The sequel to Fable, this books picks up where the last leaves off. In this book we learn more of Fable's background and skills.

I found again that Adrienne Young's writing transports me into her world so easily. After the cliffhanger ending of the first book I was excited to find out what happened next. I liked how the world expanded in this book. It also feels satisfying to come to a conclusion.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Titan Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“There are some things that can’t be carved from a person, no matter how far from home they’ve sailed.”

With the Marigold ship free of her father, Fable and the rest of the crew were set to start over. That freedom is short-lived when Fable becomes a pawn in a notorious thug’s scheme. In order to get to her intended destination, she must help him to secure a partnership with Holland, a powerful gem trader who is more than she seems. As Fable descends deeper into a world of betrayal and deception, she learns that the secrets her mother took to her grave are now putting the people Fable cares about in danger. If Fable is going to save them, then she must risk everything—including the boy she loves and the home she has finally found.

Fable remains to be utterly feisty and brilliantly sassy. It just makes me love her more. Despite dangerous situations she’s thrust into, she remains true to her ideals and who she is, remaining laser focused on her goals. We get to see more vulnerability in Fable this time and it really endeared her to me more! Her past is chasing into the present in various ways - both old and painful, new and dangerous - and yet she still focuses on the task at hand, doing her best to not just keep herself alive - but her found family too.
West felt rather different to me. Clearly losing Fable reverted him back into a broodier, more feral version of himself. And yet I felt like it was entirely right. This young man has a very dark past, it doesn’t just go away. It leaves an imprint on you that’s difficult to shake.
The crew of the Marigold remain to be a motley crew, each with similar motivations but entirely different reasonings. We see their bonds be tested, their own pasts come to light and hold resentment for their plans being thrown off course. And yet, we still get to see his family find their own.

I’ll admit, initially I wasn’t entirely sure this would live up to its predecessor. But as the story progressed and twists and turns made themselves evident, I was utterly hooked. The story felt unpredictable which I LOVE. I need a story that keeps me guessing, that has me saying “one more chapter” and suddenly I’ve read four more instead. It was raw and engaging and you bet I was bawling with that ending. It’s such a brilliant story and I cannot wait to revisit it in the future.

Overall, Namesake is an emotional, epic conclusion to a story that makes you want to see the world.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I would just like to point out before I start that I think that this is a really good sequel to Fable and I enjoyed reading every sentence. It was fast paced, tense and a few twists and deceptions for Fable to discover along the way.

With how the first book ended on a cliff hanger I wanted to read Namesake as soon as possible to find out what happened and I’m so glad that this book started where the first left off. So no time had passed between the first and second book meaning that you can easily go from reading the first and straight into the second book.

Although I was surprised with how quickly that was dealt with, I think it was by 30% into the book that that antagonist was dealt with. But another antagonist was introduced that was an even bigger threat. Who could destroy not only the lives of crew of the Marigold but also the livelihoods of most of the people in the Narrows.

Fable had to make a lot of hard decisions because of them. This person held nearly every ball in her court and believed that she would be able to get everything that she wanted. But she didn’t expect to be outwitted.

"We were salt and sand and sea and storm.

We were made in the Narrows."

One thing that I really liked about this book, that carried on from the first book, was that Fable stopped living by the rules that she had learnt from Saint as a child. Even though it’s dangerous to show that you care about anyone but yourself, Fable couldn’t stop herself from caring for West, or the rest of the crew, or her father, or old friends, and I think that that made her stronger. Especially as these ties meant that she could get help from them when she needed them. Although this book does also explore a lot of the consequences for when you do show others that you care about someone. Which gets her in some pretty tight corners with seemingly no way out.

At the heart of this duology the story examines relationships and the cost of loving in a society that preys on weakness. But within Namesake we also get to see how those relationships and costs can be worth it. Even when there’s a high price to pay. This book delves deeper into the relationships that Fable is bound by; the love she has for her father, the love she has for West, and the new home and family that she’s found on the Marigold with it’s crew.

This book also expanded on some of the characters that had been mentioned or played smaller roles in the first book which I really liked. Like Koy who is only in the first few chapters in Fable when Fable is on the island Jeval but he becomes a more important character in this book. Koy was a character that I hadn’t expected to come back after Fable left Jeval, especially after he tried to kill her, but I thought that he was a really nice addition.

“If anyone’s going to kill you, it’s going to be me.”

I also really liked how other characters where expanded on. I had really hoped to get more of the crew of the Marigold in this book, which we did get but a part of me still wishes that there had been more. But Fable was seperated from them for a good chunk of the book, so…

Also I liked that West showed the things he’s capable of when the people he cares about are threatened or hurt. Plus more of what he had to do under Saint as as the helmsman of Saint’s shadow ship. Especially as few of the character’s tell Fable that she doesn’t know how much blood is on his hands or that she doesn’t know him well enough. In this book Fable finds out more of West’s secrets, and she got more answers from him.

West is not the most trusting of people and he’s very good at keeping secrets, but in this book he does open up. I’m really glad that he was more open in this book, because even though I liked him in the first book I felt like I didn’t really know that much about him. Just because he’s a pretty closed off character. But him and Fable even closer in this book and West begins to get more comfortable with not hiding or withholding things.

"I’d seen the shadow side of the Marigold’s helmsman, and it was dark. It was all flame and smoke."

There were also a lot of really sweet moments between West and Fable in this book that I loved. I really liked their relationship and the parallels between them and Fable’s parents’, Saint and Isolde, relationship. Thankfully theirs doesn’t end with tragedy.

"“You’re a stubborn bastard,” I said softly.

The shadow of a smirk lit his face. “So are you.”"

I think that this is a beautifully written book with a deeper look at the world and the way that it works. The world building is really well done and it is expanded in this book as most of it takes place in the Unnamed Sea whereas Fable was set in the Narrows. I really liked getting to see the other side of this world. As the Narrows is more of a working class world where everyone must work for themselves and nothing is luxurious or extravagant. The Unnamed Sea is the opposite. Everything is extravagant or flashy, everything is clean and tidy even the poorest part in Bastian is pretty decent. There is huge contrasts between places in the Narrows and places in the Unnamed Sea. Although the people are still the same, only looking out for themselves and are just as cutthroat and ruthless.

Overall I think that Namesake is an amazing book and I loved reading it so much. I loved the characters, I loved the world, and I loved the story. This was a very exciting, adventurous and tense conclusion to the Fable duology by Adrienne Young and I loved every part of it. I would highly recommend reading this duology. It is brilliant. It is a great nautical fantasy tale, with light magic, ruthless characters and a lot of heart. It’s perfect for if you are looking for books like Monstrous Heart by Claire McKenna, All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace, and Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller

Namesake, book 2 in the Fable duology by author Adrienne Young, continues the journey that left hook marks in my heart.

Book 1 ended in a cliffhanger. Namesake starts with a prologue that touches on one of Fable's memories before dumping us back into the present, exactly where Fable doesn't want to be, weighed down by betrayal.

Fable is in a mess. She needs to figure out what is going on and how she is going to get herself out of her current predicament. Along the way there are cleverly weaved surprises, shocking revelations, carefully executed manipulations and last ditch hopes that could end in death.

Every step of the way I felt I could hear the creak of the ships, smell the unmistakable tang of sea air and feel danger's chill. Adrienne Young has managed to create a world that refuses to stay neatly tucked away on the pages. It cries out to be heard and I urge fellow adventure and sea lovers to listen. Fable has been released in the UK as of the 22nd of June 2021, so you can now read the entire duology without pause. What are you waiting for?

5/5🌟

I am honoured to have been granted a copy of Namesake by the publishers, Titan Books, via Netgalley, in exchange for my impartial review. All opinions stated are my own.

Warning! This is the second installment in the duology about Fable so the following review may contain spoilers regarding the first book, Fable (my review of Fable can be found in one of my earlier posts!).

Picking up right were things ended in Fable, Namesake takes everything to another level - the plot deepens, the stakes are raised and dark secrets revealed. Just when you think you have everything figured out - it all changes. If you thought Fable was an emotional roller-coaster you need to prepare yourself before reading Namesake because wow what a ride it was.

Namesake is just as wild, ever-changing and mysterious as the sea. You never know what’s hidden deep down in the dark depths until you take the leap, dive down and find it out on your own.

The duology about Fable is the perfect summer read: a fast-paced adventure on the sea as well as below. It may seem like your usual YA fantasy book at first but trust me when I say that the real secrets always hide below the surface. I couldn’t have wished for a better conclusion to this fantastic duology and I cannot wait to discover what adventures Adrienne Young have in mind for the future.

***I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley (thank you Titan Books!) in exchange for a honest review.***

Thank you Netgalley, Titan books and Adrienne Young for providing me the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Why did I love this Duology so much? It's unfathomable. This is not the kind of book that I usually love. But I'm just in love with this series. The second book was different from the first. It certainly stood apart. The whole tone, mood and context of the book changed. Also have you seen the cover of the book? It's absolutely breathtaking. I can't wait to save and get a physical copy and swoon over it.

In this book, Fable and West's new found relationship is put to test. How much their love costs and overshadowed everything else. It makes them both reckless and let's them do things they never would have otherwise. What I missed was the bond and banter of the rest of crew which was the forefront in the first book.

I loved how Fable's character developed, how she learnt to punish, to forgive and to love. No matter how Saint was portrayed, I always felt that there was a hidden aspect to his personality and I am glad we got to see that in this book. It moved me and made me feel all gooey.

I relate to Fable in ways I don't relate much to other fictional characters. She is brave yet afraid. She is strong yet fragile. She is pure and also ruthless. That's why I fell in love with this duology and if you give it a chance, you might too.

The ending satisfied me and I thought it was a nice way to tie all the knots together. I only wish I could read more about them all.

"We were salt and sand and sea and storm."
Well, this was really quite wonderful. This is a brilliant duology filled with swashbuckling adventures, double and sometimes triple crossing villains and heroes and a brilliant heroine determined to solve all the problems life throws in her way. Now, I have said before that I was not a fan of Sky in the Deep by this author but after reading both Fable and Namesake I feel as if it was just a bit of a rocky start. I will definitely be checking out her other work. that is for sure.
I am sure the setting and atmosphere that comes with this duology is one of the main reasons why I was so enamored by it. We spend so much time with Fable out in the open ocean, or diving between coral reefs, and then partially in this book in high society events, it is all just so vivid and brilliant.
Character complexity isn't something you always get, especially in YA novels, but each and every one of the characters in this book has their own motivations, past regrets and grey morality. Somehow you know they have done terrible things yet you are still so attached to them. There is a strong focus on family in this series, whether that be blood family or found family and the development we get over just two relatively short books is remarkable.
I have been kept guessing at every point in this series, as you never feel comfortable within the plot; there are always things that can go wrong or changes in plans that aren't discussed till the last possible moment. Whilst the plot and pacing throughout isn't bad in anyway the ending of this book was just phenomenal and had me gasping at multiple points!
Basically if you like books set at sea, found family and morally grey pirate esque antics, you will adore this series.
Rated: 4.5 Stars

A fairly fine follow up to Fable. It picks up where Book 1 ended and the reader is thrown straight into another tense adventure. I felt that Namesake was better than its predecessor with more intrigue, exciting plot and improved character development. I particularly liked how Fable's relationships with other characters got a chance of more expansion here especially between Fable and Saint which was very fascinating. My only criticism is that I think too many new characters were introduced. But overall, this was a swashbucklingly good duology and I will be keeping an eye out for more by Adrienne Young.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

The second and final instalment of the Fable duology picks up right where the last book left off. Fable has been shanghaied onto a rival’s ship to help the helmsman secure a deal with a powerful gem trader from Bastion.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the writer really captivated me with her descriptions, I could clearly visualize Fable’s journey and the world she lives in. I liked the pacing and was intrigued as to where it was going.

Fable is wonderful, she’s strong, feisty and utterly likable. Whist I wasn’t too sure about the characters after reading Fable, it was great to be back with them, I felt like I got to know them more and with new ones being introduced, I thought they were spot on. I’m still not convinced on West as Fables love interest, he’s bland, especially for someone who has such an interesting backstory. I occasionally felt that his protection of Fable and his crew was verging on controlling, which was the only thing I wasn’t keen on.

This high-seas adventure has a satisfying ending with the character arc’s resolving nicely. I was so happy! There is a little detail towards the end, which I adored, it was beautiful. I really wish both books were chunky, 600+ page tomes so I could have stayed longer, but that’s just me being greedy! It’s a lovely story set in such a well thought out and gorgeously written world.

Thank you so much Net Galley and Titan Books for approving me for this book!

(Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review)

[actual rating 3.5/5 stars]

Namesake begins where Fable left off, with everyone feeling free and Fable feeling like she finally has a place she belongs. However, she soon gets caught up with a corrupt trader who has his own plans for her. They travel into the unnamed sea to the home of the most powerful gem trader, where Fable uncovers secrets about her mothers past and learns more about the people she though she could trust.

I loved the first book so I was really excited to read the second installment. I still love Fable and how much she has changed from helpless dredger trapped on Javali to the strong person she is now. I loved finding out more about her mothers past as well as West and his backstory. I appreciated how it included a little bit more information on some of the Marigold's crew members as i felt in the first book we didn't get to know them that well.

I love the writing style, it made me feel like I was there on the ship with them going on my own sea adventure. I enjoyed the plot and the journey the characters went on but I definitely prefer what happened plot wise in the first book. Namesake fell a little flat in areas in terms of action, with the majority of the books just being conversations between characters or diving in the sea. Whereas in Fable, there was more action, adventure and just overall a bit more going on. I never got bored reading Namesake though, it just wasn't in my opinion as good as Fable.

Adrienne Young can do no wrong in this reader's eyes. I simply adore her worlds and words. I thoroughly enjoyed the conclusion to the duology, the characters were vividly brought to life, the plot was fun and interesting, and the author has a way of making you feel things as the characters feel them on the page. I will read anything and everything Adrienne will write.

✨Namesake✨

Thank you to Netgalley, Titan Books and Adrienne Young for an advanced copy.

Summary: picking up immediately where Fable left off, 17 year old dredger Fable and her crew are finally out from under her fathers thumb... only to find herself in the hands of another tyrant. Fable is forced to join forces with notorious Gem trader Holland, and there’s more to her than meets the eye. Lies unfold and truths are discovered in this captivating sea tale.
✨
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review:
I am so glad I was able to read an advanced copy of this book immediately after finishing book one as that cliffhanger would’ve ended me.

Namesake is the stunning conclusion to the Fable duology. I really enjoyed this book, the development and exploration of characters, particularly Saint, was captivating. The writing so good the book was unputdownable. And now i just want a book about Saint please. I love him.

The romance was definitely stronger in this book and I enjoyed the development of it. I enjoyed getting glimpses into some of the side characters pasts. The adventure in this book was at the forefront and was strongly written.

I didn’t want this book to end and now I’m craving books set at sea! This book is sure to be a huge hit!