4.5 stars!

Once again, Adrienne Young gifts us all with a beautifully written, heartfelt story with a complex, fierce-in-her-own-way main character and lush world-building that goes far beyond the page! She's not the type to describe every little detail of everything. Instead, she offers us just enough to know how vast the world is, and how much there would be to explore, if only we were given the chance.

I loved pretty much everything about the book. The world was interesting from the start, and Adrienne's prose is always something to behold. Fable had my heart as soon as she did something unexpected. I love when a scenario seems like it could go either one way or another... and then the main character does something surprising that takes it a direction you didn't even realize it could go. I'm staying vague to keep this spoiler-free, but suffice to say, I was well and truly hooked as soon as that happened.

Overall, this was such a fun, and frustrating-at-times adventure story (but frustrating in a GOOD way, like... you just want to punch the villain in the face while simultaneously cheering the main character / scrappy ragtag main squad to beat those odds)! It's my favorite of Adrienne's thus far, and I can't WAIT to get my hands on Namesake!

Huge thank you to Wednesday Books for an advanced e-copy of the book via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I have a weakness for pirate and pirate-related stories, especially when they're female character centered. Adrienne Young's Fable is the first book in a duology that follows a young woman named Fable who has been left on an island by her father with the directive to get off that island. Once she gets off the island by spending the last of her coin, Fable begins to realize there is so much more to the world in which she lives and to which she discovers she belongs than she had ever imagined.

As a dredger, Fable dives to collect stones in the sea, and she keeps to herself that she has a knack for discerning the truth about stones and gems. During her voyage on The Marigold, the crew learns that Fable's stone-scrying ability isn't just a hunch or a knack; she could be a stone sage, one who intuitively knows everything about a particular stone and its value. Her abilities as a stone sage tie into her family, and the more she learns about her father who left her on the island and her mother who died in a wreck the more she learns about herself and who she is - and who she's meant to be.

To Fable, nobody is who they present themselves to be. Everyone, including her, carries secrets that are only revealed in time. The book itself is slow to open and slow to make these revelations, and once they are revealed I was left both satisfied and wanting more. By the time the action picked up and carried me through the last third of the novel, it was over and left on a cliffhanger that made me glad the sequel is releasing in only a few months! Each of the characters lean more toward the morally grey area that seems relatively popular in YA fantasy these days, and this leans into the grimdark style of fantasy too. It's a harsh world, and you can only survive if you keep the soft, quiet things close to your heart.

Even though the world-building takes up quite a chunk of this first installment of a duology, it never felt unnecessary. The tension created from the first line ties all of this story together (and hopefully through the sequel!), and the tension kept me turning the pages to see where and how it would all tie together. I was not disappointed, and I can't wait to see how all of this ends. If you like Pirates of the Caribbean and The Princess Bride, I think this one will be right up your alley.

Adrienne Young has another winner!! She is quickly becoming one of my favorite YA authors, and authors in general. Fable falls in to her previous stories' universe. Not only do we meet an incredible woman (Fable), and follow a delightful story, but we also get more info into this universe and the people in it.



I freaking loved this book. The characters are funny, warm (mostly), and dynamic. Fable has a story that seems as old as tale-telling, but Young is able to make this particular journey unique. It's damn awesome.



We'll find out more about Fable in the sequel, and I can not wait!



5/5 Stars

Fable has been marooned on an island by her father. The only thing he gives her is a gauged cut up her arm and some rules to live by. With the promise that if she can work her way off the island and back to him that she will be rewarded her inheritance. She must scam and lie in order to keep the locals from catching on to her plans and stealing all that she has earned. When she finally has enough money to buy herself passage from this cutthroat island nearly 4 years later, what will await her when she returns home?

I know that this story holds a strong meaning to the author specifically pertaining to her family and I feel like I could feel the love, pain and uncertainty within the writing. I really felt something for this story as I haven’t seen my own father for around 10 years and struggle with that relationship.

I love that while Fable can be vulnerable, she is also very strong and capable. She knows how to take care of herself and navigate through this world of ships and lies.

The idea of a found family is one that I adore in books as people don’t always have family and some with one wish they didn’t. It encourages the idea that someone will always be there for you and that you can always make a place for yourself and never be alone.

The one thing that I was disappointed with was that I feel like there wasn’t much resolution in the book. I know that there is a sequel, but I feel like maybe some things could have been resolved and new problems made.
I am extremely excited to see where this story goes in the next book “Namesake”. I secretly hope that maybe someone else that Fable has thought gone may make an appearance.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Publishing for this ARC.

Her dad gave her 5 rules to live buy when she was younger.

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

Fable has been stuck on Jeval for 4 years after her father left her there telling her that she wasn't made for this world and that if she can make it off the island then she has proved she is worthy. She was left on this island after her mom died.

To get by and make it on Jeval she sells pyre which is a stone found in the sea. She sells abd saves for 4 years till she is finally able to get off the island by a man West who isn't particularly happy that she is aboard his ship neither is his crew.

They make their way to Ceros and she finds her dad just for him to give her a map and say there is your inheritance. He wants nothing to do with her. She decides to help West and him and his crew get out from under her father.

They go to the Lark and get all the treasure and slowly begin to sell everything to get the money to be free. She goes to talk to her father one last time and on her way back to West ship she is taken by Zola and someone who used to work for her father that she thought was dead.

This book took me a minute to get into. The first half was her dredging to make ends meet till she was free of the ship then then trip getting to her father. The second half held all the action and im glad I kept reading. I loved this book so much and so sorry that I read it so late. Cannot wait for the next one.

Beautiful world building.
Beautiful detailing but.....the story itself? I expected more.

I'm just kind of not impressed. Especially with how much hype I was hearing about this book. There is like one and a half action scenes. The flash backs were more interesting than the main character.

BUT with the final word in this book she got my interest, because now I need to know how.

Excellent! I gobbled up the author’s previous books and this one is even better. I am drawn to seafaring books and adventure, cunning, grit, etc. The author quickly creates the setting, outlines the characters, and pulls the reader into the story. The reader gains insight into the character without the author droning on and on about the thoughts and feelings. The story never drags and West, ahh quite charismatic: stoic, hardworking, sacrifice, heart yet tasked with dark deeds. I delayed reading this until I obtained the sequel, Namesake, so I can read them back to back. Highly recommend.

I loved this so much!! Much of this book takes place on a ship, and it's exciting and made me want to go take to the high seas or at least read more books that take place on ships. The characters are great, and it really left me wanting more. Fable is fantastic! She's not annoying like so many YA main characters seem to be nowadays. I immediately liked her and was invested in her story. Can't wait to get my hands on book 2!! Also, gorgeous cover!!

A super big thank you to Netgalley and publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review! :)

* I was provided an arc by NetGalley in exchange for a review*

Wow! This book was absolutely amazing and I am so excited there are more to come! It follows Fable, a young woman who has been kicked by life and her journey. And there are pirates! The Marigold crew is awesome and so is Fable herded. I loved this one!

I was here for this deep sea dive full of pirates, ships, and thievery. I have fondness for books set on or around ships and pirates, and this lived up to my expectations.

Fable is a strong and resilient heroine. Sometimes when characters are put in tough situations they can become closed off and are too unattached to be likable as a reader, but Fable was well balanced. She desires connection, but also a way to prove to her father she is built for the world of piracy. She must find a way off the island of Jeval and to Ceros to confront her father. Enter the Margiold and her captain West. He wants Fable off his ship as soon as possible, but things don’t really go according to plan. His crew was easy to fall in love with and I look forward to learning more about them in the future.

I enjoyed the adventure and romance presented, but I would have like a little bit more character development. I thought the romance came about a little too quickly and the action, while super fun, took some of that page time away.

If you’re looking for adventure on the high seas, Fable is up to the task. Just be warned that cliffhanger ending will leave you wanting more.

That’s how I feel about reading Adrienne Young’s newest book. Just, YES.AMAZING!

Fable is a fav. Loved her as our heroine. Her resiliency and ability to adapt to whatever situation was in front of her was bar none. Because wow, she was thrown into a rough situation that I’m still trying to grasp the point of (who abandons their child on an island?). She’s a bit rough around the edges from not having any positive interactions with those around her. But, Fable persists, and finding her family was one of the best parts of this book. I love the crew she ends up with and am so excited this book has a sequel.OH MY. I loved it. I’m a huge fan of all things water related and getting another book with that setting made me beyond excited. The way the land was separated, how the dynamics of the world worked, character interactions, all of it.

Fable is the daughter of one of the most powerful traders in the Narrows, but her mother had drowned four years ago. Her father abandoned her on an island full of thieves and very little food. Over the course of four years, she had to survive on the island, with the goal of eventually getting off it. Teaming up with West to escape, she finds that her father's enemies have grown, there are more dangers than she knew about, and even West isn't what he seems.

Fable is the first of a duology, with Namesake set to be released March 2021. Because of that, there's something of a cliffhanger ending for this novel, even though Fable's plan is carried out to its conclusion. Fable had been raised with a set of rules, including never revealing that her father is Saint, the most feared man of the Narrows. Nothing comes for free and everything is a trade, and people hold anything and everything valuable close to the vest. As a dredger, Fable can dive deep to find treasures that were lost in the sea, and this talent is one of the ones she had learned prior to being dropped off after her mother's death. West initially bought the items she dredged every other week, but soon had to help her escape the island to save her life.

Life at sea isn't easy, and even getting back to the cities she once knew doesn't help. Her father Saint has no intention of acknowledging who she is, or helping her in any way. There's an old feud that she's caught up in, and this makes it far more difficult to reclaim her inheritance and free the ship from her father's influences. There are hints of secrets involving her mother and what had happened long before she worked as a dredger for Saint and they fell in love, and those secrets are likely to play a large role in the sequel. This book hooked me from page one, and it's going to be a very long wait for the second book to conclude this story.

*4.5 stars

I received an uncorrected eARC from Wednesday Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed Fable by Adrienne Young. This was the first book I read by this author and was pleasantly surprised. Fable lived up to and dare I say surpassed the hype.

The characters were extremely likable and well written. The descriptions were lush and vivid. It was almost impossible to put down.

I can’t wait for Namesake’s release (March 2021) and will definitely be reading more of Adrienne Young’s books.

Fable is a great choice for those who enjoy books with strong heroines, found families, and/or are fans of Pirates of the Caribbean.

Thank you so much Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the review copy!

BEST BOOK I READ THIS YEAR!

I was really hesitant to pick up this book. I read Young's first book Sky in the Deep when it first released, and I honestly only finished reading it because I "bought it" (it can in a book box). I skipped her second book, and after reading this I just might have to rethink my choice on that. I was able to get an advance copy on Net Galley, so I decided to give Young another try with this newest book. I could not put it down. I started this book yesterday (9/7/20) and I went to work talking about this book and how I could not wait to get home to finish reading it.

Fable transported me to a new world, that I did not want to leave. The atmosphere is all consuming and for all the secrets that have been told, there are so many more questions that have been left unanswered. I really enjoyed getting to know the crew of the Marigold; and the rules to live by definitely make for a great adventure that everyone should take!

(3.5/5)

While the writing in this book was beautiful and the characters quite enjoyable to read about as they and their dynamics were developed, there isn't much to say about the book plot-wise.

It's been four long, grueling years since Fable's father abandoned her at Jeval, a cutthroat island where any wrong move could get her killed. But Fable's determined to find her father, and with the help of the crew of a ship that has more secrets than answers, she just might be able to make it across the sea and take her rightful place at her father's side, on his crew... if nothing else goes wrong.

I really enjoyed how the author was able to use her words so efficiently and beautifully to create an immersive world, and develop the main character, Fable. The world-building was wonderful, but that's where things start to fall a bit short. The other characters simply weren't as well built as Fable was, and it was really disappointing when characters were revealing their secrets and trusting each other but didn't become very 3-D.

Other than Fable wanting to find her father, and how the crew sails across the sea, there isn't much to the plot - nothing *really* happens, until the last quarter or so of the book. This would've been forgivable if the book was far more focused on character growth and development, but it isn't.

The romance is pretty slow to develop, and it isn't a major plotline to the story in my opinion, but when it finally revealed itself, I really enjoyed it, even if one of the characters was very flat and lacked... personality.

I would recommend this if you want to read a light but intriguing story that draws you in with the writing, and definitely has a pirate-y vibe.

You know when a story is good because you can’t stop thinking about it and wondering what might happen next? That’s what Fable was throughout the entire book! It’s difficult for a story to grab me when the main focus isn’t romance, so this book pleasantly surprised me! I really enjoyed Fable and the Crew of the Marigold. Definitely a story full of adventure and surprises.

As I mentioned, the romance was lacking so I was bit surprised when it rushed out at the end. Don’t worry parents a very PG-13 love scene.

I cannot wait to read namesake to dive a little deeper (pun intended 😉) into the story of fables mom, Isolde, and nemesis Zola on the Lark! New crew = new set of characters to love/hate or love to hate!

I just LOVED this book! I was originally drawn to this because of the gorgeous cover but the story is beautifully written and so addicting, I just couldn't put it down. Adrienne Young's lyrical writing is so immersive and the adventure and mystery were so entertaining. This ended on quite the cliffhanger so I cannot wait to read what happens to Fable and her crew on the next book!

Danger and adventure, both on land and on sea, abound in this book by Adrienne Young. Fable is a strong and compelling heroine who will capture your heart as treasure. She has already suffered loss and abandonment in her seventeen years, but she maintains a strong moral compass in her constant fight to survive. It is hard to know who she can trust, as each character has their own secrets and hidden stories, but the author slowly peels back the layers until you learn who is a fake and who is a diamond in the rough. This book had me hook, line, and sinker, and I cannot wait to see what happens next!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Wednesday Books for allowing me to read an advance copy of this fabulous book in exchange for my honest review. #NetGalley #Fable

This book me a bit of time to get into. But once I started reading I couldn't wait to read next chapter. The story and characters were beautiful written.
Thank you the netgalley for providing with the e-arc

Fable was the book I didn't know I needed. The writing was beautiful and the storytelling was absolutely gripping from start to finish. The adventure was pretty epic and everything was so well thought out and flowed perfectly with elegant and dynamic prose that just sucked me in. The setting of The Narrows was vibrant, dangerous, and entirely captivating and created the perfect atmosphere for this story. The world played such a huge part in molding each of the characters and their motivations- they were so connected that the setting was almost a character in itself. Fable is a badass heroine who immediately won me over with her tenacity on the dangerous island of Jeval. She is a survivor and I love that she recognized her own power and did what she had to do without regret. In addition to Fable, the gruff, rag-tag crew of The Marigold were also fantastic, as well as Fable's father, the mysterious and cold, Saint. I really understand who each of them is individually and Young really made me care about these people. I'll say it right now, I've always had a thing for a sexy pirate, and West is no exception. His tough exterior mixed with glimpses of vulnerability and warmth captured my heart. I loved him from the beginning, and the more I learned about him the harder I fell. He and Fable are so evenly matched, both full of fight and a willingness to do whatever it takes. This book is part adventure, part mystery, part family drama, and part love story all wrapped into one glorious package. I am still thinking about these characters, and that cliff hanger ending, and I cannot wait for the second book.