Namesake could not be anything less than a 5 star for me . It had the suspense that I love , with a little touch of romance , and character growth .
This was a happy , fun and beautifully written story about a young girl who finds the inner strength and power to become something more , someone more . The strong female lead is built throughout the series and I loved watching her grow .
Adrienne Young really did an excellent job with these books and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future .

Absolutely wonderful sequel and conclusion to this amazing duology! Adrienne Young is so talented and Namesake is *definitely* proof. I expect not only high demand for this, but for her (equally well written) backlist as well.

I love characters like Fable (strange name notwithstanding). She's determined, intelligent, loyal, and hard-working. Namesake has all the same things I loved about the first book: fast-paced plot, morally ambiguous characters who veer from hero to villain and back again, political intrigue.

Fable has been my favorite book that I have read in a while and Namesake did not disappoint as the sequel. I have always had an affinity for the ocean and pirates and this duology just made that love more prominent. The adventure and secrets shared in this book made you feel like you were out in the towns and sea with these characters, who now have a special place in my heart. I love the dynamics that Adrienne Young created for the crew and it was fun to learn more about their backgrounds. The evolution of Fable's relationships with Saint and West was fun to read and gave me the information that I was searching for in the first book.

Fable is such a strong, interesting character and it was exciting to watch her become more sure of herself and her abilities. I have recommended these books to everyone who will listen and I look forward to reading more from Adrienne Young in the future. Also, can we talk about the covers? They are beautiful!

Absolutely loved this sequel to Fable. Fast paced and instantly addictive. I wish she would write more for this series!

First of all, thanks to netgalley for providing me with an ARC.

Did I stay up all night to finish this? Yes, yes I did, it was that good!

After falling into a bookhangover after reading the first part, the second book did not disappoint and I’m so excited for everyone else to read it! Quick pace, amazing descriptions of ship-trading and Caribbean-esque seas, with the right amount of scheming and love! Perfect!

Fable will learn some shocking information. If you read the last book you know she was left a bit stranded. Well that does not go well for her, and it gets worse. She might have to sell her soul to save something she loves. There is so much in the balance and she has no idea of what’s being played.
Fable has grown up a lot since the first book. She’s not so soft in this book, good thing too because she needs to be. It was coming at Fable trying take her down all through the book. If they didn’t want to own her, they wanted to use her, lie to her and manipulate her. The past was not the truth she thought it was, oh the lies !
West, he is not the man he appeared to be. I still struggle with the relationship. I never did get where it grew from but it’s there and strong. He revealed himself more and what is shown isn’t pretty. I’m still on the fence on him, he reads a bit obsessive to me. We’ll see
I really enjoyed this book much more than book 1. In that book I struggled believing in these characters.This one was more evolved. The action was intense, and believable. The struggles were heartbreaking and the moments of joy heartwarming. I look forward for the next book in the series
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review

Namesake just hits hard. Even months after I finished reading, I'm still obsessed with the characters and world (*cut to me staring lovingly at my preorder artwork of Fable and West*) so much that I recommend this series to everyone I meet. I don't often review more than one book in a series, but Wednesday Books has so generously shared an ARC with me that I am elated to shout all possible praise into the internet void.

It's a bit challenging to find different points to remark on from my first review, since one thing Young does so well is continuity. I read Namesake only a few months after Fable, and it felt like I was stepping into a familiar embrace. If you haven't read my Fable review, then that's a good place to start since I'll be touching on a few ways Namesake does well as a sequel. Of course, if you haven't read Fable... what are you doing?? Go! My review will still be here when you come back!

All that I loved from the first book continues here--Fable is beyond reproach as a narrator. She navigates trader politics and the open ocean in Namesake, taking everything on with courage and confidence. I'd wilt in the face of half of Fable's adventures, so I think this is a mark in her favor. She makes missteps but atones for them, like any good character does. I'm not upset that Fable isn't morally grey--I love that type of character but I think her style is perfect for the novel, and we need a healthy balance in YA. I'm not saying some of her actions aren't... dubious... but she's not exactly Kaz Brekker and I love her for it. At any rate, I think you're all here to see me talk about...

West!!! If I thought this series couldn't get any more swoon-worthy, I was dead wrong. He remains one of my favorite YA love interests. Even in an established relationship, there was enough tension riding on Fable and West's relationship to keep me on my toes. I do love a good swashbuckling romance, and Namesake certainly delivered. I'm hoping and praying that there's another art print preorder campaign because I would sign up in a heartbeat! (Review written in January 2021, campaign not yet announced) I need Fable/West like I need air. These two found each other at the perfect moment in their lives, and I'm a sucker for stories that explore what it means to look for a home outside of your circumstances. They put so much on the line for each other always, so that the whole story has a deep emotional core rooted in finding love. That just gets me every time.

The other element I enjoyed about Namesake is the fast-paced plot. We continue exploring with the Marigold's crew, and meet some new characters, but this novel is plot-focused and less introspective. It ties seamlessly into Fable, as I mentioned earlier, so that they both feel like two halves of the same book. If you liked The Bone Witch and Rin Chupeco's integrated storytelling (minus the flashbacks), you'll definitely enjoy Fable. The one major character-development arc we get is more of Fable's relationship with her father. This aspect intrigued me in the first novel, but in Namesake gets so much more depth and page time that I simply couldn't leave it out of my review. Since it wasn't what originally hooked me on Fable, I never mentioned it in that review and I'll call it a pleasant surprise for Namesake. As you might expect from the synopsis, this is a complex duo that certainly benefitted from the extra scenes.

You won't be surprised to hear that I'm giving Namesake another 5/5 stars. It's a perfect novel, and you all should go order Fable (and preorder Namesake) right now.

THANKYOU NETGALLEY for giving me the chance to read this sequel!!! I LOVE this duology so much. The plot, the caracters, everything! Namesake was amazing and a great end. I'm sad its finished. But I'm glad I've met Fable and the Crew. And to read their adventures. Thankyou Adrienne Young !!!

I loved the first book in this duology, and this one was great as well! I definitely preferred the first one, but I did like how we learned more about the characters in this one and how we were able to find out some more about the world. I think there was a very satisfying ending, and I really enjoyed the action scenes that we did get!

Coverage for Frolic can be found here: https://frolic.media/perfect-pairings-books-and-candle-scents/

Thank you again!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinion was not affected by the free copy.

I'm sorry about this but I'm putting this on the DNF pile. I tried but now I feel like I'm forcing my way through, and that's never a good sign when it comes to books. The first book I thought was decent-- slow and laid-back as it was more about a personal journey than anything action-oriented. After getting about halfway through this book, I'm really starting to feel like Fable was meant to be a stand-alone or should have been left as one.

The first thirty percent or so of this book is dedicated to a certain setting and plotline that just ends. I don't know whether or not it will have any relevance in the overall story but it honestly doesn't feel like it will. If that thirty percent was cut or changed, I don't think the book would suffer. After it ends another plot started and that was where I stopped reading. Maybe this second plot will carry through the rest of the book or maybe it'll end, too, I don't know. To me, it felt like the author didn't have a solid plan for what to do after that cliffhanger ending of the first book. The other two novels I read from this author are stand-alones that take place in the same world, and maybe that's more to the author's strengths.

I think this duology either needed to stay as one book and just be a little longer, or things needed to be fleshed out more in order to justify it being a duology. Zola needed to be fleshed out more, as did Clove and his relationship with Fable; there needed to be more development of Fable and West's relationship whether that mean shipmates or lovers; more could have been explored with Fable's mother, as halfway through I still know very little about her.

I'm sure there are those who will love this book anyway, but for me there just wasn't enough to satisfy me.

**Disclaimer: I received a free early access copy of Namesake by Adrienne Young through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you to them and the publisher for this opportunity.

Namesake by Adrienne Young is a young adult fantasy novel set in a fictional world where our cast of characters live and die on the seas while trying to make their fortunes.  Fable learns about her history and tries to make a name for herself. It is set to be published on March 16th, 2021.  I rated it five stars on GoodReads.

Here's the summary from Goodreads:

Trader. Fighter. Survivor.
With the Marigold ship free of her father, Fable and its crew were set to start over. That freedom is short-lived when she becomes a pawn in a notorious thug’s scheme. In order to get to her intended destination she must help him to secure a partnership with Holland, a powerful gem trader who is more than she seems.
As Fable descends deeper into a world of betrayal and deception she learns that her mother was keeping secrets, and those secrets are now putting the people Fable cares about in danger. If Fable is going to save them then she must risk everything, including the boy she loves and the home she has finally found.
Filled with action, emotion, and lyrical writing, New York Times bestselling author Adrienne Young returns with Namesake, the final book in the captivating Fable duology.

When I finished reading Fable, which I also read as an eARC (review found here), I knew I had to read Namesake.  It had a killer cliffhanger, and I just needed to know what was going to happen.  I fully was not disappointed with the events of this book.  This was an excellent conclusion to the duology, as you might be able to guess considering I rated it 5 stars.

Due to the fact that it is a sequel, I am going to keep my review somewhat vague.  I don't want to spoil the events of the first book.  You should definitely read Fable though.

Namesake picks up pretty much from where we left off.  I felt like not a lot happened in Fable, but that was not true for its sequel.  The story felt really action packed and I kept wondering where things were going.  I appreciated how eventful it was, while also being very well paced.  I wasn't overwhelmed, but the way it was written forced me to want to read it really quickly.


I loved the development of the characters and how we got to know more about Fable and her history.  I also liked learning more about the other characters on the Marigold.  There was a lot of complicated relationships whether it was within friendships, or family, or found family.  People were held accountable for their actions, but it showed how sometimes you can't just let people go.  

The ship in this book is not couple goals by any definition of the term, however, I found myself really swept up in the romance and the struggles as they fought to be together.  I wanted them to succeed, but found the strife very fascinating and engaging. 

The writing was beautiful, and I loved the chance to further explore the world.  It's a fascinating world, and I really enjoyed the imagery.  The descriptions were really well done.

Overall, I highly recommend this series, and you should definitely check it out if you haven't already.

This was a wonderful conclusion to a great duology! I loved all the characters and the high sea action. Highly recommend!

After reading the first book I was so so happy to receive the 2nd one! This is the perfect ending for all of the characters that I fell in love with. I always love books set at sea and this was no exception. I love Adriennes lyrical writing

Never have I wanted a sequel so bad. Fable ended on the craziest cliffhanger and in Namesake we're thrown right into the action without skipping a beat. There were so many twists and I went from being angry to sad to happy, back to angry and just so happy. It was so sweet to see how Fable's relationship with her father evolved.

Perfect conclusion to Fable! I do think it should have been one whole book, but I loved it just the same!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an ARC of Namesake in exchange for an honest review. I will be posting my review on Instagram closer to the release date.
This is the second and final book to Fable, the book starts exactly where the last book left off.
I did not love the first book, but when I saw their was the second available on Netgalley and that it was the conclusion to the story I felt I had to read it. I am really glad I gave this series a chance and finished the story. I loved the second book so much more than the first, I enjoyed Fables arc in this book compared to the last and I loved to see her relationship with her father more in this continuation.
I really enjoyed this book, everything at the end of this book feels complete and all loose ends are tied. There are also some really fun twists in this story that I did not expect.
This is a beautiful story about family, loss, forgiveness and personal growth. I loved reading Fables journey as she navigates not only the dangerous seas but her own personal growth.
I can’t wait to buy a physical copy to complete my bookshelf!

Fable learns more about her mother's side of the family in the second and final book in this fantasy adventure. There are no pirates in this world, but the traders and dredgers are just as cutthroat. Fable has been kidnapped so she’s back into survival mode and trying to figure out who to trust among her captors.

My favorite parts include the gems, the dives, and those covers!

I love that this scrappy character never gives up on her dreams of being with West and the Marigold crew, but she also has the ability to look beyond the now and fight for the future of everyone.

Thanks to #netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for an advanced copy.

Wow wow wow! Adrienne Young absolutely knocked it out of the park with this series. This book was a bittersweet and satisfying end to the duology. I am hoping that we may get some novellas or other tales from this unique and beautiful world!

Fable was in my top 10 list of books for 2020 (out of the 174 I read), so I was more than a little excited to read this ARC of Namesake before my preorder copy arrives in March!

This is hard to write without any spoilers for either book, so I'll be brief and vague: The story picks up right where the first book left off, and it's a thrilling and gorgeous journey of self-discovery, tween-friendly romance, and adventure. I loved this book so much, and would happily read another book set in this world (or anything else Adrienne Young writes). Perfect for middle school +.


THANK YOU to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC for review.