It took me a little while to get oriented in this interesting, very unique world, but once I got hold of the premise and the characters it was super easy to get into!

The characters were well thought out, and the ending was *french kiss* for this book.

This book sticks well in the YA category.

4.5 stars

In a post-climate-disaster world where city-states have fought water wars over the last Arctic icebergs, certain humans are born with powers of the gods. In the slums of Atlante (former Athens), three sisters hold the powers of the Fates - one to weave, one to draw, and one to cut. Io, the youngest, is a cutter, feared for her ability to snip any life-thread with her powers. When murderous wraiths with severed life-threads start appearing, Io is hired by a mob queen to get to the bottom of it. And a rare fate-thread ties her to her partner on the case.

I loved the complicated and messy family relationships that are laid out with psychologist-worthy analysis. The idea that families can be both loving and abusive at the same time. And the threads that tie us to them that aren't so easily cut. Especially when we have our own wrongs that have been done.

This had amazing worldbuilding as well as a lot of queer representation that was just so casually there.

I was not expecting that ending, but it was amazing! It sets up well for a sequel so I hope one is in the works.

This seems to be marketed as YA even though the protagonist is like 19-20, minimum? I felt it was just as worthy of adult shelves. It was a great mix of mystery, gangs, relationship studies, and Greek mythology by a Greek author.

I highly recommend picking it up!

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an eArc of this book!

Overall this was a really enjoyable read. The world is vast, there's a lot of thought behind it, it's unique and enjoyable with lots of backstory and lore, both for the characters and the world itself. Lots of action, but also moments to sit with the characters and their thoughts. Things feel genuine! There are some decent twists! Ended on a killer note!

The only thing keeping this from being a 5 star for me is that sometimes there is TOO much information and it can get a bit repetitive in conveying the information about the different gods or background. We'd get a lot of information quickly in the middle of other things, or I'd hear a similar thing from earlier, and it could occasionally become too much or be confusing - but overall it's great, and I look forward to the next one.

hard to put down - read in one sitting! intriguing myth and mystery, well fleshed out characters and unique plot. highly recommend.

This is a pretty fun YA fantasy that manages to feel pretty unique despite being rooted in Greek mythology. Part mob-thriller, part love-story, part-fantasy. There were some exposition issues, but overall a fun story that was engaging. While it's sets up for a book two, the story that's presented in this book feels wrapped up in a way readers will appreciate.

I did enjoy the recognition of other mythology within the story as well.

Looking forward to the sequel.

Do you want a Noir feeling murder mystery set in a Greek mythology world, with mob bosses and Fates... then this book is for you.

Io is a descendent of the Fates, the three sisters who can see (and manipulate) the Threads of everyone's connections to the people and things they love.

Io uses her gift as a PI and in doing this, Io witnesses a murder involving something that shouldn't exist, a being with their life thread cut. However, there is also joined by another witness, Edei, who happens to be the right hand to the biggest Mob boss in Alante.... but Edei also happens to be Ios Fated.

Working together under the Mob Queen Biancas instructions, Io and Edei have to figure out what these creatures are, and how to stop them, before more people die. Can Io and Edei work together without Fate getting in the way.... read this book to find out!

I absolutely adored this book, the vibes of the world and the world building were amazing. The idea of the Fate threads (and other powers in the book) were sometimes quite terrifying in their abilities.

Will be counting down the days until book two!

This book was such a fun adventure! We follow two great main characters on their adventures through the city of Alante while they track down the maker of vengeful, murderous wraiths. Add in some gang violence, powerful players with massive egos and opposite agendas, and betrayal, and you have quite the story,

I really love how fast-paced this story was. It was very easy to keep reading and very engaging. The world-building was a little difficult to follow at times (particularly which powers do what/their names), but the world was vivid and imaginative, with a rich history.

I absolutely loved this story and our main character, and the ending absolutely left me wanting more. I cannot wait for the next in the series!

I must say as someone who reads a lot of mythology based fantasy books this one really stuck out for its awesome premise and wolrdbuilding. The author did a fantastic job exploring and incorporating various mythologies from around the world into her own unique world. The idea of these other-born that are descendents of Gods and Goddesses that are born with these gifts from the God they descended from is epic. The moira-born though that it must be 3 sisters and each has a gift based on the order of birth?! Amazing! The author's ability to craft this world with all these complex nuances and nods to mythologies was awe-inspiring.
I really enjoyed reading about the complex relationships between the sisters. Io is a character that is relatable and yet her own harshest critic. I was really impressed by how the story progressed and the details that made this world come to life. It was an incredible journey and I look forward to disappearing into this vibrant world again.

The braincells are FRIED. This thing was info overload, and I can honestly say that I didn't digest half of what I read. It's a bit shocking how such a brilliant concept was wasted like this.

Let me give a very forward disclaimer before going on: I don't like thinking. I know that sounds stupid, but I have a pretty short attention span, and it's difficult for me to be invested in something when there's just so much going on. This book was just that.

I don't know how to put this nicely, but it was trying so hard to be a <i>YA</i> fantasy novel, you know? It was so formulaic -- from the "unique" names to the insane number of magic categories to the "forbidden" romance, plus the unnecessary descriptions of people and places that contributed nothing to the actual story.

With this level of complexity background-wise, you kind of expect that the characters would be more mature and likeable... well, they were NOT. They pretty shallow, and so were their relationships. Don't even get me started on the romance... if you can even call it that. I've just completely blocked this off from my mind and am currently pretending that it's not part of the book.

Does this book have potential? Sure, yeah. I really liked the concept behind everything. Though personally, this one really felt more like a huge brain dump rather than a fully refined novel.

Would I recommend? Questionable.

The universe in this book is fascinating. More if you love Greek mythology. This book is taking my breath away. So many action scenes, detailed world-building, and also an unusual magic system that is very mind-blowing. I'm glad that I requested this eARC and getting to know Kika Harzopoulou's amazing writing.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group/ Razorbill for letting me read this excellent book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

3/5 stars, unfortunately this wasn’t everything that I was hoping but still interesting enough

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group & Razorbill for the arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

Firstly can I just point out how gorgeous this cover is, I mean it's one of the prettiest on my shelf for the entire year of 2023. I'm really disappointed to say that this book didn't live up to the hype that I had in my head, and from what I was hearing from others about this book. There were definitive things about this book that could have made it such an amazing read if the rest of the features were done just as well, but there were enough letdowns to make this book feel just alright for me.

Hearing that this story is inspired by Greek Mythology in some sense, even if the gods are dead, because of powers passed on through generations of godly children made me so interested. Especially because the main character is said to be able to view fate threads, and be able to cut them, something that only she can do amongst her two other sisters. Though they are all the daughters of the fates, each can do different things with the fate threads they see. Similarly, there are muse-born people, fury-born people, and more all adhering to powers given to them by their godly ancestors. This was really interesting, but I wish that some of the powers had been explained more and established in a better way because there were some I just didn't understand.

While the concept was really cool, and even the initial plot had me interested, the writing style and pacing were just off for my taste. The beginning had the story jumping in really fast with barely any explanation as to what was happening it felt like. And it didn't keep moving fast enough for my tastes, unfortunately, so I found myself growing bored a few times. The romance was also really just not my favorite, there was no connection between the characters I felt like and I especially hated the trope that existed between them for most of the book. It was 'one of them is in a relationship so I'm not going to do anything but I'm going to think about it' and even subconsciously the person not in the relationship WAS making moves on the other. This trope just makes me uncomfortable and I wish it had not been in there.

The characters were fairly interesting though, Io was not my favorite main character in the beginning but she grew on me as the story went on. Edei was not interesting, there was barely any substance to his character and that's how most of the gang members felt. It was interesting exploring the muses and other characters with powers though, especially Io's sisters and their dynamic, it makes me really intrigued for the next book.

[TW: death of loved ones, blood and gore, gun violence, riots, murder, knife wounds, kidnapping]

I absolutely adored this noir YA thriller infused with politics, familial relationships and Greek mythology. Threads That Bind is a blend between fantasy and mystery that is absolutely intoxicating.

Hatzopoulou’s writing is fantastic - it creates such a vibrant and varied world. I loved how she combined aspects of Greek mythology, but gave them such a fresh new take in this gritty, noir aesthetic. It very much felt like a classic gangster film, with various crime families fitting into certain types of deities and creatures. For me, this was a seamless mesh of fantasy and thriller. The plot was so well-structured, with plenty of intriguing twists and turns to follow. Hatzopoulou integrates a depth of history and world-building with plenty of secrets left to uncover in the sequel. I loved getting to know more of the backstories and how the devastating past of the city really played out. The whole concept of inheriting the powers of your bloodline is fascinating to me (the Percy Jackson loving child within me rejoices) and Hatzopoulou uses this deftly to explore the control of narratives and how legacies can be both a gift and a curse. This is a book where legacy is everything, but the truth of that legacy is shrouded in darkness and secrets.

I am also always a sucker for a good bit of political intrigue and we have that in abundance here. The mystery is deeply interwoven with the shifting political landscape of the city and how various factions intersect. There are so many layers and interwoven plot threads to untangle and I thoroughly enjoyed going along for the ride. At the same time, this is a deeply personal meditation on family, legacy and power. Io is a fantastic protagonist, smart and skilled but also wracked with guilt and unsure of her powers. I really clung to her as my guide through these streets and connected with her vulnerability and desire to thrive. Also, the connection between her and Edei is delicious. Again, the concept of the fate-thread brings up all sorts of interesting ethical dilemmas and questions. Their chemistry is fantastic and I would read so many books that are just them off on adventures through this endlessly compelling landscape.

Threads That Bind is something new, something brilliant and something everyone should add to their shelves immediately. YA fantasy does not know what has just hit it.

Although this book has one of the most beautiful covers I've ever seen, this just wasn't for me. I might not be into mythology retellings. I'm not sure.

The world-building was the best part of the book. It took a little to get used to it but I ended up enjoying learning about the different powers and the vibe of Alante was cool. I liked that there were descendants of different Greek gods but also Egyptian ones, which I was obsessed with as a kid (and still am).

The plot was at first interesting, but then it fell flat for me. Halfway through, I just wanted to be done with the book. It was very predictable, and the twists were very basic. I think I knew who was behind the murders/wraiths from maybe page 50. Also, the whole plot takes place during 5 days? Wild.

I didn't care about the characters. No one was remotely interesting to me, in the sense that I will 100% forget about every single one of them by next week.

The romance wasn't for me. For the majority of the book, we think Edei has a girlfriend which put me off. Yes, you can have a crush on someone with a girlfriend, but it was just weird. Also, my period lasts longer than the time they've actually known each other. Sure, they're soulmates but still. It felt very insta-lovey and they were more friends than lovers to me.

Overall, I doubt I will continue with this series but if you're a fan of mythology, mainly Greek, you might enjoy this.

My second YA fantasy noir this year, and I enjoyed this one much more than the first (City of Nightmares).

This reminded me a bit of American Gods, with mortal descendants of gods from every pantheon (Greek, Egyptian, Russian, etc.) inheriting their divine ancestors’ powers. There are dystopian/cli-fi elements as well, with a lunar event causing climate catastrophe and governmental collapse, with corrupt elites ruling the emerging city-states and gang bosses ruling the many poor.

Our heroine is a descendent of the Fates, able to see and cut life and love threads, using her powers as a private detective. Most of the plot consists her her solving a murder mystery, but there are also romance and sororal subplots.

The romantic elements are, I’m afraid, the only not well-written parts of the book; our first-person narrator devolves into a clichéd giddiness that seemed out of character. The sororal history could have used more fleshing out, too.

Overall, though, this was highly enjoyable and I’ll be on the lookout for the sequel.

I kept holding off on reading this for some silly reason, and I totally should not have. I have not been reading a whole lot of YA lately because it all started to feel ….too similar. Threads That Bind was NOT like that. It was wholeheartedly unique and a read that I found myself unable to put down even when I had to.

I love the interwoven tales of various kinds of mythology - fans of Rick Riordan will absolutely enjoy this!

From the politics to the magic system…I was so so so intrigued and SO INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATED because I wanted to solve this so bad with the MC but she kept taking all the wrong leads. And I was sitting there yelling who it was the whole damn time!!

Our main character is a detective of sorts, of magical beings like herself and she took it upon herself to figure out who was making innocent people into wraiths and why? Partnered with the man who she is tied to with her fate thread and YEP. You’ve got a cute slash angsty unrequited romance. I’m actually really happy the author didn’t necessarily solidify the relationship in book one because that means it’s going to extend through the whole series to give us such a good slow burn. I love Io, I love Edie, and I cannot wait for more.

It’s been a few hours since I finished the book and I cannot stop thinking about this world and this characters and how much I want to go back.

Thank you to NetGalley and Razorbill for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

In a post-apocalyptic world where the moon has split in three causing the ocean level to rise, tides that drown coastal cities on a daily basis, and frequent monsoons, descendants of the gods can wield their ancestors powers. Io and her two sisters are fate-born: they can not only see the threads of fate but they can control them. Io uses her powers as a private investigator in the Silts, the slums of her city. Her latest job leads her to a string of impossible murders, political corruption, and brewing warfare.

Threads That Bind was such a fantastic book. The world-building, the characters, the intrigue! The author created a world affected by catastrophic climate change and examines how immigration, race, prejudice, and class would all impact societal organization. When put in an untenable situation how do you make choices that align with your morals? Does everyone have the ability to do so or is that only the purview of the privileged? We see this on the larger macro scale of the city and world itself as well is on the micro scale within Io's family and how all of those injustices impact every aspect of their life.

This is a very strong contender to be one of my favorite books for 2023 and possibly of all time.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️🌟

Tropes: fated love

Content Warnings: emotional abuse

#ThreadsThatBind #NetGalley

4.5/5

This book was not what I expected at all but it was beautiful and just what I needed.

I’m not sure entirely what I was expecting, something a bit more fantastical maybe? But this book is actually more a dystopian future where society as we know it has collapsed after the moon split into three, cities flood every night, and people with the gifts of Greek gods have emerged and are called other-born. Then throw in the fact that there are murders going on in the Silts (the slums) of Alante and our heroine, a Moira-born aka of the line of the Fates with the power to cut threads, is a detective who finds more than she expected in her investigation.

I was enthralled by the writing, it’s hard to believe that this is a debut book, but then again in the acknowledgements the author states she’s been writing for sixteen years, that must count for a lot. Kika uses such color descriptions that I was picturing this book as frames of a comic book or similar to Into the Spiderverse and Arcane. It’s really descriptive writing that let me picture everything beautifully.

The characters are complex, woven with many layers and despite there being fated lovers, it doesn’t feel forced as they both battle with choice versus destiny.
Even some of the characters I didn’t care for in the beginning I found so intriguing by the end that I can’t wait to see more of them in the sequel.

I could tell pretty much right away who the antagonist was going to be that was behind the murders but you’re left guessing in the how until the very end after also running down several rabbit holes. I really enjoyed the ride though.

There isn’t much I disliked about the book, I do wish the characters were aged up a bit rather than Io being just a couple months over 18. This read like the sequel could really lean into the New Adult age range so I hope the author isn’t hampered by needing to keep it YA.

I would like to thank the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for the ARC of this book. I read an advanced copy of this book, so the final edition of the book might be slightly different. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

I had high hopes for this book, and honestly, this book met them! The concept seemed so fascinating, and I was worried the execution might not be able to hold it up, but it all ended up being so much better than I could have ever expected.

My favorite thing about this book has to be the world-building, specifically surrounding the way mythology has been incorporated. Many people are descendants of various gods or deities, and if they’re born in the right amount (like 3 sisters for the 3 fates), then they might inherit those powers. It’s a really intriguing set-up, and I loved seeing all the different types of descendants and powers that existed in the world. On top of that, the book doesn’t just take Greek mythology, but other mythologies from around the world as well. Different cities or regions of the world that followed different myths also have their own descendants, and while the magic might sometimes overlap (as gods across mythologies do as well, when it comes to their powers), there are always slight variations to account for the cultural differences. It creates such a rich and deep world to weave the story through, and I loved seeing it all come together!

While I wouldn’t have minded what magic the main character ended up having, as it all honestly seemed so cool, I loved that what we got was thread/fate magic. It was wonderful to see how it varied across the sisters, based on who had what ‘role’, and how it impacted the way they interact with the world and how they see each other. They each had their own responsibilities and worries based around their own powers, and it really ended up defining their relationship with their powers as well. I also just found thread magic on its own so fascinating, and I loved whenever Io would look at the threads of those around her, and how she could manipulate them and use them (in battles and outside of them). It’s just an interesting take on threads and fate, and I loved seeing it expanded beyond more simple threads, like love and life.

I also really loved the setting of this book. Alante is a city that has nearly gone to the sea, and I don’t think I’ve ever read a setting quite like it. The characters constantly have to mind the tides, avoiding streets during certain times, so they don’t get stuck and drown. It also was so fun to see how the city grew with the tides, especially the poorer areas of the city, where the people who couldn’t afford the higher land were forced to live in. There were just so many extra considerations when forced to live with rising and receding waters (especially when those waters are full of monsters!)

Lastly, I was also just a big fan of the relationships in this book, and I don’t even mean the romance specifically! I just adored exploring the relationship between the 3 Ora sisters, and how their roles within their family seemed to almost take after their powers. It’s rare to find books that focus so closely on relationships between 3 sisters, especially ones whose entire identity seems to revolve around being sisters (especially being the descendants of Fates). While we enter the story at a point where a lot has already happened to fracture them, I loved seeing how their feelings for each other impacted their judgment and decisions.

Overall, I was a big fan of this book, and would highly recommend it to fans of (Greek) mythology or fans of books that fit a more ‘fantasy noir’ vibe. I honestly cannot wait for the sequel!

If I was giving out awards for books I’ve read this year, THREADS THAT BIND would definitely take the prize for most unique premise. Greek mythology meets murder mystery in a dystopian / futuristic world?! YES! Everything about this book was so good. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and I also loved the thought provoking element of the fated mates trope here! There’s just so much to love about this book and I can’t wait to read the next book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

i absolutely loved reading this book. the take on greek mythology felt like a breath of fresh air (at least to me) and i just flew through the book. i liked reading from io's pov, her very complicated relationship with her sisters, and the mystery aspect of the novel. i did roll my eyes sometimes during some chapters because they felt repetitive and i do think that the first two parts were better than the last one, but overall it was a really great read and i can't wait for the sequel!