Gender swapped Count of Monte Cristo? Yes Please.
This book was really interesting and I would love to read more retellings like this that aren't the typical fairytales.

Woohoo I love me a good ole' Count of Monte Christo retelling and to have gender bent one was the cherry on top. So to say I was excited was an understatement. The pacing was good, I pretty much loved all the characters definitely darker than the original Count of Monte Christo and you won't see me complaining. Add a dash of romance and you have yourself a good read.

Overall a fantastic young adult book about revenge and one of the better retellings I have had the pleasure to read.

What a whirlwind. Amazing characters. Leave you wanting more. The writing is so good. I am so anxious for book two. I really enjoyed the characters. I thought Sim did such a wonderful job with this book.

This story was AMAZING. I had heard a lot about this story before it was published and was very excited to read it. This is such a great read.

Pitched as a gender-swapped retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, Scavenge the Stars is an action-packed and gripping fantasy full of not just revenge and retaliation, but also a mission of finding one’s true self. While I’m not aware of the classic tale (and did a little research to find out more about it), there’s no denying that a retelling of such a timeless trope will always have a charm in it.

The story begins with Silverfish, or later on we know as Amaya, a girl who worked on a debtor ship led by Captain Zharo, working her way to pay the debts of her parents. With her father dead, Amaya was missing her mother with each day passing by. She’s very close to fulfilling the debt and only has a couple of days left on the boat, leaving her all excited to see her mother again on her birthday next week. Everything was going well until she rescued a young man that almost drowned named Boon. Her freedom which was right in front of her eyes was immediately delayed for a month. While they weren’t instantly friends, the two started to develop an unlikely friendship, until they decided to join forces in order to help each other seek revenge.

In another place, we got a peek of Cayo, a retired gambler who tried his best to get back from his dark past by trying to earn his father’s trust by working on the harbour and taking care of logistics. With a younger sister that’s ready to get married, everything seems to be right on track until she collapses during a dinner with a potential husband and his family. They soon discovered that she was suffering from a spreading fever disease, which will cost them a grand of money to buy the medicine and taking care of her. Cayo’s world soon turned upside down when he realised that his gambling habit has brought bankruptcy to their family wealth, leaving them nothing to even heal his sister. When his father receives word that a rich countess has entered their city, he orders Cayo to get closer to her. It might be too late for Cayo to realise that the step will tear his family apart.

What I liked about Sim’s upcoming fantasy is the characters and each of the journeys that they went through. Everyone was onto something and the thrill from experiencing their rage as my rage was intoxicating. Amaya’s anger was very much real and her mission to get back to Zharo was thrilling. She was also in the middle of searching for her true self. After working endlessly on Zharo’s boat for the last seven years, who she truly is? Is she still Amaya, the cheerful and kind girl that loved to walked around the village with her mother to picked up fresh fruits for their breakfast? Is she Silverfish now, the fierce and tough girl who’s ready to do everything to save her life, basically to survive? Is she none of that or is she both?

On the other hand, Cayo’s journey as a retired gambler was also enticing to be followed. His regret for his ugly behavior in the past was clearly shown through Sim’s eloquent wordings, making his redemption arc even more appealing than before. His mission to becoming better, not just for himself but also for his sister, was also another plus point from his character.

Although these two main characters and their journeys were magnificent, one thing that bothered me quite a lot was the narrative when it comes to worldbuilding. Sim was obviously an expert when it comes to crafting a fantasy universe with every little detail that will leave you craving for more. Unfortunately, I was struggling to keep up with this intricate universe that Sim delivered. It was obvious that she had all of this grand world in her mind, but sadly, it didn’t seem to communicate properly on the paper. It was narrated as if the readers were supposed to know about it already, when in fact, this is the first of the series and no one knows about this story, let alone the historical rivalry between two nations, which is implied in Scavenge the Stars.

In conclusion, Scavenge the Stars was a marvellous gender-swapped fantasy that brings a lot in the table. Apart from the obvious revenge trope, it also has great additions of an authentic self-finding calling and a remarkable redemption mission. It was a solid first instalment with great potential to be developed in the sequel.

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This very much so had the feel of the Count of Monte Cristo story that it was compared to, and I absolutely loved that aspect! While this played a great homage to the classic, it at the same time was something very uniquely it's own. This was gritty and violent, full of death, torture heartbreak and all kinds of sins, but yet was so realistic and I felt like I could see and understand the whys and hows.

The story is told through alternating chapters from Silverfish and Cayo, two very different characters with completely different motivations. Silverfish, or Amaya, was the poor indentured servant girl trying to pay off her family's debt so she can go back to her life- but along the way she discovered that revenge makes a much better motivator. And then we have Cayo, the spoiled playboy son of a shady merchant who is struggling to walk the straight and narrow. The two end up meeting, both pretending to some degree, and it was a complicated mess that I am so glad I had a front seat to witness everything unfold. I loved Amaya from the beginning, rooting for the underdog and even understanding the need for revenge that pushed her every action as well as the internal conflict she battled with every day. Cayo was more complicated. He was a playboy who happened to have a current rough time so I as all set to dislike him...but I am not sure I do dislike him, he ended up being more of the honorable hero than I would have ever expected.

Yes, this is a series. The ending of this book is just the unfolding of the overall conflict in the series. While some issues were resolved, some others were just made known so I am super interested to get the next book and see what Amaya and Cayo have in store for them next. I recommend this for anyone who likes retellings, historical-ish fiction, and gritty dangerous plots full of revenge.

3/5 stars

A decent start to a new series and female spun retelling of 'The Count of Monte Cristo'. Amaya and Cayo equally had their share of demons to deal with throughout this story including a few mysteries along the way. I really connected with Amaya in the beginning of the story, but then the story quickly stalled. When Cayo, his family, and several other characters came on the scene, it really bogged down the story. There was almost too much drama. The mystery of the characters past and the parts with Cayo and Amaya are what honestly kept me reading.

Overall, I liked this retelling, however I felt I could put it down at anytime. There was so much going on inside the character's heads and plot wise that the romance felt ignored. The drama really took a lot of time away from the characters getting to know one another. I felt this story didn't capture my attention as much as it could have. I do plan on reading the next in the series in hopes that there will be more world building and character development.

Thank you so much to Disney Hyperion and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A fantastic, adventurous, AMAZING retelling of the Count of Monte Cristo that makes the hero a HEROINE. It is so amazing to see a classic retold with a gender-swap because hell, these books sometimes need that. Many of these stories would be so different with a swapped main character and they’d be pretty unique in that aspect as well.

Silverfish (Amaya) was a fantastically written character that had so much anger in her that it was different. Most female characters are written just angry, no emotion besides that, but Silverfish had a lovable anger? She was angry for the way her family was treated and she was going to exact revenge, you could feel it. It was palpable. It was cuttable with a knife. It was just great. She was a starving orphan sold to a debtor’s ship but she made the best of it. She was strong willed, she was also physically strong, she was determined… she was a true female BADASS. She fought, she cursed, but she was also awkward. She had her moments when she was a real person and you could actually feel it off the page.

Cayo was a pretty well written character too as a bisexual debt maker who gambled away all of his money and good away. He was kind of sweet, kind of weird, but also lovable. He wanted to get back into his families good graces and he tried with all his might to do so in the book.

The world building of the book was okay, it could have been better, but I already know the Count of Monte Cristo so I placed everything there myself. Maybe if someone hadn’t read that already they would be concerned with not knowing what was happening in the world.

This was good. It didn't blow me away which is why I'm giving it 3 stars. I enjoyed it. There's nothing really wrong with it. I think my only complaint would be the length. It seemed too short and that made it feel like the characters and plot needed more time to develop. I liked the characters and the plot. Maybe it just needed to be longer to push it to a 4 star.

Amaya has lived the last seven years of her life on a debtors’ ship where children are sold to work off debts made by their parents or someone else. Her father was murdered by Kamon Mercado and Amaya was sold to the captain of the ship. Just when she thinks she will be able to leave, she rescues a mysterious man from drowning and is kept on board by the evil captain. Soon, she escapes and agrees to help the mystery man get revenge on Kamon Mercado because Amaya also wants to get revenge for the injustices she and the other children have suffered. When she first meets Cayo Mercado, Kamon’s son, Amaya’s only goal is to use him to get revenge. Cayo’s goal is to do anything he can to save his sister from the disease she has contracted, even if it means making a bad deal with the Slum King, the man who holds a great influence over the casinos and economy of Moray. As Amaya and Cayo get to know each other, they begin to care for each other in an unexpected way. They will both make some difficult decisions and find themselves facing danger at every turn while in pursuit of the corrupt people who have ruined so many lives.

I enjoyed this gender-bent retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo overall. I loved the plot and characters of the original book. Even though the Count goes down a very dark path, he learns some fundamental truths about life and how unsatisfying the path of revenge is. I believe this type of character development was also done very well in this retelling. The characters and the setting seemed so real, and the plight of some of the characters evoked many strong emotions within me as I read. I felt genuine disgust and anger towards some of the more shady and evil characters, as well as sadness for those who were abused and used by selfish, merciless people. I did not care for the profanity and did not agree with some of the lifestyles and views presented, and there were times when the details were a little grisly for my taste. Other than that, I liked this book very much and cannot wait for the sequel, now that I am emotionally and mentally invested in the characters.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

**I received a copy of this book from the publisher on Netgalley in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are completely my own**
I honestly wish I could give this book a better review, but it just wasn't as good as I was hoping.
The way it's written was pretty confusing at first, as it is written in a dual point of view. It isn't marked out at all, so you basically have to figure that out. It's not hard, but was confusing at first. The characters were really interesting and I thought they were written and developed well. I do wish there had been some backstory to some of them, but it doesn't affect the story that there wasn't.
What I didn't really like was the story as a whole. I think it had great potential, but the way it was written just wasn't for me. I found that I was bored for most of the book and I actually wanted to put it down at one point. I also think the story seemed really flat for a huge portion of the book, with everything happening in the very beginning and the very end.
Overall, it just wasn't for me and I don't see myself picking the sequel up either.

And intricate and vibrant retelling of a classic story, Tara Sim brings a whole new twist to the Count of Monte Cristo tale. Revenge, politics, economic downfalls, and all the glitz and false glamour of a Monte Carlo casino create a lush world for the young Amaya and her band to seek vengeance upon those who destroyed their lives.

Sold into indentured servitude at ten years old, Amaya has slaved away under the whip of a vicious captain for seven years. But just as her debt is nearly paid off, she takes a risk and rescues a man from the sea. That man, calling himself Boon, in order to repay her kindness tells Amaya not to trust the captain to keep his word of release once her debt is paid and gives her a cryptic message on how to escape to riches beyond her wildest dreams should she choose to follow his instructions to seek revenge on all those that have wronged them both in life.

Taking society by storm as the Countess Yamaa, Amaya sets her sights on the cruel captain, the owner of the ship that held her captive, and the monsters who framed her father for smuggling and destroyed her family.

Meanwhile, Young Lord Cayo is trying to reform his wild ways in order to win his father's tightfisted approval and earn the money needed for medicine to treat his gravely ill sister. The more he learns of his father's shady ethics in both business and family, the more he finds himself disgusted by how lightly those with power oppress and discount those that have nothing. All the back door dealings and under the table trades are almost enough to give his faith in humanity. . . but for his sweet younger sister who has spent her entire life trying to better the wotld however she can as often as she is able.

The lyrical writing that flows back and forth bwteen Amaya and Cayo's points of view is smooth and full of rich descriptions that the bring the city of Moray to life. I picked this book and refused to put it down til it was finished.

*I recommend this book to fans of Alexdre Dumas, Mercedes Lackey, and all those who like a bit of swash with their buckles.

*special thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital copy ARC in trade for an honest oipinion*

It started off well if a little grittier than I like. Then it all just sort of started spinning and not much movement happened. I skipped a good chunk in the middle and found that I hadn't really missed anything once I jumped to the end.

Amaya was sold to a debtor ship filled with children conscripted to pay off familial debts. She spent 10 years diving for pearls, gutting fish, beaten and starved until she escaped. With the help of Boon, a man she saved from drowning and who later saved her, they plot revenge to those that wronged them. A primary target is the wealthy merchant and owner of the debtor ship whose son, Cayo, is to be used in the plot to destroy that family. The plot gets a bit twisty. We delve into Cayo’s backstory and of course discover he’s a likable though troubled sort. This first book in the planned duology wraps a few things up, but all the players are in place for the next book.

Maybe I’m just drawn to books about plotting and revenge but it seems there are lots out there. This one is good, the writing is well done, briskly paced, never plodding. The bad guys are bad while the good guys are often in a state of puzzlement. This reinvention of Count of Monte Christo is an engaging read and I look forward to reading the sequel.

**Special thanks to NetGalley for an electronic ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own and in no way reflect the views of NetGalley or the publisher. **

3.5 Stars

This is another one of those cases where I wish Goodreads did half star reviews. I liked the book, but I didn't "really like" the book. I feel bad giving it three stars, because I think this was a case of right book / wrong reader. Or, perhaps this was one I should have read with a paper copy instead of starting with the electronic ARC and finishing with the audio book. The narrator of the audiobook was great, by the way. I simply think this just wasn't the story for me, especially after just reading Sea Witch which also involved boats and revenge and, although a completely different story, similar themes. I think I would have liked this one better if I read it at a different time.

Okay, so here's what I thought...

I was instantly drawn into the story. Silverfish presented an intriguing character as a child laborer on a debtor's ship. I could literally smell the fish guts on the ship from the author's descriptions. I immediately felt empathy for her plight.

But, I didn't maintain that level of empathy for her throughout. She made some rash decisions, especially after reuniting with Boon, or at least they felt rash to me as a reader. Her identity is supposedly split between Amaya, who she was before and who she wants to become again, and Silverfish, who she was on the ship, consumed with revenge. I found she wasn't very likable as a main character.

But, I adored Cayo. I'm super excited for a bisexual main character and would like to see this explored a bit further, especially if relationships develop in the second half of this duology like I believe they will. Cayo is not that great at scheming, he just wants to help people, and he trusts too easily. His major motivations come from a desire to help his sister and I found him far more likable than Amaya/Silverfish.

I wanted more of Roach. We don't have nearly enough asexual/aromantic representation in books and I just want to see more of him. He's a loyal friend and not really developed much beyond that, although the ending of the book hints that there's more to his character.

The plot was paced out recently well. There were a couple of things I had difficulty keeping up with in regards to the politics of the city and interactions with Mr. Mercado and the Slum King. I think this is where I would have benefited most from not listening to the audiobook, but rather having a paper copy in my hand so that I could re-read paragraphs as needed to make sure I got everything solid in my head before continuing on.

I'll definitely read the conclusion to this tale when it's published. If you liked the original Count of Monte Cristo (of which this is a gender-swaped retelling) then I think you'll like this story. If you want a fierce female lead, you'll like this story. If you want a sensitive male lead, you'll like this story.

** For teachers and parents, there's nothing beyond a few quick kisses in this book. Attractions are mentioned, but nothing is even close to explicit. Preteens can read this without concern, in my opinion. **

With a very minimal recollection of the story of THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, I found myself trying to compare the two stories and getting lost. Once I gave up on finding the similarities between them and think of this story as completely it’s own, I was able start really enjoying it.

The characters were interesting and the plot picks up once the two points of view cross paths. I didn’t love this book as much as I thought I would, and I can’t quite place my finger on why I didn’t love it. Overall found it to be a fun read but the ending kind of felt a little rushed. After I finished reading I realized that this was the beginning of a series so that eases my mind a little about the ending. I was left wanting more answers and thinking this was a stand-alone left me feeling a little lack luster.

This was my first book by Tara Sim. I enjoyed it and will probably do a reread before the second book releases. I’m also interested in trying her Timekeeper series a try.

I first would like to say that it has been 10 plus years since I’ve read The Count of Monte Cristo so I’m a little rusty remembering the book. And trying to read a summary was just super confusing…BUT do you need to read The Count of Monte Cristo to read and enjoy this books..NOPE!

Amaya Chandra (also known as Silverfish and Countess Yama) is one of the books tow main characters. She has spent the last 7 years on the a debtors ship (that bought children) called the Brackish working off her parent debut. We our introduced to Silverfish when she is only days away from returning home with her debut paid. That all changes when she rescues a man, named Boon, out of the sea. Long story short (I don’t want to give it all away ; ) ) the two team up to get revenge on the men who ruined their lives and so Countess Yama is brought to life. Amaya is fierce and strong and won’t let anything stop her from getting revenge she deserves.

Cayo Mercado is out second main character and he is the son of the businessman, Kamon Mercado. Cayo’s family had fallen on hard times and he has done a fair share of damage to the family name with his gambling addiction.

What I liked:
I enjoyed the gender-swapped YA spin on the. The Count of Monte Cristo was one of my favorite books that I had to read in high school. So how can I not enjoy it. Also the author made the story a whole lot less confusing which I am grateful for.
I loved how protective Amya was of all the younger kids
just enough action in it to make the story interesting.

What I didn’t like:
the story dragged in the beginning and took me FOREVER to get into
kinda confused about the kingdoms and would like to know more

Overall I did really enjoy the book and would recommend it! And after that ending I need the next book like now please and thank you!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC if this book!*
*I received an eARC in exchange for a honest review*

To inherit the skies, you must scavenge the stars.
- Rehanese proverb

This retelling of A Count of Monte Cristo turned out to be quite a fun read. Amaya/Silverfish remained a strong character and her motivations remained rather stable throughout the story. Cayo’s persistence to look out for his sister kept me interested in his character and I am relieved the story didn’t fully operate around a romance between him and Amaya. This was a story of justice and revenge. However, I felt like I needed more information on the ash fever to understand its deadliness and widespread impact, but that may be left to the next book as the story continues.

Perfect for any pirate fan. I absolutely loved this one. Amaya is such a young and powerful influence throughout this book. She deals with heartbreak, insecurities, as well as struggling to find balance in her new life-in freedom. She doesn't know how to be free, we go on this journey with her as she tries to seek justice and revenge but also the power of forgiving.
This does have a rather slow character arc, but by the end you realize the strides she made to become a better person.
Her past was taken from her and she strives to make sure her future is secure.
I solidly gave this three stars.
I only wished this could capture the world better. Give a better visual for the readers to really grasp the surroundings and places. The going back and forth between Amaya and Cayo was a bit confusing at first in understanding the timeline, and perhaps I enjoyed the suspense of the two characters meeting up. It feels like the novel falls a bit flat after these two get together and decide what is in the best interests for the future. When really, it should have made the novel stronger. There was a lot going on for this little adventure. Conterfeit, disease, heartbreak, romance, and injustice. Maybe focusing on a single problem or two and detailed their relevance better would have served this novel better off.
If you are looking for a fantasy book with a lot of diversity and representation, this is for you. Positively this book has a wide array of characters and doesn't over do their personalities. So thank you Disney for taking that advance!

Having never read The Count of Monte Cristo, I had no idea what to expect with this story. Honestly, the extent of my knowledge of that book is the fact that the title was mentioned in The Shawshank Redemption movie. So I can’t tell you how close or true to the source material Scavenge the Stars is.

I wanted to read this because I liked the sound of the synopsis. I love a good “stabby girl seeking revenge” series.

This isn’t exactly a “fantasy” per se. Fantasy as a genre can be a bit ambiguous. Don’t go into this expecting a lot of magic or powers or fantastical creatures. This was a fantasy because it’s a made up place with a made up history. It feels like it can almost be alternate earth/alternate world/alternate history story. It feels very true to life.

This was such a fast-paced, non-stop tale. Not once did the story drag. There were times when I felt like I wanted to stop blinking so I wouldn’t loose that precious second of reading.

Told from alternating duel POVs of Amaya and Cayo, the book grabs your attention right away and never lets you go. I loved each of their narratives and I’m living for their scenes together. They’re just too cute.

Being part one in a duology, I can tell you this; thankfully there isn’t a cliffhanger that will make you want to throw things and rip your hair out while you wait. It leaves off with a nice open ending so that you know the story will continue.