“I sat on the cliffs above the beach on Jeval every night, imagining the sails of my father’s ship on the horizon. Hoping he’d come back for me.” I paused. “He didn’t—you did.”

Fable made me feel things. When I chose my review quote, I basically turned into a weeping mess again. This story is so cleverly thought out and the writing is beautiful and it's heartbreaking and it was so captivating I literally forgot about the world outside my little reading corner and I can't remember the last time I read a book like this. Okay... *deep breath*, hahah!

Even though I own Adrienne Young's previous books, Fable was the first one I actually read. I LOVE her writing! It's beautiful! I was constantly on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next big reveal or plot twist. I constantly had this sense that there was more going on that we were let to believe. It wasn't exactly foreshadowing, but it kind of was at the same time? Let me tell you, it's like MAGIC.

I love Fable as a character. She's such a strong, independent young woman who fends for herself. Her strength and her determination to reach her goal were truly inspiring. West was a mystery to me for most of the book, but I just knew there was something about him! Gahh, I was so glad I was right! I simply adored the crew aboard the Marigold. I loved their dynamic and their presence definitely added to the story.

This slow-burn romance builds up so slowly you'd almost think I'm spoiling it... But OMG, guys! From the moment our love interests have an on-page moment, you just know something's there. Fable is by no means a romance novel, but it does play an important part. It's probably my favorite thing about the book as well. It gave me all. the. feels!

If you enjoyed Sky in the Deep, you will be sure to enjoy Fable! I loved the world of this story--filled with oceans, gems, and ships. The writing is well-done and the storytelling vivid. Adrienne Young can always be counted on to write exciting stories full of adventure, emotion, and characters that you want to to root for.

This was just OK for me. There were some interesting parts but mostly I just kept waiting for something to happen. I liked the crew of the ship Fable joins. I was hoping there would be more adventure but nothing exciting really happened. A lot of this was just traveling from one place to another and those kinds of stories are generally not my cup of tea. From other reviews it's obvious that this book appeals to a lot of others.

I received an eARC of this from Netgalley and the publisher; all opinions are my own.

not sure what all the hype was about. interesting for sure, but not as captivating as other sea tales i've read. the characters did not wow me and the plot did not surprise me. there were a few highlights that made it worth finishing, and the ending was open enough I want to read the sequel to see where it all ends up.

I can't express how much I loved this book! Adventure, love, secrets being exposed, family mysteries, it had it all. I was hooked and never let go!

ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK!

Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review your titles.
I do appreciate it and continue to review books that I get the chance to read.
Thanks again!

Absolutely adored this!

Adrienne Young does not disappoint with her newest duology. I was a huge fan of Sky in the Deep so when I heard about this I was so excited to dive back into a whole new world by one of my favorite authors. One of the things I love the most about Young's writing is that her world building seems to be perfectly executed. It's neither overly descriptive or feels lacking and that's something I appreciate SO MUCH in a book. Aside from loving this new world she's built I adored the characters, their backstories, and how high the stakes are throughout this book.

100% will be following up with the sequel ASAP!

Adrienne Young is able to create wonderful worlds that are easy to read. I’ve become a fan of her work over the last year or so and Fable was a book that was able to get me out of a reading slump.

I loved this book! You get to hear and see Fable's (main character's) thoughts, surroundings and plans. The story is engaging, moving and the characters are completely relatable. I loved it and can't wait to read the sequel.

A fast-paced, original story with captivating characters and gorgeous prose! My expectations were a bit too high for this one but I still loved it!

This arc was provided by St. Martin's Press, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

TW: mutilation, parental abandonment, vomiting, off-page death of a parent, murder, drowning.

2.5

There is no doubt in my mind that many have and will find Fable to be an incredibly thrilling and quick read.

The premise is about Fable, a seventeen-year-old who, after the death of her murder by the sinking of their ship, was abandoned in Jeval by her father. Jeval is a small island with a rich pyre node, but as it is mostly a trading island, there is little to go around. Fable was dropped there as a thirteen-year-old to fend for herself and to get out of there on her own. An island filled with thieves and murderers, she has always been on her own barely surviving.

This is where we meet her for the first time and it was a strong beginning for me. One thing I truly enjoyed about this is how unapologetic the author is with the circumstances she puts Fable under, and I immediately was rooting for her.

My main issue with this is how predictable and boring the story was overall. It read very quickly, which was what kept me going but there were no interesting events happening. I didn't feel connected to the new characters Fable meets or her romance. In fact, I just don't see it. There's no chemistry between them and there weren't any outstanding moments that made me think, "Oh they are going to end up together!"

Since the beginning was so strong and intriguing, I expected it to continue but it fell a bit flat for me. It's a fine book and I understand why people like it. Additionally, if you enjoy sea and pirate stories this one is definitely for you!

I knew I would love Fable, yet I put off reading it for months – maybe out of fear it wouldn’t live up to my expectations?
Well, that was a stupid thing to do because I absolutely loved Fable.
The short and sweet summary: Fable is trying to prove to her father that she’s capable of living the trader life and the ship is where she’s meant to be – she just has to get herself off an island and find her way to him.
Sea adventures, a touch of magic, found family, and romance-but-not-too-forced romance? Check. Well-written characters that develop throughout the story? Check. Frustrating cliffhanger that makes me a little glad I put off reading the book because I only had to wait a few weeks for the second book? Check!
Fable had everything I love in a book. It might be too slow-paced for some, but I thought the action to plot ratio was perfect. I’ll absolutely be rereading in the future!

Fable is the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows. Now seventeen, she has spent the last four years on Jeval -- an island notorious for thieves and little food -- doing everything she can to scrape together enough money to return to her father and get what she has earned: a place on his crew. She enlists help from West, a young trader who she has been trading pyre with for the last two years. But she soon finds West is not who he seems, and her father's enemies have grown more numerous in the last few years. To survive, she must learn to trust West and his crew.

This was my third Adrienne Young book I have read (after Sky in the Deep and The Girl the Sea Gave Back), and it was my favorite of the three. This book was really good, and so much darker than I anticipated. Fable is a tough character, and I really liked her. She was a little naive, but also tough and strong after her time on Jeval. The plot was really well-told, the other characters were really fleshed out, and the story itself was exciting. The only thing I didn't quite like was the romance -- it did feel a little sudden (though it was obvious that's where it was going) -- but overall it made sense, and I like those two characters together.

The ending left on a cliffhanger, and I can't wait to dive into the sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

Really enjoyed this one. I love a good book with a sea setting and this definitely delivered on that! I also love a strong female character and Fable was excellent as an MC. The relationship between her and her father was really complex and interesting.

I do adore Adrienne Young’s writing style and the way she crafts her worlds and makes them so immersive that I feel like I can picture everything.

The story was also so captivating I found I couldn’t put it down and so I’m really excited to pick up the next one 👍🏻

DNF at 20%

***ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***

I started reading this one last summer and I just know that I won't pick it up again. It sounded very promising but the start of it was just too slow and confusing. I was also very unfair to the book and put expectations on it that I knew it would never live up to.

As of right now I am honestly not enjoying this book. I'm not sure if it's the timing or what but I got about 41% of the way through and had no idea what was going on because I just didn't care.

I am keeping this feedback for now because I think I'm going to try again later on and then will update this review.

Was so excited to receive an arc of Fable as Adrienne is one of my favourite authors. This is another solid book for book for.
I really enjoyed Fable. It was a quick fun book. Also Pirates!!! Who doesn't love pirates.

Fable was amazing! Very engaging story that kept me hooked until the very end. Cant wait for book 2!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC

I read and enjoyed both of Young's earlier novels, so I was really excited for this pirate duology set on the high seas! The titular character, Fable, scavenges an existence on a remote island, having been abandoned there four years earlier. Scrabbling together what she can, she is ready to finally get a passage back to civilization to claim what is owed to her.

Full of action, this start to the series immediately immerses the reader in this world of violent ocean storms, traders on the high seas, bartering and honor. There's a bit of a love story, too, along with plenty of secrets and it's all tinged with magic. The cliffhanger of an ending makes me ecstatic that I am able to dive right into the next book! The only downside of the book is that some of the action scenes cross into feeling a bit garbled at times which makes them a little confusing - but, for the most part, this is a fast-paced and fun read! Plus, I am super excited to see what will happen next!

This was such a fun time for a read. I really loved the sea fearing elements. I thought the changing of settings were also super fun and made this exciting and fast pace read. I also really liked the crew that fable meet in this story. I liked how this book also tackled what beings strong means. For a book that had no real magic system, I was super invested. I also liked the romance in this book and enjoyed how it did not over power the story. It was such a quick read and I am excited for book 2!