Title: Fable
Author: Adrienne Young
Genre: 4.5 out of 5
Rating: Fantasy, YA

As the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home seventeen-year-old Fable has ever known. It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father.
But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him and Fable soon finds that West isn't who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they're going to stay alive.
I was intrigued by this from the very first page. Fable is clearly a better person than me, because if I’d been abandoned—basically to die—by my father four years ago, I wouldn’t have gone back looking for him like I cared. It did make her a strong person, though. The parts on the sea were well-done and vivid, and the land-based settings were vivid and realistic.
I liked all the characters and their relationships were believable. There’s enough escalating tension here to keep me reading late into the night, and I can’t wait to find out what happens in the second book. I saw a post pointing out the similarity between West and The Dread Pirate Roberts from The Princess Bride and now I can’t unsee that…which isn’t a bad thing. I liked the adventure-filled atmosphere and the setting was fascinating.
Adrienne Young is a New York Times-bestselling author. Fable is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Wednesday Press in exchange for an honest review.)

That ending...no. Just no. I need book two now!

After the death of her mother, Fable is abandoned on a cut throat island by her father and has to fight to survive the next four years. Dreams of escaping and taking her rightful place by his side see her dredging for gems in the hope of scraping together enough coin to barter passage off that hellhole.

What ensues is an adventure across the sea, with a mysterious crew who are playing a very dangerous game. Secrets are unearthed, friendships are formed and a new life awaits if she has what it takes to make it.

I LOVED this book! I was slightly dubious because I wasn't into "The Girl the Sea Gave Back" but after watching "Pirates of the Caribbean" 11 times at the cinema when it came out, I was all for a swashbuckling YA fantasy and boy I was not disappointed! I thought the characters were great and I was totally immersed in their world and a life of surviving at sea. The insta-romance I so hated from "The Girl the Sea Gave Back" wasn't present here, instead relationships and trust are hard won in a world that will use any weakness against you. I can't wait to see what happens after that ending...bring on book two!!

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin's Press for providing me with an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Adrienne Young has quickly become an auto buy author for me, and has yet to disappoint. She is such an amazing story teller and Fable is no exception.

I love the character Fable so much. She’s strong, resourceful, and smart, but she’s also naive and careless sometimes. She makes rash decisions, thought out decisions, and is honestly one of the most human characters I’ve ever read. I love that although she has one main goal, her methods of achieving her goal change and grow as she learns and meets new people.

At the end of the day this book is about family. It’s about finding your OWN family and realizing who and what matters in life.

The crew of the ship Marigold is a family. These characters have been through hell together and have fought throughout their lives to get what they have. It’s more than just a ship, it’s a home.

I don’t have too much to stay overall because this is a unique story. The plot is very slow and a lot of time the plot is slowly moved forward because of character interactions and relationships – not necessarily by major plot happenings. Its unusual for a fantasy novel and I honestly absolutely loved it.

Its a beautiful story about finding your way, growing up, and finding out who you are on your own.

I highly recommend this story and if you haven’t already, check out Adrienne Young’s other books!

Fable's world ended the night her father's ship sank into the sea. Her mother was lost in the wreckage and in his grief, her father left her to fend for herself on an island filled with ruthless thieves where she must always be on her guard and must fight for every scrap that she has. She has eked out an existence solely focused on surviving and finding a way off of the island to confront the father that abandoned her there.

I'd like to first take a moment to appreciate this gorgeous cover. I am going to buy a print copy just so I can stare into it longingly.

Sometimes a book is exactly what you need in the moment you need it. I have been a bit burned out on YA fantasy - so much overly complex worldbuilding and exposition , formulaic plots, and I am so thankful that this is not that book. This book takes you right into Fable's world and focuses on who she is and what her motivations are, Fable is scrappy and endearing and I just love her. The worldbuilding is organic and is fleshed out as Fable's story unfolds. The mysteries surrounding Fable's life, her father, and West all kept me intrigued and the book breezed by. I love that this is a duology and can't wait to read the last installment, Namesake.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, but honestly I did feel that the flow of the book was just a bit clunky. The stakes didn't feel very high for most of the book and it meandered a bit in the middle - it just didn't feel as tight narratively as it could've.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Stop whatever you are reading and pre-order/order this book! I read Fable in one day because I could not put it down! From the beautiful imagery to the complex cast of characters, this will be one of my favorite books of 2020.

Fable was left on an island four years ago to fend for herself by her father, Saint. When a series of events gets her off this island she is determined to reach her father and claim what is hers. The ensuing adventure leaps off the pages and will make you want to go to the Caribbean RIGHT NOW. I can honestly not wait for the second book in the duology and will for sure be pre-ordering that one as well.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

A tale of the high seas with drama, adventure and a splash of possible love? I’m in! This is a great story and is told through the eyes of Fable, who was born into the life on the sea. I really enjoyed reading this and cannot wait for the second one!

Unfun -- that was the first word that popped into my mind when I finished this book. And sure, I know it doesn't exist but "not fun" doesn't seem enough to express what I was feeling (there was also the problem with the connotation that I didn't enjoy this book) so the solution was to create a new word.

I REALLY liked this book. Hence, that ending was unfun because it was the first kind of cliff-hanger.

Adrienne Young's writing is superb! Not to mention her worldbuilding. She created a culture and meticulously fleshes out the character. This is shown as she gives everyone a back story. And no, it does not make the book drag. Rather, it gives life to the narrative. What is powerful about Young's storytelling is that she shows how everyone carries their own blindspots and motives, things that must be hidden deeply because they are the strongest weapon against you. Each page, until that very "unfun" ending, layers are peeled and in it the art and heart of a gifted wordsmith.

Fable lost her innocence the moment she was abandoned by her father on an island where you don't make friends, only enemies. In a world where there is no grace, only exchange of favors, Fable has to be astute and attentive. When troubles arise, she ends up as an unwelcome passenger of the Marigold. There she meets a group of waterside strays who might just be as canny as her because of their desperation to survive. She is not seeking to reach out to be a part of them, but sometimes camaraderie sneaks up on you and you have to decide if you will become each other's greatest fear or partner to survive the Narrows.

And then that unfun ending came and now I'm left wondering how can I get my hands on the sequel ;)

Adrienne Young did a tremendous job of crafting vivid imagery and dynamic characters that I fell in love with. Abandoned on an island by her powerful father, Fable must survive her harsh circumstances and find her way back to him to demand her rightful place beside him. Filled with adventure and rich descriptions, I was completely transported and could almost taste the salt in the air and hear the seabirds overhead. I adored the ache in my heart as loss and love revealed themselves throughout the story. I can’t wait for the next installment of this duology!

This is the first book I have ever read by Adrienne Young. I have a bit of catching up to do. This story is phenomenal. It's not every day that I come across a new five star author, so I am thrilled beyond reason! The characters are complex and full bodied. The plot is gripping. The world is exquisite. I am quite enraptured. 

I read this entire book in one sitting. It kept me utterly engrossed. There is just something about pirates, ya know? This story is packed with adventure and intrigue, with just a hint of romance. I am utterly blown away by how amazing the story crafting is in this book. Apparently I have a new favorite author.


If you're into shockingly good, piratical stories of girl power, you will definitely love this book.

I need to start this review by establishing 2 things. First, this book is not my normal read. I am normally not a light fantasy reader. Second, this book is my new favorite book of the year. Together those facts should tell you how absolutely fantastic it was.

Fable by Adrienne Young follows Fable who is the daughter of an ocean trader/merchant. When her father’s ship sank, taking her mother down with it, her father leaves her on a remote island with the promise that if she could make her way off the island and back to him she would receive her inheritance.

I went into this book expecting more fantasy, pirates, magic, maybe even mermaids? And even though none of those things were present (other than some very very light magic) this book was still incredible. I have completely fallen in love with Adrienne Young’s writing style and will immediately be picking up her other books and adding her to my auto buy author list. Every scene in this book conjured detailed images in my mind as I was reading, and the cast of characters was so well developed I felt like I was reading about dear friends.

The author left this book on a cliff-hanger, but did it in my favorite way which is to beautifully wrap up all the loose ends we have been working on through the rest of the book and then introduce a new idea that forms the basis of the cliff hanger, leaving me satisfied but still anticipating the next book.

There was only one character that I wish had been developed a bit more fully, and that was West, the romantic interest for the main character. He was developed mostly in his relationships to other characters, and I wanted just a little bit more of just him. That’s truly my only real complaint, as the rest of this book was perfection.

5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was so happy when I was approved for Fable by Adrienne Young but I made myself wait a bit to read it closer to the release date...I'm not sure why I did that. This book was everything I was hoping it would be after having LOVED Sky in the Deep and I can't wait to get my hands on Namesake.

Fable watched her mother die and the next day her father drops her off on an island filled with thieves and her life is changed forever. The only thing driving Fable is the goal of getting off the island back to her father and forcing him to put her on his crew where she belongs. It's been a challenging four years and there were times where she thought she wouldn't make it but with the skills her mother shared with her and a trader named West, Fable has survived. When she is threatened and forced to make an immediate decision, Fable jumps aboard West's ship and bargains whatever she needs to in order to get across the Narrows and back to her father. The thing is, West isn't exactly who he seems and as Fable learns more about him and his crew, she finds herself in a dangerous position.

I love Fable. She is tough and smart and a survivor. She did whatever she needed to on the island and she continued to do so even when she got back to her father. While I could see what her father was trying to do, it was crappy and I felt for Fable but she didn't let his decision take her down. Instead she used her brain and got what she needed out of him. West was initially a bit of a mystery but learning his story and what he an his crew were up to, it was easy to see why he held himself back at first.

This was a book I couldn't put down...literally. I read it in one day because I needed to know all the things and I can't wait to get my hands on book 2 because man, that ending. If you're looking for a young adult book with great characters, an engaging story, lots of action, and some swoony, check this one out immediately!

I had been seeing this book making the rounds on bookstagram and one of my good friends, Tricia @ Bookworm Coalition, also read an advanced copy and highly recommended it to me (click on the link to read her review) so I was super excited to be approved to read an advanced copy of Fable. The cover is so incredibly beautiful and just grips you the more you look at it… I mean, look closely and you will see a little glimpse about what happens in this book.

Almost right off the bat, I was hooked. Fable is stuck on the island of Jeval after her father abandoned her there after her mother tragically died. It’s a dangerous place for anyone let alone a young woman but so magical at the same time. Fable makes her living as a dredger – she dives down to the reefs and extracts stones called pyre. And this is where one of my second favorite characters enters… West. Every couple of weeks, West shows up on his ship, the Marigold, to buy pyre from Fable and Fable only. You can definitely tell that something was going to spark between them eventually. Fable is so close to getting enough copper to get herself off this island and go find her father when s*** hits the fan and she is forced to flee sooner than she had planned.

From that moment on, I did not want to put this book down. So many things happened and days after finishing it, I’m still thinking about it. I was completely captivated by this world and the characters in it. Especially Fable, West, and Willa. I kind of visualized the places as a cross between the different Pirates of the Caribbean ports and the lost boys village from Hook. There is a cliffhanger ending and I am dying to find out what happens next in the sequel, Namesake.

This book had absolutely everything I could want in an adventure novel – action, thrills, heroics, camaraderie, and a bit of romance. With the current state of things in the world today, this was exactly the kind of escape I needed. I have a copy of this book AND the sequel preordered already!

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this young adult fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  So here be me honest musings . . .

I had heard good things about this author's previous works.  Upon seeing the beautiful cover (can ye see the ship in the eyeball?) and finding out it was a sea yarn with pirates I was sure this would be awesome.  However, I read 70% before abandoning ship.  I seem to be in the minority with this one.

To be fair, the premise didn't really make sense to me from the very beginning,.  I wasn't sure why the father would just dump his daughter on an cutthroat island at thirteen without even a knife for protection.  How she survived the four years there was kinda glossed over.  But Fable is a fun character and I really did want an explanation for her father's betrayal.

I enjoyed the elements around Fable's diving abilities and gemstones.  I liked the structure of how the crew of the various ships were set up.  I thought a lot of the nautical elements were well done.  But really as I kept reading, the book just got more and more nonsensical.  The fun story elements are there but not fleshed out enough.  Everything just seemed so surface level.  And the hints of romance were annoying.  So why did I keep reading?  Well I just needed to know why Fable was dumped and what her inheritance was going to be.

Turns out the explanation is silly and the set-up for the rest of the novel didn't really make sense or sound appealing.  Plus the romance began to take more center stage and didn't buy it.  I wanted more diving, more swashbuckling, and more adventure.  But not much really happens during the middle of the book.  Fable's father just made no sense either.  While I have a soft spot for plucky girl characters, not all of Fable's choices made sense.  Also the other characters felt surface level too and I never really bonded with any of them.

I really would have loved to love this book but the elements were not mixed to me taste.

So lastly . . .

Thank you Wednesday Books!

Fable kind of sucked me in, especially once it got going! So let us break down the stuff I really loved versus the stuff I maybe wanted some more of!

What I Loved:

►I could really feel for Fable. Girl has had a really rough go of things, and I feel like if I was her, I'd have collapsed in a corner somewhere, crying and rocking back and forth in the fetal position. But nope, not Fable. She keeps on keeping on. And I loved that!

►Just as I loved Fable, I loved the crew of the Marigold. I think this is, in general, my favorite thing about seafaring books- they come with such a tight knit crew, and the author ensured that this one was no different! One thing I liked was that we find out who they are very slowly, as they've all been through so much that they're wary of letting strangers too close. Honestly, it felt realistic, especially in this world.

►The world is dark. Oy, I'd not want to live here, frankly. You know, places where it seems totally legit for dads to drop their kids off on creepy islands for years on end, places where getting robbed and attacked is more the norm than the exception... hard pass. But I do love reading about it! Plus, it makes for extra high stakes!

►Family secrets! I love a good family secret mystery, and they were aplenty! And look, you can tell that Fable wanted her relationship with her dad to be more, but I think that sometimes it's necessary to acknowledge that it won't be- both in life and in fiction- so I was kind of glad that it wasn't all puppies and rainbows. There were some other secrets too, but I'll leave those alone because... well, spoilers!

►It moved quickly and was so readable! I just kind of found myself in it, you know? And didn't really want to put it down! I immediately added the sequel to my TBR!

What I Would Have Liked More Of:

►World-Building. I just wanted to know a bit more about this place, frankly. Like okay it's kind of a mess, but why? I couldn't really get a good feel for the places or if they were supposed to be different, etc.

►It's a little predictable. Look, it wasn't like, annoyingly so or anything, so I don't want to scare anyone off. But I also gotta be honest ha. And I don't mean that the whole plot was easy to predict, just... a few bigger points.

Bottom Line: So entertaining and a dark, fun ride, I will absolutely be reading the sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and St. Martin’s Press for a gifted eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Add this book to my list of favorite books...EVER! This was so well written, the style was easy to read and flowed really well. There was action, adventure, romance. The plot was fast paced and I was never bored while reading. I was so wrapped up in the story that it was my fastest read in a long time, I never wanted to put it down!

I really enjoyed the world building and loved all of the places we visited, which were described in amazing detail. I also really liked all of the characters, good and bad, and I wanted to be a part of the Marigold crew! I’m glad we started getting their backstories and am hoping we find out even more in the next book.

Fable is an awesome MC! She’s feisty, strong-willed, and intelligent. She has a set of rules her father taught her to live by and she tries so hard not to stray from them while carving her own path in the world and fighting for the future she wants. I loved reading this book from her perspective; seeing how her mind works, how smart she really is, how well she knows what is actually going on even though she may not openly show it. She honestly reminds me of Katniss in the way that she sees things and works out answers for herself. Plus her gem sage ability is really cool! She definitely gets herself into a ton more sticky situations than a normal person should, though I guess I wouldn’t really classify her as normal 😉

Now my favorite side character…*swoon* I love West...so. much. I can’t even 😍 Strong, calm, and deeply caring for those in his life, he is an incredible character. He’s a bit mysterious for most of the book because he’s guarding himself, but you can see through some of the cracks in his facade. The part where we really get to know who he is…I died. I read it twice.

I already have to tell myself that I’m not allowed to read it again right now, that I have other things I have to read first...I need Namesake to be out yesterday! That cliffhanger has me distraught!! 😩

This was spectacular!!!
A high sea, pirate adventure with a strong female MC?
Yes please!
I am so freaking excited that this is only the beginning for this motley crew of characters!!!
Much love to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for my DRC.
P.S.
💖 Love this cover 💖

Interesting subject that comes from the heart and captivates the reader. I love when offers offer a unique perspective.

Why I Requested This: I read a previous Adrienne Young book and, while I didn’t love that one the way I thought I could, I felt it more was on the fault my expectations, not the author’s work. So, with this new work in a new world, I figured that I would try it out.

Pros:
This book is a page-turner, which totally makes sense given the nature of what the plot is, but I just did not want to put it down.
Pirates? Pirates. Yall, I have a confession to make in this review and that’s that I love pirate books. This book in particular makes for a really enjoyable pirate book especially with the way the author constructs the setting to fit the story.
Fable as a character is strong whose story I need to see to the end.

Cons:
The romance. Now, since the series is not complete this could potentially move to the pro-side by the time this is all said and done, but I am just currently not a fan of it, which was my problem in Adrienne Young’s previous book.

Overall: I can’t wait for the finale, but the author’s romance style may not be for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a pleasure to read, not only in terms of the story and the characters, but the writing. Young’s writing was lyrical and descriptive without falling into the purple zone. Although I felt the pacing was ‘off’ at times, the writing is what kept me hooked. Young’s words flew off the page which ended up making this a very fast read (which then made me sad because I didn’t want it to end). One element that usually confuses me while reading books set on sea is the sailing lingo, but Young’s writing made it so easy to picture everything that unfolded and I was fully immersed in the story!

This world we dive into isn’t sometimes cutthroat and sometimes forgiving, it is always cutthroat and almost never forgiving. You have to keep your cards close to your chest or you’re done for, and this made for a high intensity story that was packed with action and intrigue; Young doesn’t pull any punches with this dark and gritty world. I really enjoyed learning about the layout/set up of this world and while I think Young explained everything seamlessly, I do wish that we got to learn a bit more of the history especially relating to the sea-faring politics. I have a feeling we’ll get to learn a lot more in book two though!

I liked pretty much all the characters we meet, even the “bad guys”, and the bits of various histories we learn about each of them. My only complaint is not getting more pages to spend with them (I won’t even mention that cliffhanger ending)! Living in such a ruthless world, it’s deadly to show any sign of weakness or kindness, which means that everyone is a little/a lot morally grey. Even the Marigold crew, who are already different to other crews and who already have Fable breaking her rules for survival, have done pretty horrible things. That said, I was living for the found family vibes and it was refreshing as it wasn’t an “insta-found-family” where the crew openly accept her the minute she steps on the ship; no, they definitely made Fable work for it but to see them all come together as a family is perfection!

I loved Fable. She’s an absolute fighter and a great example of someone who gets back up each time the world knocks you down. Although I can’t say that she’s nothing like any character I’ve read before, that didn’t make me appreciate her and her story any less. My heart broke for her and the situation she was forced to survive as a child. I felt so invested that I was constantly on edge because I didn’t want anything worse to happen as she’s already been through so much. She’s a little too caring and sentimental for this world, but that also helped her read people better, which she smartly used to her advantage! I just really wanted all the good things for her as she tried to find where she belongs in this world 🧡

There is a bit of a romance in this story but it definitely doesn’t take centre stage. It’s a very slow burn romance but watching these two dance around each other had my hopeless romantic heart swooning with delight. I loved West and I loved watching him go from stoic, professional helmsman, to a more open and vulnerable young man, especially around Fable. I loved learning more about his history and I really can't wait to see what happens in book two!

TL;DR: Lyrical writing that flows off the page? Check! Fantastic high seas adventures? Check! A ruthless world with morally grey characters? Check! A survivor of a protagonist that you will root for? Check! Found families, broken families and finding your place in the world? Check! A deliciously slow burn romance to set your heart fluttering? Yes, check!! A cliffhanger ending that will leave you begging for the second book now?! Check check!! Basically… Read the book?

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Fable

Author: Adrienne Young

Book Series: Fable Book 1

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: LGBT side characters

Recommended For...: pirate fans, LGBT, insta love

Publication Date: September 1, 2020

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 16+ (language, violence, gore, drinking, murder, death, romance, sexual content)

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Pages: 368

Synopsis: As the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home seventeen-year-old Fable has ever known. It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father.

But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him and Fable soon finds that West isn't who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they're going to stay alive.

Review: I really loved this book! I thought it was very different from Adrienne Young's other books and I loved that. The book had some great moments, strong character development for main characters, and tons of world building.

However, I do think that some of the other side characters in the book could have been better developed. They existed for the plot and I wanted to know more about them.

Verdict: Highly recommend this pirate-like book!