Member Reviews
This was a lot of fun. Definitely an easy read as there wasn’t really much to plot. It felt like a set up for the next book. Fable was a really likable character though and I’m excited to see what happens next.
This book was a beautifully written fast-paced adventure that took me a little while to get into (not the book's fault at all, purely the fact that I kept having to stop and start the book due personal circumstances), but once I was there it dragged me along and didn't let go. It was a brilliant and emotional ride with a cast of complex characters and relationships.
I loved the characters and the story, the worldbuilding was interesting (I'm excited for more) and I always love reading about pirates!
Fable is a wonderful., strong and interesting character, and I adored the slow-burn romance which is my favourite kind! Fable also had complex family relationships and found family which are always something I like to see explored in YA fiction.
Honestly a berautiful book that I highly recommend,
Can't wait for book two!
I really enjoyed this book! It has a great pace, beautiful writing, a creative and intriguing premise--all in all, a good, fast read that fit the bill after a particularly difficult day in the world. I'm really excited for the sequel, to see how Young further develops the protagonist and the world.
Adrienne young did it again. She has created another world so rich in characters and well steeped in a plot so addictive that you are unable to set the book down.
I have been a a fan of Adrienne writing since the day Sky in the Deep came out. So I highly recommend this book, you will not be disappointed.
You know those books where you read the first line and you know, you just know, that you're going to love this book? Well that was Fable for me. From the first page, I was swept up into Fable''s world and taken on the journey with her.
One of the most memorable things about this book are the characters. Not only is Fable and incredibly likeable and relatable character, she is still full of flaws. But that makes her even more loveable. She's not the kind of person who makes rash decisions that everyone but her can see is stupid. She makes rash decisions that still turn out badly, but make sense because a lot of people would most likely have made those decisions (or not depending on their bravery level). She cares deeply and fiercely about the people around her, and longs to be accepted into a family whether that is her birth family or a found family. She just wants to belong. I think this story did such an incredible job portraying that deep need to belong somewhere.
Along with Fable, we have West, Paj, Auster, and Willa (The Marigold crew), Saint and Isolde, and Zola. Each one of these characters felt incredibly real, as if they could walk off the page and live their own lives separate from Fable. At no point did I ever feel like these characters sole existence was to move Fable's story along. Yes they helped move the plot forward, but I could still see them being the main characters in their own stories. That alone made this book so incredibly deep, emotional, and meaningful
I also really loved the world Young created. This is the first time I've seen a fantasy world not based around Eurocentric Medieval period centered around magic. There is little to no magic in this book and it was a huge breath of fresh air. I love our standard medieval based fantasy books, but it was nice to be able to go in a different direction. As with the characters, this world felt incredibly alive as well. There is still so much more to know about this world, but only in the sense that Fable doesn't know everything about this world vs our main character knowing about this world but the reader doesn't. I honestly felt like I could hop on a ship and sail to The Narrows at any point, and be there to spend time with the crew of The Marigold.
I absolutely adored this book, and I think many others will love it as well. The writing, characters, plot, and world were so incredibly beautiful and engaging. The pacing was incredibly, and the story sucks you in. It makes me excited that the sequel comes out in March and not in another year from now.
I LOVED this one! Give me ships and the sea and a strong female lead and I am usually a happy camper. Fable delivered all of those. I really enjoyed Fable as a character. It would have been easy to get 'tired' of her but I wasn't in the least. She's got an interesting backstory and the grit and determination to make it through anything.
I think I'd kind of liken it to Daughter of the Pirate King in some ways, but it stands on its own very well. I am a sucker for a slow burn romance as well, and this baby delivers on that too!
I will caution you - if you don't like cliffhangers (of any kind) then you may want to wait until book 2 comes out in March of next year. I know...I'd hate to wait too which is why I read it. But, while it does give you an 'ending' it also leaves you with 'but what happens next'?
Definitely recommend for ages 15+.
I've been a big fan of Adrienne Young's books since before Sky in the Deep was released. This book was no different! Sky in the Deep and Girl the Sea Gave Back were both such powerful books for me and I had high hopes for Fable. They were met and exceeded!
This book was such an interesting one. I loved everything about the setting and world and the characters were so fun to read about! I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy and I am dying to read the sequel ASAP!
A big thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the ARC!
Fable by Adrienne Young is an absolute triumph and will sail swiftly into people’s hearts.
A high-seas adventure, Fable is the first in a brand new duology from Adrienne Young, the author of Sky in the Deep and The Girl the Sea Gave Back. It follows our title character, Fable as she works as a dredger in order to buy passage off Jeval, the island she was left on by her father. Sail with Fable as she tries to find her true family and place in the world she knew before Jeval.
Adrienne Young blew me away with Fable. The first thing I noticed was how much Adrienne Young’s writing and storytelling has improved! There are books that you can tell the author has put all they are into them and Fable is one of those books. I quite enjoyed Young’s previous novels, but I absolutely loved Fable.
The plot is mysterious with its small twists and turns which keep the story moving at an enjoyable pace. The characters are the shining stars of Fable. They each are unique and add their own spice to the story be it with comedy or with tense emotion. I believe any reader can find themselves in one or more of the characters, which for me always makes the story more entertaining to read.
Overall, Fable has everything you or I could want in a book. Full of adventure and dashes of romance, I promise that you will want to read this book in one sitting! I’m looking forward to reading the conclusion of Fable’s story in Namesake, on shelves near you in 2021.
This book was everything I needed! The author absolutely blew me away. I had high expectations after reading her other work but fell in love with the characters and the world.
Oh, Fable, how much I truly enjoyed reading you! This is a perfect story for anyone who likes pirates, ships, and adventure. I read two other books by Adrienne Young, and her stories never disappoint. What I most loved about this is the character growth, the friendships developed, and all the secrets and action. While I appreciated the fact that there was a slow-burn romance (I mean…who wouldn’t, right?!), I felt that it was quite random and almost, I dare say, incongruous in the entirety of the plot. But, hey, it happened, and now I want West to fight for Fable! Argh! Stupid cliffhanger ending!
Great young adult book. The beginning was a little confusing with a lot of names of people and places but the storyline was great. I could not put the book down and I am dying to read the second. The first ended with a nice cliff hanger.
I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It’s a dog-eat-dog world for Fable, whose father is a well-known pirate, a merchant captain that abandoned her on an island with a specific set of rules: Survive, Escape, Find Me. Because Fable desperately wants to be a part of his sea trading empire, she lies, cheats, steals, and uses a secret power to attempt to earn her way onto his crew. Upon returning to the island Ceros, she learns that her father’s plan for her wasn’t to become a crew member, and her inheritance was onboard a sunken ship.
I loved following Fable and the crew of the Marigold through their trials and tribulations on the sea. I enjoyed really getting a feel for how strong she is as a character as she moves through this world that is absolutely made for men and made for power. I was a little disappointed by the lack of character development for the secondary characters. I really wanted more background information for them in this novel and more than just opinions from them. It felt like they were there to argue against Fable being on the Marigold and only served as a piece of the found family plot and part of West's growing story.
One note that I want to make is that the ARC was poorly edited. This is by no means a jab at Adrienne overall, considering it’s an ARC for a reason. However, some of the mistakes made it into the final publication as well, which is a little disappointing. There were some moments of poor grammar and spelling, some sentences didn’t make sense, etc. That’s not to say that Adrienne Young is a terrible writer, but a poor overall job done by the editor that can sometimes pull you out of the book and make it jarring. I do think that the Adrienne did
a fantastic job developing the world and she might have sold herself short by going with such a small book, there was definitely room for fleshing out the world more and having a longer story.
Overall, this novel was great and I’m excited to see what happens for Fable and the crew! The slow-burn romance in the story wasn’t too light or too heavy and seemed to fit in well. I had some suspicions from the beginning about the romance, but it took a while for anything to happen and sometimes that's really refreshing. The novel almost feels like historical fiction when you pick it up, which is a testament to how well Adrienne set up her characters and world.
I had huge Pirates of the Caribbean vibes throughout the story. The pacing and adventures in the book made it an enjoyable and quick read. I'd say this is about a high school student read, There are a few violent moments and a light romance, but nothing out of the ordinary for a typical YA piece. The cliffhanger at the end of the story was not what I was expecting, and it left me wanting to know more about Fable and the crew members. Luckily, I had access to the Namesake ARC as well and I was fully excited to dive into the next part of the story. I’m excited to see what happens for Fable in Namesake, and definitely recommend this book to anyone in search of a little seafaring adventure.
5/5 stars
I absolutely loved this slightly dark and romantic YA fantasy! As soon as I finished this amazing story, I wanted more and couldn't wait to read the sequel. I love how much of a survivor and fighter Fable is throughout the book. The entire crew of the Marigold each had their own interesting backstory and I enjoyed finding out bits and pieces as the story progressed. I really liked West and Fable's interactions as well. There was definitely a bit of slow burn, fade to black romance in the story that was so good! The chemistry between characters was so well written and left me wanting more, especially with that cliffhanger. Overall, this seafaring adventure has plenty of action, interesting characters, underwater diving and a bit of romance. If you're looking for an adventurous escape on the seas, this is the one you've been looking for!
*Thank you so much to Wednesday Books, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Okay so this was a pleasant surprise. I picked it up (much like my mom did!) because of the cover and I didn't actually read what it was about. I just know that I absolutely LOVED Sky in the Deep so I was somewhat familiar with Young's writing and I was fascinated by the cover.
I DID NOT KNOW IT WAS ABOUT PIRATES and that made this book that much more enjoyable for me! I also loved the name "Fable" or "Fay", talk about whimsical! Anyway, Fable is the daughter of one of the most infamous traders in the Narrows- the same father who had abandoned her a few years back after a devastating storm sank their ship and killed her mother. She spends the novel attempting to escape the island she was trapped on so she can find her father.
I absolutely engulfed this story and read it in just a few days. Young always seems to entrance you with her writing and keeps you interested from the first to the last page. I for some reason have a weird fascination with books about Pirates. The Daughter of the Pirate King was one of my favorites from the last few years, and it's been hard to find a pirate book to grab and keep my attention. This one did just the trick! The world building in this was really great, I could definitely imagine the Narrows as well as the sea, which is obviously important for a pirate novel! And also- the romance was absolutely swoon-worthy. While it wasn't a major part of the overall plot of the novel, the words used in one particular scene was so sweet and adorable that I actually read it a few times.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this one! Even if you don't love Pirates, Fable's adventures in the Narrows will definitely entertain you and whisk you away to a world only seen in movies! I am so SO excited to pick up Namesake when it's released next year!
What an adventure this book took me on! But to be honest it actually took me several trys to become invested in the story.
The romance seemed a little to cliche but it seems like most is these days.
The boom definitely ends on a cliff hanger so we shall have to wait and see what happens!
**FULL REVIEW**
Action, adventure, loss, love, and so much more all wrapped up into this slow-burning story of a girl who has learned to survive by literally being left on her own.
Sailing the seas, free-diving into the unknown abyss of ocean waters, Fable is exactly the girl we all want to be; strong and fearless, cunning and smart, savage, and beautiful. I thoroughly enjoyed vicariously living the pirate's life through the pages of this tale.
The style of writing is imagery at its finest, well-researched and creatively executed, I didn't mind getting lost within the waves of words, page after page keeping me glued till the very last one.
I look forward to the sequel.
**4 Skilled-Sailor, Stars**
Fable is a fast paced adventure that hits you right in the feels. I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy this book. The beginning started out a little rough for me but it picked up quickly and I couldn't put it down. With a ragtag crew like The Marigold you can't help but be entranced. Everyone needs a little swashbuckling adventure in their life and I cant recommend Fable enough. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
Ever since I saw this book, I knew I need to get it! I was fortunate enough to have been granted a copy in exchange of an honest review before I actually got my physical copy of the book. And pirates, sea adventures and badass female characters? SIGN ME UP!
Adrienne Young continues to wow me with her work. I love how family is one of the central meat of the the story and how people often find themselves belonging to a new one. I can't wait to see Adrienne write more books about adventures and epic relationships! Please give Fable a chance!
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to receive an advance copy of Fable by Adrienne Young in exchange for an honest review. Adrienne Young is one of my go to authors. I love all the stories she has written. She does amazing with the world building and pulls in from the start. I fall in love with all of her characters. It is like she takes you on an adventure with them and you feel like you are right beside them the whole time. I am not a big pirate/at sea book reader so therefore it took me a little longer than usual to get into this book but once I got to the halfway point there was action thrown from different directions. This made me more interested in the story. Not to say the story wasn't good from beginning to end. I just think I wasn't in the right mindset to pick this book up when I did.
Fable is a fiery red head who has practically raised herself and that has made her strong and a survival. As soon as West was introduced as this handsome captain of this ship that constantly came to port at Jeval and would only buy prye from Fable, I knew I would ship them two. Definitely slow burn romance there, whereas neither of them are in the right place at this time to persue a relationship. Plus showing you care about something in their business is risky.
The cliffhanger at the end, I saw coming. I knew it couldn't be all rainbows and unicorns. Especially since there is a second book. I am hoping for West to pull through and we get our happily ever after ending.
I am a huge fan of Adrienne Young’s Sky in the Deep and so I was really excited for Fable! I loved the adventures at sea, the risk, high stakes and the characters were absolutely my favourite part about the book! Fable’s relationship with her father was complex and I enjoyed exploring this. There is a newfound family trope which Adrienne Young always does so well, and there’s a hint of romance too! This book wasn’t as strong as Sky in the Deep, it didn’t blow me away but it was enjoyable and I would like to see what happens to the characters in the sequel!