I thought this book was a little too odd in ways I struggle to describe. The plot is perfectly normal and actually quite interesting, but the writing feels extremely distant like you are experiencing the story from a window of an apartment building across the street. I never quite felt like I understood Io or got in her head.

That said, the ideas are cool and the adventure was a fun one. I read this but wish I was more engaged when I did.

Pub Date: 05/30/23
CW: murder, death

I AM FUCKIN SCREAMING OMG THIS BOOK YALL I SWEAR.

I literally screamed when the email came through. This has been a major want to read since I found the book through booktok and I AM SO GLAD I got the chance to read this early. Thank you NetGalley and Razorbill for this amazing chance.

This concept was TOP NOTCH.

The execution? TOP NOTCH.

Soul-fuckin-mates? TOP NOTCH.

the cover is so absolutely gorgeous too it’s one of the things that immediately caught my eye.

Io and Edei are fantastic little creatures and I’m so glad I was able to meet them and know their story. I NEED BOOK TWO IMMEDIATELY. THAT ENDING?! I NEED MORE.

4.5 ⭐️

Let me tell you, I about screamed when I was approved for this ARC! I was SO excited to give this a try, and it did not disappoint.

“Threads That Bind” is an urban fantasy, with a magic system that is infused with Ancient Greek mythology. Those who are descended from the gods exhibit unique powers, and are looked down in a society that hates them. This story weaves a post-apocalyptic society with Greek fantasy and a super unique magic system.

Io is descended from the Fates, and wields the ability of a “cutter,” someone who is able to cut the threads that bind someone to what they love, including their own life. She uses her ability to solve small mysteries and help those in her community for a price, and is then tasked to team up with her fated love to solve a series of murders around her city.

This was very incredible! I just have to gush about the world-building really quick… the concept of a Greek mythological magic system was absolutely genius, and I found the magic system to be incredibly solid. The world was so vivid! Each group in the city was fleshed out, and the actual city (and its history) felt so real. I’m so impressed with how everything fit together and was thought out. Besides that, the writing of the city and its settings was just plain beautiful. I felt like I could vividly picture every description the author gave.

Another highlight for me: the relationship between Io and Edei. What an interesting concept to have them have a fate-thread. The romance and growing crush that Io had on Edei was so believable because of this, and I actually found their relationship to be so cute. It made a lot of sense to me, and I love how even though they were fated, it was still so incredibly organic.

Some other things I loved were the mystery aspect of this story, as well as the characters. The author did a phenomenal job with this story telling, and I genuinely want to reread this to see all of the details or hints that I missed on my first read.

All in all, I adored this, and am so excited for the next book in the series. If you enjoy YA mysteries, urban fantasies, or mythological-based stories, put this one on your list!

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group Young Readers/Razorbill for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions!

This feels like a book that learned all the interesting lessons from Crescent City but put it in a YA context, and heavily borrowed from Greek mythology to fill out the world building. It's a noir, but combines the gritty darkness of the underworld with the neon colored magic and levity of being a teen.

Io is a moiraborn private investigator, which means she can see the threads of fate that tie people to things and other people. She can also cut them. She has a soulmate, but has been avoiding him for the last year. Unfortunately, they have to team up to solve a series of murders in their neighborhood.

As a mythology lover, I super enjoyed the deep dive into the lesser known elements of Greek Myth (Fates, Furies, Muses, Phobos, Morpheus, etc.), but where the book fell down for me was the secret keeping. The big reveal of the horrible thing Io had done turned out to not actually be that bad, and the heel turn of a particular set of characters at the end left me confused. However, I was quite charmed by the world building and the magic system, and will definitely end up picking up book 2.

3.75/5 stars

I understand that this is an ARC but the formatting made it so difficult to read! It was really hard to enjoy what the story head to offer because the formatting was off.

First off, thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an e-ARC of this book. I always enjoy retellings which add unique twists in order to enhance the story and make it their own. And Threads that Bind truly excelled in doing this! I loved the premise of the story, where Io goes to solve a series of murders with her fate-thread. Not only were the magical abilities of the characters so unique and fun to explore, but I loved reading about Io and Edei’s relationship. I always love slow burn romance, because it makes their feelings for each other so much more genuine (Yes, they were SO SO CUTE!)

Of course, this review would be incomplete without giving praise to the amazing world-building done by the author! I never grow tired about reading how the system works, and I love how the author reveals a new aspect of the world gradually. And the way that Io grows her powers and strength at the end?! She is unstoppable, and I loved how not only her abilities grew, but so does her confidence. I do admit, although the story had a good, fast pace at the beginning, the middle dragged quite a bit. However, other than that, a really recommended read for those who enjoy Greek mythology, YA romance and mystery!

I had a fun time with this book. I love Greek mythology retellings so I was really intrigued by the synopsis of this book, and it's safe to say that I was not disappointed. The unique setting and magic system was my favorite thing about the book. Since it was a fantasy book, I was pretty confused in the beginning but after a chapter or so everything comes together well enough that you become completely immersed in the setting. I liked the different sister dynamics showcased in the book and the complexities of your relationship with your family. The characters were well-written, and Bianca and Edie were among my favorites. I really liked the soulmate trope, and the romance was adorable. Since the book is also a mystery/thriller, it keeps you hooked and intrigued pretty much throughout.
The only issue I had was with the pacing, like I said the mystery themes keep you interested but after 60-70% I started to get slightly bored and kept wondering when the book would end. All in all, this was a good read.

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

What a debut! Action packed, wonderful world building and great characters! I really enjoyed the mythology, politics, underground gangs, and apocalyptic city! But can I also add how unique this one is?! It's hard now to find a YA that jives with me. I cannot wait for more from this author!

I just want to thank Netgalley for allowing me to read this wonderful book!

Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou is very difficult to explain. I have tried with the people around me, but all I got were very confused looks. It might have been my fault for raving about this book to people with minimal Greek knowledge, but this book will be an amazing journey for any Percy Jackson fans out there!

This book is set far into the future of Earth where the blood of ancient gods are still present in certain families, but only manifests in families with multiple children. We follow a family descended from the Greek Fates. While all three sisters can see life threads, our main character, Io, is the youngest and has the ability to cut the threads. This causes society to distrust her and led her to a life as a private investigator, where she actually be of service.

In one of her investigations she comes across a woman trying to kill others, and while trying to stop her she notices that this woman's life thread is severed while she's still very much moving and talking about exacting justice on her victims. Io resolves to get to the bottom of this investigation, but gets paired with the right hand of the local mob boss in order to do so - and this boy just happens to be her fate thread. The question is, will they be able to find out who's behind the women with the severed life threads before chaos between classes erupt?

This was such a fun book to read! I absolutely loved it. The world was well set up, and I loved that descendants from multiple different cultures' gods were included. I can't wait to follow this story and find out more about the world and what's out there. I really hope our scope expands with the next installation! (PSA - this ends on a rather abrupt cliffhanger, so be prepared for that!)

A must read for fans of Greek mythology! I absolutely loved this book. It’s fast paced and felt unlike any other YA Greek mythology stories I’ve read recently. The magic and powers the characters possessed felt unique and interesting. I loved the concept of the moria-born being descended from the goddesses of Fate. Io the main character is able to see and cut the fate threads within the Quilt.

In the city women are being abducted and their life-threads are being maimed and they are being turned into wraiths. Io is tasked with trying to solve a string of brutal murders by the wraiths and who is mastermind behind the attacks. She has to team up with her fate-thread, The boy she is destined to love. I absolutely adored the interactions between Io and Edei. It was a beautiful slow burn romance and I’m hoping in the 2nd, and 3rd installments we will get to see more. I do appreciate how the romance never feels forced and doesn’t overshadow the main plot.

I loved the combination of Greek mythology, murder mystery, and YA romance. The story never felt slow and the author did a great job with the plot. Even if you aren’t very familiar with Greek mythology and the gods and goddesses the author includes descriptions and explanations. It’s helpful without bogging down the story and feeling like a giant info dump if you are familiar with Greek mythology, The ending wraps up nicely but does still leave some new unanswered questions that prepare us for the future sequels.

Overall I think this is a great YA story and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Wow! I was so surprised by this book, and it has to be one of the top books I've read this year!

What I liked:
* The MAGIC! It was totally unique, and I loved learning all about the different types of people and what magic they could wield.
* The world building was engaging and interesting! The author had an amazing way of describing the universe that Io was just trying to survive in. I wanted more & more!
* I just LOVED Io. She carries around a rare magic that make her seen as dangerous & deadly. She was so strong and by the end of the book had grown into herself. Io no longer cowed to those around her but stood straight and didn't apologize for who she was.
* Io & Edei were ADORABLE! There was some cringe, adolescent internal monologue of Io's but it was only a few times.

What I didn't like:
* There was a small section in the middle that was slooooow. Patience pays off though for an explosive ending.
* (view spoiler)

Content warning: violence, murder, psychological influences, body possession

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Fair warning to readers that this novel ends on a bit of a pause that leaves this open to a sequel. Some threads are resolved, but many other questions are left unanswered. I think Hatzopoulou does a great job of blending Greek mythology into a post-apocalyptical dystopian world. The mystery is interesting, the plot reveals were good, and overall I was cheering Io and Edei on. How Io and her sisters (as the Fates) could see and interact with the life threads of people around them was clever.

The concept and the characters were really good, I felt the pace dragged a little bit, but overall this is a solid YA I can hand to teens who have moved on from Percy Jackson and are looking for more books featuring kids of Geek Gods/Goddesses in modern world settings.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, and Razorbill in exchange for an honest review.

thanks to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

⭐️=3.75 | 😘=2.5 | 🤬=2 | ⚔️=4.5 | 14+

Threads That Bind follows Io, a girl descended from the Fates, giving her the power to see fate threads and cut people off from the things they love––or save them. there’s a string of murders happening and she has to solve the mystery with her soulmate (except he doesn’t know he’s her soulmate) and there’s gangs and family drama and stuff!!

my favorite thing about this was the world building! super creative and different from any other Greek mythology-inspired book I’ve read, and there were a lot of cool side characters.

that’s kind of the problem, though. I wanted to see more of the side characters than the main character; like, Io had a lot of drama with her sisters, but I was almost more invested in her sisters’ side of the story than hers?? however, this was engaging and fun and there were some really great twists. I’ll definitely read book two for the twists and the side characters alone. if we’re lucky, Io will get a personality trait or two by then.

I absolutely loved this book! Honestly I don’t even know what to compare it to, but it did give me Crescent City vibes. It was a reading experience unlike any I’ve had before. If you would like to see a Fate (the Greek Mythology kind) try to solve a series of murders while her life as she knows it unravels around her in a Venice-esque setting then this book is for you!

I’d categorize this book as urban fantasy meets dystopian world, with a unique magic system and mythology I can’t wait to learn more about in the next book. I love a series that doesn’t spell everything out for you right off the bat and makes you work for it. The characters have interesting and complex relationships. And I especially enjoyed the sister relationship between the three fates.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving this ARC, and this doesn’t influence my review.
Tropes: Greek myth fantasy, detective/conspiracy, slow burn romance, girl falls first, fated mates
The book had a little bit of info-dumping, but great sweet romance and plot.

Thanks so much to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC copy of this book!

I have scheduled promotional posts around release day for this book and I will provide a full review on my Instagram once I am able to get to this read.

Rating 5 stars on Netgalley as a placeholder for me to update later once the review is complete.

Will also complete a review on Goodreads once read.

Thanks again!

This title wasn't something I could get into, so I won't be finishing it. I really hope that others enjoy it.

4.5 Stars

THERE BETTER BE A SEQUEL TO THIS BOOK BECAUSE I NEED MORE. This book was inventive and intriguing and kept me turning the page throughout the whole story which is not an easy feat. This book had everything from greek mythology to murder to potential love. I think this is a book that everyone needs to add to their tbr's immediately. Granted, the characters drove me insane a little bit and I got confused with some of the terminology along the way, but overall this story was compelling and fascinating.

I know I will have to wait for a potential sequel, but the wait is going to be painfully slow and I need to know where this story is going to go next. Why did Ava leave with Thais? Are the old gods really not dead? I can't wait to find out.

Big thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I really loved this! Every aspect of it was engaging to me--I loved the characters (some of them, but they were all compelling!), the setting, the powers, the LORE?!!?!??! The world in this book was so unbelievably cool. It felt like it went so deep but this story barely scratched the surface of it and I'm desperate for more information!

The powers and the magic system were so INTERESTING, and I loved that it included more than just Greek mythology. I loved that it included other cultures and mythologies and I definitely would have EATEN this up as a teenager. I ate it up now, as an adult, but the concept of there being so many different varieties of other-born abilities appeals directly to me and my overactive tween brain. I'm imagining myself painstakingly choosing what kind of ability I would have.

I really liked Io and Edei as a main pair, and the supporting cast was also so good! Rosa! Nico! Amos! So good. Angels.

I absolutely need more from this world and I'm on my knees praying that I get it! Highly recommend this one!!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars, rounded up

I really enjoyed this book! I was immediately hooked, and the magic system was introduced in a very satisfying way. I particularly enjoyed how the atmosphere was so vividly described. The mystery at the heart of it was captivating and unpredictable.

Threads That Bind is a unique fantasy story primarily based on Greek mythology. We follow Io, a private detective and descendent of the Fates, who is hired to investigate a series of murders. The story takes place in a fantasy world, namely the semi-submerged city of Alante, but it has a definite urban fantasy feel.

The magic system is unique and well defined - certain people are descended from gods and goddesses of Greek mythology (and other mythologies) and are imbued with an ability corresponding to that god or goddess. The characters were distinct and imperfect. There is also a touch of insta-love, although it arises due to fairly unique circumstances (at least as far as I’ve seen).

Io herself is a cutter - she can cut a person’s threads, severing (for example) their love for a particular person, place or thing, or their life. In society, her ability is feared, even among the other-born. Throughout the story, Io questions the ethical aspects of her ability.

I haven’t seen any confirmation of this, but I hope that this is the start of a series. Whilst elements of the story do get some resolution, there are some loose threads (pun intended) that I hope we explore in a subsequent book.

This story also has vibes of a criminal underworld, political manoeuvring, and family drama. It touches on themes of inequality, oppression and corruption, and has casual representation of LGBTQIA+ (including nonbinary characters) and mental health.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.