"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!

How interesting everything I read in this story. The characters, the plot twist, the way to develop, everything!

Threads That Bind introduces us to a completely different world from the one we are used to living in and also reading about (at least for me) and it did so in such a gradual, interesting and light way that this book got out of hand.

The book is divided into three parts, three very interesting and key moments. In each one of them we can see how the relationships and the truth that surrounds the protagonist are changing and transforming, for better or for worse.

Although it has romance, this is totally secondary and this "predestined" love thing got along so, so well that I LOVED IT. Because generally you don't like that "Insta love" of predestined love, and here we see that it develops in an excellent way, and that it brings us great reflections.

The different characters that we can see here, although they are very well developed, I think that in the continuation they are going to be a bomb, and yes, I am already looking forward to the second part because MADRE SANTA: THE ENDING.

Without much more... a great read, captivating, interesting, fantastic.

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

I loved reading this book so much. I just finished it and I need to read the second book already. “Threads that bind” is a wonderful story that pulls you right in. Hatzopoulou’s writing is amazing and pulls you straight into the book. Her magic system was unique, special, and intriguing. The mystery was well planned and perfectly executed.
Io was a wonderful main character and was extremely interesting. She was by no means perfect, but she was a complex character that made you want to dive deep into her brain. I loved how her personality shifted and evolved as she experienced different challenges throughout the book.
Usually, I am not a fan of the “fated to love each other” trope but with Edei and Io it was extremely well executed and adorable. You couldn’t help but root for them.
The one problem I had with the story is confusing the other-born and their names. For example, sometimes I couldn’t remember what the Moria-born did or who the keres-born was. Although this problem is simple and could be solved if there is a glossary with the different powers added.

I need this to be a serie
pls im begging you

let me start by saying that Io is the coolest name character ever !

i've never read a story like this. you would think that "children of god" would be pretty boring because it's been done before but this was done in a way i've never seen.

i loved Io's character so much. like how complex she was. the internal struggle - her anxiety, shame, guilt, grief and not knowing what to do in such a complicated situation made her such an interesting character !

also - the discussion about race through the 'other-born' was absolutely stunning

and omg Edei and Io's relationship had me giggling and kicking my feet !!!
i need more of them

the cover is also absolutely stunning !

i can't wait for everyone to read this book because i need to talk about it to more people !!!

Oh my, this book was everything. The characters, the universe, all of it! Miss Hatzopoulou wrote it in such unique way I'm unable to put in words. I'm so excited for her next works!!

A Five Star Review!
First of all, this book is probably my most anticipated book of the year. Period.
It had everything that I love in a great book. Amazing character development, action scenes that were breath taking and an extraordinary storyline that had you on the edge of your seat the whole time. With just a perfect splash of romance tossed in that had me aching to see what the main characters would do.
I honestly loved everything about this book. I can’t praise it enough.
If you are looking for an amazing book, look no further. Kika Hatzopoulo created a knockout of a book!

Thank you net galley for the arc for my honest review.

Descendants from Greek Gods, some of the characters are born with special abilities. Some can cause fear, some can influence dreams, and some can see where you have been and where you are going. Our three main sisters are fates, or moirai born, are the spinner, the drawer, and the cutter. We follow Io, the youngest, the cutter.

I am in love! This book blew me away! I cannot wait to read more. I hope the author continues to expand on the world she built. They mention other areas with similar powers and it would be neat to see those come into the story.

It definitely reads as young adult, but I didn't mind with how intrigued I was reading this. Very well thought out background and characters. The fated thread concept was cute though it kept being a downer for Io for a while. It does bring up the interesting contrast of fate verses decision.

I'm interested to see where this goes. I went in under the impression it was a stand alone but I'm happy to see more.

Threads that Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou is an enthralling read that weaves together mystery, vivid world building, and unique mythological elements.

One of the standout aspects of this book is the intricate and evolving relationship between the main character and her sisters, as well as the exploration of family trauma. Hatzopoulou skillfully delves into the concept of obligations to others, be it siblings, family, friends, or humanity at large.

The mystery itself is engaging and managed to hold my attention from beginning to end, but as the plot progressed, I found myself actively trying to piece together clues alongside the characters, and I did notice that a few important hints were emphasized in a way that was a bit too heavy-handed, which made certain reveals predictable. But other than that, the book reminded me of Crescent City, due to its fast-paced and captivating mystery, and I would strongly recommend it to any fans who enjoyed Crescent City for all of its non-romance elements.

Threads that Bind is a captivating read that combines a creative world, an engaging mystery, and a complex exploration of relationships. Fans of Greek mythology, mysteries, and fast-paced storytelling will find this book hard to put down. I recommend it and eagerly anticipate its sequel.

I received this e-book ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. Let me just say, I absolutely fell in love with this book. It was a great addition to the Greek mythology surge that's happening currently, but without feeling like a recycled edition of stories we've already heard. I enjoyed every minute spent in this world, and loved the dystopian environment, and the characters. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

Io is a descendant of the Greek Fates and uses her abilities to be a private investigator. Her latest job leads her to the discovery that someone is abducting women, maiming their life-threads, and sending the resulting wraiths out into the city to kill. She works alongside Edei, her soulmate—though he doesn’t know it. The two of them work together to find their culprit before their culprit finds them.

As soon as I saw this cover and realized this book drew from Greek mythology, I knew I wanted to read it. I feel like the Fates are often overlooked in retellings of Greek mythology, and I love how they were incorporated into this book through Io and her sisters. The romance and mystery aspects were also very intriguing to me.

I would recommend this book to any YA fantasy readers, and I will definitely be reading more from this author.

The premise of this book was so interesting with the idea of murder mystery and threads of fate, however I did not enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I also thought this book was a standalone but it seems like it will be a series and I'm not too sure if I would continue with the series.

The plot and the story were very interesting, however the world building for me was a bit confusing and there are so many different types of other-born that I wasn't really keeping up with it and the powers. I will say the book for me became a lot better at the 60% mark, before that I was not captivated by the story. I also had a difficult time connecting with the characters and focusing on the book, this might have to do with the writing style and the third person POV which I am not a huge fan of. I also did not care much for Io and Edei's relationship and felt like the romance wasn't really fleshed out.

This book had really interesting ideas and maybe the next book in the series will be better, but this was a still an enjoyable read.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this e-Arc!

✨ Go find what you don't like and change it. You know you can change it, right, little idiot? Be better, make this world better.✨


🏛️ This is a dystopian reading so the world we are in is similar to ours and its decay is due to both magical and historical causes. At first I admit I was a little confused about it,but page after page,informations was provided and I got a clearer picture.
The thing I loved, however, is the magic system: only a few people are descended from the gods, but they are derived only from deities with siblings such as the Moires and Muses.

🏛️ The cast of characters is mortally gray and completely human because despite their actions, each of them tries to do the right thing by making them understandable even if not justifiable. Not for nothing, this book had prove to be a confirmation that every choice has good and bad consequences and that we are all imperfect.

🏛️Although is written in the third person the story managed to be very introspective.I loved Io with her fears,her inner conflicts and her progressive growth. Also there is the fated mates trope that I don't always like: here,however,I must say that it is done well since we have the development of the relationship that is not at all forced.

🔸"The Collapse was the gods' punish-ment. Humankind might be surviving at the moment, but the gods would always win in the end.”🔶

✨ So take Bracken's "Lore," a dash of "Crescent City," a bit of Murder Mystery and here’s to you Threads that Bind! It is a book full of love,family,gods and mystery that weaves the element of fantasy with real-life themes and will keep you glued to the pages!✨
Thanks the publisher and netgalley for the arc copy🫶🏼

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchhange for an honest review.

Honestly I had a hard time connecting to the writing/main character of the story. I think the concept of the book is super interesting and the story line is good, but I had a hard time with reading it/having it keep my attention throughout the book. Not bad but not something I would recommend to people in the future.