Many thanks to Penguin Young Readers Group/Razorbill, the author, and NetGalley, for providing me the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: June 18, 2024

3.5 STARS*

The plot of Hearts That Cut largely deals with the fallout from the end of the first book, Threads That Bind. Yet the author managed to reset the board by once again giving us something of a mythology-infused noir mystery investigation.

I love the new duo of Eo and the salty ex-crime boss Bianca. Other favorite parts also included the personal drama: Eo’s conflict with her sisters and the fated bond between Eo and Edda.

I appreciated the organic feeling character development of Eo. She continues dealing with some of the same struggles she had in the first book but responds to them a little differently—with a shifted perspective as she gains new experiences.

CONS: *I struggled with boredom throughout this book because the plot largely hinged on the mythology and lore. (To clarify, the first book also made lore and mythology central pieces of the story but more heavily showcased the interpersonal relationships and city politics.) Also, there was a lot of repetition of themes and internal conflict thoughts.

I would totally recommend this book to those who loved the first book and/or those who are fascinated with Greek mythology. Kika Hatzopoulou is a solid writer that I will be following in the future.

I have many, many apologies to make to my NetGalley list. Reading and reviewing new releases is one of my favorite parts of having this blog, and yet I've been extremely behind in doing my homework. We'll be making up for that in the next month or two, starting with one of the books I've most been looking forward to this year, Hearts that Cut. (Thanks so much to NetGalley for the early gift copy!)

Kika Hatzoupoulou's Threads that Bind was one of my favorite fantasy-mystery reads in 2023. The story follows Io, the third daughter in a family descended from the Fates, who uses her powers to aid her job as a PI. The book has a fascinating and immersive world and a fascinating plot, and it ends on quite the cliffhanger. Hearts that Cut picks up where the prior story left off, with Io and an ally tracing a golden thread that may lead to a God. Along their path, they encounter more mysterious wraiths - shells of those descended from Gods - and a bevy of natural disasters. Io's world expands beyond the pseudo-Greek city of Alanthe - and so do the stakes of her story.

An expanding world with personal stakes

When we first met Io and her sisters, they were based in the city of Alanthe, focused on the day-to-day of private investigations in the underworld. Io used her view of life-threads in the Quilt to trace people and change their lives on a regular basis, primarily by cutting their connection with potentially unhealthy attachments. While Threads that Bind primarily focused on Greek gods, other characters from other cities hinted at a world beyond Alanthe, with different religions and power sets to explore.

In Hearts that Cut, we finally get to explore that broader world. Our protagonists start outside Alanthe as they follow a golden thread, hoping it will lead them to what seems to be the instigating God. As they explore the broader world, Io and Bianca realize that Godsborn siblings have started to disappear. If that weren't enough, their path seems plagued by natural disasters. Hatzoupoulou does a lot to expand both the world and the stakes this time around.

In some ways, this works well. Certainly we get to explore more settings, learn more about what makes wraiths tick. And Hatzoupoulou goes deeper into many of her mythologies than similar writers and magic systems. Yet at the end of my read, I found myself slightly disappointed that the world hadn't expanded farther. Threads that Bind promised expansive and extensive sets of mythologies all co-existing. Hearts that Cut delivered a fascinating magical dystopia, but one just slightly bigger than before.

Instead of expanding the world, then, Hatzoupoulou tries to scale the stakes. Where previously Io was investigating the intrigue of a city-state, she's now tracing the actions of cross-border Gods. Io's choices impact cities and cultures we haven't yet explored, across both time and space. But ultimately, it's the time and magic-related elements that feel more impactful. Hatzoupoulou's writing shines in smaller-scale, interpersonal interactions and relationships, and it's these elements that land best throughout the story. The scale may be epic, but Io's lens is almost always centered on those she knows and loves. This approach keeps her grounded - but also creates a bit of tonal whiplash given the attempted scale of the story.

Mystery pacing, with an adventurous landing

Threads that Bind was a mystery with a layer of adventure to it. Hearts that Cut wants to move on to more adventurous terrain, but its pacing often feels very mystery-like. Like many a mystery series, the story emphasizes Io's existing relationships, without many impactful new ones. Io consistently picks up clues that lead her towards those she loves. Not only that, she and Bianca are driven primarily by people, with external discoveries feeling almost secondary.

The result is an adventure that's paced like a mystery. As an avid mystery fan, I should be thrilled... But there are some structural differences between the genres that lead to some pacing issues here. Specifically, mysteries thrive on the twist and the payoff. They don't necessarily keep clues hidden - that's not fair play - but a great mystery takes unraveling and thinking. The climax is based on the cleverness of the detective, with any action serving as confirmatory of intelligence rather than mettle.

But Hearts that Cut wants its Big Action Scenes, with Io choosing to take on the Gods themselves. And because of the mystery-like structure, that choice comes almost suddenly, with revelations flying fast and furious right at the end of the novel. For some, it may reflect how quickly Io can think on her feet; for me, it felt a little like tonal whiplash, without the lovely suspense and anticipation that can come from a great showdown. (I'm doing my best to avoid spoilers in this section!)

Reader’s notes and rating (⭐️⭐️⭐️✨)

Hearts that Cut ultimately did a lot of what I was hoping for - it expanded the world and the magic system, and it ended on a bang. I'm certainly inclined to keep reading and am absolutely curious about what happens next. Yet I wish the story knew a bit more certainly what it wanted to be - and I hope future installments will fulfill the promise of a more diverse and expansive world. (To be clear, I will absolutely read those!) Three and a half stars.

Read this if...

You loved the characters and the world from Threads that Bind

You're ok with some genre-shifting

You're in the mood for action and skulduggery

Skip this if...

You're hoping for a dramatic expansion in the diversity of the world

You're looking for pure action or pure mystery

Hearts that Cut was published on June 18, 2024.

*This will meet "published in a Year of the Dragon" for my 52 Book Club challenge this year.

After really liking book one, and that cliffhanger, I just knew I had to dive into book two immediately, and I'm really glad I did because this was yet another banger of a book. This book just pulled me in immediately, and I was sucked in until the very end. It was just a really engaging read, and I had a blast reading it.
I just love the cast of characters. The book started of with the group split up a little, and I did like that part as well but I just completely loved it once the gang got back together again. The cast of side characters just brings this book to live so well. Io is also just an incredible main character. Her journey throughout this book is so good. She goes to a lot of growth, and I adore how her private investigator past keeps getting brought into this. She's just really good at putting these clues together, seeing connections even when other people don't. I just really like it.
I also liked the romance a bit more in this book than I did in book one. To be fair, I do still think it was a bit underdeveloped. However, they just have so many adorable moments together in this book, and I totally found myself rooting for their happiness together. They just fit together so well. Overall, I just wish there was more of them in their developement as they just deserve it.
Plot wise I really liked this one. Just like book one it feels very mystery like. It just works incredibly well, and I do quite like the mystery in this one. I definitely didn't put one and one together as well as I did book one, and was therefore 100% shocked when the reveal came. Overall, I just though this took the story in such an interesting direction, and I LOVE how it wrapped up the story as well. It is a bit open ended, but I kind of like it like that. It feels realistic.

I really thought that this duology wrapped up nicely. There were some drawn out parts in the middle that led to a bit of a rushed feeling at the end. But to pack all that Hatzopoulou did into only two books - I thoroughly enjoyed this whole reading experience.

i'm not sure why but i didn't enjoy this as much as the first book. it's hard for me to grasp the plot, and the conflict felt confusing. overall it's just okay.

4.5 stars rounded up.

The Threads the Bind duology concludes in the Hearts that Cut and it is such a FUN duology. While it is marketed as YA, it follows a private detective with the ability to see (and cut) the threads that bind us to everything we love from our favorite food to our favorite people. The second book does expand and become much more apocalyptic than I was expecting given the smaller murder-mystery style of the first book, but I was just along for the ride. I loved seeing all the people with powers derived from deities from pretty much any mythology you can think of, and the race to solve what a rebel group was doing while the clock was counting down was just such a thrill ride I think more people need to get on.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for providing a review copy via NetGalley.

This was even better than Threads that Bind. The second part of this duology was fast paced and exciting and perfectly expanded the world from the first part of the duo logy. Absolutely excellent!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Hearts That Cut was just as good as its predecessor, Thread That Bind, This duology is such a clever twist on "urban" Greek Mythology and I really enjoyed it. The writing was super high quality, the characters were strong, the world fascinating, and the plot kept me engaged from page one.

I love the concept of the gods being gone but remnants of their powers still existing in their descendants, the Otherborn. It was such a cool way to incorporate the Greek Mythology without it being the same old story or having the gods themselves as main characters. And the cast themselves was super interesting - straddling the line between human issues (jealousy, belonging, romance, grief, etc.) and those of the gods (ethics of powers, a higher calling, abuse of power, etc.). It all blended together so well and Hatzopoulou carries the plot of book 1 into book 2 perfectly while still maintaining a unique story of its own - it was a really great balance that felt like a continuation but also a unique experience, and by the end I felt like I had a complete story.

I even enjoyed the main character more in this one - she didn't feel as whiny or naive, we saw real growth. Now was she still sometimes an annoying young adult? Sure, which fit - but she also had a lot of really great, and hard won, character growth that I really enjoyed.

It was obvious to me that Hatzopoulou had a very clear vision and the skill to execute it, making for an excellent story. This is a very strong YA duology that I highly recommend and I would love to return to this world!

dare i say this was even better than the first book????? after finishing the first one, i had to get my hands on this immediately and i cannot believe i got the arc!!!! this was so fast paced and really lent itself to exploring more of the characters’ motives as well as the world. i highly recommend

This duology has been utterly unique and easily one of the best written debuts I've seen in recent years. This is a really thoughtful and mindful YA that actually captures nuance and works with the teen realization that the world is not cut in swaths of black and white answers. Mature but swift prose also lends a crossover appeal to the New/Emerging Adult audiences that aren't ready to move entirely into Adult fiction yet. The themes also resonate with a growing generation aware of climate issues while providing hope against the popular nihilism on the matter.

Fantastic sequel to a fantastic debut.

"Hearts That Cut" by Kika Hatzopoulou is a poignant and evocative novel that delves into the intricacies of love and personal transformation. With its lyrical prose and deeply relatable characters, the book weaves a rich tapestry of emotion and insight. Hatzopoulou's masterful storytelling creates a memorable and impactful reading experience.

Thank you to the publisher, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Razorbill, for this eCopy to review. All thoughts are my own.

5/5 stars!

I absolutely LOVED the direction this sequel took! It felt like nonstop action/movement while not being so fast paced as to be confusing, and we got a lot of insight into the character's emotions and mindsets as the story progressed. The use of the manipulation of time by the Gods/Goddesses was such a cool element and I was SHOCKED to realize that their entire world/the storyline was stuck in an endless loop "to prevent the apocalypse from progressing", when in reality it was mostly for the Gods/Goddesses to stay in the power that they had found for themselves. There was just enough humor to keep it lighthearted at times, and it felt like the characters really stayed true to themselves while also growing throughout the story and navigating their setbacks. It's a safe bet that I will read EVERYTHING that Kika publishes.

3 stars

I like what Kika was trying to do with this story, but the execution is a bit lacking for me. The book describes that there were so many natural disasters that happened, but we are just told that. I feel like the world here is so interesting in theory, but in practice the writing didn't help immerse me into it. Hearts that Cut had so much dialogue and not enough things actually happening. All that being said, I liked the ending. The conclusion makes sense, but I felt book 1 had more heart (haha) to it.

Kika is not only an amazing author, but an amazing person. She can write, and also make her readers feel absolutely amazing about themselves all in one setting. This book takes your heart and sucker punches it. Will read it multiple times no doubt.

Hearts that cut is a fabulous follow up to threads that bind. When we pick up with Io where last book ends, the stakes had been raised and she forced to deal with the consequences of her sisters actions.
While it does start slow, I did appreciate being eased in to what was happening and reminded of all I needed to know. Because when the plot started by god did it start, the second half was longer but the pace picks up SO FAST. It’s a good sequel and if you enjoyed the first one why would t you read the next one?!?!? It’s just as good!!!
Minor spoiler but……..I personally enjoyed that the soul mate plot took a back seat to Io’s relationship with her sisters. It made sense for both the plot and for her as a character.

Such a great sequel!! I was really impressed by this book. At the start, I kept forgetting plot points from the first book, but I was still really into the story and quickly remembered as I read.

I felt this book did a great job of continuing the story from the first book, and wrapped up everything really well.

I would definitely recommend this book!!

I thoroughly enjoyed Hearts That Cut. Io takes us on a wild adventure through treacherous territories, complete with monsters, love and self discovery. I love the world that Hatzopoulou created so much, it's unique and different. She weaved a beautiful tale of gods, threads and humanity.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for providing me with an eARC of Hearts That Cut in exchange for my honest review!

While I didn't enjoy this sequel as much as I wanted to, it's still an engaging read that benefits from the complex worldbuilding. This was an aspect of the previous book, too, and it made it easy to feel like this landscape was real and fleshed-out. We get more of this in Hearts That Cut, although it doesn't pop out as freshly because we'd already dived into it once before. When it comes to the characters, they don't compel me as much as they had in Threads That Bind, which feels odd. I do like following Io and Edei's dynamic, though. And with all of that, I'm giving Hearts That Cut three out of five stars. I'll keep an eye out for more of Kika Hatzopoulou's work.

Thanks to Razorbill for gifted access via NetGalley. All opinions below are my own.

Io has been on her mission to take down a god to no avail. She is determined to cut the thread holding the life of the god on the other end. Meanwhile she still questions her thread of fate to Edei, do they actually like one another or are they just puppets of the gods? 

There's lots of action in this one. It's definitely a more plot driven story than a character driven one. I enjoyed the ride and the ending was really satisfying.

As part of my honest review, I must admit that I read this arc a few months back, forgot that I did so, and attempt to read it again because I simply did not remember any plot points of this book until checking on Goodreads that I did indeed complete this book.

I adored the first book in this series. So much so that I read it in one sitting before leaving for the airport in 4 or so hours. The romantic conflict introduced had me gripped the entire way. I did not find it so in this sequel. In fact, I hardly even remember the love interest being present much this time around, as our main character is facing new enemies and he was on his own side-quest for much of the book? I think this disconnect was why I felt less engaged this time around, as I spent more time trying to figure out how these new enemies played a bigger role to the first book.

Character development is my favorite part in the story as you get to watch your hero take another step in life, and this book was the same. Our heroine fought through her childhood traumas and learned to love and be loved as a result of it.