Fable is a wholly original story that allows a determined girl to take the spotlight in a battle against the world, her crew mates, and her own family. This book is part pirate adventure, part coming-of-age story, but I loved that it kept me guessing the whole time.

The book does take a bit of time to get into – not because the action isn’t there, but because there is a lot of world world building. Readers need to figure out a bit of the context and the unusual place and character names can make this a bit tricky. This really is the only obstacle to enjoying this book. When reading it, I felt a bit like I jumped into the middle of a conversation, but after getting the lay of the land, I was totally immersed in the story and needed to follow Fable’s journey to the end.

Loved this rich and adventurous YA novel. So atmospheric from the very beginning - just sucks you right in!

I enjoyed this book. It was a quickly paced read. Fable was a strong female character. I enjoyed the setting of this novel. The writing style flowed extremely well.

I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

Initially, I had no idea what this novel was about, however, I have quite enjoyed Adrienne Young's previous novels and decided to give it a go! I SUPER love and appreciate that this author writes good, strong and independent females without making them out to be horrendous people. For some reason in popular culture and literature (now changing, thankfully) women who are strong and independent also get painted as mean and vindictive or callous and unlovable, it quite irks me. Our lovely Fable is a bad-ass girly who has been put through the ringer with so many losses in her life and yet she keeps going and striving.

This book did start off a little slow for me and I was super annoyed when she got on ship and everyone was just a ridiculous jerk. For all the things that Fable has been through I can appreciate that she is not an untrusting ass like her shipmates were towards her, in the beginning. It certainly got better and I love and absolutely believe in the concept of the family you make is the family you keep.

The ending was a bit of a surprise-ish....I was not too taken aback considering the lineage Fable comes from and the sediment she had been unsettling for the time. I am excited for the next novel though!

I personally have a deep hatred for books that do this: On the few last pages, the author includes a cliffhanger that is so bad the reader is left with broken bones. AND THEN make you wait months to heal. Adrienne Young knows how to build a world around the sea. I truly felt like I set sail with Fable and truly got lost in the waves and rhythms of Adrienne Young's writing.

This is such a wonderful and adventurous new YA book from Adrienne Young. I absolutely loved the way Adrienne builds her worlds and Fable is no exception.

I cannot wait to read the second book in this wonderful series.

I really wanted to try to love this story. It has so many elements that I usually enjoy, like a strong willed female lead, a brooding love interest, and piracy. But it felt like it went too slow for me.

Fable is a young girl who was left to fend for herself by her own father, Saint. Growing up on Jevali as a dredger who finds and sells precious gems where possible, she’s suffered more than most as she tries to survive the ruthless island. As she earns just enough to get away, and just in time to avoid being hurt or worse, she decides to find answers from her father who had left her all those years ago.

I adored Fable as a character as it’s from her POV, and we see her acting tough and like the person she needs to be in the circumstances, but we also learn that she’s more fragile than she would like. She’s also still young and naïve, chasing her father for answers when she also tries to vehemently stay independent and like she needs no one else. Her growth in this book is realising that she does need other people, and she can rely on them to help her when asked.

West is the captain of the ship that Fable has traded with and pays to deliver her to her father’s home base, and he has his own issues to deal with. West’s crew are basically a tight knit family, with a code of democracy and loyalty than runs deep and is something Fable has never really experienced before.

Finding their way across the Narrows, we learn about each of the crew members just a little bit, and each member lets Fable into their lives in differing amounts which is understandable. West and Willa are both more open with Fable as they have the most sway within the crew, although the others do eventually open up to Fable too. I truly hope we learn even more about the crew in the next book, Namesake.

When first picking up the book, the story is that Fable needs to find her father and you assume this will the main plot of the book. But, about halfway through we meet Saint and are sent on another story which helps Fable learn even more about herself, the crew, and her father. So about halfway through you’re truly gripped as you want to find out even more as other secrets are slowly uncovered.

The story is much slower paced than other sea-faring stories, but the depth is within the characters we meet and the actions they take. We learn to understand the characters, and the reasons for why they do things (even when their hands are forced) and so it’s not like a typical Pirate book. It’s actually not explicitly a Pirate book at all as they’re not referred to as Pirates but as simple Traders who are trying to be the monopoly in the Narrows.

Along with the slower-pace, there’s not much world building happening. We learn about Jevali, and quickly leave it behind with Fable and then we’re pretty much on the Marigold for the majority of the book. There’s a brief exploration of some other ports, and where Fable grew up but because the focus is mostly on the characters there’s nothing that truly stands out from the places we visit. This isn’t like Viper where each place has defining features for the reader to differentiate places unfortunately.

Overall, I enjoyed Fable and I so want to read the next book like NOW. However, it’s a book for readers who enjoy character driven stories, and high fantasy readers who love world building and action may find it less enjoyable.

Positives of Fable
Character driven
Multiple secrets to uncover
Negatives of Fable
Slow pace at times
Minamal world building

This was a really great read. I read it in one sitting and couldn’t put it down. I felt like there was a a lot of world building while the action never really stops. I loved Fable, West and all the rest of the crew of the Marigold. I can’t wait to read the next book and find out what happens after that cliffhanger of an ending!

Sooooo good!!! I can see why people have been hyping this up it is so good. Overall, a fast and interesting read!

What an adventure this was! Riding along with Fable while she tried to get back home to Ceros was amazing! It makes you feel like you're on the open sea right along with her.

Fable was abandoned on an island when she was 13 and told that if she could find her way back home, she'd get what she deserved. She struggled to stay alive for 4 years before she finally scraped enough copper together to buy safe passage back to Ceros. She dredged the reefs for rare gems and sold them to a buyer named West. When trouble came for her, she ran to West to save her. He told her that running back to Ceros wasn't the answer she was looking for, but that he would take her. Traveling with West and his crew was an adventure in itself.

I can't wait for book 2! That cliffhanger ending was rough and I can't wait to see what comes next!

A solid YA fantasy with lush prose and compelling arcs. I do wish we could have gotten deeper into the world but perhaps the sequel will do that!

This was my pick ‘best book of 2020’. Even though it was YA, I simply enjoyed the storytelling. Who doesn’t love angst father and daughter relationship? Pirates? Exploring different island? I haven’t read any of the author’s previous books but her writing style is pure storytelling.

Fable is a story about a girl fighting for survival and searching for her place in the world. I enjoyed the characters. I wasn’t in love with the world. I was hoping for more fantasy elements. I hope that there are more in the sequel.

I have been a fan Adrienne Young's previous works, with her debut Sky In The Deep being my favorite read of 2018. So when I picked up this title, I had High expectations. It did not disappoint. I love Young's writing style and the way she builds her worlds draws in the reader. She is descriptive but not overly so, and her main characters are always well fleshed out and three dimensional. This story is different from her previous two but still gave you the usual feel of her other books. With adventures set at sea, a strong yet vulnerable female main character and a romance to entice you, this book is the perfect YA Fantasy to binge.

Thank you publishers and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

THIS BOOK IS INCREDIBLE.

When I read this book was about pirate adventure on the high seas, I knew I HAD to read it despite never having heard of Adriene Young . I am so very glad I did. It was hands down one of my favorite reads of 2020. Fable was fast paced, dark and gritty, full of danger and an overall wild ride. It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time and I absolutely could not put it down. It was everything I never really knew I wanted in a pirate novel.

“Keep your knife where you can reach it.
Never, ever owe anyone anything.
Nothing is free.
Always construct a lie from truth.
Never, under any circumstances, reveal what or who matters to you.”

I am now not so patiently waiting to read the sequel, Namesake.

Adrienne Young never ceases to create a beautiful world you just want to get lost in. Her characters have a depth and growth that impresses me every time.

I was really looking forward to reading this book. I have adored the other by Young that I have read. I struggled with this one though. It is beautifully written. The storyline and plot are thick and well developed- until the very last 5ish chapters. It reads like a standalone but then all of a sudden there is a rushed ending to create space for another book. It was slightly confusing.

Overall, 3.5 stars. I am invested in the story and will definitely read the next one. I am too curious about the characters to leave them hanging.

I loved this book so much! The world building around it was fantastic and Fable was such a great character. She was strong and fierce, but in the end, she’s just a girl who needs love and a family. I’m so excited for Namesake to come out!

I am so glad that Adrienne Young has now dived into the world of pirates and sea adventure. I loved her previous duology and was so excited when the publisher briefly made this available as a “read now” choice here on NetGalley. I jumped at the chance. This book could have definitely gone wrong but the author is such an amazing writer that she made it work. I wasn’t too invested I the romance storyline and was more about the adventure. I’m looking forward to the conclusion in book 2.

Fable was abandoned by her father after the death of her mother and now lives on an island of criminals. She's making and saving all the money she can by diving for jewels at the bottom of the ocean in order to buy a way off the island and find her way back to her father. Finding herself in impending danger, West, one of the Sea Captains grants her passage off the island. Thus began Fable's journey and a tale of loss, love, and self-discovery.

All of Young's books have beautiful covers and this book is no exception. Not only is the girl beautiful, but it helps the reader picture the character.

Adrienne Young is also an amazing author and again, she did not disappoint with this book. A story of a young woman in search of herself and family. Beautifully written, this story took me on an emotional and physical journey.

The characters in this story are unforgettable as well. Fable is a strong female lead. She never gives up no matter how hard things get for her. She's smart and cunning and totally badass.

West and his crew seem like unfaithful pirates at first, but soon you realize they are just an unusual family. They eventually include Fable and make her feel at home.

I absolutely loved this story and can't wait to read the next book.

Thank you, NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this ARC in return for an honest review.