I absolutely adored this noir YA thriller infused with politics, familial relationships and Greek mythology. Threads That Bind is a blend between fantasy and mystery that is absolutely intoxicating. Hatzopoulou’s writing is fantastic – it creates such a vibrant and varied world. I loved how she combined aspects of Greek mythology, but gave them such a fresh new take in this gritty, noir aesthetic. It very much felt like a classic gangster film, with various crime families fitting into certain types of deities and creatures. For me, this was a seamless mesh of fantasy and thriller. The plot was so well-structured, with plenty of intriguing twists and turns to follow. Hatzopoulou integrates a depth of history and world-building with plenty of secrets left to uncover in the sequel. I loved getting to know more of the backstories and how the devastating past of the city really played out. The whole concept of inheriting the powers of your bloodline is fascinating to me (the Percy Jackson loving child within me rejoices) and Hatzopoulou uses this deftly to explore the control of narratives and how legacies can be both a gift and a curse. This is a book where legacy is everything, but the truth of that legacy is shrouded in darkness and secrets. I am also always a sucker for a good bit of political intrigue and we have that in abundance here. The mystery is deeply interwoven with the shifting political landscape of the city and how various factions intersect. There are so many layers and interwoven plot threads to untangle and I thoroughly enjoyed going along for the ride. At the same time, this is a deeply personal meditation on family, legacy and power. Io is a fantastic protagonist, smart and skilled but also wracked with guilt and unsure of her powers. I really clung to her as my guide through these streets and connected with her vulnerability and desire to thrive. Also, the connection between her and Edei is delicious. Again, the concept of the fate-thread brings up all sorts of interesting ethical dilemmas and questions. Their chemistry is fantastic and I would read so many books that are just them off on adventures through this endlessly compelling landscape. Threads That Bind is something new, something brilliant and something everyone should add to their shelves immediately. YA fantasy does not know what has just hit it. TW: animal death, xenophobia, genocide, violence, murder, body horror, death, blood, confinement, transphobia, loss of a parent, toxic relationships, gaslighting

Oh, where to begin when attempting to write a review on this book? There's so much to say and simply not enough words for it! In this novel we follow our protagonist Io, a descendant of the gods with the ability to see people's threads, those that bind us to fate, people we love and even life itself. She also has the ability to cut those threads and end your life completely. Io works as an investigator and when murders start happening she finds herself in deeper than she expected. The modern play on Greek mythology throughout this book was so fun and inventive, making this book so ridiculously unique - I don't think I've ever read anything like it! There are many various types of other-born (ones descended from the gods) characters throughout the novel and it was enjoyable learning which aspects of which gods they had inherited. The story was intriguing, full of twists and turns in a whodunnit fashion and everytime I thought I had it worked out, a new piece of information would be thrown into the midst and have me rethinking it all over again. Something I really appreciated throughout this book was the beautiful addition of LGBTQ+ characters in such a casual way. There are lesbian, gay, trans and non-binary characters in this book which are introduced naturally without any flair or judgement just as you would introduce anyone else. It was lovely to see, as usually queer characters appear to aid the plot or tick a box for the author, but here it felt as if the character was just always intended to be this way and they were just unapologetically themselves. This book isn't without slight faults, sometimes the world building fell a bit short and there was a lot of information to take in all at once, making me forget a lot of the other-born terms and leaving me a little confused in places. Some characters weren't fully fleshed out and I felt a bit of a disconnect at times. However, this didn't have a huge impact on the story and it was still a great read! This is aimed at a YA audience and it shows, but it still felt very accessible for an older audience and I enjoyed it nonetheless! I can't believe it ended on such a cliffhanger and I will be grabbing the sequel at the first opportunity.

Threads that Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou is a thrilling murder mystery, modern fantasy adventure saturated in Greek mythology and bursting with fate. What a debut! Io and her sisters are descended from the fates and thus other-born, people with special abilities related to their god/goddess ancestors. Io is a moira-born and a cutter, she can see the threads of fate and love that connect us to the world around us, and can cut them. One of her investigations goes sour and she finds herself drawn into a string of murders happening in the city. Fate is bigger than she ever could have imagined. Hatzopoulou uses the murder mystery at the heart of the plot to examine social justice, privilege, race and the way hope and power exert force over not just our societies, but our everyday relationships. Threads that Bind examines all the threads that tie us; not just to the love of our life, but friends, family, our home, our favorite foods, social causes, everything. We are all connected and inter connected to the world. We don’t exist in a vacuum, every thread we pull or mend changes the shape of the wider tapestry. TTB has a diverse cast and incredibly dynamic world building. Alante is a post-apocalyptic, modern, Venetian style city with gangs and crooked politicians stalking the flooded city on bridges and cat walks. Marginalized other-borns descended from the gods with special abilities and desperate to be treated as equals by the wealthy, normal people who have seized power and blame the other-born for the wrath of the gods. Fans of fated love, awkward banter, and a friends first, slow burn romance will love the relationship between Io and Edei. No steamy romance scenes in this one, though I suspect a closed door relationship will flourish in subsequent instalments. A deeper plot line revolves around the relationship between the three sisters. Hatzopoulou examines the complicated relationship of family as NAME (the youngest) struggles to throw off the role assigned her by her older sisters and learn define and love herself for who she really is. This is a well written and engaging story, but there were some things to note. TTB has a lot of moving parts and it did feel saturated in places. I would have loved it if they’d written more and really let these ideas be a part of the world rather than just declaring them in passing sentences. Which leads me to my second critique, it reads a little like a long prolog. When I finished it, I felt very much as if I’d been told a story, not gotten lost in one. I think this is a series that will improve with each installment as the story flourishes. I would describe this one as if Rivers of London were a YA novel and set in a Legend of Korra type world. If you like a murder mystery, political intrigue, Greek mythology, and fated love, then this one is for you. Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Slow beginning with an abrupt ending, but I loved the concept. I’m so attached to this story line now.

Threads That Bind is a fantasy/mystery involving a magic system in which some of the characters (the Other-born) are descended from Greek gods and share their powers. Io and her sisters are descended from the Fates; she is a Cutter who can see and cut the Threads between people, things and places. The story also incorporates romance, humor, politics, gangs and family dynamics. The world building and magic system are detailed, complex, original, vivid and fascinating. There are fantastic action scenes, a strong, determined heroine, an atmospheric post-apocalyptic city which floods intermittently, a large, interesting cast of characters and shocking twists. Threads That Bind was a fun, captivating read but could sometimes be confusing because there was so much going on. The ending leaves the reader with many questions but happily, there is a sequel. Thank you to BookishFirst and PenguinTeen for an ARC to review.