I understand that this is an ARC but the formatting made it so difficult to read! It was really hard to enjoy what the story head to offer because the formatting was off.

First off, thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an e-ARC of this book. I always enjoy retellings which add unique twists in order to enhance the story and make it their own. And Threads that Bind truly excelled in doing this! I loved the premise of the story, where Io goes to solve a series of murders with her fate-thread. Not only were the magical abilities of the characters so unique and fun to explore, but I loved reading about Io and Edei’s relationship. I always love slow burn romance, because it makes their feelings for each other so much more genuine (Yes, they were SO SO CUTE!)

Of course, this review would be incomplete without giving praise to the amazing world-building done by the author! I never grow tired about reading how the system works, and I love how the author reveals a new aspect of the world gradually. And the way that Io grows her powers and strength at the end?! She is unstoppable, and I loved how not only her abilities grew, but so does her confidence. I do admit, although the story had a good, fast pace at the beginning, the middle dragged quite a bit. However, other than that, a really recommended read for those who enjoy Greek mythology, YA romance and mystery!

I had a fun time with this book. I love Greek mythology retellings so I was really intrigued by the synopsis of this book, and it's safe to say that I was not disappointed. The unique setting and magic system was my favorite thing about the book. Since it was a fantasy book, I was pretty confused in the beginning but after a chapter or so everything comes together well enough that you become completely immersed in the setting. I liked the different sister dynamics showcased in the book and the complexities of your relationship with your family. The characters were well-written, and Bianca and Edie were among my favorites. I really liked the soulmate trope, and the romance was adorable. Since the book is also a mystery/thriller, it keeps you hooked and intrigued pretty much throughout.
The only issue I had was with the pacing, like I said the mystery themes keep you interested but after 60-70% I started to get slightly bored and kept wondering when the book would end. All in all, this was a good read.

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

What a debut! Action packed, wonderful world building and great characters! I really enjoyed the mythology, politics, underground gangs, and apocalyptic city! But can I also add how unique this one is?! It's hard now to find a YA that jives with me. I cannot wait for more from this author!

I just want to thank Netgalley for allowing me to read this wonderful book!

Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou is very difficult to explain. I have tried with the people around me, but all I got were very confused looks. It might have been my fault for raving about this book to people with minimal Greek knowledge, but this book will be an amazing journey for any Percy Jackson fans out there!

This book is set far into the future of Earth where the blood of ancient gods are still present in certain families, but only manifests in families with multiple children. We follow a family descended from the Greek Fates. While all three sisters can see life threads, our main character, Io, is the youngest and has the ability to cut the threads. This causes society to distrust her and led her to a life as a private investigator, where she actually be of service.

In one of her investigations she comes across a woman trying to kill others, and while trying to stop her she notices that this woman's life thread is severed while she's still very much moving and talking about exacting justice on her victims. Io resolves to get to the bottom of this investigation, but gets paired with the right hand of the local mob boss in order to do so - and this boy just happens to be her fate thread. The question is, will they be able to find out who's behind the women with the severed life threads before chaos between classes erupt?

This was such a fun book to read! I absolutely loved it. The world was well set up, and I loved that descendants from multiple different cultures' gods were included. I can't wait to follow this story and find out more about the world and what's out there. I really hope our scope expands with the next installation! (PSA - this ends on a rather abrupt cliffhanger, so be prepared for that!)

A must read for fans of Greek mythology! I absolutely loved this book. It’s fast paced and felt unlike any other YA Greek mythology stories I’ve read recently. The magic and powers the characters possessed felt unique and interesting. I loved the concept of the moria-born being descended from the goddesses of Fate. Io the main character is able to see and cut the fate threads within the Quilt.

In the city women are being abducted and their life-threads are being maimed and they are being turned into wraiths. Io is tasked with trying to solve a string of brutal murders by the wraiths and who is mastermind behind the attacks. She has to team up with her fate-thread, The boy she is destined to love. I absolutely adored the interactions between Io and Edei. It was a beautiful slow burn romance and I’m hoping in the 2nd, and 3rd installments we will get to see more. I do appreciate how the romance never feels forced and doesn’t overshadow the main plot.

I loved the combination of Greek mythology, murder mystery, and YA romance. The story never felt slow and the author did a great job with the plot. Even if you aren’t very familiar with Greek mythology and the gods and goddesses the author includes descriptions and explanations. It’s helpful without bogging down the story and feeling like a giant info dump if you are familiar with Greek mythology, 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!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Wow! I was so surprised by this book, and it has to be one of the top books I've read this year!

What I liked:
* The MAGIC! It was totally unique, and I loved learning all about the different types of people and what magic they could wield.
* The world building was engaging and interesting! The author had an amazing way of describing the universe that Io was just trying to survive in. I wanted more & more!
* I just LOVED Io. She carries around a rare magic that make her seen as dangerous & deadly. She was so strong and by the end of the book had grown into herself. Io no longer cowed to those around her but stood straight and didn't apologize for who she was.
* Io & Edei were ADORABLE! There was some cringe, adolescent internal monologue of Io's but it was only a few times.

What I didn't like:
* There was a small section in the middle that was slooooow. Patience pays off though for an explosive ending.
* (view spoiler)

Content warning: violence, murder, psychological influences, body possession

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Fair warning to readers that this novel ends on a bit of a pause that leaves this open to a sequel. Some threads are resolved, but many other questions are left unanswered. I think Hatzopoulou does a great job of blending Greek mythology into a post-apocalyptical dystopian world. The mystery is interesting, the plot reveals were good, and overall I was cheering Io and Edei on. How Io and her sisters (as the Fates) could see and interact with the life threads of people around them was clever.

The concept and the characters were really good, I felt the pace dragged a little bit, but overall this is a solid YA I can hand to teens who have moved on from Percy Jackson and are looking for more books featuring kids of Geek Gods/Goddesses in modern world settings.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, and Razorbill in exchange for an honest review.

thanks to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

⭐️=3.75 | 😘=2.5 | 🤬=2 | ⚔️=4.5 | 14+

Threads That Bind follows Io, a girl descended from the Fates, giving her the power to see fate threads and cut people off from the things they love––or save them. there’s a string of murders happening and she has to solve the mystery with her soulmate (except he doesn’t know he’s her soulmate) and there’s gangs and family drama and stuff!!

my favorite thing about this was the world building! super creative and different from any other Greek mythology-inspired book I’ve read, and there were a lot of cool side characters.

that’s kind of the problem, though. I wanted to see more of the side characters than the main character; like, Io had a lot of drama with her sisters, but I was almost more invested in her sisters’ side of the story than hers?? however, this was engaging and fun and there were some really great twists. I’ll definitely read book two for the twists and the side characters alone. if we’re lucky, Io will get a personality trait or two by then.

I absolutely loved this book! Honestly I don’t even know what to compare it to, but it did give me Crescent City vibes. It was a reading experience unlike any I’ve had before. If you would like to see a Fate (the Greek Mythology kind) try to solve a series of murders while her life as she knows it unravels around her in a Venice-esque setting then this book is for you!

I’d categorize this book as urban fantasy meets dystopian world, with a unique magic system and mythology I can’t wait to learn more about in the next book. I love a series that doesn’t spell everything out for you right off the bat and makes you work for it. The characters have interesting and complex relationships. And I especially enjoyed the sister relationship between the three fates.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving this ARC, and this doesn’t influence my review.
Tropes: Greek myth fantasy, detective/conspiracy, slow burn romance, girl falls first, fated mates
The book had a little bit of info-dumping, but great sweet romance and plot.

Thanks so much to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC copy of this book!

I have scheduled promotional posts around release day for this book and I will provide a full review on my Instagram once I am able to get to this read.

Rating 5 stars on Netgalley as a placeholder for me to update later once the review is complete.

Will also complete a review on Goodreads once read.

Thanks again!

This title wasn't something I could get into, so I won't be finishing it. I really hope that others enjoy it.

4.5 Stars

THERE BETTER BE A SEQUEL TO THIS BOOK BECAUSE I NEED MORE. This book was inventive and intriguing and kept me turning the page throughout the whole story which is not an easy feat. This book had everything from greek mythology to murder to potential love. I think this is a book that everyone needs to add to their tbr's immediately. Granted, the characters drove me insane a little bit and I got confused with some of the terminology along the way, but overall this story was compelling and fascinating.

I know I will have to wait for a potential sequel, but the wait is going to be painfully slow and I need to know where this story is going to go next. Why did Ava leave with Thais? Are the old gods really not dead? I can't wait to find out.

Big thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I really loved this! Every aspect of it was engaging to me--I loved the characters (some of them, but they were all compelling!), the setting, the powers, the LORE?!!?!??! The world in this book was so unbelievably cool. It felt like it went so deep but this story barely scratched the surface of it and I'm desperate for more information!

The powers and the magic system were so INTERESTING, and I loved that it included more than just Greek mythology. I loved that it included other cultures and mythologies and I definitely would have EATEN this up as a teenager. I ate it up now, as an adult, but the concept of there being so many different varieties of other-born abilities appeals directly to me and my overactive tween brain. I'm imagining myself painstakingly choosing what kind of ability I would have.

I really liked Io and Edei as a main pair, and the supporting cast was also so good! Rosa! Nico! Amos! So good. Angels.

I absolutely need more from this world and I'm on my knees praying that I get it! Highly recommend this one!!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars, rounded up

I really enjoyed this book! I was immediately hooked, and the magic system was introduced in a very satisfying way. I particularly enjoyed how the atmosphere was so vividly described. The mystery at the heart of it was captivating and unpredictable.

Threads That Bind is a unique fantasy story primarily based on Greek mythology. We follow Io, a private detective and descendent of the Fates, who is hired to investigate a series of murders. The story takes place in a fantasy world, namely the semi-submerged city of Alante, but it has a definite urban fantasy feel.

The magic system is unique and well defined - certain people are descended from gods and goddesses of Greek mythology (and other mythologies) and are imbued with an ability corresponding to that god or goddess. The characters were distinct and imperfect. There is also a touch of insta-love, although it arises due to fairly unique circumstances (at least as far as I’ve seen).

Io herself is a cutter - she can cut a person’s threads, severing (for example) their love for a particular person, place or thing, or their life. In society, her ability is feared, even among the other-born. Throughout the story, Io questions the ethical aspects of her ability.

I haven’t seen any confirmation of this, but I hope that this is the start of a series. Whilst elements of the story do get some resolution, there are some loose threads (pun intended) that I hope we explore in a subsequent book.

This story also has vibes of a criminal underworld, political manoeuvring, and family drama. It touches on themes of inequality, oppression and corruption, and has casual representation of LGBTQIA+ (including nonbinary characters) and mental health.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love this streak of really unique young adult fantasy novels I’m finding this year. I love a book with magic in a way I haven’t seen and this book definitely had that. The characters were great and complex. My biggest frustration as I put this book down was how long I will probably have to wait for the next part. Io and her sisters is a descendant of the Greek Fates and she has the ability to cut the threads of anyone. When she is on a routine private detective job she witnesses a murder that shouldn’t have been possible as the murderer’s life threat was severed but she wasn’t dead. The world building in this story was really good. It did make the story move a little slowly at times, but I appreciate the time to really make a realistic post-apocalyptic world where magic and the gods are woven into a world with gangs, prejudice, and now murder. I gave this one 4.5 stars rounded up for the creative magic system.

oh my gosh, this book like swung me back into my Greek mythology/fantasy phase (no joke I bought 3 Greek mythology books) this was just such a fun book, I absolutely loved all the characters and I especially loved Io and Edei's bond and love story just warmed my heart. this was such a fun blend of mystery and mythology and I need the second book now omg that ending requires it asap.

Book Overview- In a world where the children of the gods inherit their powers, a descendant of the Greek Fates must solve a series of impossible murders to save her sisters, her soulmate, and her city. Descendants of the Fates are always born in threes: one to weave, one to draw, and one to cut the threads that connect people to the things they love and to life itself. The Ora sisters are no exception. Io, the youngest, uses her Fate-born abilities as a private investigator in the half-sunken city of Alante. But her latest job leads her to a horrific discovery: somebody is abducting women, maiming their life-threads, and setting the resulting wraiths loose in the city to kill. To find the culprit, she must work alongside Edei Rhuna, the right hand of the infamous Mob Queen--and the boy with whom she shares a rare fate-thread linking them as soul mates before they've even met. The investigation turns personal when Io's estranged oldest sister shows up on the arm of her best suspect. Amid unveiled secrets from her past and her growing feelings for Edei, Io must follow clues through the city's darkest corners and unearth a conspiracy that involves some of the city's most powerful players before destruction comes to her own doorstep.

My review-
It took a bit of time for me to get hooked but once I did, I couldn’t put it down. This is a great, and new, retelling of the fates within Greek mythology and does a fantastic job at weaving in mystery, thrill and romance all under the umbrella of a YA novel.

Pros- world building, character development (um… hello Io is AMaZING!), the dialogue between characters was real and felt authentic, multi-dimensional characters and if you are into the retellings of mythology (like Circe) you’d love this book.

Cons- took me some time to get into it, filler at times and (while excited for the next installment) probably could have been a stand alone novel.

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.

I received a copy through NetGalley for review.

Io is moira-born, one of three sisters descended from The Fates- the Moirae, three goddesses who controlled the fate of every person. Three sisters Io, Ava and Thais. "One soul, split into three bodies.". You could also be Other-born descended from a myriad of gods and goddesses thought to long have disappeared.

Io and her sisters would access The Quilt, a jumble of threads laid over the physical world, they could see silver lines that sprouted from every person, connecting them to the things they most loved in the world, only those descended from The Fates could access The Quilt of life.
Io, is the cutter- able to sever the thread of both life and to the things people loved, Thais the spinner- who could weave new threads, Ava the Drawer- she can elongate or shorten a thread and alter the corresponding feeling.

Other-born always came in a package: in two or three or more siblings descended from a sibling god. Even with the powers they're considered second class citizens, regulated, their powers, ages, and descended gods, public knowledge.

Now that I've gotten the general explanations out of the way,
Let me firstly say I really liked this one. Although there is a lot going on, the info isn't handed to you all at once, but in bits, that I'm not kidding- weave nicely together. This has one of the better plot pull throughs I've come across from the beginning to the end. And while there is a lot of players, and you understand maybe the motives, you still won't see the whole until it's revealed.

I liked Io as a character, she runs a small detective agency in the slums of The Stilts. The world is set in dystopian times, post climate destruction, its done a nice job of combining old world and new world and how its altered and changed over time and the appearance of those with Other-born powers and how they effect society and how its changing.

This is really a tale of sisters. Of everyone just trying to do what they can to live, to carve space for themselves, to maybe change things. But how they do it, isn't always right. And maybe there's some larger players in gods that might not be so completely dead after all or maybe they're something completely new.

There's lots of action, fights, romance, investigating, family trauma, a fated thread, corruption, revealed past, and The Mob Queen of The Silts.
This was a fun read, and I'm dying to know where this takes Io next.