The Siren audiobook

This isn't one of those books you can be super critical of. It's very insta-lovey with less of a focused plot - a really tropey, white-and-heterosexual read with more of a fantasy element to the romance. But if you don't really care too much you can enjoy it.Four stars, originally five. I’ve just read this so many times before reviewing it that I’ve picked up on all the unwelcome details…so my rating is lowered now.Let’s start with the plot. I looooove Greek mythology. I’m not saying that as a Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus/Rick Riordan fan. I’m saying that as someone who: - read several Greek mythology textbooks before ever picking up the Percy Jackson books - read the Iliad just because the Odyssey was going to be an English assignment - read two different versions of the Odyssey just to get a “better understanding”. - has read all of the Percy Jackson books three times - has read the Heroes of Olympus series three times - has been to the Parthenon in Nashville - has randomly researched the minor gods/goddesses/creatures in Greek mythology out of boredomSo. I was expecting more Greek elements when I first picked this one up. Was I disappointed by the lack of mythology? Not really, since I had been anticipating this read for a while. I was too excited to finally read it to really care.[Okay, moving past my unnecessary list of stuff].I was a bit hesitant the first time I read this (which was about two years ago, maybe three. So I’m mainly writing from the perspective of my latest reread), because romance books are not really my thing. I had never read The Selection.But I loved this.I really, really loved this. I loved all the characters (except for Elizabeth because she was more selfish and annoying), especially Miaka. I loved Kahlen’s perspective on everything and I loved how she still hadn’t figured herself out after ninety-nine years of life. I loved the concept of this private society of Sirens, and the system they served with the Ocean. I wasn’t quite there for the romance, which is a bit unfortunate since this is a romance book. Fight me, but insta-love is just so useless and annoying.I will win that fight.Still, Kahlen and Akinli were just so, so cute. I couldn’t help rooting for them to be together (which is the point of a romance, but it doesn’t always work for me). They had chemistry, and they understood each other perfectly. It was so much fun to read.“Whatever happened, I'd met my person, the one my soul connected to.”The writing. I think the writing in this one was pretty different from The Selection – this was more flowery, more relaxed and swoon-worthy. I mean, it sounded similar, but this one felt sweeter (although, Kahlen is a lot sweeter than America).“Love is a risk worth taking.I'd waited an eternity for this.I'd have waited all over again if I had to.I was meant to be kiss this boy, designed to be held by him.All the careful postures I held melted away, and I pulled him closer.We were stars.We were music.We were time.”The characters were all fun, but they weren’t layered or deep. Which was fine, I think, since that wasn’t a huge part of the story. It felt like the only two main characters were really Kahlen and Akinli, and the Ocean of course. But everyone else was just a side character.That being said, I loved Miaka. I empathized with Padma. And I admired Elizabeth, as much as she annoyed me. I do love my badass heroines (AELINNNNN) but Kahlen was really amazing. She is essentially a normal girl – and over the course of the novel, she realizes that time and time again. She isn’t strong or unbreakable, she’s human. And I loved having an element like that in this kind of book.“How magical it was just to be a normal girl.”I liked the idea of the system that the Sirens served, with the Ocean. It was really easy to understand, but it was a real central force in the book. I think I’d love to be a siren for the experience it gets. But the way it was painted in the plot was just unflattering, mostly because it goes against everything the main character truly wanted.“I kept waiting for something to happen, which isn’t how life works. In closed environments, everything just repeats.”Holy shit does that quote up there represent quarantine.I think my favorite part was the one day that Kahlen and Akinli had together. It was magical, and reading it reminded me of how I felt in seventh grade. There was a boy, and he liked me, and we were pretty good friends (if anyone actually wants to know, we weren’t a thing). And our moments together felt kind of the way I did when reading that day in Port Clyde – like someone actually knew me and cared.It didn’t last. But it was nice to find that kind of feeling.“I could tell in his face that I could burn the house down, and he’d just get out marshmallows and thank me for the lovely flame. I’m not sure I could make a mistake big enough for him not to forgive.”Overall, I loved this book. I loved it the first time I read it, and I still love it now. My only issue is that I enjoyed it less this time around, because I could find all the little things that were covered up before. It's not really a super-critical book, since it doesn't really cover a lot, but overall it's a light read. I see why people don't like it, as it's definitely not the best, but I enjoy this one.

The Siren, Kiera CassA sweeping stand-alone fantasy romance from Kiera Cass, author of the Selection series. Kahlen is a Siren—bound to serve the Ocean by luring humans to their watery graves with her voice, which is deadly to any human who hears it. "You must never do anything that might expose our secret. This means that, in general, you cannot form close bonds with humans. You can speak to us, and you can always commune with the Ocean, but you are deadly to humans. You are, essentially, a weapon. A very beautiful weapon. I won't lie to you, it can be a lonely existence, but once you are done, you get to live. All you have to give, for now, is obedience and time..." The same speech has been given hundreds of times to hundreds of beautiful girls who enter the sisterhood of sirens. Kahlen has lived by these rules for years now, patiently waiting for the life she can call her own. But when Akinli, a human, enters her world, she can't bring herself to live by the rules anymore. Suddenly the life she's been waiting for doesn't seem nearly as important as the one she's living now.تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز بیستم ماه آوریل سال 2018 میلادیعنوان: پری دریایی؛ نویسنده: کایرا کاس؛ تهران، نشر باژ؛ مترجم: رباب پورعسگر؛ دبیر مجموعه: نیما کهندانی؛ 1398؛ در 310ص؛ شابک 9786222190552؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان امریکایی - سده 20ماقیانوس در طول عصرهای متمادی، گاه، دختران جوان را از غرق ‌شدن نجات داده؛ این دختران برای جبران محبت اقیانوس، باید صد سال به‌ عنوان پری دریایی به او خدمت کنند؛ در این مدت، زیبایی و جوانی‌شان دست‌ نخورده می‌مانَد، و با صدای مرگ‌بارشان انسان‌ها را اغوا کرده، و به سوی گورستان دریایی می‌کشانند؛ پری‌های دریایی، برای پنهان ‌نگهداشتن ذات واقعی‌شان، هرگز نباید با انسان‌ها حرف بزنند، و نباید به مدتی طولانی در مکانی اقامت کنند.؛ وقتی دوره‌ ی خدمت‌شان در اقیانوس به پایان برسد، فرصتی برای آغازی دوباره، شانسی برای سپری ‌کردن زندگی‌شان به ‌عنوان فردی فانی که از آن‌ها گرفته شده، به آن‌ها اعطا می‌شود؛ «کِیلن»، چندین دهه ‌ی پیش، وقتی خانواده‌ اش در حادثه ‌ای وحشتناک، در آب دریا غرق شدند، تبدیل به یک پری دریایی شد؛ با اینکه اگر کلمه ‌ای به زبان می‌آورد، باعث کشته ‌شدن دیگران می‌شد، ولی نمی‌توانست در مقابل وسوسه‌ ی سپری‌کردن زمانش روی خشکی، تماشای افراد عادی، و اشتیاقش برای روزهایی که بتواند دوباره حرف بزند، بخندد، و آزادانه بین انسان‌ها، زندگی کند، پایداری کند؛ «کِیلن» تسلیم شده بود، تا محکومیتش را، در انزوا بگذراند...؛ تا اینکه «اِیکینلی» را میبیند؛ «اِیکینلی» خوش‌قیافه، و مهربان، همان کسی ست که «کیلن» همیشه رؤیایش را، در سر می‌پرورانده؛ با اینکه «کِیلن» نمی‌تواند با او حرف بزند، ولی خیلی زود، رابطه ‌ای بین‌شان ایجاد می‌شود، که هیچکدام نمی‌توانند آن را انکار کنند...؛ و «کیلن» نمی‌خواهد که انکارش کند؛ عاشقِ یک انسان ‌شدن، یعنی زیر پا گذاشتن همه‌ ی قوانین اقیانوس، و اگر اقیانوس بویی از احساسات «کیلن» ببرد، او مجبور می‌شود، «اِیکینلی» را برای همیشه ترک کند؛ اما «کیلن» برای اولین‌بار در عمرش، که همیشه مطیع قوانین بود، مصمم است به حرف دلش گوش بدهد؛تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 03/06/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی

A pesar del orden de publicación, The Siren fue el primer libro que escribió Kiera Cass y eso se nota muchísimo en el estilo, la manera de escribir y el cómo nos cuenta la autora la historia. Pero bueno, antes de decirles de qué va The Siren, quiero contarles que la historia me sorprendió muchísimo. La aproximación de Kiera Cass a la figura mitológica de la sirena me dejó muy intrigada, pues no era para nada lo que me esperaba. Vamos, que suponía que iba a ser algo muy tipo La Sirenita de Disney con aventuras submarinas y demás... pero no. ¡Y fue increíble que no sucediera lo que me imaginaba!The Siren empieza con un barco naufragando. En medio del caos, Kahlen termina separada de sus padres y a merced de las aguas del Océano. Nadando y deseando no morir, Kahlen pronto se encuentra con unas mujeres en el agua, quienes le dicen que puede vivir a cambio de entregar su vida durante cien años a los deseos del Océano. Kahlen acepta y así empieza su vida como sirena, un ser con una voz tan letal que cualquiera que la escuche perecerá en el Océano. Sin embargo, las sirenas en este libro pueden vivir una vida relativamente normal en la superficie, siempre y cuando ningún mortal escuche su voz. Han pasado 80 años desde el naufragio y la verdadera historia en The Siren empieza cuando Kahlen está viviendo con sus hermanas (también sirenas) en Miami. Allí cada una hace lo que le plazca: salen a clubes por la noche, viven la vida loca y, en el caso de nuestra protagonista, van a la Universidad. Kahlen, quien durante 80 años ha cumplido con su deber de cantar en ciertas ocasiones para que los barcos naufraguen y el Océano se alimente de las víctimas, es una chica que vive una vida tranquila, sin llamar mucho la atención y, casi siempre, encerrada en su cabeza lamentando las vidas que ha quitado. Cierto día, mientras Kahlen está en la biblioteca, conoce a un chico, Akinli, que realmente ve a través de toda su belleza y se interesa genuinamente por ella. Le habla a pesar de que ella no puede responder y la mira como nunca antes nadie la ha mirado. Y es en ese momento en el que empieza el gran problema de The Siren, pues no hay nada que esté más prohibido para las sirenas que el enamorarse de un mortal, ya que el Océano es un ser demandante y no permitirá que sus sirenas amen a nadie más que no sea Ella. Mientras leía The Siren no podía dejar de sonreír un poco pensando en lo hermosa que era la relación/no-relación de Kahlen y Akinli. Dado que Kahlen viene de los años 20 y Akinli es uno de esos pocos chicos que aún son enteramente románticos, sus interacciones eran una cosa de otro mundo. La conexión que se iba formando entre los dos era tan ingenua, pura y tierna que no podía dejar de desear a cada página que pasaba que Akinli fuera real. Ahora, con respecto a Kahlen... me identifiqué muchísimo con ella. Y no sólo por el hecho de que amara los libros. Kahlen es una chica tímida, que quiere uno de esos amores antiguos, que duren toda la vida y que te hagan querer abrazar, tocar y estar con esa otra persona cada minuto de tus días. Pero bueno, más allá del aspecto romántico del libro (que tampoco es mucho, a pesar de lo que puedan creer), el universo sobre las sirenas que crea Kiera Cass es fascinante. El hecho de que sean sirvientes del Océano durante 100 años, el que ese ser las use para alimentarse de náufragos cada mes, el que puedan vivir una vida relativamente normal en la superficie, el que cuando entran al océano no tengan colas de pez... No sé, puede que estos sean elementos recurrentes en la mitología, pero el verlos aplicados a una época actual fue increíble. Uno de los elementos que más me gustó de The Siren fue la gran cantidad de personalidades que albergaban las hermanas de Kahlen, las sirenas. Si bien la historia de Aisling es la que más me atrajo de todas, el saber un poco de la vida pasada de cada una de estas chicas atadas al Océano fue bastante refrescante, pues el libro de vez en cuando se hacía un poco lento. ¡Ahhh! Pero si hay algo que Kiera Cass hizo bien en The Siren fue hacernos sufrir. Por supuesto que esta mujer no nos va a regalar una historia de amor sin grandes fuerzas de la naturaleza, destinos escritos e inseguridades que intenten separar a Kahlen y Akinli. Sobre el final del libro, empezamos a ver cómo Kahlen va transformándose y volviéndose esta mujer que va a pelear contra viento y marea por poder seguir a su corazón y no los dictados del Océano. ¡Ese es uno de los mejores puntos de la historia! El cambio en el personaje, a pesar del estado en el que se encuentra, nos demuestra lo fuerte que pueden ser los sentimientos y la cantidad de sacrificios que una persona (o una sirena) está dispuesta a hacer cuando ya ha encontrado a la otra mitad de su corazón. En fin, que si sigo escribiendo seguro se me sale algún spoiler, pero el punto es que The Siren, a pesar de no ser -ni de lejos- el mejor libro de Kiera Cass, tiene una historia que se disfruta muchísimo, mitología que te sorprende, personajes que te enamoran y sentimientos que se quedan contigo hasta mucho después de haber leído la última página. “Love is a risk worth taking.I'd waited an eternity for this. I'd have waited all over again if I had to.I was meant to be kissed by this boy, designed to be held by him.All the careful postures I held melted away, and I pulled him closer.We were stars.We were music.We were time.”

Reviewed by Samantha Clanton, aka Harlequin Twilight for TeensReadToo.comAfter reading this story, it is taking everything in me to not totally gush; it is that good. THE SIREN is the story of Kahlen, mostly, along with her sisters and the Ocean. A siren is a singer, a singer of the Ocean. In order to maintain herself, the Ocean must feed; sirens help her to do that.Kahlen and her "sisters," Marilyn and Aisling, begin the story and you find out quite a lot of how sirens and their lives work. They are beautiful, they can live around regular humans, they can live semi-normal lives, but there's a catch - they cannot age, which means staying in one place for more than a few years isn't possible, and they cannot, under any circumstances, speak, laugh, scream, or make a sound outside of a sigh or breath around a human person.There can be no more than four sirens at a time, and not everyone will choose to live the lives that these girls have agreed to. Their sentence is 100 years, after which the Ocean will return them and they will become normal again, and begin aging from whatever age they are frozen into (almost sounds like a dream come true at times). With only their "sisters" for company, it can become lonely, and for Kahlen that causes daydreams. That is, until one day while sitting on the beach she meets a man. He is beautiful, sad, lonely, in pain, and yet there is something about him that Kahlen can't let go.The Ocean warns Kahlen that no matter what happens, those must stay daydreams and she cannot chance their secret by letting her fantasies run away with her. Kahlen decides she wants to make a difference and takes up sign language, which transforms into spending a few years at schools for the deaf teaching children, and later teenagers, that being deaf isn't always a bad thing.Kahlen gets new "sisters," Miaka and Elizabeth, who help transform her into something better than she ever imagined she could be. Miaka is creative and she is also Kahlen's first "little sister," while Elizabeth is wild and crazy, and brings out the fun and slightly mischievous side of Kahlen. Aside from Aisling being withdrawn and bitter (think Mr. Scrooge), you don't know much about her for the most part, but she is a very important piece of Kahlen's puzzle.Once this human, Akinli, enters Kahlen's world, nothing else seems to mean as much. Not even the secret that she is bound to keep, and with less than 20 years left on her sentence, will it all be destroyed because of this? Now Kahlen has found the one thing she has always wanted. Is the life she could have worth destroying the life she does have? Or can she have both?More than anything, this is a story of love and hope. Whether that love be between sisters, family, lovers, strangers, or even love for yourself; it covers all the bases. Once I started, it was hard to stop, and I really didn't want this story to end. There were numerous parts where I actually found myself tearing up, and that never happens! Some of these situations made me want to become a siren, and then there would be a moment that broke my heart.Kiera Cass may be a first-time author, but I pray this is not her only book. This is truly a beautiful story all the way through. I love the imagery; it is phenomenal and almost makes you feel like you're really there (and let me tell you, there were many times in the Ocean descriptions where the song Dark Blue by Jack's Mannequin got stuck in my head. Thanks Kiera!).It's been a long time since I have seen a first-time author whose writing style is as beautiful as this, and she definitely has not only the talent to be a wonderful writer, but also the imagination to successfully tell a story that is not only entertaining, but also touching.If there was one book that I would recommend this year so far, it would be THE SIREN. Just make sure you have time on your hands, because once you start you won't be able to stop until the very end. Even then, I flipped back and forth over the final pages, hoping that there would be more magically appear before my eyes. After all, this is a fantasy!

[4.5 stars] No one is more surprised than me how much I freaking loved this book.Cass and I have a bit of a hit or miss relationship where I’m either 100% on-board fangirling… or throwing the book in disgust. Luckily, The Siren fell into the former category – something I wasn’t led to expect based on some brutal early reviews I read for the book. I have a theory as to why it caused such harsh reactions for fans of Cass’ work:The book is less about the romance, where the main love interest is kept on the periphery for most of the book, and more about the relationship girl has with her sisters, mother ocean, and (most importantly) her heart. It’s a book filled to the brim with inner conflict as Kahlen struggled to come to terms with her lot in life and find her place in the world. I can see how most readers (misled by the romance-heavy nature of her previous series) might have gotten bored with the plot as it drifted further and further from the love story. As someone who is kind of sick of seeing the same recycled romance in YA, The Siren screamed to me something profoundly different and I enjoyed the shit out of it.I think this is one I might actually want to reread. Certainly it deserves a spot in my collection (coveted and limited space at the moment). I don’t think it’s a book I could recommend with confidence because it’s a very specific, atypical YA that doesn’t fit the mold, but it definitely fit the bill as the refresh I needed in the genre.Recommendations: I wouldn’t recommend this necessarily for fans of Cass’ other work because it satiates an entirely different craving. Instead I’d probably hand it to the lovers of those tragic “girls in pretty dresses in a slightly dystopia era” series (which I call “elegant dystopia”). I’d also hand this to someone expressly tired with typical YA romances.Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.nikihawkes.com Other books you might like:

Wow, Kiera Cass has such talent. She is definately an author to watch! The Siren covers decades all in 276 pages, and you never once find yourself bored, only overcome with a need to know what happens next. You grow with the characters and experience their life. The Siren had me crying at numerous points and I'm by no means a big crier in books. It wasn't just sad parts that had me crying either, I was tearing up over some of the happiest parts of the book. Parts of The Siren were so heartbreaking, but there were so many parts that were full of joy, happiness, and life. Every time I found myself putting it down, I was plotting how to find time to read more. The first half was more about the life of a Siren, and what Kahlen and the others go through, but the second half sends you plunging head first into the perfect romance Kahlen finds with Aklini. Aklini is about the sweetest guy ever! You fall for him the moment he walks onto the page. The characters Cass creates are just phenomonal. Even the minor characters that play a smaller part are so filled with life. Even the Ocean herself is a character; she speaks, breathes, and causes everything to happen. This sets The Siren apart from other books dealing with the same subject, and enhances it. Kahlen was such a strong character, and that was one of my favorite things about her. Strong female characters make everything better. Cass's writing was such a joy to read. It was beautiful and was filled with hope, joy, and heartbreaking moments. The story she writes was so unique, and she simply draws you in. The Siren is a story to take you on a journey and stay in your heart. The Siren is a book for anyone who loves a story to get lost in. I cannot wait to see more works by Kiera Cass.

*3.5 stars*

I cannot express how much I loved this book. Sweet. Heartwarming. THE SIREN is a story about many different kinds of love. I cried happy and sad tears. Once again, Kiera Cass delivered a tale that kept me reading late into the night. I can't explain it. Her books are sirens of their own.

REVIEW OF THE 2016 VERSIONWatch My Spoiler-Free Review on Youtube http://youtu.be/vfIOQWCYeaEWatch My Spoiler-ful Discussion on Youtubehttps://youtu.be/yFIfXaQoAM4I finished this book the day I received it, nearly a week and a half ago, and since then I have let this book marinate in my head and heart. This review IS SPOILER-FREE.Though I did receive a free ARC, I was not paid or compensated in any way for this review. The thoughts and ideas are my own based on the book's content.Two VersionsIt’s really, really, REALLY no secret that I love the first version printed in 2009 The Siren. It was refreshing, it was exciting, it was everything I hoped for in a book. Though I loved it, it was flawed for mass production. So when it was announced that HarperTeen would pick it up for a rewrite for 2016, I was beyond ecstatic. Getting an ARC to read (& review) 40 days before the release was the only thing better. Now, the two versions should really be treated as separate entities. You can love both, or love one more than the other, and it’ll make no difference because they are separate on purpose. They are similar books, but not the same. Besides character names, the time setting, and a handful of landmarks, so much has changed, AND IT’S GOOD. Imagine having to return to your old school paper and projects from 6 years. There’s a million things you'd probably change with the time and resources, both because it wasn’t perfect the first time and also because you’ve improved over the past 6 years. This was a daunting task by Kiera Cass, and I’m impressed by the result.SummaryKahlen (pronounced Kay-lynn) is a girl born in the 1910s who was given a second chance at life after nearly drowning. The Ocean employs 3-5 young women as Sirens to sing ships to their doom (so the Ocean can eat the drowned victims and maintain vitality to serve the planet), just like out of a Greek myth (the sirens, not the Ocean eating people for energy). In exchange for 100 years of service, the sirens will forget their past lives as a Siren and finally have the life they were meant to live. It’s a lonely existence with no human contact, but Kahlen has her Siren Sisters: Aisling, Miaka, and Elizabeth, bringing together girls of every age and every experience to learn from each other. But Kahlen breaks the rules. By falling in love with a human, Akinli (pronounced Akin-lee, it rhymes with McKinley), the very species she's designed to kill, she risks her secret and both of their lives. The stakes are high (the water’s rough, but this love is ours) when even a single slip up could cost Kahlen and Akinli their lives.QuotesKiera Cass’ true artistry will always be her well-formed interesting characters, and her memorable, beautiful, epic one-liner quotes. Some of these have already been teased: -“I’d waited an eternity for this. I’d have waited all over again if I had to. I was meant to kiss this boy, designed to be held by him.” (There’s another line on this page which is even more beautiful and gasp-inducing).-“Life is pointless. Love is pointless. And still, wouldn’t I do every second of it all over again?” “I’m guessing yes.“ “Undoubtedly. Yes.” -“There’s always room for love. Even if it’s as small as a crack in the door.” (A very important quote, as you’ll see.)There are so many more, it takes all I have NOT to tweet random lines from the book all day long.Final ThoughtsThe Siren covers so many topics, one *might* think it wouldn’t be able to do that effectively, but Kiera Cass finds a way. The topics include, no fewer than: social norms across times, diversity of experiences, abuse, sacrifice, ALL sorts of love (motherly, friendship, soulmate), the impact of nature on the world, and the impact of the world on nature, the balance of life, and loss. With supernatural and fantasy elements set in the modern world, including important friendships and relationships, this book is more than a romance, though that relationship is at the center of most of the book. For fans of The Selection series, you’ll love learning about this new world, obsessing over the all-consuming romance, and pondering the theme that there are things worth fighting for because they are right.For new readers of Kiera Cass, it’s a standalone book (no waiting for sequels!) and a perfect book-sized sampler of her work.

Imagine a world where you're granted a second chance at life, but forced to give up everything you love? That is the story of Kahlen, our beautiful heroine in the new book, THE SIREN by Kiera Cass. When approached to read this one, I was admittedly a little nervous because I hadn't heard anything about the book; nothing good, nor bad. I agreed to take the book on and as some other books I have had the fortune of being presented with, am quite glad that I did. THE SIREN was refreshing, haunting and beautiful all wrapped up into one beautiful little package.Kahlen is a loving, dark haired beauty. When life takes a disastrous turn and she's faced with the decision of death versus a century of servitude, she chooses the option that will allow her to continue living. Years later she'll question that decision, wondering if her "life" now is worth the nightmares that she must face. Kahlen is a siren. Along with her sisters, she answers to the Ocean and helps to lure unsuspecting victims to their watery deaths with her voice of liquid gold and looks to match. Being kind and good natured at heart, Kahlen has a difficult time with the actions that she must perform in order to gain a second chance at life. Her journey, from the very beginning, makes for quite the fascinating read and, at least to me, makes THE SIREN wonderful and unique.THE SIREN is actually a Young Adult novel although many of the characters in the book are above the Young Adult age. Cass does an amazing job of filling the story with just the right amount of details to satisfy any young adult reader while actually making for a great book for many adults as well. I personally find great enjoyment out of both Young Adult and Adult books, but I found that THE SIREN really seemed to satisfy both categories of books.Part of THE SIREN follows Kahlen as she unravels the mysteries surrounding her new life and her feelings about it. Can she accept what she has become? Will she always harbor hate for the Ocean for what She has done to Kahlen or will she come to accept and give thanks for the gift she has been given? Cass creates an epic story here as we follow Kahlen through her ups and downs. By the end of the book, I feel that we the reader get to know the Ocean practically as well as Kahlen does. Her feelings, both positive and negative, pop off the page and swirl around, pulling us closer into the story.While THE SIREN is great for anyone looking for a great drama or adventure read, it also satisfied those of us that like a touch of romance in our stories. Now, the romance doesn't really hit the surface until about halfway through the book, but when it does, oh boy hold on. Cass can write romance like nobody's business! She creates the perfect hero to go along with our lovely heroine. Akinli, a hard working fisherman by day and knight in shining armor by night, is a puzzle piece match to Kahlen. Cass's writing is such that, without being blatantly obvious about it, we can tell that Kahlen and Akinli are practically soul mates. While the first half of the book details Kahlen's life and struggle to understand herself, the romance between Kahlen and Akinli dominate the second half. It is this romance that really makes THE SIREN shine.As I mentioned above, one of the best ways for me to describe THE SIREN is to say that it is haunting. I don't mean that there are literal ghosts floating around, rather there are ghosts of emotions still flitting about my head. THE SIREN is not always a happy book. There are times when it can be sad, frightening, and downright depressing. As Cass mentions in the story, it is the dark that makes the light shine even brighter. Without the sad parts, without the parts that leave you on the edge of your seat on the verge of tears, the love and hope in the story wouldn't flow through quite as nicely.After pondering the review for a bit, I had to come back here and mention one final thing. I've mentioned that THE SIREN became one of those books that has stuck with me, constantly replaying through my head even though I finished the story. I think that a large reason for this is the amount of realism that Cass imbues the story with. The Ocean is a living, breathing entity. She speaks, she has feelings, she uses her great waves to cause things to happen. The Ocean is as much a character as Akinli, Kahlen or any of Kahlen's siren sisters. I hadn't realized this until after looking at some of the photos of Port Clyde, Maine on Cass's website. I saw a photo of the ocean and my first thought was that She really was alive! That's the strength of Cass's writing, allowing my brain to meander in the realm of the impossibility long after her words have ended.I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a great Romance, a great Adventure, a great Drama, and/or a great Young Adult read. There were a few times, especially with the second half of the book, where the pace seemed to get a little choked up and quirky, but overall, the story flowed quite nicely. Cass's talent with the written word is obvious as is her wonderful imagination. She has created a story unlike one I have read before, incorporating both the light and the dark.THE SIREN was a story of life and it was a pleasure to read. I'm looking forward to experiencing more of Kiera Cass's work. My only wish for THE SIREN was that it wouldn't end!

I gotta say, I liked this a lot more than I thought I would. I'm pleasantly surprised. This was such a sweet and special story. I think the thing that I liked most of all was the unique and almost biblical personification of the Ocean. The relationship that the girls had with Her was magical and just so interesting. I've honestly never read anything similar to this before. The romance aspect was a little lukewarm. It didn't really blow me up out of the water or anything. (pun intended lol) Still, I feel like the epilogue helped to justify the romance and sort of take away the cringey instalove thing that was going on before. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Review found at: www.awesomebooknut.comI have completely enjoyed Kiera Cass and her writing. It’s simple, easy, cheesy and I enjoy it! I had heard about this being a “redo” from her first published version of this book and that the first version wasn’t that good. I didn’t read the first version but only this one and I have to say it’s cute! I love the covers of all her books and so of course I had to continue buying them! *sigh* cover love!Alright…moving on from Kiera Cass gush!I really enjoyed Cass’s version of Sirens. I liked the fact that the ocean speaks to them, treats them like her own daughters but can be just as ruthless when not obeyed, and when they turn siren they wear these gorgeous siren dresses which I thought was unique plus it makes more of a distinction between sirens and mermaids…depending on who you talk to, they are one in the same.I loved how the sirens are under this “curse” for a certain amount of time and then are actually released. I liked how they come from all different backgrounds, times, families and they bond with each other. I love that each individual siren has their own personality.The overall story was great. I loved that serious trying on Kathleen’s part to keep her distance from life and love until her time is done.The romance was cheesy but you know what? It’s okay to like a little cheese, beside the main love interest is a GOOD GUY! This was a very tender and sweet story. I feel very appropriate for all ages. That is another great thing about Kiera Cass, she writes good clean romances and I so appreciate that.If you’re looking for a cute, unique story of sirens. pick this up!Sexual Content: mild (some kissing, talk of lovers)Language: mild/noneViolence: mild (siren’s singing ships to their deaths, talk of abuse)Drugs/Alcohol: mild

Kahlen was meant to die eighty years ago but instead she was bound to the ocean to serve as a Siren luring unsuspecting humans to their death for a hundred years with the sound of her voice. Kahlen and her sisters move from city to city to hide what they are while living among the humans but when needed they return to the sea to sing. When Kahlen meets Akinli he treats her differently than any human ever has speaking to her even though she can't talk with him. She quickly finds herself falling in love with Akinli but with another twenty years on her contract with the ocean she finds herself struggling with who she is and what part she plays in so many deaths over the years. The Siren is a love story with a bit of a twist with the main character being a Siren. Serving the ocean for a hundred years Kahlen has really only had her other Siren sisters in her life but after so much time she begins to see what she's missing on land. The overall story here was interesting enough to maintain my attention but there definitely were some slower parts throughout the book. There really wasn't anything you wouldn't expect to happen though in a romance read or anything amazingly different with what's known of a Siren. Overall I'd say 3.5 stars for this book, a bit slow moving but not too bad a fantasy romance. For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....

4/5 stars!I listened to this via audiobook. It was so relaxing and soothing to read. At some points, I found the Ocean a bit too creepy... but that could be the reader's voice. I like this WAY more than The Selection. Some of the dialogue annoyed me, like they could sound their age (over 80) or like a 12 year old girl ("weeeeeee!"). This was a fun book, perfect for those who like quick, light fantasies and a simple insta love :DIt was pleasant reading (/listening) but I don't know if I'd physically read it. Listening to it once was enough for me. This book started off really strong, but towards the end (considering the "love" these two shared) seemed to weaken the story. I actually felt more towards The Ocean and Kahlen, which was an insane dynamic. ALSO: I APPRECIATED THE RACIAL DIVERSITY IN THIS BOOK. IT ALSO DISCUSSED DOMESTIC ABUSE AND SEXISM.