If you, like us, fell in LOVE with Kika Hatzopoulou’s Greek mythology fantasy debut Threads That Bind, then buckle up. Because the sequel hits shelves later this month!

Now, before you get ready to dive back into Io’s dark and dangerous world in Hearts That Cut, let’s recap. Scroll down for Kika’s top 10 things to remember from Threads That Bind!

Preorder Hearts That Cut

10 Things to Remember Going into Hearts That Cut

1. Who is who

Let’s start with the basics. Our main character is Io Ora, the youngest of three sisters that are moira-born, aka descendants of the Greek Fates. Io can see and cut the threads that connect us to the things we love and to life itself, and she uses those skills as a private detective in the Sunken City of Alante.

Her partner in the investigation is Edei Rhuna, the second-in-command of the most powerful gang in the city—and the boy with whom Io shares a rare fate-thread, meaning they are destined to fall in love. Other players in this twisted mystery include: Bianca Rossi, the nefarious mob queen of the city; Ava, Io’s beloved sister; Thais, Io’s not-so-beloved sister, who disappeared two years ago; Luc Saint-Yves, the police commissioner and Thais’s fiance; Rosa and Ammos, Io’s friends.

• Io and Edei’s investigation turns… wraith-ful

Under Bianca’s orders, Io partners up with Edei to solve a series of otherworldly stranglings that plague their city. As a moira-born, Io is able to see that the murderers have no life-thread, which is thought to be impossible. Following clues and investigating suspects, the duo realize that these lifeless wraiths are being controlled by a shadowy pupeteer to avenge the long-ago deaths of the fury-born.

• The Moonset Riots play a huge role in the story

Infiltrating Bianca’s dreams, Io and Edei find out that the deadly Moonset Riots years ago were not a gang war, but rather a battle between the descendants of the Furies and the rest of the other-born population of the city. The fury-born were eradicated that night by Bianca and her allies, but it is hinted that the Furies were on a killing spree as commanded by very powerful figures.

• Io and Edei share a fate-thread

Io has known about the fate-thread connecting her to Edei for a long time, but she never approached him, because he has a girlfriend—or so she thinks! As they work together, she discovers how much alike they are, how deeply they care about the world, and how they’d do anything to keep each other from harm’s way. When it becomes obvious that they have feelings for each other, the two share a kiss, but Edei breaks it off. He poses an important question: is it really a choice, when destiny has foretold who you will love?

• Bianca is a wraith—and Thais is kind of evil

In a devastating turn of events, just after Io thinks she’s figured out Bianca is the pupeteer behind the wraiths, the mob queen is turned into a wraith. Desperate to save her life, Io takes Bianca to the Nine, the descendants of the Muses, but that’s precisely what the actual pupeteer wanted. Bianca slaughters the Nine and Io connects the clues to realize the true culprit is none other than her older sister, Thais.

• The gods (!!) are behind this

Io and Thais finally come head-to-head. Through their conversation, it is revealed Thais was following orders sent by the same shadowy figures that sent the Furies in a killing spree during the Moonset Riots—the gods themselves.

• Ava betrays Io

Ava, the middle sister and Io’s favorite person in the world, makes a devastating decision. She sides with Thais during the final show-down and the two manage to escape. Chaos unfolds, shots are fired in the dark and…

• Edei is shot

As he lies bleeding in Io’s arms, friends rally to save him. But Edei implores Io to leave, promising that he will find her, because he knows what she holds in her hand. During the tense show-down with Thais, Io managed to grab ahold of a strange silver-and-gold thread that she believes will lead her to the gods.

• Io  is done with shame and guilt

All her life, Io has battled with the strict moral rules of her older sister, Thais. She was taught to feel shame for her desires, and guilt for her choices. But the truths revealed in the book, her confrontation with Thais and her budding relationship with Edei have freed Io. She is done with shame and guilt—instead, she is now filled with wrath and determination to end this cruelty once and for all. Armed with the silver-and-gold thread and with an unexpected ally—none other than Bianca, the now dying wraith—Io embarks on a journey to find and end the gods.

• The Nine’s Prophecy

But beware. The future has been foretold. The artists patroned by the Nine have been mysteriously creating one singular piece of art for the last few weeks. The paintings depict Io’s face and the poems talk about Io’s future actions:

The cutter

the unseen blade

the reaper of fates

she watches silver like a sign

she weeps silver like a mourning song

she holds silver like a blade

she cuts the thread

and the world ends