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mweir710's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
4.0
I love this series! The unique and detailed world, and the magic- and god-system that Hatzopoulou builds are, by far, my favorite things about this book. I also liked that I wasn't able to guess the ending, following our FMC on her quest to find the puppeteers pulling the strings and knowing that at any moment she could "end the world" as the prophecy states. Although some of the characters grated on my nerves, Hatzopoulou does a wonderful job of giving the reader the background of each character so that we can follow the lines of how they got to be who they are currently. I also enjoyed the growth of our FMC from someone with little to no confidence in their ability to be loved to someone who builds their own found family and begins to trust herself and thrive.
Thank you so much to NetGalley. Penguin Group, and Kika Hatzopoulou for allowing me the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you so much to NetGalley. Penguin Group, and Kika Hatzopoulou for allowing me the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!
the_bookishwitch's review
5.0
Picking up right where “Threads That Bind” left off, Io and Bianca are searching for the gods. The mystery throughout this story, was absolutely amazing, and the plot didn’t falter. Io’s search for her sisters throughout added to the mystery of the story, and the plot twists throughout kept me guessing. I loved the subplot romance between Edei and Io and the budding friendship between Io and Bianca.
This sequel is a phenomenal ending to the duology, and I enjoyed every minute of it.
This sequel is a phenomenal ending to the duology, and I enjoyed every minute of it.
kiwisandtea's review
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.5
This book does two things really well: building up the world and unraveling Io's worldview.
The mystery that began in Threads That Bind has lead Io onto an elusive and dangerous path with an unlikely ally. While the setting opens onto the wider world and the mystery leads towards an ever more catastrophic end, Hearts That Cut stays true to the dystopian noir detective and YA self-discovery vibes of the first book. It does not lose itself to the grander plot.
Kika Hatzopolou's writing is so rich and inviting I was easily hooked from the beginning. Io is an incredibly strong character learning to stand on her own two feet and embrace everything that she is - sister, cutter, fated, world ender, and a damn good detective. I love the romantic subplot with Edei and their discussions/views on fate and choice.
An incredible well written sequel and a highly recommended duology for lovers of mythology and mystery.
The mystery that began in Threads That Bind has lead Io onto an elusive and dangerous path with an unlikely ally. While the setting opens onto the wider world and the mystery leads towards an ever more catastrophic end, Hearts That Cut stays true to the dystopian noir detective and YA self-discovery vibes of the first book. It does not lose itself to the grander plot.
Kika Hatzopolou's writing is so rich and inviting I was easily hooked from the beginning. Io is an incredibly strong character learning to stand on her own two feet and embrace everything that she is - sister, cutter, fated, world ender, and a damn good detective. I love the romantic subplot with Edei and their discussions/views on fate and choice.
An incredible well written sequel and a highly recommended duology for lovers of mythology and mystery.
ejarvis996's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent, Abandonment, and Death
theaddictedbookworm's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.25
battyaboutbooks's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
🦇 Hearts That Cut Book Review 🦇
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
❓ #QOTD What's your favorite mythology retelling? ❓
🦇 With a god's golden thread in her hand, Io leaves Alante alongside a revenge-thirsty Bianca to find the entity responsible for so much death and destruction. With each turn, they uncover new threads in a conspiracy that traces back centuries. The more they learn, the more tangled the mystery becomes. Meanwhile, a prophecy looms over Io's head: that she'll destroy the world by cutting a single thread. Can Io follow—or defy—the threads leading to her fate?
💜 Kika Hatzopoulou's world-building is exquisite. Many mythology retellings run the risk of either sounding dry or repetitive, either plopping us in the time of the Trojan War or infusing Greek mythology into modern reality. Instead, Hatzopoulou created a world entirely of her own; a refreshing hierarchy of overlapping mythologies, of those with god-derived powers and those relying only on the mortal powers within themselves. If the beauty of this world doesn't grasp you, allow Io to; the cutter, the unseen blade, the reaper of fates. Io carries the weight of a prophecy that claims she'll end the world. Worse yet, her sisters seem to have a hand in it, her fate-thread seems to be fraying, and THE gods are seemingly pulling everyone's strings. When you strip away the mythology of it all, Io is a layered, stunning, emotionally-powered character. Her relationship with her sisters--watching her eldest sister shoulder the burdens of responsibility and parenthood at a young age, their other sister stuck in the middle as the peacemaker--is realistically messy and flawed. That sisterhood plays a huge part in Io's present, in her decision-making, and in her development. Each sister has distinct motivations--none the villain, each doing the best she can.
💙 By now, you know one of my biggest pet peeves is telling, not showing. While this story is action-packed, the mythology begins to put too much weight on the exposition. We're given explanations we don't necessarily need when the story could have focused more on emotion. Io's powers allow her to see the threads that connect people to those they love. She has to sacrifice her own threads to destroy another's. There's so much potential for metaphor and artistry there, but Io cuts nearly without remorse, even though she's upset that her sisters manipulate threads with a similar mindset.
💙 Normally, when I'm disappointed with a book, I can set it aside and move on. Threads That Bind was one of my top five picks of last year, though, and Hearts That Cut was one of my most anticipated reads for 2024. Reading the first page should have felt like greeting an old friend. Instead, the first 30% of the book felt detached from the original story, providing us with seemingly unnecessary puzzle pieces that could have been placed elsewhere as Io unravels this mystery. It's not until she's reunited with her friends that the story finally returns to the dizzying, delightful, action-packed pacing from the first book. Just as we grow accustomed to that pacing, the story reaches a sudden, almost rushed ending. Usually, I never complain about the lack of an epilogue (most stories don't need one), but given Io's brash actions and the consequences it may trigger, Hearts That Cut sorely does. We're left with no hint as to the new world order, or Io and Edei's future (yes, I'm sure they're thriving in love, but STILL), or if the sisters can rebuild what they lost. While these details aren't necessary, readers have been on a wild ride with these characters. A real resolution would have been nice, but instead we're left without closure.
🦇 Recommended for fans of Percy Jackson, The Lunar Chronicles, and other retellings.
✨ The Vibes ✨
🧵 Second in a Duology
🧵 Fated Lovers
🧵 Mythology Retelling
🧵 Young Adult Fantasy
🧵 Sisterhood
🧵 Magic
🦇 Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #HeartsThatCut
💬 Quotes
❝ Cunning was her weapon now, and she would wield it with precision. ❞
❝ “Just because it works doesn’t mean it’s right.” ❞
❝ “Io, let me choose you.” ❞
❝ Change was uncomfortable, sometimes filled with growing pains, but without it, there was no way forward. No way to keep going, to shed the scabs of your past and heal yourself in the present. Without change, there was no future. ❞
❝ Fate was powerful. Fate was deadly. Fate could topple gods. ❞
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
❓ #QOTD What's your favorite mythology retelling? ❓
🦇 With a god's golden thread in her hand, Io leaves Alante alongside a revenge-thirsty Bianca to find the entity responsible for so much death and destruction. With each turn, they uncover new threads in a conspiracy that traces back centuries. The more they learn, the more tangled the mystery becomes. Meanwhile, a prophecy looms over Io's head: that she'll destroy the world by cutting a single thread. Can Io follow—or defy—the threads leading to her fate?
💜 Kika Hatzopoulou's world-building is exquisite. Many mythology retellings run the risk of either sounding dry or repetitive, either plopping us in the time of the Trojan War or infusing Greek mythology into modern reality. Instead, Hatzopoulou created a world entirely of her own; a refreshing hierarchy of overlapping mythologies, of those with god-derived powers and those relying only on the mortal powers within themselves. If the beauty of this world doesn't grasp you, allow Io to; the cutter, the unseen blade, the reaper of fates. Io carries the weight of a prophecy that claims she'll end the world. Worse yet, her sisters seem to have a hand in it, her fate-thread seems to be fraying, and THE gods are seemingly pulling everyone's strings. When you strip away the mythology of it all, Io is a layered, stunning, emotionally-powered character. Her relationship with her sisters--watching her eldest sister shoulder the burdens of responsibility and parenthood at a young age, their other sister stuck in the middle as the peacemaker--is realistically messy and flawed. That sisterhood plays a huge part in Io's present, in her decision-making, and in her development. Each sister has distinct motivations--none the villain, each doing the best she can.
💙 By now, you know one of my biggest pet peeves is telling, not showing. While this story is action-packed, the mythology begins to put too much weight on the exposition. We're given explanations we don't necessarily need when the story could have focused more on emotion. Io's powers allow her to see the threads that connect people to those they love. She has to sacrifice her own threads to destroy another's. There's so much potential for metaphor and artistry there, but Io cuts nearly without remorse, even though she's upset that her sisters manipulate threads with a similar mindset.
💙 Normally, when I'm disappointed with a book, I can set it aside and move on. Threads That Bind was one of my top five picks of last year, though, and Hearts That Cut was one of my most anticipated reads for 2024. Reading the first page should have felt like greeting an old friend. Instead, the first 30% of the book felt detached from the original story, providing us with seemingly unnecessary puzzle pieces that could have been placed elsewhere as Io unravels this mystery. It's not until she's reunited with her friends that the story finally returns to the dizzying, delightful, action-packed pacing from the first book. Just as we grow accustomed to that pacing, the story reaches a sudden, almost rushed ending. Usually, I never complain about the lack of an epilogue (most stories don't need one), but given Io's brash actions and the consequences it may trigger, Hearts That Cut sorely does. We're left with no hint as to the new world order, or Io and Edei's future (yes, I'm sure they're thriving in love, but STILL), or if the sisters can rebuild what they lost. While these details aren't necessary, readers have been on a wild ride with these characters. A real resolution would have been nice, but instead we're left without closure.
🦇 Recommended for fans of Percy Jackson, The Lunar Chronicles, and other retellings.
✨ The Vibes ✨
🧵 Second in a Duology
🧵 Fated Lovers
🧵 Mythology Retelling
🧵 Young Adult Fantasy
🧵 Sisterhood
🧵 Magic
🦇 Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #HeartsThatCut
💬 Quotes
❝ Cunning was her weapon now, and she would wield it with precision. ❞
❝ “Just because it works doesn’t mean it’s right.” ❞
❝ “Io, let me choose you.” ❞
❝ Change was uncomfortable, sometimes filled with growing pains, but without it, there was no way forward. No way to keep going, to shed the scabs of your past and heal yourself in the present. Without change, there was no future. ❞
❝ Fate was powerful. Fate was deadly. Fate could topple gods. ❞
dmatson21's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
happily_undignified's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
3.0
Hearts That Cut by Kika Hatzopoulou is the sequel to Threads That Bind. It jumps right into the quest for Io to find Edei and the search is exciting and full of intrigue. Unfortunately I felt a bit lost with some of the twists and I wasn't as enthralled with this book as the first.
pixiepie's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
5.0
Loved it. I felt like the tension and the pace was perfect. I was torn between to worried to keep reading and needing to know what happened next. This duology definitely has found its way into my top reads of this year. So happy to be on the street team.
leopardsummer8's review
4.0
"But perhaps, these hearts were supposed to be broken. Perhaps this faith was undeserved. Perhaps what came after heartbreak was just as important: when you rose on one knee, then the other, and stood. When you realized that you could piece yourself back together, little by little, slowly and painfully. You might not be whole ever again, but you would survive, and that was - that was salvation in its true form."
Hearts That Cut is the exciting sequel to Threads That Bind, and I definitely did not solve the mystery in this one either. Honestly, I think my favorite part of this duology has been the worldbuilding, to be quite honest. Greek mythology (and other mythologies too) takes center stage in this fantasy world dealing with an apocalypse ... and fantasy apocalypse stories are some of my favorites.
As much as I liked the ending of this book, the beginning felt a bit slow. In the first book, it felt like nonstop action but this book felt like it didn't start until the 50% mark. The first third or so was just intro and it felt like reviewing the events of the last book. That being said, the ending was very exciting and this series is one of those that is written like a movie. The visual design and the way the scenes look in my head are incredible. There was a fair bit of action and mystery, and the plot twists were surprising, so the second half was enjoyable. I just struggled to get into it.
In terms of characters, Nico is still my favorite despite the limited page time. I liked Io and Edei and their struggles with deciding whether or not to abide by fate. Besides Io and Edei, though, the side characters didn't get much attention (besides Bianca) and so I didn't really have many opinions on them.
Fans of fantasy-mysteries or fantasy stories about fantasy-apocalypses should check out Threads That Bind and Hearts That Cut.
3.75/5
Hearts That Cut is the exciting sequel to Threads That Bind, and I definitely did not solve the mystery in this one either. Honestly, I think my favorite part of this duology has been the worldbuilding, to be quite honest. Greek mythology (and other mythologies too) takes center stage in this fantasy world dealing with an apocalypse ... and fantasy apocalypse stories are some of my favorites.
As much as I liked the ending of this book, the beginning felt a bit slow. In the first book, it felt like nonstop action but this book felt like it didn't start until the 50% mark. The first third or so was just intro and it felt like reviewing the events of the last book. That being said, the ending was very exciting and this series is one of those that is written like a movie. The visual design and the way the scenes look in my head are incredible. There was a fair bit of action and mystery, and the plot twists were surprising, so the second half was enjoyable. I just struggled to get into it.
In terms of characters, Nico is still my favorite despite the limited page time. I liked Io and Edei and their struggles with deciding whether or not to abide by fate. Besides Io and Edei, though, the side characters didn't get much attention (besides Bianca) and so I didn't really have many opinions on them.
Fans of fantasy-mysteries or fantasy stories about fantasy-apocalypses should check out Threads That Bind and Hearts That Cut.
3.75/5