I really enjoyed Emilia Hart’s debut novel Weyward and was excited to read her next book, The Sirens (2025). The dual timeline story takes place in present-day Australia as Lucy begins to have strange dreams, and the early 1800s on a convict ship from Ireland headed to Australia with two sisters, Mary and Eliza. After Lucy nearly strangles an ex-boyfriend in her sleep during one of her strange dreams, she flees to her sister’s house on the coast of New South Wales, only to find her missing. She is soon caught up in the town’s strange past, as well as her own family’s secrets. During their harrowing journey on the convict ship, Mary and Eliza begin to notice strange changes in their bodies and a growing call to the sea.
Beautifully written, this book will appeal to fans of magical realism and female empowerment stories.