Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Wow this book was good! I really read it in one sitting it had me engrossed that much. From the prologue to the last chapter, it is non-stop action and reveals. It’s a mystery story 100%, but it’s also a story about fate and love, sisters, and gods and power. It had so much going for it and I really, really liked the FMC, Io. She’s young, but she grew a lot through her experiences with her sisters and finally found the strength to use those experiences to be stronger. She has a morale compass even when everyone around her says maybe she should take the route that leads to comforts.
The magic system was refreshing as it was both steeped in Greek mythology and also newly told. I liked all the powers we were shown and told about, but I especially thought it was interesting seeing the 3 sisters and their powers and how they were similar, but different.
I liked Edei enough. There’s still some fleshing out to do there, which we got a little of towards the end. I thought it was interesting when Io and Edei had their somewhat heart-to-heart about the fate thread. I felt for Io in ways, but also understood Edei’s thoughts on it too.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. It’s fast-paced, but paced well. The mystery solved I had an inkling of, but I didn’t see how it was all going to unfold exactly. The end had some definite surprises. I’m really looking forward to the sequel, which should be another adventure.
The magic system was refreshing as it was both steeped in Greek mythology and also newly told. I liked all the powers we were shown and told about, but I especially thought it was interesting seeing the 3 sisters and their powers and how they were similar, but different.
I liked Edei enough. There’s still some fleshing out to do there, which we got a little of towards the end. I thought it was interesting when Io and Edei had their somewhat heart-to-heart about the fate thread. I felt for Io in ways, but also understood Edei’s thoughts on it too.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. It’s fast-paced, but paced well. The mystery solved I had an inkling of, but I didn’t see how it was all going to unfold exactly. The end had some definite surprises. I’m really looking forward to the sequel, which should be another adventure.
adventurous
mysterious
This book was so good! I really liked the unique adaptation of Greek mythology and thought it was done really well.
Time for another backlist review and this time it’s Greek mythology in a modern setting. Threads That Bind follows Io, a descendant of the Fates. Io, alongside her two sisters have the ability to see and mould the threads of fate, threads that attach people to the people/objects/places they love. Io’s ability is to cut threads, even threads of life that keep people tethered to the human world, something that ensures she remains an outsider in society, a pariah, someone to fear. She is someone carrying a lot of trauma, from both her fate given powers to more mundane problems, her parents died at a young age, meaning she was raised by her two older sisters, one of which was emotionally abusive. Through the story we see her struggling internally, with guilt, self-confidence as well as other issues, and I enjoyed seeing her progress, grow into someone who learns to accept their gifts, instead of running from them.
In Io’s world there are humans, and then there are other-born, those gifted with the powers of the Greek Gods, but no one mortal is able to fully grasp the God’s power, so they are shared out, usually among siblings. The one’s we spend the most time learning about are the Moira-born, Io and her sisters gifts. I enjoyed how the author brings these powers to life, her writing style makes them incredibly visual, and I enjoyed how she showed that we can be tied to everything from our parents, to our favourite coffee shop. We do get an insight into some other powers such as Hypnos, Phobos, & the Muses, some of which played a larger role than others, and I hope we get a deeper dive into others in the next book. Other-born in general are seen as lesser, instead of being revered for their abilities, they are reviled for them, left to waste away in the silt’s, unless the humans find their powers useful that is. I really enjoyed how Hatzopoulou blended the Greek mythology with a more modern world. It did take me a minute to get my bearings, there was a lot of information to take in at the start, but once we get into the story, the mystery, I found it incredibly hard to put down.
The mystery itself was expertly woven through the plot. Hatzopoulou knows how to keep her readers on their toes, dropping little hints, making you look one way while someone creeps up from the other side. It’s full of twists and turns, ensuring you can never know who to trust. Alongside this we have another sub-plot that focuses on Io and her sisters Thais & Ava. We know from fairly early on that Thais just upped and left them one day, but the question of why, and where she is now takes longer to answer. Hatzopoulou did a brilliant job of showing the complicated relationships only siblings can have. How you can both hate someone and love them at the same time. She shows how far you will go to protect the people you love, even when they hurt you, but also how, once broken, those bonds aren’t always so easy to reform
I enjoyed the romance in this. Reading it was fated, I was a little worried that it would move too fast for me, but it was wondrously slow burn. Hatzopoulou really allows Io the chance to delve into the whole idea of a fated romance, whether it’s fair, especially when one people is aware of it and the other is not. When Io first meets Edei she is instantly intrigued, and attracted, but she puts so much weight on choice, and not taking that away from someone, that it takes an absolute age before anything remotely romantic happens between the two of them. There’s a hint of misunderstanding, not the bad kind, but I just loved seeing these two interact with each other, seeing them slowly falling in love, neither wanting to mention it for their own reasons. It was sweet and heartbreaking at the same time.
The ending. OMG. I had guesses as to who was behind the wraiths, but I have never been so sad to be right before. Hatzopoulou weaves all her threads together expertly to create an ending that had me on the edge of my seat, one that hit me right in the feels and took my breath away. I’m absolutely going to get my hands on book two asap and I can’t wait to find out what happens next.
In Io’s world there are humans, and then there are other-born, those gifted with the powers of the Greek Gods, but no one mortal is able to fully grasp the God’s power, so they are shared out, usually among siblings. The one’s we spend the most time learning about are the Moira-born, Io and her sisters gifts. I enjoyed how the author brings these powers to life, her writing style makes them incredibly visual, and I enjoyed how she showed that we can be tied to everything from our parents, to our favourite coffee shop. We do get an insight into some other powers such as Hypnos, Phobos, & the Muses, some of which played a larger role than others, and I hope we get a deeper dive into others in the next book. Other-born in general are seen as lesser, instead of being revered for their abilities, they are reviled for them, left to waste away in the silt’s, unless the humans find their powers useful that is. I really enjoyed how Hatzopoulou blended the Greek mythology with a more modern world. It did take me a minute to get my bearings, there was a lot of information to take in at the start, but once we get into the story, the mystery, I found it incredibly hard to put down.
The mystery itself was expertly woven through the plot. Hatzopoulou knows how to keep her readers on their toes, dropping little hints, making you look one way while someone creeps up from the other side. It’s full of twists and turns, ensuring you can never know who to trust. Alongside this we have another sub-plot that focuses on Io and her sisters Thais & Ava. We know from fairly early on that Thais just upped and left them one day, but the question of why, and where she is now takes longer to answer. Hatzopoulou did a brilliant job of showing the complicated relationships only siblings can have. How you can both hate someone and love them at the same time. She shows how far you will go to protect the people you love, even when they hurt you, but also how, once broken, those bonds aren’t always so easy to reform
I enjoyed the romance in this. Reading it was fated, I was a little worried that it would move too fast for me, but it was wondrously slow burn. Hatzopoulou really allows Io the chance to delve into the whole idea of a fated romance, whether it’s fair, especially when one people is aware of it and the other is not. When Io first meets Edei she is instantly intrigued, and attracted, but she puts so much weight on choice, and not taking that away from someone, that it takes an absolute age before anything remotely romantic happens between the two of them. There’s a hint of misunderstanding, not the bad kind, but I just loved seeing these two interact with each other, seeing them slowly falling in love, neither wanting to mention it for their own reasons. It was sweet and heartbreaking at the same time.
The ending. OMG. I had guesses as to who was behind the wraiths, but I have never been so sad to be right before. Hatzopoulou weaves all her threads together expertly to create an ending that had me on the edge of my seat, one that hit me right in the feels and took my breath away. I’m absolutely going to get my hands on book two asap and I can’t wait to find out what happens next.
im usually super picky w/ my ratings and despite the fact that i do have some complaints abt the book...i still had to give it a 5. this is prolly one of the best books i've read this month and it's definitely one im willing to re-read later on. it was THAT good.
this book is the PERFECT example of how to do modern retellings of old stories/myths. THIS is how you do it.
for anyone who's into sci-fi, dystopian fiction, and mythology? this is the book for you, and i promise u won't regret reading it
this book is the PERFECT example of how to do modern retellings of old stories/myths. THIS is how you do it.
for anyone who's into sci-fi, dystopian fiction, and mythology? this is the book for you, and i promise u won't regret reading it
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As soon as I saw Greek mythology and fated mates, I thought this would be a breeze to get through and would probably be a new favourite. Boy, was I wrong.
If this were written in anyone else's POV, it probably would've been a five-star read but it was a struggle to get through Io's internal dialogue. She has some moments of growth and then backtracks a few seconds later with the most hypocritical reasoning.
There's nothing explicitly wrong with her having feelings for Edei but knowing (or believing) that he has a girlfriend for the majority of the book and yet still assuming him to reciprocate her feelings was another thing entirely.
When it comes to her sisters, I didn't hate them and I didn't love them. They were just a bit 'eh' to me.
The mystery was decent and it was definitely what kept me hooked. I've always been a fan of the mythologies of the fates, the muses, and the furies so the focus on them and their part in the story was worth the read.
Bianca was by far the most interesting part of the book. I would've happily read the entire book from her POV and been into it the whole way through. Her role in the riots, the story of her building up her empire, and even her relationship with Ava would've been much more enjoyable to read than having Io assume she knows everything and I'm sorry but "I'm just as dangerous as the mob queen" was a laughable sentence to read.
Samiya was another character that I would've preferred to read about. The glimpses we got into her (and Edei) history and why she left her home, the work she does, and her involvement in Saint-Yves initiative would've been such an interesting plot line to follow rather than an info dump and a plot device used to get Io and Edei closer together.
The reveal/twist at the end was a bit lacklustre in my opinion. I think it could've be done a bit better or built up a bit more rather than Io making several assumptions in the moment and launching yet another accusation.
If this were written in anyone else's POV, it probably would've been a five-star read but it was a struggle to get through Io's internal dialogue. She has some moments of growth and then backtracks a few seconds later with the most hypocritical reasoning.
There's nothing explicitly wrong with her having feelings for Edei but knowing (or believing) that he has a girlfriend for the majority of the book and yet still assuming him to reciprocate her feelings was another thing entirely.
When it comes to her sisters, I didn't hate them and I didn't love them. They were just a bit 'eh' to me.
The mystery was decent and it was definitely what kept me hooked. I've always been a fan of the mythologies of the fates, the muses, and the furies so the focus on them and their part in the story was worth the read.
Bianca was by far the most interesting part of the book. I would've happily read the entire book from her POV and been into it the whole way through. Her role in the riots, the story of her building up her empire, and even her relationship with Ava would've been much more enjoyable to read than having Io assume she knows everything and I'm sorry but "I'm just as dangerous as the mob queen" was a laughable sentence to read.
Samiya was another character that I would've preferred to read about. The glimpses we got into her (and Edei) history and why she left her home, the work she does, and her involvement in Saint-Yves initiative would've been such an interesting plot line to follow rather than an info dump and a plot device used to get Io and Edei closer together.
The reveal/twist at the end was a bit lacklustre in my opinion. I think it could've be done a bit better or built up a bit more rather than Io making several assumptions in the moment and launching yet another accusation.
3,75 stars with high hopes for even higher ratings in the future.
This book delivers what it promises: it is indeed a YA fantasy mystery with a unique magic system.
I selfishly wish it was more. (Which is not fair).
There is YA that is perfect in it's execution because it is YA, there is YA that transcends genre in it's themes and timelessness and then there is YA that's simply YA because that's what the genre is. This book falls into the last category.
The magic system is GREAT and allows for a LOT of room for plot and mystery and creativity.
The world is interesting and vivid. (I personally would've liked two more sentences for each description of the surroundings in order to ground the scenes more. I truly think that could elevate the "realness" of the story and the setting.)
Io makes absolute sense as a main character, her skills and personality fit well into the frame of the plot. I really liked the message the book was weaving (he!) into her coming-of-age journey. Although I was at times bored/annoyed with her anxiousness, I really like the realisation she had about the source of the guilt and shame that she feels and how she overcame that.
The part of the story that was the most uneven in it's execution were the characters and their relationships. Some of it makes sense: There are a lot of characters: thus not all are equally fleshed out. But some characters were so vague in how they stepped on the page that I could never get a clear idea of them in my head. Neither as an image nor of their personality. (Ava is just one example for me).
I have high hopes for this though because there were a few instances when the characters and their relationships came alive. Io had great dynamics and was the most vivid when she shared a scene with Bianca, Rosa or Thais.
Edei on the other hand felt most real when he interacted with the other Fortunas.
Edei and Io's romance was, sadly, just okay for me. Firstly, I don't care much for fated love stories and found it at times hard to connect Io's over the top pining with the rest of the story (tone and setting).
Secondly, I don't think their dynamic as a pairing came really off the page. Something was missing for me, though I think that could potentially change with the future installments.
I am, currently, curious to see where this story will lead next and will be keeping my eyes open for the sequel.
This book delivers what it promises: it is indeed a YA fantasy mystery with a unique magic system.
I selfishly wish it was more. (Which is not fair).
There is YA that is perfect in it's execution because it is YA, there is YA that transcends genre in it's themes and timelessness and then there is YA that's simply YA because that's what the genre is. This book falls into the last category.
The magic system is GREAT and allows for a LOT of room for plot and mystery and creativity.
The world is interesting and vivid. (I personally would've liked two more sentences for each description of the surroundings in order to ground the scenes more. I truly think that could elevate the "realness" of the story and the setting.)
Io makes absolute sense as a main character, her skills and personality fit well into the frame of the plot. I really liked the message the book was weaving (he!) into her coming-of-age journey. Although I was at times bored/annoyed with her anxiousness, I really like the realisation she had about the source of the guilt and shame that she feels and how she overcame that.
The part of the story that was the most uneven in it's execution were the characters and their relationships. Some of it makes sense: There are a lot of characters: thus not all are equally fleshed out. But some characters were so vague in how they stepped on the page that I could never get a clear idea of them in my head. Neither as an image nor of their personality. (Ava is just one example for me).
I have high hopes for this though because there were a few instances when the characters and their relationships came alive. Io had great dynamics and was the most vivid when she shared a scene with Bianca, Rosa or Thais.
Edei on the other hand felt most real when he interacted with the other Fortunas.
Edei and Io's romance was, sadly, just okay for me. Firstly, I don't care much for fated love stories and found it at times hard to connect Io's over the top pining with the rest of the story (tone and setting).
Secondly, I don't think their dynamic as a pairing came really off the page. Something was missing for me, though I think that could potentially change with the future installments.
I am, currently, curious to see where this story will lead next and will be keeping my eyes open for the sequel.
adventurous
dark
emotional
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
The main character has magical abilities that allows her to cut people’s threads, therefore referred to as a “cutter,” and as someone with a history of self harm, i had a hard time reading that word and not be completely taken out of the story.