Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publishers for the e-ARC.

It took me a while to get around to this book, but once I did start reading it I finished it pretty quickly. The thing I liked most about the book were its characters. All of them had different layers to them, some of which we get to see while some is hinted at. Some maintained a kindness (hidden, of course) even in the brutal world painted in the book. I liked the writing style as well. I am eagerly looking forward to reading the sequel. I absolutely love Fable as an MC and her interactions with all characters throughout the book(especially with the Marigold crew). Love both the romances in the book. Also would love to learn more about Isolde. Would definitely recommend this to a friend:)

What a thrilling, captivating adventure! All I can say is I sure am glad I got the ARC approval for Namesake as well, because that cliffhanger was just too cruel. Adrienne Young is a master of the writing craft, and Fable is no exception to that with its wonderful, detailed world-building and its fleshed-out characters.

Okay, this is a really hard review for me to write to be honest. Not because I hated the book; because I absolutely loved it. I read it mostly in a day which for me is practically unheard of and it was my first (and certainly not last) book by Adrienne Young.

Fable introduces you to a world of pirates. I love pirates, always have. The world is brutal - Fable herself lives on an island where she fights daily to survive, she was abandoned there several years previously and does not have a house to live in. The scar on her arm makes everyone look at her with suspicion and she deals with thieves every second. Brutal.

But Fable is a fighter. She has a talent for finding jewels while diving and this is how she makes her living with the aim of bartering passage away on a ship so she can be reunited by her father and take her place at his side. The ship happens to be captained by West, a figure soaked in intrigue and the obvious love-interest. It was obvious and I loved it.

I won’t delve into the plot any more, it would give far too much away! But I want you to know that the world is built steadily after the initial impact, the characters are real and driven by understandable desires and the narrative itself is stunning. I was blown away by the amount of movement this book takes in - it’s not a long book so to go on such a massive journey arc, yeah I was impressed. I loved the ship's crew and I was taken by surprise at some of the twists and turns, Fable kept me on my toes for sure.

[Just writing this makes me want to pick it up all over again]

At first, I was pretty sceptical. I had seen so much love for this book I was curious about why and I needed an easy read, plus I'm desperate to improve my Netgalley rating … Fable seemed the obvious choice for me to read but at first I just didn't get what was going on. The narrative dives straight in and expects you to catch up quick to where our protagonists are in their story - I caught up quick. By 25% I was invested and literally did not move from my chair until I had reached the end - the dreaded cliffhanger.

Honestly ... brutal. How is this even allowed? My heart literally cannot take it!

Good job I already had Namesake ready to go … thanks Wednesday Books!

I found this book difficult to get through. I could not get a feel on the main character. She came across rather unlikable. Which I don't think was the case of the author. So, I have to blame it on the writing.

It appears that the book was already well received by Reese Witherspoon and various others, so perhaps it was just me.

I only got through 20% of this book.

This book is a must-read!!! It is refreshing and I would like to incorporate it in with my classroom!

Deserving of the hype. All the characters are well-developed, even the supporting cast. Good pacing and a hell of a cliffhanger ending!

I loved this book so much. I loved the adventure and I loved Fable. She was strong from the get go and you couldn’t help but root for her!

I received an e-arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Fable is the story of a girl who is left by her father on an island where she has to dredge stones to survive. She always trades with one ship, the Marigold. Fable’s life starts when she is able to barter her way off the island and gets caught in the Marigold’s drama.

I really enjoyed Fable! It was such a heartwarming, and kind of heart racing at times, story about a young girl finding her place in the world after her father abandoned her. Adrienne Young’s characters were so well developed and made you fall in love with each of them. I’m excited to see where the sequel goes after Adrienne Young left us on that cliffhanger.

3.5 stars. I tried getting into this in written format but I kept hitting a wall. Thank goodness I listened to everyone who said to give it another chance! I tried it on audio and the narrator was great! I really enjoyed the story, the character development for the MC, Fable, and the slow forming friendships (trust needs to be earned). I found several things unbelievable (ie, Fable’s fathers’ decisions), but overall it was a good read and I’d definitely recommend it.

Leaving reviews on goodreads and amazon.

I received an ebook copy from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and let me tell you, I was not disappointed! This is the first title I have read from Adrienne Young and will not be the last. I adored this book so much that I finished it in a day and today I preordered a signed copy! Action, adventure, and intrigue abound in this epic tale and while it does end with a cliff hanger I don't care because the sequel will be out in March and I have a feeling it will be well worth the wait. This YA, pirate romance adventure is where it's at!

Full review will go live on Lair Of Books Blog on 11/5/2020 @ 8am EST

THE 411...

There are five rules. Only five.

Keep your knife where you can reach it.

Never, ever owe anyone anything.

Nothing is free.

Always construct a lie from a truth

Never, under any circumstances, reveal what or who matters to you

These are the five rules Fable lives by, the ones her father had her memorize at a very young age. The same rules she thinks about whenever she thinks of making her way back to him. Saint, a well known Pirate with a fleet abandoned Fable on her fourteenth birthday. After experiencing the death of Fable's mother, he believed Fable would do best away from the world of Pirates. He sailed away leaving her to fend for herself on an island that is pretty tough to survive as it is filled with sketchy cutthroat pirates. He did make her this one promise...

"Get yourself off this island and the next time I see you, I'll give you what is yours" 

Fable is a Dredger, she hunts for underwater treasure and turns a profit from local merchants. She also has the unique inherited gift passed down to her from her mother of deciphering gems. She manages to hustle a Pirate named West to allow her passage on his crew ship as a Dredger. He begrudgingly grants her passage without first taking a vote with his crew. Fable then has the task of gaining the crews trust and earn the spot she was given without their say. The Marigold sets sail to The Narrows where Fable hopes to find her father Saint. All the while, never revealing that the well known Pirate is her father. It is the one secret he asked her to keep but one thing is clear to Fable...she isn't the only one keeping secrets on The Marigold!

WRITING & FINAL THOUGHTS...

One thing I feel Adrienne Young does so well is familial bonds, fleshing them out so that the reader really understands the connection. After reading Sky in the Deep I knew I'd want to read more from this author and Fable once again delivered, this time with Fable's found family. We see her throughout this entire journey revisiting the memories she has of when she had her father & mother together on their ship The Lark. She hasn't given up on her father despite his abandonment, it just motivates her to prove her worth as a Pirate in his eyes. While on the ship she starts building these connections with the crew members that fill the hole she has for her family. Then there's the relationship she forms with West which personally had me wondering if there was more to it than them just being crew mates. Their relationship doesn't take center stage in the story nor is it really a slow burn. Instead we see West having to trust in Fable's abilities and learn to respect her need to not be restricted. Voice notes with my good friend Taylor over at Nerd Narration helped me see the father/daughter relationship from a different angle. Yes I absolutely ended the night in tears & said to myself yet again, Adrienne Young is an author to keep an eye out for.

I received this book from Netgalley, Wednesday Books, and Adrienne Young in exchange for an honest review. There are not enough words to explain how much I loved this book. The world building of the story was amazing. Fable is a great main character to tell the story and I could picture everything about her story. I couldn't put this book down because I had to know what was going to happen next. If you are a fan of pirate themed books, then this is the book for you. Adrienne Young truly out done herself on this one and I can't wait to read Namesake when it comes out. Definitely add this book to your TBR pile if you haven't already.

Some stories grip you tightly from the beginning and drag you along through chapters of thrilling emotions and heart-pounding suspense. Fable is not that story. You don't reach the end frantic and out of breath. Rather, when you close the book you're left to pause and close your eyes as the story's world drifts away from you like the tide and you slowly return to the present.

This isn't to say that Fable isn't an exciting story - in fact, the storyline is very compelling. However, the plot isn't 'heavy,' as it is with some stories. There is no life-altering, world-ending, driving force that is pushing the story along. There's just a girl and her convictions, and she guides us through this story with a steady hand at our backs. The entire plot of the story can be summarised as "Fable finding a way off the island, Fable finding Saint, and Fable finding her own way." There is diving and trading, negotiating business and sailing (a lot of sailing), and not much else - but the story is far from boring.

The story is one that I can only describe as "atmospheric." The setting that Adrienne Young builds is undeniably vibrant and compelling. You can easily picture yourself on the deck of The Marigold, with the planks swaying beneath you and a salt breeze misting your skin as the sun glares down, or within the claustrophobic confines of a port town, with the stench of stale bodies and fish faintly permeating everything. It hardly matters what is happening, because the world is an almost living thing that drags you in and traps you within its pages.

However, this book does not need the enticing world to carry the story; there is a rich cast of characters whose interactions are the driving force for the narrative. It is a story exploring independence, family, and belonging. It is a book about what one does to survive in a cutthroat and ruthless world and the lines between good and bad and all of the grey space in-between. Every member of the crew is compelling in different ways, and all of the main characters have a depth that seems to extend beyond the scope of this book.

This book was escapism at its finest, and I am eager for the sequel.

This book was such a fantastic pirate adventure! It hooked me from the beginning and didn't let up. I loved Fable, West, and the whole cast of characters. I loved the setting and all of the high sea action. Sometimes I felt things were a little rushed over, but overall this book was amazing! I highly recommend and we'll definitely be purchasing this book for our library.

Well, the ending wasn't what I expected but that was kind of nice - not the ending but not getting the expected. Anyway, I really liked this story about a young girl, abandoned on a remote island, surviving on her own, and making it back to the father she used to love. There was a lot going on, including pirates, sunken treasures, gem sages, rivalries, etc. Good book.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Absolutely stunning cover. I don’t often pick up fantasy but something about this cover and the quick summary I read and I couldn’t resist. It ended up being a very enjoyable read and I really look forward to the next book in the series!!!

Rating - 4.5 stars

I loved this book from start to finish. There is high seas adventures; secrets, lies and suspense; relatable characters and hate able characters. I know nothing about boats but found myself intrigued with all of the ins and outs of manning a ship. This was a very descriptive story and I CANNOT WAIT to read Namesake.

I love Adrienne Young’s writing. I think she really goes out of her way in her novels to create the worlds that once existed whether that be Vikings or traders.⁣⁣
In this book, Fable, who has lost everything at age 13 fights everyday for 4 years to find a way back to where it all began so she can finally have something of her own. Loyalties are tested, trusts are broken, help comes from the unlikeliest of places. But is it enough for her to get her new beginning? Set sail and find out.
Love the shipping terms used even if I only know “main sail” and “going about”. Also look out for Easter eggs from her previous books. Subtle but you’ll catch it. ⁣

<b>Rating:</b> 4.5/5 Stars

I received an e-ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

<b>That bastard was leaving me again.</b>

That first line though!!! Fable hooked me immediately. This book is a page turner and I could not put it down. It was such a fun read and it was so well written. This is the second book I’ve read by Adrienne Young and I’m officially a fan now. Her style is so easy to read, and it always flows really well.

This book follows Fable as she navigates the dangerous Narrows. She was abandoned by her father, Saint, on an island of thieves left to fend for herself. Four years later she is finally ready to track Saint down and demand her birth right.

This book though guys. There’s action, adventure, and a little romance sprinkled in. Oh, did I mention Pirates? Fable joins up with the crew of the Merigold and shenanigans ensue. I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to spoil anything.

What I liked:
The character development was so good! I loved Fable’s growth over the course of the book, and I can’t wait to see where she goes in the sequel. Fable is a great MC. She’s strong-willed, intelligent and independent. She has a set of rules that her father gave her to live by and she tries so hard to carve out her own path in live. Plus, her gem sage ability was really cool and unique! Can’t wait to see how that develops.

The world building is also really well done in this series. Young really brings the Narrows to life! I thought that all the different places visited in the book and the rules for surviving in the Narrows was described in amazing detail and easy to follow.

What I didn’t like:
Literally the only thing keeping me from giving this a huge sparkling five-star rating was that I thought the other characters seemed a little underdeveloped. I loved West, Willa, Auster and Paj as side characters! I wish they could have had slightly bigger parts and we could have gotten some more backstory on them. Hopefully that’ll happen in the sequel.

Overall, I think this is a really, really good book and I can’t wait for Namesake to come out in March. I didn’t realize this was a duology at first and I was gutted that I have to wait to finish this story.

I was really hoping to like this book, unfortunately it was okay for me. It felt a little empty for me. Like there was so much detail that could have been put into it. I’m hoping the next one is better.