The Sirens by Emilia Hart is a story with two timelines. 1800's Ireland and 2019's Australia. This is a mix between fantasy, magical realism and historical fiction, with a writing style is quite similar to Weyward. We dive into the lives of these women, with relatable and compelling stories. The chapters alternate between the present and the past and the plot was well developed and the pace was great.

This was a fast and interesting read. The story is well written while it covers themes like female empowerment and finding your true self. There were some interesting twist about halfway through the story, and while some of them were a bit predictable, the ending and the epilogue were surprising to say the least. Overall, this is a good mysterious story with a dual timeline and POV, well written and fast paced.

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Having previously enjoyed Weyward, I was eager to delve into The Sirens, and it exceeded all my expectations. Hart's talent for interlocking past and present narratives shines through, delivering a story that is both enchanting and thought-provoking. This novel is a testament to the enduring strength of women and the mysteries that bind us across time.

similar in themes to her other book which i also enjoyed if liked the the style of weyward you would like this too i liked the atmospheric feel and how it built up tension and mystery i particularly enjoyed lucy's chapters in the book

CW/TW
Contains themes which may be triggering:
Adult/minor relationship, sexual assault, pregnancy, violence, death, miscarriage, infertility, rape.

💬 My Bookish Thoughts
I found The Sirens utterly fascinating and beautifully captivating. The dual timelines are expertly woven, each thread slowly piecing together the mystery of Jess’ disappearance and the intricate connections between past and present.

Magical realism is a favourite of mine, so I couldn’t help but hope for even more insight into the sirens themselves—their underwater world and lives. While this is a personal preference rather than a flaw, my curiosity about these mythical beings left me wanting more. That said, this remains a brilliantly crafted novel, rich with atmosphere and intrigue.

Big thanks to Net Galley, Harper Collins, Borough Press and Emilia Hart for the gifted digital copy in exchange for my honest review. 🙏🏼

1800's - Mary and her blind from birth twin sister, Eliza, are sent on a female convict ship to NSW, following a harrowing incident resulting in a death.
2000's - Trainee journalist Lucy has decided to visit her estranged elder sister, Jess, at her new home in Comber Bay, to seek emotional support following an incident at Lucy's university.
This is a lovely, gripping, poignant read which I really enjoyed and highly recommend it to fans of absorbing, family based reads with a supernatural, mystery element too.

Emilia Hart is back with another brilliant book. As with Weyward, the book successfully combines a present day narrative with historical fiction. As we move between the two perspectives the links become clear and the mystery unfolds. While there were some twists which came as no surprise, others were unforeseen and the atmosphere remained in place throughout the novel. I quite accidentally ended up reading the whole thing in one day as I was so absorbed and kept picking it back up.

The blurb really drew me in, but the story left me uninterested.
With multiple POVs and different years the story jumped around and felt very disjointed. Yes, it came together in the end, but it's a slog to stick with it that long. The later addition of another POV/year felt like over kill and that storyline could have been told via later dialogue.
My main issue was Lucy. As a main character she came over as weak, bland and boring. Listening to her story was long and drawn out. Eliza and Mary were a little better, but I think it was their transportation story that hooked me. That I'd have liked more of.
Overall I was left empty. While I'd have liked more of the convict story I was bored with the characters and the random Irish words were more off putting than cute
Don't grab this one. Throw it back.

Weyward was one of my absolutely favourite books, so when The Sirens came up to request I jumped at the chance and thankfully was accepted.

The Sirens is an absolute journey of a read from start to finish and I loved it.

We meet main character Lucy, she has woken up with her hands around a mans neck who she knows and has sort of deceived her in a way.

Lucy is devastated and worried that she may be kicked off her University course decides to set off to her sisters house which is on the Australian Coast. But to Lucy's surprise her sister has vanished, she is an artist and has an opening soon but she has left her phone etc at home. Lucy starts to piece together some strange going on that has been happening to her and about the place where her sister lives as there has been a fair few men have disappeared.

There is a dual storyline many hundreds of years ago we meet sisters Mary and Eliza who have been deported from their home due to a crime they committed.

There is so much in this book that I can not fit it all in but The Sirens is a masterpiece.

The storylines work really well together, just like they did in Weyward, and I found the contrast of the two pairs of sisters really interesting.

The Sirens is full of mystic, magic and just loved it.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for allowing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Having read and enjoyed the author's previous title, ' Weyward', I was keen to read 'The sirens'. it didn't disappoint, the book flows smoothly and keeps the reader wanting to continue. There are a few slow and confused passages at the mid-point, but all becomes very clear with a dramatic denouement from both time lines. As with the previous title, it follows the theme of sisterhood in its broadest sense, which gives the female reader a sense of solidarity. There are also however, several sympathetic male characters but it takes the whole story to establish who these actually are.
Thoroughly enjoyed this, a real lose one's self tale in a lovely setting.

The sea gives but it also takes.

A story presented with two timelines, year 1800 in Ireland and year 2019 in Australia.
2019, after her private photos went viral, Lucy was running away to Comber Bay - a place where people called Australia's Bermuda Triangle, with a hope to stay with her sister, Jess. Arriving at Comber Bay, unfortunately that Jess is nowhere to be found. As Lucy digs around, she finds Jess' diary, only to find out that Jess  seems to have the same dreams of hers, the sinking of Naiad on 1800, which involved sisters, Mary & Eliza.
1800, we follow the story of Mary and Eliza as they're forced leaving Ireland by prisoner transport ship  and going to Australia.

The author's previous book, Weyward, was one of my favourite reads of the year, so I was really looking forward to enjoying The Sirens. Unfortunately, this one wasn't enough to keep me interested or engaged. However, it had a couple of great twists, and I can say the combination of historical fiction and magical realism made this book a unique one.

🧜🏻‍♀️The Sirens🧜🏻‍♀️

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

Emilia Hart is has become one of auto buy authors !! I loved Weyward last year and now The Sirens is yet another favourite.❤️

The writing is amazing, similar to Weyward, you get to experience the lives of these women up close and you don’t want the story to end. It is pure, relatable, beautiful, and compelling!

I seem to enjoy when the chapters alternate between the past and the present, which is something I discovered while reading this book. I am always trying to piece together information and wondering how it is linked based on the little crumbs from past and present.

The plot was well paced for me and I read it quickly. I have to say I anticipated a big twist early on, but it actually didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book. That might be me though, if I love a book I just love it and that’s that. 😄

If you enjoy reading about women’s stories through a fascinating imaginative lens then this book is for you.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher, and author for this e-ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Sirens is different to what I would usually pick up as it fits into fantasy/magical realism/historial fiction genres but the stunning cover and interesting premise drew me in.

The story is beautifully written and covers the themes of female empowerment, sisterhood and finding your identity.

The story switches between perspectives and timelines - Jess and Lucy from the present day, extracts from Jess’ diary and Mary’s story from the past. I do often enjoy this in a book, but at times it became a little muddled and slowed the pace in this case for me. I did connect more with the story of Jess and Lucy, although it was key to the book to have the backstory and understand what happened with Mary and make connections.

The story did pick up for me around halfway through and there were some exciting twists, particularly around the mystery elements and the big reveals. It was an enjoyable and beautiful story, but it just didn’t quite grip me like I had hoped for.

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 ⭐️

I loved Emilia Hart’s first novel. While I’m torn with The Sirens. It’s another inter generational story focused on women’s relationships. Again I hadn’t thought about what the prison ships to Australia were like and this brings it to life. I struggled more with the modern story from Lucy’s perspective. As readers we are in the know before Lucy and I can’t decide if it enhances the story. I ended up enjoying it but guessed all the twists. Not as good as weyward but still interesting and covers many topics. 3.5 but closer to 4 than 3!

This was quite an interesting read and not a direction I expected the story to take. Honestly, what sold me was the fact that I saw mermaid tales on the cover and the fact that the book is called "The Sirens". I like to read as little about the description as possible and I was not disappointed. (I also forgot what the description was by the time I finally picked this book up 😅). What I got was such a twisted tale of 4 young women and the journey through their lives and the trials they go through. Although this book had a touch of magical realism, I loved the message of empowerment it added to it. I did guess some of the plot twists, but the ending, especially the epilogue kinda had me for a loop. I wasn't expecting an epilogue like that. And I'm sure many others put the pieces together but my brain didn't want to catch up to the crumbs I was being fed 😂. Overall a good mystery story that brought in the elements of the past in a great and entertaining way. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC for my honest review.

Weyward is one of my all time favourite books so I was super excited to read this one.

I absolutely love the way Emilia's books are filled with sisterhood and courage. How she creates strong female characters and weaves a tale that links them through the ages.

And with Sirens, she did it again. Four women linked through dreams and a special bond that spans time. I adored this because yet again Emilia draws you in to a tale of the power and strength of women.

There were lots of twists in this one, and it was easy to get swept up into the magic of this story. A tale of Sirens and the how when faced with adversity women band together in courage.

Enjoyed this one, and yet again Emilia Hart has created a story that reminds us of the strength of women.

Emilia Hart’s The Sirens is a captivating blend of historical fiction and gothic mystery, weaving together past and present in a haunting tale of sisterhood, survival, and long-buried secrets.

Lucy is on the run, not just from what happened to her, but from what she has done. She seeks refuge with her sister Jess in Comber Bay, but when she arrives, Jess is missing. Her car, phone, and keys are still there, yet her neighbour is certain that she’ll be back for her art exhibition. Searching for answers, Lucy finds Jess’s teenage diary, uncovering unsettling family secrets that shake everything she thought she knew.

Lucy has vivid dreams of Mary and Eliza—two sisters aboard The Naiad, a convict ship wrecked off Comber Bay centuries ago—she starts to wonder if their fates may be tied to hers. Official records say no one survived, yet both Lucy and Jess have always been haunted by visions of these women. Whispers of sirens have been heard around Comber Bay, of voices on the waves luring men to their doom. Over the years, eight men have vanished, and a baby was once found abandoned in a sea cave. All unsolved mysteries.

The novel’s dual timeline is gripping and atmospheric, bringing The Naiad’s harrowing voyage to life. The sea itself is a force throughout, a sanctuary, protecting women while keeping its own secrets.

Utterly enthralling, The Sirens is a must-read for fans of gothic thrillers and historical fiction. If you loved Weyward, you won’t want to miss this!

DNF at 40%

Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. The premise was so intriguing, however the introspective storytelling became such a chore to read. I didn’t connect with any of the characters, and whilst the writing was beautiful, I never found myself wanting to continue or pick it back up again.

I found this an addictive read. I wanted to know what happened to both sets of sisters as their stories were engrossing. It was interesting to read about the convict laden ships and the brutal regime that women were subjected to I liked the contemporary story and mystery surrounding Jess and her sister Lucy. It felt like the bonds of sisterhood were strong but it did not feel like a book just for women. The pace was good and the twists were well thought out and kept you riveted

An Australian mermaid story! What's not to like?

I really enjoyed Emilia Hart's debut novel Weyward about witches, so I was really pleased to be given the opportunity to read her follow-up novel about mermaids. Again, the novel has a split timeline with links between historical happenings and the present day, with strong and resilient women overcoming hardships and the predations of unpleasant men.

A recommended feminist read.

A dark and mysterious story highlighting women's stories. I found it so interesting focusing on that part of Australian and irish history. I was constantly guessing what was going on and kept on edge but there were also some very pointant moments that could be reflected on.