MY FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2019

Hey guys! I realized that I never talked much about what I read in 2019 so today I am bringing you a list of my favorites. The books on this list are not exclusive to 2019 releases as I have many books that were published in previous years. These are all books that received five stars from me and are books that I loved. I do have a lot of other books that I really enjoyed but they are not going on this list. 

Let's get into it. 

BOOKS

1.  The Cruel Prince by Holly Black ~ 5 Crowns

This was released on January 2, 2018. This was a book that I had heard so much about but was a little bit worried to read. This is about Jude who was seven when her parents were killed and she and her two sisters were taken away to live in the High Court of Faerie a treacherous place for humans. Now, ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there but most fey despise humans. Especially, Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King. And to win a place at the Court, she must defy him and then face the consequences. However, as she gets into the palace intrigues and deceptions and discovers her own capacity for trickery and when betrayal threatens to drown the Courts in violence, Jude will have to make a dangerous alliance to save her sisters and the land of Faerie. Fae books are some of my favorite YA books and I am always looking for new ones to add to my shelves. I loved the plot, the dangerous but interesting characters and the writing and I am excited to continue the series especially since I loved this one so much!

2.  Dark Breaks the Dawn by Sara B. Larson ~ 5 Crowns

This was released on May 30, 2017. I have owned this book since it came out because I had never read a Swan Lake retelling before. This is about Princess Evelayn of Eadrolan (The Light Kingdom), who on her eighteenth birthday can finally access her full magical powers. The other kingdom, Dorjhalon (The Dark Kingdom)'s King is plotting to take control over both kingdoms, and his plan will fling Evelayn onto the throne a lot sooner than she ever expected. In order to defeat the Dark Kingdom, Evelayn will have to come into her ability to shape-shift and rely on the alluring Lord Tanvir but everyone is not what they seem, and the balance between the kingdoms comes at a steep price. This was such an interesting spin on the Swan Lake story and I ended up loving the characters, and the plot which helped it earn a spot on this list. 

3.  The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco ~ 5 Crowns

This was released on March 7, 2017. This is the only book on this list that I didn't physically read. I listened to this entire book as an audiobook and I am so glad that I did as it really made it come alive.  This is about Tea who accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead and then learns that she is different from the other witches in her family. She is a bone witch which means that she is feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea ends up finding help and guidance from an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training. Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha (a witch who can wield elemental magic), however, dark forces are approaching and Tea will have to overcome her obstacles and make a powerful choice. I loved Tea as a character and through this book we got to see her grow up and into her powers through the book which was so cool. I loved this audiobook so much as the narrators were really easy to listen to and brought the story to life. 

4.  The Hating Game by Sally Thorne ~ 5 Crowns

This was released on August 6, 2016. I never thought that I would have an Adult Rom-Com book on my favorites list but here we are. This is about Lucy and Josh who work together in an office and they say they hate each other. They play juvenile games and compete with each other constantly especially for a new promotion. However, after Lucy starts to get some unexpected kindness from Josh, she starts to wonder if beneath his cold and cruel behavior he is actually a nice guy, with the potential to break her heart. Lucy and Josh's hate-to-love romance was so fun and cute and I loved the banter so much! 

5.  Dark Shores by Danielle L. Jensen ~ 5 Crowns

This was released on May 7, 2019. Pirate and ocean books are some of my favorite books in the YA genre and I am always looking for more. This is about Teriana who is the second mate on her ship with her people who are born of the seas and keep all of its secrets. However, when her closest friend is forced into an unwanted betrothal, she breaks her people's mandate so her friend can escape. Meanwhile, Marcus is the commander of the Thirty-Seventh, a legion that has led the Celendor Empire to conquer the entire East and he's been hiding a secret since childhood.  When an Empire senator discovers the existence of the Dark Shores, he captures Teriana's crew and threatens to reveal Marcus's secret unless they sail to conquer the Dark Shores. This forces Marcus and Teriana into an unwilling alliance to protect themselves and their families. I loved the strong characters, adventurous plotline and humor. 

6.  Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins ~ 5 Crowns

This was released on May 7, 2019. I had previously read Royals by Rachel Hawkins and I loved it so I had to read this one and it was amazing! This is about Millie who applies for scholarships to boarding schools to get away from a devastating breakup/misunderstanding. When she gets into one of the world's most exclusive schools, located in Scotland, she discovers that her roommate, Flora, is the actual princess of Scotland and seems to be a total snob. However, soon they end up getting along better than she had hoped and Millie starts believing in happily ever afters again. This book was so cute and I love this whole series so much. 

7.  We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal ~ 5 Crowns

This was released on May 14, 2019. I was very iffy about reading this book because it had so many bad reviews but I am I did as it is one of new favorite books. This is about Zafira, a Hunter who disguises herself as a man in order to hunt in the dark and cursed forest of the Arz in order to feed her village. Meanwhile, Nasir, known as the Prince of Death, is the son and loyal assassin of the King. As war and the forest of the Arz begin to creep upon the kingdom, Zafira is sent on a quest in order to retrieve a magical artifact that is rumored to restore magic to the kingdom. Nasir has also been sent to retrieve the artifact as well as to kill the Hunter. As an ancient evil has begun to stir, both of them realize that the artifact could be far more dangerous than either of them ever imagined. Everything about this book was done so fantastically well and even though many Fantasy plots include quests, magic and the like, this one managed to stand out. 

8.  The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren ~ 5 Crowns

This was released on May 14, 2019. Another Adult Rom-Com made it onto this list? This is about Olive who believes she is unlucky in everything while her twin sister has things handed to her. When her sister and her new husband get food poisoning (along with the rest of the wedding party/guests), she insists that Olive goes on her all expenses paid honeymoon. Olive agrees but she is mad when she finds out she has to go with her sister's husband's brother, Ethan, aka the person that Olive has had a rivalry with since they met. They agree to go together as long as they don't see each other for most of the vacation, however Olive runs into her new boss while in Hawaii and has to pretend that Ethan is her husband which forces the two of them to spend time together. This was such a cute and hilarious romantic comedy and I love the fake dating trope!

9. Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson ~ 5 Crowns

This was released on August 7, 2018. Mary E. Pearson wrote one of my favorite series: The Remnant Chronicles and since this is set in the same world as that series, I'm not surprised that I loved this one. This is about Kazi, who is a former street thief and a current member of Queen Lia of Venda's Rahtan who is sent to locate General Illarium, who is responsible for the deaths of some of Lia's family members. She goes to Hell's Mouth which is under control of the Ballenger family, and meets Jase, the new Patrei (aka leader) of the family. He is abducted and shackled to Kazi by labour traders and then the plot takes off. This one was more romance and character driven while the first series was more political heavy. 

What were some of your favorite books of 2019? 

The Never-Tilting World by Rin Chupeco Book Review

This is a spoiler free review.

The Never-Tilting World
Written by Rin Chupeco

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: October 18, 2019

Pages: 496
Source: Library

Places to Get this Book: Amazon Barnes and Noble Book Depository

Recommended Age: 13 and up!

Summary:

Frozen meets Mad Max in this epic teen fantasy duology bursting with star-crossed romance, immortal heroines, and elemental magic, perfect for fans of Furyborn.

Generations of twin goddesses have long ruled Aeon. But seventeen years ago, one sister’s betrayal defied an ancient prophecy and split their world in two. The planet ceased to spin, and a Great Abyss now divides two realms: one cloaked in perpetual night, the other scorched by an unrelenting sun.

While one sister rules Aranth—a frozen city surrounded by a storm-wracked sea —her twin inhabits the sand-locked Golden City. Each goddess has raised a daughter, and each keeps her own secrets about her sister’s betrayal.

But when shadowy forces begin to call their daughters, Odessa and Haidee, back to the site of the Breaking, the two young goddesses —along with a powerful healer from Aranth, and a mouthy desert scavenger —set out on separate journeys across treacherous wastelands, desperate to heal their broken world. No matter the sacrifice it demands.

(Summary from Goodreads)

Review:

The Never Tilting World is a YA Fantasy novel that is described as Frozen meets Mad Max and as far as the world goes, I think that's an accurate description. I went into this book without any expectations and I am glad that I did as I ended up loving it.

COVER

I don't really like this cover as I don't think it's the best depiction of the book and the world of the novel. I also think that it's a little overcrowded.

WORLD-BUILDING

The Never-Tilting World is set in the world of Aeon. Aeon is a land that has stopped turning and has been split in half. The half with the perpetual sun is a desert with rays of sunlight too dangerous for people to be exposed too, water drying up leading to droughts and deaths. This half holds The Golden City. The other half has endless night, with unbearable cold and oceans rising over the remaining land. This half is home to Aranth which is a frozen kingdom. Besides all of this there are also acid rains, sand seas, and other various disasters which makes survival and life important and valued. This book is also a metaphor for how time is ticking until our own world/Earth becomes uninhabitable and though there are monsters in this book the scariest thing is the waters rising on one side and on the other side a city that can't provide for their people because nothing will grow.

Then there are the characters. (This book is told in three POVs)

HAIDEE

Haidee is the young goddess from the desert side of the world. She has a love for medical engineering which her mother distastes. When we first meet her, she is expected to marry soon and is meeting some of her eligible suitors however, she doesn't feel a connection towards any of them and she longs for a different life in which she can help her suffering people. Haidee is a very competent woman however she often jumps into things headfirst without worrying about the consequences. The author describes her character as a Ravenclaw which I think is very accurate.

ODESSA

Odessa is the young goddess of the darker side of the world bathed in night. She has been isolated for most of her life due to her chronic illness and she is a romance novel lover who tries to understand love and affection from her books (which doesn't really go well). She is also a compassionate person who really wants to save her world and her friends and she is a lesbian character. Odessa slowly goes from being very naive and sheltered to taking control of herself, her desires and her people. She is described by the author as a Slytherin which is very clear later in the book.

LAN


Lan is Odessa's bodyguard and healer. She is also a former ranger who suffers from PTSD and seeing her journey throughout the book to love and heal was beautiful. She is also a bisexual female character. Lan was a fierce, honorable and overprotective female character who wanted to protect Odessa as well as the rest of their friends. She was also constantly reminded of her past but she is able to accept her trauma and realize that she can ask for help. She is described as a Gryffindor by the author and her fierceness and protectiveness shows that.

ARJUN

Arjun is a desert nomad who is very skilled at doing whatever it takes for him and his people to survive. He starts off seeming grumpy but he is very lovable and generally a big softie. He also is a disabled character as he is missing a hand. He is able to push past his original view of Haidee and what he has always been taught to believe. He is described as a Hufflepuff by the author and his loyalty proves that.

FRIENDSHIP/FAMILY

Family and its complications are showcased in this novel. Both Haidee and Odessa have overprotective mothers who don't share much with them including the truth. They both learn that they might not be able to believe everything their mothers have taught them.

On the other hand, friendship is a very important aspect of this novel. All of the characters learn how to protect their friends and how to trust their friends and let them help each other. I think the friendships were strong especially the ones between Odessa, Lan and the rest of their companions.

PLOT

The Never-Tilting World is about a planet that has long been ruled by generations of twin goddesses however, was split in two seventeen years ago because of one sister's betrayal. Now, the planet doesn't spin and there's two realms divided by a great abyss. One sister rules Aranth (a frozen city surrounded by a stormy sea) and one rules the sand-locked Golden City. Each goddess has raised a daughter and each keeps her own secrets about the other. However, this all changes when shadowy forces begin to call their daughters, Odessa and Haidee, to the great Abyss in order to heal their broken world. No matter the sacrifice. Haidee and Arjun team up to cross the desert while Odessa and Lan have to cross the stormy sea. While the plot is slow-moving, it still manages to keep you entertained. This book has strong feminist undertones and is a metaphor for how the time is truly ticking until our own world becomes uninhabitable.

ROMANCE

There were two main romance plots in this book. One was between Odessa and Lan and one was between Arjun and Haidee. Both romances weren't slow-burn but they still felt developed. Odessa and Lan already have a bit of an established relationship when the book starts however, they don't know each other as their true selves. When Lan finds out that Odessa is the goddess she immediately backs off because of the power imbalance. It's so interesting to see their relationship grow and change over the circumstances and how their relationship overthrows the power imbalance already set in place.

Arjun and Haidee were a light hate-to-love romance as Arjun assumes Haidee is responsible for the breaking of the world and all of his people's troubles and when they meet he wants to kill Haidee. However, from the start their banter makes for some lighthearted moments and they make for great partners when fighting off other creatures. I thought their relationship was super cute and I loved how it progressed.

WRITING

Rin Chupeco's writing in this book differs a lot from her writing in The Bone Witch. There was more dialogue and action in this book and she really managed to bring the story to life. I also loved how she was able to write each character differently and their personalities and emotions were all unique.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The Never-Tilting World is one of my new favorite books and I am so glad that I decided to pick it up. With a diverse cast of characters, an intriguing plot, and a complex world, this book is something that I'd highly recommend to any Young Adult Fantasy lover.

Quotes from the Book:

“A demoness is what men call a goddess they cannot control.”

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Crowns

MARCH '20 WRAP-UP

Time for another wrap up!

This last month was interesting and a struggle for a lot of people. I am currently not working because our store closed until the coronavirus situation improves in our area so I am solely reading, blogging, writing and worrying about college next year.

This month I ended up reading a lot of books that I rated five stars and I am hoping that I find some more amazing books next month.

Time to talk about the books I read this month.

PHYSICAL BOOKS

The first book I read was The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco. This was such a good book and I am very glad that I decided to read it. This is about a planet that has long been ruled by generations of twin goddesses however, was split in two seventeen years ago because of one sister's betrayal. Now, the planet doesn't spin and there's two realms divided by a great abyss. One sister rules Aranth (a frozen city surrounded by a stormy sea) and one rules the sand-locked Golden City. Each goddess has raised a daughter and each keeps her own secrets about the other. However, this all changes when shadowy forces begin to call their daughters, Odessa and Haidee to the great Abyss in order to heal their broken world. No matter the sacrifice. This book has a whole cast of diverse characters as well as intense feminist undertones. I loved the characters, the thrilling plot and everything in between. I highly recommend this book and I rated it 5 Crowns. 

The second book I read was The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. The Night Circus by the same author is one of my favorite books, so naturally, I was very excited for Erin Morgenstern's future books. This was very different from The Night Circus and a little hard to explain. Basically the main character, Zachary, is a graduate student in Vermont who finds a mysterious book without a title hidden in the stacks at the library. He is entranced by the tales until he reads a story from his own childhood. When he tries to figure out how his life was recorded, he uncovers a series of clues that lead him to a masquerade party in New York, to a secret club and eventually through a doorway to an ancient library, hidden deep underground. Once there, he finds a lot more than just a buried home for books and here he discovers his purpose in this new world. This book started out really slow and was a little bit confusing at times but I still really enjoyed it and ended up rating it 4 Crowns. 

The third book I read was Immunity by Erin Bowman. The first book in this series, Contagion, is one of my favorite books and got me into reading sci-fi/horror books. I won't say much about this book considering it will spoil the first book. This series is about a ragtag crew who are set to an outer rim planet, in response to a distress call and they are not at all qualified for this type of mission. They have no idea what to expect and when they arrive they find it abandoned and littered with dead bodies. They all have to figure out what could have happened and what they should do next. This duology is such a good mix of horror and science fiction and it draws you into the action from the very beginning. I rated this one 5 Crowns. 

The fourth book I read was Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri. This is about Mehr who is the illegitimate daughter of an imperial governor and an exiled Amrithi mother who she can barely remember, but whose magic she has inherited. When her power comes to the attention of the Emperor's most feared mystics, she has to use everything she has to resist their cruel agenda. This book was something that I decided to pick up because of a recommendation on Goodreads and I am very glad that I decided to give it a try. I loved the two main characters and I thought their relationship was very well written, however, the plot was a little slow. I ended up rating it 4 Crowns. 

The fifth book I read was In the Hall with the Knife by Diana Peterfreund. This is a Young Adult mystery novel based on the game CLUE. It's set at Blackbrook Academy which is an elite prep school in the woods of Maine. When a storm strikes, several students are stranded on campus with their headmaster. Hours later, his body is found in the conservatory and it's clear his death was no accident. And with this group of students who are all hiding something, they all could have a motive for murder.  It was a really cool and interesting modern reimagining of CLUE and murder mysteries. I ended up rating it 3.5 Crowns. 

The sixth book I read was The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan. This was a reread for me and since saying much about this book will spoil the beginning of the series, all I am going to say is I loved this as much as the first time I read it. I rated it 5 Crowns. 

The seventh book I read was Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim. I ended up writing a full review of this which I posted at the beginning of April. This is about Amaya who works on a debtor ship where she has been held captive for years. When she is days from being free she rescues a man from drowning and he offers her unimaginable riches, a new identity and promises of revenge against the man who ruined her and her family's lives. However, as her path intertwines with the son of the man she's plotting against, she discovers more about her past and realizes that she shouldn't trust anyone. This book ended up being a new favorite of mine and I really enjoyed the characters and the plot. You can find my full review here. I rated it 5 Crowns. 

AUDIOBOOKS READ

NONE

ARC'S READ

NONE

REVIEWS IN DECEMBER: 

NONE

WEEKLY WRAP-UP:

2/24 - 3/8

DISCUSSIONS/OTHER:

February '20 Wrap-Up

Spring 2020 Releases I'm Anticipating

FAVORITE COVER OF THE MONTH:

NEW FICTIONAL BAE'S: 

Arjun from The Never-Tilting World by Rin Chupeco

Coen from Immunity by Erin Bowman

Amun from Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri

Cayo from Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim

NEW FAVORITE FEMALES: 

Lan from from The Never-Tilting World by Rin Chupeco

Haidee from from The Never-Tilting World by Rin Chupeco

Mirabel from The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Thea from Immunity by Erin Bowman

Nova from Immunity by Erin Bowman

Mehr from Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri

Amaya from Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim

NEW FAVORITE BOOK RELATIONSHIPS: 

Arjun and Haidee from The Never-Tilting World by Rin Chupeco

Lan and Odessa from The Never-Tilting World by Rin Chupeco

Zachary and Dorian from The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Coen and Thea from Immunity by Erin Bowman

Amun and Mehr from Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri

Amaya and Cayo from Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim

TV SHOWS I WATCHED THIS MONTH:

MOVIES I WATCHED THIS MONTH:

WHAT BOOKS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH:

There's so many more but these are the main ones! 

NEW BLOG FINDS

NONE

SONGS ON REPEAT

No Time to Die - Billie Eilish 

Addicted - Kelly Clarkson 

Love and War - Fluerie 

Lonely Boy - The Black Keys

React - The Pussycat Dolls

E.V.O.L. - MARINA 

New Angel - Niall Horan

Okay - Chase Atlantic 

Dynasty - MIIA 

Bad Memory - K.Flay 

When the Truth Hunts You Down - Sam Tinnesz 

Joke's On You - Charlotte Lawrence 

Myself - Rachel Levin 

Myself and Me - Halocene

My Oh My - Camila Cabello 

 BOOKS I WANT TO READ NEXT MONTH

The graphics at the top belong to me. The background pictures for them, however do not.

2020 O.W.L.S Magical Readathon Introduction + TBR

Hello everyone! I think it's safe to say that the last couple of weeks have been tough for a lot of people. When I saw that the O.W.L.S. Readathon was happening this month, I decided to try it. Last year, I was curious but I was busy with college and I didn't participate. However, now that I have more time on my hands, I am going to give this readathon a try. 

For those of you who haven't heard of this readathon, you can find all of the information on the website here. During this readathon you can choose which magical career you want to have and once you choose, you'll see which O.W.L.S. you have to pass and from there you can find the reading prompts related to those O.W.L.S. 

For this challenge I chose Curse Breaker (which sounds so cool) and Auror (which is another career that I would go for in the Wizarding World). I'll also be taking Animagus Training which is an optional class/section. 

Below is my work load and TBR (that is very tentative): 

CURSE BREAKER O.W.L.S. 

ANCIENT RUNES (CURSE BREAKER): 

(Read a Book with a Heart on the Cover or Title)

Heart of Thorns by Bree Barton 

ARITHMANCY (CURSE BREAKER, ANIMAGUS TRAINING):

(Read a Book Outside of Your Own Genre)

Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore

CHARMS (CURSE BREAKER, AUROR):

(Read a Book with a White Cover)

Night Spinner by Addie Thorley

Blood Rose Rebellion by Rosalyn Eves

DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS (CURSE BREAKER, AUROR):

(Read a Book Set at the Sea/Coast)

All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace

The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young 

HERBOLOGY (AUROR): 

(Read a Book with a Title that Starts with M)

The Marriage Game by Sara Desi

POTIONS (CURSE BREAKER, AUROR):

(Read a Book Under 150 Pages)

The Battle of the Labyrinth Graphic Novel by Rick Riordan 

TRANSFIGURATION (CURSE BREAKER, AUROR, ANIMAGUS TRAINING) :

(Read a Book with Shapeshifting)

Bright Burns the Night by Sara B. Larson

Are you participating in the O.W.L.S this year? 

Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim Book Review

This is a spoiler free review.

Scavenge the Stars
Written by Tara Sim

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Release Date: January 7, 2020

Pages: 327
Source: Library

Places to Get this Book: Amazon Barnes and Noble Book Depository

Recommended Age: 13 and up!

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. 

(Summary from Goodreads)

Review:

Scavenge the Stars is a YA gender-swapped retelling of The Count of Monte Christo, and was one of my most anticipated books of 2020 and I think it's safe to say that it lived up to my expectations.

COVER

I think the cover for the most part relates to the book and I like it though it does look a little bit like a lot of other Young Adult covers.

WORLD-BUILDING

Scavenge the Stars is set in Moray which is a costal city state caught between two waring empires, where "old-world opulence" and gamblers collide. The world-building in this book was one of the only things that I had complaints about. Tara Sim seemed to have a grand world planned but it wasn't communicated well on the page. In fact, it seemed to be narrated as if the reader was supposed to know everything about the waring empires and the culture and history, and while that is great for a sequel or a companion book, it wasn't so great for the first book in a new series. I'm hoping that the world-building will be explored a lot more in the second book because I really want to get a good sense of the world.

Then there are the characters. (This book is told in two POVs)

AMAYA

When we first meet Amaya she is known as Silverfish, a seventeen year old girl who works on a debtor ship led by Captain Zharo, in order to pay the debts of her parents. She is days from finally being free when she saves a man from drowning, and suddenly the Captain tacks on four more weeks of work for her. However, she manages to escape and head to the city of Moray and teams up with the man she saved in order to enact her revenge on Captain Zharo and the people who put her there as well as find her true self.

Amaya is a strong female protagonist who perfectly balances being a badass with still being feminine. Amaya is a female protagonist who is also a biracial woman of color! She is also kind and determined to protect the other children who were also on the debtor ship, even if it means going down a path of revenge that she may never be able to turn away from. Amaya is definitely a survivor and her bravery and resilience help her throughout the book. I enjoyed her character a lot

CAYO

A noble's son, Cayo has just gotten himself (relatively) clean of a gambling addiction that nearly bankrupted his family and he is trying to put that past behind him. However, when his sister gets a dreaded, almost always fatal disease and his father informs him that they don't have the money to properly treat her, he is close to falling back into his bad habits. Cayo's regret for his old behavior clearly shows and his mission is to become better for himself and his sister. He also happens to be a bisexual character who I believe is also a person of color. I really liked the journey he goes through and how unique his character really was.

FRIENDSHIP/FAMILY

Family and its importance and complications is at the very heart of this novel. For Amaya, family is why she's on this path of revenge as she's trying to discover what happened to her mom and she's also trying to figure out why her dad sold her to the ship. Amaya had been waiting to reunite with her mom for seven years and when she discovers that her mother is not alive anymore, she is determined to figure out why.

For Cayo, family is why he decided to turn around his life. He doesn't have a good relationship with his father as his father views him as more of a disappointment than his son and heir. Cayo however, has a good relationship with his sister and that is who he is trying to save and would do anything for.

PLOT

Scavenge the Stars is about Silverfish (who we later know as Amaya), a seventeen year old girl who works on a debtor ship led by Captain Zharo, that uses child labor. She's been held captive for years to pay off the debts of her parents and she is days from being free and all she can think about is going home to visit her mother. However, when she rescues a man from downing, Captain Zharo tells her that her mom is dead as well as adds on work time. Amaya is devastated and she turns to Boon, the man she rescued. He offers her a new identity, riches, and the chance to destroy the Mercado family, the ones who were truly responsible for ruining her life.

Already in Moray, we have Cayo, a young man who is trying to recover from a gambling addiction that cost his family most of their fortune. He's trying to make it up to his family and earn his father's trust back by working on the harbor and taking care of logistics, and helping his sister secure a match. However, when his sister collapses during a dinner with a potential husband and his family, they discover that she has a disease, and they can't afford to treat her. Cayo feels extremely guilty and he agrees to his father's demands for him to find a rich wife. When the alluring Countess Yamaa (Amaya) arrives in Moray with more riches than anyone he knows, he agrees to get close to her but things go awry when his dealing with the most notorious underworld crime king goes wrong and he realizes it might be too late to save his family and himself. Overall, the plot was magnificent. It kept me intrigued the entire time and I had no clue what to expect as the twists and turns had me shocked at every turn and I couldn't wait to find out what happened next.

ROMANCE

The romance that developed between Cayo and Amaya was super slow-burn, took a backseat to the plot and had me super invested. I loved the contrast between Cayo who was super soft and gentle and Amaya who was brash and furious. Their relationship is sure to be explored more in the second book as we didn't get much of it in this one and I for one, am excited to see what is coming

WRITING

I loved the writing in this book. Everything was so vividly described and Tara Sim managed to capture the two character's emotions and lives wonderfully. I also loved how the alternating POVs worked so well that you really got a full feel for both of the characters.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Even though I've never read The Count of Monte Christo and was not overly familiar with the storyline before I picked up this book, I loved the revenge trope and redemption mission in this book. Overall, Scavenge the Stars was a marvelous well-balanced fantasy filled with complex characters, diverse representation and a thrilling storyline.

Quotes from the Book:

"But she wasn’t some romantic heroine—she had more important things to do."

"Desperation is deadlier than a bullet."

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Crowns