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All the Scattered Stars
Not yet published
Expected 21 Apr 26The glitter of Venice's lights hides a dark truth: when the floodwaters rise, no one is safe.
Koru knows better than to trust anyone but her own. Hidden deep in the winding twists of Venice's narrow alleys, Koru and her found family must disguise themselves to survive. They are Rhunlokni, an ethnic minority gifted with the ability to channel the power of the Earth, their Goddess. They have long been vilified and prosecuted for their strange abilities—and Koru's gift is the strongest of her generation.
So when the police arrive in St. Mark's Square to arrest Koru for a crime she didn't commit, she does the only thing she can—she runs. Though Koru manages to escape the police, a larger threat is drawing near. Koru must figure out what the Goddess is trying to tell her, protect those she loves, and uncover the truth of her past before it's too late—because Venice is sinking. Tonight.
Koru knows better than to trust anyone but her own. Hidden deep in the winding twists of Venice's narrow alleys, Koru and her found family must disguise themselves to survive. They are Rhunlokni, an ethnic minority gifted with the ability to channel the power of the Earth, their Goddess. They have long been vilified and prosecuted for their strange abilities—and Koru's gift is the strongest of her generation.
So when the police arrive in St. Mark's Square to arrest Koru for a crime she didn't commit, she does the only thing she can—she runs. Though Koru manages to escape the police, a larger threat is drawing near. Koru must figure out what the Goddess is trying to tell her, protect those she loves, and uncover the truth of her past before it's too late—because Venice is sinking. Tonight.
265 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication April 21, 2026
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 5, 2025
Koru is a member of the Rhunlokni, a hated ethnic minority with an innate connection to their Goddess that allows them to work Earth-based magic, living in a Venice only a few decades in the future. While telling fortunes with a member of her chosen family, she receives a vision that spells doom for Venice and must figure out a way to save her chosen family and anyone else she can despite how much the other residents of Venice hate her people.
This was a compelling, fast-paced urban fantasy novel that was set in the 2060s, but still feels relevant to the issues of today’s society. The Rhunlokni are a creative and interesting fantasy culture, and I enjoyed learning about their relationship with their Goddess. The author also did a good job of creating the words for the Rhunlokni language that showed up in the book without overpowering the book with words that were hard to understand.
The main conflict in this novel is Koru wrestling with her own negative feelings towards the non-Rhunlokni people, many of whom hate her, and deciding whether they are worth saving from the incoming climate disaster. There are powerful themes of forgiveness and healing in this novel, as Koru learns that it is not only the fellow refugees who are worth saving and that she is not universally hated. I think this novel will resonate with anyone who has been discriminated against for their religion or for their ethnicity, or for being part of an ethno-religion like the Rhunlokni.
Koru’s relationships with both her birth family (in the past timeline) and her present chosen family were also powerful. There were impactful relationships in this novel, perhaps even more impactful for the fact that there is no romance as Koru is asexual. The side characters were well-written, and felt like they truly were people. There is much death of side characters in this novel, so please be prepared that although the novel has an uplifting and inspiring tone overall there is sadness before you get there.
All the Scattered Stars releases April 21 from Running Wild Press. Thank you to Running Wild Press and Via Luino for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
This was a compelling, fast-paced urban fantasy novel that was set in the 2060s, but still feels relevant to the issues of today’s society. The Rhunlokni are a creative and interesting fantasy culture, and I enjoyed learning about their relationship with their Goddess. The author also did a good job of creating the words for the Rhunlokni language that showed up in the book without overpowering the book with words that were hard to understand.
The main conflict in this novel is Koru wrestling with her own negative feelings towards the non-Rhunlokni people, many of whom hate her, and deciding whether they are worth saving from the incoming climate disaster. There are powerful themes of forgiveness and healing in this novel, as Koru learns that it is not only the fellow refugees who are worth saving and that she is not universally hated. I think this novel will resonate with anyone who has been discriminated against for their religion or for their ethnicity, or for being part of an ethno-religion like the Rhunlokni.
Koru’s relationships with both her birth family (in the past timeline) and her present chosen family were also powerful. There were impactful relationships in this novel, perhaps even more impactful for the fact that there is no romance as Koru is asexual. The side characters were well-written, and felt like they truly were people. There is much death of side characters in this novel, so please be prepared that although the novel has an uplifting and inspiring tone overall there is sadness before you get there.
All the Scattered Stars releases April 21 from Running Wild Press. Thank you to Running Wild Press and Via Luino for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
May 29, 2025
This book weaves fantasy and fact together into one heck of an action-packed read! Koru, the main character, was easily my favorite part. She’s smart and snappy, and I loved watching her become confident in her magical earth powers over the course of the book. Koru is also full of heart, and the story revolves around her determination to keep her found family alive as Venice sinks around them. The way the environmental awareness was threaded throughout was really well done, and I liked getting to learn about the actual floodgates Venice has, as well as seeing the imagined technology (this book is set about 50 years in the future). I really enjoyed this book! Highly recommend.
May 18, 2025
This debut fantasy of an Italy that never quite is a enjoyable and thought provoking read.
June 12, 2025
Can't wait to read this! Love me that queer, feminist, environmentalist magical realism!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews