“One soul, three bodies”

That’s the main theme of this book. Yes, it has a great setting and intricate plot. Yes, it is based in Greek mythology. And, yes, it has descendants of minor gods as both its main character as well as supporting characters. Its heart, however, is based on sisterhood and all its love and complications. To quote Dominic Torreto, “It’s about family.”

Threads that Bind is set in the city of Alante, a nice play on Atlantis. Alante is a city that is basically surrounded by water, not quite Waterworld levels of water but enough so that buildings in Atlante’s lower income areas are described as rotting and buildings in the more affluent neighborhoods are built on hills. In the former mentioned part of the city, known as the Silts, Io Ora lives with her older sister Ava and the memories and emotions of her eldest sister Thais. The sisters lived together orphaned after their parents’ untimely passing. That is until 2 years before the opening of the novel when Thais seemingly deserts her family. This leaves a gap in the sisterhood, because as mentioned before, “One soul, three bodies.” Now, Io and Ava have to fill the gap of their absent older sister. This gap proves to be larger than either sister is emotionally able to handle.

The setting and world building of this novel is a mythological retelling done the correct way. It builds on knowledge of the already known and reinvents some aspects of Greek mythology to make it more interesting. One way this is accomplished is the world as a whole and the city of Atlante itself. However, the most creative aspect of this retelling is in the characters, the “other-born.” The “other-born” are the descendants of minor gods from various mythologies and various cultures. There are Slavic, African, and Middle Eastern “other-born” representations as well as Greek representation. There were descendants based on Chernobog, the Dioscuri, Hypnos, etc. The Ora sisters are also “other-born.” They are the descendants of the Moirai, the sisters of fate, with Thais being the weaver, Ava the drawer, and Io the cutter.

The fact that the sisters are moira-born serve to move the main theme and plot of the book forward. To say their relationship is strained is putting it mildly. They each had their strong positive aspects, but they all also had personality traits and characteristics that needed work in order for each of them to be better people. I loved all three of them for different reasons. I especially appreciated Io as a main character. She is only nineteen, and even though she has been through a lot, she is ultimately still a child that had to grow up too soon. Throughout this book, she has to grow up even more in order to become the woman she is meant to be.

This novel was quickly paced. In the beginning of the novel, this did not serve the story well as I felt I couldn’t really get to know the world and Io well enough before we dove into the action. It settled down and everything melded together by the end of the first third of the book though. I am not sure if the pace was also to blame, but in the beginning I didn’t enjoy the introduction of Edei and the fated thread. It felt over the top and thrown in. But, again after the first third of the novel, Edei and Io’s relationship began to grow on me. Edei is a great addition to Io’s world, and they became each other’s missing piece. It almost fell into the “instalove” trope, but it’s hard to argue that fate is instant.

I am fully anticipating the sequel, learning more about the world, and seeing both Io and Edei continue to develop.

Also, Thais is a bitch, and I love to love it.

4.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group/Penguin Young Readers Group for providing me an advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This review will be published to my Instagram on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.

https://www.instagram.com/spellsbooksandkrystals/

I must say #TheThreadsThatBind is a fantastic book! It's one of those books that I wish I could have put all of my responsibilities on hold and just hunkered down to read uninterrupted until it was finished. Unfortunately I couldn't do that and so it took me longer to finish. I know it is a great book because most of the time I wasn't reading I was thinking about the book, waiting for a chance to read about the other born. Other Born are those with powers descended from the Gods that have died. Io is a cutter. She can see people's threads that bind them to the things they care about in life. She has the power to cut those threads. The Nine Muses the most powerful and revered of the Other Born have told of a prophecy involving Io. She will cut a thread and the world will burn.
Thank you #Netgalley for allowing me to read #TheThreadsThatBind in return for an honest review.

I really liked this book!
I don’t think it’s perfect, there are some foundation issues I had, but the story was enough to make up for that.
To start, I loved Io and Edei. I look forward to seeing how their relationship develops in the next book.
Bianca was an intriguing character as well. She was fascinating.
But this book does read young. I have no idea how old Io is and at the start, she read almost middle grade. But slowly the writing matured as the story progresses.
I loved the mix of mythology, even if I don’t know it well.
I can’t wait for the next book!

This one was very unique! Right away with the conversations of pulling life threads, I thought of Kaikeyi, so I think fans of that one will definitely enjoy this one.

A great start to this duology!
The incorporation of myth with parallels to issues faced in our society was well done. You will find mystery, magic, romance, and more in this book!

The descendants of the Greek Fates are inverting the earth. They are born in threes; one to weave, one to draw, and one to cut the threads of people. Ora, one of the sisters, uses her fate as a private investigator in the half-sunken city of Alante. Someone is abducting women and cutting their threads, so Ora sets out the task to find the murderer.

Half mythological history, half murder mystery, this book weaves its way into your mind. It’s a fantasy adventure that I live for in my YA fantasies. There’s lot of world building so the plot can be slow at times, but the characters are what made it for me. Head strong Ora and the fact that it’s not just a typical story on the Greeks. It’s almost a Sci-fi world reimagined with people of power and gangs of different types blending into the cast.

If you’re looking for something different that just holds your attention and makes you re-crave YA fantasy with that mystery aspect.. than look no further!

Wow, wow, wow! Hands down the best book I read in May and one of my favorites of the year!
I loved the dystopian atmospheric setting - you can practically feel the dampness of the drowned city - and the new interpretation of ancient myths and legends. I had been worried, if I was over Ancient Gods Retellings - but after reading this book, I´m OBSESSED!
I loved the characters and the sister dynamic, it´s so unique and I can`t wait to see what the next book in the series will bring.
Also - I love Edei, he´s such a cinnamon roll, and nothing better happen to him. lol

When I asked for the ARC, I was not expecting to be accepted. I was therefore delighted when I received an e-mail telling me that my request got approved.

Everybody is raving about this book, so I thought it would also be my case. But here I am, rating it 2 stars.

The cover is beautiful and the blurb very convincing. The plot is very unique. That’s why I started this book expecting a compelling story but ended up feeling bitterly disappointed.
I felt like I was slogging my way through it. I couldn’t care less about the characters and the story.

If found this novel to be confusing.
While English is not my mother tongue, I have now read more than 200 books in this language and thought that I could now read pretty much everything. It turns out I was wrong. This book made me question my ability to understand English. I was struggling to understand what was going on. I would be unable to summarize this book.

I tried so hard not to DNF this book and I failed abysmally.

Such a wonderful debut! The plot was wonderfully done and I really loved the characters. I was nervous about how the soulmates aspect would be handled, but I think it was done really well. Definitely very, very excited for the sequel!

This is a YA fantasy with Greek mythology set in a modern/apocalyptic world. It is book 1 in a duology.

Synopsis:
Io is of the Fates Descendants: one to weave, one to draw, and one to cut the threads of life and things people love. When women are mysteriously getting murdered, Io begrudgingly must team up with her fated mate to find out what is going on.

I’m sold on all books with Greek mythology and especially love the Fates and the threads of life. This has a modern twist that I wasn’t expecting. I thought it would be set in the past, but it is as if you mashed an apocalyptic setting with Ancient Greek/ Egyptian mythology and it works! The fated mate was my favorite part and only is just beginning in this book. It leaves off at a cliffhanger and sets up for the second book nicely. I hope there is even more mythology to come.

Thank you Penguin Teen for the ARC! 🖤

This was one of my most anticipated releases for this year. A new book based on greek mythology? Say less. That being said, I feel like this was a bit of a let down.

I think the world building was done a bit poorly. It felt like the first time something was explained, it was almost half-assed and then later on it would be re-explained but with more context. Like the idea of Io being able to cut, but then we find out later on she has to sacrifice one of her own threads to cut. Also the concept of the threads. I was so confused and felt like it was poorly explained in the beginning. I don’t know, I just think that every time I felt I started to understand the world, new context was added that made me confused and lost all over again.

I honestly really struggled with this book up until the like 75% mark. It just felt very slow and I think that’s because the entire time I was playing catch up with the world. I just couldn’t submerge myself in this book because it took me forever to understand the concept. That being said, once I got to that point, I couldn’t stop reading. I can see where they were setting up for the next book to start and i’ll definitely be picking it up to hopefully finish the story. If this turns into a trilogy though, i’m not sure if i’d finish it.

I think the concept of the other-borns were really cool and the implementation of the greek gods to the story was great and so unique. It’s definitely the most unique concept i’ve seen of a fantasy book based on greek mythology. I liked the spin on soulmates and how it’s not common. I also loved Io and Edeis relationship and Io grappling with the fact she knew he was her fate but he didn’t know she was.

Honestly at the end though, I was kind of confused. Maybe it’s because I was confused by the world building, but I just wasn’t sure what the motivations were for the overall plot twist and reveal. I also just wasn’t a fan of either sister, but Io is definitely an unreliable narrator. Overall, I did enjoy this enough and I rated it as a 3.5 and am rounding it up to a 4 for Netgalley. I am excited to see what happens in the next one, and I hope that it is just a duology and not more than that.

"...she cuts the thread
and the world ends."
🧵
THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD! I know I keep saying that about all my recent reads but I do pick the best ones to devour and they all are phenomenal!
Imagine if Veronica Mars and Greek mythology were combined, it would be this book! Okay it's not exactly that, but definitely has Mars vibes and sleuthing around the city with your fate does seem like something Veronica would do.
I'm not doing the book justice by describing it only with that analogy, it was everything I wanted from a modern world with mythical creatures and I will not shut about it.
If the edit looks like it was done in paint, in my defense I was editing it at 4am, so I tried to salvage it by making a video edit, and it's not too bad, scroll to admire my smartphone skills(pats myself on the head)
🧵
"There is violence in
kindness, and kindness in violence." Well that quote made me disassociate and stare into the nothingness and realise I don't know if I'm getting it, but I know it to be true on some level.
🧵
"whenever three children were birthed in their
family line, they inherited their powers. Sisters, brothers,
people outside the gender binary, it didn’t matter—only the
number remained unchanged: always three."
It's urban fantasy with some romance and mystery, and a lot of mythology woven into it(see what I did there?)
And that ending! Gods I can not wait to hear about sequel and get more information about it 😻
Also, look how gorgeous the cover art is!

Fresh take on the Greek mythology! Definitely my favorite part of the book is learning about all their powers and how they play a part in the world! A great added layer is the main character is a detective! The romance was a subplot that need feel like it was fully need. Overall it was enjoyable and I would read a second one!

Threads that Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou is the first book in a new YA duology centered on Greek mythology. Io is the youngest Ora sister, a trio of three girls descended from the Fates. With the power to see and cut threads of fate, Io works as a private investigator. Tasked with finding the source of deadly wraiths threatening Alante - murdered girls who's life thread has been cut - Io has no choice but to work with Edei Rhuna, the boy she's bound to as a soul mate. When Io's estranged older sister gets tangled up in the mess her past comes back to haunt her. Can Io and Edei stop the looking destruction heading their way?

This novel was one of my most anticipated of the year! I fell in love with the cover and description way back when and I was eagerly awaiting this ever since! I do have to say that every expectation I had was met and exceeded with this book and I cannot wait for the second one!

I think all of us Percy Jackson kids eat up anything that's mythology based but sometimes that can get bland. Not this novel! I thought the premise of it and how the Gods' powers came into play was super unique! I really enjoyed learning about the world in this book and the mythology at hand.

I think the dynamics between the characters in this novel were interesting to read about, especially when you have characters with hidden agendas and secrets! And of course, I loved the relationship between our two leading characters, Io and Edei. The tension between the two because of the thread was great to read about!

I'd recommend Threads That Bind to any lovers of YA fantasy or Greek mythology in general. This is sure to be a unique favorite!

Thank you to Penguin Teen for a copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions contained within this review are my own.

such an exciting fantasy novel which takes inspiration from greek mythology but manages to combine it with a super vibrant urban setting that makes it feel very modern. there is so much potential in this world and magic system, i can't wait to discover more! the characters were definitely the strongest part, with all of them immediately feeling like three-dimensional people, effortless banter and some lovely queerness (which is treated so casually, this is why we have fantasy!! so we can normalize queer people!!). i loved the romance side plot and i can't wait to see what it'll grow into. the worldbuilding tended to get a bit info-dumpy and the plotline was a little all over the place, but since the main character was kind of reaching into the dark for the whole book, i have faith it will get better in the sequel.

since the characters read a bit older and it can get pretty brutal, i'd definitely recommend it to people who don't usually read YA!

Threads That Bind provides a refreshing take on stories about the descendants of Greek gods. Rather than the Olympians, the book makes lesser-known gods like the Fates the focus of the story. With its dark, gritty atmosphere and complicated mystery, Hatzopoulou weaves a fantasy noir that will keep readers turning the pages as fast as they can. My interest never weaned because the story is successfully helmed by a rounded protagonist, who has done questionable things, but still tries to protect those around her. The romance had just enough tension to keep me wanting more but not overshadow the central story. The ending left me excited for the next book. I cannot wait to find out what happens next.

What a thrilling read!

I saw the cover and immediately fell in love with this character, so it was a surprise when I started reading and wanted to spend more time with these characters! This is a super fast-paced read and the beginning started off on a really high note and maintained it's quality until the final page. The fate thread and Greek mythology was woven in well and I loved the mystery element. Our mc is fierce and spunky, and I loved rooting for her!

Thanks so much to netgalley and the publishers for an e-arc! I can't wait for my physical copy to arrive!

In the Threads That Bind,We follow private investigator and other-bor, the magically capable sibling descendants of sibling gods, Io Ora. Io is a moriaborn cutter, desended from the Greek fates with the power to cut threads of connection, including ending a persons life. Io finds herself involved with solving string of murders and the mysterious changing of several regular women into Wraiths, and tasked with getting to the bottom of it by the mob queen of silts, the flooded and more crime prone part of the city of Alante, with using her ability to see the weave, the threads of connection that connect everyone to life and the people and things they love, to find the culprit and bring them to the mob queens justice.

I absolutely devoured this book and had a fantastic time with it. The world building was new unique and something that I have honestly been searching for in urban fantasy. I really loved the the way the magic is developed and explained throughout the story along with the fact that Hatzopoulou included not only Greek Gods but gods from other cultures which really helped flesh out the world and truly helped establish that Alante isn’t the only city in this world but people live and exist outside of the central Greek gods. I loved Io’s growing confidence and understanding of how her relationships with these other characters especially her relationships sister has effected how she behaves and interacts with the world. The budding romance between Io and Edei, Io’s fate thread and second to the mob queen, their connect feels very genuine and you get a sense that while they are drawn together by their fate thread that Io is truly falling for Edei with or without that presence of fate. I super impressed and loved this debut and can’t wait to read the sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Threads That Bind promised gods, mobsters, and murder with a nice dose of sisterhood and angsty, fated soulmates. This book more than delivered. A unique blend of Greek mythology reimagining and gritty procedural urban fantasy, this book creates a vivid and mesmerizing world that reels you in from page one.

I loved every minute of this book, and highly recommend it to anyone looking for an inventive read that will tantalize your senses, pull at your heart strings, and mess with your head a little.

Fast-paced, nail-biting action coupled with a high stakes murder mystery of mythic proportions, Threads That Bind is a refreshingly satisfying and unique YA gem. If you like Alexandra Bracken's books, you'll fall in love with Kika Hatzopoulou's writing.

Thank you to Penguin Group, Razorbill, and Netgalley  for a complimentary copy of this ebook. I am leaving a voluntary review. All thoughts and ideas expressed are my own.

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

Io and her sisters are other-born, descendants of the Greek gods, and the fates specifically. They come in a trio, and Io is the one that can cut people's threads which makes her even more disliked in the city. Despite facing a lifetime of discrimination - Io has carved a life for herself as a PI in the city tracking down cheating spouses and using her gift to see if they're truly in love.

She's happy. Until women start getting murder in the streets and the culprits lack any thread connections - meaning they should be dead themselves. She's forced to investigate it by the mob queen herself, alongside Edei - her fated mate that she's tried her best to avoid for all these years.

Why would someone avoid their fated mate? Io always wonders how much the fates meddle in her life - and she wants the choice to happen naturally. Io has never seeked him out & wants to leave the choice to him - and as a fate cutter herself, she's uniquely able to accomplish it. This is such a refreshing take on consent with this trope and I loved seeing how it played out.

I truly loved learning about all the characters of this book and seeing how the powers of the Greek gods were used in the modern world! The world building was so fleshed out - you could easily see this as modern day Athens. Threads that Bind is a beautiful blend of political intrigue, betrayal, descendents of Greek gods and fated love.

rep// side wlw, Egyptian-coded love interest

cw// animal death, xenophobia, genocide, violence, murder, body horror, death, blood, confinement, transphobia, loss of a parent, toxic relationships, gaslighting

Thank you to the publisher for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.