I found this book difficult to get through. I could not get a feel on the main character. She came across rather unlikable. Which I don't think was the case of the author. So, I have to blame it on the writing.

It appears that the book was already well received by Reese Witherspoon and various others, so perhaps it was just me.

I only got through 20% of this book.

This book is a must-read!!! It is refreshing and I would like to incorporate it in with my classroom!

Deserving of the hype. All the characters are well-developed, even the supporting cast. Good pacing and a hell of a cliffhanger ending!

I loved this book so much. I loved the adventure and I loved Fable. She was strong from the get go and you couldn’t help but root for her!

I received an e-arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Fable is the story of a girl who is left by her father on an island where she has to dredge stones to survive. She always trades with one ship, the Marigold. Fable’s life starts when she is able to barter her way off the island and gets caught in the Marigold’s drama.

I really enjoyed Fable! It was such a heartwarming, and kind of heart racing at times, story about a young girl finding her place in the world after her father abandoned her. Adrienne Young’s characters were so well developed and made you fall in love with each of them. I’m excited to see where the sequel goes after Adrienne Young left us on that cliffhanger.

3.5 stars. I tried getting into this in written format but I kept hitting a wall. Thank goodness I listened to everyone who said to give it another chance! I tried it on audio and the narrator was great! I really enjoyed the story, the character development for the MC, Fable, and the slow forming friendships (trust needs to be earned). I found several things unbelievable (ie, Fable’s fathers’ decisions), but overall it was a good read and I’d definitely recommend it.

Leaving reviews on goodreads and amazon.

I received an ebook copy from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and let me tell you, I was not disappointed! This is the first title I have read from Adrienne Young and will not be the last. I adored this book so much that I finished it in a day and today I preordered a signed copy! Action, adventure, and intrigue abound in this epic tale and while it does end with a cliff hanger I don't care because the sequel will be out in March and I have a feeling it will be well worth the wait. This YA, pirate romance adventure is where it's at!

Full review will go live on Lair Of Books Blog on 11/5/2020 @ 8am EST

THE 411...

There are five rules. Only five.

Keep your knife where you can reach it.

Never, ever owe anyone anything.

Nothing is free.

Always construct a lie from a truth

Never, under any circumstances, reveal what or who matters to you

These are the five rules Fable lives by, the ones her father had her memorize at a very young age. The same rules she thinks about whenever she thinks of making her way back to him. Saint, a well known Pirate with a fleet abandoned Fable on her fourteenth birthday. After experiencing the death of Fable's mother, he believed Fable would do best away from the world of Pirates. He sailed away leaving her to fend for herself on an island that is pretty tough to survive as it is filled with sketchy cutthroat pirates. He did make her this one promise...

"Get yourself off this island and the next time I see you, I'll give you what is yours" 

Fable is a Dredger, she hunts for underwater treasure and turns a profit from local merchants. She also has the unique inherited gift passed down to her from her mother of deciphering gems. She manages to hustle a Pirate named West to allow her passage on his crew ship as a Dredger. He begrudgingly grants her passage without first taking a vote with his crew. Fable then has the task of gaining the crews trust and earn the spot she was given without their say. The Marigold sets sail to The Narrows where Fable hopes to find her father Saint. All the while, never revealing that the well known Pirate is her father. It is the one secret he asked her to keep but one thing is clear to Fable...she isn't the only one keeping secrets on The Marigold!

WRITING & FINAL THOUGHTS...

One thing I feel Adrienne Young does so well is familial bonds, fleshing them out so that the reader really understands the connection. After reading Sky in the Deep I knew I'd want to read more from this author and Fable once again delivered, this time with Fable's found family. We see her throughout this entire journey revisiting the memories she has of when she had her father & mother together on their ship The Lark. She hasn't given up on her father despite his abandonment, it just motivates her to prove her worth as a Pirate in his eyes. While on the ship she starts building these connections with the crew members that fill the hole she has for her family. Then there's the relationship she forms with West which personally had me wondering if there was more to it than them just being crew mates. Their relationship doesn't take center stage in the story nor is it really a slow burn. Instead we see West having to trust in Fable's abilities and learn to respect her need to not be restricted. Voice notes with my good friend Taylor over at Nerd Narration helped me see the father/daughter relationship from a different angle. Yes I absolutely ended the night in tears & said to myself yet again, Adrienne Young is an author to keep an eye out for.

I received this book from Netgalley, Wednesday Books, and Adrienne Young in exchange for an honest review. There are not enough words to explain how much I loved this book. The world building of the story was amazing. Fable is a great main character to tell the story and I could picture everything about her story. I couldn't put this book down because I had to know what was going to happen next. If you are a fan of pirate themed books, then this is the book for you. Adrienne Young truly out done herself on this one and I can't wait to read Namesake when it comes out. Definitely add this book to your TBR pile if you haven't already.

Some stories grip you tightly from the beginning and drag you along through chapters of thrilling emotions and heart-pounding suspense. Fable is not that story. You don't reach the end frantic and out of breath. Rather, when you close the book you're left to pause and close your eyes as the story's world drifts away from you like the tide and you slowly return to the present.

This isn't to say that Fable isn't an exciting story - in fact, the storyline is very compelling. However, the plot isn't 'heavy,' as it is with some stories. There is no life-altering, world-ending, driving force that is pushing the story along. There's just a girl and her convictions, and she guides us through this story with a steady hand at our backs. The entire plot of the story can be summarised as "Fable finding a way off the island, Fable finding Saint, and Fable finding her own way." There is diving and trading, negotiating business and sailing (a lot of sailing), and not much else - but the story is far from boring.

The story is one that I can only describe as "atmospheric." The setting that Adrienne Young builds is undeniably vibrant and compelling. You can easily picture yourself on the deck of The Marigold, with the planks swaying beneath you and a salt breeze misting your skin as the sun glares down, or within the claustrophobic confines of a port town, with the stench of stale bodies and fish faintly permeating everything. It hardly matters what is happening, because the world is an almost living thing that drags you in and traps you within its pages.

However, this book does not need the enticing world to carry the story; there is a rich cast of characters whose interactions are the driving force for the narrative. It is a story exploring independence, family, and belonging. It is a book about what one does to survive in a cutthroat and ruthless world and the lines between good and bad and all of the grey space in-between. Every member of the crew is compelling in different ways, and all of the main characters have a depth that seems to extend beyond the scope of this book.

This book was escapism at its finest, and I am eager for the sequel.

This book was such a fantastic pirate adventure! It hooked me from the beginning and didn't let up. I loved Fable, West, and the whole cast of characters. I loved the setting and all of the high sea action. Sometimes I felt things were a little rushed over, but overall this book was amazing! I highly recommend and we'll definitely be purchasing this book for our library.

Well, the ending wasn't what I expected but that was kind of nice - not the ending but not getting the expected. Anyway, I really liked this story about a young girl, abandoned on a remote island, surviving on her own, and making it back to the father she used to love. There was a lot going on, including pirates, sunken treasures, gem sages, rivalries, etc. Good book.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Absolutely stunning cover. I don’t often pick up fantasy but something about this cover and the quick summary I read and I couldn’t resist. It ended up being a very enjoyable read and I really look forward to the next book in the series!!!

Rating - 4.5 stars

I loved this book from start to finish. There is high seas adventures; secrets, lies and suspense; relatable characters and hate able characters. I know nothing about boats but found myself intrigued with all of the ins and outs of manning a ship. This was a very descriptive story and I CANNOT WAIT to read Namesake.

I love Adrienne Young’s writing. I think she really goes out of her way in her novels to create the worlds that once existed whether that be Vikings or traders.⁣⁣
In this book, Fable, who has lost everything at age 13 fights everyday for 4 years to find a way back to where it all began so she can finally have something of her own. Loyalties are tested, trusts are broken, help comes from the unlikeliest of places. But is it enough for her to get her new beginning? Set sail and find out.
Love the shipping terms used even if I only know “main sail” and “going about”. Also look out for Easter eggs from her previous books. Subtle but you’ll catch it. ⁣

I was really hoping to like this book, unfortunately it was okay for me. It felt a little empty for me. Like there was so much detail that could have been put into it. I’m hoping the next one is better.

I liked The Girl the Sea Gave Back, I loved Sky in the Deep, I was obsessed with this one! This adventure-filled story has everything you want: charismatic characters with badass attitude, danger, secrets, feud, love, and a chest of jewels in a long-ago sunken ship. Adrienne Young really has a world (several worlds, it seems, actually) of her own. Can’t wait for the sequel!

Pirate stories definitely had their day in the sun in the YA publishing world. It hits its peak probably about 2 years ago I’d say and has noticeably tapered off since then. During its peak, I think I only read one duology in this subgenre that I really liked (“Song of the Current”). Many of the others couldn’t quite strike on the right tone, in my opinion, too often falling into angsty, drama traps that didn’t befit the dangerous but cavalier nature of what I was looking for in a pirate story. But I’ve liked Adrienne Young’s work in the past, so I was happy to pick up her most recent book and see if she could crack the code!

The last four years of Fable’s life have been a mad scramble for survival. Abandoned on a island made up of thieves and murderers, every day is a danger. But Fable is driven: she will earn her way onto a ship and track down her powerful sea trader father and reclaim what is hers. But getting off the island is only the least of her struggles, she soon realizes. Alongside West, a secretive ship’s captain with mysteries of his own, and his ragtag crew who don’t trust Fable farther than they can throw her, Fable makes her way back out onto the ocean where storms are only the tip of the iceberg as far as dangers go.

This is what I like in a pirate story! The action is non-stop, the stakes are high, and death could be right around the corner for practically anyone, and that’s just life. Fable’s story starts out with the loss of her mother, but from there on out, Young doesn’t let up on the gas. These pirates have teeth and they’re not afraid to use them. The world-building sets up a nautical trade war where different factions vie for power using whatever methods they have at their disposal.

To live in this world, Fable is equally ruthless and accepting of living life on the edge of a knife. While her arch includes self-discovery, she also begins her journey from a solid foundation of trusting her own judgement, determinedly facing down challenges before her, and pursuing goals single-mindedly. Rather predictably, perhaps, many of her lessons come from learning the value of others, be they crew members, friends, or lovers. But even in the midst of these learning moments, I liked how practical and sure-footed Fable felt. She meets hardship and disappointment head-on and is a character that is easy to root for.

I also really liked the world Young created here. The various trading organizations, the tensions between captains, ships, and their crews, and the small dash of magic here and there that roots the entire thing in a fantasy setting. There’s just enough magic to make it feel “other,” but it’s also very recognizable as a “Pirates of the Caribbean” type place and culture. Could perhaps have dealt with a bit more humor and gallows humor to really fit that pirate stereotype, but it walks pretty close to the line.

The side characters were all interesting enough but weren’t breaking any boundaries, really. Most of them fell into fairly predictable roles, and their initial feelings and their changes of heart towards Fable all follow a paint-by-numbers format. The romance is also nothing special. I didn’t dislike West by any means or the romance as a whole, but there simply wasn’t much new there. West’s original motives and interest in Fable are left fairly unexplained. He seems to just kind of fall for her offscreen. And her own feelings develop in the usual way. The minute West shows up, you pretty much know exactly what you’re going to get here. I am curious to see what the second book will do with this, though. There’s less of a format for continued love stories than there is for their initial set-up.

Overall, I really liked this book. It didn’t blow me out of the water, but it also presented a solid pirate story of the sort I couldn’t seem to find even at the peak of the subgenre’s popularity. The story does end on a bit of a cliffhanger, so be aware of that going in. I think the next book is slated to come out this very spring, though, so the wait is short for those who want to dive into this now and not worry about being strung along for years and years. If you like pirate stories or are a fan of Young’s past work, this book is definitely worth checking out.

Rating 8: A solid main character and interesting new world make up for the fairly predictable romance.

(Link will go live Nov 25)

I was really nervous with this one because about halfway through I felt like I hadn’t really read much. It seemed to be all about boats, pyre, boats, gems, islands, scoundrels, boats, coppers, Saint and West.

However by the last 30% I was really starting to get into it. Plus it was left in such a cliffhanger! I was not prepared for that at all. I really loved West and Fable and Willa. I think that those were really solid, lovable relationships. I think the amount of tension and drama towards the end would have been even better with more drama throughout.

Overall I’m excited for the sequel for this one to see what happens next.

I'm a big fan of Young's Viking-themed debut: 𝘚𝘬𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘦𝘱. I feel hard for her atmospheric world building and the found family trope, which is only magnified in her newest fantasy duology.

Channeling strong 𝘗𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 Caribbean vibes, 𝐅𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 is a fun read full of action, secrets, and a twist ending that will have you bartering with @wednesdaybooks for an advanced copy of book 2! 😉Seriously as soon as I read the final word, I open my earc of 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘦 to see what happens to Fable, West, and the crew of the Marigold. Even if you have to wait for answers, do yourselves a favor and join 𝐅𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 on her journey.

And I'm not the only one that thinks so! In fact, @reesewitherspoon just picked 𝐅𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 as her newest YA book club selection (@hellosunshine), so jump on the ship already, y'all!