I was so happy when I was approved for Fable by Adrienne Young but I made myself wait a bit to read it closer to the release date...I'm not sure why I did that. This book was everything I was hoping it would be after having LOVED Sky in the Deep and I can't wait to get my hands on Namesake.

Fable watched her mother die and the next day her father drops her off on an island filled with thieves and her life is changed forever. The only thing driving Fable is the goal of getting off the island back to her father and forcing him to put her on his crew where she belongs. It's been a challenging four years and there were times where she thought she wouldn't make it but with the skills her mother shared with her and a trader named West, Fable has survived. When she is threatened and forced to make an immediate decision, Fable jumps aboard West's ship and bargains whatever she needs to in order to get across the Narrows and back to her father. The thing is, West isn't exactly who he seems and as Fable learns more about him and his crew, she finds herself in a dangerous position.

I love Fable. She is tough and smart and a survivor. She did whatever she needed to on the island and she continued to do so even when she got back to her father. While I could see what her father was trying to do, it was crappy and I felt for Fable but she didn't let his decision take her down. Instead she used her brain and got what she needed out of him. West was initially a bit of a mystery but learning his story and what he an his crew were up to, it was easy to see why he held himself back at first.

This was a book I couldn't put down...literally. I read it in one day because I needed to know all the things and I can't wait to get my hands on book 2 because man, that ending. If you're looking for a young adult book with great characters, an engaging story, lots of action, and some swoony, check this one out immediately!

I had been seeing this book making the rounds on bookstagram and one of my good friends, Tricia @ Bookworm Coalition, also read an advanced copy and highly recommended it to me (click on the link to read her review) so I was super excited to be approved to read an advanced copy of Fable. The cover is so incredibly beautiful and just grips you the more you look at it… I mean, look closely and you will see a little glimpse about what happens in this book.

Almost right off the bat, I was hooked. Fable is stuck on the island of Jeval after her father abandoned her there after her mother tragically died. It’s a dangerous place for anyone let alone a young woman but so magical at the same time. Fable makes her living as a dredger – she dives down to the reefs and extracts stones called pyre. And this is where one of my second favorite characters enters… West. Every couple of weeks, West shows up on his ship, the Marigold, to buy pyre from Fable and Fable only. You can definitely tell that something was going to spark between them eventually. Fable is so close to getting enough copper to get herself off this island and go find her father when s*** hits the fan and she is forced to flee sooner than she had planned.

From that moment on, I did not want to put this book down. So many things happened and days after finishing it, I’m still thinking about it. I was completely captivated by this world and the characters in it. Especially Fable, West, and Willa. I kind of visualized the places as a cross between the different Pirates of the Caribbean ports and the lost boys village from Hook. There is a cliffhanger ending and I am dying to find out what happens next in the sequel, Namesake.

This book had absolutely everything I could want in an adventure novel – action, thrills, heroics, camaraderie, and a bit of romance. With the current state of things in the world today, this was exactly the kind of escape I needed. I have a copy of this book AND the sequel preordered already!

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this young adult fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  So here be me honest musings . . .

I had heard good things about this author's previous works.  Upon seeing the beautiful cover (can ye see the ship in the eyeball?) and finding out it was a sea yarn with pirates I was sure this would be awesome.  However, I read 70% before abandoning ship.  I seem to be in the minority with this one.

To be fair, the premise didn't really make sense to me from the very beginning,.  I wasn't sure why the father would just dump his daughter on an cutthroat island at thirteen without even a knife for protection.  How she survived the four years there was kinda glossed over.  But Fable is a fun character and I really did want an explanation for her father's betrayal.

I enjoyed the elements around Fable's diving abilities and gemstones.  I liked the structure of how the crew of the various ships were set up.  I thought a lot of the nautical elements were well done.  But really as I kept reading, the book just got more and more nonsensical.  The fun story elements are there but not fleshed out enough.  Everything just seemed so surface level.  And the hints of romance were annoying.  So why did I keep reading?  Well I just needed to know why Fable was dumped and what her inheritance was going to be.

Turns out the explanation is silly and the set-up for the rest of the novel didn't really make sense or sound appealing.  Plus the romance began to take more center stage and didn't buy it.  I wanted more diving, more swashbuckling, and more adventure.  But not much really happens during the middle of the book.  Fable's father just made no sense either.  While I have a soft spot for plucky girl characters, not all of Fable's choices made sense.  Also the other characters felt surface level too and I never really bonded with any of them.

I really would have loved to love this book but the elements were not mixed to me taste.

So lastly . . .

Thank you Wednesday Books!

Fable kind of sucked me in, especially once it got going! So let us break down the stuff I really loved versus the stuff I maybe wanted some more of!

What I Loved:

►I could really feel for Fable. Girl has had a really rough go of things, and I feel like if I was her, I'd have collapsed in a corner somewhere, crying and rocking back and forth in the fetal position. But nope, not Fable. She keeps on keeping on. And I loved that!

►Just as I loved Fable, I loved the crew of the Marigold. I think this is, in general, my favorite thing about seafaring books- they come with such a tight knit crew, and the author ensured that this one was no different! One thing I liked was that we find out who they are very slowly, as they've all been through so much that they're wary of letting strangers too close. Honestly, it felt realistic, especially in this world.

►The world is dark. Oy, I'd not want to live here, frankly. You know, places where it seems totally legit for dads to drop their kids off on creepy islands for years on end, places where getting robbed and attacked is more the norm than the exception... hard pass. But I do love reading about it! Plus, it makes for extra high stakes!

►Family secrets! I love a good family secret mystery, and they were aplenty! And look, you can tell that Fable wanted her relationship with her dad to be more, but I think that sometimes it's necessary to acknowledge that it won't be- both in life and in fiction- so I was kind of glad that it wasn't all puppies and rainbows. There were some other secrets too, but I'll leave those alone because... well, spoilers!

►It moved quickly and was so readable! I just kind of found myself in it, you know? And didn't really want to put it down! I immediately added the sequel to my TBR!

What I Would Have Liked More Of:

►World-Building. I just wanted to know a bit more about this place, frankly. Like okay it's kind of a mess, but why? I couldn't really get a good feel for the places or if they were supposed to be different, etc.

►It's a little predictable. Look, it wasn't like, annoyingly so or anything, so I don't want to scare anyone off. But I also gotta be honest ha. And I don't mean that the whole plot was easy to predict, just... a few bigger points.

Bottom Line: So entertaining and a dark, fun ride, I will absolutely be reading the sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and St. Martin’s Press for a gifted eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Add this book to my list of favorite books...EVER! This was so well written, the style was easy to read and flowed really well. There was action, adventure, romance. The plot was fast paced and I was never bored while reading. I was so wrapped up in the story that it was my fastest read in a long time, I never wanted to put it down!

I really enjoyed the world building and loved all of the places we visited, which were described in amazing detail. I also really liked all of the characters, good and bad, and I wanted to be a part of the Marigold crew! I’m glad we started getting their backstories and am hoping we find out even more in the next book.

Fable is an awesome MC! She’s feisty, strong-willed, and intelligent. She has a set of rules her father taught her to live by and she tries so hard not to stray from them while carving her own path in the world and fighting for the future she wants. I loved reading this book from her perspective; seeing how her mind works, how smart she really is, how well she knows what is actually going on even though she may not openly show it. She honestly reminds me of Katniss in the way that she sees things and works out answers for herself. Plus her gem sage ability is really cool! She definitely gets herself into a ton more sticky situations than a normal person should, though I guess I wouldn’t really classify her as normal 😉

Now my favorite side character…*swoon* I love West...so. much. I can’t even 😍 Strong, calm, and deeply caring for those in his life, he is an incredible character. He’s a bit mysterious for most of the book because he’s guarding himself, but you can see through some of the cracks in his facade. The part where we really get to know who he is…I died. I read it twice.

I already have to tell myself that I’m not allowed to read it again right now, that I have other things I have to read first...I need Namesake to be out yesterday! That cliffhanger has me distraught!! 😩

This was spectacular!!!
A high sea, pirate adventure with a strong female MC?
Yes please!
I am so freaking excited that this is only the beginning for this motley crew of characters!!!
Much love to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for my DRC.
P.S.
💖 Love this cover 💖

Interesting subject that comes from the heart and captivates the reader. I love when offers offer a unique perspective.

Why I Requested This: I read a previous Adrienne Young book and, while I didn’t love that one the way I thought I could, I felt it more was on the fault my expectations, not the author’s work. So, with this new work in a new world, I figured that I would try it out.

Pros:
This book is a page-turner, which totally makes sense given the nature of what the plot is, but I just did not want to put it down.
Pirates? Pirates. Yall, I have a confession to make in this review and that’s that I love pirate books. This book in particular makes for a really enjoyable pirate book especially with the way the author constructs the setting to fit the story.
Fable as a character is strong whose story I need to see to the end.

Cons:
The romance. Now, since the series is not complete this could potentially move to the pro-side by the time this is all said and done, but I am just currently not a fan of it, which was my problem in Adrienne Young’s previous book.

Overall: I can’t wait for the finale, but the author’s romance style may not be for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a pleasure to read, not only in terms of the story and the characters, but the writing. Young’s writing was lyrical and descriptive without falling into the purple zone. Although I felt the pacing was ‘off’ at times, the writing is what kept me hooked. Young’s words flew off the page which ended up making this a very fast read (which then made me sad because I didn’t want it to end). One element that usually confuses me while reading books set on sea is the sailing lingo, but Young’s writing made it so easy to picture everything that unfolded and I was fully immersed in the story!

This world we dive into isn’t sometimes cutthroat and sometimes forgiving, it is always cutthroat and almost never forgiving. You have to keep your cards close to your chest or you’re done for, and this made for a high intensity story that was packed with action and intrigue; Young doesn’t pull any punches with this dark and gritty world. I really enjoyed learning about the layout/set up of this world and while I think Young explained everything seamlessly, I do wish that we got to learn a bit more of the history especially relating to the sea-faring politics. I have a feeling we’ll get to learn a lot more in book two though!

I liked pretty much all the characters we meet, even the “bad guys”, and the bits of various histories we learn about each of them. My only complaint is not getting more pages to spend with them (I won’t even mention that cliffhanger ending)! Living in such a ruthless world, it’s deadly to show any sign of weakness or kindness, which means that everyone is a little/a lot morally grey. Even the Marigold crew, who are already different to other crews and who already have Fable breaking her rules for survival, have done pretty horrible things. That said, I was living for the found family vibes and it was refreshing as it wasn’t an “insta-found-family” where the crew openly accept her the minute she steps on the ship; no, they definitely made Fable work for it but to see them all come together as a family is perfection!

I loved Fable. She’s an absolute fighter and a great example of someone who gets back up each time the world knocks you down. Although I can’t say that she’s nothing like any character I’ve read before, that didn’t make me appreciate her and her story any less. My heart broke for her and the situation she was forced to survive as a child. I felt so invested that I was constantly on edge because I didn’t want anything worse to happen as she’s already been through so much. She’s a little too caring and sentimental for this world, but that also helped her read people better, which she smartly used to her advantage! I just really wanted all the good things for her as she tried to find where she belongs in this world 🧡

There is a bit of a romance in this story but it definitely doesn’t take centre stage. It’s a very slow burn romance but watching these two dance around each other had my hopeless romantic heart swooning with delight. I loved West and I loved watching him go from stoic, professional helmsman, to a more open and vulnerable young man, especially around Fable. I loved learning more about his history and I really can't wait to see what happens in book two!

TL;DR: Lyrical writing that flows off the page? Check! Fantastic high seas adventures? Check! A ruthless world with morally grey characters? Check! A survivor of a protagonist that you will root for? Check! Found families, broken families and finding your place in the world? Check! A deliciously slow burn romance to set your heart fluttering? Yes, check!! A cliffhanger ending that will leave you begging for the second book now?! Check check!! Basically… Read the book?

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Fable

Author: Adrienne Young

Book Series: Fable Book 1

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: LGBT side characters

Recommended For...: pirate fans, LGBT, insta love

Publication Date: September 1, 2020

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 16+ (language, violence, gore, drinking, murder, death, romance, sexual content)

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Pages: 368

Synopsis: 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. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. 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.

But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him and Fable soon finds that West isn't who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they're going to stay alive.

Review: I really loved this book! I thought it was very different from Adrienne Young's other books and I loved that. The book had some great moments, strong character development for main characters, and tons of world building.

However, I do think that some of the other side characters in the book could have been better developed. They existed for the plot and I wanted to know more about them.

Verdict: Highly recommend this pirate-like book!

Dark fantasy and books about the sea absolutely call to me. This was my first time reading an Adrienne Young book and I liked it. It had the right amount of description and action, heart-punching phrases contrasted with taut action scenes. It really was easy to read too. And it was quite dark. It's set in this brittle, cruel world of ships and traders, knives and murder, and softness is not only unforgivable -- it'll get you killed. Fable is the kind of character thrown into situations where she should drown, but she just refuses to give up.

Fable is a dredger, skilled at diving for gems and staying underwater for ages. After her cold father dumps her on the most ruthless and cruel island ever to fight and work her way off, to prove to him she can survive this world, Fable does just that. She also gets tangled up with the crew of The Marigold so the book leans into found-family. It's not technically about pirates, but definitely has that vibe to it. Lots of ship terminology and sailing. Bit o' diving. I think the thing I was most surprised about is there's no grand finale. I'm guessing the story will read like ONE just stretched over two books, but the petering out ending confused me.

The world is really harsh, so all the characters are too. I did end up liking the crew of the Marigold! Bunch of orphans and waifs, teens who are harsh as the sea but loyal as anything to each other. I just...wanted to get to know them better? Was hoping for like Dregs (from Six of Crows) sort of dynamics but I really don't know them at all. Fable herself is admirable with surviving the hard world, but she's not very dynamic. I couldn't really describe her personality.

Overall it's a fantasy of cruelty and loyalty, of survival against a world that wants nothing more than to drag you under. It felt like a rallying cheer to the underdogs, and definitely suits anyone looking for a sea-themed adventure where love is a terrible risk.

Left alone on an island with a right scurvy lot, Fable's mother is dead and her father's been gone for four long years. Now eighteen and barely scraping by as a gem seeker, Fable's been saving up money so she can get on a boat and find her father to demand what is owed to her. After wheeling and dealing her way onto a boat run by a bloke named West, Fable sets out on a journey into the Narrows that will threaten to plunge her into the abyss and challenge everything she thought she knew. All she has to do is watch her back and keep her feet steady until she can find her father again.⁣
⁣
This story about a girl left behind on an island explodes off the pages as she makes her way into the world to find family and purpose after being left behind. Fable is resourceful, courageous, and cunning. When she makes it onto West's boat, the crew instinctively distrust her, and she has to work hard to break down their cynical shells to allow her to find out more about the world outside the island, as well as to find some friendship on her journey. Life in the Narrows is cutthroat and full of surprises, and Fable had to fork over all of her coin just to get off the island, so finding allies is very important for her. However, that's easier said than done where kindness is seen as both a weakness and something to be done for ulterior motives. Because of the well-written characters and twists and turns the story takes, it is gripping all the way to the end, and it leaves you on such a cliffhanger that your jaw will drop to the floor. I'm glad this one is getting a sequel, because Fable's story still has so much more to give!⁣
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⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 rounded to 5 stars!

I have never really liked pirate books, but this book was fantastic. Young's descriptions of ship life is enlightening and easy to understand, while still being interesting. I loved Fable, and West made my blood boil, but in a good way. I will definitely recommend this book!

4.5 stars

Every now and then, I like to venture into the world of fantasy. Often times I am overwhelmed with fantasy books; too much world building, too many characters, a new language to learn, etc. But Fable hit the sweet spot for me.

Fable was abandoned on an island by her father just one day after her mother drowns during a shipwreck. Her father tells her if she finds her way back, he’ll give her what she is owed. Oh gee, thanks dad!

The next four years Fable learns to keep secrets, hide everything away, and does her best to earn enough coin to purchase passage on a ship back. She’s barely surviving and nearly loses her life in trying to escape the island, but somehow she convinces West and his small crew to take her on.

From there it’s kind of a coming of age story: Fable learning what friendship and family is like, finding her place in the world. I loved meeting the other members of the Marigold crew and seeing them all start to develop relationships with Fable…especially the protective West. I loved West as a character and I was so excited to hear him open up and give us a little more insight to his emotions and past.

Ends on a major cliffhanger but honestly, that just entices me more.

"... and I think I've loved you since the first time we anchored in Jeval"


First of I think I need to begin saying that I am not a fan of maritime books, or at least I didn't think I enjoyed them until I read Fable. Now all I want is to dive into the sea and become a pirate. That's what Young did to me, as I read this book.

I am aware that Adrienne Young has a lot of books that are considered amazing, but I just had never had the chance to pick up a book by her and sit down and read it. Even reading the beginning of the book I was sure it was going to be an "okay" book for me. I was so freaking wrong.

I am not even sure if the story is good or not, but the writing is so vivid and lyrical that it makes the writing come alive in such a way that it is IMPOSSIBLE not to enjoy it. Even if you're just there for the writing. Now, I have a deep itch to go buy all her books that I have been avoiding for years, because I know that just like Fable's story I am going to be hooked and unable to move on.

Fable tells the story of a girl called Fable who was left by her father in a town, right after her mother drowns at sea (horrible father). Anyways, he promises her that if she is able to leave the town, he will give her what she deserves (which she translates to a place in his ship as he is a very famous Captain). Years pass and she becomes tougher and learns to trust no one but herself. That is until she needs a way out of the horrid town and has to rely on a very dysfunctional crew. As she reaches her Father's territory she realizes blood is not equivalent to family and she starts trusting herself and opening to those around her to really be able to save herself.

The story is narrated beautifully, the depth of the characters is expressed so well and I cannot wait to continue reading book 2 and dwell more into the character's life. I do wish we could have gotten a little more back story from West's other crew mates specially Paj. They were important in the story but in some ways I wish there would have been more scenes with them present, I just really enjoyed all the characters.

"Because home was a ship that was at the bottom of the sea, where my mothers bones lay sleeping in the deep"

The romance is tantalizingly good. It is very slow burn romance and I loved every aspect of it, from the forbidden side to it to the hardship that both feel opening up towards each other.

Lastly, the father and daughter relationship is described so well and heartbreakingly. I have never seen a book where you sympathize and understand both side, the abandoned daughter and the father who abandons her. One of the books that has used this issue in such a raw and real way, juxtaposing hate vs eternal love. It was really beautiful to see and experience those scenes though Fable's eyes.

"The trader who'd built an empire. The father who'd left me behind. The man who'd loved my mother with the fury of a thousand merciless storms"

*I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

--- 4.5 stars ---

One fateful night leaves Fable without a mother and abandoned on an island where she has to fend for herself until the day she finds passage off it with the help of a young trader, West. And so begins the start of unlikely alliances as they strive to navigate peril and keep their head above water.

Fable’s story, how she had to strive to live, to survive, broke my heart. I felt so much pain for this young girl, left to fend alone, having to stay on guard all the time. I wanted to hug her and make her life better. Give her food, shelter, protect her. The author wove such a heartbreaking character with a core of steel that you couldn’t help but feel for her.

As for West? He was an enigma, layers and layers of complications and secrets. I wanted to know everything about him, and finding those answers, getting to know him better – drew me in deeper. The ending chapters? Oh, I tipped over the edge and fell for him.

The side-characters, the crew of the Marigold—each one with their unique voices, charmed and endeared me to their plights. As secrets are revealed and pacts made, this story grabs you and hooks you in to the last page.

The world-building and descriptions were excellent. The author’s writing was a pleasure to read and the cliffhanger left me in high anticipation for more. This was my first book by Adrienne Young, and I have to say she completely won me over. I cannot wait to read the next book.

I am officially a Adrienne Young hardcore fan and head over heels in love with Fable and all the characters in this story.

Fable is an addictive YA pirate story about a special girl whose parents have passed on some incredible gifts and abilities that she will learn to excel at and which will help her to survive, while also putting her life at risk, if that's even possible. I never cared for pirate stories, but this one got me hooked. Could it be because there was way more to the characters than them roaming the sees? Each character comes with a story, struggle, and we grow fond of each and every one of them once we understand what they went through in order to become so cold and heartless. Survival.

I cannot stop praising this book, especially since it include my favorite kissing scenes of all times. Pure magic, goosebumps, this novel was a dream that I don't want to wake up from and I am so thankful that Namesake comes out next week... it's going to be a long wait.

Everyone read this book, it is a pure gem!

Thank you Net Galley and Wednesday Books for this e-galley in exchange for my honest review.

Gahhhhh what a cliffhanger ending!! Fable is a maritime fantasy following the namesake character as she tries to navigate the world alone. There were definite Six of Crows vibes because the characters are unreliable and “bad” but so likable. For the first in however many are set to come, I am hooked.

Fable follows the titular main character, a 17-year-old secret daughter of a notorious pirate, as she journeys to return to him and prove her worth. Readers meet Fable as she is working to leave the island her father abandoned her on four years ago, after Fable's mother died in a shipwreck. On the journey back, she joins up with a crew of young sailors, all who have secrets of their own.

The world-building was strong, and I did really enjoy the strength of the female MC. I wanted more from the novel. I felt like there was a lot of sailing around, but not much depth to the plot or to the characters. When Fable meets up with the crew, there were so many opportunities to offer more insight into the characters, more camaraderie, but it just wasn't there. The romance feels rushed at the end as a result of this.

Overall, Fable left me feeling lukewarm. There is a decent cliffhanger at the end, which - along with my enjoyment of Fable herself - will have me finishing out the duology when Namesake is published next year.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press Wednesday Books for an ARC of this book! Release date - September 1, 2020

What an awesome, nautical adventure. I thought this book was really well-done. I wasn’t hooked right away, it took me maybe 50% to really get hooked. The beginning was a lot of world-building and introducing the characters, which I thought was all really well done. I adored Fable’s character. I also really liked learning about her backstory and her sad relationship with her father. I thought the concept of a gem sage was also really interesting and I liked that there was a little smidge of fantasy in this book without being over the top.

But once West was introduced and the adventure started happening I was became really really invested in the story! The world just came alive and I could picture the ships and the sea and all the things that were happening. I also came to LOVE West and Willa and all the rest of the crew of the Marigold. By the end I just couldn’t put it down and now I’m anxiously awaiting Namesake!

This book did remind me of a YA version of The Bone Ships, minus the dragons and some of the more gory bits. I think fans of that story would also really enjoy this book. It had a similar vibe with ship life and the sea-faring adventures.

All in all I am so happy I read this book. The STUNNING cover totally drew me in, it’s truly one of the prettiest covers I’ve seen in a long time. But the story absolutely delivered. Can’t wait to read the next one!