<b>One to weave, one to draw, and one to cut the threads. <b> Io and her sister are other-born, <I>decedents of the fates</I>, and being other-born is rarely a good thing. Living in a city where other-born are looked down upon has its own challenges, being born on the wrong side is another set of challenges.

The novel Threads That Bind, authored by Kika Hatzopoulou, weaves together a captivating story of fated love, family betrayal, and political intrigue. The novel introduces the protagonist, Io, and her sisters, who are descendants of the fates.

Hatzopoulou's novel is notable for its originality, featuring an innovative magic system that derives from the Gods themselves. Io finds herself racing against time as she attempts to unravel the mystery behind a series of murders in the city. The plot thickens when Io's investigation leads her to the one boy she has always tried to avoid: her fated love interest. Forced to work together to save their city, the duo's complex dynamic is just one element of the intricate relationships that unravel throughout the story, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

For lovers of mythology retellings and fast-paced YA fantasies, Threads That Bind is a must-read. Hatzopoulou expertly blends the genres to create a unique and compelling narrative that will keep readers engrossed from beginning to end. With its intriguing plot, vividly depicted world, and well-developed characters, Threads That Bind is a release that should not be missed.

in a world where children of the gods inherit their powers, a descendant of the Greek fates finds herself trying to solve a series of impossible murders in order to save her sisters, her soulmate, and her city. Io is the youngest sister of three, she is a descendant of the Fates, and she is a cutter. She cuts the threads that connect people to things they love and to life itself. Io has always wanted to find her soulmate, the one true love thread that connects them... yet when she discovers he already has a girlfriend she is determined to never think of him again, to the point of considering severing the thread. Io’s job means she is a P.I. essentially, she watches people and cuts threads for her clients. Yet on her latest job she is attacked by a wraith, and soon she finds herself being forced to work alongside her soulmate... Edei Rhuna, the right hand of the infamous Mob Queen, and the very boy who shares her fate thread. Io tries to keep things professional as possible with Edei since he has a girlfriend but she can’t help feeling more for him. The investigation gets even more personal when her eldest sister returns home after two years on the arms of the prime suspect in her investigation. Soon Io finds herself in the middle of a dark conspiracy and a dangerous game of the gods, who can she trust and who is really behind all the deaths? To complicate things her feelings for Edei are growing and if Io doesn’t get a handle on things everything will fall apart. With betrayals on the horizon and hearts about to break. can Io save everyone she loves before it’s too late? This one had an interesting start but kind of fell flat for me. I was really interested in the premise and I do enjoy a good murder mystery, but I found the story itself to feel a bit anticlimactic. I didn’t really care for the relationship and angst between Io and Edei and honestly would have preferred if she cut the thread and just moved on and focused on the mystery and family drama. Edei didn’t really give me much as a love interest. I am interested to see where the next book goes with the mystery and how everything goes for Io after the ending of this book. Overall if you are interested in young adult fantasy stories with mystery and contemporary settings give it a go.

*Thanks Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Razorbill for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

2.5. Ughhhhhhhhhh. Wow it pains me to leave this review; this was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I’m a huge Greek mythology fan and I LOVE the Fates so I was so freaking excited for this. But wow was I let down.

Honestly don’t know if I’ll be able to clearly articulate what went wrong for me with this one. All I can say is that I just found it lacking. I kept waiting for the plot to really pick up or for something to leap out and grab my attention but it never did. I was constantly overwhelmed and confused by the worldbuilding, most of the characters annoyed me at some point in the story, the romance was flat, and I didn’t care for the ending at all. It seemed like the author was trying to do too much with the magic system, and I found it really hard to get a grasp on what was happening. I couldn’t tell you what happened in the climax at all. This might be an unpopular opinion because I’m seeing so many great reviews, but this one just did not work for me. I sad.

Hatzopoulou weaves an intricate tapestry of myth, mystery and romance in this stunning fantasy noir debut. Io is a heroine I was rooting for from chapter one and Edie is swoon-worthy. The mystery and how mythology is woven into the story is incredibly original and layered and Io’s complex relationship with her sisters is gripping. I also love soulmate books and this one is such a fresh and thoughtful spin on it, allowing for choice and agency even if there is a thread that binds two people together. Highly recommend and I can’t wait for the next book!

I. Love. Greek. Mythology!!!! This was so fantastic, from the lore to the Fates to Io's powers. The romance was sneaky and surprising even though you expect it and the murder mystery gave the whole book a sense of dread and suspense. It was so riveting and all the different plots were woven so well together that I just needed to know what was going on. If you love fantasy, mythology, or just bad ass MCs, read this!

Threads That Bind follows Io Ora, a girl who possesses power over fate threads as a descendant of the Greek Fates. After witnessing a strange murder, Io gets roped into an investigation under the most powerful gang leader in the Silts. Io begins to realize that much larger forces are at play, from political ties to old controversies to ages-old power.

This book was amazing, and I really only have positive feedback for it. The book is full of action and twists, and the prose reads quickly and naturally. There was also a lot of really effective world building done with very little info dumping which was enjoyable to read. The author weaves a believable world with plenty of social issues, political tensions, and a fascinating magic system.

I also really enjoyed the relationships in this story. Io's relationship with her sisters was so complex and well done, as well as the relationship with Edei. I always appreciate a fantasy with a romance subplot that doesn't take over - Io has a strong voice and drive that doesn't become muddled by the romance in the background.

The characters were very complex as well, with plenty of flaws. I think protagonists tend to lack genuine flaws, but Io really does make some significant mistakes that weigh on her conscience. It was nice to see a fantasy protagonist with a real, complicated background and messy relationships. There was also a lot of casual representation in this book which was nice to see.

The ending twist was also well done - I really didn't see it coming. Again, I really appreciated the complexity of Bianca, Edei, Io, Thais, and Luc. I honestly didn't know who I was rooting for by the end, which I think is an indication of really well-done world-building. There were a lot of nuances in the conflicts and political tension. Overall, an incredible read that I would certainly recommend to fantasy fans.

5 stars! 6 stars! All the stars!

Okay, let me catch my breath. In case it wasn't clear, I'm absolutely blown away by this book. If I didn't know it was a debut, I never would have guessed: the writing is just so confident, so mature, the prose is like doing 10 things at once. The sunken city of Alante is utterly fascinating and three-dimensional and real. The characters are brilliant. Io, the main character, has my whole heart thread. The Greek myth elements are weaved (sorry, not sorry) throughout in a mesmerizing, and utterly unique way that had me gasping for more. And yes, as a Greek author myself, I can't begin to tell you how soul-affirming it was to read a Greek myth based fantasy by a Greek author FINALLY! More of this, publishing, please.

And that ending! I'm not going to give spoilers, will just say I can't wait for more!

P.S. Thank you to the author for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such an exciting read! Hatzopoulou’s writing is so vivid and I loved the lore of the world and the powers of the other-born (descendents of the Greek gods). Truly unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The heroine, Io, is a detective who can see the threads of fate, and her relationship with her sisters is so genuine and powerful, with moments of such raw intensity they took my breath away.

The mystery is full of murders and betrayals with twists and turns that had me desperately flipping pages!

I am sitting here vibrating over how much I love this book and trying to find words to encompass just how good it is. It’s perfect combination of fate, romance, gods, murder, mystery, sleuthing, humor, and magic.

It pairs the sharp sting of complicated familial dynamics with the pure exhilaration of falling in love with a boy who tells bad jokes and is loyal till the end. Slick politicians and mob bosses fight it out, yet it's always a toss up who the most sinister enemy is.

And I cannot overstate how freaking cool the murder mystery is. It combines the golden sheen of Greek myth with the neon edge of a modern fantasy story, and when the colors settle, it creates something truly special. There's so many threads (haha) to be pulled and cut and followed. I loved falling into this world and being tugged everywhere that it decided to take me. ITS JUST REALLY REALLY GOOD ALRIGHT.