Really enjoyed book, and feel the same about book 2!

The characters and plot were so much more developed in this story. The atmosphere was richer and gave for a new perspective on mythological fantasy. Though the story was slow at times, and a bit much all at once, it really dived deep into friendship and self discovery. I would have loved to seen a little more character development for some side ones

Oh how this series has my whole heart!!!! This fantasy series felt like a breath of fresh air which such a different take on the concept of gods and it had me enthralled!!!! I love the characters so much my only teeny tiny complaint was I wanted a little more interactions between Io and Edei. I just felt like there wasn’t enough!!! Overall Great ending to the series!!!

Single POV, Bonds Between Sisters, Found Family, Fated Love

Threads That Bind was an easy 5 star read, unfortunately I didn't love this book as much. The pacing of the book felt very strange to me. The first half of the book dragged on as Io and Bianca chasing false leads while the end of the book felt incredibly rushed. And while I understand this isn't a romance book I was hoping the romance subplot between Edei and Io would play a larger role in this book then the first one but that was not the case. After all the talk of cutting the fate thread between them and wanting Edei to have a choice there was very little talk and connection between the two of them in this book. The ending was so unsatisfying and abrupt ugh...I had such high hopes for this book.

It’s been 5 weeks since Lo followed the gold tread that is supposed to be tethered to a God. She spends her days in long, agonizing, travel just for the answers she needs. But as she gathers clues to the missing God, she discover and new mystery and a new investigation begins. A new adventure with new enemies await her.

The characters and plot were so much more developed in this story. The atmosphere was richer and gave for a new perspective on mythological fantasy. Though the story was slow at times, and a bit much all at once, it really dived deep into friendship and self discovery. I would have loved to seen a little more character development for some side ones.

All in all, this was a fun unique story

Thanks to the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This really gets 4 stars because I love Edei and Io so much. I was hesitant as I started reading this book because the first couple of chapters were boring—Bianca and Io traveling. But then they finally stopped in a city and found some old friends and I really felt like we were back in the book I enjoyed so much. All of the moments between Io and Edei have me in a tight grip and won’t let go. The back and forth between them and the possibility of cutting their fate thread had my really worried, but I think it goes to show that you’ll always find your way back to your true love, thread or not.

It was really interesting to see Ava and Thais again, as I felt like Thais was a completely different character or maybe simply that Io had lost the facade in which she saw Thais. Gone was the soft spoken Thais and here we have an indignant woman whose plans seem to be going to ruin. Ava felt a bit like a back burner character in that she didn’t play a super huge role in Io’s life here, and most of her actions seemed to be off page.

The ending, the discovery of the gods and their intentions, really threw me for a loop in a good way. I never could have predicted what had truly happened and it was interesting that we got there. I hope the final book comes with a glossary of some kind because I feel like it might be hard to follow even more now all of the other-born and who their power stems from because the author weaves so many mythologies together.

I also wish this has an epilogue. The ending felt a little abrupt and I’d give a lot of see more of Edei and Io. Regardless I’m eager to see what else the author will write because I enjoyed this duology a lot.

This book provided a satisfactory ending with a good arc for our protagonist. It started off pretty slow — that first third could have been shortened for sure — but the rest of the book was intriguing and interesting and kept me reading.

The group dynamic is what I really enjoyed from this book, and I was happy to see the cast all back together (plus a few additions) in this book! Io is a complex, conflicted main character, and while her internal conflict was a bit heavy-handed in its narration, I did enjoy her journey of self-acceptance, standing up for herself, and accepting change. It’s a good message to send to younger readers.

The final twist wasn’t what I expected since it actually related to the gods (which I thought was a cover up). The big twist was interesting, though their reasoning wasn’t super thoroughly explained. Nevertheless, it was a satisfying conclusion to this story, though I wish there was an epilogue!

Hearts That Cut is the second book in the Threads That Bind fantasy series about a young woman in a storm-ravaged world.

After the events of the last book, Io is on the hunt for answers with her reluctant sidekick, Bianca. The leads send them to various cities, all affected by destructive weather and monstrous creatures. They’ll need allies, both new and old, if they want to defeat the strong magic behind everything they’ve faced.

Although this wasn’t as enjoyable as the first book (I’m not fond of books with journeys or road trips), I did appreciate the action of the last few chapters.

I cannot believe I was able to wait this long for this book. I loved Threads That Bind and nearly liked this one as much. Hearts That Cut maintains the momentum the first book ended on, which meant I instantly inhaled the book. The story gets intricately more complicated with so many things I did not see coming and a few others I had inklings about only when I got closer to the end. Surprisingly, Bianca, the former gangleader, easily became a favorite secondary character. It was hard not to like her after everything she goes through and eventually becomes.

If you like books that feature children of gods like those of the Greek fates and mysteries that need solving, this is a duology I recommend. (4.5 stars rounded to 5 stars)

this duology will probably go down as one of my favorites of all time.

io and edei are just so loveable and i love that they make realistic mistakes and have worries that feel genuine to their characters. their love is also just so cute and warms my cold cold heart.

i only wish the ending was a little bit slower. the book’s pacing was really slow (which i enjoyed) until the last like 40 pages when everything hit the fan. i wish i could’ve seen the action a tad bit more drawn out.

absolutely amazing conclusion and i need everyone and their mother’s to read these books rn please and thank you :)

Hearts That Cut is a thrilling sequel to Threads That Bind, which was one of my top reads of 2023! To say that this was my most anticipated read for this year would be an understatement and I'm very happy to say it lived up to my expectations!

This sequel truly was non-stop anxiety for me. Things were constantly happening and it was a really exciting read! The plot took so many turns that caught me off guard and by the last quarter of the book I was gasping and on the edge of my seat the whole time.

The characters only got better in this one! Io is such an interesting character, in my opinion. She feels so real and her reactions / actions never felt completely out of left field. I really liked her time spent with Bianca and watching their relationship develop! The new characters were also great! I would've loved to see more of them. My only complaint is not enough Nico but that's because he was my favourite in the last book.

Overall, this was a really satisfying and fun sequel! I had a great time reading it and I'm thrilled it was as good as the first book for me! Would 100% recommend both of these books.

Hearts That Cut picks up the golden thread where Threads That Binds leaves off. Io and Bianca are on the hunt for Thia, Io’s sister and the god at the other end of the plot to resurrect the extinct line of Furies’ descendants. The mystery grows as they travel through the Wastelands, and our heroines hear of a series of disappearances of other-born siblings connected to the murders in Alante. All clues lead to the Golden City of Nanzy and the fate Io was prophesized by The Nine. Meanwhile, Io and Edie continue to grapple with the issue of choice, destiny and their fate thread. Io and Bianca will form new alliances, battle powerful adversaries and uncover a conspiracy that could change the world they live in.

I was excited to catch up with Io and Bianca on their dangerous adventure and the Duology’s dynamic conclusion. The world building expanded and kept my interest. But mostly, I was delighted to see how the characters faced the challenges set before them, how the various relationships resolved their conflicts and of course how Io would face her fate and triumph. I highly, recommend Hearts That Cut to readers who would revel in a myth inspired dystopian world where kick-ass heroines aren’t afraid to fight for what is right.

Many thanks to the author @KikiHatzopoulou, @PenguinTeens and @NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. It was a pleasure!

I really enjoyed the first book and couldn’t wait to dive into the sequel/conclusion! That cliffhanger left me wanting more.

This book is told in the same way as the first. There is one point-of-view and it comes from Io. There are also some flashbacks throughout that help paint a picture of what happened during the Moonrest Riots and what Io’s fate is all about. How they did the flashbacks was really cool because they used some of the powers of the other-born to do it. I’m still fascinated with this world and the magic system that was created by this author. One of my favorite aspects of this duology.

I had hoped that the plot would be filled with action just like the first, but for me this one fell a little flat in that department. Don’t get me wrong, there were some intense moments but it just wasn’t as gripping and sometimes few and far between. There was a lot of traveling and minor things here and there to get to the main event, but the main event only lasted for the last 10% percent and it was very lackluster. The payoff just wasn’t there.

Another thing that I wasn’t too keen on was the romance between Io and Edei. I felt like things moved too slow between them and I didn’t feel the connection like I had in book one, even if it was small. I just didn’t care about their storyline together.

Overall, this was a decent conclusion. There was some questions answered, but I still wonder a lot of things. I do wish that the climatic ending would have really wowed, but it is what it is!

I was obsessed with the first book and I’m obsessed with this one. I love how this series mixes mystery with magic. I love the threads that connect people and that there are some that can see and cut them. There were some many unexpected twists and turns that were expertly sprinkled throughout the story.

I’m very sad the duology is finished. I could read about this world and these characters again and again

Thank you again to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for providing me with this advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review!

I will be raving about this series for the foreseeable future because it’s a breath of fresh air! Recently, I’ve been craving something different and unique in fantasy, and this series delivered. With elements of Greek mythology, teenage angst, and thrilling quests.

Io, a descendant of the Greek Fates, uses the threads of Fate to track others as a private investigator. When wraiths wreak havoc on her city, Io must solve the mystery with her soulmate and estranged sister. The captivating plot, relatable character dealing with guilt and insecurities, and the superb humor, angst, and fantasy setting had me hooked.

The magic system, particularly the different threads, was my favorite part, and the ending was perfect. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking fresh YA fantasy, especially if you love Greek mythology!

The finale to the duology, a fate to break, a love to take, and the future of the world in her palms. Picking up where the first book left off this book follows Io as she tries to discover the god at the end of her golden thread. She is also dealing with the fact that her fate thread with Edei seems to be fraying. The more she digs into the clues the more her world begins to upend. It doesn't help that she's beginning to realize that the fate of the world is on her shoulders. This book felt a bit lackluster to me, I was hoping it would pick up since it was ending and would ramp up on the excitement and journey but it really just felt "eh" to me. I honestly did not care for Edei or the romance at all, I really didn't care for Edei in the first book but in this one that hasn't changed much either. The story felt a bit long and honestly it felt like "not much happened but here we are" kind of journey. Sadly this duology felt like a miss to me but I had really high hopes and with such a fun premise and world it could have been amazing. It just felt like a miss to me but I do think that anyone who likes a unique fate-themed read should give it a go!

Release Date: June 18,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

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

There were so many things to like about this book. The world building was amazing. I have read many fantasy books and have never encountered a premise like this. A+ work by the author.

I think maybe this series would have been better served as a trilogy rather than a duology. There were times the pacing felt off during this book and the ending seemed a little rushed. I would have loved some more development of the relationship between Io and Edei and also between the Ora sisters. There were some gaps that just weren’t filled by the end of the story.

I hope the author considers writing more book set in this world. Maybe we will get to follow Ava and Bianca!

Overall, I enjoyed this but definitely felt something was missing.

4.5 - I will be raving about this series for the foreseeable future, because what a breath of fresh air!! I have recently read a lot of new fantasy or sci fi series have similar plots/worlds/magic systems, which I enjoy, but I have been craving something different and unique. I LOVED this series and the characters. With aspects of Greek mythology and the greek heritage of the characters, the Fates, the threads of fate, the gods, and the different quests, it felt very reminiscent of my Percy Jackson, Greek mythology obsessed youth. Although this series was very different from PJ, I loved the teenage angst, the quests that the groups of characters went on, and how badass Io was.

Io is a descendant of the Greek Fates, living with her sister and assigned to solve the mysterious havoc that wraiths are wracking on their city. Io has the ability to use the threads of Fate to track others and is a private investigator. When she is pulled into solving the newest mystery in her city, she is forced to work with her soulmate and sisters, both whom she has a tentative relationship with. I LOVED the mystery in this book, trying to figure out who had set the wraiths on the city. I loved Io's character, as some dealing with the guilt and insecurities of being left by her older sister and not knowing whether her soulmate likes her. The humor was great, the angst was great, and the fantasy setting was SUPERB.

In Hearts That Cut, Io has been betrayed by the people closest to her, separated from her soulmate, and forced to venture out on her own to solve the issue with the wraiths. She is battling the gods and goddesses, her threads are slowing unraveling, and she is unsure about who to trust and keep close. This book had actually the same vibes of Threads That Bind: a crime/mystery, tied in with fantasy and Greek mythology. I loved the way that the author created such a vivid world, building on the locations from the first book and expanding out as Io continued throughout her investigation. I loved the little pieces of interactions and relationship building between Io and Edei, although this book was mainly focused on solving the crimes and Io finding her place in this world.

I was SO EXCITED to jump into this sequel because of the anticipation of finding out what would happen with Io’s fate thread!! I loved learning more about the different clues hidden on the front cover, and seeing Io open herself up more to the important people in her life. I felt like we were watching Io grow up throughout this book and mature significantly. By far my favorite part of this series was the magic system and learning about the different threads!! And the ending was perfect.

AND THE QUOTES!! I found myself underlining so many key lines. It felt so reflective of my youth and time as a teenager, trying to find a place for myself in the world, dealing with betrayals and trust issues. I cannot recommend this book enough for anyone looking for something fresh and new on the YA fantasy front, and especially if you enjoyed Percy Jackson or greek mythology, I think you would love this!!

Thank you again to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for providing me with this advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group, Penguin Young Readers, Razorbill, and Kika Hatzopoulou for the opportunity to read Hearts That Cut in exchange for an honest review.

Hearts That Cut is the thrilling sequel and final installment to the Threads That Bind duology. While the author is certain that this is the end to Io's story, there is certainly room to write more in this world. Maybe Hatzopoulou will change her mind?

In this highly-anticipated conclusion to the duology, the book starts off and reads like an adventure quest for about the first half. Told in third-person limited, the reader follows Io and wraith + former mob boss Bianca in a quest to find the goddesses and stop Io's prophecy from coming true. She is the one said to cut the thread of the world and bring ruin to all. Surely the goddesses out to end her before she can end the world will reconsider?

When Io and Bianca run into some former acquaintances and friends, they soon have a mystery on their hands. Between the betrayal of Io's sisters, the looming prophecy, and her much-loved fate thread linking her to Edei, Io has quite the task ahead of her.

Steeped in monsters from Greek mythology as well as the various other-born (those with special abilities) who have the powers of the Gods, this novel has mysteries and thrills around every corner. There is excitement and alure for the reader as we get to see the powers of the other-born being used and just what those powers implicate in the grand scheme of the world.

While I am sad to see the end of Io's story, the adventure and thrill of following her along the way has been its own enjoyable adventure. A brilliantly written novel with just the right end, this duology is for lovers of Greek mythology and strong female characters with high stakes. And a small dash of fated romance😉 .

I loved the story of the first book and could not wait to delve into this sequel. Hatzopoulou, thank you for creating this world!

The mystery and turns that this novel kept me on my toes as Io navigated this rich world of mythology and magic. I loved the premise of sibling-based magic in the first novel, and the new mythological powers that we learn about in Hearts that Cut added to the complex setting of Io's environment.

As a diehard romantic, I loved Io and Edei's sweet, slow burn relationship. I do wish, however, that the sister relationship was settled in some sort of way. I do agree with other reviews that I would have loved an epilogue to close off the story in my mind.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via in exchange for an honest review.

I think this is a good story. I do feel like this if I could’ve been more than what it was this could’ve been a multi series story that really could’ve expanded upon the world more. I do think it still was a good ending. I just think that in the middle there’s so much left up in the air that we could see more happen I would still recommend the series to people because I do think it’s still a very entertaining, and I love the world that this author created