— 4 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"The fury thrashes like the sea in a storm. It sings to me. Calls me to act."

📖 | 432 pages
👤 | author Gabi Burton
🏢 | publisher Hodderscape
📅 | release date 27 June 2023

What you can expect:

• Reverse grumpy | sunshine
• Forbidden romance
• Bodyguard | Royal
• Morally grey FMC
• Found family
• Anti-heroes
• Slow-burn
• All Black and Brown cast
• Suspenseful plot

Saoirse Sorkova survives on lies. As a soldier-in-training at the most prestigious barracks in the kingdom, she lies about being a siren to avoid execution. At night, working as an assassin for a dangerous group of mercenaries, Saoirse lies about her true identity. And to her family, Saoirse tells the biggest lie of all: that she can control her siren powers and doesn't struggle constantly against an impulse to kill.

As the top trainee in her class, Saoirse would be headed for a bright future if it weren't for the need to keep her secrets out of the spotlight. But when a mysterious blackmailer threatens her sister, Saoirse takes a dangerous job that will help her investigate: she becomes personal bodyguard to the crown prince.

Saoirse should hate Prince Hayes. After all, his father is the one who enforces the kingdom's brutal creature segregation laws. But when Hayes turns out to be kind, thoughtful, and charming, Saoirse finds herself increasingly drawn to him-especially when they're forced to work together to stop a deadly killer who's plaguing the city. There's only one problem: Saoirse is that deadly killer.

Gabi Burton brings us her debut YA fantasy novel, Sing Me to Sleep, which is book one in the series. To be anything other than Fae, Witch or human is an immediate death sentence in the unforgiving kingdom of Keirdre. And no other species are more hated than Sirens. As the last known survivor of her species, Saoirse Sorkova is forced to live a life full of lies. With the assistance of magic Saoirse is able to glamour herself as an ikatus; a Fae born without a magical affinity. Enough to pass as belonging within a prejudiced kingdom where only the powerful Fae thrive, yet not important enough on a magical scale to deserve a second glance. Yet that is the complete opposite for Saoirse when she is able to be in her true form. Her Siren form. With none of her own kind to guide her, Saoirse is constantly plagued with her instinct to kill. This is a battle we see Saoirse battle continually within herself through the book. All she wants is stay alive and make a living for her family who are struggling to make ends meet as millers. To keep her younger sister Rain safe. There is nothing that Saoirse will not do, nor sacrifice, to ensure Rain's absolute safety. The relationship between Saoirse and Rain was my favourite dynamic throughout the entire book. Rain was a delight to read. Despite her young age Rain is sharp and quick-witted. Saoirse's overbearingly protective behaviour results in slight conflict between the sisters, but seeing above all else their love and devotion for one another was beautiful to read.

I loved Saoirse as a main character. She is unapologetically ruthless and unafraid. At only seventeen-years-old Saoirse proves to be exceptional as a soldier-in-training. When graduation arrives and Saoirse ranks first amongst her peers, she is offered a unique opportunity that any of her fellow soldiers-in-training would die for. A position as a Royal Guard for Prince Hayes himself. The problem? The Royal family are the ones responsible for the segregation amongst the species within Keirdre. To be discovered as a Siren would be an immediate death sentence. What should be the easiest "no" of Saoirse's life turns into a complicated and twisted situation when her sister's life is threatened. The only way to get rid of her blackmailer and ensure her Rain's safety is the accept the position as a member of Prince Haye's loyal guard.

Saoirse has every right to hate the spoiled and sheltered Prince Hayes. Whilst he throws lavish parties and holds very few responsibilities despite his title, Saoirse's family are struggling financially and she herself is constantly fighting her true nature to avoid detection. It is because of the Royal family that there are no other known Sirens to exist. Hating Hayes should be as easy as breathing underwater. Except he's kind. And patient. And genuinely seems to be a good man and Fae. Hayes was a delight to read as a character. I enjoyed how multi-layered he was. Whilst Hayes showed a lot of naivety and immaturity at the beginning, we get to watch as he progresses and determines for himself what kind of Royal he wants to be. The dynamic between Hayes and Saoirse had me on the edge of my seat from their very first meeting. There was a very apparent attraction from both parties, and whilst Hayes done his best to get to know Saoirse, she kept herself secluded. There was a lot of tension and angst between the pair. Watching their relationship unfurl and develop as they battle their unexplainable connection was really enjoyable to read. Blackmail aside, castle life seemed to be working within Saoirse's favour. Until Hayes best friend, a man he loved like a brother, washes up ashore dead. As one of the Prince's Royal Guards and somebody that he has begun to put a lot of faith in, Hayes entrusts the task of capturing his best friend's murderer to Saoirse.

Too bad she's the killer.

Gabi Burton created a truly captivating and magical fantasy setting in Sing Me to Sleep. Saoirse was a truly complex and gripping character that left me frustrated whilst also rooting for her. The world-building was fantastic, and I could tell that the author took her time to establish proper ties that compliment the story without dragging anything along. I overall really enjoyed reading this book, and I look forward to the release of book two when it is announced.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hodderscape and Gabi Burton for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

How to adequately put into words how much I loved this book? I think the fact that I devoured it in about four hours attests to that fact, but I shall try to elaborate on exactly what it was that captured me so.
Saoirse is just my kinda girl. Ruthless. Fierce. Not afraid to tell the truth and own her achievements. She had me hooked from page one and I could not get enough. Then Hayes was introduced and I was smitten. The romance between them is top notch, and unlike in a lot of books I've read recently, their relationship and trust actually felt like it had something to it. There is an instant attraction and interest there, but GB really spent time letting them get to know each other which I cherished. The dialogue between them was fun and sassy and even vulnerable at times, and overall written perfectly.
There was even a plot twist at the end that absolutely floored me, which is no easy feat.
I'm so impressed by GBs debut, she writes like she's been publishing for years, creating a world that's dangerous and alluring all in one. Needless to say, I'm eagerly awaiting book two

<i>I would like to thank Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

Saoirse is a Siren, living hidden in a kingdom ruled by the fae who feel superior to other species. Her survival depends on her ability to keep her secrets and fight her instincts.

The writing and world building are great and the characters are so wonderfully grey I wasn’t certain at all times if I liked them or not.

Although the story has some familiar tropes and concepts generally present in YA novels, the ending was quite surprising and left me wanting for the next book.

Excellent worldbuilding, beautiful but easy to follow, and a good start to the series! The characters are all really well developed and all unique in their own ways. And who doesn’t love a morally grey main character! It really has you questioning motives and whats right and wrong, and how far will you go for a swoonworthy prince. A whole host of magical creatures are seen here and I love them all, and our main character is really amazing. Someone truly morally grey with flaws but still so likeable, even if she shouldn’t be. There is also the usual YA love story on the go too, with a very grumpy/sunshine take to it, so that’s your vibe this is right up your street! I really enjoyed it, and felt you got so many things happening it was never boring and it was such an easy read the pages just flew by.

Sing Me To Sleep by Gabi Burton
Pub Date 27 Jun 2023 | Archive Date 27 Jun 2023
Hodder & Stoughton
You Like Them
Teens & YA

Rating: 5 out of 5.
My Thoughts: This has taken me far too long to remember to review. This is an absolutely fantastic book. All those magical and mystical elements hooked me from the start. I adored Saoirse and her moral ambiguity. She may be a murderer, but I adore her. The interaction between Hayes and Saoirse was fantastic; they have the grumpy/sunshine energy, one of my favourite cliches. This book has it all: a slow burn, badass FMC, treachery, and antiheroes. It is well worth reading.

I’ve read a few books on the Fae in the past, and while they were entertaining, they needed depth and were largely forgettable.
It had a lot of complexity, and the world was filled with history and culture. The elemental magic system included Fae and other magical creatures. I adored Saoirse’s ability to taste emotions. It meant I could genuinely feel every interaction she had.
My other favourite character was Prince Hayes. I enjoyed his interactions with Saoirse. The relationship was flawless, and the plot and subplots were utterly engrossing! I wish I could tell you more, but I can’t because it would reveal too much. Saoirse keeps to herself, has just one friend ), is incredibly hardworking, and works as an assassin for mercenaries during the nights for additional money for her family… the catch of being an assassin? While she needs the money for her sister’s school fees, she can’t deny she enjoys and requires killing to be sane – it’s a siren’s nature to kill because the draw is too strong. And she’s been fighting this attraction for most of her life. Saoirse is the top graduate soldier from the kingdom’s most prestigious barracks, with a clear picture of her dream job, but they offer her a guard position at the Palace for Crown Prince Hayes. She is reluctant to work for the Royals, yet when she discovers a blackmail letter with a royal seal in the hands of her loving sister, she has no choice but to accept the post. She needs to figure out who is blackmailing her for information regarding the kingdom’s barrier, the purported extinct species, and the Royals. She progressively uncovers the kingdom’s secrets as she balances her roles as an assassin and a guard.

Looking forward to the sequel – thank you so much for Hodderscape for the eARC!
#NetGalley #singmetosleep

for a debut novel, it was extremely good! our main character, saoirse (got it right on my first try lmaooo) is very unique in the way that she unapologetically k!lls peopld because she needs to (she reminded me of juliette from this violent delights in that way. juliette doesn’t need to buy she doesn’t give a sh!t either) and that’s very refreshing to read about (i know, that sounds weird). the plot had me very intrigued since i love investigations/political intrigues and this book was basically that😅. the romance was fun as well and i really want to read the sequel when it comes out because i’m curious to see how it will progress (both the plot and the romance🤭). to have on your radar! comes out june 27 i believe so please check it out when it does. 4⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the early access to this book.

I didn’t think I’d enjoy this book, as it sounded like a very predictable YA thrope.

I did however end up enjoying it, and I hope the next one will be just as good!

The story was compelling, and the characters had deep archs’ and some of them kept you guessing until the end.

I can’t wait to get a pretty special edition of this to add to my collection.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Actual rating 4,5 stars but rounded up.
I absolutely loved this book! It's dark, it's fun, it's sexy (in a YA way, don't worry) and it's mysterious.
I'm always a fan of fantasy worlds that are filled with different magical beings, and here we have fae, witches, (humans) and a siren. Yes, one, because Saoirse is the last siren, and so she needs to hide her identity.
Hidden identity is definitely the main trope of this book, not only our FMC hides who she is, but also some other powerful players.
Other tropes include grumpy/sunshine (she's the grump, he's the sunshine) and bodyguard/royal (she's the bodyguard, he's the royal), I especially loved the latter and that it was genderbent.

Saoirse is an amazing FMC, I loved her so much! She's grumpy, she's serious, she's very protective of those she loves, and she's careful and smart.
Hayes is also great, a fun-loving prince who also has his deeper sides and who's willing to learn how to be a better ruler.
I really enjoyed their relationship dynamic.
There are also lots of side characters that added a lot to the story.

The plot was engaging and filled with twists, it didn't take long for me to get sucked into the story and once I did, it was hard to put down.

The writing is also good, there were some word choices that got a bit repetitive (I've never read the word lightbrained so many times in my life) and some... weird sentences, but I guess a lot of that comes down to the book being YA. Overall, I enjoyed the writing style though.

This book has a lot less water action that I was led to believe. I personally didn't mind that but I definitely think everyone who thinks they'll get lots of underwater and mermaid/siren action definitely needs to readjust their expectations.

There were some small aspects that I didn't fully love, but really nothing worth mentioning or pointing out, especially since it's YA and I'm an adult and I think the "bulk" of my issues came down to that, so I'm rounding up to 5 stars.

I had the best time with this book and highly recommend!

Thank you so much Hodderscape for sending me this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review 🩷

Rating:4.75/5⭐️

“I want the best,” he says. “If the best is willing, I want her.”

This book had got my attention but I was still not sure what to expect of with when I picked it up! It was, however, a gorgeous surprise and I finished it in one day!

Saoirse is a siren in hiding, pretending to be something else and training harder than anyone else to come up top of her year and get a good rank position! Oh, and she has a side job: assassin for hire! With her siren abilities and blood call, she’s the perfect temptress. But all she does is for one and only one goal: to protect her little sister, whom she loves the most in the entire world.

Prince Hayes is everything but powerful! In fact, he’s almost a decoy of a Prince, for if the King could, he would delete his younger son from the family tree. You do fall for Hayes, he’s such a good guy (or is he?)!

This author’s writing is super compelling and magical and this book is full of adventure, action, betrayals, intrigues and passion! This is definitely an enemies-to-lovers and slow burn and I urgently need someone to read it so we can discuss the end! I was all in for Hayes until the very end, where it made me think “oh, could he? Nah, he’s a good boy, he wouldn’t… but would could he?”; without further spoiler, and I hope that was teasing enough… please go read the book!!

Keep an eye out on my bookstagram (@maria_bookshelf) during the release day for my post 😍!

First of all I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher house for sending me this ARC! Thank you!
Let's talk about this book!
Sing Me to Sleep by Gabi Burton is the first book in a duology due out June 27 (the second one next year, according to Goodreads).
Let's start by saying that after reading the plot I was completely fascinated by this story, given that, like the premises it had, I was very interested in it! I leave the plot here: Saoirse Sorkova survives on secrets. As the last siren in her kingdom di lei, she can sing any man to an early grave-but her very existence di lei is illegal, and if her true identity di lei were ever discovered, it would be her life di lei on the line . By day, Saoirse disguises herself as a fae, pretending to be the perfect soldier-in-training. By night, she satisfies her darker urges working as an assassin for dangerous mercenaries. And all the while, she keeps the biggest secret of that she is not always in control of her Siren powers, or her desire to kill. Then a blackmailer threatens her sister, and Saoirse's investigation takes her to the royal palace, and her most dangerous job personal bodyguard to the Crown Prince. Saoirse expects to despise Prince Hayes. But he is kind, thoughtful, and charming, and she finds herself increasingly drawn to him. . . until he tasks her with investigating a killer plaguing the kingdom. The killer is Saoirse. Trapped by her deadly double life, Saoirse ca n't leave the palace until she saves her sister. . . but who will she save her from herself?

So we have: mermaids, a setting in which there was water, that I always appreciate, a veil of dark fantasy as deception, mystery and murder were involved, with the addition of a great trope relationship between the two characters which was the guard/prince. I couldn't ask any better. We also add the fact that the book is immediately described as “The Cruel Prince meets To Kill a Kingdom in this seductive YA fantasy debut, in which a siren must choose between protecting her family and following her heart in a prejudiced kingdom where her existence is illegal”, a quote which I understand is made but which nonetheless deceives the reader given that two very well-known, viral books are mentioned and which overall I also liked for the aspects they have in common, above all To Kill a Kingdom, in which the aspect of being a mermaid, therefore a submarine being that deceives for its needs, I loved it, especially in its darker and gloomier version.
Well, despite all this, this book did not win me over. I have to say right away that I was very enthusiastic but already at 30% I already had big doubts about whether to continue this book because the narrative didn't win me over, and for me this represents a big problem. If I don't have a reason to read why continue?
The story didn't win me over, I didn't find the protagonist's personal growth within the book, except at the very end where somehow my interest was ignited (but at 90% of a book it's already too late) , the plot was certainly interesting but not so magnetizing as to conquer me, the relationship created between the two protagonists and on the one hand too slow and poorly understood that it did not make me appreciate it as I usually do with this type of dynamic, which, in my opinion, it is perfect for creating the right tension and giving rise to doubts in the protagonist's head; but no, nothing.
So for me the association with To Kill a Kingdom and The Cruel Prince absolutely didn't work, on the contrary, I found it misleading.

Let's add the fact that I didn't really connect with the story if the characters except in the very last part of the book, in the last chapters, by which time the damage is done and we cannot change our reading experience!

I'm so sorry I didn't appreciate this book because from how you can read the premises were very good and in line with what I tend to like to read.

thank you to netgalley, the author and publisher for this arc.

3.75 stars.

soooooo–
this was fun. entertaining. i don't always like siren-y stories, but i enjoyed this one.

this was definitely character-driven for me. the characters were the best part about this book, especially because the worldbuilding wasn't entirely there for me. i'm hoping this will get better in the next book, as we should be expanding past what we've seen now (based on what's said in the final chapter, at least).

i honestly don't have much to comment on this book, apart from that i don't really agree with how certain characters reacted to certain events, but i guess everyone's different and reacts differently. like it just didn't feel genuine to me sometimes, but that's all, really.

would i read the second book? yes, i think i would. just to see more of the characters and witness them live up to their full potential. 😌

— 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 —

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Sing me To Sleep
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: Book 1 of ?
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Gabi Burton
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: YA Fantasy Romance
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 27th June 2023
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝: 22nd May 2023
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 4/5

”But sometimes, being loved isn’t enough. Sometimes, you need to be understood.”

Sing Me To Sleep is a dark and fast paced young adult fantasy romance which is reminiscent of To Kill A Kingdom. Saoirse, a siren, is stuck between her morals and her killer instincts; her need to hide her true self from the royal family and her need to work for the royal family and find out who’s sending her threats; her need to keep people at arms length and her need to keep people safe. She is easily the most conflicted morally grey YA character I have read in a long time.

Whilst I’m usually all for the antihero, and I mainly enjoyed the characterization of Saoirse, I fiund myself losing enjoyment in the character as the story progressed. I felt like she was horrible to everyone, and yet everyone either wanted to be her friend or desired her. I think her meanness got tiresome and I was disappointed by the character arc.

Overall, this is a compelling young adult fantasy with what appears to be an all black cast, superb writing, and a plot that builds rapidly. I truly believe any Little Mermaid fans would love this twist on the classic tale.

—Kayleigh🤍
@ Welsh Book Fairy🧚‍♀️✨

What a wonderful debut!

A truly morally grey main character - who is a siren with a desire to kill - hiding secrets, slowly and reluctantly warming up to the prince she is protecting.

There's a clever plot with mystery and a little suspense, murder, a hint of romance with the slowest of slow burns... And those aren't even the best parts - Saoirse's love for her sister was so beautiful and definitely my favourite.

The ending is perfectly set up for a sequel, without a horrible cliffhanger, but it still left me wanting more.

An enjoyable YA book about segregation and the hope that can still be found, told via a badass Siren bodyguard!

This was fun, fell into some common ya thrones but lots of fun all the same! I hope young readers pick this up and enjoy what the book is trying to say. We need more and more POC authors in the YA space and it’s great to see another black FMC!

Brilliant! Anything I know that is going to involve the sea and it’s inhabitants is an instant go to for me and I really enjoyed my read through of this book!
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for early access to this book!

2.5/5 stars

My overall feelings about this book was just meh. I love the covers, both the US and UK versions, and the first half of the story really drew me in, but everything else just didn't do it for me. The writing was really repetitive and didn't make sense in some aspects, like whenever Saoirse described her eyes shining when it's first person and she wouldn't be able to see her eyes unless she was looking into a mirror. Besides Saoirse, the characters were bland and uninteresting, most of them only existing whenever Saoirse needs information. Hayes also was very useless; he didn't realize he could do shit until Saoirse told him so. I did like how their relationship was almost a grumpy/sunshine dynamic where the girl is the grump and the guy the sunshine, but I just don't care about the romance itself when I could care less about the two people in it. Nothing past the beginning got me so deeply invested and rooting for the characters.

Overall, a big ole meh from me. There was a lot of potential here, but it just was very mediocre for me.

DNF review

Sing Me to Sleep sounded like a good and thrilling story but unfortunately, the novel did not excite me as I hoped.

4/4.5 ⭐️’s!!!!

Thanks to NetGally and Gabi Burton for sending me this copy!!

I really really loved this book! Honestly can’t wait for the next one. Gave me like Jude D’uarte and Dorian Havillard vibes for some reason.

Plot was great! The twists I DID NOT see coming at all. Would deffo recommend!

Wow. This was... so much better than I expected. It started out slow and tbh kind of boring. It seemed like an utterly predictable YA Fantasy, nice enough but nothing special at all. But it turned out to be actually really good.

Saoirse is nothing special as a YA-FMC. She's strong, brave, would do absolutely anything for her family and keeps a secret.
Hayes is also nothing special for a YA-MMC. Outward, he's arrogant, spoiled and loves to needle Saoirse, feels the need to "figure her out" as he's somehow intrigued by her attitude. On the inside however, he's sensitive, lonely and has a secret heart of gold that doesn't deserve Saoirse's hatred.
Just reading the blurb had me know exactly what their relationship was going to be like.

Even the plot starts out as nothing special. Saoirse gets an offer to work as the prince's personal guard. Initially, she refuses as she wants nothing to do with the royal family, but a threat to her sister's life makes her reconsider. Simple, predictable. I've read books like this so many times.
It still sounded kind of promising, because even if it is predictable, it holds potential for a lot of drama and sometimes predictable can be nice.

But suddenly we're head over heels in a web of intrigue and betrayal as Saoirse starts to figure out her role as the prince's guard. It was exciting, fast paced and there was so much more behind the story that I never would've guessed.

The ending was great. Heartbreaking, hopeful, leaving me excited for the next instalment. I kind of loved it.

The writing was great. It was easy to emphasise with Saoirse, to feel her despair and to try to choose the lesser of two evils. Her character was simple, but it was very well written.
I also loved the mystery aspect of the book that kept me guessing throughout it all.

But Felix deserved better.

Thank you, NetGalley and Hodder&Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A fantasy novel starring a siren who is a villain working against her true nature to hide in a Fae-run world who despise her race? Yes please!

It was such a fascinating premise and in a lot of ways, the book didn't disappoint. I can see why this has been marketed as being for fans of 'The Cruel Price' because it was VERY similar. Scrappy prickly heroine? - check. Spoilt prince who seems unsuited for the role? - check. Sisterhood? - check. A world divided by mythical race? - check. Not to mention the spoilers that I can't give...

This book was a very fun fast-paced read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is YA and that is reflected in both the subject matter and the way it was written. However, it didn't really break any new ground and was very like reading a Holly Black book. I am intrigued enough that I will order the special edition that a popular book box is doing and I will pick up the sequel but I don't know that it is one that will live in my head far beyond reading it.

I would recommend it for anyone who REALLY likes The Cruel Prince and wants something similar, but not to die-hard fans of the fantasy genre. It is more political intrigue, with the romance being an addition and because it is YA, it is high on the longing and low on the actual action.

3.5 stars.