I did enjoy this book but not nearly as much as I was hoping. I felt like the romance was a little to instalove. I wanted more of a build up and instead the male love interest admits to falling in love with her the first time he saw her. I felt like this book was just a prequel to the actual story which happens in book 2.

I decided to read Fable by Adrienne Young because I really enjoyed Sky in the Deep. I didn’t love The Girl the Sea Gave Back as much. When I heard Young had a new release I had to give it a shot! The title really caught my attention and I wanted to know which way I would land after reading Fable.

I really wasn’t sure how Young was going to be able to pull what I thought the plot of Fable was through such a long book. At first I thought it was going to be thing A was the end goal, then I moved to thing B….then thing C.

Young lured me in to a false sense of resolution multiple times. I’m not even mad about it. Young took the best thing about Sky in the Deep which for me was immersive, descriptive, and beautiful writing and put it in the fast moving plot of Fable.

Fable is a girl looking to belong. She’s not very trusting and I don’t think anyone can blame her. I really loved the crew of the Marigold. They make no bones about doing what needs to be done to survive.

The rest of the cast of characters have memorable personalities. There are no excess characters. Each one has an important role to play.

The writing in Fable is what really made it shine. I felt like I could have been on that ship with Fable. I loved it and I can’t wait for the sequel to come out in March!

This book mostly takes place on the water and was a nice summer read. I absolutely love fantasy books about pirates, ships, sailors, etc. The story’s mc, Fable, is a trader who is trying to secure her spot on her father’s ship. He abandoned her on Jeval after the death of her mother and for four years, she works to find him.

Fable eventually ends up on the ship of a boy named West and his crew as she sets off to reunite with her father. I really enjoyed Fable’s dynamic with her father. In this world, anything you love is used against you and you could clearly see that in Fable’s relationship with her dad. She felt that he didn’t love her, but it seemed more so that he was just trying to protect her in the only way he knew how.

I felt that her relationship with West was a little rushed. He spent most of the book ignoring her, so it was hard to feel the chemistry between them. Although their romantic scenes were sweet, it just didn’t make sense compared to how they interacted throughout the book.

Overall, I wouldn’t say I loved this book, but it has some really great moments. West’s crew, especially Willa, were definitely a highlight. I felt that Willa and Fable’s relationship was written better than West and Fable’s. At first, Willa does not want anything to do with Fable, but by the end of the book they begin to form a friendship and we can see that Willa really cares about Fable. The book ends on a cliffhanger so I’m actually looking forward to reading the next one.

Fable is one of my top 5 favorite books of 2020! This book was fantastic and Young writes it flawlessly. There is not one thing I would change. I love the world building and the characters are some of favorites. Fable is a badass and I wish I could be a dredger! I need Namesake in my hands immediately!

I adored Fable by Adrienne Young. This book stands out among other YA novels with its seafaring adventure and unique water-focused world. The world and how the characters navigate this world are also so intriguing and well-written. Our main character is a girl named Fable. She was left by her father on a brutal island to fend for herself and figure out her way back to him. We follow her now as she navigates through the day-to-day survival on the island and then on her journey that defines what it means to be family and its not always blood. This is the first book in a duology and I cannot wait to dive back into this world.

Absolutely exquisite. I was completely submerged in the story, and even after finishing it, I still couldn't let it go. As with all of Adrienne's books, it took a little while to get into, but once I did, I was wholly transported. I could smell the salt of the sea, feel the wetness of the water and experience the wind whipping at my hair. I cannot wait to read Namesake, I am so excited.

This book was chock full of things I love, A motley, crew of characters with mysterious back stories and a strong, scrappy female lead. Pirates! Themes of love, loyalty, rivalry, ruthlessness, and deception threaded seamlessly throughout. The unexpected intersection of lives and relationships. Mystery, secrecy, and adventure. Ships, seas, and intriguing ports. FABLE is a strong start to this fantasy duology. I desperately need the second book

Thank you to Netgalley for the early review copy.

FABLE is Adrienne Young's best book. At the heart of this new duology is family, belonging, and survival. As a girl, the titular Fable's father-sailor, pirate, privateer, pick your title-abandoned her on an island after the tragic death of her mother. He tells her to survive and if she can find her way out, she can come claim her inheritance.
Ever since, Fable dredged for gems in the waters, barely scrapping by and also faces theft and hostility from the other dredgers. A ship called the Marigold comes to port and always buys her gems. It became both a symbolic and actual lifesaver for Fable. After an attempt on her life, Fable buys passage on the Marigold, begging the captain West to take her to her father's home port. The ship's crew isn't thrilled but they begrudgingly let her aboard. The rest of the book features pirate-y shenanigans, uncovering secrets, romance, and adventure on the seas.

Young's writing is particularly strong when she peels back characters' put-on layers to try to insulate themselves from her. The Marigold's crew is essentially teens who have been beaten down by society and circumstance. I particularly enjoyed Fable finding her family with the ship's crew and learning the truth about her mother and father's past and how it relates to her future. Some characters are better developed than others but the writing makes up for it.
Young's prose shines in FABLE and I look forward to the sequel, NAMESAKE.

this was such an amazing book! i loved it a lot! loved the story, the characters, the relationships! everything was so well executed!! can’t wait for the second book! i can’t recommend this enough, READ IT NOW!
thank you for providing me with the arc in exchange of an honest review!

Fable is the only daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, and the sea is the only home she's ever known. After watching her mother drown and their family's ship sink after a brutal storm, her father leaves her on the cutthroat island of Jeval the next day with a promise--survive, make it off the island, and he will give her what he owes her. Fable ekes out a meager life on Jeval, trading and saving for her passage off the island while trying to stay alive. To get back to her father, she succeeds in hiring the help of a mysterious trader named West and his crew. However, West has enemies, and the trading industry has only become more cutthroat and deadly, and she soon learns that even West isn't who he seems. Together, Fable, West, and his crew will have to learn to trust each other and survive if they're to survive the seas.

I absolutely adore Fable, and I think this is one of Adrienne Young's best novels so far. I also feel like this is a huge thing for me to say, because I usually do not gravitate toward books that are set on the high seas, deal with pirates, or such. THIS TOTALLY CHANGED MY MIND. The setting in Fable is limited compared with other fantasy novels--you see a few islands and most of the book takes place on the ocean, but Young makes a singular setting feel unique with every scene, full of its own changes. Added to this is a world full of rich cultures and people that are full of depth, richness, and are deeply developed.

Young is particularly skilled at character development and creating a dynamic cast of characters in each of her novels. This has never been more true than in Fable. Fable is a completely sympathetic and likable character with believable and relatable faults, and it's a pleasure to read her story and go through her journey as she fights for what she wants. She is fully rounded and never stagnates through the story. The same goes for West and his crew aboard their ship, the Marigold. Each character comes with a backstory, their own fully realized personality--no one feels like just a "side" character. Everyone adds an extra layer of depth to the story, and readers will find themselves at home and in love with characters that feel like real people.

The action and plotting of Fable is high-octane and full of tension. From the very beginning, Fable is caught in the middle of back-stabbing intrigue as we watch her fight for survival among thieving dredgers and pirates. This dynamic shifts and surges once she finds her way onto the Marigold and into her place in West's crew, which comes with its own problems. The plot points in these moments never waver, and readers will find themselves flipping pages faster and faster, wanting to know what happens next. Before they know it, they'll come to the last page, which is where I find myself. I now have a gaping hole in my life because of THAT CLIFFHANGER at the end. I was left gasping for breath at the end, and I CANNOT WAIT for the followup: Namesake.

And yes, for those readers who love a bit of romance, Fable is full of the BEST slow-burn romance I've read in awhile. JESUS, I need more.

If you like pirates, high-seas adventure, fantasy, and action-adventure plots that sweep you along with a hurricane tide, Fable is the book you've been waiting for.

I really enjoyed this book! Just like with Sky in the Deep, Adrienne Young completely sucked me into the world of this novel. Her writing is captivating! I couldn't put this one down until I finished. The descriptions were so lush, and the action nonstop. At one point in my life, I wanted to become a marine biologist, so I absolutely adored the scenery (especially the diving scenes!). I enjoyed the hints of romance and hope there's a bit more in the sequel. Overall, I'm really excited to see where it goes! Definitely recommend!

*I got this on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

*eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I admit, I wasn't too sure about Fable at first. This was my first time reading any of Adrienne Young's work, so I wasn't sure how I would like it. But, I really enjoyed it.

Fable has heart, in an extremely slow-burn romance and a found-family crew. It's a place to weather any storm, recover from a battle, and just rest.

Fable follows its titular characters as she flees an island of thieves and murderers, trying to find her father. She hitches a ride on the Marigold, a trading ship. The crew and its captain aren't the friendliest bunch, Fable must work to earn their trust and the ability to survive aboard the ship. It's not an easy journey, but if Fable's got one thing, it's determination. She is determined to find her father and regain her rightful place by her side (which is mighty forgiving of her considering the last time he saw her, he carved a scar in her arm and left her to die on that island).

I was waiting for a bit more magic to reveal itself in this world, but aside from Fable's talent, there is nothing supernatural. Still, I really enjoyed the story set on the waves.

4.5 stars

Loved this book! I love the worldbuilding and the lush, lush prose. Adrienne doesn't disappoint! I'm eagerly waiting to read the next book in the series!

Fable: A Novel by Adrienne Young

**Thank you to Net Galley and Wednesday Books for the chance to review this eArc.**

Description

Trader. Fighter. Survivor.

As the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home seventeen-year-old Fable has ever known. It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father.

Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they're going to stay alive.

Review

Such a wild ride!

Pirates and adventures, tales about the open seas, Treasure! Newfound families and strong female leading characters! ALL the makings of an exciting adventure! Who doesn't like pirates?

This is an easy YA Fantasy to pick up. You get to follow Fable as she journeys to get back to what was taken from her. Along the way she runs into adventures and treasures and romance.

I had a feeling that I would love this book before I picked it up because the summary is so intriguing. From the first page, I was invested. And that cover is absolutely GORGEOUS!! How could this book NOT catch your eye?

The ending of this book is a pretty intense cliffhanger, so be prepared to be anxiously waiting for book two when you get to the last page. Fable is one of those stories have you thinking about it for days. It was that good. I recommend this book to all those looking for adventure and just good writing!

Fable is a young woman, trapped on a dangerous island because her father left her there 4 years ago. She dredges for pyre and other minerals and is saving to get off the island. After a dangerous escape she travels on the 'Marigold' towards the city to confront her father.

The writing draws you in and I was really into this story. Fable is resourceful and knows how to survive. She lived on her father's ship until he left her after the death of her mother and hopes to crew for him again. Her mother was a talented dredger and Fable resembles her.

I just felt more and more detached from all the characters. Everyone has secrets and - even when the crew of the Marigold helps Fable - they all have their own reasons and life is very very harsh. I had wished for some more emotion and a little romance. The story ends on a cliffhanger and I must say I am very curious as to the ending.

Fable knows what it's like to lead a hard life. After her mother dies Saint, her father, abandons Fable in Jeval claiming she will be safer away from him. Only he abandons her with nothing, no coppers, just the clothing on her back. To survive she has had to train as a Dredger, diving down finding pyre, the stone that is local to Jeval. She has spent the last 4 years dredging to earn enough money for passage across the Narrows and back to Saints side. After an incident with another dredger, Fable has to escape Jeval and ends up begging West, the trader who has been buying pyre off her for years, for passage through the Narrows. Only West & his crew don't seem too keen to have Fable on board, and Fable has to fight to keep the secret of her birth. But it's not just Fable who is holding secrets on the Marigold, and some just might prove their undoing.

I'm going to start off by saying there were a lot of things I liked about this book, and a lot of things I didn't so this is going to be a bit of a mixed review. Fable as a character was well written and easy to bond with. She’s resilient, head strong & loyal, just not necessarily to the right people. She’s a typical teen in so many ways, but a teen that has had to age quickly, one that has had to survive by themselves, made hard decisions to ensure they survive & this plays a large part in her character arc. However, in my opinion, the side characters were tragically under-developed. Apart from a few none were really vital to the plot, they didn't further it or Fable's story along. I enjoyed reading the parts with the crew of the Marigold but just felt that they could have been given a little more page time to develop.

Young's descriptive writing was one part of the book I thoroughly enjoyed, Susan felt parts were a little repetitive, but I was fully transported onto the deck of the Nightingale and down into the depths of the ocean when Fable was dredging. One of the first ‘set at sea’ books I’ve read where I really felt the descriptions come to life, I could easily picture the scenes in my head and had a lot of fun reading for that reason. We also see quite a bit of the 'world' Young creates, each town/ port has its own vibe and I could fully imagine the hustle and bustle of trading life, meeting all the different merchants and trying to sell your wares.

I've read a lot of people saying they loved the 'will they wont they' style romance in the book and, I think I can speak for Maddie, Susan and I when I say we just didn't get it. Yes, at the start of the book there is a certain spark that isn't acted on, but then it flits from one page saying they can't care about one another to making out under the sea... the realities of which I feel might be a little off. If anything I felt it was more insta love and wish it had have been dragged out a little more.

I mentioned in the group chat that this was a sort of 'palate cleanser' book for me. Nothing big happened, there were no massive revelations, no page clenching or nail biting moments. The book kind of flits between plot point to plot point without anything really happening. Now that's not saying it wasn't fun. I definitely enjoyed the book, it was fast paced and enjoyable, a kind of guilty pleasure, you know it's not great but you can't help but love it anyway, and I think with the amount of high stakes books floating around atm, it was nice reading something without being absolutely terrified of characters dying, or scream worthy cliffhangers.

I think, and hope that the author used a lot of the information she gave us in the book to set up book 2, and even if I was a little disappointed at the ending ( we had come up with some epic cliffhangers in the chat) Young has gripped me enough that I will be picking up book two.

I adore everything Adrienne Young puts out into the world. She is such a fabulous writer and has the best style and characters. I cannot wait to read more from her.

I LOVED this book. It gets all the stars. I was first sucked in by the gorgeous cover, which makes me want to dye my hair that same shade of red! and then sucked in again by the plot! There is so much going on in this book that is so wonderfully set up. The world building is outstanding, the set of characters is amazing and so complex and detailed that you want to know so much more about each of them and the plot is one that makes this book super hard to put down! The storytelling here was just phenomenal and I am dying to get my hands on book two!!

This one can be summed up as a story of a young girl, Fable, that quite literally was abandoned by her father on an island, and her journey to find him again after 4 years, with hopes of rejoining his life. Throw in unpredictable sea adventures, buried treasure, merchant trading politics and you’ve got FABLE.

I have to be honest, after finishing the book, I’m torn how I feel. Fable teetered between being closed off from the world, and someone who wants to let everyone in, and her main mission being to search out her father, trying to reclaim his love, or at least some semblance of wanting her back in his life. The book is full of beautiful descriptions of the sea and landscapes, world building around ports and trade routes, but I feel this first installment was meant to create the foundation, and character development for the follow up book(s), which was done decently, and being left with an interesting cliff hanger I’m anxious for the sequel.

This one had all the elements of a great book, and it could have been but I felt it stopped short. The (dis)organization of revealing back story, the almost awkwardly inserted love twist (I wish would have been left to fully reveal itself in book 2), and the overly descriptive elements of the sea and elements just didn’t do it for me the way I hoped. And I know this is probably an unpopular opinion, but we can't always fall in love with every book. *shrugs*

***Eh...3.5 stars***

Quick Stats:
Overall: 3.5/5 Stars
Characters: 4/5
Setting: 3/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 3/5
Awesomeness Factor: 3.5/5
Review in a Nutshell: Fable is the start of an addictive new fantasy series that will have you dreaming of the high seas.

// Content Warning: Violence, Death, Abuse, Murder //

Fable follows Fable, the daughter of a renown trader, who is abandoned by her father on the shores of an island of thieves with nothing. After four years, she’s eager to get off the island, find her father, and claim her rightful place in his crew. But to do so requires the help of a mysterious trader named West, who isn’t what he seems.

- Writing & Setting -

Adrienne Young’s writing is really fun to read. It’s both beautiful and easy to understand, hooking you in from the start and not letting you go. The setting is like that as well. The world-building is minimal, but what we do get is fascinating.

- Plot -

Fable feels like a fast-paced read, making it easy to read in one sitting (speaking from experience here). However, there isn’t much going on in terms of plot. Mostly, a lot of traveling, sailing and talking, with a few action scenes thrown in. It is definitely more character-focused, which can be either good or bad depending on what you’re looking for (for me, it’s good, although it wasn’t what I was expecting from this book).

- Characters -

Speaking of characters, I loved Fable’s growth over the course of the book and I can’t wait to see where she goes in the sequel. I also really enjoyed her dynamic with Saint.

Unfortunately, some relationships don’t feel as fleshed out as I would have liked. Mostly the romance. I think how Adrienne Young writes romance just doesn’t work for me, but other things make up for it. Namely that character development. Plus, there are also some great side characters!

- Conclusion -

Pros- Great character development, interesting world, fast read
Cons- Weak romance plotline, plot if fairly straight-forward and simple
Overall- 3.5/5 stars.
If you’re looking for a dark, character-focused pirate book, definitely give Fable a read.

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