If you loved Fable, you will love this follow up. It was everything I didn’t know I needed! It was another adventure with all the characters you already loved and a few not so lovable ones added to the mix. It was suspenseful until the very end. I loved every minute of it. I highly recommend checking this one out but if you haven’t read Fable yet, definitely read that one first!!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The conclusion of the high seas duology comes to an end with a fast pace second novel.

Following the ending ending of the first novel, Fable finds herself kidnapped and forced to help her crews rival. Soon she's thrown into the world her mother kept from her and into a bigger game of survival than she expected.

This story was done so well. The events of namesake pick up where fable left off but bring a whole new adventure that was tied into the events of the first novel. It also answered any questions fable left open. Everything is brought to a conclusion in namesake for all the characters which I really liked. If you liked fable, won't want to miss the events of namesake. I'm highly impressed with it.

Trader. Fighter. Survivor.
💎
Book two picks up right where #fable left off with Fable stuck on a ship that isn’t the Marigold, held captive by Clove, the man who used to be her father, Saint’s, closest friend. Together they sail to meet Holland, the world famous gem trader who has a deal for Fable and West. This world is dangerous and full of secrets, but Fable will risk everything for those she loves, but will it be enough?
💎
This #YA #sequel was everything I wanted and more. I rarely enjoy the second #book as much as the first one, but I loved #namesake by @adrienneyoungbooks even more. This #duology is full of action, adventure, romance, secrets and family. I highly recommend both these gorgeous #books! TY Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

I'm an absolute goner for this series. Love the characters, the plot, the covers(!!), the writing, everything about these books. It took me longer to get through this one but only because 1) I was afraid for anything bad to happen to my babies and 2) I didn't want my time with them to be over so soon. Just fantastic all around.

Title: Namesake
Author: Adrienne Young
Rating 4 stars

Young has such a way to keep me hooked. The story starts right at the events of the end of Fable. We see Fable grow into herself and become smarter, wiser, and more stubborn. There is so much that is going on in the story is so hard to not spoil it. Young did such a good job at keeping the story entertaining and just when you thought you had it figured out, BOOM, plot twist. I got to 50% within the day. Fable learns more about her mother, her father and West, she gets the opportunity of a lifetime. Will she leave the life she knows for the life she is being offered?

I received this book from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

#fable
#namesake
#dredger
#apirateslifeforme
#divers
#westandfable
#gemsage

Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, & St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

This is the second in the Fable duology, and it picks up RIGHT where Fable left off (thank goodness, because can we say CLIFFHANGER?) This felt different in some ways to Fable - when explaining them, I tend to categorize Fable as a piratey fantasy adventure with a found family feel, whereas Namesake had much more of a political intrigue feel. That being said, I was 100% here for it!

I loved getting more backstory on the crew, and having some of them really come into their own as side characters. I absolutely loved the re-introduction of previous characters into more of a main role, and the depth and complexity the were subsequently given. And the ending??? Oh, but also that part right before the ending??? Oh but what about the part when they get you-know-where?? (There's so many good parts, in case you couldn't tell.)

Honestly y'all, it was just a fantastic book and I enjoyed it to bits! I've read it twice before pub date and I plan on re-reading the whole series while relaxing at the beach this summer. If you are looking for a series to fly through with adventure, mystery, just a touch of romance, and amazing characters, Adrienne Young's Fable duology is the SERIES FOR YOU.

I really didn’t want this duology to end but omg that ending!!!! So good, overall worth the hype for me. And I mean those covers are stunning

This book is excellent and I even liked it more than the first.
A well written story that kept me hooked, excellent world building and character development.
I can't wait to read other stories by this author.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I loved it every single moment of this book. Fable, like every other person, makes mistakes and she's willing to make things right, even if it costs more than she can pay. It was a great wrap for this duology, although a bit predictable at a times. Either way, i enjoyed every moment. West and Fable chemistry is on point, and her relationship with Saint broke my heart a thousand times, but it was worth it.

First, thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for the arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Namesake was the second book in the Fable duology, and it was every bit as good as Fable. Dare I say I liked it MORE than Fable? Yes, yes I did. It had been several months since I read Fable, so some of the details that I needed to recall from that book came back to me in bits and pieces as I read Namesake. I do not have the greatest memory for details from books, so it could just be me, but I did feel that maybe a little more recapping of Fable would've been helpful. Even just a simple reference to the roles that certain characters played on the ships would've helped me to recall where and how they fit into the story.

I will also say that it is important that you read Fable first, or Namesake will have you feeling really lost. This is not an instance where you should pick up the second book without having read the first.

That said, Namesake was a really fun book with a rich plot, and as mentioned, I actually enjoyed it more than Fable. I loved learning more about Fable's family and seeing her relationship with West more fleshed out than it was in the first book, even if I'm still not 100% sold on their relationship. I liked learning West's backstory, and most of all, I liked seeing Fable's relationship with Saint evolve.

I did find myself confused at a few points in the book, like I wasn't totally following parts of the plot line. I'm honestly not sure if this was because of the way the book was written, or if it was just me. But as I continued reading, it would eventually become clear and make sense to me.

There was a lot going on in this book and at one point I didn't understand how it was going to all be wrapped up with so few pages left, but I felt really satisfied with the ending. It didn't feel rushed at all and I wasn't left wishing for more answers, more plot, more anything. The ending was all I could have asked for.. This book took me on a great adventure and I would love to see this duology turned into a movie someday.

Adrienne’s world building draws me in like a moth to the flame, and if that wasn’t enough, she writes characters who are complex and rough around the edges while retaining a beautiful vulnerability. My heart bleeds with this crew, but Saint still holds sway over me. His character is pure magic, even when he isn’t on the page, his spirit lingers and affects almost every step taken along the way. Namesake is about understanding where you came from, seeing yourself in those who formed you, but also staking a claim to the life you want, finding a way to make it happen at any cost and carving out your own little place in the world where you belong. This is a world that I don’t think I could ever get enough of and I’m hopeful that we’ll find ourselves back in The Narrows someday!

Namesake is a pretty good sequel to Fable. It solves the conflicts that needed to be solved and reveals the secrets needed to be revealed. It's beautifully narrated and worth of some tears.
The biggest "but" is the lack of the characters that were supposed to be Fable's "found family". It mainly seems like a West and Fable adventure, while the others remain as background.
The plot is somehow messy, it doesn't have a clear goal. Some parts are exciting (the discovery of secrets, the new characters) and some parts are exhausting (the neverending quest to be free of other people's schemes).
The villain has so much more potential than what is shown. I feel like a spin-off about her would be awesome.
The twists are really good and the last 10% of the book is perfect. The ending was the best part
A good conclusion!

Keep in mind this is a sequel and needs to be read in order since the story picks up right where the first book left off- and that means this review will be short so as not to spoil any real details of the series. What a great conclusion to this duology! I found Namesake to be easy to pick up and get lost in, hard to put down right from the beginning, whereas with Fable it took a minute (or like 25% of the book really) before I was invested in the story. I was also surprised at how different the tone of this book was, the plot was unexpected and new, instead of really continuing the path laid out in the first book, Fable was taken on a different kind of journey with surprises and twists I never would have predicted. And the world building continued, getting more complicated and detailed and I ate it all up.

I have read everything by this author now and can easily say that the Fable dulogy is my favorite (and it doesn't hurt that the covers are absolutely gorgeous and I am a cover snob). The series has the perfect mix of world building, action and adventure, plot twists, character development, piratey antics, intrigue and betrayal, a touch of magic and a really great love story that I was 100% invested in and rooted for. I recommend picking up both books at the same time so you can just binge the story and reach the HEA ending that resides here.

Fable was one of my few five star reads last year, so to say that I was excited to read the conclusion to this duology is an understatement. Book one left off on quite an intense cliffhanger with lots of unanswered questions. I wanted to know more about Isolde, Fable's mother. I was itching for some more in depth history on Holland, the most feared female trader who controls the gem trade. Then there's Fable and her father Saint. Their relationship had been rocky, to say the least. Could they ever bridge the distance between them? There was something that touched me so deeply about the complex love that they shared, so I was rooting for their relationship to flourish here in the conclusion. Last (and also least), is the romance between West and Fable. All of these things were addressed, and to top everything off we get a savage, pirate adventure with lots of backstabbing and intrigue.

Onboard the Luna, Fable's ability to survive is once again being put to the test. She thought that she had it bad when she was left on Jeval by her father with nothing but her wits to keep her alive. Now she must outsmart her father's greatest enemy on his territory. Perhaps the worst part about the ordeal is the discovery that she may have been betrayed once again by one of the few people in the world she considered family. I love how Adrienne Young throws you right into the action from page one. One of my favorite things from the previous book was the heroine's ability to free dive as she dredged for gems. Very early on, we get to see her put her gem sage skills to work once again. Zola demands that she lead a team of dredgers to collect a massive haul. In exchange she will earn her freedom. In theory.

Fable is just one piece on a chess board being played in an ultimate game of winner takes all. There are hidden agendas and deceit being plotted left and right. I can honestly say that I was taken by surprise several times after thinking I had everybody's motivations pegged. It's so refreshing to read a book that isn't too heavy handed with foreshadowing. Predictable books can never rise above average, and thankfully that wasn't the case here. While I did pick out some pieces of the plot, the author did a great job leaving enough ambiguity to keep me questioning what would happen next.

I believed Holland would play a big role in this book, but I didn't realize how dangerous of an opponent she would end up being. She rivaled (if not exceeded) Saint's manipulations, but there was a coldness to her that you don't see in him. As tough as he is, you get peeks at his soft underbelly. He leads a vicious life, but when it comes to his wife and daughter, you discover where his heart lies. Fable is thrown into Holland's orbit totally unprepared for what was in store for her, but she faces this new challenge like she has all the others. With bold, unshakable courage. Though I do believe that all the courage in the world wouldn't have saved her unless she had such powerful people secretly in her corner playing the long game. Despite often feeling alone and abandoned, she's far from it. It just takes her a little while to figure that out.

The romance between West and Fable left a little to be desired for me. It didn't bother me that much because with fantasy, that isn't my top priority. However, West often rubbed me the wrong way with his secrecy and controlling manner with everyone. He has a serious hero complex, which shouldn't be a bad thing, but in his case, tries to make monumental decisions for other people and solve things all on his own rather than communicating. There was a lack of respect shown towards his friends as well as Fable. It didn't anger me because his heart was in the right place, but at the same time it got a little tiresome because he wasn't treating those he loved as if they were capable of fighting their own battles. I also wasn't really feeling emotional about his relationship with Fable, and I think that could have improved had there been more honest conversations between them.

The best part of the duology was Fable and Saint. They're often morally gray which makes them all the more intriguing to read about. Once again, they made me a little teary-eyed and I'm not mad about it.

I loved being taken on another grand adventure. Searching for rare gems deep in the ocean's depths, hatching impossible schemes, and feeling the salt water on my sun-baked skin. I highly recommend this YA fantasy duo if you're looking for something high on originality and action.

Nakesake picks up exactly where Fable left off. I think this series would have been a lot better as either a longer standalone or as a trilogy. I felt like conflict was being introduced for the sake of conflict and Fable’s family tree just keeps getting branches that there weren’t hints if in the first book. I also felt like things with her and West were never clear. They’d have moments where they weren’t okay and then all of a sudden they’d be just fine.

I did enjoy that several characters got nice resolutions and that they all came together in a way I found myself cheering for. I think these between Saint and Fable will never be easy but I really enjoyed where they along with the rest of the characters we’ve come to know of the course of these books ended up.

The end of Fable saw Fable and her newfound family freeing their ship the Marigold from being indebted to Fable’s father Saint—a notorious trader in the Narrows—and ready to start fresh on their own. However, before they can do so, Fable is kidnapped to a fate left unknown.

Namesake begins right away where things left off. Fable finds herself being taken to the port city of Bastian, where she comes face-to-face with the indomitable gem trader Holland. Holland is much more than she seems, and her scheme to use Fable as a pawn to gain more power will force Fable to confront secrets that died along with her mother all those years ago.

I appreciated that Namesake picks up right away, and I think it’s a testament to my love of Fable that I knew exactly where things stood and what was happening that I didn’t need to go back and refresh my memory.

The two stories really go hand-in-hand. You could probably enjoy Fable without reading Namesake but the reverse would definitely not be true.

Whereas the first book dealt a lot with Fable and her relationship (or lack thereof) with her father, I think it’s extremely fitting that we would get more about her mother this time around. It all kind of comes full circle, and you can also see that in how Fable’s life unfolds very similar to her mother’s yet still remains her own journey.

Despite the Marigold being Fable’s new found-family, she still kind of sits on those relationships very precariously, knowing they could be taken away from her at any minute, and this partially stems, I think, from the loss of her mother. Losing someone so important to you at such a young age leaves its mark. So by uncovering these new facets of Isolde’s life, Fable can kind of have a reckoning.

I do wish that the character of Holland was fleshed out a little bit more. I would have liked to have seen more reasons for her motivations, and basically learned more about her life before she decided to become this power-hungry gem trader. She’s a bit of a stock character with so much potential. I understand the reasons why there’s not more focus, because this is Fable’s story through and through, but I certainly wouldn’t mind a short story about Holland’s past somewhere down the line from Adrienne Young.

Also, as much as I enjoyed this book and its predecessor, many of the twists landed pretty softly. I wasn’t thrown or surprised, instead I was content that things worked out pretty much the way I had them pegged to, but I will say Adrienne Young has a wonderful way of keeping the story going and pulling the readers in page after page. Just when I thought we would get to a place and stay there for a bit, things would turn and we would be off in another direction. There’s very little down time, but the moments—mainly some wonderful ones between Fable and West—that were more contemplative were made all the more important because of the time they took to develop.

Overall, I’ve really enjoyed this duology and, as I said, I certainly wouldn’t mind getting a few short stories here and there from other characters’ points of view. Adrienne Young has a reader for life in me, and I cannot wait to see where she takes us next.

After reading Fable somewhere in October, there was no way for me to not anticipate its sequel, Namesake. I’ve said this countless times before but: there’s just something about this story. If you’re interested in reading all my thoughts on Fable, I have a Goodreads review up for it!

Fable ended on a cliffhanger that had me on the edge of my seat so when I saw I had managed to get an arc of Namesake, I was just…speechless. I couldn’t wait to dive back into this sea adventure (HA, see what I did there?) with the Marigold’s crew! But did Namesake leave up to my expectations?

The fact that this duology is over just leaves me feeling so…empty. And sad. Lots of sad feelings about that, even though the ending was really satisfying and well-done. You know when they say that finishing a good book feels like losing a friend? Well, that’s exactly what I felt after closing Namesake.

It’s just that, in my opinion, Adrienne Young has this incredible talent of making you feel like you are in the story, as if you are part of some big adventure. The writing is so vivid and everything, including the characters, just feels so real. I don’t think this is the best duology ever written, but it just has something that makes me love it so dearly. The author just really knows how to grab you by the throat and not let you go (in a good way…).

The plot of Fable and Namesake is really interesting and I love the characters, although sometimes I just craved a little bit more from them. That being said, they really grew on me and I don’t want to say goodbye! There’s something about their stories and how they intertwine that just…gets me. I think the following quote really fathoms why I love this duology:

“It was one long series of tragically beautiful knots that bound us together.”
Adrienne Young, Namesake (quoted from an advanced copy)

Something that really surprised me about reading Namesake is that the part of the story where I was most interested in, was something I didn’t care for in the first book. I really think that this book did a great job at showing the dynamic between Fable and her father. And especially why her father is that way and why he did the things he did, the influence the world and his own rules had on him.

This review is such a mess because I just don’t know how to explain why I love this book. Normally, I’m really good at understanding my own feelings. Like, when I love a certain book, I will know why I love it so much, but with this series I can’t seem to figure out the exact truth. It just has something to it (I can’t seem to stop saying that, oops!) and I feel like these books are on their way to become comfort reads of mine. They make me feel so peaceful and at home!

“We were salt and sand and sea and storm.”
Adrienne Young, Namesake (quoted from an advanced copy)

I like to think this is a story about the sacrifices we make for love, and how they don’t always feel right, but they feel like the only option. And I don’t know (like you clearly noticed), I love it.

So I guess what I’m trying to say is that this book has a special place in my heart. Do I know why it does? No, not really, but the most important thing is that it’s the truth. The Fable duology is a wonderful journey to experience and I will definitely be picking up more books by Adrienne Young! Definitely deserves a 4/5!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review! This did not affect my opinions in any way.

* other links will be added soon

I liked but didn’t love Fable (the first book, not the character), so I was apprehensive going into this. Happy to say I liked Namesake a lot more!! Picking up right where the first book left off, there is never a dull moment and the whole novel is action-packed. I found the pacing of the plot much more even here, and there were some fun twists and surprises that kept me engaged and guessing throughout.

I do have some little quibbles. Young brings up why Fable’s relationship with West could be problematic, and West sometimes does that YA love interest thing I hate where he makes decisions for the both of them. Fable shows she’s annoyed and concerned by this but it never really gets resolved?

I was also hoping for more camaraderie between the Marigold crew. We only get a small taste of it. I guess I was hoping they’d become as tight knit as say, the Six of Crows gang. But alas.

All in all though, this is a fun duology, especially if you like a good swashbuckling adventure.

Highly suggest reading this with the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack on in the background.

4.5 / 5

Namesake doesn’t let you come up for air as we are tossed right back into the vivid and rugged maritime world of Fable.

I dare say too much, in case you haven’t read book one - which you should - but Fable now finds herself tangled in a dangerous game with Holland, one of the most powerful sea traders. Holland is searching for a mysterious gemstone and will sink any ship with its crew to find it.

Upon learning that the secrets her mother carried to her watery grave are now threatening those she cares for, Fable decides to strike a bargain with Holland. It’s risky, and the lives of those she loves are on the line.

I have to admit I enjoyed Namesake a bit more than Fable (book #1). Fable’s family backstory is delved deeper into and I felt the characters we met in book one are now more fleshed out and developed. Young still utilized that engrossing first-person narrative, so we can feel how continually angry Fable is, but that she is craving affection, as well. Namesake provided us with much more pirate politics, rivalries and back-stabbing, and romance as well.

Fable is still the strong-willed, independent girl that was abandoned on Jeval by Saint all those years ago, but now she knows what it means to fight for those you love.

Thank you to @Wednesdaybooks @stmartinspress and @netgalley for this digital arc for review.

Namesake picks up right where Fable left off. If you haven’t read Fable yet, you can still read this review! I tried my best not to include any spoilers from the first book in this duology.

Adrienne Young has once again captivated me with her incredible writing style and the magical world that she has created. I fell in love with the Narrows, Ceros, and the ship, the Marigold, when I first read Fable last year. I reread it just before reading this book, and it was just as much of a transcendent experience as it was the first time. (Nope I’m not exaggerating when I say “transcendent”.) All the little seeds that were planted in the first book blossomed into a complex and engaging plot in this final instalment in the series. Because these plot twists were so well-established early on, some of them were somewhat predictable, but that in no way affected my enjoyment of them. Enough of the story was a delightful surprise that I didn’t mind the expected elements that cropped up from time to time. These just served to make the world and characters that Young has created feel more credible, as everything that happened was logical and made perfect sense given what was going on.

For a book that’s so action-packed, there is quite a bit of character development, not just for Fable, but for everyone else in the story. Quite a few of the secondary characters have their own arcs in this book. We also get to know some characters who were only briefly mentioned or who didn’t have a major role in the first book. Many friends and foes aren’t quite what they initially appeared to be. We follow Fable as she grows and develops into a young woman, and we realize alongside her that there is so much motivating people and shaping them into who they are. We get to experience the revelation of secret pasts and the discovery of some characters’ ulterior motives. Loyalties are tested and tensions rise high among the crew of the Marigold as drama unfolds. We get to see even more of West as Fable gets to know him even better. Their romance is sweet and powerful, and I’m impressed that Young was able to skirt around their physical relationship to make older readers happy, while keeping the heat rating below a PG-13.

The reason why this book was called “Namesake” isn’t immediately apparent, not like with Young’s other three published books to date. I won’t spoil the reason why the book is called this, but once it becomes clear, it’s a real “Aha!” moment that gave me chills in how beautifully it played out.

I recommend this book to those who love a whimsical, dark but never too dark, young adult epic-fantasy with just a little magic, some romance, and plenty of adventure.