Thank you to NetGalley for the E-arc copy of Scavenge the Stars.
Where to begin...I love The Count of Monte Cristo so when I saw the synopsis of this book I was so excited. Tara Sim is a young adult author that I have read before so I sort of had an idea of what the writing style would be. She delves deep into her characters in creating this story. At times it is very detailed with deep character reflection and the story slows in places. It is a different take on the Count of Monte Cristo, I think that has a lot to do with her building the back story and world building. It is a first in a duology from Disney Hyperion. I think it will appeal across the board for all teens.
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This book was received as an ARC from Disney Book Group - Disney-Hyperion in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I am familiar with Tara Sim's work and have read a lot of her books and this one was definitely a winner. A twisted story with so much drama that it will leave your eyes glued to the pages that you will read it in one sitting. A rescue mission turned opportunity for a new life and clearing of your name so you can go on your quest to seek vengeance of the man that ruined your family. Then not only does she run in with the son she is trying to take down but she develops a trust and friendship with him that will be hard for her to break. So packed with drama that made it more enticing by the minute. Edge of your seat thrill ride that you'll want to read again and again. I can't wait to share this title with our teen book club and I know they will love it just as I do.

We will consider adding this title to our YFiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

Rating: 3.5
Title: Scavenge the Stars
Author: Tara Sim

Synopsis:
When Amaya rescues a mysterious stranger from drowning, she fears her rash actions have earned her a longer sentence on the debtor ship where she’s been held captive for years. Instead, the man she saved offers her unimaginable riches and a new identity, setting Amaya on a perilous course through the coastal city-state of Moray, where old-world opulence and desperate gamblers collide. Amaya wants one thing: revenge against the man who ruined her family and stole the life she once had. But the more entangled she becomes in this game of deception—and as her path intertwines with the son of the man she’s plotting to bring down—the more she uncovers about the truth of her past. And the more she realizes she must trust no one…
Packed with high-stakes adventure, romance, and dueling identities, this gender-swapped retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo is the first novel in an epic YA fantasy duology, perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo.

Initial thoughts:
I am a major fan of Tara Sim’s work so when I heard that this book was coming out I was so excited! I am probably going to be destroyed for saying this, but I have never read the Count of Monte Cristo so I was going into the book with a blank slate when it came to the comparisons (trust me I will pick it up eventually). I have been blessed with getting a copy of this book early. The cover is stunning and I love the idea of what this book is going to be about. I wonder how many changes are going to be made over the course of the next few months before it is released, but I am excited to see them in the copy that I purchase and add to the library.

Plot:
What I liked:
The amount of diversity in this book is astounding. I enjoyed the character development very much as well as the split narration between Cayo and Amaya. The description of gambling addiction was sad and yet beautifully explained showing the dangers that they can bring. I also loved the way Tara always seems to design characters that have ulterior motives than what we originally see. This allowed me to guess as to where the progression will go, but also keep me kind of in the dark. Assumptions can always be wrong.

What I didn't like:
Honestly, I will admit that there is some world building issues that I would love to see resolved. This is just the first book though and there is definitely room for growth in the world, but even so there didn’t seem to be a lot of description throughout this book. I really had to guess about certain things and it made it hard for me to actually see the world in my mind's eye. I also wish that I could have learned more about the history between the different empires a little bit more.

Overall:
Overall, I found this book to be an enjoyable read and I cannot wait to see where the second book goes! This story also has me grabbing for the book it was based on. I loved the tale of revenge and I am certainly invested in the characters and how they will be affected now that some major plots have been revealed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My reviews are spoiler-free and unaffected by the free copy.

I was so excited when I saw the description of this. A gender-swap of Count of Monte Cristo? Yes, please! The start of it was really good, too. I liked how cut-throat and vicious the child slave ship was. But then things unraveled very quickly. I guess because I was expecting it to follow Monte Cristo a lot closer than it's actually doing.

The whole idea behind the Count's story is that he's taking revenge against these people who wronged him years ago. Enough time has passed that those people have moved on with their lives and changed. He's changed, too, and is a skilled actor. None of that stuff transfers over to this version. True time has passed for Silverfish, but she doesn't even get the idea to seek vengeance on the man who was enslaving her for years until after she learns he kept her mother's fate from her. Even then, her reason is because he kept it from her instead of the enslavement. On top of that, another character has to point her to someone else for her to kill. So right off the bat we get a character who is motivated to seek vengeance over something that seems petty in the grand scheme of the world, and then has to be told to set her sights elsewhere by someone else.

I personally do not want to read that kind of story. I want a character whose motivations to kill are driven by herself and her alone, not someone else telling her where to point the knife. I want her victims to have nuance and who might actually be decent people, not obviously bad and thus saving her the moral dilemma. I know I'm throwing in the towel early but just from this much, it feels like the story is taking some inspiration from Count of Monte Cristo but taking out all the complexity.

Teenagers deserve better than that. I'm going to just re-read the original, thanks.

This was a fun, fast read for me and I really enjoyed the way the author recreated the Count of Monte Christo though the story of Amaya. Living on the seas, Amaya (Silverfish) is counting the days till her debt is paid. As the time comes closer, circumstances negatively impact her plan for escape and she finds herself in a battle to survive. But, as is the case in all good stories, things aren't exactly what they seem as she moves forward in her plot for revenge. With her survival comes an opportunity for revenge on those who have wronged her and put her into her situation. This story has passion, intrigue, revenge, mystery, strong characters and a plot that left me waiting for more of these characters. I really enjoyed the world that Tara Sim created and I can't wait to see what is in store for Amaya, Cayo and the rest of these characters! Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I Loved Loved Loved this book! I was so excited for this book and it did not disappoint at all! it was such a page turner that i could not stop reading it. I will be recommend this book to everyone i know!