Before I get into my review, I must commend the author- Adrienne Young for her excellent choice of book covers. Fable and its sequel Namesake, have truly arresting covers that are visually stunning and almost bewitching.

After reading Fable, I was extremely excited to learn about another book in the series and utterly heartbroken to learn this would only be a two-part series. How would Adrienne compress such an intense story into one book I asked myself? Could she do justice to the spunky Fable and her epic tale?

After reading the first chapter it was evident to me that I should just shut my mouth and let Adrienne do the talking because the bombs were dropped from the very beginning and continued dropping right until the very last page!

Namesake was an absolute masterpiece that managed to give me everything I didn’t know I needed. Adrienne Young takes readers on an adventure of a lifetime with her bold characters and vivid descriptions from the deep blue seas, to rowdy pubs and ship deck bawls. Namesake fully immersed me from the first page with its nonstop thrills and surprises. The power struggles throughout the novel were riveting and shockingly intense.

Halfway through the book and all I can think is "Holy mother of an epic plot twist!" I’ve seen people say books can be impactful, but honestly, Namesake transported my soul. This was an emotionally gut-wrenching story of betrayal, revelations, love, friendship, and family. The revelations within Namesake floored me with the depth of emotion and I am not ashamed to admit the ending had me crying fat ugly tears with both its beauty and simplicity.

I adored Fable in the first book and I loved that readers get the opportunity to see her growing up in Namesake. Stepping into adulthood for Fable means accepting there is more to life than survival. To sail the waters of the Narrow, she may have to sacrifice the very things she now begins to understand are important- family, friendship, and trust.

Fable has always been a loner and emotionally distant based on her abandonment by Saint and to see her finally on the verge of happiness and a place to belong only have it violently ripped away was unbearable. My heart bled for Wes and Fable who were always so close but never on the mark.

One theme echoed throughout the novel is that of “Family.” I love that Namesake pushed the veil of family beyond the ties of blood to something richer and deeper and infinitely more beautiful. Families come in all shapes and sizes as evidence by the various iterations and representations throughout the novel from crewmates to lovers, old friends from the past, and even surprise relations.

As the novel progresses and things are brought to light, Fable can no longer fault the wrongs previously committed to her as she learns the truth about herself and her past. Saint and Fable have always had a tumultuous relationship and the beauty of certain moments where they bared their vulnerabilities to each other was heartwarming.

Thank you to NetGalley, Adrienne Young, and St. Martins Press for providing me with an arc of this incredible book. All thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own.

Once again, the author has given a fantastic story! Love the continuation of “Fable” and the extension of Fable’s story and history. I’m only sad it’s just a duo because I’d love to see more!

I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is amazing. In my opinion, way better then Fable. You are able to kinda get the feel what is going to happen in the book. Like Saint being Fable's dad for example. I do love the plan that played out throughout the book. It was truly a good book.

I fell in love with the story the first chapter in Fable. I can't believe i got the arc from Namesake. The first thing that really took my eye are these beautiful covers. You can't look past them. When i startes reading i just fell in love with the people so much. Fable is a badass, take no shit girl. Who isn't afraid to stand up for herself. But sometimes her soft sidr comes out. If you loved Fable as much as i did you you read Namesake from the moment it releases.

I cannot express my excitement in words having received this extraordinary, magnificent, masterpiece of a story! Let me begin by saying thank you for the opportunity to have read it!

This is the perfect sequel for what is one of my very favorite books, Fable. Adrienne Young's writing is a dynamic, delicious treat that hits to the core of my reading soul. Whether you were a fan of Fable or have yet to read it (gasp!) this is a story that cannot be missed. The duology is one of the most powerful I have read in quite some time. This story picks up right where Fable left off and every longing and lingering question I had in my mind after having read the first installment was wrapped up nicely and left me thoroughly satisfied.

I do not want to give spoilers as that is unfair and would dampen such a rich reading experience. What I can say is that you WILL NOT be disappointed by taking this enchanting journey. I was captivated from the first paragraph and that reading "high", if you will, lasted throughout the entire story!

I cannot recommend this enough!

Way to go, Adrienne Young! The highest praise and accolades are entirely deserving to come your way!

Wow... This book was amazing. I enjoyed Fable but I loved Namesake.

This installment picks up right where Fable left off and it's non-stop twists until the end. We get more of the characters we came to love in Book 1 and get to know some characters even better.

My favorite part is the development between Fable and Saint. It was beautifully handled and brought tears to my eyes.

The end was perfect and I am completely satisfied with the way it all wrapped up. Highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC in exchange for a review.

So I loved Fable! That book was stay up all night and read it worthy, this one is sooo much more! Fable is back and she is still the strong character she was but now, we are getting a glimpse of her in a pinch. Revenge and self serving is a powerful motivator for a pirate type of person, so kidnapped Fable finds herself on the enemy's ship. Now, she's not going to be hurt on this ship; she is basically a pawn in the plan of the captain. He wants his freedom so he travels to Holland (A new character) and tries to trade Fable for her. Now, this gives more of a backstory as Holland is Fable's grandmother and she sees an opportunity to try to gain her way to get what she wants soo plots and evil schemes and Fable just wants to protect Saint and West and it seems like she gets played just trying to keep everyone safe.
There are more mysteries and lots of different aspects that are just AMAZING! I loved that we saw more of the relationship blossoming between West and Fable but we also get more of the other side of West too.
This is a whole other adventure and the ending was perfect, I wished it never ended! I can't wait until the next series this author comes up with. She's a very talented author!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was really surprised by how much I loved Fable when I read it earlier this year. I expected to like it, but I had no idea it would be one of my favorite books of the year. I'm happy say I enjoyed Namesake as well. I found it action packed and engrossing, but also a little lacking when you compare it to the first book. It felt a bit that everything moved way too quickly, especially the ending. Everything was just wrapped up in a little bow way too quickly. I wish that it had been split into two books to give everything a bit more time to be fleshed out, and for me to experience more of the world. I also wanted a bit more of Fable and West's relationship, I felt there was a lot to explore there, along with her relationship with the father. I still really enjoyed it however, and I am very sad to say goodbye to Fable and the crew of the Marigold.

I plan on posting a more in depth review in March, closer to publication date. Thank you again for the opportunity to read and review Namesake.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This book was just everything I didn't know I needed in a book. I just fell in love with the characters. Their charisma, drive, love and endearment for their craft and their companions was so strong and pulsed throughout my imagination that I couldn't put it down! Fable is everything you need in a female heroine. Her ferocity and love propelled her in such a way that you could knot help but root for her!

I am not ready to let these characters go and I need to know what happens next. It's set up for another tale of high sea adventures and folly and I really hope that we get another wild ride with this captivating crew upon their experience in this newly created world in the Narrows and Bastion!

I loved this sequel. Such a magical world and I adore Fable and West. This sequel was action packed and full of heart. I will be posting a Bookstagram review closer to release date.

As if I didn't rave enough about Fable, I am back to command everyone to read the sequel, Namesake. So thankful @netgalley allowed me to read this ARC ahead of time, because it would have killed me to wait until it publishes in March!!! (Ssooo sorry for those of you that have to be more patient than I)
.
.
⚓ This story was twistier then Fable, things happened that I did not see coming... I think I even felt a little Ocean's Eleven vibe there towards the end and I loved it.
.
⚓ Fable's story is not just about uncovering buried treasure, but also defining family and belonging. Is it blood? Or is her family her crew? Both? The answer isn't simple for her and I loved being on her journey as she figured out who and where she wanted to be.
.
.
⚓ Add backstabbing helmsmen, traitorous merchants, undercover navigators, surprising loyalty, self sacrifice and some really sweet revenge, and I've only scraped the surface of what I loved about this book. It is definitely a favorite of 2020!!!
.
.
⚓ Content was similar to the first book, a handful of profanities, nothing major. A romantic scene or two that is almost closed door, very few details. Definitely violence and some blood though, so beware of that!
.
⚓ Also, my anxiety was heightened even MORE during Fable's dives in this book 😰😰😰. Just get some scuba equipment, ok??!?! 😅

I was absolutely ecstatic to get an arc of this book. After finishing fable I could
Think of nothing else. My mind just ran circles thinking about fable and west and marigold and the entire crew!! Imagine my excitement to see my approval for namesake. And let me tell you, I WAS NOT LET DOWN. this is exactly what I needed to keep me enthralled after fable. If you haven’t read fable -WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!!!! Pick these up ASAP!!!

Okay, so early reviews had me worried, BUT! I am a few chapters in (longer review to come shortly) and I believe, in my humble opinion, that the sequel will absolutely live up (or surpass!) the first installment, Fable.

Within ONE chapter, you can clearly see evidence of Fable's growth as a character and woman. Her ferocity has exploded from her and Fable emerges early on as a force not to be reckoned with.

The plot and pacing are break-neck from chapter one.

Voice and writing are still excellent.

Goodreads Summary:
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. 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.

A perfect sequel to Fable!

Adrienne Young creates the best ending to the duology complete with her flawless writing. This book keeps you reading right from the beginning, always wondering what is going to happen next. There are many plot twists that the reader will not see coming but add so much to the story. The ending ties everything up neatly. And while you will still want to read more about Fable the story is complete. Definitely one of the best novels I have read this year!

Namesake starts exactly where Fable left off, and I could not have been happier being in this world again, and seeing these characters. Fable is such a great character, I love her progression and how genuine she is. West, too. His path was a little rockier than Fable's, but that's just because he's such a heartthrob. Their relationship is everything! And I really enjoyed being able to know Koy a little more. I really loved the decision to include him more in this novel.
I love the language Adrienne uses, especially when describing anything that Zola does; she makes anything he does, like even drinking tea, uncomfortable and gross. I also love how she writes suspenseful scenes; there were so many times throughout Namesake that my heart was racing and I started sweating because I was so nervous. Namesake is just one big adventure, filled with romance and suspense. When I tell you I was sobbing (from happiness) by the time I finished it would be an understatement. Namesake is beautiful, there is no other way to say it!

“A battle for what she loves, Namesake continues Fable’s story of wanting more than to survive, but to live.”

Cecelia Beckman, Sheaf & Ink

Adrienne Young vividly brings readers into the realm of The Narrows. You can taste the salt on your lips. Hear the waves crash against the ship like cymbals colliding together in a symphonic storm. Smell the brine and sweat of days work. Your belly aching for something more than fish and rye. Feel the prickle of something amiss when the clouds begin to shift. A storm brewing. Ready to flood your senses. The atmospheric nature of Namesake drives the story and is a force of its own.

Young’s duology is one that will have readers ensnared by the shear beauty of the cover. And though the cover for both novels are stunning, I feel Young could have explored and delved deeper into this last novel. I didn’t feel as connected with the narrative as I did with the first novel.

I felt I was taking longer pauses between chapters. Given that the pacing was uneven, as I mentioned in my review of the first novel, it was the main reason I kept setting the book down. There are moments though where things do pick up. But because it’s not consistent it was distracting and off-putting.

And when the story does pick up like a gale of wind during the onset of a tempest, you begin to wonder if it will be Fable’s last dive. Will she find enough gems or “the” gem in order to have a future of her own. Then, sadly, right as things manage to pick up, the story begins to slow to a crawl, particularly on land scenes when the stakes aren’t as high, except for the end.

If I was given a wish list for this book I would have wished that the book had been written into two sections. The first focusing on Fable’s apprenticeship with her mother and the second with present day.

By showing how Fable learned to become a gem sage and her relationship with her mother would have added to the layers of Fable as a character. Her magic seemed to play a major role in the novel.

But it never felt fully realized or developed. As we don’t get a full idea of how Fable attains her ability as a gem sage, besides hearing the hum of the stones. And without that backstory, Namesake lacked the full magical depth of how one becomes a fully qualified gem sage.

Further, the relationship between Fable and her father was one I felt defined the story. Had Young sectioned this off into Fable’s childhood and present day, I think the ending scene would have felt more powerful rather than a cloying sentiment that didn’t feel completely genuine.

A race across the sea. A girl finding herself and her way home. Namesake is a book with romance, twists, all wrapped in a gorgeous cover that will have readers hooked and anxious to read the end of Fable’s tale.

Happy Reading ̴ Cece

Ahhhh, I LOVED this book! Highly recommend you read Fable first...Namesake picks up right where Fable leaves off. Not sure how it's possible, but loved this second book even better. It will have you captivated from the very first page until the last.
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

If you enjoyed Fable, then Namesake will not disappoint! I fell in love with Fable's story and couldn't wait to be back on board a ship with her. Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

The story picks up right where Fable leaves off. The reader will meet new characters as well as visit some old. All the questions I had were answered and nothing felt forced or overtly predictable. The pacing of Adrienne's books are impeccable. The Fable duology will be a series I revisit when I'm craving a comfort read or the ocean.

Adrienne Young does it again! If you thought Fable was excellent you're going to love this high sea game of cat and mouse.
Fable, Wes, and crew are in way over their heads as they find themselves pawns not only of Saint but of Holland, the queen bee of the Unnamed sea. Everyone seems to be scheming including the crew of the Marigold. This book will keep you on your toes from beginning to end. I must add I love Saint! He's the perfect villain. I feel towards Saint exactly like Fable does, I know he's a scary bastard but something about him keeps drawing me in. Is he good WAYYYY deep down or is Fable just a tool for him to use? You will find out by the ending!
Let's hope the end of 2020 is as satisfying ending as this book.

In what I am learning is classic Adrienne Young style, this second novel in the Fable duology continues the epic surprises. I mean seriously, I sat, mouth agape, for 75% of this novel. Of course the mystery and intrigue are still there, with only little tidbits and snippets of important info released RIGHT when you least expect it!

BRAVO Adrienne Young, you have ROCKED this second book. Often second books are either great or fall flat of the first. This is most definitely a MUST READ.

Fable continues her journey with West, as more secrets about Saint are revealed, including this thoughtful thoroughness (as only a father would do). We also continue to learn more about not only Fable’s background and history, but also that of her mother, Clove, her father’s navigator, and of course West.

I left off in Fable wanting to learn more background about West’s crew, and Young does not disappoint, as she delves into each crew member's ambitions, and what they hold most dear to their hearts.

As Fable fights and battles her way to the Unknown Sea, West’s burn the world to reach Fable, along with her desperate search for Midnight. This novel is jam packed with great scenes, and emotional turmoil.

I am actually here, sitting, and thinking MAN I WISH SHE’D CARRY THE STORY LINE AGAIN.