Another great novel by Adrienne Young. Who doesn't love pirates and romance? It was a very enjoyable read. Fable is an amazing heroine, though the rest of the characters are somewhat flat. There also isn't a lot going on at first, but the final part of the book really makes up for the slower beginning. I'm excited to read the sequel!

This book almost fixed 2020! (Almost). One of my favorite books of the year, Adrienne Young has written another fast-paced, engaging, character-driven quick read in a unique and fun world! I love books about the sea, and the main character, Fable, agrees with me. Abandoned on an island filled with criminals by her father, after her mother drowned at sea, Fable has to fight tooth and nail just to survive. And she wants to do more than survive - she wants to get off the island, find her father and claim her rightful place at his side. Her determination and grit guided me through this book! I could not get enough of her love interest either, and I am looking forward to reading more of their story in the sequel. But the truly fascinating character was Saint. I wanted to know more about his story, and most of all what makes him tick. Clearly, I need more pirate stories in my life. This one is a must-read. Note: I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved Fable! This book had everything that I love about stories! Adventure, romance, action, a strong female lead, and well written characters. Fable is such a badass, but she also has a vulnerability that comes from her hope and faith in others. I would love to have a friend like Fable in my life!

West was also a really great character. I loved all the pirate vibes and all the side characters on the crew were so unique and diverse. They all really added so much to the story. The chemistry between Fable and West is phenomenally written and it kept me so enthralled through the entire book. With that on top of the action and adventure, I could not put this one down, and finished it quite quickly, so the pacing is really well done.

I definitely recommend this book if you love pirates, a good adventure, and a slow-burn romance! Can't wait for the next book in this series!

I meant to finish and review this before it came out but alas that just didn’t happen. That being said, I am happy to say, unlike my feelings about The Girl of the Sea Gave Back, I quite enjoyed this one.

The story was a tad predictable, but overall I think the author did a decent job keeping me interested. But still not to the level of A Sky in the Deep. I think the problem for me here was that I did not quite connect with the characters. I liked them sure. Yet not enough to truly feel for their pain and struggle. It's like the friend you hang out with from time to time. You enjoy their company. It is nice catching up. Yet, if you're being honest, you do not miss them in their absence.

That is this book to me.

I liked it. Yet ask me in about another month or two and it's likely I will have forgotten most of the main plot points.

I very much enjoyed this book! It was compelling, detailed, and so unique. I felt like I was living on board right along with Fable and the others. The romance was subtle but still present, and I could chase the tension in the book with a rope.

I wish this story had cast the same spell of sea salt and ocean breezes on me that it did for other readers.

Many of my bookish friends loved this book and I wish I had as much as they did!

The two stars are because there's no doubt Young is a gifted writer. Her prose is lyrical and magical, full of imagery, while still firmly staying on this side of "purple prose" territory. I appreciated this.

However, this story made me feel NOTHING. Nothing towards the plot OR the characters. No anger, sadness, happiness, etc. I felt zero positive or negative emotions about any of it. It was too lukewarm for me, very bland and neutral, and the relationship very much insta-love which cemented the rating for me. It was a very bizarre and disappointing reading experience for me.

I think if you enjoyed Sarah Henning's <i> Sea Witch </i> duology, then you will enjoy this. There's a similar beautiful writing style, a story heavily told through narration versus dialogue, and of course, seafaring themes a plenty.

I may perhaps read the 2nd installment, but it won't be a high priority for me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my e-ARC of this book, and I also read the finished version through Scribd on audiobook just to see if my opinions would change - that's how much I wanted to be wrong! Alas, this wasn't the match for me. I hope it is for you!

i really enjoyed reading Fable, the characters were great and I really enjoyed the fairy tale elements. I'd be interested in reading more from the author.

I mean, it was okay.

There were pirates, but I need more than pirates to keep my attention. I read so many good reviews about Fable that I was stocked to start it, but then I would put it down every other chance I had because it just wasn't grabbing my attention. It also ended in a rather awkward note; felt like it needed at least one more chapter. Furthermore, it didn't have an overarching "main" villain you had to work against. Fable needed to go from point A to B to C for a reason or other, and in between they have this sort of B grade bad guy who was trying to keep them out of the game. Not overly exciting if you ask me.

The world building left a lot to be desired as there were references of the world beyond but no real actual work was put into making it feel realer. It is supposed to play a bigger deal in Fable's story seeing as her mother hailed from the other country? Maybe, but I guess we will get any real revelations in the sequel, which is a little too late for this reader. A lot of effort was put into the setting of the big blue sea and the life of a pirate, but it just wasn't enough to keep me interested.

The characters did need a lot of background story and work. Only 3/6 characters felt fully fleshed. Fable, Willa, and West, have the most backstory to them. While another of the two characters had a love story I didn't feel invested enough in the characters to really care. I get that secrets abound the seas, but this book should have been about creating bonds, and while we do have the beginnings of it Fable is only a duology which means that I should already care 100% about what happens to these characters in the next book. And I just don't.

If you are looking for some well built romance please look elsewhere. We go from 100% ignoring each other to confessions of love in a very unrealistic way. West and Fable by all means barely know each other as trading goods for a couple of years without exchanging more words with each other other than "how much?" not make a love story. Once Fable joins the crew we barely get any scenes with the two characters. In fact, Fable and Willa would have made more of a realistic love story. I just wasn't a fan.

Overall I WISH I was as enthralled with Fable as everybody else seems to be, but there is no spark for me. A real shame.

This book definitely defied my expectations. I went into it with little information, and I have to say.. it was a bit slow to begin with. Maybe that's my own fault for going into it semi-blindly, but I certainly was not expecting the pace the first quarter of the book set. HOWEVER, it wasn't long before I was hooked. Fable is so relatable - her inner monologue of insecurities (and how she faces them) really hit home for me. Once the story got moving, I couldn't put the book down. I can't wait to see what's next for the Marigold Crew.

DNF @ 25%

I put this off for so long it just feels great that I can finally admit it to myself. I tried so hard to like this one because I loved the author's previous books.

Everything was just so... boring. I had a really hard time getting into the story. I tried giving it a chance but it never improved.

Believe me, no one is more disappointed than me.

Very lyrical writing style kept the pacing slow in the first three or so chapters but at the 20% mark I was hooked. Fable is a YA fantasy with a different but refreshing take on a fantasy world. No magic (yet?) but plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. Fable is a very likable protagonist who was beat up this entire book, I wanted to give her soup and tell her to take a nap.

A swashbuckling enjoyable read that will take you on the adventures of a girl who's trying to find her own way. I really enjoyed this book and as always, I loved Adrienne's writing. That cliffhanger has me eager to read about what happens to Fable and her crew next.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the ebook of this book.

TWs: verbal abuse, physical abuse, violence, grief

What seems like years ago, but was actually back this January, I went with a friend to a book event where one of the featured authors was Adrienne Young. I had such a fun time there (little did I realize this was my last IRL book event for a looong time), and have wanted to read a book of hers ever since. So between my friend raving about her books and my hype from seeing her in person, when I saw Fable was available on NetGalley, I didn't hesitate to slam that request button.

Fable is a fantasy that follows the story of, well, Fable, as she tries to escape the island of violent criminals her father abandoned her on when she was a child. When she eventually does, it's on a ship with a crew of liars who all hate her, and she has to try to survive with them until she can reach her father, the dangerous trader Saint. Honestly, I haven't been happy with the way the blurb sounds, or my description of the plot, but it's kind of hard to pinpoint down without spoilers, and having to analyze what actually happens, but we'll get to that later.

I really liked the world that Adrienne Young built for Fable, it was reminiscent of your basic pirate worldbuilding (ala Pirates of the Carribean, etc.), but with it's own unique twist with it's fictional countries and magical abilities to find and feel gems. I had wished we had seen a little more of what exactly those powers could do, but I have a feeling it's going to be used more in book 2, so I'm not too upset. I loved the descriptions of Fable's deep water dives to dredge, and her absolute adoration of the ocean as her home. The way her memories were entwined into the tale worked so well too, sometimes they can become a distraction, but in this case they just enhanced the story for me.

I liked Fable, she was quick on her feet and brave, while still being really relatable. Her determination was what really propelled the story, and I liked the way she bonded and interacted with the rest of the cast. I was a little hesitant about liking West at first, but after a few chapters he managed to win me over, and I loved the scenes between him and Fable (the TENSION!). I would've liked to get to know the rest of the crew of the Marigold a bit better than we did, since I literally can't tell you anything about Hamish other than his job and have some issues telling Paj and Auster's personalities apart, but I think why ties into the next part of this review.

While I really did enjoy Fable, when I was about halfway through I realized why it wasn't quite what I had been hoping for, because the entirety of book one felt like the build up to what's going to happen in book 2. I've read enough series to understand how build up works, but if you were to actually graph the plot of Fable it's not your traditional story arc and it was an interesting way to tell the story. Now that I've finished I totally see why it was written that way, but it's a bit disorienting to go in without expecting it, since the flow is slower. The entire plot is just following Fable's story arc which was honestly just not that interesting. That's not to say that the story didn't have action, but it didn't really peak the way I thought it should, it was closer to reading a serialized story that just hasn't finished than anything else, until the cliffhanger ending. I'd have rather have had one longer book than an entire book that didn't really...do anything other than introduce the reader to the characters and set up where the actual plot starts.

Overall Fable was a fun introduction to Young's work, and I'm looking forward to reading book 2, Namesake, when it's available. I'm hoping it has more of an actual plot than book one, but I liked Fable's story enough to pick it up either way. Regardless of the plot flow, and I'm going to be keeping my fingers crossed for more interactions between her and West in the finale.

AHHH. This was fantastic and I was NOT ready for it to end. Absolutely, undeniably need more of Fable, West, Willa and the rest of the Marigold.

This was so atmospheric and everything just felt so right. Adrienne’s descriptions make me feel as though I can smell the salty, sea breeze, feel the wind and water wash over me.

I loved this story and am already dying for the sequel.

It’s a book about pirates and I love it. Fable was abandoned by her father on an island. She wants to earn her place on his crew and seeks out West’s help.
I really enjoyed this and loved the way Fable tried to get to be apart of the crew. I loved her relationship with West. The romance was okay, but could have been better. Saint was an interesting character and I want to know more about him.

I thought this would be a fun read, something a little different from my normal tastes, but instead it totally caught me off guard and sucked me right in. This feisty little pirate adventure story is one of the most fun things I've read this year.

The writing is great and I need to read more of Adrienne Young's work. It is a perfect mix of lyrical and to the point and there is such a great weaving of atmosphere. The setting is a perfect world of pirates, misfits, darkness, and deception. There's something of a Pirates of the Caribbean feel, but then again...I may feel that way because it's my only real exposure to another pirate tale. I DID NOT see myself loving a pirate story, but here we are.

Fable herself is a strong female protagonist with skills, guts, and a desperate longing for a family. She is fantastic and I rooted hard for her. The other characters are somewhat thin, but this is the first book in a series and they did gain some additional depth toward the end of the novel. As it is, they are a colorful bunch and I loved the dynamics.

I SO enjoyed this book. The pace was perfect and I didn't want to put it down for the majority of my read. The ending is killing me and I need the sequel YESTERDAY.

* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

I devoured this in a single sitting. The story is so rich and you will lose yourself in this world. Lives up to the hype!

I don't know how to explain this book.

It is by far my number 1 read of the year! The world building, the highs, the lows, are all something that Adrienne Young has mastered. I feel like I've stepped into this world of fantasy and I live it. I've felt every blow that Fable has felt, the breath that is held in my lungs.

The writing is amazing, Fable is amazing, West is....absolutely amazing.

When Fable hitched a ride with West and his crew, you knew there was something more to both of their stories. This book was riveting and I can't wait for Namesake.

I apologize for typing my review up so late but I have to start with the fact that I LOVE this cover.
I had a lot of fun reading this. It was a bit slow to start but I was completely immersed shortly after I started it.
Fable is so atmospheric. All I wanted to do while reading was go to the beach!

I loved Fable's character. She is such a strong female lead and her backstory completely broke my heart. After losing her mother in a storm, her father abandoned her on an island low on food and full of thieves. Fable had to learn to survive on her own and make her way off of the island in order to find her father and demand her place beside him and his crew. Along the way she meets a young trader named West who she is eventually able to pay for passage off the island and across the Narrows. Her journey certainly isn't easy. She can't let anyone know who her father is so she has to let the crew believe she is just a dredger - a diver who excavates precious gems/stones from Coral reefs.
I adored West and the rest of his crew. Not so much in the beginning maybe but they all have secrets of their own and I liked the slow reveal of their backstories. I enjoyed the mystery of it all. It's clear how much they care for each other.

I wish Fable's affinity for gems had been explored some more but I'm assuming we'll learn more about that in the next book.

Pirates. Treasure hunting. High-seas adventures. Slow-burn romance. If you're a fan of any (or all) of these then I definitely recommend picking this up!
That ending though! I don't want to wait to find out what happens next. March can't come fast enough! I'll be counting down the days until I can read Namesake.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the review copy of this book!

THIS BOOK WAS GREAT! I loved this story so much. It gave me all feels I was looking for. Lets first talk about how stunning this cover is!!! I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book and when I did, i was afraid to read it because of all the hype so I waited but OH MY! DONT WAIT! This plot and story were done great and so easy to follow. The characters were written very well! This author is growing on my list to be one of my tops. Her other works "A sky in the deep" was so good! I will make sure I watch for her future works.

I highly recommend this read!