This was an exciting conclusion to one of my top reads of last year. I really enjoyed Threads that Bind. Hearts that Cut starts out immediately following the events at the ending of Threads. At first it took me a bit to remember what had happened because it had been awhile since I had read Threads but I really enjoyed Io and Bianca working together and seeing their partnership/ friendship bloom. I think this duo has some of the most unique Greek mythology that definitely feels creative and not like a typical retelling.

The plot did feel a little bit chaotic at times and there was a lot going on. The mystery continued with more murders, an ancient prophecy, a fraying fate thread all while Io and Bianca follow the golden god thread on a pretty epic journey. The romance aspects between Io and Edei did seem to take a bit of a back seat in this book but they still had their sweet moments. I do think the ending was pretty wild and so much happened it almost felt a bit rushed. I would have liked an epilogue to kind of get a better idea of how the characters were doing down the road and to see the consequences of their actions. I really liked the over all theme of what it means to follow our fate or defy it and how love can withstand the tests of time.

Overall this was a fun fast paced conclusion. I do recommend reading this duology in quick succession. So much happens in this book I would have probably benefited from rereading Threads that Bind or a summary before starting Hearts that Cut.

Huge thank you to Penguin Teen for providing me with an eARC #penguinteenpartner

Mythology-inspired, soulmates-troped, chosen-one-driven. This continuation of the world of Threads That Bind was the on-paper perfect book for me.

This is just such a stunning world Hatzopoulou has created. As I was reading this, I was gushing about how I adore how she crafts her characters and how even characters I see as fairly irredeemable have moments of tenderness and complexity. Though I think the book's final third was a bit clunky and rushed, I loved the hopeful undertones and message. I wish there had been a little more intentionality with the pacing of this novel, but even so, this was not a disappointment to me.

In a duology centered on fate, the main character still has the agency to choose her future for herself. She makes her final stand on her own terms, and while her relationship with Edei is obviously a highlight of this book, Io's relationship with her sisters was the truly touching aspect for me. I was left wanting more, but also at peace.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC. I loved reading Threads that Bind, so I was so excited when I got approved for an ARC of Hearts that Cut. And it was amazing!! Kika Hatzopoulou has such a beautiful writing style, one that makes it easy to immerse yourself in the story. A recap of the previous book was masterfully interwoven with the plot in a very natural way that made it easy to remember the events of the previous books. I really enjoyed following Io on her investigations to uncover the truth. Fantasy and mystery is a stellar combination, so it was a treat to see Io doing detective work again just like in the first book. The emotional bits got me feeling the feels. The stakes and fast pace had me turning the pages. I loved that we got to see more of the world, the world building is so clever and something that I loved in Threads that Bind, so I'm glad we got more. Overall, this is an amazing read!! And such a satisfying conclusion!!

Hearts That Cut is the sequel to Threads That Bind. In this follow up we get to see how Io and others respond to the threats that emerged in the first book and also how these threats are affecting other city-states while following the golden thread to the source of the issues. The story ends up becoming a question of how much power does Io have over her future. Is it her choice or simply her fate?

Kika Hatzopoulou creates a unique and fascinating alternative world that is grounded in mythology. I had a challenging time following parts of the first book, but I felt more grounded in this universe the second time around. I also felt much more invested in characters this time around. I will say, though, that at times the amounts of characters, especially lesser characters from the first book who popped up at the end of this one, could be overwhelming. I didn’t remember who many of them were and it became confusing at points.

Overall, though, I thought this was a good sequel and I look forward to any future books in the series.

Thank you, Net Galley and Penguin Books, for this ARC! Hearts That Cut will be available on June 18.

4/5
This series is so good. I love it so much.
The concept of children of gods inheriting powers and Greek fates is so cool and fun to read. There were so many details that I kept getting confused, but at the same time, I knew everything!?!?! Every time I put down the book, I wanted to pick it right back up. It was so entertaining, and I was never bored.
 
Io and Edei are so cute. I love the fact that they questioned the thread instead of just accepting it. It just made it realistic.  cutest pair!!!
 
As for the ending, idk. I want more, but knowing this was the last book auguhuguhughuhuu, I don't know how to feel. I am happy, but WHATS NEXT??!?!

Big thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group, and Kika Hatzopoulou for providing me with an ARC!

A lot of the things that I liked about "Threads that Bind" held true for "Hearts that Cut". The world that Hatzopoulou built is very unique and pulls from mythology in a way that still feels original and fresh. I also really enjoyed seeing the progression of Io and Edei's relationship and the role their fate thread plays in it without giving too much away.

Unfortunately, I felt like the pacing in this book was a bit off. Part of what contributed to the pacing problem was Io's skills (or lack thereof) as a detective. It didn't feel like the plot was being propelled by her discovering a new clue; instead, they would catch up to some notable person and they would just spill all the beans. Because of this, the first third of the book when Io and Bianca were traversing the Wastelands was very slow and it wasn't until they were reunited with Edei that it started to pick up, but the ending felt very rushed and unsatisfying to the point that I thought i was mistaken about this being a duology. One of my favorite things about "Threads that Bind" was Io's complicated relationships with her sisters which we see develop in this installment, particularly her resentment towards Thais, but the rushed ending left some loose threads for me. If anything, I would have liked an epilogue to see where the characters and the world ended up after the Collapse.

Overall though, I liked this series and would read more from this author again.

Thank you Razorbill and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Hearts That Cut!

I loved Threads That Bind so much that when I saw there was an opportunity to read an advanced copy of Hearts That Cut I flung myself at it. And I have zero regrets.

I loved the friendship that developed between Io and Bianca and it definitely made up for the fact that Io and Edei were separated for the first half of the book. Hearts That Cut was everything I wanted in a sequel. It picks up not too long after the events of the first book and really dives into Io's character development as she works through the catastrophic ending of the first book.

I really enjoyed the continuation and expansion of lore. I felt it tied everything together really well and left me satisfied with the ending.

I'm definitely going to keep an eye out for future books from Kika Hatzopoulou!

Io is back, and we are immediately thrown back into following her and mob queen Bianca back on their quest to follow the golden thread. As a second book, you are immediately launched into the story and I almost forgot how many moving parts there were. I probably needed a little more of a recap or to have some kind of synopsis. I was lost.

But much like the enjoyment of the first one, the author’s world building is detailed and immersive and such an enjoyable feat. Surprisingly as someone who is not a romance reader, I found myself craving Io’s romance from the first novel and maybe that dynamic was just more interesting intriguing than the dynamic created between Io and Bianca in the first half of this one. I would also have enjoyed more character focus on the sisters, giving more development on their relationship.

As a young adult duology, I wish this was on more people’s radars and got the credit it deserved. Beneath the fantasy, it’s an intricate crime puzzle, leaving you wondering who to root for till the end. I would love to see this author explore into adult detective novels in future.

I thought this was such a good follow up to the first book. It was so fun to be back with these characters, especially after that ending. I loved getting to see all three sisters interact and how twisty the story was. So glad this book didn't suffer from second book syndrome!

I enjoyed this but definitely think the second half was paced better than the first. It felt like we had to fit a lot in to this story and it may have been slightly overambitious. I loved the romance and am always rooting for the main relationship. Not sure this needs a third book honestly but could see a novella prequel or short stories after the events working well.

I read this Advance Reader Copy courtesy of Netgalley.

Well, that was a very fun ride. This world just continued to grow more interesting and curious and dangerous, and the natural political developments that happened as a result of the end of Book 1 were unexpected and thrilling!

Io and Bianca as a voyaging duo of avengers hunting down the gods in the Wastes was entertaining. Bianca's firm sass matched with Io's creative thinking made them a wily partnership, and the character development they inspired in each other was fun to see!

Io and Edei's romance continues to develop as they grapple with the fate-thread and the demands of the apocalypse. I don't know what it is about those kids, but I ship 'em. They're sweet and direct and still sparkle with youthful mutual attraction. Reading them is like reliving a first love.

The central relationship is also interesting with developments between the Ora sisters. The three push and pull on each other in new ways that pushes them to finally content with their differences. It's a satisfying maturing of their relationships that brings much story conflict, as well.

There were a few weak aspects of the story: For one, the book really needs some better recapping of what happened at the end of the first book. The last 1/4 of Threads that Bind was so twisty and turny and full of surprises that I couldn't remember all of the little details. I wish there were just a few pages of "previously on" to get me back of to speed ad the beginning. And, there were some passages that were almost entirely spoken exposition and spoken worldbuilding that didn't seem like something the characters would need to actually talk about. Particularly in the final conflict, some exposition that occurred didn't seem realistic, and could have been cut off by characters making some more obvious choices to "save the day," as it were.

With those few structural blips, I knocked off a star. But this series is a solid 4-star fun time. I recommend to anyone interested in Greek mythology, futuristic worlds, and interesting dystopian political stories!

It was so good to be back with these characters. I highly enjoyed it a lot more than the first book.

I love the first book and this one was a fantastic follow up! Like the first, It was full of fate magic, sisterly bonds, romance, and twists.

Threads that Bind was full of incredible world building, and that means that Hearts That Cut can get straight to the good stuff. An action packed sequel, this book is full of twists and I loved it!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for review.

I am always worried about second books, especially when I loved the first. I am here to say that Hearts That Cut does not disappoint! It was worth the wait. This picks up right where we left off in Threads That Bind. However, I did feel like I needed a recap since it had been so long. But, you're quickly thrown back in Io's world, trying to keep up and figure it all out with her. I did not see the twists happening and more than once let out an audible gasp. I look forward to recommending this to my students because just like the first, the story is so original and something that we don't often see.

In HEARTS THAT CUT, the sequel to THREADS THAT BIND, Io contends with the gods and her fate-thread, knowing she’s prophesied to end the world.

The sequel follows through on everything the first instalments sets up, with the kind of satisfying end I didn’t see coming but had been building all along! My favourite thing from the first book was Io's fate-thread (shared with loveable book boyfriend Edei) and the follow-up did not disappoint! The fate-thread becomes even more important, in ways I could not have imagined.

Greek mythology is everywhere these days, but this universe has made it completely fresh. I'm so excited to see what comes next in this author's career!

Hearts That Cut is the sequel for Threads That Bind and I think it was a bit better than the first one! I’m pleasantly surprised by the story progression and major twist at the climax. I found Threads That Bind too slow paced for my liking, and unfortunately, Hearts That Cut had the same problem. I started skimming through the filler and non-dialogue parts that I didn’t think added much to the story. I can tell it didn’t because I didn’t miss any important info and was able to follow along with no issues once I decided to skim a little. I’m desperate for Io and Edei content and this book fell super flat in that regard. I do like the direction the story is going in, so I’ll most likely pick up the next one as well.

Synopsis:
After the events of Threads That Bind, Io and Bianca travel through the wastelands while following the thread that’s attached to a god. During her travels, Io must avoid monster infestations and freak weather incidents that seem to target her various destinations. Io also spends her days worrying over the fraying thread of fate she shares with Edei, who she’s unsure is even alive.

Thank you to Razorbill, NetGalley, and the author for the early copy!

I absolutely LOVED "Threads that Bind," the first in this series, and I've been eager to read the sequel ever since!

This book was just as much a delight as the first in the series, though there were a few aspects that I felt could have been improved.

As with the first, the strongest aspect of this novel was the sharp writing and tight prose of the author. The characters were also phenomenal, and I loved the realistic relationships between Io and her sisters as well as the healthy and sweet romance of her relationship with Edei.

I do think the book could have benefited from more screen-time for Edei, as the romance was a selling point of the first book, and it added delightful tension to the plot of the first. Also, certain parts felt rushed, and I thought that the ending, in particular, could have been more fleshed out.

That said, I will certainly be recommending this title/series to my students, and I look forward to seeing what the author creates in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

Dystopian steampunk fever dream

That's how I might describe this book to my students. And they would beg to read it.

Io is such a well-crafted character. Readers want and need more. I think it's her inner monologue, her struggle with herself that's just as difficult as the battle raging in her world, that really makes this story a stand-out.

"Her oldest sister's advice was a house pet, uninvited and unwelcome yet always there, parasitizing Io's thoughts and feelings."

Don't misunderstand. The world-building and action-packed plot are top tier. It's a whole package.

"The world had malfunctioned, like a scratch on a record player. Io couldn't comprehend what had just happened, couldn't find a rational explanation, but she knew power when she saw it."

Fans of the Midst podcast will love this book.

Hearts That Cut by Kika Hatzopoulou is a work of epic thematic scope, set in an intricately imagined world. The novel is both enticing and original, captivating readers with its unique storyline and vivid imagery.