I really enjoyed the development of this story, none of the characters have a black & white moral compass and that makes for a thrilling complex adventure.

Io goes through a lot in this second book, she’s second guessing every choice, connection and step she makes. I really enjoy her as a character, she ties in all the very different dynamics perfectly.

I want to say so much more on this but it would enter spoiler territory sadly!

Somehow, Kika Hatzopoulou has outdone herself. This sequel to Threads That Bind has captured my entire heart. Drawing on various elements of Greek mythology, we follow Io on her quest to finish her investigation and seek revenge against the gods which have ruined the lives of so many, including mob queen Bianca. Io, descendant of the fates, born with the power to cut strings. Can Io define fate, or does fate define her?

As if I wasn't already in love with Bianca enough, this book made me love her so much more.
Extraordinarily full of twists and turns, I was on the edge of my seat at all times.

An easy five stars. My only suggestion is a glossary to keep track of all the gods and their descendants' powers, especially once we cross into the territory where they have different names (think Greek/Roman counterparts).

In love with absolutely everything about this.

I really enjoyed The Threads That Bind, so was really excited to be able to read the sequel early.
I enjoyed this just as much as the first. The writing is great. And Hearts That Cut was a really satisfying end to this story.
I look forward to read what Kika Hatzopoulou brings out next!

We have reached the conclusion of the Threads That Bind duology. Io leaves her city with Bianca in search of her sisters and of the gods pulling the string behind everything that happened.

The search brings them on a goose chase before Io realises there is someone messing with her threads—even the tread she shares with her fated, Edei. While dealing with her feelings, and the possibility that her sisters are more involved than she originally thought, Io discovers the meaning behind the muses' prophecy on why she'll bring an end to the world.

This volume was full of action and adventure since page 1. I'm happy Io got her happy ending, but I wonder what will happen to the world now that the truth about the gods was brought to light.

I loved @kikahatzopoulou's Threads That Bind last year and was delighted to be approved for an eARC of Hearts That Cut on @netgalley. It has not affected my opinion.

No tricky second book for Kika, Hearts blasts along dragging Io and Bianca across acid rain blighted wastelands to the gilden city of Nanzy (clearly post collapse Paris) as they chase the divine golden thread. And much like our own City of Light, not all that is gold glitters in Nanzy. Especially for the vast majority of its inhabitants trapped in the toxic slums that ring the city proper (again much like Paris' own Banlieu). Soon joyfully reunited with Edei and Nico and less joyfully with her sisters Io and the gang, and the criminals they pick up along the way, get to the bottom of what the hell is going on and why so many are being kidnapped and or killed.

I tore through this second book my heart soaring and breaking with Io as she processesed her familial and romantic relationships - especially as her fate thread begins to fray and she begins to doubt herself.

I love the way Kika drip feeds info and yet still manages to surprise both me and Io, just when we thought we'd figured it out the resolution is both brilliant, terrifying and yet ultimately a happy one.

A barnstorming finale and I can't wait for more from her.

What a book to get me out of a reading slump. Those of you who have seen my profile might know that I was OBSESSED with Threads that Bind when I read it last year; so I was beyond thrilled to get an e-ARC of its sequel.

The story picks off where the first book ended - Io must work alongside former mob boss Bianca to try and uncover the truth about the sinister events of the first book and a startling prophecy made about the desctruction of the world in Io's hands.

Will she stop the prophecy from coming true?
Will she close the rift that has been made between her and her sisters?
Will her newfound love for Eddie survive the trials and chaos in her life?

I DEVOURED THIS. If you loved the first book then I cannot reccomend this sequel enough. You can request early access on netgalley or preorder it now at major booksellers 😍 I have my physical copy on order and am hoping that @alyesasworld will do another gorgeous special edition to match the first one 🙏👀

#bookreview #netgalley #arc #arccopy #preview #preorder #summerelease #books #penguinteen #greekmythology #fantasyfiction #teen #teenreads #booktok #bookstagram #muse #fates #threefates #threadsthatbind #heartthatcuts #books #prettycovers #bookcover #reviews #YA #yafiction

I didn't enjoy the second book as much as I did the first.

I really enjoyed reading more about the characters and what they are going through but I felt that the pacing could have been better, as the start was slow until Edei showed up and then it was too fast towards the end. I also would have liked more Edei and Io than we got, considering what a huge deal the fate thread was, I loved their scenes together, but there weren't many significant moments.

I think this book could have delved a bit deeper into everything, it all just seemed very convenient and quick. Which is a shame as I would have loved to spend more time with these characters in this world.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Kika, Penguin and NetGalley for the ARC! On the Hearts That Cut street team, however this is my honest opinion on the book.

Definitely enjoyed the sequel far more than the first book in the duology, and the mystery-detective vibe that carried on from TTB was even better in HTC. An excellent premise rooted in Greek mythology, while also engaging with other mythologies of the world--wonderfully different from anything I've read before and delightfully fresh.

I gave this book 4* as, like the first one, it was just slightly too heavy on the exposition and I didn't like how often/much things were explained to the reader (could have benefited from a glossary). Despite being in a light slump, this book kept me engaged with its action and I was excited to finish it.

This world has truly captured my imagination from the very start, thanks to its unique prose and intricate detail. It's unlike anything I've read before, a testament to the author's remarkable creativity. The characters, particularly Io, are given greater depth in this installment, and witnessing her growth was a highlight of the reading experience. The seamless continuation of the story from the previous book was appreciated, diving straight into the action without missing a beat. While I was satisfied with the overall progression of the world and its conclusion, I couldn't help but feel that some parts of the book lacked significant development. There were stretches where not much seemed to happen, with filler chapters dominating the narrative. More action and meaningful interactions would have enriched the reading experience, as opposed to the abundance of scenery and descriptions that sometimes felt excessive.

I loved reading Threads That Bind so I was very excited to read this second book and I loved it just the same. Just as the first one I fell back in love with the world of the book and the characters.

R E V I E W

Hearts That Cut by Kika Hatzopoulou

Advanced reader copy graciously provided by Penguin Random House UK | Children's via Netgalley

☆☆☆.5

This was a good end to an enjoyable YA duology. The Hearts That Cut picks up 5 weeks after the Threads That Bind with Io and newly-turned-wraith/ex-mob Queen Bianca following the golden God thread across the wastelands in hope of uncovering the masterminds behind the nefarious murders of other-borns and the puppeteer pulling Io's sister's strings.

I found this sequel took a little while to get going, with a lot of time spent following our intrepid duo as they sought the source of that golden thread from town to town. Bianca and Io's thawing to one another without threads was a nice touch, but it wasn't until Edei returned to the narrative that I truly became invested. However, with their fate-thread fraying, I spent a lot of this book (much like Io) panicking about what this might mean for their reluctant romance. Part of me wished Edei wasn't so set against the concept of the thread, not realising he was breaking Io's heart with every gentle query as to why the thread was even necessary.

I enjoyed being back in this world; the author effortlessly combines a post-apocolyptic world with Greek mythology, and it was interesting getting a glimpse at more of the other-born powers in this second book. Overall, this was an easy read with a good mystery and a sweet romance.

Okay so first off as a disclaimer, I did receive this book as an ARC from Kika through Netgalley. That being said my opinions are still my own.

I wish this book wouldn't have ended. This is so unfair. But I loved how every plot line was tied up and how everything makes sense. As I mentioned in the review of the first book, I love the unique take on Greek mythology.
This was just an absolutely amazing duology.

*3.75*

huge thank you to netgalley for giving me a copy of this book in return for an honest review! I’ve been counting down the days till I could get my hands on this ever since I finished the first book, and I was so happy to receive this copy.

I have been obsessed with this world since the very first page, it has such an interesting prose with such beautiful detail that it really does become such a unique piece of writing. I haven’t read a world like this before, the author has an amazing mind and it’s reflected throughout the world !!

I loved seeing the characters more flushed out and spending time getting to know them in more detail, Io the main character had such depth and emotion throughout this- her growth was amazing and great to read about. I think the way the story was progressed was great, it jumped straight in from where the first book left off which I really enjoyed. I was happy with the way the world continued and how it ended.

my only criticism was a lot of this book felt like not much happened?? there were a lot of filler chapters that offered nothing to the story, I wanted a bit more action and interactions but there was so much just scenery and descriptions for such a large chunk of this book

”Hearts that Cut" serves as both a sequel and a conclusion to Kika Hatzopoulou's mythology-inspired duology "Threads that Bind". Having enjoyed the first part, I was eager to dive into the sequel.

The book picks up where "Threads that Bind" left off, following the main characters as they embark on a quest to stop the gods responsible for the chaos and violence of the first installment. The story itself is intricately crafted and engrossing, showcasing the author's creativity and knowledge. However, I initially struggled to get into the rhythm of the narrative. I found it unfortunate that the author didn't include more reminders of basic information about the magic system and characters, making it difficult to get through the first few chapters without a recent refresher from the first book.

While the beginning was slow, the pace picked up as the action unfolded, making for a smoother reading experience. Despite the book's strengths, such as the mystery and the god plot, I do have a few criticisms. First, I found the ending to be somewhat lackluster, failing to adequately show the consequences of the characters' decisions. Additionally, I was disappointed by the introduction of the "chosen one" trope, with the main character Io assuming this role near the end of the story. This trope, common in YA literature, felt unjustified in this context, and I believe the emphasis on team effort and group action would have been more fitting, considering the hinted "found family" trope. In terms of character relationships, I was hoping for more development between Io and Edei. While I understand that romance is only a subplot in this story, it's also one of the highlights of the duology, and I felt it didn't reach its full potential given the stakes set in the first volume.

Overall, "Hearts that Cut" serves as a decent conclusion to the duology, and I would still recommend reading it if you enjoyed the first book. However, it falls short of fully meeting my expectations. I wouldn't say it's a very weak book or a bad read, but I was hoping for something a bit better.