Thank you to Sarah at Titan Books for approving my copy of this book via Netgalley. I saw the hardback edition released last year and I loved the cover. When I saw the ebook was on NetGalley I was so excited to be approved. 

This book is a story of a young girl trying to find not only herself but also a family. In a world full of thieves, grudges and pirates it's not easy for Fable to find anyone she can trust. She is however extremely determined. She never gives up, every time she's knocked down she gets back up again. I really liked Fable.

I really loved West and the crew on the Marigold. I think Willa was my favourite of the crew. She might seem like a tough girl on the outside but on the inside, she's just as scared as the rest. 

This book had lots of interesting themes. There was a big focus on how love can make you weak. How others can hold that power over you. Its a theme I have seen before but it still makes me very sad. That people are afraid to fall in love because of what they can lose. 

Adrienne has done an excellent job with the world-building in this book. I loved the different islands and boats. The writing style is very easy to read and I found I was absorbed into the book without even realising it. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I cannot wait to see what happens in book 2!

Adventures on the high seas are getting popular at the moment. I suspect it’s the appeal of a tight crew or found family battling both nature’s dangers as well as human ones sailing on it. Be they the pirate-based TV show Black Sails, RJ Barker’s wonderful Tide Child series or the recent The Forever Sea by Joshua Phillip Jackson there are tales offering adventure and a journey through new varied worlds. Adrienne Young who wrote the excellent Sky In the Deep has moved from Vikings to the oceans in the charming novel Fable focused on a young woman trying to rescue herself and finally find her father but no journey is ever simple.

Fable four years ago lost her mother while she was sailing on her father Saint’s main ship in a terrible storm. Saint a man known more for practicality than emotion decided at that moment the best thing for Fable would be to leave her on a dangerous island full of thieves alone with nothing. He does however promise her that if she ever gets home to meet him, she can get what she deserves. Fable learns theft, bargaining and the skill of dredging (picking treasure from the sea floor) and slowly has created a nest egg of copper while gaining a reputation for finding the best precious ore the sea floor has to offer. Unfortunately, she has also attracted the attention of the more dangerous population and so now desperately needs to escape her home before she is killed. Her one hope is the simple trading vessel The Marigold captained by the taciturn young West who has become her best customer. Unwillingly West agrees and the ship begins an uncertain voyage to where Saint resides. Fable though is about to find nothing is quite as straightforward as it seems.

I really enjoyed this tale for its elegant simplicity. It has a nice snowball effect of a simple scene building up both characters and plot so by the time we get to the end of this first volume in the planned duology we are in a very different type of story. Fable is key to this story’s success she comes across as young, ambitious and in desperate need to see and get approved by her father. Young gives her both a confidence and sense of yearning/loneliness that four years alone has built up into some walls that will be finally broken. She is no nonsense and doesn’t think of any danger in her actions if she thinks it’s the right thing to do from diving to the bottom of the sea on a dare to jumping into a dangerous port at night. There is though a morality at her heart – she is not a pirate she is a trader who doesn’t mind bending rules sometimes. This gives the story a nice contrast with Saint who though we only see him a few times looms large over the tale. An absent father who can be both scary due to his more criminal enterprises and yet I felt you can see that he feels a lot of emotion for his daughter but rarely ever lets it show. It’s an unusual parental dynamic and I loved the turns it took to drive the story giving it some real heart.

The other element that appeals is the crew of the Marigold. This is a small ship (crew of four) and in particular Fable and the handsome but secretive West add some mystery to the tale to resolve. Initially everyone is unwelcoming to Fable’s arrival, so the first half of the story is getting them each to know each other and eventually they find common goals and enemies to resolve. This adds intrigue, humour, action and romance as we move across seas and ports and meet rivals both of West and Saint who find Fable adds a new factor. There is a sense of a wider tale starting too as we hear of different factions squabbling on the seas and an interesting subtle use of magic – Fable can sense gems and metals which makes her a great dredger but also a decent gem trader when required. I look forward to seeing how this story develops as it ends on quite a cliff-hanger.

This is a charming adventure story that subtly tells us a story of a woman growing up out of her father’s shadow and gives us some high seas adventure on top. Young is a great storyteller, and I loved that emotional driver of Saint and Fable which I think make this worth a look.

If you follow me, you’ll know that I do read many fantasy books but I’m so grateful to the publisher for this review copy because it’s one of my favourite books of the year. 
There’s no such thing as the perfect hero or heroine but the author has managed to draw me in this story from the first chapter to the last and to love the main characters so much. She has flaws and insecurities, she’s scared and young, but she’s also strong and driven to work out her way into the life she was thrown in. 
It’s a magical story that will spread her spell on you throughout the pages and keep you waiting on the edge for the next books in the series because the adventure has just begun. 
I can not recommend it enough.

Last year everyone was talking about this book, so I was intrigued and I had to read it. I can see why it was liked so much.
The thing is, usually, when it comes to books on the sea there are two ways they can turn out: mermaids or pirates. In this one, we have a ship crew, but it does not go around with a pirate flag doing pirates things. And the protagonist does not turn half fish when touching water. So, I'll say this is the reason why it was liked so much: a new take on the "ships in the sea books". This is the reason why I liked it too. At the beginning I was a bit skeptical, not sure how much interesting these not-pirates-or-mermaids could be, but they were. The "main" cast was small, but this allowed the author to characterize them very well, and the reader is able to know all the "main characters" even if it's only the actual main character that is narrating. In particular, I'm in love with West (who could not?): new book-boyfriend, hello. Though, I must say, the author was a bit fixated on his hair: yes, I understood they are "gold" and "sun-kissed", can we please not add the color every time Fable mentions his hair? Still, it's not because of this that you will not enjoy this book, you will--read it. 
Moreover, I liked reading the book because the pacing was good, the "big revelations" are well-divided across the book, but it's not like there are "dead periods" in between: some action or, better, something to move forward the story is always happening. So yes, I really liked the author writing style. I'll read the sequel, obviously, and I'll probably read also other books of the author (yes, this was my first "experience" with Adrienne and she did not disappoint).

Note: I do not know enough on ships to say if what was said in this book is accurate, but I can say it seemed professional and research enough that if something really was wrong it went unnoticed to the inexperienced reader. Also, while there are a lot of these technicisms, I must say they did not bore or slow down my read.

We meet Fable four years after her mother was drowned in a shipwreck and her father left her on an island to fend for herself. It’s an island where you have to keep your wits about you, a place you could never call home, a place that is dangerous. Fable has spent the four years dredging, making and saving money to be able to leave the island and return to her father.

Things are never that simple though and Fable has many battles to fight along the way, she has to prove her worth and in doing so a fantastic character has been born. Fable is only 17 but god does she have balls, she’s feisty, determined and down right gutsy. I loved her.

The story is actually full of fantastic characters whether you love them or loathe them they certainly come to life.

I adored the setting for Fable, Adrienne Young has written a story filled with detail which makes it so easy to visualise. I’d love this to be made into a film or tv series. That would absolutely make my day.

With a hint of romance, danger, many obstacles to over come and masterfully crafted characters this was a gripping read. I was totally drawn into this story and when it ended I felt bereft, thank goodness it’s not too long until the sequel, Namesake is released.

I’ll definitely be recommending Fable to all, it’s a story I can’t wait to reread and it’s a definite 5 stars from me.

Massive thanks to Titan Books for the arc via NetGalley.

Fable is the first book in the Fable duology by Adrienne Young. It is a oceanic ya fantasy about a girl who has to survive in this rough world all own her own and we follow her journey.
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Our protagonist Fable is a very inspiring character with a lot of staying power. She is hard working and clever and therefore manages to survive. Other people underestimate her and she was such a strong character and could not only surprise the people in her world, but also me as a readers. Her goal is to be reunited with her father and to demand answers of why she was left behind. Fable was so determined that she risked all for that.
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This brings her on the Marigold and away from the thief island Jewal. You follow along this journey that shows the rough life and struggles on sea, as well as other places in this world and the trading business. The world building is very vivid and atmospheric and how I imagined the oceanic life to be. My favorite scenes where when Fable dove underwater. This is also featured in the UK cover and I adored that.
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The crew of the Marigold was far from welcoming at first and they viewed her as a liability. But Fable has managed worse and slowly proves herself and they get closer. I especially liked West and Willa who you get to figure out more with each page. And I slowly started to like them as well. There was also a glimpse of romance between West and Fable and I hope this gets more explored in the next book.
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Overall, Fable was a stunning book with a atmospheric world and a strong female protagonist. I really liked it and I’m very excited for the sequel especially after the end of this book. 4,5 stars.

(ARC kindly provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

Enjoyable read, loved the pirate aspect and it was a fantastic fantasy romp! Can't wait to read the sequel!

I've been waiting for pirates to make a comeback for a long time and Fable has answered my prayers. All I want is to sail the seas with a bunch of morally grey found family in search of glory and continued survival. I'm happy to say I found that in this fast-paced adventure book featuring a girl abandoned on a dangerous, corrupt island and told to find her way back to her father. It was so much fun; I read it all in one sitting!

I love a good sea adventure! A bunch of people who may or may not get along in close quarters? Yes please, I live for that drama. Bad weather, stormy seas, and danger around every corner! A pirate story would struggle to be boring because there are so many exciting elements. I'm glad to say Fable lived up to all of that. I loved the selfishness of all the characters, the tendency to be dishonest, and how everyone hid what was important to them. Not only did I have great fun with this book, but it's also inspired me to hunt down more of the pirate fiction that I've been missing.

I also enjoyed how Fable had slightly darker elements to it while remaining a young adult read. I'm enjoying this turn in young adult towards slightly more serious topics and darker themes. Pirate stories are always going to be a bit gritty and violent. I'm glad the book didn't shy away from tackling that!

The romance scenes were some of the most fun I've read! Perhaps it could have been a little more slow-growing. The relationship doesn't start quickly, but it all seems to happen at once. I could see people finding it a little jarring how quickly the tides turned. However, you can't be too critical of a romance that brought us an underwater kiss scene! Underwater kiss scenes are something I never knew I needed, but now I need more of them immediately.

The family dynamic in the book was wonderfully complex. We don't get to know too much about Fable's mother as she died in a shipwreck. Fable's father is a notorious and powerful pirate. The day the shipwreck that killed her mother happened he carved up her arm, left her on an island, and told her she'd get what she's owed if she could find him. Talk about a dysfunctional father figure! Fable's whole life revolves around this one objective, and let's just say the reunion isn't what she expected…

I do have a few criticisms. Mainly, I wanted more detail in just about everything. I'm not expecting heavy worldbuilding, but a little bit more would be nice. There's some identifying-gems magic that Fable has that's not touched upon in detail, and the way the world functions isn't fully explained either. I know we were on the sea for most of the book, but I want to know more.

The found family element was also a little bit disappointing. The lack of detail carries across to the characters and makes them difficult to truly love, a few I couldn't even tell apart. I understand why they're closed off and secretive, but I'm hoping the found family shines more in the next book because there's a lot of potential there!

Overall, Fable is a wonderfully fast-paced adventure that was so much fun to read! I can't wait to get my hands on the next book because I'm certain this series is going to be great.

* A big thank you to the publisher for providing me with a review copy!

Fable really reminded me of what it’s like to read a good and fast paced YA book, it was so enjoyable.
We follow Fable who was dumped on this island by her father Saint where she was told that she had to learn how to fend for herself.

Everyone on this island is rather ruthless and so Fable has had to learn how to become quite ruthless herself, and I loved it. I also really liked this complicated relationship between Fable and Saint, especially because when he dropped her off, Fable’s chances of survival weren’t that high...
The writing is atmospheric and I was able to picture everything perfectly without feeling like it was becoming info dumpey. There’s a reaaaaal slow slow-burn romance too and I’m HERE FOR IT.

If you’re a fan of books like Daughter of the Pirate King and are looking for a similar story with a badass heroine set on sea this is definitely the book for you and I’d highly recommend it!

This was the first fantasy book I’ve ever read and wow, it won’t be the last! 

I’m already excited for the sequel because the cliffhanger has left me wanting more.

Young’s writing was beautiful and I found myself really able to connect with Fable. The descriptive language used really helped me to visualise the characters appearance and their surroundings.

Highly recommend this one to any long term fantasy lovers and those who want to start out!

Ships, treasure, romance, the high seas! Does it get any better?
It took me a page or two get used to the nautical terminology (it's been a while since I was into pirates) but after that - it was amazing. 
It had such wonderful characters with such a rich story. It was full of adventure and betrayal but also friendship and connection through all odds.
The storytelling was vibrant and the descriptions are intense. Scenes where our main character, Fable, dives into the water and stays under for whole passages makes you want to read it while holding your breath just to see if you can do it too.
My only qualm is the number of questions I have once it finished. What is going to happen next? How will they survive this? Will all these questions be resolved. 
Duologies are my favourite because I feel they are the perfect length for a story. You get just enough actions and adventure with just enough heartbreak and the story is not too long nor is it too short. 
Cannot wait to pick up the sequel!

I really enjoyed this book and became completely lost in this wonderful pirate inspired fantasy novel.  I enjoyed the whole atmosphere, the world and the characters.  It is well written and easy to follow and the author did a great job of creating emotion and tension throughout.  The plot is simple, but immersive, and you can’t help but get completely engrossed in the world.  There is a nice balance of the life on land and days out at sea. There are no intense sword fights or fast action-packed scenes but in all honesty I didn’t miss this at all.  There is, however, a lot of conflict between the traders of different ships which adds drama and excitement.

The setting is richly described as are the towns encountered en route, the imagery the author creates is brilliant. I found the dredger and deep sea diving aspect fascinating and I was almost gasping for air reading about Fable’s exploits underwater. The Gem Sages, or people with an affinity and understanding of gem stones - they can sense them and feel them hum, is really intriguing and I hope this is explored further in the next instalment.  

The characters are complex and well developed and I really warmed to the crew of the Marigold. I enjoyed following the growth and development of these characters and their back histories subsequently revealed.  Our main character is Fable, who has made her way in the world as a Jevali dredger or deep sea diver.  She’s the daughter of Saint, the infamous trader, who abandoned her when she was 14 years old, leaving her in Jevali to fend for herself.  She is strong willed, fearless and determined to succeed in this ruthless world despite all the odds being against her.  Saint is portrayed as a questionable character but there is a very emotional and touching scene with his daughter at the end of the book, which has stayed with me.  West is the captain of the Marigold who cares deeply about his crew and takes their problems on board.  He’s handsome and mysterious, and there are hints there is more about him to be revealed.  The delightful slow burn romance between Fable and West doesn’t overpower the story, it blooms very subtly and it doesn’t come to fruition until towards the end of the book. The underwater kiss scene is magical, I can say no more.     

Fable is the perfect start to this duo of books, and although it’s a fairly short at 276 pages, it sets the scene and leaves us with an amazing cliffhanger and twist at the end. It is a well executed, character-driven story with a simple but engaging plot. I did feel the book ended rather abruptly, the story had just begun to unfold and I turned the last page expecting more.  I really enjoyed this author’s writing style and I now want to go back and read her previous work. 

Thank you Titan Books for the early review copy - my blog review is on its way.

Fable was a really solid fantasy novel, I really enjoyed how it was written, all of the lore was really interesting and the characters were definitely multidimensional. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Who doesn’t like a big fat juicy pirate story? Well me some times - but no matter because I loved this one! 

Fable was abandoned by her father on an island of thrives and pirates to fend for herself for 4 years before she manages to escape with enough coin to gain passage in the Marigold to confront him. Cue more adventures, swashbuckling crew and danger.

This felt short. Fable is a strong heroine with cool abilities and I can’t wait to see how she develops further in the next book. There are a lot of intriguing questions/loose ends at this cliffhanger ending. I want to understand more about her parents, her sage gem abilities and what happens to the rest of the crew of the Marigold. I’m glad it’s a duology and  I get to read the next book soon but I hope it’s longer! The author produced a fast paced, action packed book, that made my heart lurch in parts. Highly recommended. 4.25/5 stars.

I absolutely adore this book ! This is literally everything I wanted at the moment. I was going through a reading slump and once I picked it up, I knew I was hooked ! 
Let's talk about the main protagonist first. Fable is everything that you need in a heroine. She is smart, clever, tough, and a Survivor ! She was abandoned by her father on an island and thus began her journey. 
Fable is definitely a fast paced book and Adrienne's written just makes it easier for the reader to read it in one sitting. I loved the world Adrienne created. It's definitely different from the YA books we usually read. It's like reading Pirates of the Caribbean but without any mosters or weird creatures in it. I honestly wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I did. But right now, all I want is the second book to know where the story proceeds. Also, did I mention that it ends on a cliffhanger  ?

Fable has been left on the island by her father, after a great storm destroyed their ship and killed her mother. Now Fable wants to go back to her father and prove to him and the world that she can make it. That she is strong and she can actually live in this world. 

The story starts off with action, and I thought this was a great way to kick things off. Fable is running barely making it onto the boat. It shows us immediately what kind of a character Fable is - strong, fighter, unwilling to give up. 

I liked: 

Although the world-building isn't as complex as I like it to be, it was a beautiful world nonetheless. The atmosphere is sort of grey, almost dark, and there's this feeling of tension in the air constantly. You can feel that this is a dangerous world, where no one is safe. 

I loved the idea of a crew that felt like a family. Those were my favourite parts of the story. 

I also loved learning more about Fable being a gem sage, this aspect was very interesting to me.

I didn't like: 
Characterisation: All of the characters were flat. Nothing complex about them. Except for what motivates them from their past, we basically only scratch the surface with each of them. I wished we got more a deeper look into who they are, how they feel, how they act and react. Fable evidently grew throughout the story, especially after getting closure of some sorts in the middle of the story, but still...She felt too static. I feel like with more round, complex characters this story would have blown me out of the water.

I really wanted to like the romance too, but it felt less than exciting. It's fairly predictable.

As with any story, I want to like it and give it my all to understand it, and most of all feel it. Unfortunately, I just didn't feel excited, happy, thrilled, scared...It felt like a flat line from the beginning to the end. 

The story ends with a predictable cliffhanger, but you can predict what will happen in the second book. 

Who would like it: If you like YA fantasy, Sci-Fi, stories on the ship/sea, a unique world, crew life, a little bit of mystery.

Who doesn't want a grand adventure on sea!
A perfect combination of great plot and great characters, this book takes readers on a truly amazing ride.

 Fierce, independent and refusing to bow down to others' whims, Fable is stunning as a MC. Abandoned by her father on a rugged island that is a home of cutthroat criminals, Fable, not only survives, but makes her own way in the sea.

West and the crew of Marigold proved to be a great supporting cast. Saint was a pretty excellent example of a morally grey character.

The plot was fast and full of twists, which is exactly how I love my books. The stakes were very high, as were the risks. The author did not try to soften the blow on any of the downfalls faced by our cast. So when something goes wrong for our characters, it hits us hard.

The ending was superb! Just enough of a cliffhanger to make readers crave the next book, and perfectly written so as to give some information to the readers and not just tease them.

To cumulate my review in a word, I would only say this - Perfect!

✨Fable✨

Thank you to Netgalley, Titan Books and Adrienne Young for the e-arc 

Summary: Abandoned on the island of Jeval by her father, a powerful trader, seventeen year  old Fable has one goal, to find a way off the island and find her father to claim her rightful place at his side crewing on his ship. Along the way Fable will have to barter and steal, find people to trust in a world where trusting people can lead to death, but most importantly she will have to find herself and her place in a mans world.
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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Review:

Fable is an enchanting tale of learning to find yourself, learning to survive and learning to trust. It’s a tale of chosen family, growing up and finding your way.

Books set on the ocean are a favourite of mine and this book ticked all the boxes. Pirates, sailing, rivalries, high stakes and the fight for survival. This is a story you can easily live, it pulls you in and you start to feel like you’re on the ship, bartering with the merchants or diving in the sea. 

While there is a glimmer of romance, it only really starts to develop at the end of the book, it’s definitely not at the forefront but that’s okay because the story is so captivating that you don’t miss that element. 

I really enjoyed this story, I wish there was more explained about each of the guilds and being a gem sage, we got some information but I hope it’s elaborated on in book two.

If you like pirates, adventure and books set at sea then this is the book for you!

"What else have you done that haunts you?”
Fable is a memorable novel, fast paced with an incredible world building. I loved the way Adrienne Young wrote this tale. Thank you to the publishers, Netgalley and the author for providing me with an ARC for an honest review in return.
"It was the spot I’d sat every morning, waiting for my father’s ship to return, even though he’d told me he wasn’t coming back. It took me two years to believe him."
Fable is one of those stories that you loved alot, a book with a lot of potential yet you find it lacking in a few parts. The characters and the protagnist for one were bland and I couldn't care about their predicament or their situation at all. It would have been nice to be able to live through the stories with more perspectives and information. Second, However vast the world building seemed, when it comes to plot, it was unimpressive and predictable. Third, I loved the subtlety of the slow burn romance and the touch of the most beautiful scene that creeps up on you when least expected. It was magical yet rushed and poorly executed...
"He looked at me with a hundred stories lit behind his eyes."
Fourth, Gem Sage was damn intruiging, I NEED NORE INTEL on that. So I'd rate this a 3 star and I'd recommend it for those who are into pirates and if you are a fan of "Daughter of the Pirate King" by Tricia Levenseller. I believe the next book might have more in store for us because that ending, ended me and I can't wait to pick up Namesake.

Thank you Titan for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

An entrancing adventure story, an easy read you will not regret picking up!

If you’re not easily persuaded by the gorgeous cover, I am not sure how the rest of this will go for you, its sticky sweet and cute from here on out.

WHAT IS THIS ABOUT
Fables father is a powerful trader (pirate). At 13 Fable’s mother drowns during a storm and the next day her father leaves her alone and penniless on an unforgiving island. At 17 she is almost ready to leave the island, find her father and join his crew. To do this she enlists the help of West, a young trader that reluctantly takes her across the sea.

Fable’s father is more powerful and dangerous than she first thought and together with West , who is not who he seems, they need to survive more than storm to stay alive.

SPILL THE TEA BUT NO SPOILERS I PROMISE
I have to admit, pirates and the sea were not intriguing enough for me to be excited about this novel but it’s much more than that and I loved every page.

It’s very very young adult, I felt a lot of the time certain situations were really brushed over but of course for the sake of a “clean” YA , I understand why. But also in saying that, the plot was very predictable but I overlooked the cheesy and focused on just enjoying the story.

I did not enjoy all the tears from Fable – I felt she would have been much less emotional but it is what it is.There weren’t any heart-pounding moments but it was such a joy each time I dived back into this world. (see what I did there) ALSO :THIS IS HOW YOU DO SLOW BURN ROMANCE.

I cannot express how much I adored it. There is something very soothing about this writing , the pacing was perfect and although I would of loved a little more character development it was such a fun, stress-free read. I really love this author now and I hope to read more of her soon.

This very much reminded me of Laini Taylors books and I feel this would impress anyone, so give it a chance, it really is a page turner!

Rating: 3.8
Fable by Adrienne Young
Duology : Namesake comes out the 21st March 2021
Publish Date: 26 January 2021
Cover Rating: 8/10
Young Adult – Fantasy - Adventure - Romance