laura_cs 's review for:

Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim
5.0

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sold to a debtor's ship as a small child, Amaya--called Silverfish aboard the "Brackish"--yearns for her home in Moray and her mother. Right before her debt is fully paid off, a mysterious, well-dressed stranger is spotted in the ocean. Amaya saves him, believing him to owe her a favor in return. What she gets is much much more: She gets an opportunity for revenge on all who have wronged her.

Cayo Mercado is in trouble. A lot of trouble. Too much time in the Vice Sector has earned his father's disdain and drained his coffers. But Cayo has changed his ways, determined to do better for his sister, Soria. When Soria is afflicted with Ash Fever, and all hopes of restoring the family fortune through a marriage are dashed, Cayo has to find a way to save his family. Perhaps that could involve catching the eye of the rich, mysterious, enchanting Lady Yamaa....

Cayo and Amaya are thrown on a collision course of high society, mystery, and betrayals. Who do they trust? And will they ever truly be free?

A brilliant beginning to this duology by Tara Sim, "Scavenge the Stars" is a gender-bent "Count of Monte Cristo" retelling that will have readers on the edge of their seats and pages turning, desperate to find out what will happen next.