This had so much potential! I really did love the piratey setting of this and the plot was compelling. Fable too worked well enough as a main character. The main drawback though was the side characters and love interest. They had practically no personalities, nothing to differentiate them. I felt like we didn’t get to know them at all, blank slates. This is a pretty big deal because I think the narrative was going for a found family trope here, but it just fell so flat.

Adrienne Young is such an amazing writer and I couldn't help but read “Fable.” And once again she did not disappoint. I am not a big fan of pirate related novels, but I made an exception. 

This book focuses on a girl who was left behind by her own father on a stranded island. This island is definitely not one for a child and she had to go through many hardships to simply survive there. She gets the opportunity to leave the island and go find her father again to show him that she became the tough woman he said she had to be. On this quest, she learns of many secrets of those who are taking her home and of her father. Her return home may have not been what she thought it would be. 

Love love the atmospheric setting  in this book! Although I had to look certain terms related to ships, it did not spoil it for me. On the contrary, it was a learning experience. It was slow in some parts, but then it would pick up. The romance felt short for me and at times cheesy and expected. However, I am looking forward to reading “Namesake.” Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange of an honest opinion.

A powerful and pacy pirate adventure, Fable by Adrienne Young is a fun read for anyone who enjoys danger and drama.

I loved this book, I flew through the story, its the perfect sea based story with a great group of characters, some little twists and turns that keep the book engaging. I also love that it;s a duology.

.I’m not sure what I was expecting when I picked up this book, but it definitely was this. This book was very hyped and being a fan of Adrienne Young’s other books, I was all for trying this one out. It definitely was not a amazing as I thought it would be.
I just do feel like it lived up to the hype. I just finished and I feel like something fell really flat, And it isn’t the cliffhanger that’s left me wanting the second book. I just can’t put my finger on what it was.
I know a big thing for me is that it felt like the main character, Fable, didn’t really develop enough, Or at all. She felt the same throughout the whole book. Other than finding the place she felt she was meant to be, The little romance between her and West felt a tad forced since it came like a slap in the face towards the end.
I still think this book was good though, it just didn’t feel like all the hype was worth it. I would continue the series though.

Fable is on her own, trying to survive long enough to get off the island her father left her on years ago. Her mother died in a shipwreck and her father deserted her and left her to survive completely on her own. She’s tough and has gained survival skills all by her wits. She manages to get off the island by buying passage aboard the Marigold, a ship that she later discovers is one of her father’s. She finally reaches Saint and he’s just as cold to her as she expected, even though she hoped for more. He does give her the inheritance her mother would have left her but nothing is given easily or with any help when Saint is involved. She also figures out why Saint carved into her arm all those years ago. Fable bargains cleverly and becomes a true part of a crew and she finally feels like she has a place where she belongs. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, a pirate adventure with strong characters, great character development and dangerous setting, 5 stars!

4.5

I trust Wednesday books with my life so far all the books I’ve read from them have been pretty good, or the ones I see they promote seem right up my alley. Hence my speed at downloading any read now books they have on netgalley. that’s how I found Fable, I hadn’t really heard about Adrienne Young, but the premise of the book seemed like something I would enjoy.

I actually don’t read much at sea or pirate books, but as of recently I’ve been wanting to read more about stories on the sea along with all the traditions and myths that go along with it. I think I loved it mostly for these elements along with such complex characters and relationships.

The writing was incredibly easy to follow, it had a good flow and connections to the sequence. It’s not necessarily the most detailed writing, as in it doesn’t have endless paragraphs of imagery nor does it rely on poet-like commentaries. Which if you’ve followed the blog for long enough you’ll know that it’s one of the things I love about books.

Nonetheless, I think this simple writing style was just what this book needed. It had it’s sharp moments, where with the use of adjectives that went along with senses it helped paint a better picture in regards to feelings of Fable, the main character.

The plot was incredibly exciting, simple, fast paced and just the perfect book that you could marathon in a few sessions. It had a great opening on a thieves island, and later on some change of scenery takes the reader onto sea. But no worries, the book does a great job at not making the trip at sea boring at all.

The climax of the plot was very well handled, and it developed perfectly with the speed of the novel, it didn’t feel rushed nor drawn out. The plot managed to adapt and change, capturing my attention at all times, hence the easiness to finish this book in a short 3 days, something that I don’t do often.

The ability of changing and challenging the main course of the plan is what made this story so interesting. Seeing how the characters had to confront challenges and change the course of their original plan is what made me stick around and see how they would resolve things.

Fable is the type of character that’s hard headed, and will do what she wants whether anyone around her thinks that it’s a bad idea. But she also has a yearning for a family, not necessarily kids, but finding a group of people that will make her feel like she belongs and is protected. This leads to her wanting to show that she’s capable of anything. As the story progresses you see her go from a teen that was in search of something almost impossible and in the end she puts her heart and soul in the game to protect those that she holds close to her heart.

Other characters that appear and the story goes on are just as complex. Something that is repeated is that traders on ships don’t let other members of the crew know who they love or show any affection towards others to not showcase their weakness. This adds a mystery to the other characters, how they’re connected and also means that Fable had a hard time settling into the dynamic this group already had.

In a way there’s a mix between slow burn romance, and the found family trope. Fable and the love interest don’t necessarily hate each other but the walls they both have make it hard for the bond to develop, but it also adds this expectation, and excitement when there is a speckle of progress.

Like I said, the book starts off on a thieves island but progresses to the sea and other ports. I think Young did a great job at panting the image of each location. You get a feel through all senses how each one differs from the other and what they would look like. From dangerous corners to overpopulated markets. You can truly see these settings in a day to day life, making it easy to imagine.

I really enjoyed Fable. There was the perfect amount of survival story, family drama, and romance mixed together.

Thank you so much, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This novel is an amazing page-turning masterpiece. I couldn’t put it down from the moment I picked it up. It was fun and face-paced, addicting, and well written. The adventure reminded me of gender-bent Jack Sparrow retelling in a way. It was perfect! 

"That was one of Saint’s rules.

Nothing is free.

He wasn’t just talking about food or passage or the clothes on your back. He was talking about respect. Safety. Protection. They were things no one owed.

And one way or another, you always paid."

Fable’s personality and perseverance were amazing and the crew of the Marigold was a motley crew of misfits that just fit so perfectly into this world. I am so excited to read the next book, Namesake, and continue the adventure alongside this group of characters. I would recommend this book to any and everyone, especially those who are in love with the world of pirates, and those who love adventure.

Pirates and treasure and romance oh my! This was a great set-up for an magical and atmospheric fantasy series. It did start a little slow but the ending has me excited for the next book!

I really enjoyed this book especially the main character! The world was very interesting to be in. I look forward to continuing with Namesake!

I loved Fable and how real she felt. I think if you like the sea this will be a book you love and if you love characters that shine and grow, you’ve come to the right place.

This book made me remember why I loved fantasy novels. I consumed it as quickly as possible and I want more. I am actually going to buy this book for my own shelves. It made me so happy in this difficult time.

*Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Fable really surprised me. I am not generally a huge fan of books that take place on ships, or involve pirates, the sea... etc. but Fable was an exception for me. I had heard a lot of great things about it from friends and book reviews, but still went it a bit skeptical. I have never read a book by Adrienne Young before so had no idea what I was in for.  I feel like what set this book apart was that it was more a story about growth, survival, and found family, and the Sea setting worked alongside that without overtaking the story. I was invested in the characters and found myself wanting to know the backstory, the history of everyone. This was a well done story. There weren't any slow moments or times I felt like rushing through. The only negative thing I can think of is that the book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger.. which makes the wait for the next book almost unbearable. Overall though. I really liked this book. I look forward to the sequel, Namesake which is due out on March 16, 2021.

Fable is a wholly original story that allows a determined girl to take the spotlight in a battle against the world, her crew mates, and her own family. This book is part pirate adventure, part coming-of-age story, but I loved that it kept me guessing the whole time.

The book does take a bit of time to get into – not because the action isn’t there, but because there is a lot of world world building. Readers need to figure out a bit of the context and the unusual place and character names can make this a bit tricky. This really is the only obstacle to enjoying this book. When reading it, I felt a bit like I jumped into the middle of a conversation, but after getting the lay of the land, I was totally immersed in the story and needed to follow Fable’s journey to the end.

Loved this rich and adventurous YA novel. So atmospheric from the very beginning - just sucks you right in!

I enjoyed this book. It was a quickly paced read. Fable was a strong female character. I enjoyed the setting of this novel. The writing style flowed extremely well.

I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

Initially, I had no idea what this novel was about, however, I have quite enjoyed Adrienne Young's previous novels and decided to give it a go! I SUPER love and appreciate that this author writes good, strong and independent females without making them out to be horrendous people. For some reason in popular culture and literature (now changing, thankfully) women who are strong and independent also get painted as mean and vindictive or callous and unlovable, it quite irks me. Our lovely Fable is a bad-ass girly who has been put through the ringer with so many losses in her life and yet she keeps going and striving.

This book did start off a little slow for me and I was super annoyed when she got on ship and everyone was just a ridiculous jerk. For all the things that Fable has been through I can appreciate that she is not an untrusting ass like her shipmates were towards her, in the beginning. It certainly got better and I love and absolutely believe in the concept of the family you make is the family you keep.

The ending was a bit of a surprise-ish....I was not too taken aback considering the lineage Fable comes from and the sediment she had been unsettling for the time. I am excited for the next novel though!

I personally have a deep hatred for books that do this: On the few last pages, the author includes a cliffhanger that is so bad the reader is left with broken bones. AND THEN make you wait months to heal. Adrienne Young knows how to build a world around the sea. I truly felt like I set sail with Fable and truly got lost in the waves and rhythms of Adrienne Young's writing.

This is such a wonderful and adventurous new YA book from Adrienne Young. I absolutely loved the way Adrienne builds her worlds and Fable is no exception. 

I cannot wait to read the second book in this wonderful series.