"You didn't ask me what I want for my birthday, but I'll tell you. I want you. All of you. But if that's too much, I'll take whatever you're willing to give me. Whatever you want to give me."

Saoirse Sorkova is a Siren, in a prejudiced Kingdom where her entire existence is illegal, and on the verge of extinction. Hiding herself behind her façade has become second nature, spending her days as a soldier in training for one of the most prestigious barracks throughout the Kingdom, and her evenings giving in to the pull of her magic, assassinating enemies for a ruthless band of mercenaries to help protect her family. After graduating top of the class, she's offered the most important assignment up for grabs, the only catch... she must guard the very prince whose family have led Sirens to their extinction and used humans and witches as little more than puppets, taking from them whilst making their livelihoods obsolete. Saoirse's immediate response is to turn it down, but when she finds a letter threatening her sister's life, she feels forced to take this job, determined to find out who this mysterious blackmailer is, and end the threat once and for all. However, when one of her mark's disappearance is taken under investigation by the Prince, she finds herself the lead investigator in her own crime, and her fear for her family, and being discovered for who she is, becomes suffocating.

This was so good. Like astounding, compelling, incredible and unforgettably good.

Saoirse is a morally grey siren, whose learnt to hide her true identity under a cloak of lies, driven by her resilience to protect the family she's found and made her own. She fights tooth and nail for her place in the barracks determined to give them a better life, one where they want for nothing, whilst allowing herself some reprieve, and embracing her magic in the evenings, assassinating targets for a band of dangerous mercenaries who remain anonymous even to her. Saoirse is tenacious, resilient and utterly refreshing, with her razor sharp wit, and thirst to prove herself in a world so set against her, she is so remarkable and strong, you can't not root for her. The character growth and development she goes through was exceptional, especially as she begins to lean into her powers, rather than fearing them which has ruled her thoughts and fears ever since her first kill, she is truly astounding, and a complete powerful force to be reckoned with.

Prince Hayes is naïve, spoilt, charismatic, and charming. He's spent his life living in his late brother's shadow, with a father who has no intention of grooming him for the throne, he's lost his drive and purpose, instead partying with reckless abandon. He's mischievous through and through, tired of battling for his father's affections and reassurances, he instead uses his status to reinforce the idea that he's a disappointment, and never enough, which was gut-wrenching and heart-breaking to read, you can feel the grief and anguish through the pages. However, when he meets his new guard Saoirse, he sees a new challenge in her, one he's steadfastly determined to crack. Prince Hayes is literally the definition of a cinnamon roll, he's got such a warm heart and is so gentle, always trying to find the joy in things even when his grief threatens to drown him, he's the kindest, most sweetest angel ever. I loved seeing how Saoirse pushes him repeatedly outside of his comfort zone, and giving him space to be the Prince he's always longed to be respected and treated as, pushing him to stand his ground, and take what he wants instead of cowering away from his father's potential wrath, their unlikely bond made my heart so unbelievably full.

It was so beautiful to see Hayes and Saoirse's relationship unfold, as should be mortal enemies, Saoirse goes into this job resolute on making him and his family pay for the eradication of the Sirens and the oppression of humans and witches who are looked down on as inferior to the fae, in spite of their need for their resources and work ethic. However, the two find kindred spirits in each other, finding a safe space where they can be vulnerable, and truly be themselves and seen for who they are for the first time, flaws and all, without fear or judgment, it was so empowering and wholesome to witness.

'Sing Me to Sleep' was so lyrically written, with it's gorgeous and breath-taking world building, it seamlessly transports and immerses you into the world, and a unique magic system that pulls you in and completely entrances you. This story is brimming with gorgeously raw, complex and incredible characters, whose character development resonated so deeply, and felt so real, raw and moving, deep betrayals, and astounding and nail-biting plot twists that'll have you REELING this is one hell of an action-packed, heart-warming and truly sensational bang to a fantasy series. I didn't want to put this story down once I'd started it, and I am absolutely buzzing for the next book in the series.

This was a highly anticipated read for me and it did not let me down. The writing was stunning and really pulled me into the story. The atmosphere and world building was incredible. It truly felt like I was stepping into the world of the characters, and real life just melted away. There was so much mystery and tension and excitement and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I can’t wait to continue the series.

It's only the nature of sirens to kill. they couldn't help it. That's why they're forced out of the kingdom, away from other living species.

But there's 1 siren left in the kingdom, and her name is Saoirse. She's kept her identity secret all her life while living as an adoptive daughter of a regular fae family. She trained to be a soldier with the hope of affording a better life for her family, then she did graduate as the best and offered to be the crown prince's personal bodyguard.

One person she loves above all else is her sister. so when there's blackmail threat about her sister, she's willing to do anything to keep her safe.

So besides the blackmail, half of the problem in this book is that she killed the wrong person which put her in a difficult situation. The first half was kinda boring, sorry. Though the dynamics between Saoirse & Hayes were interesting. And oh I love the character’s names, they sound so attractive!

I loved this book. From the very start I felt as though I could not put it down, it was gripping right the way through. I really enjoyed the dark side of Saoirse and that she wasn’t the perfect good moral main character we are all so used to, she really was the criminal hidden in plain sight. The twists and turns of this book were so unpredictable it really felt like I was going along with them.

Gabi is an incredible writer- i will never stop recommending this to browsers, super excited for this to come out in paperback!

It was okay. I wish it was better. I will reread this and see if my opinion changes anytime soon. The characters were mid, the plot was overused, and all in all I feel terribly let down.

Please note that this book is not for me - I have read the book, However I had to DNF and because i do not like to give negative reviews I will not review this book fully - there is no specific reason for not liking this book. I found it a struggle to read and did not enjoy trying to force myself to read this book.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused and thank you for the opportunity to read this book

I had this book on my virtual shelf for a long time before picking it up. I, therefore, missed a chance to request and read the sequel. I may not ever read it, and by itself, it is a good plot - but it was definitely a missed opportunity.
The fantasy world we encounter here is one where some magical creatures and their magic have been accepted into the system while others have been banished, killed or, in some ways worse, ignored and used as servants with no power over their own lives.
Our leading lady is a self-styled assassin, one who chooses to kill obnoxious people once in a while to keep her inner magic under control. This latter part is something that she uses to convince herself about her actions, until she gets paid and sent instructions about specific targets and blackmailed into getting a risky job, one close to the tyrannical rulers of the land.
The story then has political intrigue along with personal vendetta. Saoirse has to figure out her feelings for someone she is supposed to stay away from, protect her sister, and all the while keep her own secret safe.
The romantic angle was done well, but the focal point for me was the complex character of the leading lady herself. She is young and conflicted, as well as powerful, and she needs to find her way to a reasonably happy life. I found the twist I was waiting for unexpected, something I always appreciate.
I recommend this book for young adults and those who like fantasy with romance in the central plotline.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Couldn't get past the first few chapters sadly, I was super excited for this but I couldn't get myself interested in the plot or the character whatsoever. Kept trying but just had to put it down in the end.

I received an ARC through Netgalley all opinions are my own.
This review contains spoilers.
2 stars.

This book has a lot of good reviews and a good rating.
But I will sadly be writing the opposite.
I'm disappointed by how dumb Saoirse is and how naive Hayes is. I also really hated Hayes being all "Call me Hayes, not your highness" like bro, you live in a society where people will get killed for looking at you wrong.
Also the whole he's a prince but he's useless and all he can do is party.
And the whole
Saoirse asking if something is an order and Hayes being all why do you always ask that, of course not.

Also the whole I don't want to be a killer but I can't stop killing because the water tells me to. And the whole everything I do is for my sister got really old really quickly.
And the whole killing people without questioning why they have to be killed or who they are. And also not even wondering or trying to find out who is hiring her to kill people.
And Saoirse feels betrayed by people all the time, eventhough she's the one lying all the time to everybody like come on.

I think the book would have benefitted from being a stand alone, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

Loved this book. It was a really interesting and pacy read. I loved the concept of the last siren and how she didn’t know the extent of her powers. I liked the darkness and how it wasn’t sugarcoated. I loved the story itself, her being an assassin, the side characters. Really it was a glorious read. Plenty of twists along the way, some of which were a genuine surprise.

Perfect for anyone who likes fantasy other creatures type books, for instance fans of Sarah J Maas.

So nearly 10/10, no notes. But My only slight criticism was the ending. I felt like it pushed the sequel TOO hard and it cheapened the book. We were all going to read the next instalment anyway, so it wasn’t needed. Not to mention that there was a PERFECT, terrifying, great ending just a few pages before that would have left us all gagging for the next one. By pushing too hard, and giving away too much, I’m somehow now slightly less excited for it.

All that being said, honestly this was a gorgeous book, a delight to read, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

I loved everything about this! The main character was fantastic along with the relationships surrounding her. I appreciated how the world was set up and enjoyed it. My only downsides were that I found it quite slow-paced and I'm still undecided about how I feel about the ending.

This is young adult fantasy. Our female main character is a siren in a world where they are not allowed to exist, so she's spent her life in disguise. Her very carefully considered safe plans for the future, however, go totally out the window when she gets blackmailed.

She ends up having to take on a role as the prince's bodyguard - which is kind of unfortunate since its the Royal family who would kill her if they found out what she was. So she now has to hide what she is, hide that she's being blackmailed, and hide that she's also an assassin on the side.
This was pretty good - less underwater content than you might expect from a siren story because if she goes near the water then she desperately wants to kill people and she's trying not to do that.

There's a nice collection of side characters with the other bodyguards and the relationship between her and the Prince as it builds is great, but also feels completely doomed considering who they are.

This is the first in a series so while the main plot line is wrapped up, the more relationship/emotional.side of things definitely isn't.

I will definitely read the next book!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. This has been on my radar since the beginning of the year as the premise sounded so interesting. Unfortunately the execution just wasn’t “it” for me.

This is a YA fantasy following Saoirse, a siren who has to disguise herself as a fae in a world where her very existence is illegal. After graduating at the top of her class she is offered a position at the palace guarding the prince. At first she declines, the palace is the most dangerous place for her as an illegal creature but then someone starts blackmailing her and threatening her sister. The envelopes containing the blackmail have a royal seal on them and so she accepts the job at the palace so that she can find out who is blackmailing her and stop them. While there, things take a turn for the worse though. The prince’s best friend has been killed and now he wants Saoirse to lead the investigation into his death. The problem? She was his killer.

This book had a lot of potential and I like where the series is going so I will probably read the next book. The world was interesting with different types of fae who have powers based on elements. It was generally easy to understand and the plot was uncomplicated but still generally interesting.

However, this main character is AWFUL. She is so rude, cold and mean to everyone around her including those who risk their very lives to protect her that I can’t possibly root for her. I don’t mind an unlikeable/morally grey main character as long as there is some type of growth and just SOMETHING to endear me to them. Saoirse was just plain unlikeable and there was no growth at all. She also kept making incredibly stupid decisions which made me feel like the stakes weren’t that high. I didn’t feel any chemistry between her and Hayes, it was pure insta love which I also can accept sometimes but there is absolutely no reason why this man should fall for her so quickly. All of the characters were very one dimensional, I didn’t connect with anyone and don’t even get me started on the “pinecone/beansprout” thing. The writing was good most of the time but action scenes were rushed and cartoonish at times. It just felt like a bit of a mess. The author was trying to pack as many tropes and plot points as she could into this book and as a result things were underdeveloped and rushed. I also think the magic system was extremely under utilised, it seemed to just be “there” most of the time.

Like I said, the ending was promising and the next book sounds like it will be a lot more interesting so I might check it out. This was released on 27th June if you want to read it for yourself. You may enjoy it.

A fantastic book that had me absolutely mesmorised. I cannot believe that this is a debut novel. Brilliant

*Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton, Hodderscape for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.*

This was an interesting book. I loved the premise of it. The world-building was really good, but other than that the characters fell a little flat and I couldn't connect with them. But it was an interesting read.

“Kill. My instincts tug at my heart, my lips part, and a song pours out. Soft, soulful, wordless.”

As a Siren, Saoirse Sorkova, and creatures like her, are not welcome in the fae kingdom of Keirdre, but neither can they escape through the realm’s impassable Barrier. To survive they must guard their true natures, and hide in plain sight. Keirdre soldier by day, Raze assassin by night, Saoirse cares only for the wellbeing and safety of her younger sister and when Rain is threatened with exposure, she is determined to strike first.

Saoirse relies on bewitched Keil beads to disguise her appearance, but they do nothing to temper her nature. Siren’s are killers, their song deadly and Saoirse, the last of her kind, believes the urge is irresistible, especially when she is near water. Burton stresses Saoirse’s moral ambiguity, Saoirse is convinced she kills because of what she is, so she’s found what she believes is a justifiable outlet that also ensures her sister’s welfare. Despite her questionable decisions, I liked her character, she’s smart, brave, and kickass. There’s not a huge amount of character growth through the story, but I expect it will continue in subsequent books.

Offering a good balance of intrigue, suspense and action, I thought the plot was well paced. Saoirse’s hunt for the blackmailer leads her to the palace, where she takes a position as the personal bodyguard to the Crown Prince Hayes. Her search, and the blackmailer’s additional demands, has her creeping around the palace looking for answers, all while carefully guarding her own secrets. As if Saoirse’s life inside the palace isn’t difficult enough, it threatens to become untenable when the Prince tasks Saoirse to lead the investigation into the whereabouts of his missing best friend, whom Saoirse knows is dead, because she killed him.

Prince Hayes is yet another complication for Saoirse because while she despises the Royal family, he soon proves to be very different from his parents. I enjoyed the inevitability of their romance, but the Prince has to forgive Saoirse of an awful lot and I think he did so too easily.

Blending fantasy, mystery and romance, I found a lot to like in Sing Me To Sleep and I’d be interested in seeing how the series develops.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for this ebook of Sing Me To Sleep

I thoroughly enjoyed this read, I found it to be fast paced and I really enjoyed the magic of the story. It enthralled me with it's spellbounding ways and I was wrapped up in the story. I loved Saorise and her struggles with being a siren and I loved her character development.
This novel is written perfectly with its balance of lavish descriptions and it's magical enticement.

Sing Me to Sleep is downright compelling and spellbinding read. Definitely one of my top fantasy reads for the year. A vivid and intense fantasy that will have glued to each single page.
You will love Saorise and her story instantly.
I don't wanna give away to much but love black sirens/mermaids, magic systems, dark mystery, assassins and a touch of slow burn © then get your preorder ready for Sing Me to Sleep.