I loved this book! The plot is perfeclty paced and the mythology elements that are included are very interesting to read about. I'm also a big fan of how many mythologies and cultures were included, not just Greek ones.
Very interesting and creative magic system! People with powers - aka other-borns - have the powers of the acient mythology god they descend from. It was nothing like what I'd seen before!
I loved the LGBT+ representation in this book. It shows that labels aren't always needed, if you fall for someone, it shouldn't matter their gender. The only aspect I thought wasn't good was the fact that Rosa, Io's trans best friend, fell in love with a guy who used to bully her for being trans. I don't like that trop where it turns out that the bully is only bullying you because they're in love.
The writing style is very immersive and there are several unpridictabale plot twists!
Io and Edei are great protagonists. They feel very real, especially Io, who was raised in a very complicated environment and what to do what she could to survive.
The relationship between the sisters is so complicated. Thais broke Io's heart. She was abusive and Io tried her best to make her happy, but it was never enough. Thais went through very complicated things, but it's also true that she had a lot of whims and wished for Io to comply to everything she asked even if it was bad. Ava tried to keep the peace but it wasn't enougn. Io kept blaming herself for what happened for years, it's sad how the people you love the most end up hurting you the most.
I saw Thais relationship with Luc coming, but not how they would be involved with the case. It was still very interesting to watch everything unfold.
The Initiative is a complite mess. They claim they want to help police other-born by having other-born in the police force. They literally stated that "only 1 out of 10 other-borns are found guilty of crimes". Maybe it's because only 1 out of 10 commit them??? It's claiming to be helpfull and inclusive, while being discriminatory. The other-born have lived in poverty and being judged their whole lives, and this is just another example of lowly the rest of society thinks of them.
The Moonset riots were a very important occurence in this book. They were essentially a gang war where the fury-born, who used to police other-born, were decimated. This event is very complex and it really shows that sometimes violence is a way of survival.
The connection between the real world and this world is interesting. It's sort of a dystopian future Earth, where our civilization evolved differently. Our moon also split in 3, which is kinda cool, but it makes me wonder how small those 3 moons are, considering that in astonomic measures, our moon isn't that big.
I'm super excited for the next book. This one ended up being a complete surprise. I was not expecting to love it this much!

TW:cheating, death, violence, torture, abuse, racism, murder, gangs, gang wars.

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. The unusual magic system inspired by Greek goddesses and muses is also fascinating. You'll get lost in the story as the mystery lures you in, and the heart-throbbing thriller plot with threatening wraiths lurking around the city keeps you on your toes. The blooming soulmate love story between Io and Edei will warm your heart. This book is not for everyone as it's extremely smart, complex, and challenging, but it's definitely worth the read, combining different genres like sci-fi, magical realism, fantasy, thriller, romance, and mythology for an unforgettable experience. I'm so glad to have been introduced to Kika Harzopoulou's brilliant writing.

The plot revolves around Io Ora, the youngest of three sisters who are descendants of Fates. Her eldest sister Thais is born to weave the threads, the middle sister Ava is destined to draw them, and Io is born to cut them, which is the hardest and harshest part of the job. Two years ago, Thais left without a word, and Io focused on her investigation skills to help betrayed wives whose husbands cheated on them.

One day, Io's stakeout job ends with the assault of a mysterious wraith in her eighties without a life thread (which is normally impossible) and a murder case. Her path crosses with infamous Mob Queen Bianca's right-hand man, Edei Rhuna, who also shares a fate-thread with her, meaning he's her soulmate.

Bianca summons Io to inform her that there are more wraiths around the town hunting people, and she forces her to team up with Edei to uncover the mystery. Io reluctantly starts working with Edei, barely restraining her attraction, but their investigation leads them to underground fight dungeons, the manipulate Nines House, a congregation of very powerful politicians who are about to take over the entire city with their dangerous scheme.

Io slowly realizes that the things she learned about her past and her destiny couldn't be so wrong. As harsh truths keep hitting her face like a slap, she needs to confront her guilt, secret feelings, and biggest fears not only to save her city but also her loved ones and survive.
Overall, when I reached the final chapter, I just screamed when I read the big twist and cliffhanger. Pros: I'm absolutely ready for more books to spend more time with Io and Edei. Cons: I cannot wait to read the next installment; waiting for it is like torture!

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.

this was a really good! I liked the characters, and they were super well-developed. the plot was super cool and fun to read, and the writing was also smooth and easy to understand
highly recommend

"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, for fans of Song of Achilles.

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."

I love modern Greek myths, Greek myths themselves? Not so much.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book, but the execution fell flat for me. I would have appreciated the world-building/concepts to be more fleshed out, and at times the main character’s internal dialogue felt incredibly juvenile. for her age. The themes were far from subtle and felt a bit on the nose. I did like Io, and the Greek-inspired setting. I’m sure many people will love this book; I’m just not one of them.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

As someone who is always game for reading a book that was elements of Greek mythology, this book was such a great read. Love how there were classic elements but they were twisted into a new idea. The idea of The Fates also is something that is not really explored enough and I love how Kika wrote about the idea. The characters were great; they all had something that they were struggling with but you still want them to succeed. They case that was taking place throughout the whole book was laid out really well and I was not excepting that ending. Can't wait to see where the rest of this story goes.

Fate, Gods, and politics. What a vivid story, and it went hard.

IO is my new favorite character with such relatable feelings and motives- her love for her sisters, wondering if she’s worth the fated love fell upon her, and needing to help her city from the terror of murdering wraiths with split life threads.

I was on edge the entire way, filled with happiness, anger, and pure adrenaline. Oh my Gods I swallowed book completely. Thank you Penguin Teen and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review

This was surprisingly well done. I thought that the magic and being decendants of the fates was a unique concept and storyline. This has some great banter and I liked the characters.

This book was so so so freaking good. I read this in one sitting and was completely sucked into the story. I LOVED the magic system-it was so unique and the world building was exceptional. This book has everything you could ask for: magic, likable and well developed characters, sisterly love, slow burn/budding romance, mystery, and some gang wars. I literally cannot wait for the next book.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

Summary of the plot:
Io and her two sisters, Thais and Ava, are descendants of the Three Fates. Io has the ability to sever one’s thread (their life), but she only does so out of necessity. She works as a private investigator until she’s hired by Bianca, the mob queen, to determine what’s going on with these Wraiths, beings that have their threads severed but are still alive. She works with Edei, her fated lover who she’s been avoiding for years, to figure out why these Wraiths are murdering people.


Thoughts:
I quite enjoyed this book! I feel like the plot moved along at an appropriate speed. There were set backs and twists and turns and it all kept me engaged. I kept having to change my guess on who was behind creating the Wraiths. The main reason I picked up this book was because it sounded like a Fates retelling of sorts, but it was much more than that. You learn about different gods and their descendants’ power. It’s set in a urban era, so it doesn’t feel too wacky. The author also weaves in current, real life political issues into the story without making it sound out of place. Overall, it was a fantastic read.

This book sort of ends on a cliffhanger, but I will definitely be intrigued when the next book(s) comes out!

Would I recommend this book? Yes!

The plot twists in this book were awesome!True twists and turns that were unpredictable! The magic was different and uniques as well! The relayionships between the main characrters wea well planned. Every detail made the most sense.Interesting and intruguing as the world was new and thought out! Though not obsessed with the story very well written.

This is surprisingly good and I'm excited for more of what's to happen.

The exact combination of revamped Greek myth, a mystery, and fated love captured my mind and I finished an ARC of this in less than 24 hours!

I'm excited to see if the finished copy will have a map because I want to have a reference for the places mentioned in the book.

Overall, a highly recommended upcoming fantasy that I want to read more of.

RATING: 4.5stars

I adored the story, the world building was amazing. I love meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it. The writing was also really nice. I couldn't put the book down and I can't wait for others to read and enjoy this story as well.

Thank you to NetGalley, Razorbill, and Penguin Teen for an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

CW/TW
Moderate: gaslighting, violence, gun violence, injury, blood, death

Threads That Bind follows Io Ora, private investigator and descendant of the Greek Fates, as she uses her powers to unravel the mystery behind a series of murders happening in the city.

This was an enthralling read. Finished it in a day and was left eager for more. It did an amazing job in mixing mystery, fantasy, romance, complicated family relationships, and humor.

The chemistry between Io and Edei, her partner in all this and the person with whom she shares a fate-thread with, is impeccable. I was loving every bit of their interactions. How they played off of each other and trusted one another. Their investigation would veer constantly and I was constantly stressed out for them.

I found the worldbuilding and magic system to be very interesting. I did get confused a couple times because the information got a bit convoluted, but I still think it was great.

It was also filled with very compelling and lovable characters. Pretty sure none of them were without their flaws and I enjoyed that. I liked how their flaws played a part in the story.

This was definitely a 5-star read for me and I just can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel.

This was such a bummer for me because I really wanted to love it. I think part of the problem was that the world wasn't explained enough at the beginning so I felt lost for a lot of the book. I would have preferred more exposition earlier on rather than having to learn just a little more every few chapters. For that reason, I would definitely pass on this for anyone who is impatient or not big into reading. As a librarian I definitely think about how stories will appeal to a variety of readers and this just didn't make the cut for me. It was entertaining for sure but it would be a tough sell for anyone who isn't already invested in the story.

I'm gonna be completely honest, I did not really like this book. I think they were trying to avoid the typical info-dump of worldbuilding at the start, but because of that, I didn't really understand the rules of the world and was confused the rest of the book. I was also not fully in the mood for it, so that could also lead to my overall dislike of the book. But it was a very interesting concept.

This was quite the journey! The cover and premise of "Threads that Bind" immediately drew me in, and Kika Hatzopoulou's expert storytelling kept me captivated throughout. The book offers a fresh take on Greek Mythology, blending together the stories of its Gods, Fates, and descendants in a post-apocalyptic setting. The combination of mythology, political intrigue, complex family dynamics, rogue mobs, and a charming romance makes for a truly engaging read. The introduction of a murder mystery only adds to the already action-packed plot, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat.

The world-building of the submerged city of Alante is truly impressive. Hatzopoulou clearly put a great deal of thought and effort into creating this elaborate world and its magic system. Io, the Moira-born third sister and cutter of threads, is an exceptional protagonist with a fierce determination to fight injustice. I particularly enjoyed watching her work as a private investigator as she unraveled the intricate web of the murder mystery. The other characters, including Edei, the love interest, and Ava, the sister, were also well-crafted.

Overall, "Threads that Bind" is a riveting debut that will appeal to a wide audience, regardless of their familiarity with Greek Mythology. However, for fans of Greek mythology, this book is a real gem. I am eagerly anticipating what other masterpieces Kika Hatzopoulou has in store for us in this world!

" One to weave, One to draw and One to cut the threads"

This was a solid 4 stars and one hell of a ride! Besides the cover and a very promising premise, I was instantly pulled in from the very first chapter. Threads that bind is an intricately beautiful take on Greek Mythology, its Gods, Fates and their descendants, it is set in a somewhat post apocalyptic kind of world where collapsed society's are reformed. Kika Hatzopoulou is undoubtedly a great story teller with how original everything in the book felt, with a mix of mythology, political intrigue, rogue mobs and complex familial dynamics, a splash of adorable romance the book is quite captivating as itself. The addition of a twisty murder mystery to it turned it to be an intense action packed page turner especially the last part had me on the edge!

The world building of the sunken city of Alante takes the cake for me, it is quite obvious that the author put a hell lot of effort into building this elaborate world and magic system. Io is a Moira-born(a descendent of God with special abilities) third sister, a cutter of threads, She is such an amazing character that you'd want to root for from the beginning, she reminded me a bit of Bree from Legendborn with a strong will to fight the injustice around her. I loved that her job is a private investigator in the book, it is quite interesting to watch her brain work and unfold a complicated murder mystery following an even complex trail of bread crumbs. Edei the love interest, Ava the sister and rest of the characters were also brilliantly written.

Overall it is an utterly fascination debut one would enjoy regardless of the fact if they are into Greek Mythology or not, but if you love Greek mythology it is going to be a total delight. I am eagerly looking forward for more from this world

Thanks to Penguin Teen for my eARC!

Thank you to Razorbill and netgalley for an e-arc of this book.

If you love Greek mythology you're going to love this take on it. This book uses concepts we're all familiar with but turns it into a fantasy/dystopian world. The world building was epic in this, and we get to know the world through the characters eyes.

Now, this book is very much about choices and the decisions we make just as much as it is about fate, and how much it controls your life. Both of these are central themes to much of the Greek myth we know, and Hatzopoulou knows this intimately, as she crafts her book. Much like the muses and the weavers of stories, this story has many threads woven through it.

It as a mystery to be sure, and it is hard to glean who is right and who is wrong in this book. Everything is in shades of grey. Threads That Bind is an apt title for this book, because it was about friendship, loyalty, family.

All these pieces are interwoven into a story that is poignant, and also remarkable. This was an amazing book, and one that I think shouldn't be missed. This is an interpretation of Greek myths like no other.

Plus, we have a heroine who is strong and wonderful. There is a very slowburn romance in this book, so if you think romance is going to be a main focus point, it isn't. It is absolutely part of the story, the threads, but only a part.

I am so eager to see where the next book takes us -- because that ending was EVERYTHING.

In this dystopian fantasy, the "otherborn" - descendants of the Greek Gods who've inherited special abilities - are marginalized, often mistreated, and relegated to the slum known as the "Silts" in the sodden city of Alante. Io is a descendant of the Fates, a cutter. People fear her and her ability - for she can cut a life thread and easily kill someone. Io eeks out a living as a Private Investigator. While in the middle of a routine inquiry, she happens upon a violent murder. Having seen the killer, Io knows that someone has turned this woman into something unnatural, a "wraith." This is not the first murder to occur in the Silts, so the Mob Queen taps Io to investigate. She sends her second-in-command, Edei, to assist Io in tracking down whoever is behind the murders. The problem is that Io and Edei share a fate-thread - they are destined to be soul-mates. Edei is unaware of their connection; but Io is distracted and conflicted by this tie. And the closer the get to answers, the more dangerous the investigation becomes. Eventually, Io will discover that there is a greater evil at work which jeopardizes not just the Silts, but their entire world.