HEARTS THAT CUT is an action packed finale that sees Io take on the gods themselves, if she can work out who they are and what they want.

HEARTS THAT CUT is set in a different city to THREADS THAT BIND, one that's surviving the collapse of the world in its own way. It's a highly segmented city, the rich in a lovely utopia while the poor live in their refuse on houses that can float. There is also a chance to see some of the other places in the world on the trip there, really digging into the consequences of the collapse.

This allows the book to bring in some new powers, borrowing from other mythologies, as well as bringing back the main cast of THREADS THAT BIND. I liked the comparisons drawn between different mythologies as well as the highlighted differences giving rise to additional powers. It was a nice way to acknowledge these other ancient belief systems while keeping the Greek-influence front and centre.

The odds are really stacked against Io this book - she's racing after gods, after all! I liked that it comes down not to power but sacrifice. The demand of fate's power on her is such a nice balance between sacrifice and letting her continue onwards, albeit reduced. It lets the book explore the soul mate bound through the potential of its loss and whether Io and Edei will still feel the same without it, given how the loss of other threads affects her and others.

There is also lots of action leading up to the final showdown. The fury-born are able to really show off in this book, having been more shadowy in the last, quite literally flexing their muscles to pose formidable opponents and allies in the fight.

After that ending in Threads that Bind, this was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it exceeded my wildest expectation! I’m so glad I read Threads again before this new one, as while I remembered the general bulk of the story, there were so many more intricate details and plot lines that I’d completely forgotten about - and I got to read that insanely brilliant book again so it was always worth it!

Oh my word was this another stressful time! Bear in mind I read most of this whilst feeling nauseous on a boat which didn’t help the situation, but every scenario Io was getting herself into didn’t help either! I loved how all the threads of the story (lol) from the first book began to come together as we unravelled more about the gods and what had really been going on. The romance between Edei and Io was absolutely agonising, especially when they were apart for so much of the book, I could not cope!

I loved meeting more descendants and learning about their powers. It’s such a unique fascinating point of view of Greek mythology, and this series is absolutely not to be missed if you love young adult fantasy, mystery and romance all in one heart pounding package!

Here’s a sequel that will keep you hooked and fully invested in the story. We pick back up with Io and Bianca on their mission to follow the gold thread, and are treated to some fantastic world building, new characters, and a few more plot twists. There’s still plenty of danger, as you’d expect, but also budding friendship between this unlikely pair which is a little bittersweet. Io continues to be brave and determined, focused on her mission, and ready to take on the Gods - if she can find them. Her fate thread plays on her mind, as does the man at the other end of it and it makes you desperate to see these two get a happy ending. Io has difficult choices to make and it keeps the book tense and intriguing.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

I’ve spent quite a bit of time in this world that Kika Hatzopoulou has created these last few weeks since time and circumstances have not given me as much time to read as I’d usually have. I’m pointing this out with the intention of stating how glad I am that these were the books I chose to spend my time with, as I was absolutely riveted with this story and how I was always eager to dive back in even if it was (sadly) just for a few short pages or chapters,

This was a fantastic sequel and conclusion, it picked up seamlessly where the first book ended and carried on the story in an intense and intriguing way, building upon the plots that were set up in the first book. I liked the twists and turns and all the new characters we got to meet — and the somewhat new and reluctant friendships between existing ones! Io and Bianca’s relationship was certainly my favourite here, and I wish we got a bit more of the, towards the end as I do feel we got some unresolved things.

That unresolved feeling goes for a few things too, the ending was action packed, with strong and life changing decisions being made. The book ended with a small — but not underrated — moment of hope and disbelief but I felt it was a shame it ended as suddenly as it did, although I can understand why Hatzopoulou made this decision.

Additionally, while I liked the plot I think it was done better in the first book. I’ve been left a little confused as big things from the first were kind of pushed aside for bigger things once certain things were revealed and it’s kind of left me confused where certain things and people sit in the timeline. Sounds confusing? I know! But I’m trying to be vague,

All in all I did really enjoy this novel and the duology, and I can’t wait to see what the author has up her sleeve next.

3.5 stars rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley and Kika herself for the ARC for this book! Finally got to reading it just before the main publication.

Can I just say wow!! The book definitely started out slow for me, but as soon as the rhythm started I couldn't stop reading. This was an amazing sequel to Threads That Bind, which has solidified it's place as one of my favourite books (and now book series/duology). So well written, with the perfect amount of twists and turns that seriously got me shocked at times.

I absolutely love the world building in this universe, it's so descriptive and vivid, and the diversity from people to cultures to landscapes is a difficult feat to get across well within two books, but Kika has definitely done this amazingly and I loved being able to learn about everything existing within these books.

Io is one of my favourite main characters I've ever had the pleasure to read, she is not without human flaws but still remains strong and extremely likeable. I actually think all of the characters are very well written and complex in their own ways.

The romance aspect also kept me engaged throughout, I don't necessarily feel much when it comes to fictional romance but I was soooo invested in Edei and Io's relationship throughout.

I binged the majority of the book in one night because I just couldn't put it down seriously.

Such a creative idea executed in my opinion so well! I enjoyed this thoroughly and look forward to seeing any of Kika's future works.

Whilst I really enjoyed the first book, I think this definitely had second book syndrome. It was nice to have some conclusion to the duology, though.

This review is for Hearts That Cut by Kika Hatzopoulou which releases in the UK on the 20th June! Thanks so much to Netgalley and Penguin Random House UK for giving me an eArc copy for this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a sequel to the authors first novel ‘Threads That Bind’ which I read and loved back in June last year, so as soon as I saw this on Netgalley I knew I had to read it! This novel follows right on from the end of Threads That Bind following Io and Bianca travelling through the Wastelands, following a golden thread and trying to track down a god.

Again I love the unique magic system in this book, and the links to powers from different mythologies all over the world. It also feels very dystopian, especially when they are going through the Wastelands, as you get to see a bit more of the disasters that are rocking their world and how it’s affecting the people living there.

The world building was great, as we get to see more of the cities beyond Alante which was mostly featured in the last book. Each region felt so well written and explained, you get to see more of the society and each places rules and regulations. You also get to see such a broader range of characters as well, which was both a good and bad thing. Good as you get to meet more people, but bad cause I thought Io and Edei’s relationship go pushed back a little bit. I loved them together and wanted to see them a lot more.

It’s so fast paced throughout the whole book, as so much happens action happens and you’re kept on your toes the whole time wondering what’s coming next. Some of the twists and turns were a little predictable, but some surprised me and I couldn’t stop reading.

I would highly recommend this, especially any lovers of mythology and fantasy. It’s very much YA, but in such a good way as it focuses on the story and not the spice. I can’t wait to read what the author writes next!

2.5 stars - Hearts that cut is the sequel to threads that bind and it picked back up straight after the events of the first book. I was shocked to learn that this would be a duology and not a trilogy half way through.

Spoilers incoming.

The beginning of the book is extremely slow with Io and Bianca seemingly on a wild goose chase to find the god with the golden thread.

When Edei eventually joins the scene, the reunion is lacklustre and further burdened by a miscommunication trope (a hated trope of mine)

Ava and Thais finally rejoined the story at the 60% mark, but I found that Io was too quick to forgive Ava and Io and Thais relationship was still left fractured by the end of the story without much resolve.

We eventually found the gods at 77% and after this point I felt the story was very rushed and I’m still not sure if I understood the time loop and Ios connection to it.

Unfortunately as you see I didn’t get along with the second book but I kept reading until the end hoping for some answers. I found the first book quite complicated world building wise and hoped this one would be easier to understand, but if anything I found it more complicated with the added characters and events. I felt the pacing was too slow until around the 80% mark and the ending rushed. I loved the characters but just wanted more from the story.

i fell in love with cover and the premise did come across as refreshing...but the way this novel deals with the fated lovers (insta love) and the characterisation of the MC struck me as grating and very old school YA.

I did feel that this follow up book did not flow as well at the beginning but perhaps that was just because it was a second book in the series. The story takes some unexpected turns but ultimately was a very satisfying read.

2,5⭐️

the second book syndrome unfortunately, cus I absolutely loved the first book, it was my first five stars of the year, but this was just okey😭

the plot was really chaotic, a lot happened, but didn't feel like a lot was happening, the first 40% of the book felt like an introduction, then there was some action and real plot started about 85% in

the characters felt a little flat, basically it all focuses on Io, others motives and actions aren't explained well and there were just too many people that came for one scene, then left and were only mentioned

also romance was nice, but there wasn't enough of it, there were only a few scenes with Edei and I wanted sth more

it all went to totally different direction from what i could've expected after the spectacular ending of the first book and it didn't positively surprised me, for most of the book Io was pulling dora the explorer in the wastelands and then shit suddenly got real and in hasty ending they managed to somehow - I'm not really sure how - survive

this book felt longer than it is, the time it took me to read this book was longer than usual and i struggled to pick it up when I paused, still I will recommend first book to anyone

the cover slayed tho <3

Thank you Netgalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.

This book was amazing. I had read the first one as an arc and I am so grateful to have received the second one. I read it in a few days, because I was so excited to discover what happened to Io. There was no change in the existing characters but some new ones warmed my heart. I also loved the new powers added because it was the perfect addition to the already existing ones. As always the world building was magical and you got to discover more cities which allowed for another vibe than the first book that took place in one single city.
It is not a five stars read because I saw the end of the story coming but it still did plot wrap up nicely. Thank you to the author for this amazing time, a must read.

I enjoyed this!

Still processing the betrayal from her sisters, Io has since left Alante with Bianca to follow the golden thread, but unfortunately she’s not really getting anywhere.

If there’s one thing that Hatzopoulou does great, it’s world building. From imagining the threads in intricate detail, to the dreaded Guts, you really feel like you’re a part of their world.

This was a bit of a slow start for me, I did worry that it wouldn’t be as good as the first however it did pick up around 1/3 of the way in and the twists and turns kept me interested until the end, andI LOVED the Greek Mythology lore but also very much appreciated the delve into other mythologies, it made the plot just that bit more fascinating.

Edei!!! Nico!!! My loves!!!

My only other slight issue is that you are given a lot of information quite quickly. and there were parts I had to go back and re-read to ensure I was up to speed. I would also recommend reading the first book and then this one straight after rather than leaving a space of time between them, the second book carries on straight after the first and it’ll definitely help you remember the plot a lot easier!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

I'm always afraid that the sequel will not live up to the first book. Well this was not the case! Kika Hatzopoulou created interesting relationship dynamics, great plot twists, and a kept a perfect balance between romance and adventure.

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC copy.

As soon as I finished the first book, I put this straight on my tbr for the next instalment.
It did not disappoint.

My major problems with dualogys / trilogies is I normally need to read them straight after each other, or I tend to forget what's happened previously due to the time between each published book, not with this series. I remembered the basics from the first book and Hearts That Cut managed to remind me what had happened previously so I could happily carry on.

Mythology is my number one go to genre, with Greek mythology being my favourite. Kika Hatzopoulou has managed to take mythology and a mix of fantasy and make an amazing dualogy. It's not the typical powerful Gods that take main stage but descendants instead, which works great. Yes, there are Gods involved but not the overplayed main 11. I live the way some of the minor gods were brought into the storytelling.

The characters were all so well written with great twists involved. You actually feel for the MFC and just want to give the girl a hug. So many of the characters were loveable and the ones you were made to hate werr great.I will admit when I read the first book I did get confused with the plot sometimes but everything came to a head and made sense. I like the amount of romance in this book, too. I am not one for lovie dovey romance in books, but this was just right.

I think I read this faster than the first book as it was definitely more fast-paced.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what the next instalment from this author will be. Well done on a fantastic dualogy.

Sequel review so spoilers for book one, but not book two

Some weeks have passed since the events of book one, and Io is on the road with Bianca. Io is still processing the betrayal from her sisters, and Bianca is coming to terms with being a Wraith and both are unsure of what this means for their futures

But when they two come across a speight of disappearances that may be linked to the murders they dealt with before, they have to dig deeper

They could not have anticipated how deep the plot goes and just who is orchestrating the whole thing, and this will lead them to cross paths with enemies and allies, old and new.

Again, Io is faced with the question, how changeable is fate and how much power is in the Threads that Bind her to everyone she cares about....

Great conclusion to this duology, was hooked right through. Out in June so you've still time to read book one and preorder this for release

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for the review copy of this book, as always, all opinions my own regardless

As much as I loved the first book in the duology, this one was simply a disappointment. After reading the ending of "Threads that bind", I expected some world-shattering action from book 2, but that wasn't the case. The plottwists were underwhelming, and the plot was both chaotic and boring. I could not catch up to what was happening, and yet I feel like nothing happened at all. It kind of felt like the author wanted to write something grand, but didn't really have any ideas. I truly wanted to love this, but all it did, was put me into a reading slump.

This was eagerly awaited and whilst it was a slow start for me, in the end it did not disappoint. There were a few clues that helped predict how some things might end, but enough surprises to keep it interesting.

Io and Bianca are chasing after Io’s sisters Thais and Ava who are fleeing the travesty of the Muses, but it is a long, dangerous and rather grim existence and they are getting nowhere. Things brighten up when Edei and Nico arrive back in their lives and enough clues and contacts help move things along. Io still struggles with openingly talking to Edei about her feelings for him and still wonders if she should cut their fate thread. Edei is obviously in love with Io but doesn’t manage to give the the precise answers she is hoping for, so the awkwardness continues.

In the end, things come back to pure selfishness and power, with the few supposedly most powerful and the rich, desperate to maintain their lifestyles and ‘standing’ without caring about how many others suffer for it or to what extent. Whilst there is scope for another follow on book , I I am glad and appreciative that this ones reached a satisfactory ending.

A MASTERPIECE!! I loved the first book so much and didn't know what to expect going into the sequel, and it was the absolute best time I've had!! What do I do now with my life!!
From the Greek Mythology aspects, to the snippets of Arabic terms and Egyptian Mythology, to an incredible adventure, my heart is full. I loved every single bit of it.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK Children's | Penguin for providing me this book in exchange for an honest review*

That book was EPIC. I loved the conclusion of the story. Io was a very well developed character and the book was AMAZING. I can't wait to re-read it again. The ending was bittersweet for me. I was put in a major reading slump that I don't know how I'll get out of.
I can't wait to read anything else Kika Hatzopoulou writes.