Fable is what is best about YA fantasy adventure books. Enough action to keep your interest, strong feisty female lead, bunch of misfits who form an alternative family. There are some tense moments in the book but nothing that really has you on edge, it is definitely a YA book & sticks very much within its genre. I found it really easy to imagine the action like a film & enjoyed the sea setting. The characters are well set up for the sequel. 

I think, within it's genre, this is a great read & I'll be looking out for the next one.

Oh, Fable. You have a place in my heart, a rather large one infact.

Adrienne Young has absolutely written an unforgettable book here. One that captured my heart and my imagination and did not let go. Fable is a wonderful, strong, intelligent woman who fights to survive the whole way through. I’ve read a few pirate based books recently but something about Fable just makes it stand out.

This book is hugely character driven, and with characters like this it’s just unputdownable. Between Fable and West the story is stunning, add in the rest of them and it’s just a joy. It’s a pretty dark version of the pirate books we’re all reading right now. It’s not high seas travel and epic fights but a story of survival, and discovery and family. One of the rules is don’t fall in love, but we see several relationships and root for some more.

I was absolutely captivated, and the book finished on a massive cliff-hanger. So I’m anxiously awaiting the next installement so I can keep experiencing this incredible story.

‘Fable’ is an absolutely typical young adult fantasy book. For fans of the genre it makes an enjoyable enough read, but it lacks anything special to make it stand out.

Four years ago, Fable’s father – one of the most feared tradesmen in the Narrows – abandoned her on a remote island to prove her worth. Survive, and she’ll be allowed to come into her legacy. Anything else and she won’t be his daughter. Finally, Fable has scraped together enough coin to pay for passage off the island – but the seas are treacherous, and the man Fable enlists for help, West, is more than he seems. Fable’s salvation might turn out to be her downfall.

Fable couldn’t be a more typical YA protagonist. Lost her mother in a tragic accident? Check. Abandoned by her father to live as an orphan? Check. Possessing rare and unusual skills that she must keep secret from everyone else? Check. Beautiful despite years spent barely able to survive and feed herself? Check. Fable is determined and feisty, if very naive, and a likeable enough protagonist – but she doesn’t stand out. It can also be very irritating how she clings to her fathers rules and beliefs despite him being a horrible person. This is probably realistic, but it’s not pleasant to read.

The crew of the Marigold, the ship Fable escapes on, are an interesting bunch – although because they and Fable don’t trust each other one jolt, they remain a mystery for much of the book. Willa especially is a brilliant character, and West clearly has the obligatory tragic backstory for the main male character in a YA fantasy. It isn’t really a spoiler to call him the love interest because it’s so obviously choreographed from the beginning, and the plot is standard enough to throw up few surprises.

The best part about this book is the setting. The worldbuilding is exceptionally bare bones and basic, but most of this takes place on boats and the sea, and the way this is depicted is excellent. All the terminology is very well explained, without too much being dumped on the reader at once, and the highs and lows of life at sea are beautifully portrayed. There’s also a real sense of family amongst the crew – and clear reasons why this has to be the case. It’s a shame that everything else about the book is so bland, because the premise of rival merchant ship crews is packed with potential.

Overall, ‘Fable’ is a decent read, but lacks anything to make it stand out from other books in its genre. YA fantasy fans will likely enjoy it, but those who’ve read many YA fantasies before may find the story too familiar in territory.

I've liked Adrienne's work since reading Sky In The Deep when that first came out, and loved the way that she was able to blend fantasy elements with very realistic, grounded worlds, something that she was able to do with her second book, The Girl The Sea Gave Back. When I found out that she was bringing out a new duology, another fantasy series, and that this time it would feature pirates and adventures at sea I was excited to get my hands on the book.

However, I wasn't quite expecting it to be as good as it was, I read the entire thing in a single sitting and was really upset that it ended so soon and I had to wait for the next book; not that the book was short by any means, it's over 350 pages. No, the book just felt too short because it drew me in so much, it made me desperate to find out what happened next and kept reading even when I should have taken a break because the story and the characters were so compelling and engaging that I just couldn't do anything but read it all.

The book follows a young woman named Fable, who has spent the last three years on a remote island, a place home to cutthroats and killers. She was dumped there by her father the day after their ship sank at sea, an event that also caused the death of her mother. She was left with nothing but the clothes she was wearing, a series of cuts her father carved into her arm, and the instructions to survive, to find a way off the island, and to track him down. Since that day Fable has convinced herself that if she can buy her way off the island her father will finally give her the love she desperately craves, and will let her crew on his new ship with him.

Unfortunately, getting off the island is easier said than done. Diving the local reef, Fable has used her strange affinity to gems and precious stones to slowly gather these expensive items, which she's been selling to a trader named West, who visits the island every few weeks. However, her unusual success with her dives, and her mounting pile of coins, has made her a target for some of the islands inhabitants, and when she's forced to fight for her life Fable manages to convince West to take her across the Narrows to her father. But little does she know she's just set out on an even more dangerous journey.

Like I said earlier, this was a book that I had a hard time putting down, and I found myself reading the entire thing in one sitting. Whilst the story was a big part of this, and Young manages to weave a layered and detailed tale across the course of the book, it was the characters that really grabbed me and made me want to keep reading.

Fable herself is probably my favourite of Young's protagonists to date, and I adored how this tough young woman we meet in the first few chapters, a woman who's had to fight every day for years to survive in an environment that would kill most people slowly evolved over the course of the book and showed us that there's more to her than meets the eye. When the story begins Fable is closed off, not trusting anyone, believing that the only person that she can ever rely on is herself. She's unwilling to believe that people would be willing to help others purely out of the kindness of their heart, and that people will always be trying to get something out of you. She's got a pretty cynical outlook, but one that you can understand given the circumstances.

However, after a while we begin to see this hard exterior begin to crack, Fable starts to see that some people actually can care for others, that not everyone is motivated by greed or hatred, and that love and affection can be powerful forces too. West and his crew are a big part of this change in her, and it's brilliant getting to know them as Fable does, seeing this handful of people trying to keep her at arms length to begin with, but watching as they, and her, slowly begin to open up. These interpersonal relationships are one of the highlights of the book, and I adored seeing how these characters got to know each other, and how Fable would come to care for them over time.

It's not all interpersonal relationships, however, we also get regular ships! The book is full of sea action, with big storms, dangerous reefs, dodgy dealings and smugglers, and inter-ship rivalries and vendettas. There's a lot of stuff going on around Fable that the story never feels dull, and you're always waiting to find out what adversity is about to rear its head to get in the way of her plans, whether it's bad weather, or other crews trying to destroy West and his ship. 

The one and only criticism of the book is that it's a duology. This isn't really a bad thing, as it means that we're going to get a whole second book with these characters, and there's promise of big and exciting things to come in the second book, but it means that I have to wait to find out what's going to happen next; and that's just not fair.

I adored this book, and can't wait until the next part in the story comes out. Adrienne Young has once again crafted a story that manages to include brilliant fantasy elements, yet feels grounded and believable, like it could have happened in our own world. She's very quickly become a writer whose work I adore, with three books of hers that are some of my favourites, and a fourth that looks set to join them. If you've never read any of her work before this is the perfect jumping on point, though be warned, you'll end up wanting to read everything she's written by the time you're done.

4 / 5 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2021/01/24/fable-by-adrienne-young-review/

As the daughter of trade magnate Saint, Fable once enjoyed a childhood of love and adventure. With her mother and father, she sailed the Narrows and Unnamed Sea, learning the skills of trading and dredging that Fable once hoped would earn her a place by her father’s side when she came of age.

That all changed the night her mother died.

The next day Saint abandoned her on Jezal, an island and pit of thieves, murderers, the desperate and unwashed. In their final moments together, he told her to survive and seek him out, to trust no one and never make herself beholden to another ‘man. Then—after dragging a knife through the flesh of her arm—he left.

Fours years later, Fable still hasn’t seen her father. She still lives on Jezal, but not for much longer. Using her unique and inherited skillset, she nearly has enough coin to escape the island, and claim her place at Saint’s right hand. But to make this dream a reality, first she must make her way across the Narrows to the mainland. Which forces her to place her trust in an ambitious young captain and his ferociously loyal crew. And even if Fable is able to cross the sea without incident, the dream she’s held to for so long may not prove the reality. But that’s a chance she’s willing to take.

“You were not made for this world, Fable.”

This is the story of Fable, pure and simple. It’s not really a dip into a bigger world that’s going to appear in later books (minus the second half of the duology), not is it a story of adventure itself. One of the main complaints I saw beforehand was that there wasn’t enough swashbuckling, action, or tangible fulfillment. And yeah, this is all pretty much true. But the story I was sold on was that of a girl herself, lost in a grander scheme, a grander world, one that she is desperate to find her place in. And with that as a premise, Fable did not disappoint.

Specifically, I found the book boiled down to three major points of emphasis: Fable’s relationship with her father, her place in the world around her, and her growth as a person.

Fable’s relationship with her father is the most tricky. While I won’t go deep into this because of potential spoilers, I could write my entire review on her… (I absolutely hate the term “daddy issues”, but) well, you know. She remembers her childhood spent with her parents aboard the Lark as seen through a rose-tinted glasses. She was happy. Her parents were happy. Life was perfect. Until her mother died.

Her father closed off, scarred her, then abandoned her in a pit of thieves. To say she loves him would be accurate; to say she hates him would be accurate. To say she seeks his approval is also true. It’s certainly complicated, and Young devotes a lot of time to this relationship.

Fable’s place in the world around her is another important aspect of this book. I think that all of us at one time or another struggle with this. Who we are, how we fit, what role we have, what our future holds. It’s something that I’ve yet to come to terms with in my own life. And it’s something Fable is constantly challenged with in hers. Is she a thief? Is she a dredger? Is she a daughter, a lover, a friend, all of these, none of them, more? I’d say this is something that helps humanize her, makes her feel real, more than just a character in a book. It’s not a perfect depiction, to say the least, but it’s done well enough.

Fable’s character development is my third important point, and I’m just going to gloss over it. It’s… there IS development, but it seemed to me it all came too quickly, with no sense of fulfillment. Additionally, there was a romance attached to it, which didn’t feel romantic—minus one or two brief moments—and didn’t really feel real. It’s the same kind of love-at-first-sight story featured in the other Adrienne Young book I’ve read, The Girl the Sea Gave Back. I didn’t buy it there, either. The one in Fable isn’t nearly that bad, but not infinitely better.

TL;DR

Fable is quite literally the tale of Fable, daughter of a big-name trader, cast off on a lawless island hell and told to survive and seek out her father if she manages to escape it. As a tale of a girl growing up and finding her place in the world, Fable is a huge success. As a romance or swashbuckling adventure, it falls a bit short. I mean, there’s certainly adventure, but not a ton. There’s certainly a romance, it just sucks. Not much swashbuckling, though.

I really enjoyed Fable as a fable about Fable. It’s about a girl in search of her father, but moreover searching for her place in the world. There’s a lot to relate with there. It’s an experience, and tells a good and enjoyable story along the way. Fable even introduces a few twists and turns I didn’t see coming. I never had any problem reading this, and thoroughly enjoyed my time doing so. I’ll definitely read the followup, but only hope that the romance has been fixed in it.

Fable follows the story of Fable, deserted on Island by her father four years ago, she finally has the means to escape and find her father to reclaim her place next to him.

The plot of the book follows Fable as she journeys towards her father and her dream, a lot of the focus is spent on her time at sea and to be honest it is not an interesting plot/story however I really liked the writing style and the characters which made up for the boring plot. The book is slow paced which I quite liked, it gave time to get to know the characters better and build up the world building really well, I did like the setting of the book. Fable is a really likeable main character, she has gone through a lot and her experiences allow her to be able to fend for herself and make her smart to the world around her, I did also like the side characters especially as their relationship with Fable was build up slowly because of the lack of trust. Even though the plot was not interesting, the book was still an enjoyable read and sets up for the second book really well.

I did like the pace of the book but towards the end things seemed rushed, a lot was going on and it was kind of disappointing to see a lot of build up towards something happening in the book get wasted. Also, I did not like the romance – there was very little of it and it was mainly towards the end, but those characters had no chemistry and their confessions were rushed.

3/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for this honest feedback.

I'll start with the couple of negatives I came across with this book. For me, it took a little while to get into this story as the plot and the characters didn't seem fully fleshed out at first. One of the characters is like this for practically the entire book, and if I wasn't writing this straight after finishing, then I wouldn't have even remembered his name (Hamish).

Once I pushed through Fable being on Joval it started to get better. Fable is all about survival and family and what we make of ourselves when we found ourselves in situations that are for lack of a better word difficult. Fable as a character has gone through a lot and shows remarkable resilience and finds herself on the Marigold which has West as it's Helmsman. 

The crew of the Marigold has its fair share of problems and it is something we get to unravel slowly as we make our way through. Although the world feels very small, I have a feeling that we'll get to see much more of it in Namesake. 

This is one I would carry on with due to the cliffhanger that we're left on.

Fable was one of my last reads of 2020, and it easily earned a spot among my favourite reads of the year. This had everything I look for in a YA fantasy: adventure, secrets, a fascinating (if horrible) world, and just the right mix of romance and darkness. 

The worldbuilding was done incredibly well here. I often have an issue with this in reading fantasy, where it sometimes seems there are either massive info-dumps or no explanation at all and we're just supposed to somehow... know it? Definitely not the case here! The characters' experiences, dialogues and moments of introspection allowed me to feel like I was really getting the essence of what it meant to grow up and live in the Narrows, not just witnessing a long history lecture. Now, don't get me wrong - the Narrows sound awful and I would never, ever want to visit them, but they were also the perfect setting for this story.

The plot itself is actually quite thin, mostly following Fable as she tries to reunite with her father. But somehow I was still glued to the page, wanting to know where the characters would go next or what new disaster was waiting for them just around the corner. This is a rather dark book, with plenty of violence and cruelty, and most of the characters (especially some of the minor ones) are really ruthless. Nevertheless, I didn't feel at all put off by this (which sometimes happens) and I really enjoyed watching Fable fight to stay alive while remaining true to herself.

I loved the characters, especially West's crew. They keep secrets and are very guarded (and rightfully so), and it just felt right for their world that they would not easily welcome a newcomer in their midst. I would have liked to see some of them be slightly more developed, but even so it just worked. I also really liked Fable, even though sometimes she didn't feel quite as fleshed out  as a character as she could have been. But watching her grow and try to survive while going through an inner conflict was one of my favourite things in this book. I also loved that she had actual professional skills to draw on and to carve herself a place in the ship crew. This feels actually quite rare for a strong female protagonist in YA fantasy, and I really appreciated reading it.

My biggest moan with this is the ending. It ends rather abruptly and the story feels incomplete. This will probably be resolved with the second installment in this duology - I expect it will eventually read like a single story in two volumes - but it just felt... off.

Overall, this was a really pleasant, if at times dark, read. If you're looking for a fast-paced YA fantasy with piraty vibes and a strong set of characters, Fable is the one for you. Now, please hand me book two as soon as possible!

<i>3.5</i>

Going into this book, I hadn't done any research reading the blurb, and I was pleasantly surprised to read a found-family, pirate(ish) book!

The characters are definitely the highlight of this book, the depth of these characters is so realistic. While they sometimes fall into tropes, the characters of the Marigold are so realistic, they feel like a genuine family. The dynamics and interactions between them feel very real, I'm excited to get to know them further.

It would be fair to say that I know lots more about 'dredging' than I ever did before reading this book, and the way it's described is so cinematic, I kept imagining this book being adapted into a full-on movie. Also, I volunteer to play Fable!!

Overall, I would highly recommend this book if you like oceans, picturesque descriptions and family drama at sea.

My thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review.  It is scheduled for publication in the UK on 26th January.

Fable is a 17 year old girl scraping a living alone as a dredger in Jeval, a lawless and ruthless island.  After her mother died her father Saint, a trader, abandoned her and promised he'd give her what she is due if she made it off herself.  She has been diving for pyre and selling it to West and his crew for two years.  After a run-in with someone she considered an acquaintance West agrees to take her to Ceros.  The rest of the crew object but he overrides them.  Thrown into a new world with its own rules she must learn quickly, Fable hunts her father and when the result is not what she expects, her plans change.

The world described is harsh yet realistic, where everyone must fight for themselves and make sure no enemies have something they can use against you.  The reasons why Saint left Fable on the island are a bit weak and I got the impression it was a device to start the novel and explain why Fable is alone.  This may be proven wrong in later books, but it was how I felt reading it.  Paj, Auster and Hamish, the bulk of the Marigold crew are rather flat.  This is especially true of Hamish who does little except write in a ledger.  Willa and West are a bit more fleshed out as their characters are more vital to the plot.  Even Zola, the closest to an antagonist the book has, is a bit of a mystery and appears little enough that you don't get a great picture of his character.  You know enough to know he's a bad guy, but not much else.

The result is an entertaining novel with less depth than some fantasies, even other YA novels.  It's still a decent novel with an intriguing world I'd like to know more about.  I struggled a little in the first 25% but once I got past that it moved along nicely.  The transition between the quieter scenes and the more fast action scenes were well done and give a good description of how changeable the world can be where Fable lives.  

It ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger which I don't always like as it makes the first book feel like an extended prologue intended to do nothing more than set the scene.  Here, however, it's enticing enough to encourage further reading.  It does cut off the scene a bit so it can't really work as a stand alone book.  This is the first in a series of novels and I can see them being quite popular.  I'd recommend it for early to mid teens.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan books for providing me the ARC for exchange honest feedback.

Fable is where a girl searching for her father, Saint who abandoned her on an island, Jeval. 4 years later, she managed to escape the island and hitch a ship named Marigold. From there, she begun her journey, getting new friends and a lover. Also, uncover the secret of why her father abandoned her 4 years ago.

Overall, it is a simple story, the plot is not that really amused, characters slowly build their personality and the reason the 1st book is created was answered here. Find her father and make him 'walk the talk'. Maybe everything has been written in 2nd book? I believe so. I sensed that there is more secret to be digging in between of Saint and Isolde, Fable's parent. They must an adventurous couple. I need a novell of their love story. It is obviously how survivalness is vital for MC, Fable. Abandonment by parents is also portrayed and relationship among sailors are highlighted. All is well enough. I amazed that women are portrayed easily to work on ship. I was imagining Pirates of The Carribean vibes here.

The plot twist that never crossed in my mind is just secret siblings relationship. Usually when there are two girls, one of them overpowered but I was wrong. For romance part, so-so for me. Not that it is so charming. YA style I guess. Applaud to the author for doing a different themes of YA, jumps into sea and sailing. Her usage of words and sentences building are really charming and that's made this story looks interesting.

3.5 stars

Fable is an amazing adventure on sea, with likable characters and a strong female lead.

Fable is the daughter of one of the powerful traders in the Narrows, an unforgiving sea. When her father leaves her behind on Jeval, a tiny island where everybody has to survive on their own, she is determined to return to him and make him give her what she is owed. When she finally escapes the island four years later, she tags along with West and his crew on the Marigold. Surviving the harsh seas and her father’s rivals while working with the crew of the Marigold almost seem like the worst choice when compared to Jeval.

The writing in Fable is great. The characters mostly feel real and likable, the pacing of the story was good (enough moments to catch a breath, which is something a lot of books lack), and the story itself was predictable, but fun.

World-building wasn’t very special, but there wasn’t some enormous magic system to explain, so that made sense. The world did feel very small, probably because only a few island were visited, while you’d expect more when a story takes place on the seas.

The one thing that bothered me was the romance, it felt extremely sudden and random to me. There was no real build-up towards it, which made it a very difficult romance to believe in.

The book ends with a great cliffhanger, making me want to dive into the second one right away. I can’t wait to read Namesake and I definitely recommend Fable to anyone looking for a fun and exciting YA fantasy novel.

Things I liked!

1. The setting is very atmospheric, there isn't a lot of world-building but the world that is discussed throughout the story is very bleak and that bleakness just seeps through the pages. I loved it.
2. The writing is very accessible. I read this book very quickly, it was just that easy to get through.
3. The characters are good, I liked them and I liked the relationship between them. But I also wished that the relationship were fleshed out a little more.

Things that were kind of meh!

1. The plot wasn't very dynamic, it kind of fell flat. For such gritty and dark setting, I just felt that the stakes were not that high. I was waiting for something huge to happen but nothing happened at least not until the last two chapters.
2. The romance was meh! I don't have any feelings for the couple.
3. The villain - there is nothing about his motivation except he is jealous////
4. The father's motivations behind leaving his only child on a island filled with thieves felt stupid and kinda irrational.
5. The book ends in a cliffhanger, which was kind of predictable and just lazy.

Fable took me somewhat by surprise, and though it was an incredibly frustrating ending and my irritation at having to wait for book two before I find out what I need to know is high, I can’t rate this highly enough.
Our main character is hardy and spirited, not necessarily through choice, and I couldn’t help but hope for the best for her from the outset. Clearly talented, the skills Fable has around gems suggests there’s more info to come.
We are encouraged to jump into her adventures immediately, watching as she ekes out a living dredging what she finds at the bottom of the ocean. We quickly learn that one of the merchants who is feared by many has more of an interest in Fable than she is able to reveal, and she has to decide who to trust in order to get what she wants.
Full of adventure and more than enough hints at an intriguing backstory. I am desperate to know exactly how Fable’s mother fits into this, what West is hiding and exactly why Zola is so keen to have done what he has.
I got caught up in this immediately, couldn’t wait to learn more and am desperate to be approved for book two on NetGalley (strong hint).

Of course is this only my personal opinion on the book and just because i give this rating to the book doesn’t mean, that everyone will have that opinion.

Last year I developed a love for pirate books and I can’t get enough of them. Fable war on my Want to Read List since the first edition came out and I was very excited when Titan gave me an ARC of Fable.

This is the first book in a duology and i can’t wait for the second book. The cliffhanger at the end is not that bad but nevertheless i am excited.

But now to the important points:

I liked the characters from the start and took Fable and the crew to my heart. They are all kind of unique and i adored the dynamics between the characters

I really liked the progression of the story and liked reading how the crew was along for the ride. However, while reading it, sometimes I kind of felt like I overread or forgot a part because certain events were covered very quickly. Maybe it’s a me problem but i was surprised how fast the book was to read.

I am curious to see how the plot develops in the second book and am already looking forward to reading it.

Conclusion
A great pirate book, for all the people with wanderlust

I give 4,5 from 5 Stars

Fable introduces the reader to a new world filled with danger, thrill, and adventure. It's a journey one would want to be a part of.


My Rating: 2.8 Stars


I liked reading Fable. There were so much trading and dredging involved. The writing was lucid, and most of the descriptions were gems based. If you're up for a book filled with adventure, then Fable is the one you're looking for. The book ends with a cliffhanger, which I didn't see coming. With an ending like that, I will have to read Namesake and find what happens to Fable and the others.

Thank you, NetGalley, author and the publisher for this eARC.

Fable is a High Fantasy mostly set on the sea. Fable is 17 and has been abandoned on a ruthless island by her father four years before our novel starts. Her father is the most powerful trader in the Narrows and Fable is a secret, almost no one knows he has a daughter, let alone who that is.
Fable finds herself having to run from that island after someone tried to kill her. Many things happen next.

This was an enjoyable read. The character were interesting and well rounded. I liked the plot but I wasn't 100% engaged. I liked it, I will read the sequel but I just didn't fully connect with the characters, so I had some trouble staying completely focused. I still really liked the "found family" that was on the boat, that was the best part for me.
I did read it in one sitting, it's definitely an engaging book that makes you want to know what happens next.
Anyway, this was really nice, and I definitely recommend it if you like any kind of pirate or pirate adjacent novels.

This was a very interesting journey. I loved the geology of this book (nerd!) and the sea setting. 

The story begins small with high stakes then branches out into a larger scale. It all made sense and there wasn't a single turn or twist that felt off or weird. I loved how the love triangle was not about the main character at all - that was a refreshing twist :) 

I loved how the story starts with some action in the first few chapters before settling down. Then a new wave of action came. 

The world is well built. Most of the world-building is done when needed so it doesn't feel too much. It all relies on where she is. The character builds the world based on her location and her parents past. It felt natural and not forced which was nice and well done. 

Fable is the main character and narrates the book. She has been dumped on an island and told to make her way home by herself. And this is where the story starts with her making those final choices that get her home. I loved Fable and her resourcefulness. 

Very well written! I was almost impressed by it. Maybe I went in with minimal expectations but I now want to read everything by Adrienne Young. I loved the writing style as well as her linguistic skills.

In summary, a very enjoyable read in a lovely setting. The characters were great and someone I could invest in. I will pick up the sequel whenever that comes out :)

With thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for this digital arc, all opinions expressed here are my own.

Fable by Adrienne Young is the first book I have read by this author. I have seen it around Instagram a lot, as the book has already released in the US, but is just coming out in the UK. I was intrigued by the blurb so looked forward to reading the book and Fable did not disappoint.

The book is named after the main character Fable, who is determined to get off the island her father dumped her on and return to her rightful place by his side. She enlists the help of West, Willa and the rest of the Marigold crew to get back “home.” A lot of this book takes place on board the ship, which is different and an enjoyable read. The cast of characters were fascinating and I enjoyed learning pieces of their stories. This is a duology, and while Fable has ended on a cliffhanger, it is more a surprise ending than anything. I very much look forward to reading book two. 

4 enjoyable stars. I will post to Instagram and Amazon on release day.

I loved everything about this book, the characters, the plot, the adventure on the sea, the danger, the adrenaline-fuelled page-turning I experienced while reading, and the author's exquisite writing. The one thing I didn't enjoy was that the story didn't end. This is one of my major pet peeves, the fact that it wasn't mentioned in the blurb that this book was part of a duology and you have to wait until the next book is released to see what happens. 

Putting the ending aside, I am still giving this book 5 stars because I really enjoyed the story. Fable is such a strong character. She's determined and never gives up no matter what difficulties are thrown at her. The crew of the Marigold are all excellent characters too and all unique. The world-building is well done, the plot is exciting and keeps you turning the page, and the high stakes that emerge make it a superb read. 

I didn't want the story to end, but sadly it did and with an ending that I wasn't expecting. If book 2 were available I would have jumped straight into it which is a big positive and again another reason why I haven't deducted any stars for not knowing upfront that this was part of a duology. Will I purchase book 2? Definitely. I want to know what happens next for Fable and West and the rest of the Marigold crew and I want to see how Saint reacts. I have high hopes for him and will be adding the next book to my preorders as soon as it is announced. 

A 5 star read from an author that knows how to tell a story. Her fluid writing pulls you in from the start and holds your focus until the very last page.