Scavenge the Stars (Scavenge the Stars #1)

Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim is the first book in her young adult fantasy series reimagining The Count of Monte Cristo. 

Amaya has been on a work ship for years. It is common for children to work off their parents' debts in this manner. The captain of this ship is as likely to add years to their service as he is to beat them. 

Amaya is counting the days until she can leave the ship and find her mother in the city of Moray. When she saves a man from drowning, he seems to be her ticket off of the ship.

Becoming part of a plot for someone else's revenge (presented to her as her own) Amaya has to get close to the son of the man who owns the ship she spent so long on. 

Sim has set up a great tale of fantasy, revenge and extravagance. Fun series.

Sim, Tara. (2021). Scavenge the Stars. New York: Disney Books.

The Count of Monte Cristo

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas is one of the best stories ever told. After being harassed to read it for years, I gave in. And I loved it!

Edmond Dantes is a sailor. He is only nineteen, but when his ship's captain dies, he takes over the running of the ship. Once they get back to port it looks like he will become the captain. Dantes, on top of being a good sailor whom the crew loves, is engaged to a beautiful woman named Mercedes.

But back in port in Marseilles, Dante finds out that not everyone is happy for him. Three men, all of who are jealous of him for some reason, plot together to have him arrested. The prosecutor, who at first seems like a good guy, is influenced by his ambitions.

Soon Dantes finds himself thrown into the notorious prison Chateau d'If - a fortress island.

All of this is just the set up for a story of revenge. I will not give any more plot details even though they are well known. I will say that at 1400 pages, I was not ready to leave this book! Read it. Buy your own copy because you will want to re-read it again and again. The Modern Library 2002 translation is the version I read.

Dumas, Alexandre. (2002). The Count of Monte Cristo. New York: Modern Library.