Fable is the story of a young girl who has lost her mother and been abandoned by her father to learn how to fend for herself on a dangerous island. She survives by dredging the sea but her skills result in a target on her back. She makes a desperate escape from the island at the mercy of West and his crew. Her plan is to find her father and take her rightful spot at his side. But everyone has secrets. She can’t tell them who she is and they have secrets of their own.

I adored this book for several reasons. First, I feel it was well paced. It only covers a short time period, but it’s full of action. The mysteries are carefully revealed so you aren’t bogged down with any info dumping. Second, I appreciate that Fable is strong without being overly so. She has weaknesses that she has to overcome and struggles to find her way. Who she is might be important but she basically has nothing. She’s had a hard life but still finds a way to trust in people. Finally, the story itself evokes so many feelings. The side characters are vivid and lovable. I had so much anxiety rooting for this little band of misfits. I cannot wait to see how it ends next year.

Okay, crud, I saw "Fable, #1" and should have known this was part of a series, but it just didn't register until 90% that there was probably a sequel coming. Thank goodness there is s sequel coming because I did not want this to end! I love Fable and all the complex parts that make her who she is. She is a survivor for sure, and although she has rules for survival that she follows gleaned from her father's lessons as well as the lessons of the harsh "community" that she is living in, her goodness has not been completely stamped out. This is a spoiler-free review, but this book has pirates, sunken ships, treasure, intrigue, back-stabbing, heart-stopping chases, knife/sword fights, dangerous storms, even a bit of romance. I highly recommend this book and look forward to the next one, whenever that may be!

FTC Disclosure: Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Oh, goodness, where to begin? Fable is about a girl named, wait for it, Fable, who aspires to be a powerful trader (think pirate businessman) like her father and partner up with him. The only problem is her father abandoned her on an island in the middle of nowhere a few years ago, so reaching her goal is not as easy as it might sound.

The world-building in Fable is quite fantastic. Right off the bat, Fable, our narrator, starts painting a rich picture of the world she lives in, and it’s quite enchanting. That said, I hope the published version has a glossary or something because even with my inference skills, some of the terms Fable uses (mainly boating/ship related terms) threw me for a loop. Some of the transitions in the first few chapters certainly did not help my comprehension, and it got to the point where I thought my ARC might be missing some pages. That’s how confused I was. But don’t worry, I was able to make sense of everything. Eventually.

It was quite interesting to read about Fable herself. I admired her grit and strength, but most of all, I loved her development throughout the book. I appreciated how she learned to grow as a person as she dealt with all the twists life (and the plot of Fable) threw at her. I wish I could say the same about all the side characters. Let’s just say there was a real potential for them to feel like a found family, but they fall short of that. All the side characters are just too underdeveloped, so they feel like a bunch of friendly coworkers instead of a family.

But my biggest issue with Fable is its plot. I don’t know, it just feels kind of… empty, almost like nothing much happened? It’s reminiscent of a travel vlog that only documents a plane ride with a few bumps in the road (in the air?). It’s interesting, but also kind of stagnant despite its fast pacing.

Fable does have some nuggets of mystery mixed in with the plot that add allure, but none of it feels like it was going anywhere. Mostly, it planted a lot of seeds for things that might be explored more in the future but never really grow any plants in the story. In short, Fable felt like one massive setup of its sequel.

Oh, and about the romance. What romance? I liked how it didn’t play a significant role in the story but hate that it was even a thing at all. It needs more development to be even somewhat believable.

Don’t get me wrong, Fable is exciting, and a quick read and I genuinely did enjoy it. But I do think my experience of it was tainted a bit by my expectations. Everyone I know was hyping it up so much, and the synopsis really talked it up, and unfortunately, it fell a little short of that. I’m still excited to read the sequel, though. And I’m glad it’s coming soon because Fable‘s ending is the textbook definition of a cliffhanger.

In conclusion, I liked Fable, but I don’t think I enjoyed it as much as everyone else seems to. 😅 It’s a quick read and full of intrigue, and the world-building is really nicely done. I just wish the side characters were more developed, and the plot was meatier. The whole book honestly feels like a setup for the sequel, which I can’t wait to read after the way Fable ended. Good thing it comes out in March!

Fable is a seventeen year old girl abandoned by her father, a powerful trader in the Narrows, a harsh society full of pirates and criminals. Her greatest wish is to rejoin her father's crew, but in order to do that she has to find a way off the island where he abandoned her four years prior.

I was so excited to read this story based on the synopsis and the fact that I loved Adrienne Young's other books, and this may end up being my favorite Adrienne Young novel yet. The world that she has built is so detailed and rich. The story was exciting and fast-paced. I was cheering for Fable throughout the story. The ending definitely left me wanting the next book immediately. I can't recommend this book enough to anyone who appreciates a fast-paced, adventurous tale!

Drenching with adventure on the high seas, Fable is layered with mysteries that the reader will have to wait to uncover—but won’t mind being patient. It’s the journey that makes this story so rewarding.

I haven't had much luck with the last few young adult fantasy releases I've read by new-to-me authors. I was even starting to think maybe I'd grown beyond young adult fantasy. But within a few paragraphs of Fable, I knew I'd finally found the young adult fantasy I'd been searching for. This is my first book by Adrienne Young, and it won't be my last. I loved every word and every character. Especially our heroine, Fable. She’s wily—fully capable of taking care of herself—but yearning for a place in her world, leaving her heart open even after life has been so cruel to her, which makes her rather unique among the heroines of the genre.

I picked up Fable coming down from the high of a major book hangover, so it took me longer than usual to commit. And while it did take me a few chapters to get all the characters straight and understand this new world, once I had it down, I didn't want to stop reading. When I finished the book, I flipped back to the beginning so I could reread the first few chapters and what I hadn't fully understood the first time around.

Young does a splendid job of establishing the characters and the dangerous world they encompass so quickly and flawlessly. I slipped right into the story with ease, and with each new term, the author introduced things in a way that wasn't telling but revealing, cohesive with the story. But she only revealed what was necessary, keeping a few secrets to be answered in the next book, Namesake, which has promptly shot up to the top of my TBR for 2021! And with such gorgeous covers, I’ll be picking up physical copies to enjoy on my shelves.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy.

If you are looking for the perfect, seafaring, romantic adventure, look no further! Fable is such an amazing MC full of bravado and determination. The entire plot of the story was so fast-paced and energetic; I literally could not put the book down. There is a small amount of magical element in the story, but I'll leave that to you to find out about when  you read the story. Throughout my reading, I had so many theories about what was going to happen or who was going to do what and after finishing the book, I can safely say that my theory list has grown considerably! LOL. I desperately want to get my hands on book 2, Namesake, ASAP! This book focuses more on the adventure part of the story, but romance fans will also love it just as much (I'm secretly hoping for more romance in the next book)! This book also incorporates the idea of blood family vs. found family and found family is one of my absolute favorite tropes! Highly recommend picking this book up for a fun "piratey" type read! 5 stars all the way!

I finished reading Fable by Adrienne Young through NetGalley. I had pretty high expectations of this book and it did not disappoint.

The book follows a girl named Fable who is a dredger. She is trying to earn money so she could escape from the island where her father abandoned her. She wishes become part of her fathers crew. Fable ends up in Marigold, a ship owned by a trader named West.

I loved Fable as a character! She is very hard-working and tough. She is also quite funny character. Adrienne Young’s writing style is something I like. It took a while to get used to but then I couldn’t stop reading! The book has adventurous feeling. I enjoyed the romantic tension between Fable and West. So subtle but good! I will be waiting for the next book.

Fable's mom died four years ago. That's also when her father abandoned her on an island full of thieves. He told her that if she could find her way back to him, then he would give her what belongs to her. She almost has enough stashed to get back to her father, but on an island of thieves nothing is safe for long.
I was really surprised by how much I loved this book. I usually go for books with a lot of magic. This isn't magical, but it is fantastic. I loved the characters and I loved the story. And with this ending, I can't wait for the next one!

So many of my bookish friends loved this book and adore Adrienne. I unfortunately have come to the conclusion that this author's work (in addition to pirate stories) is just not for me. And that's ok. That's the beauty of the book community. We all have different tastes and stories.

Great book. Looking forward to the next one. Adrienne young is a fantastic author. This book was everything the hype built it up to be.

I am such a huge Adrienne Young fan so when I heard about this book, I KNEW I needed to read it!

It has everything I love: pirates, a badass female lead, and a slow burn romance! I devoured this book and loved every moment of it! I cannot wait until the next book because that CLIFFHANGER WAS PAINFUL!

I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

At this point I will read ANYTHING written by Adrienne Young! I love her writing and the worlds she describes and puts us in, I feel like I know each and every one of these characters! I need/want Namesake right now! I'm so happy there isn't much time between these two books in the series. Do yourself a favor and go read & buy all of her works, you won't regret it.

Also these covers are amazing, I'm truly in love!

I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Fable is my first book by Adrienne Young, but it definitely won’t be the last. I was particularly drawn to the pirates theme, which is far less plentiful in fiction today than I would like (it’s not completely absent, but doesn’t appear to have ever had the mileage vampires once had, for example).

And it definitely delivers, starting with the protagonist. Fable has the strength to find her way off the island after really having to scrape by to survive, pitted against the nomadic criminal residents. And while I didn’t get why she wanted to reunite with her father, given he was the reason she ended up in that situation to begin with, I still admired her gumption, especially as she finally found her way off, and ingratiated herself with the ragtag crew of the Marigold.

This definitely feels darker than most YA fantasy, while still feeling age-appropriate, especially since it avoids the sense of outright “good vs. evil,” with many of the major characters, including Fable herself, having a sense of moral grayness to them.

This is a fabulous book, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next. If you’re looking for an edgier take on the YA fantasy genre, you should definitely pick this one up.

I'm easy to please: a rich fantasy world, magic, pirates, badass female leads? I'm here for all of it. This story has a little bit of everything that makes for a good book (for me): romance, high seas, ruthless pirates, found family, and magic.

I had pretty high hopes going into Fable simply because the cover is stunning and Adrienne Young is such an amazing author. And this book did not disappoint. I loved it from beginning to end. I'm a big fan of how Adrienne Young starts her books right in the middle of everything and then the readers slowly learn about the characters past.

The world building is intricate but done in such an easily digestible way that that there is no fear of info dumps or losing interest. I felt like I was part of the Marigold crew and walking the streets of The Pitch.

These characters!! The depth and personality in each character really made this book for me. Not just everyone in Marigold's crew, but Saint and Zola and Koy. These characters that have small but important parts are so well done. I just loved it.

But, that freaking ending! Like just whyyyyy? Why do authors do this to us?? I'm so excited for book two and need it nowwww!

I've had a soft spot for good seafaring adventures since I was little and this hit all my sweet spots.
Fable is the quintessential urchin fighting for survival who loves the sea and dreams of finding a home on a ship once again. She manages to get onto the Marigold and the adventure truly begins.
It's gripping, character-driven, and expertly plotted.
The only negative thing I can possibly find to say about it is that it ended too soon and the next volume is still months away. I can't wait to read how everything plays out.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the early read!

I am completely in love with this story. It's a five star must buy for me. I can't wait to get it into the hands of my teen book club.

“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.”


*Thank you to the publisher, Wednesday Books, Netgalley, and Adrienne Young for providing me an Advanced Copy in exchange for my unbiased review.*

Fable was an action packed adventure from start to finish. The book was gripping and easy to read, leading readers to losing themselves for hours just to see what happens next.

Fable, as a main character, is very likeable. As a child, her father left her on an island, telling her to figure out her way and then find him when she succeeds in making something of herself. She is strong and tenacious and dedicated, not above allying with formidable enemies to get what she needs. She is very admirable in her dedication and it is easy for readers to self identify with her drive and motivation as well as her struggles.

She falls in with West, a ships helmsman, to get her off the island and find her father again. It’s an unlikely alliance that is just strenuous enough to keep you your interest.

A cast of supporting characters surrounds Fable and West, with a standout being Willa, an attitude- filled bosun. Every character stands out as unique and attention grabbing while they are the star of the scene, but I found that when they were not at the focus of the scene, I forgot that they were around.

For most of the story, Fable and West has some kind of *tension* that I couldn’t really label, until the shared a very passionate kiss underwater (THREE FOURTHS OF THE WAY THROUGH THE BOOK!). After that scene, the romance came on strong and heavy with no real buffer, and at times, it felt overwhelming. I loved their romance and their relationship, I just wish it would have come up just a bit earlier so it could be explored more in book.

As for the setting of the book: for a book that takes place mostly at sea, I really can’t describe their boat to you. The port towns that were described were described absolutely beautifully, but all seemed very similar.

For a novel full of action, I also had small qualms with some of the fall out of those scenes. Frequently, characters would get injured. For example, Fable with the poison from a coral reef. She describes what will happen after experiencing it before off-camera of the book, but then goes on like there is nothing happening, as if she was never injured. A few chapters after the incident, she is stringing up sails and hauling boxes and everything, and she casually mentions that the fever will set in, but then goes on as if nothing is wrong. The same when she mentions it’s been a few days since she last ate. If you are doing strenuous activity and don’t eat, you will probably pass out. Some of these ailments and issues she mentions just had no follow through. Not a deal breaker or anything, it just held me up a couple of times, leaving me a little confused.

Overall, the book was an interesting read and I am very intrigued to learn more about Fable’s abilities with gems, get mysterious father, and her whirlwind romance with West in the sequel, Namesake.

I crushed this in a day, simply because I could not put it down. FABLE was the start of a strong duology, all at sea. It was a tale of survival, family and bonds stronger than family. Fable was a deep sea diver and everything about that was fascinating.

I’d dove almost every day since I was a child. The water was more of a home than Jeval ever was.

Fable herself was a strong young woman, almost feral but human under the shell. She had been abandoned in a place where food and resources were sparce. I was completely puzzled by her situation but quickly admiring of the adversity she had overcome and continued to overcome. I loved the subtle unveiling of her skills.

As a character Fable was rich in personality even though she revealed little of herself to those around her. I was intruiged by the Marigold and the crew, especially the helmsman, West. How the story interwove the characters and plot points was so clever. The relationship with her father was truly captivating, frustrating and and heart-breaking.

The writing in FABLE just made me disappear into the world and the worlds; I highlighted a lot. The story and the characters really hit the spot with me but I am partial to an adventure set on the seas. This is my favourite of Adrienne Young’s books so far. I cannot wait to read the second part, I need it now.

The silence of the sea found us, my heartbeat quieting, and I painted each moment into my mind.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the early review copy.

FABLE is an incredibly difficult book to review. It features interesting characters, a really cool world, a unique form of "magic", and is overall a really fun read. But for all of that, it also doesn't feel like anything especially new or impactful. I got really strong DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING vibes throughout the book. I kept waiting for this read to take a powerful turn or do something really different to flip that comparison on its head... but that just never happened.

I also feel like there are challenges with the pacing of FABLE. The story would ramp up and I kept thinking something exciting or dramatic was about to happen, but then that moment never came. It can be a bummer when you guess the plot twist in the story, but it's an even bigger disappointment when there are no twists at all. While I enjoyed this book and read through it happily, it just felt like a neat little package where every character and every detail followed in an organized line and behaved exactly as expected. Nothing ever came along to shake things up or create tension or a sense of the unknown.

Although I'm sure Young is saving most of the big reveals for the upcoming sequel, I might feel differently about FABLE if the first book offered more payoff. Maybe I could overlook the lack of plot twists if some of the questions presented by the story had been addressed before the end. But there are many situations where characters make choices that feel important, but are never explained or revisited (mostly lookin' at you, Saint). After reaching the end of the first book I'm forced to wonder if those choices are actually irrelevant to the overall storyline or if I'm to continue patiently waiting for things to make sense. As a reader, neither of these options is especially appealing.

Overall, FABLE is a fun story about a girl with a unique gift on an adventure to find herself and her place in the world. It's a bit predictable and much less dramatic than I expected from the blurbs. It's a perfect recommendation for someone who wants a low-stress adventure story or someone eager for something akin to Levenseller's PIRATE KING duology. In fact, someone who hasn't read Levenseller's work might enjoy this book much more than I did. Maybe it would feel really fresh and new to someone who hasn't experienced a very similar character in a very similar world with very similar family struggles. Although this felt like something I've read before, I still rated it relatively highly and I will still gladly read the second book in the series. At the end of the day, I had fun reading FABLE and that feels like a pretty important factor to consider.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fable is the start of Adrienne Young's latest series, and it is once again sure to catch the hearts and minds of the fans.

Fable is the daughter of one of the most powerful traders in the Narrows, yet that isn't enough to keep her safe. Cast away for reasons unknown, Fable has spent the last few years fending for herself on a harsh and cruel island.

Now she's going to find a way off the island, prove herself to her father, and start a new life for herself. At least, that's the plan. That's the thing about plans though, they always end up getting more complicated by the end.

“Keep your knife where you can reach it.
Never, ever owe anyone anything.
Always construct a lie from a truth.
Never, under any circumstances, reveal what or who matters to you.”

Fable is one of those stories that grabs you right from the start, and refuses to let go. In fact, it's hold is so strong that I'm literally already counting down the days until I can get my hands on Namesake, the second novel in the series.

This is a fast-paced novel, set predominantly on the sea, with strong (and fun) pirate themes all over the place. It's shockingly complex, as Fable is desperately trying to find a place for herself in this world that is anything but kind.

In a way, she did do exactly that, just by accident. It's sweet, for more than one reason, all while carrying the plot steadily onward. The secondary characters are one of the many highlights in this novel, and I found myself rooting for them just as much as I did for Fable.

At the beginning of this book, I found myself making assumptions for how it was all going to turn out. I was wrong, and I actually really love that about this book. It was unpredictable, in the best of ways. It was a thrilling tale, one that wasn't afraid to show the darker sides of humanity (the Narrows doesn't seem like a place that treats humans, of any race, gender, or age, very kindly).

The complications that come from Fable's relationships brought what was an interesting story to a whole new level. It added tension, pain, and hope all at once, while also adding layers to the entire novel. Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing how all of that develops in the next book.

Speaking of, is Namesake out yet? I would really like to start reading that right about now. No? Oh, I guess we're just going to have to wait a little bit longer then. It'll be worth it, I'm sure.