Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim Pages: 336
on January 7, 2020
Series: Scavenge the Stars #1
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy & Magic, retelling
Source: eARC from Publisher
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.
Scavenge the Stars is a young adult fantasy retelling by Tara Sim. It is the first book in the scavenge the stars duology, which is a gender flipped retelling based on The Count of Monte Cristo. I have never read the Count of Monte Cristo, but I did really enjoy Scavenge the Stars. It is the first book I have read of Tara Sim’s, and now I am already excited to read more from her. One thing that I knew going into this book is that it is a revenge story, which I normally really enjoy. Plus, I love retellings, so I was in!
In Scavenge the Stars, we meet our main character Amaya. Amaya starts out as a slave on a ship. Through a series of events Amaya is able to escape the ship and go on a different sort of quest. I liked the characters in Scavenge the Stars, but I think the best part of the story was the plot and the way the story was presented. Scavenge the Stars is told in dual narrative, and in multiple timelines. Sound confusing? Yes, it could be at times, but if you stick with it, the story all comes together in a fun way. I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure that Tara Sim took us on, and a lot of my enjoyment I am attributing to the storytelling technique.
Amaya meets several characters throughout the course of the adventure. There is her cruel captain, and then Boon, the guy that assists Amaya with her escape. Boon has an agenda of his own, which leads the two of them to our other main character Cato. Other than the way the story was presented, I also loved the world that Tara Sim created. It is full of secrets and intrigue and it is gritty, raw and dark. I recently listened to Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody, and the setting in Scavenge the Stars, reminded me a lot of the city of sin from Ace of Shades, which is high praise from me. It was fantastic. Everyone has their own agendas, and revenge weaves throughout many of the storylines.
Overall, if you are a fan of gritty adventure tales full of surprises secrets and a unique story telling method, I think you will really enjoy Scavenge the Stars. I can’t wait to read the conclusion to this duology. I think we are not only going to get some more answers, but I am super excited to see all of the character relationships progress. This was a really strong first book in this series.
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About Tara Sim
Tara Sim is the author of SCAVENGE THE STARS (Disney-Hyperion) and the TIMEKEEPER trilogy (Sky Pony Press) and writer of all things magic. She can often be found in the wilds of the Bay Area, California.
When she’s not writing about mischievous boys in clock towers, Tara spends her time drinking tea, wrangling cats, and occasionally singing opera. Despite her bio-luminescent skin, she is half-Indian and eats way too many samosas.
Tara is represented by Victoria Marini at Irene Goodman Literary Agency.
Name pronunciation: “tar-ah” (not “terr-ah”).
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2020 New Release Challenge
- 2020 Reading Assignment Challenge
- 2020 Retellings Reading Challenge
- Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge 2020
intriguing title and your great review caught my attention. i love adventures, surprises and secrets
sherry @ fundinmental
It looks like a good read.