Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have read from Adrienne Young before. I really loved Sky in the Deep, when I read it back in 2018. So, obviously, when I got my hands on an early copy of Fable I was delighted. I'm not sure what I expected from it, but whatever I got was not it.

The premise of Fable had me hooked. It's pitched as a pirate story about a girl who needs to get off an island full of thieves and criminals, on which she was left by her father. All checks out. Except it's not much of a pirate story. It's set on a ship, yes, but it's not your conventional pirate story.

I liked Fable as a main character at the start. That's usually a good sign, if I like a character at the start, I usually end up loving them by the end of the book. Or at least still liking them. Fable became very bland very fast. Literally everyone else had more personality than her and I definitely cared about the side characters more than her. I didn't dislike her by the end of the book by any means, I just didn't think she was particularly interesting. The side characters were great, though, and I do have a bit of a soft spot for West, I'm not going to lie.

Adrienne Young's writing is beautiful. I had no qualms with the language or narration style. I think she writes beautifully and it was one of the reasons why I continued reading the book even though I could not get into it at all at the beginning.

Which brings me to the biggest downfall of this book, in my opinion. The pacing. The book didn't get interesting to me until the 50% mark. If not the fact I've gotten an arc of this book and it was on my list of most anticipated releases of 2020, I might've DNFed it. The first half dragged. Not much happened, or at least I felt like nothing was happening... and then BAM. Everything started happening all at once. I enjoyed the second half of the book much MUCH more, but considering how slow the first half was, it didn't blow me away. I wish the pacing was a little bit more even.

Overall, while I quite enjoyed the book come the last page, I am on the fence on how I actually feel about it. It lands somewhere around 3.5 stars for me and I might be picking up the sequel once it's out early next year.

Another breathtaking book by Adrienne Young. Fable is the fierce, unapologetic heroine I crave in YA. She is wreck-less at times, but her spirit and voice bounced through the pages. I loved the time spent on the ship, between trading ports, and under the ocean. The story followed a flawless pace and gave me all the ocean-faring adventures I craved. Pick this up and enjoy!

Great start to this series. Loved the characters and the setting. I felt like I was diving with Fable, great writing!
Can’t wait for book 2!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this! It was refreshingly original and I couldn’t put it down. I loved the slow burn romance, the family dynamics with Fable’s father, and the twist at the end. I can’t wait to read the next one!

I was a little hesitant to read this one. Worried it wouldn't live up to the hype. But, I'm so glad I gave it a shot. Fable was great! I loved the characters, the storyline, the tempo. I loved everything about it. I love even more that I have an arc for Namesake to immediately pick up where I left off! ❤

This book was great! The storyline sucked me in from the very first page! It was everything I hoped for and more! One of my top reads of 2020! I can’t wait to read the next book!

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

Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, & St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

Well, Fable. You did it. You and your motley crew have officially made it into my top 5 books of the year. (aka I LOVED THIS BOOK)

This felt like a mashup of Six of Crows (Bardugo) meets Waterworld (the film) meets Pirates of the Caribbean (film) meets Illuminae (Kristoff/Kaufman) meets Scarlet (Gaughen). So basically Adrienne Young took all my favorite things and put them together with her own delicious spin on them. Yeah. I'm obsessed.

If there are qualms to be had about this story, characters, dialogue, or any other bit of it - I honestly don't know what they are and I don't care. I was completely immersed from the first line of the first page and this story didn't let go until the very end (which is actually kind of a lie because THAT CLIFFHANGER, THOUGH).

The world building took me a little bit of time to fully wrap my head around, but I honestly didn't mind because I found the characterization so strong - not to mention the atmospheric feel of the story. I know it sounds silly and maybe overblown to say I could feel the salt spray on my face but y'all. I did. Okay? I just did.

This is one of those unicorn books that I have already found myself recommending to anyone and everyone - my literary fiction loving friend LOVED this book just as much as me (we ordered t-shirts - it's real). I would probably describe it as a fantasy adventure thrilling romance with a strong found family feel...and I would definitely suggest you add this one to your TBR ASAP!

(Sequel comes out in March, and it's frickin fabulous as well, just in case you were interested.)

I really loved this book so much 😍
Fable, the name enchanted me from the beginning but I had trouble getting into the story at first. There was a lot of details about life in a seaside town, and at first it really went above my head, I'm not kidding. But as the story progressed, I got used to the terms and references, and boy did I love it.

Fable took some time to grow on me. She came out as a strong character and I really adored her willpower and personality. And what more I loved was the crew!!! Goddamn I adored these lost kids who were so messy and deadly and yet so generous. Together, they truly rocked the story 🤪

The author does such a commendable job in slowly revealing the characters to us readers, peeling each layer slowly. She really made us attached to them and made us read, and that was the best part. I cared for the Marigold crew and I found myself rooting for them! And West 😍👌

Overall, this book was full of adventure and secrets and water ! The sea life in a ship was described so beautifully and intricately, with the right amount of detail. By the end of the book, I found myself unable to stop. And the ending just makes me want to go in the future and read the second book asap ;-;

Fable is not a truly new fantasy, tbh, there are recurring themes but it really had the right amount of everything - adventure, fight, tension and friendship! Also the romance was barely there so I enjoyed it even more! Yay to the pinning 🥺👌

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an early copy of this book. All opinions expressed are mine.

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC so I can review this book.

First of all, Adrienne Yound is a QUEEN when it comes to writing. I'm a fan of every book she has written so far.

Fable is one of those books that sucks you into the world really deeply.
Her father leaves her to pretty much die but she is so much more stronger than he believes.
I fell in love with her additude and how much stronger she became as she had to survive and given what she is owed.

She has to prove herself to be trustworthy towards a whole new crew who save her and there are so many secrets to be discovered.

Now, I'm a huge romance lover and the little bits of slow burn in this novel just made it all the more better.

This book was brilliant. The writing style is so beautiful and you feel completely immersed in the world. Though this book was very plot driven and world building heavy, I didn’t feel depraved of character development. The depth was of the story and how things kept unfolding was just amazing. I truly couldn’t put the book down and I cannot wait for the next one!

There are heroines for whom leadership is thrust upon them. These are the girls who reluctantly rise to greatness, which usually involves some major soul-searching and testing of their fortitude. Then, there are those heroines like Fable by Adrienne Young. These girls know their strengths and weaknesses, both physical and mental, and have no problems rushing headlong into danger for the right reasons.

Fable is T-O-U-G-H. Not only does she survive for four years on an island of thieves and cutthroats living by herself, but she also free-dives like she was born underwater, stares down potential rapists, and faces danger with a clear, pragmatic head. Yet, Ms. Young lets us know just how fragile she is underneath that cool exterior. After all, being abandoned as a preteen by your father after being told you weren't meant for this life, is going to leave emotional scars, of which Fable has plenty.

One of the best things about Fable, outside of the fact that she can kick some major ass, is her self-awareness. She may have daddy issues, but she doesn't (always) let them interfere with what she needs to accomplish. She knows her strengths and plays to them. Also, she has the ability to read others' body language, which helps tremendously in her situational awareness.

For most of the novel, Fable does everything right no matter what the world throws her way. She sets goals, follows her instincts, observes, and acts appropriately, and eventually achieves her goals. This does not mean the story is boring. In fact, the story is exciting as she finds her plans thwarted at every step through no fault of her own and must constantly adapt. There is only one mistake she makes throughout the course of the novel, which ultimately sets up the cliffhanger ending to leave you wanting more, and boy do I want more.

Fable is not a long read. Personally, I finished it in the course of a few hours. This is partly because it is not a very long novel at 368 pages but also because I did not want to stop reading. I found myself so engrossed in her story that I could not put it down. In addition, with its tropical setting, Fable is the perfect antidote to a gloomy autumnal weekend.

I LOVED this book. This might just be my favorite from Adrienne Young. The island setting and the grittiness of pirates just helped make this book so intriguing and I am so glad I decided to pick this one up. Beautiful writing matches with a setting that is described so vibrantly, I felt as if I was there myself. Fable was a wonderful character to get to know and to see her strength only grow throughout the story. I am know a loyal Adrienne Young reader and will read anything she writes! Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for my copy. I would highly recommend this book to everyone!

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was quite an enjoyable easy read! I really was rooting for Fable after reading about her horrible life (though she did like the dredging part) on the island of Jeval where she had been abandoned by her father, Saint. She works so hard to get back to him, even though that might not be the best idea. She had some good friends (after the initial mistrust) in the crew of the Marigold. The world seems very believable and fascinating with the sailing though I do want to learn more about Isolde and gem mages. There is much adventure and hardships in this story and I cannot wait for the next book as this one ends on a very big cliffhanger!

Adventure. Found family. And a hint of magic. Fable has it all!
I absolutely fell in love with each of these characters and I want to live in this beautifully atmospheric world!
The pacing was just perfect. There wasn’t a boring moment in the entire book, and the ending left me shaking! Can’t wait for Namesake!! This is definitely a new favourite fantasy.

I have been waiting for this book all year and it did not disappoint. Adrienne Young has done it again, drawing you into a world that immediately makes you feel like you a apart of it. From the very beginning of the book I felt the stress Fable felt.

Fable by Adrienne Young is the first book in a new young adult fantasy duology. This new fantasy series is one that immediately appealed to me as it’s one set on the sea with a strong female lead so with my attachment to all things pirate I went in with high hopes.

Fable is a seventeen year old who does whatever she needs to do to survive the harsh enviroment that surrounds her. Four years before Fable’s mother had died, drowning during a huge storm, and at that time her father, the most powerful trader in the Narrows, abandoned her so she then needed to learn quickly how to adapt to her new surroundings and survive.

Fable has been saving her coin as she spends her time diving into the deep to find the rare gems that others have left behind. Fable’s mother had taught her some of her skills before her passing so Fable uses that knowledge to help her find the best wares to trade so she can escape the island that has been her home the last four years and finally go in search of the father that abandoned her.

Immediately as one begins to read Fable it becomes easy to see this as a highly immersive tale as the action begins in the first few pages. Fable is one that adapts well to what needs to be done in order to survive and doesn’t take anything from those around her so it was easy to root for her all throughout the story. Seeing the length of this one i was a bit worried it may be slow going but it really turned out to be more fast paced moving from one thing to another and had my attention from the very beginning. It will definitely be interesting to see where the story goes in the next book now knowing how this one has ended so count me as one to be among the first in line for book two!

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This is probably my favorite read of the year. This book has action, adventure and hint of romance. I loved all the characters and their interactions with each other. A great story that ends on a cliffhanger that leaves you wanting more!

I love pirate/sailing stories so when I heard about Adrienne Young’s new book Fable, I couldn’t wait! Fable is definitely a slower book but there’s still plenty of action and adventure! It took me a bit to connect with the main character, Fable, but I eventually grew to like her. However, I did love her character growth throughout the course of the novel.

Plus I absolutely adored her found family, they were really the best part of the novel. There’s also some pretty cool magic that I’m hoping will be expanded in the second book of this duology. And I really liked getting to learn so much about sailing and diving! Overall, Fable is definitely worth a read if you like Adrienne Young’s books and/or YA books featuring pirates and sailors.

Fable is the daughter of the most powerful merchant of the Narrows, the sea is the only home she knows. She is 17 years old and it has been 4 years since her father abandoned her on an island full of thieves with little food. To survive she can only rely on herself and on the talent her mother left her. Indeed she can feel the vibrations of the stones under the sea and go to fetch them in order to sell them for food. She only dreams of one thing, to go back to her father and prove to him that she is made for this life. To do so, she will land on West’s boat so that he can drop her off on the island where her father lives. You understand well that everything will not happen as planned…

Fable was a child who was loved by her mother, as far as her father was concerned I also think it was the case but he couldn’t show it. It was a risk and by abandoning her he tried to protect her, I know it’s a twisted explanation but it’s understandable. Fable is a young girl full of potential, she has a talent, she is also full of good will, she doesn’t want to owe anything to anyone and in the end she will become attached to the whole crew. You will have understood that I like Fable a lot, she is a heroine as I like them, certainly she makes mistakes, she is unable to obey, even for her own good but in the end she is so endearing.

West is a charming boy, you can feel from the beginning that he is trying to protect Fable, he only buys stones from Fable, he comes to the island very often, so yes he has a hidden reason but he could have given up, something he didn’t do, he even saved Fable from an almost certain death. He is a good boat captain, he is young but he knows how to be respected, he makes good decisions and he will see all the colors.

I liked the beginning of the collaboration, if we can call it that, between Fable and the crew, necessarily at the beginning nobody trusts her, nobody wants her to be there but little by little, they open up and start to appreciate this young girl.

I like Adrienne Young’s style very much, I liked these previous novels a lot and this one is no exception. I have only one thing to say: WHAT IS THIS END!!!!!!! Why make me wait so long for Namesake (Volume 2). I’m really looking forward to finding out what will happen next and how the story of Fable and West will end.

Quick Word: This book is a nugget, read it!

This is going to be one tough review, but I'll do my best to be as honest and detailed as possible.

Let's start from the beginning. FIVE GLORIOUS STARS. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is not the kind of smooth beginning that takes you by the arm into a wondrous world of magic and seas. It's the kind of start that grabs you by the neck and sinks into the deep saltwater then shoves you onto an island of thieves and liars where you are left to fend for yourself. The rules of this world are aptly put:
"Keep your knife where you can reach it.
Never ever owe anyone anything.
Nothing is free.
Always construct a lie from the truth.
Never under any circumstances reveal what or who matters to you."

And that's that.

Moving on from the beginning. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The rating dips a little for the many backstories and the slowdown in pace. Young was still building the world layer by layer, but the plot seemed to slowly move forward.

Then it dipped further. ⭐⭐⭐
The plot kind of halted here. I do not wish to share any spoilers. Here we see enemies turn into allies, maybe even frenemies. But it wasn't convincing enough, mainly because the characters that were supposed to elevate the plot at this point weren't developed enough. This part actually sagged.

The real damper. ⭐⭐
The romance. Ugh! It's a real damper for me. "It was love all along" and all that. Fable didn't get proper credit for getting herself out of whatever it was that she was thrown into. And who really was the credit attributed to? I'm not gonna say., but it pissed me off.

I really really really wanted to like this book more. I wanted to love it as much as I loved it in the beginning. I'm curious about how things are going to develop for Fable in the next instalment, now that we've got past the angst and sea shenanigans.

So much thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.