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Fifth Mage War #1
Sirens Unbound
Amy’s day starts with three things: Coffee, breakfast, then brains. In that order.
Relax, it’s not what you think. She’s just your everyday neurosurgeon who can fix everyone’s brain but her own. It doesn’t matter if she has fifty years of life experience and regularly works with mages—she’s still a mundane.
She’s turning fifty, and her last achievement was what, ten years ago? She’s not sure if anyone even remembers it.
Determined not to be a one-hit-wonder, Amy jumps head-first into a new opportunity. Literally.
Some people have affairs to deal with a midlife crisis—Amy has brain surgery.
The results are even bigger than her career ambitions, and Dr. Amy Bant will need the help of her siblings to survive what comes next. Cordelia, an agoraphobic underwater photographer, Thomas, a playboy with a Brazilian tourism business, and Mary, a choir director with a truth-teller husband are all keys to unlocking secrets a whole lot closer to home than any of them could have realized.
Turning fifty doesn’t have to be mundane—not when you’re in the Bant family!
Sirens Unbound is a 400-page paranormal women’s fiction novel told from each member of the Bant family. This is Book 1 in the Fifth Mage War Series, a magical epic about sirens, fae, and family ties.
Relax, it’s not what you think. She’s just your everyday neurosurgeon who can fix everyone’s brain but her own. It doesn’t matter if she has fifty years of life experience and regularly works with mages—she’s still a mundane.
She’s turning fifty, and her last achievement was what, ten years ago? She’s not sure if anyone even remembers it.
Determined not to be a one-hit-wonder, Amy jumps head-first into a new opportunity. Literally.
Some people have affairs to deal with a midlife crisis—Amy has brain surgery.
The results are even bigger than her career ambitions, and Dr. Amy Bant will need the help of her siblings to survive what comes next. Cordelia, an agoraphobic underwater photographer, Thomas, a playboy with a Brazilian tourism business, and Mary, a choir director with a truth-teller husband are all keys to unlocking secrets a whole lot closer to home than any of them could have realized.
Turning fifty doesn’t have to be mundane—not when you’re in the Bant family!
Sirens Unbound is a 400-page paranormal women’s fiction novel told from each member of the Bant family. This is Book 1 in the Fifth Mage War Series, a magical epic about sirens, fae, and family ties.
- GenresFantasy
Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
December 13, 2020
I was sent a review copy of Sirens Unbound by the author Laura Engelhardt in exchange for an honest review as part of my participation in a blog tour for this title and its sequel through iRead Book Tours. Thank you to Laura for sending the book! This has not swayed my opinion. My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.
Sirens Unbound is the first book in a series that will cover the Fifth Mage War (as the series it titled), set to take place in an alternate reality version of our own modern world. Mages, fae, and other magical beings are real, and prophecies about the next big war are coming to pass. One prophecy speaks of a Pivot, one who attracts magic to herself and will be the pivotal influence in the coming war. Another speaks of the Breaker, one who can break magical bindings. Mira, a siren, and her adult children are entangled in these prophecies in more ways than even she has realized.
This book is told through multiple points of view: Mira's and those of three of her adult children, Cordelia, Amy, and Thomas. Mira is off in the world doing what sirens do best, and only tolerating and being tolerated by the rulers and politicians of the magical world. Cordelia, awakened to her siren powers, is determined to free the Aos Sí from their iron-laden prison on the British Isles. Thomas, an awakened male siren, is quietly living his siren life in Brazil when he falls in love with an indentured mage named Kyoko. Amy is a latent siren, unaware of the fae or sirens but well aware of mages, who is working on a surgical procedure to restore magical sight to those who don't have it but should.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it quickly. What an interesting world and impending war Laura has established! I particularly enjoyed Amy's POV chapters, though as the Thomas and Kyoko storyline got more interesting I started to really look forward to those chapters as well. I was certainly not Mira's biggest fan, and I laughed out loud when Kyoko admits "Thomas, I don't like your mother; I feel the need to slap her in te face, to scratch out her eyes, to-" (p.233, first edition) By this point, I shared those feelings!
While the different POVs in this book were all written well, sometimes it felt like there was an overwhelming number of different character's heads to be in and jump between. This feeling was compounded by the fact that some scene transitions felt like they were going to be from another character's POV when they weren't. For example, the beginning of a new scene in chapter 19 opens with "Kyoko woke up to the sound of birds and the ocean" and goes on to describe how she's feeling. When I read this paragraph I thought we were jumping into Kyoko's POV, but this was a continuation of Thomas'. The majority of this book is written in the limited omniscient third person, only giving the reader insight into the mind of the current POV character, but in cases like the paragraph just mentioned, sometimes it breaks into omniscient and the reader gets a glimpse into a non-POV character's mind. Because of this, I was never sure how many POVs we were going to end up with by the end of the book. (I'm pretty sure it's four.) I'm equally torn between wanting more insight into characters like Kyoko (especially Kyoko) and feeling like there are already too many points of view.
Readers who are more reserved in terms of sexual content should be warned that sirens work in fertility magic, and so there are a few scenes of sirens (mostly Mira) "extracting" fertility from mundane humans. I would only describe this as graphic or explicit the first time it happens, which takes place in chapter 10. My thoughts reading that passage were "Holy **** she's going full succubus on this poor dude!"
Overall this is a great start to what sounds like a great series. If I'm not mistaken this is the author's debut fiction novel, and as such it's not perfect, but it's good. It is very clearly the first book in a series with a greater story arc and function as the set-up. This book doesn't resolve most of the conflicts it presents, which is to be expected in a series, but it doesn't feel like there has been any major resolution at all. It feels like I've read part of a longer book and the next chapter just wasn't there. Since I happen to have the next book sitting right beside me, that's not a problem, but potential readers should be aware that this doesn't work as a stand-alone read. It's well and truly the start of a series and should be read as such. I can't wait to start book 2!
Sirens Unbound is the first book in a series that will cover the Fifth Mage War (as the series it titled), set to take place in an alternate reality version of our own modern world. Mages, fae, and other magical beings are real, and prophecies about the next big war are coming to pass. One prophecy speaks of a Pivot, one who attracts magic to herself and will be the pivotal influence in the coming war. Another speaks of the Breaker, one who can break magical bindings. Mira, a siren, and her adult children are entangled in these prophecies in more ways than even she has realized.
This book is told through multiple points of view: Mira's and those of three of her adult children, Cordelia, Amy, and Thomas. Mira is off in the world doing what sirens do best, and only tolerating and being tolerated by the rulers and politicians of the magical world. Cordelia, awakened to her siren powers, is determined to free the Aos Sí from their iron-laden prison on the British Isles. Thomas, an awakened male siren, is quietly living his siren life in Brazil when he falls in love with an indentured mage named Kyoko. Amy is a latent siren, unaware of the fae or sirens but well aware of mages, who is working on a surgical procedure to restore magical sight to those who don't have it but should.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it quickly. What an interesting world and impending war Laura has established! I particularly enjoyed Amy's POV chapters, though as the Thomas and Kyoko storyline got more interesting I started to really look forward to those chapters as well. I was certainly not Mira's biggest fan, and I laughed out loud when Kyoko admits "Thomas, I don't like your mother; I feel the need to slap her in te face, to scratch out her eyes, to-" (p.233, first edition) By this point, I shared those feelings!
While the different POVs in this book were all written well, sometimes it felt like there was an overwhelming number of different character's heads to be in and jump between. This feeling was compounded by the fact that some scene transitions felt like they were going to be from another character's POV when they weren't. For example, the beginning of a new scene in chapter 19 opens with "Kyoko woke up to the sound of birds and the ocean" and goes on to describe how she's feeling. When I read this paragraph I thought we were jumping into Kyoko's POV, but this was a continuation of Thomas'. The majority of this book is written in the limited omniscient third person, only giving the reader insight into the mind of the current POV character, but in cases like the paragraph just mentioned, sometimes it breaks into omniscient and the reader gets a glimpse into a non-POV character's mind. Because of this, I was never sure how many POVs we were going to end up with by the end of the book. (I'm pretty sure it's four.) I'm equally torn between wanting more insight into characters like Kyoko (especially Kyoko) and feeling like there are already too many points of view.
Readers who are more reserved in terms of sexual content should be warned that sirens work in fertility magic, and so there are a few scenes of sirens (mostly Mira) "extracting" fertility from mundane humans. I would only describe this as graphic or explicit the first time it happens, which takes place in chapter 10. My thoughts reading that passage were "Holy **** she's going full succubus on this poor dude!"
Overall this is a great start to what sounds like a great series. If I'm not mistaken this is the author's debut fiction novel, and as such it's not perfect, but it's good. It is very clearly the first book in a series with a greater story arc and function as the set-up. This book doesn't resolve most of the conflicts it presents, which is to be expected in a series, but it doesn't feel like there has been any major resolution at all. It feels like I've read part of a longer book and the next chapter just wasn't there. Since I happen to have the next book sitting right beside me, that's not a problem, but potential readers should be aware that this doesn't work as a stand-alone read. It's well and truly the start of a series and should be read as such. I can't wait to start book 2!
Want to Read
January 17, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (1/17/2020)! 🎁
September 9, 2019
Review originally published here at Reedsy Discovery: https://reedsy.com/discovery/book/sir...
Members of the Bant family become entwined in an upcoming mage war in this epic urban fantasy novel about sirens, fae, and family ties.
If it's true, as Tolstoy said, that every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way, then adding magick to the equation complicates matters even further. Take Amy Bant: one of four Bant siblings and a main character in Laura Engelhardt's expansive and impressive urban fantasy novel Sirens Unbound (Book 1 of the Fifth Mage War). Amy, an accomplished Harvard neurosurgeon, has developed an experimental operation to fix magical blindness among mages for the powerful Danjou enclave. Her father died when she was young, and her mother passed away soon after. Amy's other siblings include Cordelia, an agoraphobic underwater photographer; Thomas, a playboy with a Brazilian tourism business; and Mary, a choir director with a truth-teller husband who works for the government. Except for...a lot of that information is false.
Cordelia and Thomas are actually sirens--magical constructs with the ability to transfer human fertility to the fae to avert faerie extinction. Sirens are bound by an inherited restrictive blood-geas: humans (or "mundanes") are unaware of the existence of sirens, and sirens are unable to reveal themselves. Hence, Cordelia and Thomas' lies. Worst of all, Amy's mother Mira isn't really dead; her siren transition was just complicated and unwieldy enough to prevent contact with her human daughters.
The sirens have been bound since the Third Mage War, and much of Engelhardt's novel is concerned with the Fifth--focusing equally on politics and main players. Cordelia is involved in the Atlantic siren government and advocates for freeing the fae, who have been imprisoned and weakened by land salted with iron and steel at the hands of the mages. Thomas saves the bound mage Kyoko from her life-sucking vampire captor Gerel, a mission with grave consequences. While Amy and Mary's husband Mike are both involved with the Danjou enclave, Mira is trying to interpret an oracle's premonition about how the Fifth Mage War will be won. The results depend on the intervention of certain people, called pivots, but who are they?
Engelhardt has constructed a wonderfully engaging world with plenty of intriguing magical and political elements, particularly the fascinating desire/repulsion dynamic between sirens and humans. Sirens Unbound is also a great family story about fraught relationships and painful secrets. I did wish that we spent more time with the fae and that the ending was more of a climax, but there's tons of room for that in sequels. Especially with a war inevitably brewing.
Members of the Bant family become entwined in an upcoming mage war in this epic urban fantasy novel about sirens, fae, and family ties.
If it's true, as Tolstoy said, that every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way, then adding magick to the equation complicates matters even further. Take Amy Bant: one of four Bant siblings and a main character in Laura Engelhardt's expansive and impressive urban fantasy novel Sirens Unbound (Book 1 of the Fifth Mage War). Amy, an accomplished Harvard neurosurgeon, has developed an experimental operation to fix magical blindness among mages for the powerful Danjou enclave. Her father died when she was young, and her mother passed away soon after. Amy's other siblings include Cordelia, an agoraphobic underwater photographer; Thomas, a playboy with a Brazilian tourism business; and Mary, a choir director with a truth-teller husband who works for the government. Except for...a lot of that information is false.
Cordelia and Thomas are actually sirens--magical constructs with the ability to transfer human fertility to the fae to avert faerie extinction. Sirens are bound by an inherited restrictive blood-geas: humans (or "mundanes") are unaware of the existence of sirens, and sirens are unable to reveal themselves. Hence, Cordelia and Thomas' lies. Worst of all, Amy's mother Mira isn't really dead; her siren transition was just complicated and unwieldy enough to prevent contact with her human daughters.
The sirens have been bound since the Third Mage War, and much of Engelhardt's novel is concerned with the Fifth--focusing equally on politics and main players. Cordelia is involved in the Atlantic siren government and advocates for freeing the fae, who have been imprisoned and weakened by land salted with iron and steel at the hands of the mages. Thomas saves the bound mage Kyoko from her life-sucking vampire captor Gerel, a mission with grave consequences. While Amy and Mary's husband Mike are both involved with the Danjou enclave, Mira is trying to interpret an oracle's premonition about how the Fifth Mage War will be won. The results depend on the intervention of certain people, called pivots, but who are they?
Engelhardt has constructed a wonderfully engaging world with plenty of intriguing magical and political elements, particularly the fascinating desire/repulsion dynamic between sirens and humans. Sirens Unbound is also a great family story about fraught relationships and painful secrets. I did wish that we spent more time with the fae and that the ending was more of a climax, but there's tons of room for that in sequels. Especially with a war inevitably brewing.
May 1, 2020
This is an interesting world that the author has created and I would be interested in the 2nd book in the series. However, this is a very slow moving plot made somewhat confusing by multiple perspectives and (small) time jumps. A lot happens and yet...nothing happens.
With the glut of (often times indistinguishable or not fully fleshed out) characters I found myself unable to connect with any of them which leads to a bit of a hollowness as the drama unfolds.
I really wanted to love this book, I do love the idea of this book and the world and the stories that can be told here. I found myself wanting the story to focus more fully on any one or two character(s).
I received a review copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.
With the glut of (often times indistinguishable or not fully fleshed out) characters I found myself unable to connect with any of them which leads to a bit of a hollowness as the drama unfolds.
I really wanted to love this book, I do love the idea of this book and the world and the stories that can be told here. I found myself wanting the story to focus more fully on any one or two character(s).
I received a review copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.
December 8, 2020
I like the world that the author built for this book. It has faes and vampires and other elements of a good fantasy story. Which I am a fan of both types of characters. Instantly, I was drawn to the world that this story did take place in. I could picture everyone in my head. So, these are the good elements that I liked about this book.
Here is what I struggled with regarding this book. It moved really, really slow. There was not a lot happening. The book just seemed like it was more about the set up leading into the next book with explanation of who all the characters are and their missions.
There are a bunch of different characters introduced in the story. I had no issues keeping them straight but there was not one that really stood out to me. Due to the slow pacing. Yet, I did like enough things about this book that I do want to read book two to continue this journey.
Here is what I struggled with regarding this book. It moved really, really slow. There was not a lot happening. The book just seemed like it was more about the set up leading into the next book with explanation of who all the characters are and their missions.
There are a bunch of different characters introduced in the story. I had no issues keeping them straight but there was not one that really stood out to me. Due to the slow pacing. Yet, I did like enough things about this book that I do want to read book two to continue this journey.
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January 8, 2021**I received an ARC from Book Sirens and am leaving this review voluntarily.**
This is the first book in the Fifth Mage War series. It follows a family of Sirens, both active and latent. I liked the world building in this novel. At the beginning of each chapter there were passages from a book for newly transitioned Sirens which one does not need to read, but that gave some additional clarity to the narrative.
The world contains Mages, Sirens, Fae, Mundanes (i.e. humans) and other fantasy characters. Magic is a known quality in this world and there is a delicate balance between the different factions.
The story is told through multiple points of view, Mira Bant’s and her three adult children, Thomas and Cordelia who are sirens, and Amy who is a latent siren, unaware of the fae or sirens but well aware of mages. She is developing a surgical procedure to activate magical sight in Mages that were born without this skill. This is threatening the balance. If this operation succeeds it will fulfill a prophecy that announces the beginning of the Fifth Mage War.
It's not perfect, but it's good, although it could move a bit faster. The story is clearly unfinished at the end; it left me wanting to know what happened to the characters. This will be described in the next book, but it is just unfinished, there is no real cliffhanger either. Book Sirens also gave me an ARC of the second book in the series, called Mages Unbound, so I will continue with that read. If I hadn’t had the second book, I would have felt bereft of any conclusion to the story.
This is the first book in the Fifth Mage War series. It follows a family of Sirens, both active and latent. I liked the world building in this novel. At the beginning of each chapter there were passages from a book for newly transitioned Sirens which one does not need to read, but that gave some additional clarity to the narrative.
The world contains Mages, Sirens, Fae, Mundanes (i.e. humans) and other fantasy characters. Magic is a known quality in this world and there is a delicate balance between the different factions.
The story is told through multiple points of view, Mira Bant’s and her three adult children, Thomas and Cordelia who are sirens, and Amy who is a latent siren, unaware of the fae or sirens but well aware of mages. She is developing a surgical procedure to activate magical sight in Mages that were born without this skill. This is threatening the balance. If this operation succeeds it will fulfill a prophecy that announces the beginning of the Fifth Mage War.
It's not perfect, but it's good, although it could move a bit faster. The story is clearly unfinished at the end; it left me wanting to know what happened to the characters. This will be described in the next book, but it is just unfinished, there is no real cliffhanger either. Book Sirens also gave me an ARC of the second book in the series, called Mages Unbound, so I will continue with that read. If I hadn’t had the second book, I would have felt bereft of any conclusion to the story.
April 17, 2020
Once I understood the fantasy of the world, I loved it!
This book took a while to get into. I'm not usually a fantasy reader and there are a lot of fantastical elements to this story. But once I got through many of the explanations the book started growing on me. I enjoyed the politics of the story, the histories and legends as well as the characters themselves.
This book took a while to get into. I'm not usually a fantasy reader and there are a lot of fantastical elements to this story. But once I got through many of the explanations the book started growing on me. I enjoyed the politics of the story, the histories and legends as well as the characters themselves.
November 14, 2020
With the Fifth Mage War on the horizon, the Bant family are entangled in their own pivotal roles and must navigate how to survive. Mundanes (non-magical beings/humans), Mages, Vampires, Were-beings, and Sirens all play a role in this tale that weaves together the contemporary world with the magical. There is an extensive cast of characters to keep track of that can be difficult at first, but they all come up multiple times to help the reader understand each of them. Sirens Unbound (Book 1 in the Fifth Mage War series) illustrates the world of magic in the real world while navigating through a wide variety of characters.
We open with Amy Bant, a middle-aged mundane who is a renowned neurosurgeon who is working together with mages on her latest project. This project is to help restore magical sight in mages where she works with mundane government departments, such as the Department of Defense, along with magical communities, such as the Danjou enclave. She is among the four Bant siblings that are included in this story. Her other mundane sibling is Mary, who is married to a truth-teller, and she has two siren siblings, Cordelia and Thomas. Their mother, Mira, is also a siren and their father has since passed.
The points of view switch between all the main characters which not only help us understand what each of them is thinking in certain moments, but also helps the reader navigate the globe as the story transitions around the world. The writer flows between each character with ease so the story continues to meld together even though the point of view has changed. Between each chapter, we find excerpts of Mira’s “handbook” on sirens. Although at first, these seemed like extra pieces of information about sirens, each piece helps to foreshadow the upcoming events.
Cordelia is a member of the Atlantic Court serving the Atlantic queen, Atlantea. Her dream is to free the fae in England that have been imprisoned and are slowly dying. Saving them is no easy feat and Cordelia must find a way that won’t have dire consequences.
Thomas finds himself involved with a mage who he helps escape from her bound vampire. Now that the mage is free, both Thomas and the mage both find themselves in mortal danger. They both must find a way to free themselves for good without endangering themselves or those around them.
There is a lot happening in each chapter yet also feels like it isn’t going anywhere. Each character has their own journey that they must follow (Amy with her medical work, Thomas with the mage, Cordelia with the fae, etc). Although the journeys seem separate, the tale weaves together so each relates to the other in one way or another. It was a slow read at first that picks up and pieces itself like a puzzle about halfway or so where you begin to see the puzzle coming together and everything that was described in the beginning all make sense. Now that everything is coming together, I loved the direction the story was going and cannot wait to read Unbound Mages!
**Thank you to BookSirens and the publisher for my review copy of the novel. Opinions expressed are completely my own.**
Check out my other reviews: Chonky Books Review
We open with Amy Bant, a middle-aged mundane who is a renowned neurosurgeon who is working together with mages on her latest project. This project is to help restore magical sight in mages where she works with mundane government departments, such as the Department of Defense, along with magical communities, such as the Danjou enclave. She is among the four Bant siblings that are included in this story. Her other mundane sibling is Mary, who is married to a truth-teller, and she has two siren siblings, Cordelia and Thomas. Their mother, Mira, is also a siren and their father has since passed.
The points of view switch between all the main characters which not only help us understand what each of them is thinking in certain moments, but also helps the reader navigate the globe as the story transitions around the world. The writer flows between each character with ease so the story continues to meld together even though the point of view has changed. Between each chapter, we find excerpts of Mira’s “handbook” on sirens. Although at first, these seemed like extra pieces of information about sirens, each piece helps to foreshadow the upcoming events.
Cordelia is a member of the Atlantic Court serving the Atlantic queen, Atlantea. Her dream is to free the fae in England that have been imprisoned and are slowly dying. Saving them is no easy feat and Cordelia must find a way that won’t have dire consequences.
Thomas finds himself involved with a mage who he helps escape from her bound vampire. Now that the mage is free, both Thomas and the mage both find themselves in mortal danger. They both must find a way to free themselves for good without endangering themselves or those around them.
There is a lot happening in each chapter yet also feels like it isn’t going anywhere. Each character has their own journey that they must follow (Amy with her medical work, Thomas with the mage, Cordelia with the fae, etc). Although the journeys seem separate, the tale weaves together so each relates to the other in one way or another. It was a slow read at first that picks up and pieces itself like a puzzle about halfway or so where you begin to see the puzzle coming together and everything that was described in the beginning all make sense. Now that everything is coming together, I loved the direction the story was going and cannot wait to read Unbound Mages!
**Thank you to BookSirens and the publisher for my review copy of the novel. Opinions expressed are completely my own.**
Check out my other reviews: Chonky Books Review
December 3, 2020
Sirens unbound is our entry to Lauren Engelhardt fantasy world of the mudane, the sirens and the fae. I was immediately lost in the story as we are introduced to a Amy, who recently graduated from Harvard with a PhD and is working to correct sight and introduce the mage sight to those who don’t possess such magic.
Shortly after we are introduced to several perspectives of the Bant family members and their trials and tribulations as they navigate our planet. My Brazilian husband just finished his PhD so right away I felt at home in this aspect of the story, as we are taken across the globe with multiple members of the Bant family a lot of the settings struck a cord with me.
This book certainly feels like a build up to something more, perhaps you could see that the author is laying the foundation for a bigger, brighter story line through Sirens Unbound. This is a book to sink your teeth into and get lost in. The author has clearly given this world a ton of thought, the characters are very well developed and the story really is out of this world. We see several points of view and learn a lot of history about the main characters and how they got to the point they are at which leads to the Fifth Mage War.
Inaction can be as great as sin
Sirens Unbound is the first novel in the Fifth Mage War Series and I was completely intrigued with the world that Lauren Engelhardt introduces to the reader and I cannot wait to see what Mages Unbound brings us.
Shortly after we are introduced to several perspectives of the Bant family members and their trials and tribulations as they navigate our planet. My Brazilian husband just finished his PhD so right away I felt at home in this aspect of the story, as we are taken across the globe with multiple members of the Bant family a lot of the settings struck a cord with me.
This book certainly feels like a build up to something more, perhaps you could see that the author is laying the foundation for a bigger, brighter story line through Sirens Unbound. This is a book to sink your teeth into and get lost in. The author has clearly given this world a ton of thought, the characters are very well developed and the story really is out of this world. We see several points of view and learn a lot of history about the main characters and how they got to the point they are at which leads to the Fifth Mage War.
Inaction can be as great as sin
Sirens Unbound is the first novel in the Fifth Mage War Series and I was completely intrigued with the world that Lauren Engelhardt introduces to the reader and I cannot wait to see what Mages Unbound brings us.
November 30, 2020
Sirens Unbound is the beginning of the Fifth Mage War series by the talented author Laura Engelhardt. Even though I am not a big fan of the fantasy fiction or science fiction genre, I still wanted to give this one a try. I have to admit, the cover really intrigued me and I wanted to see what the book was all about. I thought it was a pretty good read. The writing, story, and characters were unique to me. It was refreshing to read something new and different than what I normally would pick up and read. I thought it was entertaining to be taken to a whole new world. I enjoyed taking this journey with the Bant family, especially Amy. I thought it was a fun adventure. At times, it was not an easy read, as there were a few scenes that had me a little lost and confused. Once I caught on as to what was going on, I was again hooked. Overall, I thought that it was a very good read. I am so glad I had the opportunity to read it.
I am giving Sirens Unbound four stars. I am looking forward to reading the next installment from the Fifth Mage War series, Mages Unbound, to see what happens next. I recommend this book for readers who enjoy fantasy fiction. I believe it is definitely worth a read.
I received Sirens Unbound from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.
I am giving Sirens Unbound four stars. I am looking forward to reading the next installment from the Fifth Mage War series, Mages Unbound, to see what happens next. I recommend this book for readers who enjoy fantasy fiction. I believe it is definitely worth a read.
I received Sirens Unbound from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.
September 10, 2020
If wars can set brother against brother and father against son, imagine how terrible it could be if you added magic and mystical beings into the mix. Sirens, bound by properties in their blood, are restricted in how they live their lives. Fae, imprisoned by the iron that has been embedded everywhere by the Mages, are dying out. And humans have no idea any of this is going on. . . yet.
With a expansive cast, centering on the Bant family, the author seamlessly flows from one perspective to another to create a full world behind the mundane reality that we know. But magic is no cure-all and its wielders never totally altruistic. This made the imagined setting all the more real because of its flaws.
Because the company of characters is quite vast, it took several chapters to become invested in the plot because of the constant introductions. But once the story began to flow, I had a tough time putting it down. It diligently expresses through the eyes of each character how war, racism, and fear can have a deep impact on people in diverse and unique ways. Each side of the conflict is well represented and this first volume left me eager for the next in the series.
* Special thanks to BookSirens and the publisher for granting me an eARC in return for my honest opinion. *
With a expansive cast, centering on the Bant family, the author seamlessly flows from one perspective to another to create a full world behind the mundane reality that we know. But magic is no cure-all and its wielders never totally altruistic. This made the imagined setting all the more real because of its flaws.
Because the company of characters is quite vast, it took several chapters to become invested in the plot because of the constant introductions. But once the story began to flow, I had a tough time putting it down. It diligently expresses through the eyes of each character how war, racism, and fear can have a deep impact on people in diverse and unique ways. Each side of the conflict is well represented and this first volume left me eager for the next in the series.
* Special thanks to BookSirens and the publisher for granting me an eARC in return for my honest opinion. *
March 29, 2025
This is the first book in the Fifth Mage War series. It follows a family of Sirens, both active and latent. I loved the world building in this novel. At the beginning of each chapter there were passages from a book for newly transitioned Sirens which gave some additional clarity to the narrative.
This world contains Mages, Weres, Sirens, Djinn and Mundanes. Magic is a known quality in this world and there is a delicate balance between the different factions. This balance is on the edge of dissolving as Amy Bant develops a procedure to connect a sub-optic nerve found in Mages. This operation serves to activate magical sight for Mages who were born without that necessary skill.
When this operation succeeds it fulfills a prophecy that is thought to refer to the beginning of the Fifth Mage War.
I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to the next in the series. It ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger so beware if you like pat endings. If you like intricately plotted book with well drawn characters I believe it would be worth your time.
This world contains Mages, Weres, Sirens, Djinn and Mundanes. Magic is a known quality in this world and there is a delicate balance between the different factions. This balance is on the edge of dissolving as Amy Bant develops a procedure to connect a sub-optic nerve found in Mages. This operation serves to activate magical sight for Mages who were born without that necessary skill.
When this operation succeeds it fulfills a prophecy that is thought to refer to the beginning of the Fifth Mage War.
I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to the next in the series. It ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger so beware if you like pat endings. If you like intricately plotted book with well drawn characters I believe it would be worth your time.
October 16, 2020
Sirens Unbound is truly an epic urban fantasy saga. I am completely engrossed in this world. It does take a bit to get started but this is a whole world the author is building here and she does it well. It is complex and immersive. There are a lot of characters and each one is fully realized and fleshed out.
It is written from different points of view. A lot ... On the same page...
I haven't read a story like that before, so it took some getting used to but it works. As some others have mentioned there were a couple of disconcerting time jumps (Thanksgiving and Cordy's pregnancy) that threw me for a loop. It's a big book (which I adore) but we could have had a spare chapter or so to fill those areas out and spend some more time on the family dynamic.
I am hooked on this series! I highly recommend it! And I'm very glad I have the next one waiting.
I received an ARC for free in exchange for my honest review.
It is written from different points of view. A lot ... On the same page...
I haven't read a story like that before, so it took some getting used to but it works. As some others have mentioned there were a couple of disconcerting time jumps (Thanksgiving and Cordy's pregnancy) that threw me for a loop. It's a big book (which I adore) but we could have had a spare chapter or so to fill those areas out and spend some more time on the family dynamic.
I am hooked on this series! I highly recommend it! And I'm very glad I have the next one waiting.
I received an ARC for free in exchange for my honest review.
November 25, 2020
I was ecstatic to be reading Siren's Unbound. The book started off with a page turning story that had you craving more. The storyline itself is unique and characters are all very interesting and well described. You have Siren's, Mages, Fae and Mundanes - you know it's going to be a phenomenal book. I love how the mundane of the opposite sex act towards the Sirens - some quite humorous, while the same sex tries to kill the sirens. I love how the ocean reacts to the sirens.
The middle of the book dragged a bit for me. However, the last third of the book I couldn't put down! I realized why there was so much emphasis put into each characters life in the middle, because it all tied together in the midst intriguing way! The plot twists were extraordinary, had you rooting for certain characters! The ending was a cliff hanger - one of those that you know if you don't read the second book, your life will not be complete.
The middle of the book dragged a bit for me. However, the last third of the book I couldn't put down! I realized why there was so much emphasis put into each characters life in the middle, because it all tied together in the midst intriguing way! The plot twists were extraordinary, had you rooting for certain characters! The ending was a cliff hanger - one of those that you know if you don't read the second book, your life will not be complete.
October 17, 2020
I received Sirens Unbound free from BookSirens in return for an honest review.
This was a hard read to start off. I felt like the story wasn’t going anywhere but at the same time was going everywhere all at once. The plot at times seemed to be too much, there seemed to be too many main characters, and too many worlds to mentally manage. It took me reading until about 50% of the book to fully get a grasp of what was going on to feel the grip of the story. Once I saw where the book was going I loved it, but I could see why it might get put down a lot in the first half. I promise you though if you pick it up and keep reading it’s worth it. The plot comes together, the characters intertwine and the story ends beautifully.
I’ll definitely be reading Mages Unbound. This story has so much magic left to share with its readers.
This was a hard read to start off. I felt like the story wasn’t going anywhere but at the same time was going everywhere all at once. The plot at times seemed to be too much, there seemed to be too many main characters, and too many worlds to mentally manage. It took me reading until about 50% of the book to fully get a grasp of what was going on to feel the grip of the story. Once I saw where the book was going I loved it, but I could see why it might get put down a lot in the first half. I promise you though if you pick it up and keep reading it’s worth it. The plot comes together, the characters intertwine and the story ends beautifully.
I’ll definitely be reading Mages Unbound. This story has so much magic left to share with its readers.
October 13, 2020
A rich enthralling experience. I was spellbound from the first page. The storyline was very well developed and the characters were amazing. I can't wait to read the next book. I was given an ARC and am voluntarily reviewing it.
November 2, 2019
Amazing world building
Such a pleasure to read. I can't wait for the next book. The transitions between stories drives the story on.
Such a pleasure to read. I can't wait for the next book. The transitions between stories drives the story on.
November 2, 2020
What a wonderful book to introduce us to Cordelia and her family. It has Fae and magic and mages galore. I hope they are all safe as the saga continues.
January 2, 2023
It took 50 pages or so for me to really get into this book, but once I started getting to know the characters and the world, I couldn't put it down (metaphorically of course). I could tell the author put a lot of thought into the construction of the world, which made this book a pleasure to read. The alternate history element (Patrick Henry rebelling against the imposition of enclave bindings, for example) and magic being integrated into society and something everyone was familiar with was an aspect I really enjoyed. Also, I had never read a fantasy book featuring sirens, and it was interesting to see how their powers would play out in the modern world.
I liked all the POV characters and found them to be realistic. Usually in books with multiple POVs, there is a character I don't like as much and want to get through their part as fast as possible. However with this book, I loved reading about each member of the Bant family. My favorite characters would be Cordelia, Amy, and Thomas, because their story lines were the most interesting to me.
Cordelia's desire to help the Aos Si was so pure. The scene with her and Titania in Chapter 29 was one of my favorites and I think the ending with her leading the Aos Si to safety was perfect. I wasn't expecting her to be able to help the Aos Si in this book but I felt that storyline progressed naturally and didn't feel rushed. Even though there are obviously unresolved storylines since the book is part of a series, the ending nonetheless felt satisfying to me.
I also found Thomas and Kyoko's story to be exciting. I didn't expect Kyoko to be able to break the geas so that was a good surprise. I couldn't help but feel like her breaking that spell was a bit glossed over, especially for it being such an important part of the story. You don't see her actually break it and the effects it had on her strength -- just felt like something was missing there.
All that said, I like Mary and Mira as well. Mira had flaws (as everyone does) but she was an entertaining character to read about and I felt she genuinely cared about her children. That can be seen in the flashback in chapter 18 about Thomas transitioning into a siren. (Side note: this line was great: "Not for the first time he wryly imagined that he was perhaps the only person who would be telling the literal truth when he said Bon Jovi had changed his life.")
Also the fact that Mira wrote a whole book intended to help sirens proves how much she cares. I absolutely loved the excepts from Mira's book throughout -- it helped me understand the world better. I have to say one of my favorite moments was the recounting of Mira taking Amy to a fae preserve to heal her arm. Mira had been just trying to help her daughter but Amy said the experience had traumatized her. I wouldn't have expected the fae to be 'scary' so I thought that was a good twist.
My biggest problem with the story has to do with some of the political aspects. I wished there was a map and a glossary of important characters/important events. I appreciated that there weren't any info dumps but the story line with the Danjou was difficult for me to grasp as I didn't really understand what it was the Danjou and the djinn wanted. I think part of the problem for me was there was a lot of talking regarding the Danjou (Jonah talking about the elders killing Rachael for example), but no parts of the story actually showing the actions taking place. It was hard for me to really care about what the Danjou did because I didn't see the real impact it was having on people. I just heard the characters talking about it.
And a more minor thing but nonetheless a bit distracting, was the 'head hopping' in some of the chapters; for example, Chapter 6. Most of the book was in third person limited so it was confusing for me when it jumped from one character's thoughts to another.
Overall though, this book was excellent! I look forward to reading the next.
I liked all the POV characters and found them to be realistic. Usually in books with multiple POVs, there is a character I don't like as much and want to get through their part as fast as possible. However with this book, I loved reading about each member of the Bant family. My favorite characters would be Cordelia, Amy, and Thomas, because their story lines were the most interesting to me.
Cordelia's desire to help the Aos Si was so pure. The scene with her and Titania in Chapter 29 was one of my favorites and I think the ending with her leading the Aos Si to safety was perfect. I wasn't expecting her to be able to help the Aos Si in this book but I felt that storyline progressed naturally and didn't feel rushed. Even though there are obviously unresolved storylines since the book is part of a series, the ending nonetheless felt satisfying to me.
I also found Thomas and Kyoko's story to be exciting. I didn't expect Kyoko to be able to break the geas so that was a good surprise. I couldn't help but feel like her breaking that spell was a bit glossed over, especially for it being such an important part of the story. You don't see her actually break it and the effects it had on her strength -- just felt like something was missing there.
All that said, I like Mary and Mira as well. Mira had flaws (as everyone does) but she was an entertaining character to read about and I felt she genuinely cared about her children. That can be seen in the flashback in chapter 18 about Thomas transitioning into a siren. (Side note: this line was great: "Not for the first time he wryly imagined that he was perhaps the only person who would be telling the literal truth when he said Bon Jovi had changed his life.")
Also the fact that Mira wrote a whole book intended to help sirens proves how much she cares. I absolutely loved the excepts from Mira's book throughout -- it helped me understand the world better. I have to say one of my favorite moments was the recounting of Mira taking Amy to a fae preserve to heal her arm. Mira had been just trying to help her daughter but Amy said the experience had traumatized her. I wouldn't have expected the fae to be 'scary' so I thought that was a good twist.
My biggest problem with the story has to do with some of the political aspects. I wished there was a map and a glossary of important characters/important events. I appreciated that there weren't any info dumps but the story line with the Danjou was difficult for me to grasp as I didn't really understand what it was the Danjou and the djinn wanted. I think part of the problem for me was there was a lot of talking regarding the Danjou (Jonah talking about the elders killing Rachael for example), but no parts of the story actually showing the actions taking place. It was hard for me to really care about what the Danjou did because I didn't see the real impact it was having on people. I just heard the characters talking about it.
And a more minor thing but nonetheless a bit distracting, was the 'head hopping' in some of the chapters; for example, Chapter 6. Most of the book was in third person limited so it was confusing for me when it jumped from one character's thoughts to another.
Overall though, this book was excellent! I look forward to reading the next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book is #1 in the Fifth Mage War Series. It follows Mira, who is a siren and her children, two that are active sirens and two that are latent. There are mages, mundanes, weres, fae, and the world knows they are there! Mira wrote a textbook for newly transitioned sirens and we get excerpts from it throughout the book.
Another mage war is coming. How does Mira and her family factor into it? This story keeps your guessing, wondering what will happen. You learn about siren relations between oceans, how everyone interacts (or don't) with each other. Four mage wars have happened and there is still lasting damage. What will the fifth do?!
So, the book starts a little slow, it bounces from character to character a lot, and can be a little 'much', but don't give up! I was about 20% in before I was hooked! It took me about a month to read this, but the last 80% was in the last few days. Come learn about the world of sirens, mages, and how they all came to be.
This book is #1 in the Fifth Mage War Series. It follows Mira, who is a siren and her children, two that are active sirens and two that are latent. There are mages, mundanes, weres, fae, and the world knows they are there! Mira wrote a textbook for newly transitioned sirens and we get excerpts from it throughout the book.
Another mage war is coming. How does Mira and her family factor into it? This story keeps your guessing, wondering what will happen. You learn about siren relations between oceans, how everyone interacts (or don't) with each other. Four mage wars have happened and there is still lasting damage. What will the fifth do?!
So, the book starts a little slow, it bounces from character to character a lot, and can be a little 'much', but don't give up! I was about 20% in before I was hooked! It took me about a month to read this, but the last 80% was in the last few days. Come learn about the world of sirens, mages, and how they all came to be.
January 17, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
It was an ok book, but the one thing that held me back to enjoy the books is first the difficult words used, I had to stop reading and look up the words before I could go on and this broke up actually the flow of the story. Secondly there were to many story lines , giving a view of how characters saw the world around them. Sometimes I got lost and had to re-read to see how everything would fit in. I don't think I would continue with this series.
But in overall, if you think away the difficult words and multiple plots, there was enough adventure and action going on. And if you love fairy, siren and other fairytales, then this is definitely a great story.
It was an ok book, but the one thing that held me back to enjoy the books is first the difficult words used, I had to stop reading and look up the words before I could go on and this broke up actually the flow of the story. Secondly there were to many story lines , giving a view of how characters saw the world around them. Sometimes I got lost and had to re-read to see how everything would fit in. I don't think I would continue with this series.
But in overall, if you think away the difficult words and multiple plots, there was enough adventure and action going on. And if you love fairy, siren and other fairytales, then this is definitely a great story.
November 24, 2020
Sirens Unbound Is Book One In The Fifth Mage War Series.
It Is A Big Book At Over 500 Pages And Although It Is Written Well, The Story Didn’t Particularly Grip Me Because Of How Much Detail Is Included, I Found It Very Hard To Get Into.
It Is However, An a interesting Story About Sirens and Fae And Is A Great Example Of A Fantasy Novel. I Like How It Flips Between The Past And Present And The Multiple Perspectives Of The Bant Family.
That Being Said, I Am Looking Forward To Reading The Second Book In The Series, Mages Unbound, And I Will Be Reviewing This As Part Of The Book Tour On 2nd December.
It Is A Big Book At Over 500 Pages And Although It Is Written Well, The Story Didn’t Particularly Grip Me Because Of How Much Detail Is Included, I Found It Very Hard To Get Into.
It Is However, An a interesting Story About Sirens and Fae And Is A Great Example Of A Fantasy Novel. I Like How It Flips Between The Past And Present And The Multiple Perspectives Of The Bant Family.
That Being Said, I Am Looking Forward To Reading The Second Book In The Series, Mages Unbound, And I Will Be Reviewing This As Part Of The Book Tour On 2nd December.
May 11, 2023
Audiobook: This book was a complex fantasy, and it was very creative. The worldbuilding was extensive, and I enjoyed the tidbits of historical events for the fantasy world that opened each chapter. The story featured the Bant family members and jumped from one member to the next relating the events that each was experiencing. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series, but not in audiobook format. Brandy Hussa's narration was mediocre and lacked expressiveness. I would often find myself falling asleep and then would have to go back and pick up what I had missed. I received a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily posted this review.
April 25, 2021
When I started this book I would have only given it 3 stars. I found the whole book a heavy read which needed a lot of concentration. In the beginning the world and character building was so intense and complicated, hence I would have only given the 3 stars. I found it took me until half way through the book to enjoy it. It still is not a favourite book of mine not really the style of writing I like, but was nice to read something different, with sirens and mages.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 14, 2023
Незвичне для мене фентезі. Класно, що океани начебто виступають героями книги з власними характерами. Але не розумію, чому так популярно пхати в фентезі згадки про росіян – то якісь герої росіяни, то країна згадується, то тайга. Тут кілька разів теж було таке. Добре, що не головні герої.
August 20, 2021
Pretty good
This is a pretty good book. Not quite my cup of tea but that is not the authors fault. Its well written and intriguing to read.
This is a pretty good book. Not quite my cup of tea but that is not the authors fault. Its well written and intriguing to read.
August 30, 2023
So much potential
The story plot was interesting and unique; however, there was a great deal of info dumping that took away from the story as a whole.
The story plot was interesting and unique; however, there was a great deal of info dumping that took away from the story as a whole.
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October 21, 2024Confusing
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2024
Thank you BookSirens for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I usually like worldbuilding, but the book was too dedicated to that, and I felt overwhelmed with all the information. The last bits of the book were appropriately filled with action, but the ending was a little rushed. I give this two-point five out of five stars, as I liked it, but also was overwhelmed. Maybe when I give it a reread, I change my mind and give it a higher rating.
On my second re-read of the book, I was a little more prepared for all the information but was still overwhelmed at times. I will give it another one-point star because I felt more immersed in the book and enjoyed it more than the first time I read it. This is a very unusual review for me, as I typically do not go back to reread ARCs. I am glad I re-read it, as it is a hidden gem of a book. I will be recommending this book to others in the future.
I usually like worldbuilding, but the book was too dedicated to that, and I felt overwhelmed with all the information. The last bits of the book were appropriately filled with action, but the ending was a little rushed. I give this two-point five out of five stars, as I liked it, but also was overwhelmed. Maybe when I give it a reread, I change my mind and give it a higher rating.
On my second re-read of the book, I was a little more prepared for all the information but was still overwhelmed at times. I will give it another one-point star because I felt more immersed in the book and enjoyed it more than the first time I read it. This is a very unusual review for me, as I typically do not go back to reread ARCs. I am glad I re-read it, as it is a hidden gem of a book. I will be recommending this book to others in the future.
December 2, 2023
I like this world and the concept. There was a ton of posturing and world building, which I usually love, but I felt like literally nothing happened until the last 3 chapters or so. The story felt unfinished, and I get that there's another book, but it just ended so abruptly without much meat or plot to this one.
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