Review: Ties of Deception

When I first saw the covers for the Tethered Hearts multi-author series, I was the most intrigued by Ties of Deception by Alice Ivinya. Something about the pose and expressions on the characters' faces made me curious to know more. It took over a year before I finally found the opportunity to read this book, but it was well worth the wait! It instantly climbed the ranks to become one of my favorites from the series. It has an original and engaging story with beautiful imagery and strong ties to Asian culture and the Hades and Persephone myth.

The story begins with a goddess awakening in the body of a fully grown woman with no memories of her past or identity. A family tells her about her role to bless the kingdom by spreading joy. She discovers that her name is Purity, one of many Graces who bless families in the surrounding lands. The more she learns about her role, the more corruption she uncovers in the society surrounding them. When she is brought before the Empress, she attracts the interest of Prince Sebastian, and the Aidis, a dangerous god of death whom she is cautioned to avoid.

This book relies heavily on reincarnation lore, which is commonly used in Japanese and Chinese mythology. The Aidis reveals that Purity was reincarnated from his former lover, whom he lost due to his deadly touch. In that respect, the story reminded me a little of Pushing Daisies, a brilliant series that never got the clout it deserved. Purity is surrounded by people trying to manipulate her for various purposes and becomes unwittingly involved in a series of political scandals while she struggles to determine who to trust and how to help as many people as possible with her unique gifts.

The worldbuilding in this book is so strong that I could see it launching an entirely new series beyond the Tethered Hearts project. There's so much intrigue revolving around the nuances of the goddesses' gifts and how their emotions benefit the people around them, causing those on the outskirts of the kingdom to suffer. The gorgeous descriptive imagery of the Graces' hair, clothing, and the world they embody feels like traveling to an ethereal plane of whimsy. The Aidis's home in the Unseen Lands also has its own unique lore that has the potential to be expanded upon in future stories.

I was mesmerized by the creativity and worldbuilding behind Ties of Deception. It stands out as one of the most original contributions to the Tethered Hearts series, with a rich and vibrant world filled with beauty, danger, and political intrigue. It was fascinating to read a story from the perspective of a character born into a world she knows nothing about and to learn and grow alongside her. Her gentle spirit validates the attention surrounding her from her admirers and rivals. I recommend this book to readers who want something a little different from the standard formula for this series.