KIKA HATZOPOULOU
(Book 1 in the Threads That Bind series)
Synopsis:
In a world where the children of the gods inherit their powers, a descendant of the Greek Fates must solve a series of impossible murders to save her sisters, her soulmate, and her city.
Descendants of the Fates are always born in threes: one to weave, one to draw, and one to cut the threads that connect people to the things they love and to life itself. The Ora sisters are no exception. Io, the youngest, uses her Fate-born abilities as a private investigator in the half-sunken city of Alante.
But her latest job leads her to a horrific discovery: somebody is abducting women, maiming their life-threads, and setting the resulting wraiths loose in the city to kill. To find the culprit, she must work alongside Edei Rhuna, the right hand of the infamous Mob Queen—and the boy with whom she shares a rare fate-thread linking them as soul mates before they’ve even met.
But the investigation turns personal when Io's estranged oldest sister turns up on the arm of her best suspect. Amid unveiled secrets from her past and her growing feelings for Edei, Io must follow clues through the city’s darkest corners and unearth a conspiracy that involves some of the city’s most powerful players—before destruction comes to her own doorstep.
Content:
Language: Minor language and some usage of strong ("s").
Violence: The book centers around a group of mysterious murders throughout the city. Strangulation through a magic force is depicted, as well as gunshots/gunshot wounds, blood, and descriptions of magical animal fights. Brutal riots that resulted in the slaughter of an entire race of other-born are brought up several times, and a flashback shows a battle between mobs. Several deaths occur on-page.
Sex: Some kissing, crushing, pining, discussion of love, and allusions to/implied sex. A character mentions sleeping with and going out with a few other characters. The MMC has lived with his girlfriend for many years. An engaged couple also live together. A couple is putting their clothes back on after coming out of their bedroom. The FMC and MMC are forced to sleep in the same bed (nothing happens).
LGBTQ: A majority of the side characters are LGBTQ+. Three characters are non-binary and use they/them pronouns (with varying amounts of page time). Several characters are or seem to be bisexual. One of the FMC's sister's is a lesbian. I also believe the FMC's best friend is a transgender woman (there's a brief mention of her deadname).
My Review:
PROS:
- The world was really unique and cool! My favorite part of the book was probably learning about all the different other-born, even if it was usually through info-dumps.
- Adding onto that, Io's abilities and how they played into her career as a private investigator were also an interesting take.
- The last fifty or so pages kept my attention better than the rest of the book. While I was mostly satisfied with the answers we got, I still have questions.
- Edei was a little bland, but still cute. I kept reading for him. However, I don't think his character fits his role as the Mob Queen's enforcer at all. It just wasn't believable.
- The decision to make this a dystopian-fantasy rather than a straight fantasy was so fun and well done!
CONS:
- I have mixed feelings on this one. The ending was interesting and I'll probably read the next one, but the middle dragged.
- The only character I really care about is Edei. Io was annoying, and I hated both of her sisters.
- The insta-love. For a book about making your own choices and defying fate, Io fell in love with Edei way too fast.
- The way the romance was handled as it progressed really annoying too. I wish they'd actually talked to each other about their situation before!
- The potential was so good, but everything fell a little flat outside of the murders and the scenes where the wraiths showed up.