Helmsman. Dredger. Trader. Orphan. Father. Daughter

Reading this book was like a homecoming I didn’t know I needed. During one of my middle-of-the-night feeding sessions for my six month old I saw that this was available to request on NetGalley for teachers, librarians, and a few other kinds of bookish related people. I have never been so glad to have become a librarian in my entire life (jk….or am I?).

It had been a few months since I had read Fable but I was able to slip back into the world of the Narrows and the Unnamed Sea like I had only just left. We begin right where we left off with Fable on Zoya’s boat headed to an undisclosed place. She shortly finds out that place is Bastian to see the infamous Holland. Fable is soon swept up in a number of different schemes, bluffing her way through all of them, just clinging to the hope that someday she will be able to free enough to get back onto the Marigold with her crew and begin the rest of her life with her new family.

I realize this book is far enough out that I don’t want to talk about any of the plot but I am more than willing to share how I felt about all of it. There were points where I did find myself wanting a little more but by the time I got done with the book, I really think it was perfect. I am just so used to these sprawling series and books that are 400+ pages that so many YA authors seem to be churning out that I forget that sometimes, less CAN be better. Fable’s story didn’t NEED to be that long to have an impact on me. I still feel just as home with West’s crew as she did and felt the excitement of dredging for a certain, rare stone or the longing of wanting to see Saint come to her rescue and treat her like the family she was, even once. Young’s writing is just that good. I could practically smell the sea breeze and feel the biting cold of the deep waters, myself. I think this is one series and set of characters that I will keep in my heart with me for a very long time.

We were salt and sand and sea and storm. We were made in the Narrows.

P.S. The person that came up with these stunning covers NEEDS.AN.AWARD.

Huge thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved Fable so much that this book took me a couple of days to decide on a rating. Namesake picks up right where we left off with Fable and the gang and boy I could not wait to get right back to the action. While I don't think I liked this second book quite as much as the first, it was still absolutely amazing and I did still love it. I definitely loved that in Namesake we get more of a backstory to some of my favorite supporting characters.

Namesake was such an epic story of love, betrayal, secrets and courage. There were definitely some twists I didn't expect or see coming and I loved every minute of it. I loved how the lives of all of the characters both existing and new were all tied together in some way. I can't say anything without spoiling it, but man, that ending had me nearly in tears. Honestly, the only reason this book didn't get a 5-star review for me had to do with West. I don't feel like I got to see enough of him and his past or development really. There was just something unnatural about he and Fable's relationship in Namesake, like it almost felt forced.

Regardless, both Fable and Namesake will be books I will still go out and buy. I'm not sure what it was about these books that they really are just something special and maybe it is just testament to what an incredible author Adrienne Young is. I own another of her books that has been on my TBR for a while and have already pulled it out for it to be my next read. Thank you NetGalley and to the publishers and author for the opportunity to receive an ARC of this wonderful book!

I've never been so grateful to be able to dive into a sequel after finishing the first book as I was when I started this book, I needed to learn what was going to happen after the excellent cliffhanger ending of "Fable," and "Namesake" delivered. "Namesake" picks up right where "Fable" left off, and gifts readers with even more excellent worldbuilding and intricate character development than the first book. I absolutely inhaled both of these books, and "Namesake" delivers an epically satisfying conclusion to Fable's story. Young's writing is simply gorgeous. With her vivid imagery, engrossing, swashbuckling adventures, and heady descriptions of the sea you will feel like you are right there on the deck next to Fable and the rest of the Marigold crew. I honestly think I loved this one even more than the first, and I really, really, loved the first book. I clearly need to catch up on Adrienne Young's backlist. I can't wait to see what she does next. Thank you so much, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley, for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review. This series ranks among my top reads for the year.

I am so happy with how this duology ended but so sad that it is over. I want to spend my days diving in Tempest Snare, walking the streets of Bastian, sailing The Narrows, and with my family aboard The Marigold. Adventure, high seas, swimming the reefs, dredging for gems - what a life.

Namesake picked up where Fable ended, with Fable aboard The Luna, kidnapped by Zola and sailing on open waters. Zola needs Fable for something and makes a deal that he'll free her once he gets what he wants. But Fable knows better than to trust Zola. She has no one on The Luna that she can trust and is pretty sure more than one person wants her dead. Can she figure her way back to her crew? To West?

Namesake takes you to lands unseen in Fable. Fable meets people that she's heard about in legends, walks cities that Jevalis can only dream of, and learns more about the secrets that her family holds. She tries to find her way home, the only home she's ever had. This is a story of twists and turns, secrets, espionage, piracy, and lies. You will keep turning the page, hoping that Fable finds a life that she finally deserves. And then the story is over and you find yourself hoping for more about this land, this crew, and this heroine.

* I was provided an ARC of Namesake by NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. I love this book so much that I will be buying any book box with it when it is released next year. *

I loved Namesake even more than Fable - which I didn't know would be possible! Once I started reading Namesake, I didn't want to put it down. It was everything I was hoping for - incredible character development, a new adventure that was just as exciting as in book 1, and the perfect amount of closure.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC.

Adrienne Young did it. She managed to make me love this duology even more than I already did after reading Fable. I admit I was a little hesitant and worried I wouldn't love book two as much but I'm glad to say that it was even better than I expected. The characters, the plot, the setting and the ending was just perfect to me.

In Namesake, you are right where we left off in Fable. Now I can't say too much as it would be huge spoilers for book one but I was hooked from the beginning. I needed to know what had happened to one of the characters and eventually we learned what was really going on and I was so happy for Fable in the end. (view spoiler) We also learned a bit more about her mother and where she came from.

Anyway, I can't believe it's over already. I would love (and I mean looooove) a short novella about Willa & Koy but if we don't get it, it's okay. I'm sad to say goodbye to these characters but I can't wait to read more from this author. I saw that she has another duology planned for 2022/2023 and I would probably do anything to get my hands on an ARC... just saying... ;)

Now let me go and buy a physical copy because I need this beautiful book on my shelves.

(Thank you so much for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

I love this series and this author <3 I love all the plotting and character development that happens in this story. Lots of twists and turns and I think that the main character finally settles into who she is and where she belongs. A great conclusion to the story and I'm happy where everything ended up. I feel like I enjoyed the first book a teensy bit more but the story was still amazing and enjoyable

I am so glad I was able to jump directly into this after finishing Fable. The characters are so wonderful and I could not put this down. A great second installment!

The pirate theme is so fun! Love the relationships of the crew and how she continues to become more and more confident.

I am so happy NetGalley and the publisher approved me for the sequel to Fable! As I stated before, I'm not a big fan of Adrienne Young, but these books have me excited to read these books. I truly enjoyed reading Fable and was sad I'd have to wait so long for Namesake.
This book thrust me right back into the world of Fable with the characters I love and missed so much, with plenty of action and romance and I couldn't read this book fast enough. I am so sad that I finished it and I'm tempted to go back and read both books again, back-to-back. This duology is so good with an engrossing plot and well-built world that had me craving more and ready for it all.

Namesake had some ups and downs! It’s fast paced then gets bogged down in some weird areas. The first 1/3 of the book dragged for me but the middle and ending were well worth it.
Namesake keeps with the pattern of most of the story taking place at Sea. Dredging is an active part of the stories still, and probably my favorite bit.

Fable is one of my favorite heroines I’ve ever gotten to know through a series. I just can’t seem like to West. I don’t know why but I can’t connect to him the way I can with the other characters.

I’m hoping for more of Willa if the series continues!

This book did not disappoint!!! I read Fable in less than a day, so I was so eager to pick up this book and read it, and I thank Netgalley endlessly for the ARC. Fable is an extraordinary heroine, emulating wit, fierceness, cleverness, and tenacity. It was so exciting to pick up where Fable left off, and Namesake left me immensely satisfied. This duology was in my top favorite reads this year.

I loved this book! I knew i would having loved fable. If you have read and enjoyed fable, you HAVE to read this. If you haven't, then read both! You won't be disappointed

Trader. Fighter. Legend.

When I say NAMESAKE blew me away, I mean it completely decimated me. FABLE was one of my favorite books of the year (and one of my favorites *ever*). I had been searching far and wide for a high seas adventure book for many moons, and FABLE had ticked all of those boxes for me. NAMESAKE ticked them twice, and a third and fourth time for good measure. I adored Fable's journey, her self-discovery, her courage. She perseveres, she's strong, and that's such a good influence to set in front of reader's, and I loved her adventure to finding who she was. And not to mention my personal favorite (along with Clove!) West, who is just *perfect* in every way. The beats were fast-paced, which suited the book so nicely, and though the plot took the driver's seat in this book, it was a good balance of characters and story. It felt like I was standing by the sea the entire time I was devouring NAMESAKE. I love this book and this series with all my heart, and I won't stop until I get every person I know to read it. 5 stars (or 10, since this story breaks the scale).

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an early e-arc of this book to read and review!

In Namesake, we pick up right where Fable left off, with that exciting gut-punch of an ending. This second and final book in this sea-faring duology introduces a lot of new characters and dynamics, with Fable being thrown into the world of her mother's mysterious merchant family.

What I love about Adrienne Young's writing is that she is always very character-focused. She takes the time to layer their personalities and histories, breathing real life into every one of her characters. Eelyn and Fiske from Sky in the Deep have lived with me ever since I first picked up that book, and a lot of that has to do with the insight Young gives us into their minds. However, as much as I love seeing inside Fable's head in Namesake, I feel like this book focuses too much on our protagonist's thought processes and too little on the action, leaving the plot a little muddled and underdeveloped at times. It's almost as if we get all the inner dialogue of a slower-paced book crammed into a breakneck plot and too few pages.

As a result, I wasn't quite as invested in the story this time around, which involves Fable searching for a rare gem to keep the infamous trader Holland away from her father, Saint. For me, the push-pull dynamic between Fable and her father is one of the shining aspects of this series. It is rare we get to explore such a nuanced parent-child relationship. I'm not sure what happened this time around, but while the family drama worked as a motivation for Fable's character, it didn't hold enough interest for me as a reader. I think the author was having Fable juggle too many relationships - the relationship she has with Holland, her father, West, the crew, even her deceased mother, all while questioning her own personal desires and motivations. I think it was just too much, and as a reader, I felt overwhelmed.

Due to the rushed pace and packed-in emotions, the romance also lost a bit of the spark I felt in the first book. The dramatics in Fable and West's arc almost felt insta-love in this sequel, as I found myself skimming their confrontations and reunions, already weary of the rises and falls. I think this can be traced back to the deluge of plot turns, which were the root of a lot of their conflicts. I think this book would benefit from either the plot being edited down a little or from the page count being longer to better balance out the action and emotional arcs.

As a caveat, I did just finish Fable a few weeks ago, so I think I'll revisit this sequel after more time passes to see if it reads clearer. Namesake still remains an enjoyable conclusion, and I will definitely continue buying any books Adrienne Young puts out. Her writing style is atmospheric, deep-rooted, and instantly identifiable - I'm a fan for life.

I love this book as much as I loved Fable, the first book. It’s the kind of book that sneaks up on you as you’re reading it. I loved the story, even though I guessed the ending, which may or may not be a good thing, but I appreciated being right anyways.

I love Fable. I like that she’s rough and tough and doesn’t conform to stereotypical female roles. She puts up a good fight.

The worse thing about this book is West. I didn’t love him in the first book and now I genuinely can’t stand him. As much as I despise love triangles, I wish that is what Koy was brought back in this book for because honestly even tho he tried to kill her in the first one, I feel like their personalities just fit together better than her and West’s. The other thing that really bothered me was that I feel like the similarities between West and Fable’s father was brought up a little *too* often, kind of an ick for me. Although I did love the evolution of Fable and her father’s relationship.

I like that ending was a bit more open ended, leaving room for a potential farther sequel because I could definitely see myself reading more about their life or maybe their child’s life 👀.

*slight spoiler below*

Another thing that was a little annoying for me was this trope of the main character being hidden royalty. It happens way too often in ya novels. This wasn’t exactly that but it still felt a little too close for comfort.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book thru NetGalley.com. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Fable left me on a huge cliffhanger, luckily I was able to read an ARC of Namesake and it picked up right where Fable left me hanging. I loved both books and found the second to be superior to the first. I finally got the answers to all my questions and it concluded on a happy note.

Fable is a fun and likeable character, she has lead a rough life and still has a heart which is lovely to see. I love the romance in the book as well with West. It very gets too steamy which is exactly what I want to see in a YA book.

Saint was a complex character and well written, I had a difficult time understanding his motives and what he was truly after. I think he was my favorite character at the end.

Overall I loved this series and would recommend it to everyone. The only thing I disliked was when West and Fable didn't communicate and something happened that wouldn't have if they just talked. Other than that was excellent. I also love how the two covers line up to complete the face, it is beautiful.

I feel like I am not going to be able to put in words how I really feel about this book. I just get so swept up in the story and adventure of this duology. Fable is so strong and honest and brave. It was so easy to sink into her story and the world of the book and just want to stay there. The adventures were so sweeping and the twists and turns of the plot with Saint and the trade wars were so intriguing that I hated to put it down to work. I loved the relationship between Fable and West and their crew. I loved watching and learning about her family and past. Namesake was just the right second part to their story.

**3.5**

This was a decent conclusion to Fable's story, but parts of it felt a little contrived, which is why I couldn't rate this higher. I flew through it like the first book because the action kept moving and new revelations continued to be revealed, but overall, some of the pieces that came together, and the ending, just fell a bit flat for me.

I was worried that most of this book would have Fable separated from her crew, which made me nervous because the dynamics between the crew was some of the strongest parts of the first one. Luckily <spoiler>they were reunited not too far in.</spoiler> Although their dynamics did drastically change as events unfolded and it wasn't quite the same. Everyone was just angry at each other the whole time and strongest character development was with Fable and Koy (which I liked), but was really hoping to see more of the rest of the original gang. I liked that we got to learn more about Paj and Auster and their history, as well as Clove and Isolde. I could have used more development of some of the other characters as well (but I said the same thing about the first book and other characters, so this was kind of an overall issue, I guess). I still feel like I did't have a good sense of West. I love a single POV narrative, but this is one of the few times I'll say that I would have enjoyed some West POV chapters thrown in.

Overall though I did enjoy this. It kept me engaged throughout and turning the pages to the very end.

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

I fell in love with the first book, Fable, and I was excited to finish the story! I am about half way through the book and I do not feel as connected to the character as I did in the first one.
Overall, I hoped that Fable would have been a stronger character when it came to her relationships and setting boundaries. I also would have liked to see more romance. The beginning of the book has been a bit slow and I do not know if I will continue for the end. This book is great for young readers, as it suggests, but I wish there was more depth to her relationships and more explanation of her decisioning process.