Oh wow. OH WOW OH WOW OH WOW.

I requested this book on a whim because I saw the cover and knew it's been one that I'd been seeing around lately. I had no idea what it was about and I wasn't sure how much I was going to like it, but OH MY GOD. I LOOOOOVED IT! I love a good high-seas pirate story and this one was no exception. The plot was fun and full of twists, the characters were intricate and entertaining and the romance was SWOON-FRICKIN-WORTHY.

The beginning was the slowest part but even then, it still had a good pace. We got through the worldbuilding and general backstories quickly and went straight to the action only a few chapters in. I liked Fable as a narrator and a character-- she was sweet but she also was capable of making the tough choices that she needed to survive. The ship's crew were super interesting-- West was mysterious and cryptic (OH, SO CRYPTIC), Willa was tough yet funny, and Auster, Paj and Hamish were lovely additions in their own ways (not at first, tho, they all kinda sucked in the beginning haha). I loved all of Fable's interactions with Saint and Zola was a good antagonist.

OK, the ROMANCE. I LIVE for romance and this one was A LOT. Oh man, I can't remember the last time I was *that* affected by a love confession (chapter 40 YOU HURT ME)! I was totally invested early on in the book and there was so much tensiooooon and it was amazing. Everything escalated so quickly and I was super unprepared for the torrent of emotions that came my way but it was exhilarating! I'm definitely looking forward to seeing where it goes in the second book.

The ENDING! OH GOSH. I was soooo stressed because a bunch of things happen at once and I knew something bad was coming but OOF. OOOOOOOOOOOOF. What a cliffhanger. But I absolutely cannot wait to see how it all unfolds in the sequel. I have so many questions!! But all the backstories from this book seems to have really set up a entertaining plot for the next book.

I am so happy I decided to read this one! Definitely one of my favorites of the year so far. I DNF'd Sky in The Deep but I will for sure be checking out more of Young's work because this was incredible!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Wow! This is one of my favorite books so far this year. It was so good! I cannot wait for the second one to release. Fable and West are my favorite characters and I cannot see what happens after an ending like that!!

**Review will be posted on my blog on 8/03/20**
Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC.

WOW.

My Reactions:

My Attention: absolutely swept away – read this in one sitting

World Building: epic – the setting is in the islands I’m sure inspired by the Caribbean but I could feel the humid air, see the school of fish in the reef, feel the pressure of the water as Fable dove deep….SO good.

Writing Style: flowed beautifully

Bringing the Heat: 🔥 – barely any but it didn’t need it

Crazy in Love: slow burn love story

Creativity: I loved everything about Fable and her gem mage powers, I want to learn more about it

Mood: Excited

Triggers: violence, thieving

My Takeaway: Fable is abandoned by the only parent she has but makes a promise to herself to survive and take what is hers.

What I Liked:
*First off – that COVER. It is to die for! Absolutely beautiful.

*Fable’s story is pretty amazing – she is surviving on her own, trying to get back to the father that left her to die (or survive). She has grit, brains and courage! It also helps she’s a gem mage, it helps her skills as a dredger (a diver). She does what she has to do to survive. My heart broke for her when it came to her relationship with her father.

*In any pirate story, it’s ALL about the crew and the crew of the Marigold is great. We have a gay couple, siblings and lots and lots of secrets. West is the helmsman who commandeers the ship and he is as mysterious as they come but we learn about his background.

*Fable’s dad, Saint, tells Fable she doesn’t belong in this world. She feels like he means in the world in general…but he means HIS world, this rough, dangerous, cold trading world of the Narrows. It’s cutthroat and he meant for her to be safe. I like the complicated feelings and history between them.

*Danger is everywhere in this story and the author captures the setting so well. I was rooting for Fable and nervous for her from the moment I started the book and I could not STOP reading. And when the book came to an end, I wanted the next book.

Things That Made Me Go Hmm:
*I’ve read this author’s previous series but this one to me takes her writing to a whole new level. I was so immersed in this story.

*The magic Fable has is as a gem mage and though she uses it while doing her work as a dredger – I think there is more to learn about her skill and her mother’s history. I want to definitely learn more about her mom’s family!

*The romance doesn’t overtake this story, it’s slowly building and you wonder if it will turn into something and when it does…wow. We shall see what this means for the sequel!

Final Thoughts:
I love a good pirate story, there is danger, high stakes, traders trying to be or stay the top dog and keeping their territories under their rule. This story hooked me right away! I loved everything about this book and I cannot wait to read the sequel.

I don't think I realized when I picked up this book that it was a pirate book, but once I started reading, I was super immersed and I could practically hear the crashing of the waves, the roll of a ship beneath my feet! The world-building was incredible, and it felt so rich and lush. The characters were equally amazing, and I was really awed by Young's meticulous craftsmanship. I think the author has a real skill of storytelling and I am looking forward to the sequel!

Fable is a beautifully written story about one young woman’s search for self and family in a ruthlessly unforgiving world of piracy. It examines relationships and the cost of loving in a society that preys on weakness.

Fable, abandoned by her father after the tragic death of her mother, lives on a cutthroat island of thieves and criminals. She scrapes to get by, dredging jewels from the bottom of the ocean and determined to save her money to buy passage off of the island and back to her father.

Fable’s plan is pushed forward when her life is in imminent danger, and she begs one of the traders for help. West, the stoic, young captain of The Marigold, reluctantly grants her passage, and her journey begins. But Fable quickly learns that things, and people, aren’t always what they seem, and she must decide what she is really searching for. An epic tale of loss, love, and life on the high seas, Fable is one of my favorite reads of the year!

Oh my word, the characters! Young has skillfully crafted dynamic, fascinating, and likeable characters with rich back-stories. Fable is a fantastic protagonist, and I loved her journey, both physical and emotional. Though her life hasn’t been easy, Fable never gives up. She lives in a ruthless world made even more dangerous because of her gender and her gift, and she deals with insurmountable obstacles. However, Fable shows courage and hope during the course of her odyssey, and even when the odds are against her, she searches for the connection that she lost when her mother died.

Fable is observant and savvy, and she reads people well. Take the crew of The Marigold, for example. Oh, the crew! I adore this rag-tag group of friends! West, Paj, and the others fit so seamlessly together, and Fable admires their strong bond. It is with her new crew-mates that Fable feels the first hint of family since her mother died, and she works hard to prove her worth to them.

At face value, West and his crew seem like the stereotypical pirate scoundrels, willing to put aside their morals for reasons unknown to Fable. But they are much more than the hard, unfeeling ruffians they present themselves to be. They are a family, and once Fable earns their respect, they show her what it feels like to belong. It is in their actions and Fable’s observations that we see their resilient, loyal, dependable, and loving characters as well as their camaraderie.

Of course, I have to talk about the romance! Slow-building and lovely, the main love story is not the focus of the novel, but it is a wonderful addition. Though it goes against all of Fable’s rules, it is obvious from early in the story that she has feelings for the mysterious captain West. He purposely pushes her away and refuses to let her get close, as he lives by the same rules as Fable:

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

They both know that revealing their feelings for each other could be used against them, so they fight their feelings. This makes for some fabulous tension between the two. Plus, Fable and West are both strong and stubborn, and they butt heads a bit. I love the slow build-up of this relationship and cheered for this couple to reveal their feeling for each other. One of my favorite scenes in the novel is when Fable dives with West. They experience the joy of sea-life together before finding what they dove for, and it is vivid and sweet and completely swoon-worthy.

There are strong messages about the immense power of love woven throughout the story, not just with Fable and West, but with another couple in the crew, and with the relationship between Fable’s parents. One of the only admirable qualities of Saint is his all-consuming love for Fable’s mother Isolde. Fable describes Saint as a man “who loved my mother with the fury of a thousand merciless storms,” and her mother as a woman who “had loved Saint with a fire that could set fire to the sea.” Saint and Isolde shared a beautiful and passionate bond, one that Fable speaks of reverently.

In addition to the dynamic characters, the world-building is one of the highlights of the novel. I know next to nothing about boats, diving, or sailing, and I easily understood and visualized this fascinating world. Young describes the ruthless and power-driven society of traders and pirates. The skewed social system, the political treachery, and the complicated history of this unique world are all vividly described without taking over the story. I think this says a lot about Adrienne Young’s skill as a writer. Her use of imagery and sensory language, as well as her all-around fantastic writing style, made me as immersed in the story as Fable is in her surroundings when she dives down to the bottom of the sea. I felt like I was on The Marigold with Fable and the crew, the sun on my face, the salty sea air thick with the promise of a swashbuckling adventure.

Fable is a cutthroat adventure on sea and land where danger lurks everywhere and trusting anyone could kill. The poignancy of the names (Saint, Fable, Isolde), the themes of love, family, and finding oneself, the writing, the character development, the imagery – it’s all fantastic! This is a wonderfully layered novel, and I love that Fable’s story made me feel all of the feels. Plus, the phenomenal ending!!! I can’t even!!! It is an excellent cliffhanger ending for an excellent story. Thanks so much to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Adrienne Young does it again.

From the first page, you are sucked into the life of Fable. Fable is a young, fierce female who's primary goal is to make it back to her father after being left on Jeval. Fable must navigate joining the <i>Marigold</i> and the crew who runs her after making a deal to gain passage off the island. They go through storms and trouble on land. When she finally gets to her father, she is not met with the man or life she expected. This throws her path in another direction and the adventure continues.

That is all I'd want to say without ruining the plot and the story. It is not often that books can surprise me, likely because I have read so many. That being said, I was unable to tell where the story was going - mostly in a good way - it was captivating and fast-paced. While the plot is simple and not super complex like Game of Thrones, it is the way Adrienne writes that captivates me and keeps me turning the pages. I enjoyed each character, especially Willa. And of course, the book ended on the worse cliffhanger! I can't wait until the sequel releases, luckily it will only be six months after the release of Fable!

<i>ARC provided by NetGalley/Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review. </i>

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5
Fable was my first book by Adrienne Young and it did not disappoint! I bought Sky in the Deep last summer but I haven't gotten around to read it yet (I definetely will now).

I've read Fable in almost one sitting! The story is captivating from the very beginning and the pacing is perfect. There wasn't a single moment in which I was bored. Adrienne Young's writing style is beautiful. I really felt like I was on the Marigold with the crew or diving into the sea with Fable. I love the world that she created and I can't wait to learn more about it (and the gem sages in particular) in the sequel.

All the characters are amazing and well developed. Fable is my favourite. She's strong, fierce and very determined even when everything seems to be going against her.
The only small complaint I have about this books is the relationship between Fable and West. I believe that it feels a bit underdeveloped. I'm glad that the romance was not the main focus of the book but I still feel like it could have been done a little better.

I wasn't ready for it to end and I need the sequel now, especially as it ends with a big cliffhanger. I don't know if I can make it to March 2021 (Namesake's expected publication)!

If you like stories set in the sea, full of adventures and with a strong main character then this book is for you!

Fable is a book that will take you on an adventure like never before. Fable is the main character in this story and she is a girl who is just struggling by all means necessary to make it through life. Her past is haunted with things that make her the tough cookie that she is. She’s fighting men off constantly to find her way and make copper to better life. She just wants to find a ship and become a crew member. She is a dredger who has a special ability and it’s what helps her find stones no other dredger can. She knows she is constantly in danger of so many things and she’s just trying to get off the island and find what she wants. This is a great story of fighting for survival and I love the way the author writes scenes of the water and ocean life. The characters are well written and unique and I can’t wait to read more in this series.

I loved this book. The writing was great and the author seems to have done her research on all things ship and pirate like. I had no idea what some of the terminology she used was. I enjoyed the book, however, it wasn't fast enough pacing to ensure that I couldn't put it down.

Surprisingly, it took me quite a few days to actually read through this book. Some of that was due to time constraints and other was because I wanted to do something else besides read. Which is why I am given this four stars instead of 5. I prefer the type of books that make me want to read them all in one sitting. That to me is a five-star read.

That being said I cannot wait for the next book to come out because they left us with such a cliffhanger I need to know what's going I happen next. The book definitely picked up pace in the second half and I was able to read through that half in one sitting.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this book!

I have been needing to read an Adrienne Young book for awhile now. I have Sky in the Deep on my bookshelf, but you know so much to read so little time. I am very excited for this book, and to see what she is all about.

I feel like we don't get many books with fathers vs. daughters. Yes they are out there, but it is never the main focus just a side story. As someone who has a complicated relationship with her father, it is nice to read when someone feels the same way I do. Plus, we love a story about a strong independent woman.

Fable is such a page turner, every chapter ends with my mouth open and wanting more. This is already going on my top 10 favorites of the year. I fell in love with Fable and her spunk immediately,and was rooting for her the whole time. She does so well in stressful situations, and i couldn't wait to keep hearing about her adventures.

I could not get enough of this book, and it made me excited for her other work. I gave this a 5/5 stars, and have already been telling people about it. Young had me on the edge of my seat the whole time, and I was here for it. Now to patiently wait for the sequel.

**Review will be posted August 26th to my sites!**

YES.

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

Lets start off talking about the setting, ships, islands, deep-sea diving, pirates, 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 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.

The only small issue I struggled with (and why I gave it four stars) is that I had a hard time finding the full plot. Things were happening and the story was moving, and yet I didn’t see where it was all going. I guess that’s kind of how it still went about by the end, but the ending was filled with so much I overlooked a lot of it. The amount of action turned out in Fable keeps you on your toes.

I loooove the dash of romance here. It reminds me of how she wrote it in The Sky in the Deep (another fav). It doesn’t take up a lot of pages and it isn’t in your face. The subtle interactions and looks across the way totally add to the vibe between Fable and West. I adored the way it worked out and like how it only enhanced the story. Fable and her quest for her own place to be remained at the forefront.

Overall audience notes:

Young adult fantasy
Language: none
Romance: kisses, one closed door scene
Violence: guns, physical, fires, murder, drowning, storms
Trigger warnings: child abandonment, loss of a loved one

Fable was only fourteen when her father abandoned her on Jeval, the island of thieves. Now four years later, she survived thanks in part to being a skilled dredger and keeping to the five rules she was taught to live by. However, after another beating, staying on that island became more dangerous and she needed to escape. The helmsman of the Marigold ship reluctantly took her on as a passenger. Fable, along with this crew of five very diverse people soon became dependent on each other in order to survive in a world Fable, as her father told her, was never made for.

This was a captivating YA adventure. Through the author’s very descriptive writing, you felt as if you were a part of the Marigold crew and all the dangers they encountered on land and at sea. The story actually ends with a very dramatic cliffhanger.

An ARC was given for an honest review.

Though I hadn't read anything by Adrienne Young earlier, I was instantly attracted to this book by its absolutely stunning cover and the premise of adventure on sea. Also, can we appreciate how gorgeous a name 'Fable' is?

The book definitely lived up to the expectation of giving me all the sailor feels, but fell flat on the plot and characters front. The plot, though interesting, doesn't have any twists and turns to keep the reader invested. I genuinely feel that there was a potential for more - more tension, more character depth and growth, more plot twists - but unfortunately, none of that happened.

There were a lot of interesting characters; I only wished there could be more layers added to their personality and their relationships. That being said, I really liked the main character. She was different than what I expected - bold, but soft at heart. She cries easy but is insanely resilient. Four years at the brutal, cut-throat island of Jevaal did not take away her trust in humanity, only gave it an added dimension of understanding.

I am a sucker for angsty romances. That is why, it disappointed me so much that the angst between West and Fable wasn't played up. Sure, it is obvious that Fable trusted West in a way she didn't trust anyone else, but the tension was sorely missing. Also, I would have loved knowing more about the other crew members of Marigold. They seemed to be there as mere accessories and I wanted to know them and be invested in them, but sadly it did not happen.

The one thing that came across as an absolute delight while reading this novel was the atmosphere. The sailing terms were quite lost on me, but Young marvelously brings alive the entire feeling of sailing and diving and the love for sea. I could positively smell the salty air and feel the wind in my hair while reading this book. I loved the portions of the book where Fable describes her process of breathing in and out to flex her lungs and finally taking the plunge into cold and crisp waters.

The blurb of the next book sounds more interesting though. The fact that her mother was keeping secrets..I did not see that coming.

So much fun reading this one! I will be anxiously awaiting the next book in this series. Fable is the daughter of a prominent trader from the Narrows. Her mother was killed at sea and then her father dumped Fable on an island filled with thieves where she had to survive for herself. She can tell no one who her father is as she had promised him that. Fable works as a dredger finding gems and ore to trade for coin. She's saving coin to trade for passage off the island.

I enjoyed the characters and the adventures at sea. Fable is a strong female protagonist with a lot of courage and determination. She has good instincts in tough situations. The book is character-driven and I enjoyed the interplay between the characters, especially the group on the ship with Fable. The setup of the world was well done and I liked the sea adventures and the many obstacles in Fable's path.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy.

I expected to like this book, but I didn't expect to love it so much!
Let me start by saying that ships, seas, and sailing stories aren't my favorite thing, but I was drawn into this book by the very first sentence. The whole story had me at the edge of my seat, hoping the characters survive the adventure.
Now, objectively speaking, the plot was average and the characters (the main ones) don't have any development through the book (though they're not flat, they have complexities). I think it is necessary to have at least one of them, but this time it didn't really bother me.
The last 10% of the book was surprisingly anti-climactic. Like, no conflict, just a bad feeling something wrong is going to happen anytime.
The setting, the worldbuilding, and the descriptions were amazing. Five stars to that! I hope you include a lot of maps in the final version, it would be really helpful to the reader.
My favorite thing was definitely the writing style. I totally fell in love with it. It makes the story feel magical.
The romance was really nice, without the usual toxic drama I normally see in YA. It had me smiling a lot.

My rating is 4.6
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the arc! No doubt I'll be reading the sequel.

Ahhh!!! Is this the high-seas adventure novel I have been waiting my whole life for?? YES!!!! Seriously, I don't know what to do with myself now that I've finished. I don't know what book to even pick up after this. It ends on a cliffhanger so I will just be twiddling my thumbs and waiting anxiously until the next installment.

I adored just about every character in this book. I cared about what was going to happen to each one. I was completely immersed in their story and I was completely immersed in the world. I could taste the salt spray from the sea on my mouth. I could hear the groans of the wooden ship. I had several guesses about Fable's backstory and...I guess I am going to have to wait and see if I am right.

Did I mention I do not know what to do with myself until the sequel? I feel like a spoiled child who wants what she wants NOW. This is a good one, y'all. It is really good. One of my top favs from this year so far.

**I've received this digital copy in advance from #Netgalley and the publisher in exchange of an honest review*

I was curious when I've wished for this book but I didn't expect to enjoy and love it SO much.
I've never read anything from Adrienne Young before this one and I have to say it has been an amazing surprise.. I'm not very into the sea settings stories so I found myself a little bit confused sometimes but I've really liked it. The images that Young pictured were so concrete you can almost feel the salt taste of the ocean and the sound of the waves all around you while you're reading!
The plot seems pretty simple, but not without multiple plot-twist and cliffhangers that you can't totally expect. The timing is always right, the narration fluid but not too fast even if the writing style is not very prolix. The story takes its time to reveal part of itself and leave us with the feeling we've just scratch the surface of it. There still is lots to say about Fable's family's and the other main characters' past and what they will affect the future of this journey.
This is a book where you can see a survivor searching something more for herself: a way to be free but also to find a place to call home and be herself and maybe find the time to take a minute to think what that "be herself" means. In a world where everyone is dangerous and deceitful, gain the trust of the Marigold crew isn't easy, but she truly tries to demostrate herself better than other people. She needs it, of course, but gradually that "need" becomes a "wanting". She starts to like those people and she doesn't want to let them down. You can see this through the book and these slighly changes are the parts that I've loved the most. Fable isn't invincible, she is just human and so are the others. It's true that the things they deal with accelerate a little bit the bonding process but I didn't find a too rush change of behaviour from any of them. That happens with the slow burn romance too. You can feel the increase of the electricity with a delicacy that made me yearn for more.
Favorite character? West. I'm so in love with this complicated guy SO much. Can we have his point of view too, please? But I have also to mention how Saint seems tremendously interesting too. I hope to know more about him in Namesake, but this could be easily said about the majority of the Young's figures! They always leave in you the desire to understand more of them.
I've appreciated the "villains" side too. As I told you before in this book we haven't got a complete picture of the whole situation but Young creates a strong representation of what life looks like in that world: few or none real friends, everyone tries to trick and take advantage of you, and owing something to someone is the first thing to avoid. Having enemies or someone that can destroy you seems as much as easy than dangerous, and our main characters should come to terms with that and maybe survive all, thanks..
One last thing: can we talk about THAT ending?! I'm still recovering, really. I felt it couldn't end too well and then snap! There it goes! I'm so worried and eager to know what has happened next immediately!! How can I wait until March for Namesake??

Thanks again to #netgalley #St.Martin'sPress to give me the possibility to read this book in advance and to #AdrienneYoung for an amazing story I couldn't stop myself reading.

Fable is my first book by Adrienne Young and it won't be my last. I've already wished for the second book. My netgalley wishes never come true, but I'm praying this one does.
Fable is about a girl, Fable, who is a dredger living on the Island of Thieves for the past four years. She hunts Pyre, and trades it to Marigold, a trade ship which comes to the island regularly. The only thing feuling her will to survive is to make enough copper to buy a passage on a ship to Ceros, where her father, Saint, lives.
Things don't go as she plans (duhh), and with a rival out for blood, Fable has no choice but to run for her life, into the Marigold. Understandably, the crew of Marigold don't want her in despite the copper she's offering. How Fable makes her place on Marigold, discovers her crush on West (the crew leader), unfolds her complex relationship with her father; all this is told in the book.
Fable is Book 1 of a duology. It has Found family trope. Fable and West's relationship was an insta-love. I liked their bond, their chemistry (even if it was only for a while). West spend more time ignoring her than talking to her. I hope this is not the case in Book 2.
The author portrays the character's complex emotions in an exceptional way. Fable tells us how emotions such as love and hate can co-exist. You can be inspired and be wary of a person at the same time. That even in a world filled with so much hate, manipulation and untrustiness, love can be found.
I loved the cover. This is the second sea-related book I've read in a month, but while that had more politics, this one was more adventure-ish and more focused on ship-mechanism. There were too many technical terms used, especially in the first part of the book. They didn't make sense and distracted me from the book. I like imagining what the characters are doing in a scene (to make it more real), but I couldn't do that here. Now, after reading the book, I'm more comfortable with these terms, so I think the second book will be better for me (assuming it doesn't contain technical terms for entirely another field *should I start learning about gems?* )
5 out of 5 stars for Fable. Go for this book if you love adventures, daring and strong female leads and magical powers.

Received a digital ARC from the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

For some reason this author's books just don't work for me. I find the stories to be way too slow and the characters to be boring and one dimensional.

Unfortunately this was a disappointing read for me. I love the title of the book and the cover, but not really anything else.

I can see this being a good read for a younger audience.

I had to skim the majority of this book because I just found the plot to be way too slow.

I don't know about anyone else, but I dislike books that take the first ninety pages to get to the main plot of a book. This was not one of them. The book begins with Fable having to get off the island in order to earn her spot on her father's ship. The action pretty much doesn't stop.

Something else I liked was that the author didn't turn to sexual harassment of the main character or any of the female characters for that matter. Serious props here cause books nowadays jump to that quickly as a means for the female character to either need a hero or for her to become badass. Fable is plenty badass without that in her story.