While this wasn't my favorite young adult fantasy book, I appreciate the fierce heroine, vivid settings, and unique magic. I think a lot of teens will connect with Fable and be swept away by the adventure in this book. The book is great for fans of PASSENGER and ALL THE STARS AND TEETH.

I got through about 10% of this book and ended up not finishing. I didn't find it really interesting and maybe just wasn't the right book for me. I thought it was boring with just too many characters which made it hard to follow along.

Hmmm, this was an odd book for me. It had interesting worldbuilding and characters and the writing was certainly good but reading this book, something just felt off. Like I felt like something was missing or maybe the pacing was off? I feel like I kept waiting for something to happen, some big confrontation but then it wouldn't happen and then it kept not happening and even though the book ended on a tense cliffhanger, I don't feel like things ever really came to a head. Fable felt like only half or part of the story without any of the usual conclusive notes we get at the end of a book. Given how quickly Namesake will be coming out, it is likely that that is exactly what happened because this just feels incomplete. Viewed as half of a book I could say that this was a great setup and good start but as an actual book on its own, it feels incomplete and unsatisfying. Given the buzz around this title, I'm clearly an outlier in that belief but oh well. This book just didn't hit the spot for me.

Four years ago, fourteen-year-old Fable was abandoned on a legendary island filled with dredgers, thieves, and hardly any food. She is the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, who left her with nothing but his rules the day after her mother drowned in a terrible storm. To survive she must trust no one and rely on the unique skills she inherited from her mother until she can save enough money to get off the island, find her father, and demand her rightful place as a part of his crew.

This is the first duology that i've ever read, and Fable spent most of the book laying the groundwork for its sequel. There was a lot of world building and introducing the cast of characters. I really enjoyed the setting and excitement, and I suspect that the second book in this duology will be action packed!

I am not a fan of cliffhangers, especially when the sequel hasn't been released yet, but Adrienne Young did a great job writing this one! There was a hint of romance that seemed to arrive with minimal buildup, but the adventure story is where Fable thrives. I enjoyed the descriptions of Fable diving for gems and bartering with traders, and I love any story that involves ships. I have been listening to sea shanties since I finished Fable and cannot wait for Namesake to be released!

Thank you to St Martin's Press and Wednesday Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Fable is the daughter of notorious, pirate-like seaman who controls a vast armada. But when her mother drowns, he leaves her to fend for herself on a godforsaken island. It is a miracle that she
survives her cutthroat co-habitors and dredge enough precious stones to buy her way off the island. She escapes with West and his small crew, whom she has been trading with for several years. But she is not quickly accepted or trusted by the crew, and they seem to be hiding something, too. When the truth comes out, they must all band together to survive violent enemies.

I wish there had been some hint of diversity. This is a completely fictional world. Why couldn't Young have characters of color? There's an adorable gay couple, but it's not super important. West's secret about his employer is pretty obvious, but I didn't see his crush being so heavy or so long-term. There isn't enough sexual tension between Fable and West before they fall into bed. Although, despite being completely PG-13, Young does a *wink* stellar job of ramping up the heat. Give this to fans of Tricia Levenseller's Daughter of the Pirate Queen duology.

To say that I can't wait for Nameshake will be an understatement. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

I was provided an advanced digital copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes, all opinions are my own.

Wow! What a great book! It was a little hard for me to get in to. fantasy can do that, a world that is so confusing, but once I jumped in, I was hooked.
Fable has been on her own for four years. Ever since her mother died, and her father abandoned her on the coast of a remote island to fend for herself. She becomes a practiced freediver. Selling the stones that "sing" to her to the highest bidder. She is determined to prove herself and make it back to her father. Finally able to secure passage on a ship, it proves much more dangerous than she thought.
From the the author of Sky in the Deep, and The Girl the Sea Gave Back, another rich fantasy world, with a strong female protagonist determined to make it on her own,

I loved everything about this book. I love the author’s two last books and this one was no exception. I liked all the characters and what they each individually added to the story. I found the plot well developed and at times surprising. I liked the world it was set in. I liked where it left off at the end of book one and all the potential avenues it can go in book two. I liked that all the characters had depth and not just the main character. I liked how they each have a story you want to know more about. I am excited to read Namesake and see how it ends.

This had so much potential! I really did love the piratey setting of this and the plot was compelling. Fable too worked well enough as a main character. The main drawback though was the side characters and love interest. They had practically no personalities, nothing to differentiate them. I felt like we didn’t get to know them at all, blank slates. This is a pretty big deal because I think the narrative was going for a found family trope here, but it just fell so flat.

Adrienne Young is such an amazing writer and I couldn't help but read “Fable.” And once again she did not disappoint. I am not a big fan of pirate related novels, but I made an exception.

This book focuses on a girl who was left behind by her own father on a stranded island. This island is definitely not one for a child and she had to go through many hardships to simply survive there. She gets the opportunity to leave the island and go find her father again to show him that she became the tough woman he said she had to be. On this quest, she learns of many secrets of those who are taking her home and of her father. Her return home may have not been what she thought it would be.

Love love the atmospheric setting in this book! Although I had to look certain terms related to ships, it did not spoil it for me. On the contrary, it was a learning experience. It was slow in some parts, but then it would pick up. The romance felt short for me and at times cheesy and expected. However, I am looking forward to reading “Namesake.” Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange of an honest opinion.

I loved this book, I flew through the story, its the perfect sea based story with a great group of characters, some little twists and turns that keep the book engaging. I also love that it;s a duology.

.I’m not sure what I was expecting when I picked up this book, but it definitely was this. This book was very hyped and being a fan of Adrienne Young’s other books, I was all for trying this one out. It definitely was not a amazing as I thought it would be.
I just do feel like it lived up to the hype. I just finished and I feel like something fell really flat, And it isn’t the cliffhanger that’s left me wanting the second book. I just can’t put my finger on what it was.
I know a big thing for me is that it felt like the main character, Fable, didn’t really develop enough, Or at all. She felt the same throughout the whole book. Other than finding the place she felt she was meant to be, The little romance between her and West felt a tad forced since it came like a slap in the face towards the end.
I still think this book was good though, it just didn’t feel like all the hype was worth it. I would continue the series though.

Fable is on her own, trying to survive long enough to get off the island her father left her on years ago. Her mother died in a shipwreck and her father deserted her and left her to survive completely on her own. She’s tough and has gained survival skills all by her wits. She manages to get off the island by buying passage aboard the Marigold, a ship that she later discovers is one of her father’s. She finally reaches Saint and he’s just as cold to her as she expected, even though she hoped for more. He does give her the inheritance her mother would have left her but nothing is given easily or with any help when Saint is involved. She also figures out why Saint carved into her arm all those years ago. Fable bargains cleverly and becomes a true part of a crew and she finally feels like she has a place where she belongs. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, a pirate adventure with strong characters, great character development and dangerous setting, 5 stars!

I really enjoyed Fable. There was the perfect amount of survival story, family drama, and romance mixed together.

Thank you so much, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This novel is an amazing page-turning masterpiece. I couldn’t put it down from the moment I picked it up. It was fun and face-paced, addicting, and well written. The adventure reminded me of gender-bent Jack Sparrow retelling in a way. It was perfect!

"That was one of Saint’s rules.

Nothing is free.

He wasn’t just talking about food or passage or the clothes on your back. He was talking about respect. Safety. Protection. They were things no one owed.

And one way or another, you always paid."

Fable’s personality and perseverance were amazing and the crew of the Marigold was a motley crew of misfits that just fit so perfectly into this world. I am so excited to read the next book, Namesake, and continue the adventure alongside this group of characters. I would recommend this book to any and everyone, especially those who are in love with the world of pirates, and those who love adventure.

Pirates and treasure and romance oh my! This was a great set-up for an magical and atmospheric fantasy series. It did start a little slow but the ending has me excited for the next book!

I really enjoyed this book especially the main character! The world was very interesting to be in. I look forward to continuing with Namesake!

I loved Fable and how real she felt. I think if you like the sea this will be a book you love and if you love characters that shine and grow, you’ve come to the right place.

This book made me remember why I loved fantasy novels. I consumed it as quickly as possible and I want more. I am actually going to buy this book for my own shelves. It made me so happy in this difficult time.

*Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Fable really surprised me. I am not generally a huge fan of books that take place on ships, or involve pirates, the sea... etc. but Fable was an exception for me. I had heard a lot of great things about it from friends and book reviews, but still went it a bit skeptical. I have never read a book by Adrienne Young before so had no idea what I was in for. I feel like what set this book apart was that it was more a story about growth, survival, and found family, and the Sea setting worked alongside that without overtaking the story. I was invested in the characters and found myself wanting to know the backstory, the history of everyone. This was a well done story. There weren't any slow moments or times I felt like rushing through. The only negative thing I can think of is that the book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger.. which makes the wait for the next book almost unbearable. Overall though. I really liked this book. I look forward to the sequel, Namesake which is due out on March 16, 2021.