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Feathers Sharp as Knives
Noblewoman & Inventor
In Rialto, a city ruled by money and powered by magical thread, noblewoman Imelda Albizzi has long toiled to invent human flight. She’s spent years stitching wings with the enchanted corincanto and finally she’s on the cusp of success.
But her cousin, Rialto’s ruthless leader, threatens her future by betrothing her to a greedy foreign king. If she can sell the wings to her cousin’s political rival before the wedding, she’ll free herself to live as she wishes and marry who she wants.
Super Soldier & Heretic
Anselmo Errari, the man she loves, hides a secret—corincanto runs through his veins, endowing him with superhuman strength. If revealed, the priests will torture and execute him as a heretic. He’s the strongest soldier in the military, but his lowborn birth forbids him from marrying Imelda.
For years, he’s attempted to carve his way from poverty to nobility, and now he's desperate for one last gamble to join the upper entering the deadly minotaur labyrinth, where he will prove himself worthy or die trying.
In Rialto, a city ruled by money and powered by magical thread, noblewoman Imelda Albizzi has long toiled to invent human flight. She’s spent years stitching wings with the enchanted corincanto and finally she’s on the cusp of success.
But her cousin, Rialto’s ruthless leader, threatens her future by betrothing her to a greedy foreign king. If she can sell the wings to her cousin’s political rival before the wedding, she’ll free herself to live as she wishes and marry who she wants.
Super Soldier & Heretic
Anselmo Errari, the man she loves, hides a secret—corincanto runs through his veins, endowing him with superhuman strength. If revealed, the priests will torture and execute him as a heretic. He’s the strongest soldier in the military, but his lowborn birth forbids him from marrying Imelda.
For years, he’s attempted to carve his way from poverty to nobility, and now he's desperate for one last gamble to join the upper entering the deadly minotaur labyrinth, where he will prove himself worthy or die trying.
- GenresFantasy
504 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 23, 2023
8 people are currently reading
107 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 8, 2025
outstanding story with a little something for everyone.
Is it romance? No, but it could be. There are star crossed lovers galore, but love isn’t the only plot driver.
Is it an urban fantasy? No, but the fantastic places feel like medieval Venice at the height of its power.
Is there magic, political intrigue, and twins with a gift? Yep, there sure is. Welcome to Venitzo, the powerhouse of the sea. Where a young, poor son of a cook falls in love with her boss’s daughter. They have only two chances to be together. He can run away and join the army, come back a hero, and survive the one in a million chance to be elevated to the nobility by surviving training in the labyrinth. She just has to learn to fly.
Is it romance? No, but it could be. There are star crossed lovers galore, but love isn’t the only plot driver.
Is it an urban fantasy? No, but the fantastic places feel like medieval Venice at the height of its power.
Is there magic, political intrigue, and twins with a gift? Yep, there sure is. Welcome to Venitzo, the powerhouse of the sea. Where a young, poor son of a cook falls in love with her boss’s daughter. They have only two chances to be together. He can run away and join the army, come back a hero, and survive the one in a million chance to be elevated to the nobility by surviving training in the labyrinth. She just has to learn to fly.
December 20, 2023
This fantasy novel has exquisite world building and a wholly original magic system that engages a reader from start to finish. I was immersed in the setting immediately, it's wonderfully nuanced and richly textured. The author has clearly taken care to craft not only a fantasy landscape inspired by Venice, Italy, but an entire cultural history and religion that shapes characters' viewpoints and decisions. The characters are believable and complex. The plot is intriguing, and the pacing is spot on. As a debut author, Kristina Atkins certainly delivers with the first installment of her series and leaves readers craving the next book!
April 26, 2023
First of all, I want to say there are some trigger warning, so be sure to look it up.
With that being said, I really enjoyed this book. The magic world in this book was so different then a lot of other fantasy books I have read. The magic has to do with THREADS! I mean cloth threads! From Hemp to Silk. Wool for Strength, Cotton for Healing, Silk for Structure and so on and so forth.
They use these thread to weave into their clothing to help staving off cold or help heal injuries. But there is one usage (of the threads) that is considered heresy. Weaving into the persons body. Their religion at one time supported it, but then a war broke out and removed the ruler and the religion and put into place part of the same religion but considered using of threads in the body heresy. There is so much more.
Arturo and Imelda (Nobles/royalty)- Twins who are both betrothed to two different kingdoms and Imelda wants no part in this since she is in love with Anselmo.
Imelda and Anselmo (low born)- Childhood sweethearts who love each other so much that Anselmo puts himself in danger as a soldier into the Labyrinth to promote himself up to nobility.
There are more characters I can share.
The story has plots and intrigue, childhood romances, arranged marriages, loss of family and lovers who in reality can't be together because of their social class. All the heart strings being pulled at here. This is only book 1 that hasn't been released yet, and I can't wait for book 2.
I recommend this book for those who are starting out in fantasy and YA. I really enjoyed it. I hope this helps other readers looking for a good book.
With that being said, I really enjoyed this book. The magic world in this book was so different then a lot of other fantasy books I have read. The magic has to do with THREADS! I mean cloth threads! From Hemp to Silk. Wool for Strength, Cotton for Healing, Silk for Structure and so on and so forth.
They use these thread to weave into their clothing to help staving off cold or help heal injuries. But there is one usage (of the threads) that is considered heresy. Weaving into the persons body. Their religion at one time supported it, but then a war broke out and removed the ruler and the religion and put into place part of the same religion but considered using of threads in the body heresy. There is so much more.
Arturo and Imelda (Nobles/royalty)- Twins who are both betrothed to two different kingdoms and Imelda wants no part in this since she is in love with Anselmo.
Imelda and Anselmo (low born)- Childhood sweethearts who love each other so much that Anselmo puts himself in danger as a soldier into the Labyrinth to promote himself up to nobility.
There are more characters I can share.
The story has plots and intrigue, childhood romances, arranged marriages, loss of family and lovers who in reality can't be together because of their social class. All the heart strings being pulled at here. This is only book 1 that hasn't been released yet, and I can't wait for book 2.
I recommend this book for those who are starting out in fantasy and YA. I really enjoyed it. I hope this helps other readers looking for a good book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2025
In the opening pages of Atkins's Feathers Sharp as Knives, she promises readers that her story will be emotionally raw, narratively honest, and magically unique. I was delighted that she delivered on every count.
Perhaps it was the setting, richly inspired by old Venetian and Greek empires, or the plight of the protagonist that conjured for me the mood of much more classic literature, but I couldn't shake the novel's bittersweet tone that reminded me of stories like Antigone or Tristan and Isolde.
But Atkins's writing shines its brightest in some of her secondary characters. It's been a long time since I've met as gripping a character as Venezia, whose motives and means challenge views of what is right, wrong, and deserved well beyond the confines of the book.
Feathers Sharp as Knives is a deep and probing read packaged in an unforgettable magic system.
And while the book certainly sets up for a possible sequel, I was not disappointed by unforgivable loose ends at its conclusion.
The book will disappoint few, and utterly delight historically inspired fantasy readers.
Perhaps it was the setting, richly inspired by old Venetian and Greek empires, or the plight of the protagonist that conjured for me the mood of much more classic literature, but I couldn't shake the novel's bittersweet tone that reminded me of stories like Antigone or Tristan and Isolde.
But Atkins's writing shines its brightest in some of her secondary characters. It's been a long time since I've met as gripping a character as Venezia, whose motives and means challenge views of what is right, wrong, and deserved well beyond the confines of the book.
Feathers Sharp as Knives is a deep and probing read packaged in an unforgettable magic system.
And while the book certainly sets up for a possible sequel, I was not disappointed by unforgivable loose ends at its conclusion.
The book will disappoint few, and utterly delight historically inspired fantasy readers.
May 2, 2023
This book just keeps surprising you with new details. I was genuinely surprised by some of the plot twists, and I loved peeling back new layers on the characters. I kept changing my mind about how I felt about them, but the revelations never felt disingenuous or forced.
The world is rich and fully-realized, clearly inspired by Venice but also fully its own. The magic system of corincanto -- magic threads with various properties -- was something I've never seen before, and it was both easy to grasp the basics and fun to see the clever applications.
It definitely has a dark edge to it, and the author includes a few trigger warnings to help you out with that. But it never felt grimdark. I still wanted to spend time in the world, and though I genuinely cried (you'll know it when it happens), there was a lot that was hopeful, too. I really loved it.
The world is rich and fully-realized, clearly inspired by Venice but also fully its own. The magic system of corincanto -- magic threads with various properties -- was something I've never seen before, and it was both easy to grasp the basics and fun to see the clever applications.
It definitely has a dark edge to it, and the author includes a few trigger warnings to help you out with that. But it never felt grimdark. I still wanted to spend time in the world, and though I genuinely cried (you'll know it when it happens), there was a lot that was hopeful, too. I really loved it.
August 4, 2024
Amazing.
Intriguing.
Suspenseful.
I truly had no idea where the story was going to go or how it would play out, and I loved every second of it.
Well, ALMOST every second of it! I was heartbroken at times for the characters, especially after being SO excited for them!
Very well written!
I loved the unique magic system,
Pain and emotions were very well written.
I LOVED this story so much!!
TW: there is violence seen, an on page death of a loved one, on page attempted rape by a husband, and on page murder.
And the magic system is literally stitched into the skin, so that can be hard to handle if you're unprepared.
Intriguing.
Suspenseful.
I truly had no idea where the story was going to go or how it would play out, and I loved every second of it.
Well, ALMOST every second of it! I was heartbroken at times for the characters, especially after being SO excited for them!
Very well written!
I loved the unique magic system,
Pain and emotions were very well written.
I LOVED this story so much!!
TW: there is violence seen, an on page death of a loved one, on page attempted rape by a husband, and on page murder.
And the magic system is literally stitched into the skin, so that can be hard to handle if you're unprepared.
July 16, 2024
Highly recommend this book. I love the characters and story. The world building is amazing, in depth, and so original. It took a while to read it due to my work/life schedule. But it’s such a page turner that as soon as I had some time off I finished the rest of the book in a day at the beach. Can’t wait for more from this Author.
October 10, 2025
Interesting rewrite of mythology but not a combo I found easy to read or well built. And I was super annoyed at the trigger warning being at the END of the audio book.
Also, I would have placed the book in Greece, not Venice. I guess that's the problem with audio book on speed because I probably missed some finer points of the story but I don't think it's worth going back for a reread.
Also, I would have placed the book in Greece, not Venice. I guess that's the problem with audio book on speed because I probably missed some finer points of the story but I don't think it's worth going back for a reread.
June 13, 2023
This book is full of twists and turns, it keeps you on the edge of your seat. The unique world-building and magic make for a very interesting read. I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait for book 2.
October 29, 2023
Must read
One of the best new authors YA books of the year. Great blending of history and myth. The author does a great job of developing multiple characters. Key takeaway: all the characters are flawed humans, like all of us.
I can hardly wait for more.
One of the best new authors YA books of the year. Great blending of history and myth. The author does a great job of developing multiple characters. Key takeaway: all the characters are flawed humans, like all of us.
I can hardly wait for more.
November 22, 2023
HOLY i’m so impressed!! kristina is seriously so talented. this is by far the most unique and interesting magic system i’ve read, and i can’t wait to see where the rest of the series goes!! highly recommend!!
January 26, 2024
The book pulled me in and tangled me into each characters life. I wanted to believe they would all get what they wanted. I didn’t want to stop listening. I wished I had the hard copy so I could reread the really good parts. Can’t wait for the next one!!
October 17, 2024
A delightful read. Atkins has given us a little of everything.
A lovely tribute to Venice mixed with a fascinating magic system, adventure, heartache, love and even a few twist and turns along the way! Well done Kristina! I look forward to the next one!!
A lovely tribute to Venice mixed with a fascinating magic system, adventure, heartache, love and even a few twist and turns along the way! Well done Kristina! I look forward to the next one!!
April 6, 2025
What a vivid world! This chronicle transports you to an Italian-inspired fantasy infused with delectable language and renaissance flair. Da Vinci meets thread magic meets lively political intrigue with a dash of minotaurs! This is a book to treasure.
May 29, 2023
A smooth read with unique magic elements & a romantic venetian backdrop. Lots of political & romantic drama. Would be a great book to take on vacation. Beautifully written.
October 25, 2023
This took me way longer than it should have to read, but it was so good! I absolutely loved it and the characters were amazing. Can't wait for book 2
May 7, 2024
4.5. A must read for fantasy lovers who happen to also love great feminism and Venice. Amazing stakes. Fantastic characters I love to root for.
April 22, 2023
This heart breaking tale!
The story takes you in, following two talented and incredibly smart twins that are just trying to make their way in the world! Proving that they can be something.
To a uncle that thinks the only solution to protecting the family’s name, is marriage. Arranged marriage at that!
The twins are fighting to prove that their invention will work and will do the family’s name well!
A must read 🥹🖤
The story takes you in, following two talented and incredibly smart twins that are just trying to make their way in the world! Proving that they can be something.
To a uncle that thinks the only solution to protecting the family’s name, is marriage. Arranged marriage at that!
The twins are fighting to prove that their invention will work and will do the family’s name well!
A must read 🥹🖤
April 18, 2024
Kristina Atkins has a talent for writing in a way that is both clear and captivating. So many books that I have read have either a great story, or great writing. This one has both.
The characters development struck an intriguing balance between being complicated and interesting. I'm not sure how I feel about some of them, and I look forward to seeing how they develop in subsequent books.
The characters development struck an intriguing balance between being complicated and interesting. I'm not sure how I feel about some of them, and I look forward to seeing how they develop in subsequent books.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews