3.99 AVERAGE


 Percy Jackson meets Red Queen in this thrilling mystery inspired by Greek Mythology.

This was a really interesting read.  I loved the Greek Mythology aspects, which gave it almost a dystopian feel.  Io reminded me of Mare from Red Queen, which gave this story a very nostalgic fantasy sort of vibe, which worked well with the Percy Jackson style writing.

I think that the beginning dragged on a little bit, which is to be expected, however I had to put it down multiple times because there was a lot of information in very few pages.  Combined with the introduction to the world, it was a tad overwhelming, and almost a DNF.  I’m glad I pushed through because it was amazing.

I don’t particularly like the ‘fated mates’ trope, but I think it worked well here.  The slowburn/coming to terms of Io and Edei’s relationship was done very well, and I really liked how it came together.  The relationship was so cute, and I loved seeing them grow together.  

The characters are well-written, and don’t seem to lack personal bias, which is something that I find doesn’t happen in teen mystery/thriller books as much as it should.  I also think Io has quite a few character arcs that help her to learn more about herself, which is refreshing to see.  Being the quick-thinking thread cutter who won’t hesitate to use her gift who doesn’t always see the consequences, it made a huge impact when she realized someone close to her faced a devastating loss because of her decision, which added a lot to her character.  The diversity of the characters was also well done, and didn’t feel like they were added to hit a quota.

I liked the ending, but I think it would’ve made a bit more sense to end the book earlier.  The big reveal was intense, and changed everyone’s lives, but then we had more stuff happen, which took away from the twist ending.  I felt as though it fell a bit flat after, but there are a few things I want to know more about, and I can’t wait for the second book.

I think this would appeal to fans looking for the wit and sarcasm of Percy Jackson and the fantasy/dystopian world of Red Queen.  Overall, it was a very interesting read, and I look forward to the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Razorbill, and the author for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own. 
adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
adventurous emotional mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Io is one of three sisters who descend from the fates. Each sister has the ability to see threads that connect people to love and life. Using her powers Io works as a private detective in the slums of the city of Alante. A case brings her toe to toe with a woman with a frayed life thread. She's thrust into they mystery of these wraiths sent by someone to kill in the name of "justice".  Alongside Edei, the boy who is connected to Io by the thread of fate, she must find out who is behind the wraiths before chaos breaks out in the city.

Overall I enjoyed this book. Be forewarned, there is heavy worldbuilding filled with lots of moving parts. It took me a while to get a hang of everything but I found it unique, especially compared with other YA books inspired by Greek mythology. Io is an interesting protagonist who walks the line between good and evil throughout the novel. Themes of justice, retribution, and inequality are discussed in shades of gray, without a straightforward conclusion to what is right.

A couple of nitpicky things that bugged me: 

- Bianca, the mob boss has the strict rules of "no guns, no leeches, no paramours" for her gang, which is mentioned multiple times. Yet both Bianca and her subordinate, Edei, both have romantic partners. This is never addressed.
- Everything happens so quickly! The book only takes place over like three or four days. It makes for an exciting reading experience, but I feel like the building relationships, especially between Io and Edei were rushed. I like them together, but it didn't feel like they had earned the romantic payoff yet.

I'm curious enough to follow up with the sequel when it is published. I hope that Io going out into the wider world will open up the story to other mythologies that have been hinted at in the worldbuilding already.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional informative mysterious tense medium-paced

not my fave but 4 stars for how complex it was! i appreciated the idea and how the characters were all very unique but it felt a bit rushed.
adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Wow wow wow. This book was sooooo much better than I expected it to be. I need book two immediately. I absolutely love love love love the characters and the plot twists oh wow. I am just speechless. Io is one of the few fmc in a ya novel that I don't find in the slightest annoying and I just love her relationship with Edei. This book is a masterpiece
adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

Very YA, worldbuilding a bit under-explained for my preference.
adventurous challenging emotional mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated