Name: britt's review of Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou
Item: Threads That Bind
Rating: 3
Author: britt

Kika Hatzopoulou

“Dripping with atmosphere and edged with danger, Threads That Bind weaves together a gorgeous dark tapestry of mystery, fated romance, and modern myth. You won’t be able to put this one down.” —Alexandra Bracken, New York Times bestselling author of Lore In a world where the children of the gods inherit their powers, a descendant of the Greek Fates must solve a series of impossible murders to save her sisters, her soulmate, and her city, for fans of Song of Achilles. Descendants of the Fates are always born in threes: one to weave, one to draw, and one to cut the threads that connect people to the things they love and to life itself. The Ora sisters are no exception. Io, the youngest, uses her Fate-born abilities as a private investigator in the half-sunken city of Alante. But her latest job leads her to a horrific discovery: somebody is abducting women, maiming their life-threads, and setting the resulting wraiths loose in the city to kill. To find the culprit, she must work alongside Edei Rhuna, the right hand of the infamous Mob Queen—and the boy with whom she shares a rare fate-thread linking them as soul mates before they’ve even met. The investigation turns personal when Io's estranged oldest sister shows up on the arm of her best suspect. Amid unveiled secrets from her past and her growing feelings for Edei, Io must follow clues through the city’s darkest corners and unearth a conspiracy that involves some of the city’s most powerful players before destruction comes to her own doorstep.

Threads That Bind

In a world where the children of the gods inherit their powers, a descendant of the Greek Fates must solve a series of impossible murders to save her sisters, her soulmate, and her city. Descendants of the Fates are always born in threes: one to weave, one to draw, and one to cut the threads that connect people to the things they love and to life itself. The Ora sisters are no exception. Io, the youngest, uses her Fate-born abilities as a private investigator in the half-sunken city of Alante. But her latest job leads her to a horrific discovery: somebody is abducting women, maiming their life-threads, and setting the resulting wraiths loose in the city to kill. To find the culprit, she must work alongside Edei Rhuna, the right hand of the infamous Mob Queen—and the boy with whom she shares a rare fate-thread linking them as soul mates before they’ve even met. The investigation turns personal when Io's estranged oldest sister shows up on the arm of her best suspect. Amid unveiled secrets from her past and her growing feelings for Edei, Io must follow clues through the city’s darkest corners and unearth a conspiracy that involves some of the city’s most powerful players—before destruction comes to her own doorstep.

Izaac Richards

What I can tell you, with absolute clarity, is this: if I had the choice, I would still choose you. We are a good team, you and I, and we could be so much more."

Oh, dont wallow, Thais would chastise during lo's moody preteen years. Go find what you don't like and change it. You know you can change it, right, litle idiot? Be better, make this world better:

Dozens of threads emerged from their bodies, IinkIng them to the many different places, things, and people they loved. One of the brightest threads connected the two figures together, pulsing vividly, the kind of luster that consumed everything. The singular brilliance of a love-thread, in Ava's moonstruck words.

Clever, clever boy. He noticed so much, said so little, cared so deeply.

This world was a game rigged to make them lose: look at them now, fate and death tangled in a web of threads, and neither of them in control.

Such was the language of sisters: a whole conversation carried in looks.

Their life had been hard, but whose wasn’t? And life could be hard and happy at the same time, couldn’t it?

Three bodies, one soul. When your sisters need you, you go. No questions asked.

“Discussing the future like it’s something concrete, like our fates are inescapable, theirs to decipher like pages in a worn, weathered book. Destiny robs us of choice, and I can’t live like that. I won’t.”

“Listen, I wanted to tell you earlier that, um. I think you’re right. About tolerating violence being a violence in itself.”

She really was a weirdo. She was Smitten, capital S, neon sign, symphonic orchestra playing in the background.

To assume they let it happen was to make them responsible for a system that was rotten long before they ever came along.

Gods, how she hated herself in moments like this, where fear was all she was. No reason, no strength, just mind-numbing, all-consuming fear.

“Listen,” he said, “if it’s any worth, I understand. There is violence in kindness, and kindness in violence.”

She and her lovely unknown were celestial objects orbiting ever closer, destined for an inevitable collision.

britt

** spoiler alert **
           this was deliciously fast paced and i love the magic system. however, i wish this book wasn’t ya and was actually able to really dig into something darker. something i really appreciated was the younger sibling rep. like the amount of shame io lived with because of her older sibling (unfortunately) really resonated with me. 

i was so excited that for once the love interest was poc but literally edei had no personality. like yes he’s a good person and loyal but i literally know nothing else. i was a thousand times more interested in nico as a character within like the first few pages that he talked in. also it was like whiplash every time i remembered this book was happening in LESS THAN A WEEK. like you’re telling me io and edei are progressing this much? and i don’t give a fuck about the fate thread, like if that’s the excuse, then it’s a lazy writing device. 

also thais was so obviously responsible. like idk if it was just too on the nose or i pieced it together easily but that bitch was so obviously the one behind it.

but i will be reading the next one lolz

I have had this on my TBR for months because of Sol and finally I got to it!! I squeezed it in right at the end of the year and it was a great book to end my year on. I've felt myself drifting away from enjoying YA as much now, probably because I'm not really in the target age bracket anymore, but this reminded me why I love YA fantasy. Greek mythology has always been something I enjoyed and this was a fresh take on it for me and I really loved how instead of focusing as much on the gods, it focused on other aspects of mythology, especially the Fates. The blend of fantasy, sci-fi, and an almost dystopian feel makes this book extremely complex and wordy and at times, it felt a bit info dump-y but not the to point where I was skimming anything. Io is a great main character and her and Edei both had me captivated throughout every part of the mystery that unfolded including the dead ends and red herrings. There were points where it got a bit trope-y for my liking, but again, I've strayed a bit from enjoying YA as much as I used to so that may just be personal taste. Overall, I loved this and I love reading books that my friends love so I'm glad I finally got to this one and I'm so excited for Hearts That Cut later this year!

This was pretty solid! The mystery was good, the worldbuilding took a little bit to wrap my head around, but once I got it, it was easier to follow. It was definitely different than what I was expecting, but it was still interesting!

Holly

How did all the Fury-born fight in the moonset riots? No kids, no elderly?

There seemed to be a lot of info-dumping through dialogue, in a way people don't speak.

Reread: felt cooler this time, somehow. I didn't have to focus so much on the plot, so I could pay more attention to the characterisation and narration.

I THOUGHT THIS WAS A STANDALONE😃

Cool concept.

How did all the Fury-born fight in the moonset riots? No kids, no elderly?

There seemed to be a lot of info-dumping through dialogue, in a way people don't speak.

Reread: felt cooler this time, somehow. I didn't have to focus so much on the plot, so I could pay more attention to the characterisation and narration.

I honestly don't know how I didn't realise this was going to be a series until I reached the end, but I'm honestly so glad there's more to come!

This book had such an interesting magic system: decendents of mythological deities and the ability to use their powers linked through their heritage! I found this such a refreshing and fascinating way to play with not only Greek myths, but there were Egyptian ones thrown in here too, all weaved together to create such a unique urban fantasy world.

Following Io, the youngest of the three Fates-born sisters, as she investigates a series of Murders appearing on her doorstep.

It sounds like there are a lot of genres at play within this book, and there are, but the author has so delicately written this novel so that nothing about it feels overwhelming. Each aspect of this world, its magic system, is described in stages, as and when you need to know about it, stopping it from being info-dumped on you all at once. The mystery slowly unfolds, with lots of plot twists and new theories that you are left shocked as the path you felt you were being carried towards rapidly changes direction. I loved how intriguing this story was, never leaving me bored and also not feeling like it was trying too hard to hold your attention!

Threads That Binds is a must read for anyone that loves mythologies told in a unique and fascinating way, supernatural mysteries that keep you on the edge of your seat and characters that constantly keep you surprised and interested by what they will do next!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Victoria Justice

I honestly don't know how I didn't realise this was going to be a series until I reached the end, but I'm honestly so glad there's more to come!

This book had such an interesting magic system: decendents of mythological deities and the ability to use their powers linked through their heritage! I found this such a refreshing and fascinating way to play with not only Greek myths, but there were Egyptian ones thrown in here too, all weaved together to create such a unique urban fantasy world.

Following Io, the youngest of the three Fates-born sisters, as she investigates a series of Murders appearing on her doorstep.

It sounds like there are a lot of genres at play within this book, and there are, but the author has so delicately written this novel so that nothing about it feels overwhelming. Each aspect of this world, its magic system, is described in stages, as and when you need to know about it, stopping it from being info-dumped on you all at once. The mystery slowly unfolds, with lots of plot twists and new theories that you are left shocked as the path you felt you were being carried towards rapidly changes direction. I loved how intriguing this story was, never leaving me bored and also not feeling like it was trying too hard to hold your attention!

Threads That Binds is a must read for anyone that loves mythologies told in a unique and fascinating way, supernatural mysteries that keep you on the edge of your seat and characters that constantly keep you surprised and interested by what they will do next!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is probably one of the best books I've read in ages and I love this book soo much.

The characters are all so loveable and don't appear one-dimensional, particularly Io whose internal struggle with the fate-thread was understandable as well as the struggle with the responsibility her power brings. 

Io's, Ava's, and Thais' dynamic as sisters was also well written. None of them are perfect, even Io who is the protagonist. 

Io's friendships with others were also fun to read, and the humour was never 'too much', but always the right amount.

The book moved at the best pace possible for the story, so it never got boring, but the book also never felt rushed. Even in moments were the pace slowed a bit, it just emphasised the mood of said moments, and didn't hinder the story.

I really love the world the story is set in. It's quite unique and the imagery is amazing. I love the idea of the different moons and the descriptions of their light, and also the powers some people possess. The worldbuilding was woven well into the story when new things came up, and it never felt like there was just a massive block to explain the world, but instead short, casual mentions were used which didn't interrupt the flow of the story. The ways in which the descendants' powers were expressed was also fun to read about and well thought-out like Io's Quilt. The mystery was also great with the wraiths. Clues were dropped, but they didn't reveal the entire mystery, but they also weren't too ominous to be unimportant.

After having read Threads That Bind, I'll really read anything Kika Hatzopoulou writes.

Sophia Wolf

This is probably one of the best books I've read in ages and I love this book soo much.

The characters are all so loveable and don't appear one-dimensional, particularly Io whose internal struggle with the fate-thread was understandable as well as the struggle with the responsibility her power brings. 

Io's, Ava's, and Thais' dynamic as sisters was also well written. None of them are perfect, even Io who is the protagonist. 

Io's friendships with others were also fun to read, and the humour was never 'too much', but always the right amount.

The book moved at the best pace possible for the story, so it never got boring, but the book also never felt rushed. Even in moments were the pace slowed a bit, it just emphasised the mood of said moments, and didn't hinder the story.

I really love the world the story is set in. It's quite unique and the imagery is amazing. I love the idea of the different moons and the descriptions of their light, and also the powers some people possess. The worldbuilding was woven well into the story when new things came up, and it never felt like there was just a massive block to explain the world, but instead short, casual mentions were used which didn't interrupt the flow of the story. The ways in which the descendants' powers were expressed was also fun to read about and well thought-out like Io's Quilt. The mystery was also great with the wraiths. Clues were dropped, but they didn't reveal the entire mystery, but they also weren't too ominous to be unimportant.

After having read Threads That Bind, I'll really read anything Kika Hatzopoulou writes.

wen &
Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou

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Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou