After the ending of the first book I knew I needed to get my hands on this one asap! I was lucky enough to get an arc via #NetGalley and so the seafaring adventure continued. There are some books you read that just make you long for a place and this one totally has me longing to be on the sea. I thought the description of things was amazing I found myself able to perfectly envision the ships, ports, islands as well as the feel the atmospheres. I love how it picks up almost exactly where book 1 left off and you quickly are drawn into more schemes and plots. Fable is such a good main character and I loved reading her story. 5/5 Definitely Recommend this series.

Adrienne Young has created a fascinating world in this series. It’s a rough and scary world, but full of adventure. I enjoyed this book less than the first, and I think it’s mainly due to the fact that the very best parts of the story are when Fable is diving and there’s much less of that in this book. This installment has far more politics and scheming, and I missed the simple beauty of life at sea. Another issue I had throughout this story is that I didn’t like West...at all. I found myself deeply distrustful of him, and I found his relationship with Fable to be unhealthy and uncomfortable. Aside from a few scenes in the first book (underwater at Tempest Snare 🔥), I was disappointed in the lack of swoon. However I’ve talked to friends who’ve read the story and loved West, so take that opinion with a grain of salt. One relationship that I was on pins and needles for, was Fable and Saint and I enjoyed their development. All in all, this was a delightful duology with breathtaking world building and complex characters.

I loved this book so much! Honestly it was much better than the original story! The storytelling was magical and intertwined so well!

I was provided and ARC from NetGalley. This book was amazing! It was an amazing adventure with Fable and West. The book is filled with adventure, friendship, and romance. I was so glad I was given a chance to read this book early.

I absolutely loved this book. Young does it again with another fantasy filled adventure. If you loved Fable then you are going to love this sequel. Once I started reading I could not put this book down!

<i>I received this ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

<i>Namesake</i> picks up right where the first instalment left off. Fable has been stolen away on an enemy's ship, where she's left with no allies. She'll have to go along with Zola's plans if she wants a chance to return to the Marigold. To keep the people she loves safe, she'll have to uncover the secrets her mother took to the grave.

The previous work from this author never really clicked with me, but I really enjoyed this series and all of it's pirate-y goodness.
The story weaves together masterfully and Namesake is a satisfying conclusion for the duology. I'm in awe with Young's creativity and how she managed to bring the setting to life. The description of the sea-setting were always beautiful, and I had no trouble with imagining myself next to Fable, and I could almost smell the salty air as I turned the pages. I think the main strength of the writing is that it's beautiful, but never detracts attention from the action. Of which there's a lot in this book! Namesake is incredibly fast-paced, and though there were some predictable plots, I loved how the story twisted and turned!
One of my favourite things were how this book explored more of Fable's and Saint's relationship, which was something I wanted more of in the first instalment.

I would recommend this series to anyone who is looking for a (nautical) adventure story!

A good follow-up to the first Fable story. I liked that the secondary characters were further explored, and backstories were fleshes out.

I know I raved about Fable but Namesake was...so SO much better.

After the cliffhanger we were left on, I ran to go find my ipad, screamed when it wasn’t charged, then quickly opened up my eARC on my phone and began reading. And YES, I did spend another day on my couch until I finished.

Namesake picks up right where Fable’s adventure left off. This book is full of even more high sea’s action, antics + some unexpected plot twists. It was exciting, nerve wracking + wonderful. Young’s writing just really has a way of making you feel like you’re sailing the Narrows and fighting for your life as you dredge for gems.

I could not be happier with how this book ended (even though i literally never wanted it to end) This duology is in a league of its own and I hope everyone reads it.

✨Also huge thank you to @Netgalley @wednesdaybooks + @adrienneyoungbooks for providing me with an eARC because I have no idea how I would have waited until March for this masterpiece.

THIS BOOK.

It’s very rare that the second book in a series (or duology in this case) surpasses the first, but Namesake did just that.

It’s devastating that this book signals the end of this story, but it’s also why it’s so special. The story moved quickly, at a pace that demanded the reader just keep reading. I haven’t flipped pages that fast in a long time!! I loved Fable, her relationship with West and every single other character featured. Seriously. I loved them all.

I also love the authors writing. Her words are strung together so beautifully, it felt like I was right beside Fable as she dove down into the reef and I felt myself gasping for air when she surfaced.

I absolutely CANNOT wait to read it again when my pre-order arrives. Is it March yet?

Thank you Wednesday Books for the e-ARC.

First, I want to say a BIG thank you to Wednesday Books for providing me an eARC in exchange for my honest review! Now on to the good stuff...

Spoilers ahead for the first book, Fable, so proceed with caution!

I absolutely LOVED this series! Namesake picks up right where book 1 ended with Fable in a pretty precarious position aboard Zola's ship and as plans unfold it doesn't get much better! I felt as though the plot line was MUCH faster moving in this book compared to Fable. I was immediately hooked from page one and had a hard time finding a good place to stop reading. The story was semi predictable in places but it didn't take away from the pacing or my interest, if anything it had me reading faster to try and figure out if I was right and how the heck the crew was going to get out of yet another mess!! And while it was semi-predictable there was still SO much plotting and twists and turns in this book that I fell head over heels in love with it!!

Plus we get to see our favorite crew back in action and of course our favorite handsome helmsman! I loved that we got to take a bit of a closer look into the pasts of some of the crew in this book and I wish we could have gotten to know more!! I also loved being back on the high seas with this crew and Adrienne does a fabulous job making you feel like you could actually sail a ship after reading this book! Please do NOT actually try and sail a ship after reading this duology because there is definitely more to know despite the amazing writing and research that was done for this series! Anyway...I cannot recommend this duology enough!! I love that it was two books and it felt perfect for this story!!

Get those preorders in ASAP because you do not want to miss Fable and the Marigold's continued adventures!!

2.5/5 stars

When I first started reading Fable, I wasn’t too sure I’d like it. I was quickly proven wrong and immediately fell in love with the story of a young woman fighting to survive and find her place in a world that had treated her poorly for many years. When it ended on a cliffhanger, I was devastated because I realized I wouldn’t know what will happen next until 2021. Thanks to St Martin’s Press, I only had to wait a few months!

Namesake starts directly after Fable‘s cliffhanger, where a kidnapped Fable must now navigate life on a ship under Zola’s command while dealing with threats from other crew members, and Clove’s betrayal. As Zola schemes to expand his trade and meet with the powerful gem trader Holland, Fable soon learns that her family has kept many secrets that have put her and her friends in danger.

I’ve seen other reviews either loved it or disliked it, but unfortunately, I lean more towards the later side. I felt that a lot of the characters I had fallen in love with in Fable took a backseat in the second book or felt different. Kind of like when a character is re-cast in a TV show. I especially had issue with how the crew, who I loved reading about in Fable, became quick side points in Namesake. There was hardly any interractions with them and I felt like Fable only noted they existed when they surved a purpose for her, or when she thought about how she was doing them wrong. There is one scene that started to give some backstory into Auster’s past…only for Fable to talk over him and steer the story back to her.

It possible I’m not seeing the character as the author intended, but I also felt that some characters were immediately antagonized for just doing their job. There is one character (who I won’t name of give much details on to avoid spoilers) that was portrayed as an antagonis, though I’m still confused why they were treated as such. The second half of the story is spent trying to bring this person down, when the things they’ve done aren’t that dissimmilar to what Fable’s father and West have done. Some of West’s destructive and violent actions are brought up and Fable just seemed to brush them off rather than even approach him about them, however she focuses a lot on the wrongs and potential future wrongdoings of the aforementioned character. I am very curious to see what others thought about this character and their actions and whether or not Fable was justified.

*Thank you St. Martin’s Press at Wednesday Books for the eARC from Netgalley.

3.25 / 5 stars

Namesake continues the journey of Fable. The story picks back up where we left off. Fable is determined to have the life that she longs for. Fable faces unexpected situations but she will not let anything slow her down. Fable seeks something long forgotten in this captivating adventure.

I enjoyed Namesake. I like how this is set as a duology and picks right up where book one ended. I love how we still get to spend a lot of time out on the sea. I also liked the plot idea with this book with the journey element.

I will say that I feel like the characters felt a bit different despite the story picking up where the other left off. I feel like I really clicked with everyone in the first book, but there was a bit of a barrier of sorts in book two. I feel like some characters kind of took a step back at times, instead of forward.

Overall, I liked the idea of the plot but some moments were just not as exciting as intended. I feel like there was so much adventure, action, and great characterization in Fable. For me, Namesake felt a bit off. I feel like some moments were too slow or did not pack as much punch. It was a solid read, it just was not as impactful as book one in my opinion.

Namesake by Adrienne Young was an excellent ending to the Fable duolgy. However, I will say I wouldn't be opposed to another book that follows up with the characters a couple years or so from now.

Namesake began where Fable left off. You need to read Fable first, and I recommend reading the two books back to back because you're not going to want to stop. As always, I loved Young's writing; it was very easy to immerse myself in the adventure.

And what an adventure it was! Stormy seas (literal and figurative) raged, secrets were revealed left and right, plots were uncovered and thwarted while new schemes were plotted. Namesake was chock-full of action.

Again, I would love revisiting these characters and this world further down the road, so fingers crossed.

Basically anything Adrienne Young writes I will read. I'm ready for whatever comes next.

***I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley.***

Namesake was such a fun sequel. Starting off where Fable ends, Fable find herself in a very precarious situation. She is in enemy clutches, knowing that someone she has spent her whole life caring for has betrayed her. She is missing West and her friends on the Marigold.

Now, on another ship, Zola has grabbed her and a handful of other dredgers to work for him and get him as many gems as they can, telling Fable that she is free to go soon enough, but he always has something else up his sleeve. He needs her to help him gain partnership with a big name in trading... Unbeknownst to Fable, this gem trader, Holland, is more connected to her than she ever thought possible.

Every time Fable thinks she has a handle on what is going on, she is thrown a curve ball and has to reevaluate to keep the people she loves safe. This book is filled with swoon-worthy pirates and dastardly villains. And the situations she is thrown into don't always leave her with an easy choice to make.

I loved that the dredging was more of a prominent part of this book. I thought that learning more about what they do and the process of it was interesting and very thrilling. Fable grows so much in Namesake, making some sacrifices and ultimately learning the truth about some of the people she holds nearest her heart. Like in chapters 39 and 40!! Those chapters had me jumping for joy and shedding many a happy tear!

Is it possible for your favorite book you read in 2020 to not exist in its full form until 2021? Yes, it is, because that is what Namesake is to me.
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Congratulations to Adrienne Young for ruining all other books for me as long as I live. I will forever be comparing a new favorite to this duology. Fable & Namesake are carved into my heart forever, anchored deep in my soul like a hidden gem.
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What is price we pay for loving someone through all their darkness? Fable’s story, continued in Namesake, seems so real and so true that I was frequently forgetting that this world was created and not simply already in the history books. I truly enjoyed the craft of this story; we explore not only what the characters want in life, but also just how far they’ll go to get it. There always seems to be a little something held back, artfully revealing itself at the proper moment. Secrets keep this plot churning. And once you turn the final page, you will be awe-struck by how well the final puzzle piece nestles itself in to this dazzling world.
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Namesake envelops your being, tethers itself to the corners of your mind and soul, and ultimately drags you by your heart into the glittering depths of the oceans.
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My only complaint? I didn’t want it to end. I cannot wait to reread this duology once Namesake in its final printed form. Namesake will be published on March 16, 2021, and preorders are up now!
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Thank you to @wednesdaybooks for this gifted e-ARC after I harassed you for it in exchange for this honest review.
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✨ TL; DR: read Fable and then pre-order Namesake; you will not regret it.

PLOT OF NAMESAKE: In the second book -- without giving anything away -- Fable must make a deal with a powerful trader. She learns about secrets her mother took to the grave, and must risk everything to save the people she loves.

THOUGHTS: Well put me on a ship and call me a helmswoman, I'm ready to take off to the high seas.

Operation #MakeLivLoveFantasy is well under way with @kansasbookgirl @barrenonebooks and @carly.simone as the chief operators.

This duology felt like a combination the adventure Pirates of the Caribbean, the character ensemble of the Princess Bride, the discovery element of the Disney movie version of Atlantis, the love and destruction of the Titanic, and the magical realism elements of books I haven't read because I don't really read fantasy but I'm guessing they are in there.

Young's creativity (cue me literally googling "dredger" and live-texting Bri), descriptive prose, and ability to craft loveable and relatable characters is incredible.

I read FABLE during Election Week so I liked it but couldn’t get super invested (and I blame that on my stress, not the book at ALL) but then I picked up NAMESAKE and now I am FULLY OBSESSED. Rarely do I feel that a sequel exceeds the first book -- but coming off that INCREDIBLE CLIFFHANGING ENDING *iykyk* -- book two included all the world building and character development I felt was a bit lacking in book one.

TLDR; if you are on the fence about YA fantasy, read this. I am a convert and I can attest. Cue me angry texting the chief operators asking why this has to be a duology and not a trilogy.

Fable was brilliant and Namesake was even better! Very rarely do I love a sequel more than I love book one and Namesake by Adrienne Young is one of those moments! I loved everything about book one but book two provides more depth about our beloved characters and even more excitement and thrill.

Once again, I was transported right into Fable’s life on the far sea!
The view, the smell and feel of the salty sea air fused together with feel of the ships sailing and the stench of fear and thrill of the unknown. Young’s immersive writing really takes you into a fascinating and unforgiving world of pirates, ships and the unknown narrow seas.

Book 1 left me totally enthralled and invested in the life of Fable, West, Willow and the rest of the Marigold’s crew. Book 2 takes you on a new journey, as Fable finds herself crewing for Zola and a long lost family friend turned adversary.
Once again, she finds herself fighting for her life and for her identity. I loved her from the very first moment we meet her on Jeval. And so, her fate at the end of book one left me screaming! Which is why I jumped at the chance to read an arc of book 2.

Namesake continues where Fable book 1 left off - where Fable is blindsided by a notorious figure, using her as a pawn in a complex game of power.  Heartbreak and Stormy seas are ahead for Fable as she once again has to find strength and courage to survive against the odds. During this new plight, more secrets and deceitful truths are unravelled - leaving Fable face to face with some shocking truths and difficult choices. Once again, Fable realises that the dangerous and horrific island (where her father abandoned her) was probably the safest place for her after all.

Namesake is a beautiful tale of courage, love, power, pirate politics, betrayal, secrets and sacrifice. The characters are fascinating, vibrant, compelling and raw! The setting and world building simply brilliant - mesmerising and turbulent, just like the ocean itself! I really did not realise when I started and stopped reading - I was completely enthralled in this fast paced, action packed and heartwarming narrative!

I highly recommend both books - Fable & Namesake to readers everywhere. It really was an effortless and entertaining read - a nautical adventure and swoon worthy romance weaved together by one talented writer! Leaving us with a truly gripping, compelling, and absolutely intoxicating story.

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday books for the arc! I loved every moment of it! 4.7 stars

Namesake picks up exactly where we left off with Fable. I felt lucky I was able to read this sequel a few months later finishing Fable, as it was a natural continuation without any recap, so it was very easy to fall back into the story.

Fable has been kidnapped by Zola and she is trying to make sense of where he is taking her, and most importantly, for what purpose. Clove, who used to be the closest adviser of Saint, is also on board of Zola’s ship, working for him. The sting of Clove’s betrayal, the thought of West alone and being in the enemy’s hands — everything is another survival test for Fable.

I guess I liked the second part slightly less than the first part. I still love Adrienne Young’s vivid description of the life on board of a ship and life as a dredger. I mean, the descriptions were so detailed I could almost feel the salt in my hair like I was diving in the sea with Fable. Also, Young has this unique talent to bring to words the roughness of life, how life is never black or white, and it is so many shades of complicated.

With this duology, Young achieved perfection. The writing is flawless, and the plot provides insights about more side-characters we met in the first part. Every character had their own story to tell and I found myself having some kind of admiration even for one of the villains of this story, Zola.

However, here’s my two cents about this duology overall and why I felt less intrigued at the end.

First, I felt the crew of the Marigold was left untouched and deserved more space. While we know more about Zola and Holland, the relationship between Fable and Marigold’s crew is not explored in-depth. I also felt after everything was over, after everything this small crew went through during the whole duology, and all because of Fable, there was no resolution among them. No explanation about “how do they stick together now” after all the ordeals. The second part of the story was too centred around Fable and West’s relationship and the others came even after the two main villains.

Second, and I went back and forth with this thought, you need to keep your “pirate-glasses” on, so to say, or look at everything through a pirate’s perspective to fully understand Fable and Saint’s relationship. As someone who has a very complex relationship with a parent, there’s no way that things work that way in reality. I still appreciated that at least Young offered more clarity about their relationship, but I was left with so many questions about Saint.

I am sure that readers who loved Fable will definitely love Namesake as well. It’s beautifully written, the descriptions are outstanding and it has great world-building. Regardless of my personal opinions about the general relationship dynamics, I still loved this story and I highly recommend this duology. I can’t wait to read more from Adrienne Young.

Young does it again. Namesake is wonderfully and atmospherically written. Like book one, I could see it all so vividly and occasionally I felt like I could smell and taste the salty air. I felt like I was a stowaway, being transported to a new land with Fable, West, and the Marigold crew.

This story continues where Fable left off. There was more action and plotting. Additional new characters were introduced and my only gripe, since this is a conclusion, I wanted more of them.

Overall, Namesake had some good twists, a few I saw coming and a few I didn't. I genuinely loved the dynamic between Fable and Saint and I love the romance between Fable and West, and it didn't overshadow the plot at all. I'm a hopeless romantic so I'll take whatever is thrown at me. Overall, a really good conclusion, and I think there is potential to expand the world in future books.

Namesake is the second book in a duology that began with Fable. It is definitely essential to read Fable first as this book picks up right where Fable leaves off. I loved Namesake! I thought it was a great conclusion to the Fable duology and I am sad that there will be no more books in this great series.

Fable is one of my favorite YA heroines I have encountered in a while. The author did some great world building in Fable, and that continues in Namesake. The descriptions are rich and vibrant without being too much or detracting from the action. There is a lot of action in this book! Due to her family connections, Fable gets embroiled in trade wars on the high seas between dueling trade companies. There is lots of back stabbing and double crossing and great plot twists.

The only thing that I didn't love about this book as much as Fable was that the relationship between Fable and the crew was strained due to some decisions Fable and West made in this book. The end wrapped up all the plot lines well and had a satisfying conclusion, but I felt there was not really resolution about the issues with the crew. It seemed the issues that occurred were kind of just forgotten and forgiven and I would have liked to see the repercussions of the decisions made addressed a little more in the ending section.

I would definitely recommend this book (and Fable) to anyone who enjoys YA books with a strong heroine, complicated characters, and an amazing nautical world. I would classify this book as YA Fantasy, which is one of my favorite genres to read.