly fleshed out. i hope emilia hart never stops writing in this genre and she manages to come up with even more of these amazing magical concepts that revolve so much around women, their stories and their futures. truly an amazing read and i would reccomend to everyone and anyone no matter what genres they dabble in.

I really enjoyed the use of sisters in different time-periods, it uses that to this advantage. The characters felt like they were real people and enjoyed the overall feel worked with these characters. I enjoyed the overall plot of this book and it was written in a way that kept me wanting to read on. Emilia Hart wrote this in a way that was both magical and realistic.

Jumping into this, I truly didn't know what to expect.

The story spans different generations and women, sisters, with alternating povs. Fantastic prose and writing style that kept me intrigued and wanting more from the mysterious vibes that this book gives.

The timelines were easy to keep up with an not overcomplicated as I've seen it done at times.

Plus: THIS COVER!!! I can not wait to see it on my shelf!

What an absolutely stunning cover!! It immediately drew me in and I can wait to see it printed in real life!

The plot of the “The Sirens” follows different females and sisters over multiple generations with alternating POV. I enjoyed the change in timelines and seeing the different sides to the hardships and challenges that women were facing among different time periods.

I have to say that Lucy in present day (2019) was definitely the character that captivated me the most. Potentially because she was the most relatable to me being a modern day girly, but I also found her situation of waking up from sleep walking and her distant and strained relationship with her mysterious sister to interest me the most.

I was fully caught hook, line, & sinker into this novel & only released at the fullfilling end! An immensely satisflying tale with merrows, convict ships with women, whimsy, family & relationship drama. I thoroughly enjoyed & definitely recommend this book. I'll be checking out Emilia Hart's other works for sure.

This is my unbiased, honest review. Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for an ARC.