I will be honest after reading Fable, and loving it I wasn’t worried about how I would feel about Namesake. However that being said, I am left a little disappointed. I wanted to feel like I was on the edge of my seat anticipating the choices that Fable had to make and I wasn’t. I wanted more suspense. But the author delivers on character development and a smoothness in the read, you just connect. I like that this story , and these characters and their lively hood is all the authors own making. Dredging for gems!! What an inventive story line. You get transported into the book right out the gate. These kinds of books aren’t as easy to find as we would all like. The story is now concluded and Im left sitting alone at the dock with tears in my eyes as the crew is setting sail and I am being left behind.

Adrienne Young grabs the reader by the heart and transports you into the darkness of the gem trade. Forces you to think about relationships with those around you. It makes you question loyalty. Embraces the fight to live.

Fable is a strong women now that has to make her way in the treachery sea of back stabbing thieves. You have to question her allies will they aid her or will they back stab her and sink her in the sea?

In short :
Did I like this book: Most definitely.
Would I recommend it ? Yes.
Would I read more by this Author? Yes, just ordered her older works and will be on the
look out for new things to come.

Loooovveee!! This duology, both this title and Fable, are some of my top reads this year. I love these characters, I love the setting, and I love how Young's writing puts you immediately in whatever scene she has created. Just do yourself a favor and read these.

The plot in this one was fast paced. I was flipping through the story anxious to find out answers, what would happen, and definitely getting emotionally involved in Fable's story arc. I am so sad that there are no more books to read as I feel like I could definitely read more and the author left some parts of the story open. In a way this leaves everything to our imagination, but I love this world so much I would gladly return.

I have to say that even though this is a 5 star read for me (as I did LOVE it! Did I mention that?), I did not love this one as much as Fable. The characterization of West and his relationship with Fable was possibly problematic?...Maybe. Also, those unanswered aspects of the story the author left open-ended left me a little dissatisfied.

That all said, I 100 percent stand by the 5 stars because overall it brought me so much joy. These are going to be held up as some of my favorite reads and this is partially because of the strength of the characters. By the end of the story, I actually got a little teary-eyed and I only get that way if I care. I cared very much and think these stories will stick with me.

An absolutely wonderful sequel to Fable. I was very excited for the opportunity to read this release early and it did not disappoint. Young truly gets better with every book she writes. Namesake picks up right where Fable left off and takes you deeper into the world of The Narrows and Bastian. Though this is a fantasy novel, it is a truly human story about survival and love. Truly excellent.

I could not wait to read this book. I was lucky enough to be able to get a copy from netgalley, i would not miss my chance to review it! I loved this novel, adrienne young is a talented writter that has the capacity to make me want to finish her books in one day... I just cannot leave them until they are finished. I think I prefered the firt book in this serie "fable" because at times this one felt more complicated, with so many twist in the story that I could not keep up, but I discovered new characters, I loved how everything fell in place.

ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I cannot tell you how excited I was when I received an eARC version of Namesake after just finishing Fable.

The second book was just as beautiful and stunning as the first book. It had just the right amount of action and romance.

Fable really came into who she was as a person and became an even stronger, independent women. The relationship between all the characters developed perfectly and I was so pleased with how Fable and Saints developed specifically.

Adrienne Young has been an instant read for me since I read Sky in the Deep and this duology just cements how great of a writer she is.

Namesake picks up where Fable left off. Fable, a skilled dredger (diver) and powerful gem sage, realizes that she must learn more about who she is and who her parents were. Will Fable be strong enough to face the truth when she finds it and what will the truth cost her? Adrienne Young paints a clear and fascinating picture of a world and society that only exists between the covers of a book. However, readers may find truth along with Fable in those fantasy streets.

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


There is no better feeling than when a book is gorgeous, both inside and out.
I love when an author can write a book so well and in depth that you can see the scene. I felt like I was there in ship with crew. I felt the emotions Fable felt. West and Fable are just amazing!

Adrienne Young is an amazing writer and I look forward to more stories from her in the future!

Like the flick of wind over water, it all disappeared.

Holland, Saint, the Trade Council Meeting, midnight, the Roths. It could be our last night on the Marigold, our last night on this crew, but whatever happened tomorrow, we were sailing into it together. You and me.

And for the first time, I believed him.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In this epic conclusion to the Fable duology, there was so much hope after Fable that the hype was unreal. I went into the story, we so much hope that continue the epicness of Fable and West, in the confusing but well-deserved love story.

This book differed from the first in that rather than the fast-paced timeline and backstory in Fable, we look at the here and now of what is happening, and the consequences of choices chosen by others in the past. We learn more about Saint and his context for love. West and the blood he’s continued to spill for others around the Narrows and the namesake that Fable was given.

While I loved seeing this epic story fall into place, I want to feel happier about this book but maybe the age old saying that sequels never live up to their predecessors is true. I feel like I am left with more questions and hope for more in the story that was given.

At the end of the day however, Namesake is a beautifully written book that gives fans context and conclusion into the world of the Narrows, Bastian, the Trade Council and the world around the Crew of the Marigold.

Namesake started right after the cliffhanger of Fable. Young has done a fantastic job developing Fable and West as we delve into Fable’s background. I thoroughly enjoyed being transported back into the open seas with Fable.

I truely enjoyed seeing a new side of Fable as she actually learns more about Saint and West as well as Clove's motive for being on the Luna. Across the book, Fable's changing feelings towards Clove was seen. The parts that stood out was when she first saw her on the ship and then later when she was in Bastien

Over time, her feelings about Clove change as she realises that he is actually protecting and looking out for her just like when she was a child.

Through Fable's interaction with Clove, we gain insight into her past as well as how much Saint truely cares for her. This is highlighted through his acknowledgement of her being his daughter and their relationship changes after that point.

Young does a fantastic job weaving complications into Fable's relationships with West and the crew of the Marigold as well as introducing a familial relationship of a maternal grandmother. Fable learns more about her mother's side of the family and I enjoyed exploring with Fable.

The relationship between West and Fable was challenged this book through their trust in one another and sharing the truth with the other. The ending of the book was exactly what I was wanting and I will definitely be reading it again. I would love to read more about Fable with Saint as their relationship is starting a new and more about her relationship with West.

Password is review for the review on my website

The second book starts off right where the first left off which is honestly great. I like to be thrown right back in the thick of it, rather than have information be fed back to me. I think this book just wasn't for me, I am being really hesitant because I don't want to be a dark cloud but honestly when I finished the first book I felt like it didn't warrant a second. There were a few open loops that needed to be closed so I know why Young decided to end it on a cliffhanger, but I felt like after reading Namesake she should have just closed everything up in Fable. There were a lot of obvious and predictable formulas that as a reader I saw coming and a lot of character regression. A lot of the major plot and scheming seemed to occur off page between Holland, Saint, etc. and we had to see our little crew being tugged one way or another. I was kind of disappointed, but I'm glad I got to how our wayward team ended up.

I'm so happy that I got to visit this world again and not have to wait so long to know about what was next for the characters and their adventures.
I really loved how we got to see more of the world and the places that were mention on the first one, and keep exploring the relationships between the characters, it was SO good. I'm sad that I don't have pirate books now, this story took me to an amazing adventure. I think that the author could write a lot more about the other characters and their background, the possibilities are endless.
It was an incredible story that I'll revisit a lot more times.

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to #Netgalley and Wednesday books for the ARC!

I don't want to write a full review until its closer to publication date, but after having just finished the first book "Fable" and then jumping right into this....

I AM SHOOKED!!

Love love loved everything about this book! All I can say is if you loved Fable, you are going to devour this book! While, I would love if a third was written, the story is fully completed in this book :)

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

4.5 stars

This was a great sequel. It kept the pace of the first and was filled with interesting events. I loved the relationship development, although West’s and Fable’s relationship had some rocky bits. There were many twists and turns that were super unexpected but were fun nevertheless. These are probably my favorites of the authors works. Great world, awesome characters, quick moving plot. Definitely worth a read.!

“I wasn’t my mother.” – Fable

After reading Fable I was hooked and I was bummed to find out that I had to wait until March 2021 to read Namesake. I managed to get an ARC for Namesake and I finished it within a day. If you think the first book is good, hold on to your sails because the second book is even better.

Namesake is a great mix of romance, adventure and deception. Fable is by far one of my favourite main characters ever. She is so incredibly strong and stubborn and I love this in a woman. She is insecure about actual things (such as the decisions she has to make) and not the whole “am I pretty enough?” that we get plenty in other books. This book is all about character, worldbuilding and a fantastic plot.

The story starts with Fable still aboard the Luna and the longer she stays on there the more she learns about her past and what is expected off her in the future. She learns that not everything is as it seems and is thrown into a plot to change the traders world for good. If Holland gets her way, the Narrows, her father and West may not be safe. Fable decides that she cannot let this happen. She may have started out as a pawn on the board but quickly decides she will become the queen who wins the game.

Next to learning more about Fable we also learn a lot more about the side characters and this is something Adrienne did very well. It makes you more invested into the story and gives relevant back ground information that strengthens the plot.

I did see some of the plot twists coming but still in the end I would recommend this duology to everyone. It has been a while since I read a duology that I liked this much and I am both sad and content with the ending. Fable has found her course and that makes me incredibly happy and satisfied but I am still a little sad since I could have read so many more stories about our fierce redhead. Do yourself a favour and add these books to your TBR list if you haven't already.

That was exactly what I was hoping for.
Adventure, secrets, and all my favourite characters returned for the fun.
These were my first Adrienne Young books, and I am all in with her!
Much love to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my DRC.

Namesake picks up immediately where Fable finished which was great to see as I like sequels to start back where you left off with no time passing.

The backstory of where Fable is from that occurred in the first book is expanded upon in Namesake which is great as I was interested in seeing what happened and why Fable was where she was.

The relationship between Fable and West was lovely to see shape and grow throughout the book and it ended in the way I hoped it would! It was also lovely to see the relationships between the crew but also the other characters in the book mature throughout Namesake.

Secrets and lies are always an interesting aspect that comes up in stories between characters. The secret and lies that Fable and West had throughout the duology added a dynamic that was intriguing to me. I loved the way that they rectified them though.

Namesake’s pacing was really good and I didn’t find myself wanting for things to happen quicker then they did.


password: review

I absolutely adored Fable, and it’s sequel did not disappoint. Full of adventure, with a heavy dose of romance, Namesake was truly captivating.
We last left Fable having been captured by Zola, a nefarious rival trader from the Narrows. He’s playing a long game, and Fable is a key piece in it. Little did she expect that Zola’s plotting would lead her to learn more about her mother than she ever had before... and kickstart a series of events that could jeopardize the entire Marigold crew.
Adrienne Young writes beautifully, and she’s developed an amazing protagonist with Fable. She’s not polished and is trying to figure a lot of things out- but I couldn’t help but like her.

I’ve noticed a trend in YA where authors explicitly have characters think about feminism and lgtbq+ rights. Obviously I support anything that can be done to further the mission of equality, but sometimes it can nearly break the fourth wall (is that a thing in novels??). I enjoyed Adrienne’s way of presenting things as just already being equal without fuss- modeling what the goal is.

So, I have no idea why Fable and Namesake were both available as arcs so early (not that I’m complaining, mind you) but now I’m sad that I now have no more piratey goodness to read. NOW what am I going to do? :(

I loved this!!! I loved the romance between Fable and West! I loved the dynamics between everyone on the ship! I also loved seeing Fable and her father's relationship evolve. I love this series so so much and I'm so sad that it's over! </3

When I first read Fable I fell in love with the world Adrienne Young created. The way she wrote the details made the story feel so real. With Namesake it's returning to a world wich hasn't left my mind since the ending of Fable. I love the characters, no one is perfect and at the same time they all feel real. Fable will always be one of my favorite characters! The story is just as amazing as the first book. I loved it so much. I was planning on reading a few chapters and ended up reading the whole book in one day... no regrets. I will defenitly re-read it soon and I can't wait to return to the crew of the Marigold.

Okay, the first book in this duology had several very important things going for it. And this book did not... really... live up to any of them.

First of all, there were the extremely powerful family relationships. Fable and Saint's fraught past at war with their clear love for each other made for a very compelling dynamic. Willa and West's relationship was strong and important too. Then there was the found family of the crew, which didn't vibe quite as well, but still made a good effort.

Second of all, the plot. There were so many intriguing secrets to find out about Saint and Fable and West's pasts, and so many near-death seafaring stunts.

Third of all, the overall setting and aesthetic. The descriptions of sea diving were beautiful, the hard lifestyle of the Narrows felt real, and gem sagery was something I wanted to see more of.

What I wanted was for this book to bring everything full circle. The first installment was so good, it honestly shouldn't have been hard, but now I'm thinking that maybe it was too good. Maybe it didn't leave enough left over for the second part.

The relationships... eh. Fable and West's relationship is dwelt upon a little more, but they spend most of the time being angry at each other. The crew is all angry at each other. They spend a lot of time apart. A new familial relationship is introduced, but Fable's most meaningful interactions are still somehow with the Jevali diver dude who tried to murder her in the first book, and with one of her father's old crew. A resolution of Fable's relationship with Saint is tossed in, but it comes like an afterthought at the end and doesn't have much weight or feel earned.

The plot is strange. Fable gets in trouble. She's saved by outside forces. She gets in more trouble. And some more, for good measure. And fails. And then is saved again by outside forces. Hello, goodbye, the end. Neither she nor the crew of the Marigold really display much agency in the story, and generally just seem to be sort of flailing in the grip of the larger economic and political forces that maneuver around them.

The aesthetic was still on point, but what's an aesthetic by itself? Practically nothing.

I was just puzzled and vaguely disappointed by this one. The story felt like it didn't know where it was really trying to go. There was so much potential here, but the payoff was only acceptable, not great.