Sirenz

By Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman

Bickering frenemies Meg and Shar are doing some serious damage at a midnight sample sale when the fashionistas find themselves arguing over a pair of shoes-with fatal consequences. One innocent bystander later, the girls are suddenly at the mercy of Hades, Lord of the Underworld himself. To make them atone for what they've done, Hades forces the teens to become special-assignment Sirens, luring to the Underworld an individual whose unholy contract is up.

Finding that delicate balance between their fashion addiction and their new part-time job in the eternal hellfire biz turns out to be harder than Meg and Shar expected, especially when an entire pantheon of Greek deities decides to get involved. Then there's the matter of the fine print in their own contracts...

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
• Release date: Sep 8, 2011
• ISBN: 9780738729688

Charlotte Bennardo

Co-authors Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman are best friends and the authors of Sirenz (Flux, 2011). Both writers, their respective works have appeared in a variety of national magazines and periodicals. The authors reside in Bridgewater, N.J.

Reviews for Sirenz

[booktwirps · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Shar & Meg couldn't be more different. Shar is all about designer brands while Meg is more vintage. Shar is pretty and hip while Meg is more Goth. The two of them are roommates and bicker frequently, but Shar is bound and determined to at least exist on peaceful terms with Meg. They're stuck together for the duration of their time at school, and Shar isn't about to let a little bickering get between her and her dream school.Over Christmas break, Shar invites Meg to attend a blowout sale at midnight. She's looking forward to finding lots of designer things at steep discounts. What better way to bond with your fashion-challenged roomie? When the two girls meet a hot guy at a pizza joint, they both begin to drool and the claws start to come out. Later, when the two of them end up bickering over a pair of Vivienne Westwood red patent leather heels, it seems the friendship is just as bad off as it was when the night began. It all comes to a head when the two bickering girls end up accidentally pushing the guy into the path of a speeding subway train. Uh oh.This is where the smoking hot Hades comes in. He has a job for them. All they have to do is sign his contract to become Sirens, luring an unsuspecting recluse to the Underworld by the end of winter break. Hades has had a problem getting the guy himself. What Shar & Meg don't realize when they sign the contract is that the designer Hades has asked them to bring in is deaf and blind. How is Shar supposed to use her power of enchanting men with just a look and Meg her beautiful voice to lure him away?Sirenz is light and fun, offering plenty of laughs along the way. It somewhat reminded me of Spoiled mixed with some Greek mythology. The writing is quick and witty and each of the character's voices is distinct, though seem somewhat familiar. The story isn't overly deep and it wasn't one that I couldn't bear to put down, but I did enjoy it and found myself chuckling throughout. I definitely enjoyed the second half of the book. This is when I felt the pace really picked up. Anyone who is a fan of fashion, mythology and spoiled school girls will get a kick out of this one.(Review based on a finished copy courtesy of the authors in exchange for an honest review)

[auroraceleste_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A lot of people rage at stereotypes and their use in books. And it’s true, stereotypes can be very one-sided and flat, leading to characters that seem dull and predictable. This can make you forget, though, that stereotypes can be used by a skillful writer to make wonderful characters. This book is an excellent example of that. Meg and Shar start out as very stereotypical high school girls. Meg is a goth, angry at the world and rejecting the mainstream. Shar is a princess, always chasing the trendy clothes and the gorgeous boys. Along their journey, though, their stereotypes are only starting points, and they react and grow along very realistic but unpredictable lines that make their characters shine.  

[jessica5_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I was really excited to read a book that wasn't your typical young adult read. I really liked the idea of mixing mythology with the modern day world, but when it was put into a story it was just okay to me. I really liked Meg and Shar and how even thought they hated each other, they were pushed together when Hades blackmailed them into becoming his sirens. Their fight over Jeremy was cute, but the story was kind of slow. There were moments when I was like, when is something interesting going to happen? It was a bit predictable and Shar's character was sometimes annoying, but the book as a whole was just okay. I wouldn't say that you had to read it right this second, but if you have nothing else to read, then you might like this. It's a short, light read that's fun and full of mythological gods/goddesses.