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A review by lailams
Hearts That Cut by Kika Hatzopoulou
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
- 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
3.75
I did enjoy this book! But I also struggled to get through it. Here's my thoughts.
1) I absolutely adore the lore and fantasy setting that the series takes place in. This second book expands on the the gods-born lore immensely, and we meet so many more characters with so many different powers that just enriched the story. The dancing guys are my favorite - I love how the author used mythology to inspire how each god-born person uses their magic. The magic system is so cool, I can't think of a single other book I've read recently that has such a unique vibe. That being said, there were so many names and gods to keep track of that I definitely just started glancing over them by the midway point. It was hard to follow while listening to the audiobook without a little glossary, so I sort of just trusted the book to explain what each power did as it became relevant. For the most part, it worked out, so I appreciate that. It did make the book drag on a little, and this is what made it difficult for me to get through.
2) The mystery elements! I was so glad that the second book had just as much sleuthing and problem-solving as the first one. The mystery about what exactly Thais got herself wrapped up in and how exactly the death of the Nine came to pass was interesting and for the most part kept my attention. Again, the lore was so deep at times that I had difficulty following the plot and their reasonings, which made it a little more difficult to get though. It picked up so fast near the middle/end though! I was THRILLED at the plot twist, and the tension leading up to it had me bouncing my leg through the last two or three hours of the audiobook. I'm not sure if other people thought it was predictable, but I certainly didn't see it coming. I'm really excited to see how the whole gang is going to tackle this next big problem together in the next book.
3) Romance. Several thoughts! I had the same gripe with the first book, but it feels like there wasn't a lot of time devoted to building up the main relationship. By this second book, Io is already completely devoted to Edei, and he is so aware of her that he tracks her several times through their bond alone. Their closeness doesn't feel quite earned to me. That being said, it didn't make their little moments any less cute. I am super intrigued by the idea of their fate bond holding them back from choosing one another as opposed to being the thing that draws them together - love that choice of conflict. Edei's concerns about the fate thread from the first book were expanded on in this one, and I was happy to see it. They had a few miscommunication moments but honestly, so much of the focus of the book was on the mystery and not on the romance that it made sense whenever Io decided to just worry about other things instead. In other books, the romance is normally what gets me through the drudge-y parts, but this one didn't have that pull. Either way, the payoff is worth it - I have a feeling the next book is going to be better about it.
1) I absolutely adore the lore and fantasy setting that the series takes place in. This second book expands on the the gods-born lore immensely, and we meet so many more characters with so many different powers that just enriched the story. The dancing guys are my favorite - I love how the author used mythology to inspire how each god-born person uses their magic. The magic system is so cool, I can't think of a single other book I've read recently that has such a unique vibe. That being said, there were so many names and gods to keep track of that I definitely just started glancing over them by the midway point. It was hard to follow while listening to the audiobook without a little glossary, so I sort of just trusted the book to explain what each power did as it became relevant. For the most part, it worked out, so I appreciate that. It did make the book drag on a little, and this is what made it difficult for me to get through.
2) The mystery elements! I was so glad that the second book had just as much sleuthing and problem-solving as the first one. The mystery about what exactly Thais got herself wrapped up in and how exactly the death of the Nine came to pass was interesting and for the most part kept my attention. Again, the lore was so deep at times that I had difficulty following the plot and their reasonings, which made it a little more difficult to get though. It picked up so fast near the middle/end though! I was THRILLED at the plot twist, and the tension leading up to it had me bouncing my leg through the last two or three hours of the audiobook. I'm not sure if other people thought it was predictable, but I certainly didn't see it coming. I'm really excited to see how the whole gang is going to tackle this next big problem together in the next book.
3) Romance. Several thoughts! I had the same gripe with the first book, but it feels like there wasn't a lot of time devoted to building up the main relationship. By this second book, Io is already completely devoted to Edei, and he is so aware of her that he tracks her several times through their bond alone. Their closeness doesn't feel quite earned to me. That being said, it didn't make their little moments any less cute. I am super intrigued by the idea of their fate bond holding them back from choosing one another as opposed to being the thing that draws them together - love that choice of conflict. Edei's concerns about the fate thread from the first book were expanded on in this one, and I was happy to see it. They had a few miscommunication moments but honestly, so much of the focus of the book was on the mystery and not on the romance that it made sense whenever Io decided to just worry about other things instead. In other books, the romance is normally what gets me through the drudge-y parts, but this one didn't have that pull. Either way, the payoff is worth it - I have a feeling the next book is going to be better about it.