I looooved this book! I never knew who was trustworthy. The main character is flawed (literally kills people) and the author made me love her anyway. Great writing and world building. A very fast paced and enjoyable read. Not a dull moment

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the arc of Sing me to Sleep by Gabi Burton in exchange for my honest and unbiased review..

If you loved Daughter of the Pirate King, To Kill a Kingdom or even The Cruel Prince, you will definitely want to read this book. It is as dark, sultry and seductive as a siren’s song.

Saoirse, is a siren who has lived her whole life with her adoptive parents and sister, hiding her true identity. She lives a dual life, academy trainee by day, her goal to graduate 1st and gain a placement that will bring financial security protection for her sister and parents, and siren assassin by night.

However, not everything goes to plan and Saoirse finds herself entering service as the crown prince’s guard. From this point the plot really grows, building layers of world and character building. Is Saoirse morally grey? Or can protecting yourself and your family within a corrupt society be deemed justified?

The world building for this book is cleverly done, creating a Kingdom overseen by a dominating and unjust king, discrimination against those who are not Fae, and established within a barrier that prevents entry and escape.

The characters are a mix of shades of grey, all with their own agenda that adds to the rich and interesting mix of this world, it’s politics and plots, plus there’s an enemies to lovers romance that is handled deftly, gradually developing and growing but, also appropriate to the plot.

If you’re looking for your next series, love mermaids and sirens, complex relationships, plots and politics, then this is the book for you. It was for me, and now I’m just waiting for book 2!

I absolutely loved this novel. Gripped me from the first page. I enjoyed everything about it.
Well written and I can't wait to read more from Gabi.

Thank you netgalley, the publishers and the author for letting me read this novel

4⭐️

This was so good!! I absolutely loved this, even though it took me a few chapters to get into it. I’m assuming there’s going to be a book two, and I do think I’d pick it up! It didn’t quite capture my heart, so that’s why it’s 4 and not 5 star for me. I’ve not read anything by this author before but I loved their writing style, it was so immersive!

My only real complaint is that this is marketed as YA and I think this more of a NA or Adult book just because of the mature themes—at the very least it’s very upper YA.

I’ve honestly been indecisive about giving 5 🌟 to this book because I honestly didn’t like the romance, but I loved everything else that in the end I decided for the max rate. First of all, I definitely need more books with mermaids because they make incredibly interesting and complicated characters. Saoirse knows she is a monster and that killing is wrong, but her nature makes it inevitable for her. She is very grumpy and protective with the people she loves even if it is almost impossible to trust others completely because she can’t reveal her true nature. Mermaids shouldn’t be present inside the barrier and she definitely doesn’t want to be discovered by the handsome prince that has given her a job as his personal guard. I say that I didn’t like the romance because basically for the prince it is love at first sight and he does everything to please her without the real connection that should be created in a relationship. Plus he is not even a prince that does everything to fight his father’s injustices, he know they are wrong but he doesn’t even care enough to act on it.. Saoirse on the other hand is a character I love because she is so very real, she struggles to contain her nature, she fails but you can see the good in her and you are inevitably connected. Of course, plot twists make the story even more good and it’s the kind of book where there’s not clear good and evil, everything has a mix of both as it happens in life and that’s what attracted me to it.
I really want to read the sequel because I’m curious to see more of the world in which the story is set.

From page one, this story lures you in like a Siren Song. It's mesmerizing, fast paced and keeps you on your toes.
If you think you know Sirens, you'll probably be surprised reading this book. Saoirse is indeed unique, in both her struggles and her affection. A truly interesting character you can't help but both root and fear for her despite her dark side.
There is exposition for this rich world in the first few chapters, but it's so cleverly strewn in that it didn't bother me at all. And then the story just unravels from there. Once the oh-so-handsome prince arrives, I had feared that Saoirse would lose her agenda and her edge, but it isn't the case at all. In fact, their relationship is quite interesting.
The book plays with many intriguing ideas, like the fact that Saoirse can taste emotions. Or that the Siren Song is both her weapon and her undoing.
I enjoyed the book very much, and there's potential for many more stories to come in this world.
4,5/5 stars
Thank you @netgalley and @hodderbooks for the eARC!
#SingMetoSleep

An amazing novel that will keep you hooked from start to finish, I can’t wait to read more by Gabi Burton

Wow! I absolutely devoured this book. I loved the main character’s struggle between good and bad. I could not guess the reveals or ending and that’s a good thing for me! By the ending I’m assuming there is a second book coming, and you can bet that I’ll be keen to read this as soon as I can.

Sing Me To Slep is a debut fantasy book by Gabi Burton.

Only fae, witches and humans live in the Keirdre kingdom. The fae are the superior ones led by the Royal family. Witches are second but mostly banished to the outskirts of the kingdom, and humans are the lowest class, working as servants. And then there is our main heroine Saoirse who is a siren in disguise as an ikatus (a fae in the looks only but with no real power or affinity for the elements) because sirens are dangerous, and their existence is illegal...... and she's the only one left.

Saoirse is someone, who lies about her identity to avoid being executed, keeps to herself, has only one friend (and she would like to keep it that way), is very hard-working, and works as an assassin for mercenaries during the nights for extra money for her family... the catch of being the assassin? While she needs the money for her sister's school tuition, she can't deny she likes to kill and needs to kill to stay sane - it's siren's nature to kill because the pull is too strong. And she's been battling this pull for the majority of her life.

Saoirse is the number one graduate soldier from the most prestigious barracks in the kingdom with a clear vision of her dream job but instead, they offer her a guard position in the Palace for Crown Prince Hayes. She doesn't want to work for the Royals, but when she finds a blackmail letter in the hands of her beloved sister with a royal seal on it, she has no other choice than to accept the position. She needs to find out who is blackmailing her for information about the barrier surrounding the kingdom, the supposed extinct creatures, and the Royals. As she balances her jobs as an assassin and the guard, she's slowly uncovering the kingdom's secrets.

And the prince seems to be fascinated by her for some reason. The more she tries to shake him off, the more he tries to get closer. And her resolve to hate all the Royals and keep away from the prince slowly crumbles the more time she spends with him and gets to know him better. He's different from the rest of the Royal family - he's kind, compassioned, tries to understand, isn't prejudiced against other races, and most importantly, he listens to Saoirse and tries to make changes with his limited power. They also need to join hands and find the killer of his friend...

Saoirse is torn between her duties as a guard (and investigator), her job as an assassin, and a hand uncovering the secrets for the blackmailer while trying not to get caught and protecting her loved ones. The only problem? Everything seems to connect to everything... And Saoirse needs to choose which side to join.

This book has the potential to be a great new series! It sucks you in very quickly and doesn't let you out. You can't put it down, and by the end, you can't believe what happened. It has everything I love: a great story, interesting characters and world, a strong morally grey female character with battling sides, magic, magical creatures, intrigues, betrayals where I haven't seen them coming, a prince easy to love, and a mystery to uncover. I also appreciate the queer side characters.

I look forward to the second book because I need answers! But don't worry - while the story continues in book two, the first one doesn't have a cliffhanger.

I would recommend it to fans of sirens and readers who enjoyed The Cruel Prince and To Kill A Kingdom.

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for granting me access to an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Mesmerizing faes, sirens, enchanting siren song - you will feel pulled into this story right from the beginning!
Sing Me to Sleep was beautiful, terrific, magical and extremely unique!

The main character Saoirse is able to taste emotions - how cool is that? In this magical world the Fae rules, and other mythical creatures and people are taken as lesser beings. Except Saoirse, who is a siren - the last of her kind, supposedly disappered. She is an assassin and ends up working where the prince is or for him. You can expect the shock, truly.

Loved that the main character was morally grey, dubious and often portrayed flawed. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the characters and that I could never just pick a side.

Looking forward to the sequel - thank you so much for Hodderscape for the eARC!

Sing Me to Sleep is a wickedly alluring debut from author Gabi Burton. Saoirse is a siren who lies about her identity to escape execution and to protect her family. When a mysterious threat against her sister arises. she must step out of the shadows and take a dangerous job to hunt down the blackmailer, all the while risking the exposure of her secrets. Working for the crown prince Hayes, Saoirse must choose between keeping her secrets or keeping the boy she is beginning to fall for.

Oh my freaking god I loved this book! I read it in under 24 hours it ws so damn good. A captivating story of hidden identities, secrets, betrayals and a slow burn romance to die for, this is a new YA favourite of mine. I cannot wait for the sequel and will absolutely be re-reading this. Saoirse is the perfect morally-grey anti-hero that you cannot help but root for. She will do anything for her family, risking her own life for her sister. She is the perfect grump of the grumpy/sunshine romance but deep down she cares, a lot.

The world building is perfect, the court and political intrigue is excellent. This book is perfect for fans of To Kill a Kingdom and All the Stars and Teeth. If you like murderous sirens and swoony princes, this book is for you! Go preorder!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hodderscape for the e-arc.

This is a young adult book with a fantastic plot: in a kingdom where fae reign superior, where witches and humans are seen as lesser beings, Saoirse lives. She is a siren, and sirens are a species that are supposed to have been wiped out due to their violently dangerous nature. So Saoirse must live in secret and satisfy her bloodlust through her assignments as an assassin. Which honestly, works quite well until she ends up working at the palace for the prince and begins to have feelings for him.

This book was very fun and was written in a way that made it very easy to digest. Our protagonist being a questionably evil character was very entertaining and I found myself continuously rooting for her despite the fact that blood was always on her hands. Although I didn't feel like the prince and Saoirse had much chemistry, by the end the slow burn had worn me down and I cannot wait to see what happens next.

The way the concept of the sirens was written was brilliant and I loved it - really hoping there will be more sirens in the sequel!

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

I'm not sure how I felt about Sing Me to Sleep. It's billed as a YA fantasy featuring a morally gray protagonist.... but your protagonists have to be pretty gray to earn that title when Rebecca Schaeffer's Not Even Bones series exist. Plus, there are a lot of YA assassin books out there, and I'd argue that a protagonist who is choosing to kill because they're compelled (which is what is heavily stressed in this book - Saoirse is compelled by the water to kill and has to learn to fight against it) is less morally gray than an assassin who is killing to get by or because they're good at it (without a magical force telling them to do it). So, yeah, that feels like an overhyped element. However, if you're a young reader and haven't read a book featuring a morally gray character before then this will probably tick that box for you.

I also didn't buy the love story. There didn't seem to be any compelling reason for Hayes to like Saoirse except for the fact that she didn't seem interested in him, which made him curious. That's not enough to convince me a couple are well-suited. Plus, he was badgering Saoirse for ages to engage with him - would any of us actually find that okay in the real world? I know this is a fantasy with sirens etc. but it leaves a sour taste in my mouth when the protagonist is basically going "I want nothing to do with this guy" and the love interest is all "I will wear her down until her feelings change".

Additionally, I don't think the characters were as well-integrated as they could be. We weren't even 30% of the way in before I'd figured out who one of the bad guys was because there was no other reason for them to be in the story. If you don't pay attention to narrative - ie. take it as it comes without really thinking about it (which is an absolutely fine way to read a book!) then I don't think this would bother you, but if you're the type of person who thinks "this character could be cut and it wouldn't change anything in the plot, therefore they're going to be significant later on and by process of elimination are likely one of the villains" then you'll be irritated.

But, saying all that, it was readable. I had the choice to finish a TV series or finish this book, and the book was so easy that it felt like the more relaxing choice. It's written in a way that makes it feel like you're eating junk food - and I mean that in a good way. It goes down easily, and even if it might not be the best thing for you it was at least enjoyable in the moment.

I would have been happy for this to have been a one-and-done, but for those who love it then they'll be glad to know there's a sequel. I doubt I'll be reading it, but I might keep an eye out for anything else Gabi Burton writes.

Thank you to netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Rating:3/5
We'll, I have mixed feelings about this book. Overall it's a gripping story that hooked me till the end. However, I could not fully enjoy the reading experience because of the writing style. The statement '*color* was so dark that it was black ' was used way too often. Another problem from which many fantasy books suffer, is using modern words like 'Hi', 'Mom', 'Dad', and 'Ass' in a fantasy world. I read a review which said that Hayes was useless and I completely agree. His only purpose was to provide the right information at the right time to Saoirse. He was extremely obnoxious and I did not enjoy his interactions with Saoirse. On the other hand, I liked the rich and immersive world-building which did not seem forced or hard to understand or remeber. The twists and turns, the climax and the ending was something that I liked. I will be waiting for the sequel!

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC of this book.

Sing me to sleep is an adventurous, magical ya fantasy with a morrally gray FMC. Saoirse Sorkova is the last siren in Keirdre and has to hide who she is. Both because her species are hunted and extinct, and because she has a side job as an assassin. When she starts working with the prince in the palace, she suddenly finds herself hunting down a killer who happens to be herself.

I loved this book. The characters were amazing. The plot was so good. Sometimes, you didn't really know who to root for or feel compassionate for. And i kept trying to guess who was supposed to be the villain or at least one of them. I can't wait for book 2.

Sing Me To Sleep has an intriguing concept, but the execution is sloppy. ⠀
The world building is a little forced, and the characters lack personality and occasionally just vanish, leaving no impression and only appearing as a complement.⠀
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Each chapter feels disconnected, and there are a few plot holes strewn about.⠀
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Saoirse's main goal is also obscured by plots. It might be better if the conflict centred on Raze rather than discovering who sent mysterious letters to Saoirse or being the prince's bodyguard 😪. ⠀
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Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder Stoughton for sending me the eARC; I rate it 2.5 stars.

An enchanting, enthralling and effervescent tale of loss, betrayal, fear and power, intertwined with a slow burn forbidden romance to die for.

Each and every character drew me in, I didn't know who to love, who to hate or who to trust.

The FMC is flawed and powerful and frightening and yet oh so loveable in her own way. It's so powerful to read about a woman who is magically beautiful and yet inside she feels ugly. Loyal to those she loves, willing to do the dirty work, but compassionate enough to feel sorrow for it, I couldn't help but fall for Saiorse and will her through the trouble she's facing.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC, can't wait to have a copy of this on my shelf 🥰

I really really wanted to like this book because the premise is amazing. Sirens, fae, witches, blackmails, cloak and dagger: all the things I love and get excited about.
I will start with the things I liked: The world was very imaginative, I loved the idea of fae with different elemental magic powers living together with witches and humans. The class system going on was realistic and an intriguing critique to society. Prince Hayes is the highlight of this book, he is kind, warm and just in general lovely, you want to give him a hug. He was about the only consistent and likeable character in the whole book. He deserved better.

So where did it go wrong?

Firstly, the writing. Unfortunately, there were a lot of rookie mistakes in the text, such as the irrelevant info dumps in the beginning and repeating, not once, not twice, but three times what Saoirse has discovered on her quest to satisfy the blackmailer's demands. This happened a few times during the story and I really didn't need the characters regurgitating what ive just read literally 3 pages ago. My memory isn't that bad...
Further on the writing, Ive experienced a lot of 'My eyes changed to this color' or 'my eyes glowed with that color'… Hun, how do you know? In first person, how can you see the color of your own eye??

Secondly, the characters, but namely Saoirse. I was sorry to discover that she suffers from YA female MC disease, ie perfect at everything she touches, never fails, the most beautiful woman found in centuries and her actions have almost 0 consequences :) What better way to prepare teens to life than telling them if they kill someone, that's okay, as long as they say they hate themselves for it (which is said but never shown in the story) but secretly enjoy the act of taking a life.
Somehow the other characters describe her as kind and honest and compassionate, which I guess would work in making me like her, if we didn't spend every 2nd chapter following her around while she kills people for the fun of it. Yes, very kind indeed, putting people out of their misery. She's unapologetic, sure, but honest? She lies to everyone through the entire time! And Hayes, bless his beautiful heart, he somehow likes her when she doesn't have a single kind word to him or a moment of bonding. She clearly rejects him but he continues to not get the hint, which makes my heart ache on one, because he deserves better but also gives me the ick because man, No means no. Although Saoirse is really quick to change her mind once it becomes convenient to stay close to the prince, in case you know, she might face some prosecution for the killings maybe?

*Minor SPOILER ahead*

At the end of the book, Saoirse reaches the conclusion that she shouldn't deny her own nature and killings are a part of it and so, everyone who says she is wrong doesn't actually love her. Right…

*END of spoiler

All in all, unfortunately I didn't like this book, despite my high hopes, but could be that it just isnt for me. I urge everyone to go and find out for themselves and read the book. Someone else may like it.

I was so excited to be approved to read this one and it did not disappoint. The main character Saoirse will do anything to protect her sister. She is strong and willing to kill to do this, even when she knows it’s wrong. Saoirse is a siren who shouldn’t be inside the barrier and uses Keil stones to cover her identity. The fae are in control and Saoirse ends up working for the Prince inside the palace. I love most books featuring the fae and this one doesn’t disappoint.
The plot was good although I did feel it started a little slow but it did pick up. I enjoyed the world building and felt that I could see what was being described. The side characters were well developed and had plenty of depth which is something I enjoy.
I really enjoyed the writing style too and felt that it flowed nicely throughout the book.
I can’t wait to read the next book in the series after that ending.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

WOW. Thank you a million times over to NetGalley and the publishers for this e-ARC. Sing Me To Sleep was STUNNING. I am absolutely obessed. The pacing was steady and the characters well rounded. I wanted more, and can't wait till the next installment! Formal review will be available on GoodReads, socials & Amazon.