The concept for this debut was so intriguing! Sort of a post-apocalyptic, futuristic detective noir mingled with Greek mythology. In this universe, there are “other-born,” the descendants of Greek gods and goddesses, who possess traces of their ancestors’ powers. The high point of the reading experience for me was seeing how the author tried to weave in the original stories and adapt them into a modern context with all of its professions and infrastructure.

Initially, the mystery and world-building worked well: there’s a really strong sense of place and the descriptions come together to create a dilapidated world governed largely according to gang territories, lit by the multi-colored glow of (something like) three different moons; it’s moody and atmospheric– you feel a bit on edge in light of the recent supernatural murderers at the core of the story. It’s bloody and terrifying at times.

The complex relationships between Io, a young private investigator, and her sisters, who make up the trio descended from the Fates, is perhaps the most intriguing aspect, though, more so than the whodunnit. Due to their histories, there are some complicated feelings that have to be worked out and I enjoyed how the past was slowly revealed over the course of the story. The concept of the “fate thread” here pertaining to the romance of Io and a mysterious boy named Edei ultimately kept me reading as well; I liked their partnership dynamic as they began to search for clues and answers though I felt the feelings did come on a bit too quickly.

Unfortunately, the plotting and resolution of the mystery felt too convoluted for me by the end: everything cascaded too quickly in the final act. I really had a hard time keeping up with and buying the explanations and revealed motivation of culprits. I found myself not really caring too much and would probably only be interested in the sequel to find out what happened to Io and Edei. (Maybe).

Thank you to Netgalley and Razorbill for the advance reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review!

Disclaimer time: As always, the following is just my opinion. Other opinions are available.

THREADS THAT BIND is an epic fantasy with an urban feel. It has a fascinating magic system inspired by Greek mythology, and a story that explores the bonds of sibling relationships. Overall, it's a fast-paced book about fate, choices, and forgiving yourself, so prepare for morally grey moments and difficult sibling relationships.

Io and her sisters are descendants of the Fates, which means they're able to see and manipulate the threads that connect people to the things they love. Io is the third sister, and therefore she is able to cut threads. The story kicks off when Io is hired by the 'mobqueen' to investigate murders linked to vengeful wraiths. To top it off, she has to work with the very person she's been avoiding for years, a boy she's fated to love - except he already has a girlfriend.

If you think that the above sounds like there are too many spinning plates for a standalone, then you're right. This is very much part one of a longer story. Then again, there's a little something for everyone. I wasn't personally interested in the romance, but the sibling turmoil pulled me in, and the murder mystery - wrapped up in a criminal underworld taco - kept me reading to the very end.

I liked it. But I could have loved it.

While this book shows fantastic promise, I don't think it reached its full potential. For anyone looking for a unique urban fantasy with a murder mystery at the heart of it, you'll probably enjoy this a lot. But sometimes books get me thinking critically, and this is one of them. So let's get critical.

OPENING
Chapter one, in my opinion, was chaos. It whips through an explanation of the threads, the rift between the sisters, and various world features, some more relevant than others. Io then goes on a job as a private investigator where the rules of the threads - concepts we've barely had established - are broken, quickly followed by an action scene, a murder mystery, and oh look, the love interest has appeared at the end, too.

That’s all one chapter. The first one. In chapter two, Io even comments that ‘now is /not/ the time' about meeting her love interest because there's too much going on, and I couldn't agree more. Trust me, I know YA has to have a fast pace to contend with the market. But this isn't good storytelling. It gives the reader absolutely everything they might want, almost desperate that a reader will like one bit of it enough to ignore the rest and keep going. I would have preferred more focus and a richer understanding of the foundations of the story. I didn’t want everything, everywhere, all at once.

I also think it did a bad job at introducing the concepts because they were re-explained later in a different way. I wondered if Io was an unreliable narrator because later explanations changed the context, almost by accident. For instance, we see Io cut a thread, but we only learn later that she is losing one of her own threads in the process. Similarly, when Io meets her love interest, she's already aware of him, but we don't find out until later. These aren't twists or spoilers. It felt like they should had been known when first mentioned.

The explanation of how Io loses her threads when cutting others also contradicted the story’s message. The narrative seems to says Io has trouble letting go, but moments earlier, Io admits she cuts threads by picking her own at random - and doesn't even care to think about what she's lost. As the threads connect her to things she loves, you would think someone who has trouble letting go would be more careful, but Io literally doesn't care in the moment where it should matter. We're not shown what we're told, which is a problem that crops up in other places.

Rocky introductions aside, the prose flows, the pace is great, and it powers through the usual fantasy set up to give you a mystery that will make you want to keep reading. I found the technical bits rough, but the heart of it fascinating, making it easy to read on.

WORLD BUILDING
On to the worldbuilding. Some of it is felt well developed, particularly around the class systems, whereas other bits, not so much.

The magical concept is exciting and made me think about all the possible pairings of Greek legends and how their magic might present in their descendants. That said, I'd argue the world building isn't as enticing. It focused more on terminology than world integration, with every god-born descendent having different powers, and Egyptian-named equivalents, and Muses, too. I admit the world building might be more intuitive to someone who knows their Phobos from their Dioscuri, but otherwise its sink or swim. I had to disengage from memorising a directory of powers so I could keep enjoying the story.

Terms aside, I couldn't wait to see how the fate magic would be explored. After all, the selling point of this book is the sisters, their magic, and the theme of fate. But this is diluted by other magic. I thought the magic was based on actual gods, but these gods still seemed mythical with other cultures having competing interpretations – so I'm not sure how this fits together. Perhaps book two will challenge this? Even the city uses Italian names like 'Teatro Blanco' rather than Greek - so I ended up wondering how close to our world is this? Some of the other world building elements felt random. The water levels are rising and there are three moons - but what does this have to do with fate? Maybe curbing some of the concepts and strengthening the themes could have helped here?

I liked the divide between the classes and the exploration of wealth through politics. I often don't like when those with magic are the dregs of society because that doesn't make sense to me - why wouldn't their helpful gifts helps them? Still, I liked that it was considered and integrated into the story, even if it's not my thing. Some of the other world building felt less explored. Maybe it's penned for the sequel, but I'm not sure how the acid rain or need for iceberg water really affected the world, plot, themes, or characters. One scene stood out in particular. Io mentions it's a good thing the rain today wasn't acidic like usual because otherwise they'd all be in pain...if this is the case, shouldn't they have been panicking when it started raining?

I guess my main issue here is it felt like the world building was for aesthetics, not ingrained into a rich tapestry of society. Even the prologue felt like a mood board. After reading the whole story, it didn't add an extra layer of understanding to the opening. That left it feeling superficial to me.

Similarly, I had mixed feelings about the modern-day issues that crept into this fantasy world. Don't get me wrong, there is lots of positive representation, like the mention of therapists and the gender-neutral character. Other parts felt very 2023 America, and while its referencing super important issues, American politics felt very out of place in a Greek inspired story.

Also, I need a moment to say 'mobqueen' is an odd choice of moniker. The leader seems to love the idea of being a queen, but, well, she's not. I'd say the same about mobking – it doesn’t sound right. My friend pointed out that it probably should be mob boss, genderless, and that would have fit some of the other world building elements well.

RELATIONSHIPS
Io's relationship with Thais is a huge part of this book. The mystery surrounding their turmoil kept me reading, although I didn't always like how it was presented. I get what we're supposed to think about Thais because we're told what to think. Io complains about Thais, calling her sister mean, but we don't get good evidence. Io overinterprets Thais's words to paint her in a bad light when they actually seem sincere, if taken on face value. It's 'he said she said' mentality and I found I didn't believe Io's rendition - although I understood almost too clearly the takeaway message. I prefer to meet someone and reach my own conclusions, but I felt I wasn't allowed. I actually loved the dynamic, but I think Io's interpretations could have been dialled back, leaving room for the reader to pick up on the subtext. Either way, the character arcs around the sisters were a highlight of this book.

Now onto the romance. Io and her fated love are cute when they're working together, but when they're alone, it felt maybe too realistically awkward. I cringed so hard at the attempted flirting - and having them admit they're cringy didn't subtract from the awkwardness. In an odd twist, I found I didn't want to read their interactions. It reminded me of friends who flirt in front of you without them realising how it seems to a third person - great for them, but I'll be leaving now, thanks.

WEIRD THINGS
There are a couple of points I might retract later because it could be due to ARC, but I can't be sure because they're not just typos. The phrase 'snitches get stitches' is played with...in a confusingly incorrect way. A character insinuates they're not snitches and that's why they have stitches. I think the joke is meant to be that they weren't snitches and yet they still got stitches. No?

Also, there's one character who gets his full name every time he's mentioned. Everyone else is literally just introduced as their first name, and then this guy gets fullnamed like his mother is running out of patience. He's the only one this happens to.

Some lines just contradict others. For instance, Io’s very sure at the beginning of the book that wraiths are impossible, and yet towards the end of the book, there's a casual mention of a power that can create them. Io doesn’t trust the police officers, but she also tells them everything, including the things she didn’t even think were possible moments earlier. No hesitation. I think the editing could have been better.

ENDING
Like everything else in this book, I found the ending was a mixed bag. The bulk of the mystery is resolved although it still felt more mysterious than complete. I wanted to reread the opening and understand it on another level - and I did reread the opening. The reveal and the prologue just don't match up that well, and so the book doesn't feel fully looped either.

One thing that might split readers is that it's very much a bridge into the next book, with concepts set up and ready to explore. It made me realise I wanted a neatly tied bow at the end of this story. A spinoff in the same world would be good so we can explore the different parts of the fascinating magic system, but this plot thread is surely at the end of the spool. I'd settle for a duology.

I’m not reading a trilogy.

SUMMARY
All in all, I really loved this book and felt engaged while reading, which is why I had a lot to say. I reckon many fantasy readers will love this as it is. At the end of the day, I read it quickly and enjoyed the ride. I just thought it could be...more.

So I rounded up and gave it 4 stars. I found the writing really consumable, and the intrigue pulled me in from multiple directions. The plot is good, the pace is consistent, and the idea behind it is really imaginative. While I think it could have been so much more, I'll love it for what it is instead.

Verdict: Mixed feelings throughout but a very enjoyable read.
Source: With thanks to the publisher via Netgalley.

This intricate tapestry unravels a captivating story where we follow Io as she deals with the complex relationships she has with her sisters intertwined with murder mystery and the rich politics of the magical world Kika Hatzopoulou has carefully curated.

There is A LOT going on within this novel - even though it's YA, there were definitely moments I had to really focus or go back and reread to make sure I was following along correctly. I did enjoy uncovering the secrets & figuring out this world -- but just when you think you know who to trust and what's going on... we peel back another layer and reveal even more.

This story was definitely not predictable for me - although it's based on Greek mythology it definitely feels original and unique in its own way. I love the idea of the threads that they all have that connects them to what they love. I enjoyed watching the relationships with Io and the characters develop, and I'm definitely interested to see what happens next!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been let down from YA fantasy inspired by mythology but this one not one of them! A totally refreshing read that modernizes Greek mythology and adds in a detective investigating mysterious murders. Io was a great main character and I loved watching her character develop as I came to understand her and her motives. Fated lovers was perfectly done here. The story was definitely unique compared to our YA fantasy while still holding on to what makes the genre so popular, even among adult readers. I’m already dying for book two and can’t wait to see what here the series goes.

What a fascinating book! It's quite hard to find new, interesting ways to incorporate Greek myths, but Kika Hatzopohou has done that! I liked that the setting is futuristic and the gods/goddesses are minor deites. Also the balance between murder mystery, romance and family drama was just perfect. Can't wait for the sequel!

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC!

Wow, this was such an enjoyable read; I couldn’t put it down. I really liked the unique magic system and the world-building as a whole. I loved the idea of the fate-thread as well, tying Io and Edei together. It gave off soulmate vibes and I wasn’t even mad about it because of the way their relationship developed. It really pulled at my heartstrings and I really hope we get another book in this world because I desperately need Io and Edei to have peace and fall in love. I want them in their quiet moments and their desperate moments.

I liked the relationship that Io has with her sisters, Thais and Ava although it becomes very apparent that it’s toxic. While they were doing what they could in a world that labeled them as “other-born” it became more than just surviving and it took a little bit for Io to see this. I thought it was interesting how Io and Bianca, the mob queen, end up being brought together in the end. Io really wanted to have a lot of faith in her sisters but I felt their relationships really start to crumble and I don’t know who would be there to catch Io when it all comes to a head.

This book is chaos right down to the end, when shit really hits the fan. There were some parts that were kind of confusing. Regular normal humans obviously exist in this world but we’re so entrenched in the world of Io and the other-born that they get slushed off to the side. I also felt the world was a good mix of dystopian, post-apocalyptic due to the treatment of the other-born and the world outside of Alanta. I hope the finished copy has a map and an index. I think that would be incredibly helpful.

If this is the author’s debut work it certainly doesn’t read like it. It’s so well done, and the mixing of not only Greek mythology but also what I believe is Egyptian mythology was excellent.

I received this book from NetGalley and Penguin Teen in exchange for an honest review.

This book is one of the most interesting stories I've read in a while.

Io was a complex and interesting character I really enjoyed reading about. She felt like a real person who had complicated emotions and relationships. All the other characters as well had enough depth and info in the books that I was invested in their stories and wanted to see more of them. I really liked the main pairing especially for "ships" but I’m also interested in some side pairings and am intrigued to see where things go from here.

I’ve never read anything like this before. The idea of gods, threads, politics, relationships, everything all together just made for an incredibly interesting and exciting plot that kept my attention the entire time. The way the setting was described worked really well for me and I could always vividly see in my mind where they were. The worldbuilding was also great as I felt like we got information spread out throughout the book and I never felt like I was just drowning in info dumping.

It did a good job of really setting the vibe. Like I said before, I could always vividly picture what was going on and there were multiple moments where there were quotes that really hit hard. I liked the POV. I liked being in Io’s head and see things from her perspective and what her thought processes were. It might’ve been cool to get a second POV but I’m not bothered that I didn’t. I thought it did a good job of keeping the pacing interesting? I didn’t feel like we were going super fast the whole time but also didn’t have many moment where I felt like things were slow. It had a good balance.

The conflict always held my attention and I constantly just wanted to know what was going to happen next. It kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the whole thing. The main conflict at the end was also very exciting and I was holding my breath trying to read as fast as I could to see what was going to happen.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this one to anyone who likes stories about gods, mythologic "powers" and political intrigue. This was a super fun read.

This book will take your breath away with its whirlwind action scenes, detailed world-building, and incorporation of Greek mythology, politics, underground gangs, and an apocalyptic city atmosphere. It’s the perfect combination of fate, romance, gods, murder, mystery, sleuthing, humor, and magic. Kika Hatzopoulous is a brilliant writer, and her world feels post-apocalyptical and exciting. Her plot is well-paced, full of so many twists and turns I was positively dizzy at the end. The ending wraps up nicely but does still leave some new unanswered questions that prepare us for the future sequels.
Overall I think this is a great YA story and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

An enthralling fantasy following Lo, a fae, as she realises that women are being kidnapped and that their life threads are being messed with, reeking havoc throughout the city. She must set out with the boy she is fated to and Edie Arjuna who works for the Mob Queen to try save the day.
An extremely fast paced and interesting fantasy that I couldn't put down. I would highly recommend this for any fantasy readers.

3.5 Stars rounded up

Thank you Netgalley for an advance copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

I want to say, first and foremost, that I think my enjoyment of this book was affected because the formatting of my e-galley was incredibly messed up. There were parts of the book that were fine, but when the formatting would get messed up it would really take me out of the story, and then I struggled to understand what was going on, and the sentences did not flow smoothly.

That said, I did think this story was interesting. I was pulled in by the idea of the Greek Gods of fate, and I love the magic system in this book. There is a lot of nuances to the magic system ,and I hope that book two will have a chart detailing the different magics of the different groups. I definitely highlighted these sections so I could go back and reference, but the author also does a good job of "refreshing" the reader on the different magics throughout the book.

I like that the main character felt complex - she was trying to find her way in the world, and trying to help others find theirs, all while grappling with an internal issue of right or wrong. This book grapples the idea of immigrants and people having no true home due to being pushed out, and even genocide of an entire people because one small group was afraid of them.

Speaking of characters - there is a lot of rep in this book! Trans and nonbinary characters get good screen time, and there is even fluid sexuality mentioned as well. This is not a straight, cis-gendered world the author created. And I love that detail about the story!

The book does get political at times, and I will admit that I kind of zoned out at those points. I am not sure I fully understand the Initiative idea, or even why the Riots happened. But, I enjoyed the action bits and seeing the fated romance bloom in the two characters.

There is a lot going on with this book - enough that if you look away or zone out you'll likely miss something important. This is definitely a book you want to give your full attention to, so that you don't miss out on anything. I look forward to a sequel, which I will definitely read.

This book also reminded me a bit of These Violent Delights, in some of the action and maybe the romance-y bits. Definitely in the violence, but also in the gangs and the semi-political subplot as well. So, you know, if you liked TVD then you should probably read this one too.

Overall, I love the mythology woven throughout this story, and the author did a fantastic job detailing out the magic system. I never felt like the story dragged, but the formatting of my e-arc definitely cut into my enjoyment. When the sequel comes out I'll likely read this one again (in physical format that time), and I hope to enjoy it more then. There is a lot to like about this story, and I look forward to seeing what comes next!

Content warnings: animal death, xenophobia, genocide, violence, murder, body horror, death, blood, confinement, transphobia, loss of a parent, toxic relationships, gaslighting

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC!

Let me tell you, I’m a sucker for pretty covers(and not fully reading descriptions)! But a pretty cover with a soulmate au and a surprise GANG background, this story is RIGHT up my alley! I loved every second of reading this book and I can easily say that I will be on the look out for book two because jeez what an ending!

If you are like me and high fantasy with lots of background description and new words to keep track of, this book may be a little hard to be submersed in. I definitely would have benefitted from a dictionary of all the different words, but I was able to use enough context clues/parse it together from the next scene to understand!

Threads That Bind is a definite read and a series that one should keep their eyes on!

"Three bodies, one soul," she repeated. "No questions asked."
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🌌Rating:2.5/5⭐
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Unfortunately, this book failed to live up to the expectations which I had. Initially, this book proved to have a rather promising premise about gods and mythology as well as death. I'm an avid reader of fantasy and mystery but unfortunately, this reminds me of a poorly patched together piece of mystery. Before I dive right into it, I would like to thank NetGallery for this arc.

Anyways, the beginning of the story was quite mediocre with a bit of jazz here and there. Even though it wasn't up there in my standard, I gave it a shot since it was only the beginning. But no, it got worse. The plot was as predictable as the rising temperature of the earth, where everything gets more and more frustrating.

Now moving on to the characters, they lacked depth and they fell into the good and bad archetype which I hated. It was clearly a pity that this book didn't bother to explore the morality of the characters. It was as if the author was somehow afraid of pushing an intellectual discussion in fear that the audience wouldn't be able to understand it as it's ya. It had so much potential to be darker and more sinister since this was supposedly set in a normal setting. Like I want more blood, more characters betraying each other and pointing their guns at each other. Io was clearly written as the 'good' person and was presented in that manner, but I sometimes find her words and actions contradictory which was frustrating. Also, she's supposed to be a private investigator but she somehow can't solve this mystery because she's too entangled in her feelings and Edei.

Speaking of Edei, Io and him have no whatsoever chemistry. It was the equivalent of placing copper into acid. I was constantly exhausted by their jokes and I constantly longing and longing for him. If Io had channelled that energy towards solving the mystery and used her brain, maybe she wouldn't be entangled up in this mess. I had my money fully bet on the 'grand villain' behind this whole shenanigan. It was clearly obvious right from the get go as to who was the murder and it could have been much more interesting if it was totally someone unexpected like maybe her fate thread. Maybe I should take over Io's investigator job instead.

Overall, the writing style wasn't too bad but it was pretty mediocre enough for me to give it a two star. This book could have gone through a few more rounds of editing and inquiry to improve the plot and the non-existent paper flat chemistry between the characters.

"Tolerating wickedness seems to me just a slow kind of death."

I’m a sucker for a thought-provoking murder mystery, especially when it takes place in apocalyptic setting with a unique magic system—one based off the Greek Fates.

Io Ora is a descendant of these Fates—a feared cutter that can see and sever the threads that link others to everything they love. As other-born, she and her two sisters were forced to grow up in the slums of a water-logged city prone to flash floods and waves of crime from the myriad of gangs.

When the mob boss hires her to investigate a murder, Io is forced to work with the boy at the other end of her rare fate thread. But when their clues begin to point to her estranged sister’s new fiancé, Io uncovers a truth more heinous than she imagined.

This story was brimming with action, stuffed with tropes, and seasoned with the sweetness of a budding romance. The world building was fascinating (albeit a little convoluted at times), and I enjoyed the glimpses of different powers. I wish I had been wrong about the ultimate twist but am still caught off guard by that ending!!

IThere were a few modern colloquialisms used that sometimes took me out of the story. I also thought the romance could’ve been developed a little earlier, especially because the main characters are linked by fate. But this story explored important themes, such as: the effects of oppression and corruption, freeing oneself from regret, and the importance of standing up for what’s right.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Teen/Razorbill for granting my request for an advanced reader copy of Threads That Bind in exchange for an honest review.

What an incredible story! I loved the fresh take on gods-inspired fantasy and magic. The many tangled mysteries through kept me frantically reading for more, and the varied relationships gave me so many feels. This debut author is already a favorite of mine, and I can’t wait for the next book.

Threads that Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou
4.75 stars
I was gifted an ARC by the Penguin group and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was an absolutely amazing debut novel by Kika Hatzopoulou! For some background I have little to no knowledge of mythology in general so I was very curious how that would play into my rating of this book. Fortunately for me it wasn't a problem. This book did an incredible job weaving elements of fantasy and murder mystery into one fantastical world where no one is exactly who they seem. I really enjoyed how the author played out the fated lovers trope as well as each faction of other-born is explained in some way, so even if the reader doesn't have previous knowledge they can still enjoy the story. By the end I was truly invested in the characters and their individual stories and hopefully the story will continue with another book!

Was very intrigued to check this out as it’s featured in some special book boxes all. It was an excellent start to this series! I loved the intrigue the politics the romance of it all. Can’t wait to read more about Io and Edei and the rest.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group/Razorbill for sharing this amazing book's digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

4.25/5

This book was amazing. It's great for character-driven AND plot-driven readers.

I loved all the characters as they all felt very real and relatable during innumerous times. Their relationships are mostly intricate and I especially loved to read about the sisters who, even though are supposed to be "three bodies one soul", still have many differences. Reading about how they deal with those differences while still showing the love they have for each other was so interesting. This book has great world-building inspired by Greek mythology. From all the lore to the descriptions of the city, it all helps creates a great vivid imagery that adds to the reading experience. Besides that, there's a plot twist that I actually did not see coming and that doesn't happen a lot.

One thing I think should've been worked on better was the pacing, mostly in two situations: the evolution of Edei and Io's relationship since the story in the book happens in a couple of days and, although I did not see the plot twist coming, everything that happened after the big revelations felt very rushed to me making the ending a bit anticlimactic.

If you like an action packed book inspired by Greek mythology, I definitely recommend this book!
Can't wait to read the sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group/Razorbill for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! And thank you to Kika Hatzopoulou for taking me out of a major reading slump <3

This book was EVERYTHING I had been looking for in a novel recently. It’s got really atmospheric world building paired with an interesting magic system that, rather than focusing only on the actual magic, also explores the anthropology and sociopolitical consequences of those powers.

While the pacing of the book initially took some time to get used to, once you allow yourself to get into the headspace of “Threads that bind” it is such a page turner that continues to surprise and never really slows down. From the way the complexities of sisterhood was explored to the fate versus truth of Io and Edei’s relationship, the book covers a lot of really interesting themes without any of them feeling unnecessary.

Furthermore this book is such a healthy example of subtle yet positive representation where queer and POC characters are incorporated into the plot line without being reduced to just those aspects of their identities. Overall, I genuinely enjoyed the novel from beginning to end (not to mention how gorgeous the cover page is) and for the first time (in a really long time) I’m actually interested in reading the next book of the series.

What initially intrigued me about this book was the stunning cover but oh boy, was I in for a treat with this one! ✨

Io Ora is the youngest of her three sisters, who are descendants of the greek Fates. You heard that right, GREEK MYTHOLOGY! Her oldest sister Thais is born to weave threads, her middle sister Ava has the ability to spin them and Io has the most controversial job of them all because she is a cutter and thus has the ability to cut threads. Each person can have multiple threads that connect them to the things they love and last but not least ... life *ehem*. The Ora sisters have the ability to see those threads and use their gift to work as private investigators. When Io takes on a high stakes job, with undead wraiths on the lose, things start to go awry and Io gets pulled into a scheme that is both political and deadly.

There is so much that drew me into the book, so lets start listing the things I loved:

1. The mythology and magic system
With people being descendants of Greek Gods, this book opens up a very interesting magic system. I really liked how well thought out it is and how every little detail contributed to the plot.

2. The different nuances of social topics
This book is categorized as YA and features tons of topics that made me really happy. There is a lot of subtle and not so subtle discourse about climate change, gender & identity as well as class issues. The characters are super diverse, which I also really appreciated.

3. THE MYSTERY
Gods, I did not see that plot twist coming. The plot was so, so interesting and I was on the edge of my seat for the third part of this book.

4. The characters
There is a character for literally anybody. We have a very sweet love story in this, that does not take from the mystery elects at all. We also have a gang with a literal mob queen, which will probably interest the mafia romance girlies on TikTok lol.

Now onto what I didn't like and why I rated this book four stars rather than five:

1. It's really only one thing: I thought the narration and the pacing was a little bit jumpy. The world-building in this book is amazing but in my humble opinion happened a little bit to late into the book. This lead to me imaging wild things, especially for the urban setting, which in turn took me right out of the story. I am also very excited to explore the characters a little bit more because there are a lot of loose threads that I would like a backstory on.

I would definitely recommend this book to anybody who likes Greek mythology and is looking for a YA fix that is not Percy Jackson. This book is a little bit graphic when it comes to (gang) violence, so keep that in mind if you are reading this.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for providing me with the advances readers copy.

A super unique and gripping story! While this is YA, there are a lot of complex ideas and things to keep track of such as the Gods and the different powers they pass down and the politics of the world. Our MC Io has the Fates’ power to see and cut the threads which tie people to their lives and the things they love, and she puts her skills to use as a private investigator. When a job goes awry, she becomes involved in a big murder mystery conspiracy.

I thought Io was a really interesting character - she’s a little morally grey and has a complicated relationship with her sisters who are equally powerful, as well as a soulmate thread to a boy she’s never met. While the romance wasn’t the main focus, her interactions with Edei were my favorite part. I loved the mystery aspect and how it keeps throwing you off and bringing up more questions. Although I’m honestly not sure if I followed 100% of what was going on, I’m really intrigued to find out what happens next.

Thank you to Penguin Group for the ARC!