Threads That Bind is a spectacular YA Fantasy inspired by Greek Mythology!

Greek Mythology has been extremely popular for many years now and I have read my fair share of books inspired by it. I was concerned that this book wouldn't add anything new to the ever growing genre. I was absolutely thrilled to descover that Threads That Bind is unique and so beautifully written.
I really liked most of the characters and the romance was exceptionally well done. The pacing was perfect, which lead to me becoming captivated by the story. Overall, I think that anyone who loves mythology or YA Fantasy in general will adore this book!

This is a wonderful Greek mythology inspired YA fantasy story!

The book is set in a world where the Greek gods have vanished but their descendants remain. One of these descendants is our MC, Io, who is descended from the Fates and, like them, she can see and cut the threads of fate that connect people.

The story starts as Io gets caught up in the investigation around a string of murders committed by women with altered life threads. Unable to walk away, Io joins forces with a mob gang to try and solve the murders and stop the killings. One person in particular she works with is Edei, who Io realises is the person she is destined to fall in love with as she can see they are joined by a fate thread. I enjoyed Io's moral battle over whether to tell him and whether to cut the thread that binds them together. I felt like this is something that really compliments Edei and Io as characters as they both have very strong moral compasses and senses of loyalty, even when it works against their relationship with each other. Although on Io's part the romance was very insta-love, I hope we see more of Edei and Io's relationship in book 2.

Io also has two sisters (so there are three of them like the three Fates in Greek mythology) and one of the major themes of the book is the relationships Io has with her sisters. The way emotional abuse was explored really worked with the rest of the story and the way Io thinks about violence and kindness.

rep: multiple sapphic side characters, bi side character, non-binary side character
tropes: found family, fated love, chosen one

Thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I truly enjoyed this book, I have always been obsessed with ancient history, the Romans, the Greeks and the Egyptians and their mythologies so this book really appealed to me and it did not let me down. It’s got great pace with twists and turns and great referencing the mythology. Ended on a nice cliffhanger meaning I’m already counting down until the next book and seeing lo become even more aware of how awesome she is!

Thank you so much to the publisher for the opportunity to read the ARC, I really enjoyed this. It was a sweeping adventure full of rich mythology, suspense and romance. I really hope there’s a sequel because there’s a massive feeling that this is just beginning.

Thankyou the Netgalley and Penguin Random House UK Children's, Penguin for a free e-arc in exchange of an honest review!

I loved this!
-Great characters
-Interesting magic system and world building
-Murder mystery element that kept me guess all along
-Fated mates trope which i love
-Funny loveable side characters
-Setting and back drop that kinda reminded me of a greek Gotham City with all the gangs and territories and the silts area being run down.
-Extreme Weather element really interesting.

easy 5 star!

I loved the unique magic system of this story.
But I found I was struggling to engage with the story as much as I wanted to. I wanted a quicker resolution for the murders / finding out the source of the wraiths (maybe I'm just impatient).
Also found all the many varieties of gods/powers a bit much for me to take in.
But written really well, and I would more. Maybe I'll reread at some point for more clarity.

"Threads That Bind" is a great book that merges Greek mythology with the modern world in a fun and entertaining way. With its unique concept, action-packed plot, and well-constructed world, this book offers a memorable reading experience. While it may start off a bit slow, the story quickly gains momentum, making it a worthwhile read for fans of mythology-infused tales.

Io Ora is a descendant from the gods of the Fates. Living amongst mortals, Io is able to see the threads of people around her, from the things that are important to them,, connections they have with others, and their life force itself. As the youngest of three siblings, she also has the power to cut a thread when needed. Due to her ability to see these shining bright threads, Io makes her living by sleuthing for people who need answers, either in their relationships or worried parents. On one of her cases, she comes across an almost impossible murder, with the murderers life thread cut and being used as a weapon, Io finds herself suddenly thrust into the midst of the most notorious and dangerous Rossi mob of Alante, to help solve this new mystery. And if that's not enough, she's partnered up with Edei Rhyna, the mysterious boy who just so happens to be her fate-thread. Forced together to help solve this murder and protect the citizens of Alante, Io has to decide once and for all whether to cut or embrace the thread that binds them together.

Io is the youngest daughter descended from the Fates, she has the power to pull up 'the Quilt' and see other people's threads, and cut them when necessary, but only by risking one of her own in the process. She's fierce, strong-minded and so so witty. She's so authentic and real, it's hard not to love her and her tenacity to overcome every fear and anxiety she faces. Being teamed up with Edei her destined fate brings about some new challenges and hard truths for Io, after holding on to the thread for years, and never quite being able to work up the courage enough to finally cut the tie binding them together. I loved seeing her standing up for herself more, and fighting for what's right instead of what's easy. As the story progresses you can see her shedding her old timid and non-confrontational self, to becoming this formidable young woman who not only stands up for herself in the face of some truly powerful and intimidating people, but also working through her suffocating anxieties and panic, it was beautifully empowering to witness. Io fights for what's right in a world corrupt with power, and intent on keeping other borns in line.

Edei and Io bounce off each other so well, but are such complete opposites, their banter is delightful and so entertaining. Edei is second in command to notorious mob boss Bianca Rossi, he's calm and collected in the face of every danger, and is endearingly charming, an sweet natured cinnamon roll with a highly dangerous job. Whereas Io walks the world with a more cautious and sceptical attitude, preferring to work alone, she's had to find her own way in life, always trailing in her sister Thais's footsteps. Io covets her independence and hides her anxieties and fears under a mask of sarcasm and agitation. I absolutely adored Edei and Io's relationship, seeing them interact with each other was so beautiful, their banter is giddying and compelling. They are just so radiant when they're in each other's company, they truly shine and it was just so wholesome to see that with all they've faced.

Ava was another character that really stood out to me, I adored her. She's the second born daughter and a drawer, meaning she can weaken or shorten a person's thread at will. She's chaotic, light-hearted and playful. Ava is just so entertaining, she's like a whirlwind, you never quite know what she'll say or do next. However, as the middle child, she's often stuck between Thais and Io's bickering, forever trying to keep the peace between them all, she's observant and shrewd, and always knows more than what she lets on, but she's just a sweet angel who loves to sing, dance and make-up games to bring some levity to any situation.

Threads That Bind is just a super imaginative, intriguing and refreshingly unique story, that merges a thrilling murder mystery with Greek Mythology (and I'm a sucker for Greek Mythology). It's packed full of twists and turns that are so well done it adds even more intensity to the stakes already set out. The characters are so tangible and realistic, they're strong, and complex but stick to their convictions which was really refreshing to see. The interactions between them flow so well, and you get absolutely lost and immersed in the world and the story. Overall it's just beautifully and vividly written, with an intricately built world, rich with Greek Mythology lore, mystery, and beautifully real and heart-warming relationships. Breath-takingly immersive and stunningly crafted, and that ending?!?!? I'm going to sit and pretend I'm patiently awaiting the sequel....

This book is an amazing mix of classical myths of the gods of many cultures, all wrapped up together in a post-apocalyptic setting where having inherited god-like powers is both a boon and curse.

The story follows Io, the youngest of three Sisters who were descended from the Greek Fates, who can see the threads of people and cut them when their time comes. She is a young private detective who is pulled into a highly dangerous game of cat and mouse that leads from her home in the Silts and leads up to the higher and wealthy hills of the upper class.

This book has a good pace to it, plus it doesn't just dump all the relevant information in one go. You do not feel lost or left out, you are pulled into the world and find yourself living the fast-paced mystery. Can Io solve it before everything goes to hell? You will just need to read to find out.

Hatzopoulou has done a fantastic job with this book. The world building was so interesting and gripped me from the start. I love anything with Greek myths involved and I loved the characters and how the progressed. I am super excited for the next one!

Threads That Binds by Kika Hatzopoulou

#Greekmythology #Mystery #YoungAdult #fiction #THREADSTHATBIND #THREADSTHATBINDREADALONG
@KIKAHATZOPOULOU @HouseofYA @TandemCollectiveuk @TandemCollective

A big thank you to Tandem and Peguin for this copy of the threads are bind by Kika Hatzopoulou.


Day 1 : I am so excited to take part in this read along what a way to start your birthday right with a new book.

Day 1 Question :
If could see the threads of fate like lo I think I would be love it but I also think it would have a massive demand in ones self. I would also be extremely nervous about when these threads got cut especially depending on the meaning of them.

How about you what would you like to see?


@katielouisepage @lisa_ann_rowe @chapmanschaptersandpage
s
@rebeccadeereads @read_into_temptation @ellereadsbookslike
@shannonandherbooks @cjrtbbooks @thehauntedlibrary
@katrinaslibrary @lulabelle04 @officialhijabireader_
@genevieve.reads @readingwithgee_ @anismidnightlibrary
@buildawallofbooks @heatherpai_ge @dalisbookclub
@the.librarymouse @pre4booksntravels @spookybookylonnie
@titlesandtreats @littlemissreader @niamh3y
@clems.library @rachelsreadings @sophi3saur
@silkybookloverfun @jackiesreadingcorner @tiffanysbookshelves

Reveiw

I really enjoy this book and the writing flowed really well.
Io is a fantastic lead and I found her character very intriguing especially been a moria and seeing these threads of fate.
The World-Building is fantastic and I could picturing everything in my head. The mystery also had me on my toes as I needed to know who or what was doing this . I found learning about these linkages to be quite fascinating. Lifelines are fragile and prone to breaking at any time. They are dead once snapped. They have a greater probability of dying as it becomes thinner. The healthier the glow, the brighter it is.Watch Io, the youngest of the three Fates-born sisters, as she looks into a string of murders that keep happening right outside her door.The mystery steadily reveals itself, full of surprising plot turns and novel notions that leave you in disbelief as the route you thought you were being led in suddenly shifts. This narrative had me entertained the entire time. All the characters had me intruiged and I wanted to get to know them more.

E-0

Secrets Biancia a keres born
Made wraiths
Biancia knows Io seen her dreams throughout the Quilt
Graphicy details scene
Rosa
Biancia Fall
Revelation now Edie don't have a gf

Never read anything like it. What a cool premise. Everyone has a thread leading to everything and everyone they love.

Loved the characters grappling with fate and what the right thing to do is. Morally grey MC with lots of guilt. I thought this was a stand-alone but after finishing it, I presume it isn’t and I can’t wait to read the next one.

I got a little confused right at the end but that’s on me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I was fully prepared for another Greek mythology retelling with a fantasy slant here, but Hatzopoulou has done something much more interesting. Her world building is impressive and I really enjoyed the particular slants on the mythology and the magical system she creates. While I did see the twist at the end coming somewhat, it was well done and I'd definitely like to read the rest of the series.

A young girl with magical gifts finds herself mixed up with organised crime and a murder investigation.

Io is one of three sisters who is descended from the Fates, and lives in the city of Alante, a confusing and crime-ridden world in which other-born people with these magical gifts are treated as second class citizens. Io's gift means she can see threads, silver life lines connecting people together and she can manipulate and 'cut' these ties as needs be. Her eldest sister has disappeared, and she finds herself employed by the local mob to investigate a series of brutal murders. What makes things more complicated is she teamed up with Edei, who works for the mob and who Io has known for years is linked to her by a love thread which suggests they may be each other's romantic destiny. They delve deep into the criminal underworld of Alante, encountering shady characters and magical factions to try and understand a wider conspiracy that has led to this series of murders of young women, which now seems to involve both the tyrannical mob boss Bianca who has employed them, and also her sister Thaisis,, who returns after two years now as the fiancee of the rich and powerful political candidate Saint-Yves.

The hugely creative, elaborate world-building & convoluted crime plot are very much for the perseverant reader here, the world created is so interesting and multi-faceted but at times maybe a bit overwritten and hard to keep up with and comprehend. The characters are excellent and the murky crime plot avoids cliches and usual tropes, wih the genre of the book hard to classify - seemingly part fantasy, sci-fi, crime noir, mafia thriller and romance. The potential love story here is probably the least interesting thing going on and the flashbacks to another era, which is the main focus of the skulduggery going on can feel frustrating for the reader at times, but overall this is a really good read, and set for a follow up.

I’ve had my eyes on Threads that Bind for a few months now after hearing about its premise, and I’m so happy I have now read it.

The world and magic system that Hatzopoulou has come up with are incredibly fascinating and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about both. The characters were also very interesting and although it sometimes felt a bit disjointed for some, all in all, I really liked most of them.

The ending definitely grabbed my attention and I’m really excited for the sequel, to see what awaits Io. I do have some expectations for this next instalment considering the information we were handed in the last 30 pages of Threads that Bind so I really hope they will be met.

This fantasy had a lot going for it, a brilliant world, interesting history and great characters.

I did struggle with the info dump at the beginning which did bring this novel down in my opinion but still really enjoyable and I loved the interaction between characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC of 'Threads That Bind' by Kika Hatzopoulou.

'Threads That Bind' is a fascinating book rooted in beautiful writing by Hatzopoulou. I will be honest, I probably need to read it a couple more times to fully remember and get the gist of the story but it was a beautiful tale. Politics, Greek Myths and multiple more different parts of this story just MAKE this story perfect. But this isn't a standalone so I'm excited to see where it goes.

This was one of my fastest reads. The beginning was really easy to get into. The World-Building was perfect. I enjoyed picturing everything in my head. The mystery had me HOOKED.

Learning about these threads were so interesting to me. Threads are life-lines and can snap at any moment. Once snapped they're dead. The thinner it gets the more of a chance they'll die. The brighter the glow, the healthier.

Threads can be attached to others, to places, to objects, to ideas. Average thread count was 15. What happens when they start finding people with only one thread...only thought to be impossible so how can this be?

Our main character lo has two other sisters who are known as Descendants of Fates. lo had the power to cut these threads. You have the two most important threads; the life thread... and then the fate thread. Edei is on the other side of her fate thread but he is with someone else. What happens when they start working together? What happens when she doesn't want to cut her own fate thread?

Biggest Plot Twist at the end!!!

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!

A fun story with some interesting concepts. I like how it mixed Greek mythology with the modern world. Having people descended from figures in myths is hardly new, but this had a fun twist on it. It's got plenty of action though a good bit of the plot is predictable. I'd read from the author again.