ARC Review: Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim

Title: Scavenge the Stars
(Scavenge the Stars #1)
Author: Tara Sim
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Disney Hyperion via Edelweiss
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Publication Date: January 7th 2020

Summary: 

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 was one of my most anticipated reads for next year so I was super excited when I was approved for a copy on Edelweiss. Also, look at how stunning this cover is. I'm obsessed. Where I had high hopes for Scavenge the Stars it kind of fell flat for me, I was severely underwhelmed and a little dissapointed. This is my first Tara Sim book so I don't have anything to compare it too, but I've heard really good things about her previous works so I was really excited. 

My biggest issue with Scavenge the Stars was the world building. The world build building played a huge role in the book and it was just really generic and didn't stand out. I pictured it more as a colonial style harbor town rather then what the actual setting was suppose to be. We are also told names of so many different places with nothing too give us nothing to tell the difference between them. Where are they? What is their culture? What sets them apart? I felt very little connection to the main characters and secondary cast. By the midway point I really wasn't caring much for how this was all going to play out. 

Not every book is going to be for me and though this wasn't my cup of tea it is going to be others. I can see that this book is going to be well loved and has already been loved by the many people who have been able to read it so far. Maybe I'll give this one a chance again when book two comes out and see if my opinions have changed. But for now this one just wasn't for me. 

(2.5 Stars!)