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Silverfish is so close! So close to paying off her indenture and being free from the slave ship she has spent most of her life on. All she has left is a few more days, until they see a strange man in the water and Silverfish saves him, going against her captains order. Saving his life has earnt her 3 more months on the ship, but the man is more than he seems and he offers her a deal; save his life and he will give her all the riches she desires. Silverfish believes it to be a bit too good to be true, but when he escapes and the captain blames her, she has little choice left but to follow the man and hope he isn’t a crazy as he sounded. His plan is about as crazy as he seems, pass Amaya (Silverfish) off as a member of the gentry, let her get close to Cayo Mercado, the son of the man who was behind the death of her father and her subsequent selling to the slaver ship, and bring his business tumbling down around him. The only problem? Cayo isn’t exactly the bad boy he was supposed to be, and as they grow closer they will unwittingly unearth something that could bring down not only Kamon Mercado, but the whole empire.
I’ve never read the Count of Monte Cristo, and have little knowledge about what the original story is about so I had very few expectations when going into this book. What I got was a story full of disguise, treachery, love and vengeance. I was hooked within the first few chapters and flew through the pages.
Amaya, Countess Yamaa, Silverfish. She has numerous names throughout the book, and yet no matter which skin she was in she couldn’t escape her true self. The little girl who grew up on stories from her father and in a loving household all to have that come tumbling down around her, and in one fell swoop she was swept away from her family destined to spend the next 7 years of her life on a debtors ship paying off her families supposed debts. Amaya was a really intriguing character for me, not easy to trust, and someone that always keeps a little part of themselves tucked away, never quite opening up. She has a strength inside her that has never dwindled, not when she was sold to a debtors ship, or after everyone of the beatings she received. Her one aim in life was to get back to her mother and get revenge on the people who ruined her family.
Cayo Mercado is a playboy, gambler, general dreg on society. That was until his father and sister dragged him out of the gutter, determined he would become the dutiful member of society fitting for his family name. Washed, cleaned and put in charge of parts of his fathers business his life seems to be getting on the right track, that is until he meets the infamous Countess Yamaa and both their lives get turned upside down. Cayo has his vices, but it is his love for his sister, and not wanting to disgrace his family further that keeps him from the gambling dens and the friends he found there.
Like I said, I had very little idea of the plot before reading this story so I image if you have read the Count of Monte Cristo you might have a slightly different reading experience. The author creates a world we all know well, a continent at war and the little country simply trying to stay out of the way, yet I found that her writing style and descriptions had me flying through the pages needing to know what happens next. There are plenty of twists and turns, some slightly predictable ( and I imagine if you had read the original book there wouldn’t be many surprises for you) but its the characters that had me truly invested. I loved Amaya and Cayo and lived for the parts of the book where they interacted.
The romance in this book was pretty slow burn, in fact nothing massive happened, but it set itself up perfectly for the next book in the series. Amaya knowing that she shouldn’t be falling for the son of the man she was trying to destroy, and Cayo, originally drawn to the Countess because of his fathers wishes, finds that the more he learns about the bizarre girl, the more he seems to be falling for her.
The book, as all good books do, ended on a cliffhanger leaving you flipping through the last pages hoping for more. I will certainly be picking up the sequel, and will be picking up more books by the author. 4.5/5
I’ve never read the Count of Monte Cristo, and have little knowledge about what the original story is about so I had very few expectations when going into this book. What I got was a story full of disguise, treachery, love and vengeance. I was hooked within the first few chapters and flew through the pages.
Amaya, Countess Yamaa, Silverfish. She has numerous names throughout the book, and yet no matter which skin she was in she couldn’t escape her true self. The little girl who grew up on stories from her father and in a loving household all to have that come tumbling down around her, and in one fell swoop she was swept away from her family destined to spend the next 7 years of her life on a debtors ship paying off her families supposed debts. Amaya was a really intriguing character for me, not easy to trust, and someone that always keeps a little part of themselves tucked away, never quite opening up. She has a strength inside her that has never dwindled, not when she was sold to a debtors ship, or after everyone of the beatings she received. Her one aim in life was to get back to her mother and get revenge on the people who ruined her family.
Cayo Mercado is a playboy, gambler, general dreg on society. That was until his father and sister dragged him out of the gutter, determined he would become the dutiful member of society fitting for his family name. Washed, cleaned and put in charge of parts of his fathers business his life seems to be getting on the right track, that is until he meets the infamous Countess Yamaa and both their lives get turned upside down. Cayo has his vices, but it is his love for his sister, and not wanting to disgrace his family further that keeps him from the gambling dens and the friends he found there.
Like I said, I had very little idea of the plot before reading this story so I image if you have read the Count of Monte Cristo you might have a slightly different reading experience. The author creates a world we all know well, a continent at war and the little country simply trying to stay out of the way, yet I found that her writing style and descriptions had me flying through the pages needing to know what happens next. There are plenty of twists and turns, some slightly predictable ( and I imagine if you had read the original book there wouldn’t be many surprises for you) but its the characters that had me truly invested. I loved Amaya and Cayo and lived for the parts of the book where they interacted.
The romance in this book was pretty slow burn, in fact nothing massive happened, but it set itself up perfectly for the next book in the series. Amaya knowing that she shouldn’t be falling for the son of the man she was trying to destroy, and Cayo, originally drawn to the Countess because of his fathers wishes, finds that the more he learns about the bizarre girl, the more he seems to be falling for her.
The book, as all good books do, ended on a cliffhanger leaving you flipping through the last pages hoping for more. I will certainly be picking up the sequel, and will be picking up more books by the author. 4.5/5
This is a Count of Monte Cristo retelling. I liked the main character but I felt that the plot was convoluted although it made sense at the end.
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Meet Silverfish. She, along with the other Water Bugs, was sold to the Brackish to pay off debts their parents owe. Silverfish was worked to the bone, deprived of basic human rights, and treated like garbage by her captain for seven years. When she turned seventeen, she was freed from the grasp of the Brackish and Captain Zharo, renewed with a sense of urgency to right the wrongs done to her. She not only earned her true name back, free to shed the Water Bug title that was forced upon her, but she also ignited a thirst for revenge.
I’m so happy that this book is the first in a duology. Most of the books sent to me by OwlCrate are not ones that I would pick out for myself. I never would’ve picked out Scavenge the Stars because it’s not my cup of tea. Don’t get me wrong; I do love a good retelling, but this was based off of a story I was not familiar with. I’ve never read or watched The Count of Monte Cristo before, but I might now that I’ve read this book.
That being said, I do love this story. Silverfish became Amaya after she fled the Brackish, but then transformed into Countess Yamaa to get revenge on her captain. This turned into a huge, book-length heist that fostered her growth as a character. Her comrades throughout her journey were well developed characters. I could see their faces clearly in my mind’s eye and could pick out who they were just by their dialogue. I especially loved Cayo’s character. He is a witty gambler whom is forced to make some pretty dire decisions.
The novel is written in third person and alternates between Amaya’s and Cayo’s point of views. The way they view the world is very different and it adds depth to the plot. The story line in this novel is deep, dark, and twisted. Amaya never knows who to trust and the world spins out of control, right under her nose. She’s confused and frustrated; Tara Sim does an amazing job conveying that through Amaya’s characterization and makes us feel it, as a result.
There were several settings in Scavenge the Stars and each one of them were perfectly described. I could picture the obscenity the Brackish embodied, as well as the gloom under the glitter that claimed Moray. I felt like I was walking through the town with Amaya and sitting at the tables with Cayo.
I believe that one of the many themes that Tara Sim was trying to convey with Scavenge the Stars is be careful who you trust. I don’t want to spoil anything but knowing who to trust during your revenge schemes is very important! Another theme I think Tara Sim was trying to hit was woman power; she switched the genders for the retelling and made Amaya a complete badass. The quote that introduced chapter eighteen says it all: “Women with knives are sharper than any mind.”
The only reason I gave Scavenge the Stars four out of five stars was because the story didn’t wow me. It was unexpected, unpredictable, and page-turning at times, but there was something missing. I’m a tough grader when it comes to star ratings. My five stars are my favorite books of all time.
Overall, I definitely think Scavenge the Stars is worth a read. It’s a powerful blend of “high-stakes adventure, romance, dueling identifies, and breathtaking betrayals” (dust jacket description), tied together by unpredictable plot twists that’ll keep you up at night. Scavenge the Stars is a book hangover type of read. Be prepared.
For Teachers
I haven’t read The Count of Monte Cristo, but there’s an opportunity to do a compare and contrast with the original work it’s based off of. I’d talk to your class to figure out if Scavenge the Stars would be a good fit for the overall population of your room, but I don’t see a problem with teaching this novel. There are some light cursing, moderate violence, and hints at prostitution, which may not be acceptable for all classrooms. Definitely screen the novel before bringing into your classroom.
Meet Silverfish. She, along with the other Water Bugs, was sold to the Brackish to pay off debts their parents owe. Silverfish was worked to the bone, deprived of basic human rights, and treated like garbage by her captain for seven years. When she turned seventeen, she was freed from the grasp of the Brackish and Captain Zharo, renewed with a sense of urgency to right the wrongs done to her. She not only earned her true name back, free to shed the Water Bug title that was forced upon her, but she also ignited a thirst for revenge.
I’m so happy that this book is the first in a duology. Most of the books sent to me by OwlCrate are not ones that I would pick out for myself. I never would’ve picked out Scavenge the Stars because it’s not my cup of tea. Don’t get me wrong; I do love a good retelling, but this was based off of a story I was not familiar with. I’ve never read or watched The Count of Monte Cristo before, but I might now that I’ve read this book.
That being said, I do love this story. Silverfish became Amaya after she fled the Brackish, but then transformed into Countess Yamaa to get revenge on her captain. This turned into a huge, book-length heist that fostered her growth as a character. Her comrades throughout her journey were well developed characters. I could see their faces clearly in my mind’s eye and could pick out who they were just by their dialogue. I especially loved Cayo’s character. He is a witty gambler whom is forced to make some pretty dire decisions.
The novel is written in third person and alternates between Amaya’s and Cayo’s point of views. The way they view the world is very different and it adds depth to the plot. The story line in this novel is deep, dark, and twisted. Amaya never knows who to trust and the world spins out of control, right under her nose. She’s confused and frustrated; Tara Sim does an amazing job conveying that through Amaya’s characterization and makes us feel it, as a result.
There were several settings in Scavenge the Stars and each one of them were perfectly described. I could picture the obscenity the Brackish embodied, as well as the gloom under the glitter that claimed Moray. I felt like I was walking through the town with Amaya and sitting at the tables with Cayo.
I believe that one of the many themes that Tara Sim was trying to convey with Scavenge the Stars is be careful who you trust. I don’t want to spoil anything but knowing who to trust during your revenge schemes is very important! Another theme I think Tara Sim was trying to hit was woman power; she switched the genders for the retelling and made Amaya a complete badass. The quote that introduced chapter eighteen says it all: “Women with knives are sharper than any mind.”
The only reason I gave Scavenge the Stars four out of five stars was because the story didn’t wow me. It was unexpected, unpredictable, and page-turning at times, but there was something missing. I’m a tough grader when it comes to star ratings. My five stars are my favorite books of all time.
Overall, I definitely think Scavenge the Stars is worth a read. It’s a powerful blend of “high-stakes adventure, romance, dueling identifies, and breathtaking betrayals” (dust jacket description), tied together by unpredictable plot twists that’ll keep you up at night. Scavenge the Stars is a book hangover type of read. Be prepared.
For Teachers
I haven’t read The Count of Monte Cristo, but there’s an opportunity to do a compare and contrast with the original work it’s based off of. I’d talk to your class to figure out if Scavenge the Stars would be a good fit for the overall population of your room, but I don’t see a problem with teaching this novel. There are some light cursing, moderate violence, and hints at prostitution, which may not be acceptable for all classrooms. Definitely screen the novel before bringing into your classroom.
Many thanks to Disney Press for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review
This is another one of those (quite frequent) times where it's not the book... it's me...
I went into this expecting science fiction (I don't know why. The cover pretty clearly shouts "fantasy") and did not get that. Scavenge the Stars is a steampunk fantasy which is fine for people who like that... I just down.
In generally, fantasy and I just don't get along. If it's too hard to understand or the world-building takes too long, I get bored and stop caring and that is what happened with Scavenge the Stars. Actually, no. In this, the world-building wasn't slow enough. I felt confused from page one. I think the author could have made the story better by slowing some things down.
At the same time, it didn't feel like anything interesting was happening. I kept skimming page after page, waiting for something bad or exciting to happen but nothing ever did. （´ヘ｀；）
Overall, I still think readers should give this a try. Maybe there will be someone out there who will enjoy this more than I did.
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DNF at 39% I am bored... so bored... so bored that I chose to stare at the wall rather than try to muddle my way through... (Sorry, Disney Books... Sorry, Tara Sim)
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My first 2020 ARC!!
Buddy read with Chelsea!
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I really liked Tara Sim's book, Scavenge the Stars, but unfortunately I ultimately didn't love it as much as I was hoping to going into reading it. Usually, I'm a huge fan of stories featuring a protagonist that's embarking on a quest for revenge; but in this case, and I'm honestly not quite sure why this is, I just didn't find Scavenge the Stars as gripping and as interesting as I usually find this kind of story. Even though I didn't love this book as much as I had been hoping to, I'll probably continue on with the Scavenge the Stars series; since the series is only a duology.
My rating/score: 3 1/2 out of 5 Stars on the Goodreads rating system, and 7 out of 10 on my own personal scoring system.
My rating/score: 3 1/2 out of 5 Stars on the Goodreads rating system, and 7 out of 10 on my own personal scoring system.
I suppose I probably would have enjoyed this more if I hadn't already read The Count of Monte Cristo. Sorry but it's still the ultimate revenge story of all time
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Okay, so, I kind of loved this?
As a whole, the majority of the story didn't necessarily have much substance to it, so that's why it has a little bit of a lower rating. Most of the book was made up of backstory and scheming, than a thrill-ride. But the writing was nice and clean, with a decent cast of characters (I don't know why I'm particularly fond of Roach and Avi
As a whole, the majority of the story didn't necessarily have much substance to it, so that's why it has a little bit of a lower rating. Most of the book was made up of backstory and scheming, than a thrill-ride. But the writing was nice and clean, with a decent cast of characters (I don't know why I'm particularly fond of Roach and Avi
Just a bit boring. Got about a third of the way through and couldn’t bring myself to care about the characters or the plot.