Review: Namesake by Adrienne Young

Namesake by Adrienne Young

Book One of the Fable series

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Publication Date: March 16, 2021

Rating: 5 stars

Source: Copy provided by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

Trader. Fighter. Survivor.

With the Marigold ship free of her father, Fable and its crew were set to start over. That freedom is short-lived when she 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 her mother was keeping secrets, and those secrets 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.

Filled with action, emotion, and lyrical writing, New York Times bestselling author Adrienne Young returns with Namesake, the final book in the captivating Fable duology.

What I Liked:

I read Fable in early 2020, and I knew it would be a hit. I loved the book; it pulled me right out of the reading slump that I had been in, since my father passed away in 2019. Fable hit me at the right time. I received Namesake to read in Fall 2020 and I dove right back into the intriguing, mysterious world of the Narrows. Namesake is the conclusion to the Fable duology, and it's easily one of the best conclusion novels I've ever read.

Namesake picks up pretty much right where Fable left off, which, if you remember where Fable left off, you remember being pretty upset. (I was, anyway.) I won't state too much about that, since Fable published only six months ago, and I will try not to spoil anything regarding Namesake as well. 

The world of Fable becomes so much larger in this book. Adrienne Young expands the world, the schemes, the politics, the characters. A wider cast of characters is brought into play, and even more political machinations, deals, risks, and revelations. Some characters who were briefly mentioned in Fable become critical players in Namesake. No specifics, but believe me, the plot thickens! I love the Pirates of the Caribbean vibe of this series. That alone was enough to make me pick up Fable, but the excellent writing, fascinating characters, and slow-burn, tension-filled romance made me fall in love with the books.

One thing I will say vaguely is that a giant Easter egg in Fable manifests in Namesake. I was pretty sure I knew what the Easter egg was when I was reading Fable, but I wasn't quite right. It's not exactly what you'd expect. Adrienne Young is so sneaky, she had us thinking one thing, when in fact it was a completely different thing! I have listened to so many of her virtual tour events and Instagram live events, and she was SO sneaky about this Easter egg. Several months after reading Namesake (I'm writing this review in February 2021), I'm still delighted by the Easter egg.

Let's talk about the romance! Fable and West are such an adorable, heartbreakingly beautiful pair. I love the romance of this book, and series. This series - actually, this book (Namesake) has the most romance on page of any of Young's books. I love the slow-burn in Fable, and the pure yearning in Namesake. The romance of this series is one of my all-time favorites of the Young Adult books I've read.

Other relationships are just as important as the romance between Fable and West; for example, Fable's relationship with her father, Saint. But also, Fable's relationship with her mother, Isolde. I can't say anything more about that but... while Fable (book one) was more so about Fable and her father, Namesake is about Fable and her mother. In a way, but not in the way you think. You'll see!

I truly love the characters that Adrienne Young has written. Fable, a smart, brave young woman. West, a selfless, mysterious man with a heart of gold. Saint, a trickster father who keeps his cards close. And the crew of the Marigold, who is the family that Fable never knew she needed. I love the characters of this book, even the "villains", who have such compelling backstories.

Tropes: slow-burn romance, a hint of enemies-to-lovers romance (kind of? between West and Fable), found family, "chosen one"... kind of. You'll see what I mean.

I won't say anything else because I don't want to spoil the book, but I will say that the book ended really well. The series wraps up wonderfully. Adrienne Young proves that you don't need mass chaos and bloodshed to end a series (I'm looking at you, Game of Thrones). I'm not saying there is NO violence at the end, but, the ending is really good. My heart was full, after reading this book. This book is absolutely worth the (short) wait, the marathon binge-read, or however you'll read this series.  

What I Did Not Like:

I have no complaints! This book was such an excellent follow-up to Fable, and an amazing conclusion. I feel like I can't wait always say that about sequels or conclusion novels. 

Would I Recommend It:

If you read Fable, you HAVE to finish this series. Namesake is so easy to read - I finished it quickly, once I started getting into the story. I didn't want to put the book down. This series is such a riveting fantasy series, and it has good crossover appeal to young adult readers and adults. It's a favorite for sure - the series is a favorite in general!

Rating:

5 stars. There was no doubt in my mind that Namesake would be just as incredible as Fable, if not more. Adrienne Young has not disappointed me yet; I can't wait to see what she publishes next!

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Review: Fable by Adrienne Young

Fable by Adrienne Young

Book One of the Fable series

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Publication Date: September 1, 2020

Rating: 5 stars

Source: Copy provided by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

Filled with all of the action, emotion, and lyrical writing that brought readers to Sky in the Deep, New York Times bestselling author Adrienne Young returns with Fable, the first book in this new captivating duology.

Welcome to a world made dangerous by the sea and by those who wish to profit from it. Where a young girl must find her place and her family while trying to survive in a world built for men.

As the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home seventeen-year-old Fable has ever known. It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father.

But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him and Fable soon finds that West isn't who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they're going to stay alive.

Fable takes you on a spectacular journey filled with romance, intrigue and adventure.

What I Liked:

It has certainly been a while since I reviewed a book. But there was no way I wasn't going to write a review for Fable. I've been reading - no, savoring - Fable for months. This book was exactly what I needed to pull me out of a deep reading slump. This novel is full of high risks, adventure, friendship, found family, and a swoony slow-burn romance.

Fable is the daughter of a powerful trader (Saint), who abandoned her on a dangerous island just hours after her mother drowned during a storm at sea. Surviving on this treacherous island hasn't been easy, but Fable has been honing her skills as a deep-sea dredger to collect precious stones and gems to trade for money, so she can get off the island. But circumstances can change at the turn of the tide, and Fable finds herself in a desperate situation to get off the island. With the reluctant help of a trader, West, Fable gets off the island, and she is determined to find her father and demand her rightful place on his ship. 

I had a feeling that I would love this book before I picked it up because the summary is so intriguing, but I also had read other books by Adrienne Young and I was expecting another excellent story. Young absolutely delivered on this. This story gave me Pirates of the Caribbean vibes in the summary, and I definitely got that feeling as I was reading. The atmosphere is exciting, but also eerie/threatening/dangerous, in a sense. I love the undercurrent of danger that runs through the story, and ratchets up at the climax. One thing Young does so well is building that tension throughout the story.

From the first page, I really liked Fable. She is a heroine that is easy to like and relate to (even if you aren't in a situation like she is - most of us aren't!). She is such a strong young woman who has been put in an incredibly difficult do-or-die situation for most of her life. She is so resilient - but she isn't perfect. Her own mistakes lead her to scrambling off the island, which leads to more problems. Fable "enters" this story as a clever, tough, determined individual, but she becomes even more so as the story progresses. She opens her heart to the strangers of the Marigold, which could be a big mistake. In doing so, she finds a family that she has never had, even when her parents were in her life.

You won't just fall in love with Fable - you'll love West, and the rest of the Marigold crew. West is such a mysterious character with so many layers of backstory and tragedy. I am terribly fond of characters who aren't who they seem, and who don't trust anyone, and who have had to make awful decisions in the past. Both West and Fable are this type of character. The other members of the crew are mistrustful of Fable at first - especially Willa - and with good reason.

There is slow-burn, sweet romance in this book, and I love it so much. I shipped this couple from their initial interaction of the book, and I want them to get a happy ending so badly. There is also another romance between secondary characters which I loved. 

The ending of this book is a pretty intense cliffhanger, so be prepared to be screaming for book two when you get to the last page. I personally hate cliffhangers and I appreciate the heads-up, so that I can binge-read the series when it is published, but I read this book so early (back in January) and had no idea about the cliffhanger. The good thing is, Namesake publishes in March!

Fable is one of those stories that lingers in my mind, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I am so happy that the book has lived up to its predecessors and the hype, and I can't wait to read the conclusion to the series. 

What I Did Not Like:

Like I said, I personally don't like cliffhangers. Even in a series, I love it when the author wraps up each book, but perhaps the "big picture" plot hasn't been quite wrapped up, or something like that. I understand the need to "hook" the reader, but cliffhangers are so mean (especially when a series gets cancelled or more books are never published, for whatever reason!). As far as cliffhangers go, this is a pretty intense one, so it's a great type of cliffhanger but readers are going to be upset that Namesake isn't available yet. Hang in there!

Would I Recommend It:

I absolutely would recommend this book - especially as someone who has been in a months-long reading slump. If you're looking for action/adventure with a slow-burn romance in the background, this is a great book to read. It has crossover appeal so I would say that adults, young adults, and maybe even upper middle grade readers could read and love this book. 

Rating:

5 stars. I will read anything Adrienne Young writes. Fable has cemented that. I can't wait to read Namesake!

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Waiting on Wednesday (#321): The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I'm featuring:

The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Publication Date: September 3, 2019

Summary (from Goodreads):

The new gut-wrenching epic from the New York Times bestselling author of Sky in the Deep.

For as long as she can remember, Tova has lived among the Svell, the people who found her washed ashore as a child and use her for her gift as a Truthtongue. Her own home and clan are long-faded memories, but the sacred symbols and staves inked over every inch of her skin mark her as one who can cast the rune stones and see into the future. She has found a fragile place among those who fear her, but when two clans to the east bury their age-old blood feud and join together as one, her world is dangerously close to collapse.

For the first time in generations, the leaders of the Svell are divided. Should they maintain peace or go to war with the allied clans to protect their newfound power? And when their chieftain looks to Tova to cast the stones, she sets into motion a series of events that will not only change the landscape of the mainland forever but will give her something she believed she could never have again—a home.

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I loved Sky in the Deep! This new book by Adrienne Young is not related to Sky in the Deep, but I'm sure it will be just as amazing. I can't wait!

Swoon Thursday (#267): Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

- From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering

- Try to make the swoon excerpt 140 characters (or less), if you are going to tweet about it. Use the hashtag #YABOUND when tweeting

This week, my swoon is from Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young!

"What are you doing?" I whispered.

But he didn't answer. He looked down at me before his hands lifted, finding my face, and he stepped closer. His fingers wound into my hair until I tipped my head back and I sucked in a breath.

"I'm sorry." His voice was deep.

I searched his face. "For what?"

He dropped his head down, his lips hovering over mine. "For everything."

His fingers curled tighter into my braids and he kissed me. He dove deep inside of me, filling me up with the warmth the winter had stolen away. Melting the frosted, frozen pieces.

His hands were hot on my skin, trailing down my neck, over my collarbones to slide around my waist and pull me up, into him. I listed up onto my toes, trying to get closer. Trying to wade through the thick, musky stream of thoughts in my head. To flush them out. 

- eARC, page 201

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I looooooooved the swoons from this book. There were only a few, but they were well worth the wait. The romance is a slow-burn hate-to-love one. This book is a new favorite of mine! You can read my five-star review HERE. =)

Review: Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Publication Date: April 24, 2018

Rating: 5 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield—her brother, fighting with the enemy—the brother she watched die five years ago.

Faced with her brother's betrayal, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki, in a village where every neighbor is an enemy, every battle scar possibly one she delivered. But when the Riki village is raided by a ruthless clan thought to be a legend, Eelyn is even more desperate to get back to her beloved family.

She is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend, who sees her as a threat. They must do the impossible: unite the clans to fight together, or risk being slaughtered one by one. Driven by a love for her clan and her growing love for Fiske, Eelyn must confront her own definition of loyalty and family while daring to put her faith in the people she’s spent her life hating. 

What I Liked:

Warning: this book is a new favorite of mine and there will be a lot of fangirling in this review. I can't guarantee everything will make sense or flow coherently but I can guarantee that it will be abundantly clear that I loved this book. So much. 

Y'all, I don't even have the words. I don't know how to write this review. All I know is that I've just finished reading the book, after sitting down to start it several hours ago, and I want to shout to the world how much I enjoyed the story. This is one of those books that clicked with me as a reader instantly, and at no point did my enjoyment of and connection to the book let up. I'm sorry if I won't be very articulate in this review. I'm sorry I won't do this book justice. And I'm sorry for those that did not (or will not) enjoy the book. It's a new favorite of mine, and one that I'll be rereading and thinking about for a long time.

The story opens with immediate acting, in which Eelyn and her people (the Aska) are getting ready to face off with the enemies, the Riki. Eelyn and her friend Myra are fight side-by-side when Eelyn is thrown down and about to be killed by a Riki - when someone stops the Riki. Much to Eelyn's surprise, that someone is Eelyn's brother, who she watched die five years ago. It turns out that Iri is not dead, and has been living with the Riki for the last five years. When Eelyn, now badly injured, is taken by the Riki, she must learn to survive in the enemy's village until winter is over. But with the closing of winter comes the emergence of a stronger, common enemy of both the Riki and the Aska - the Herja. Eelyn may be the key to the union of the Aska and the Riki, which could lead to the survival of all against the Herja.

From the opening scene, this story was filled with action, constant nonstop battle and conflict. It isn't all bloodshed and war, though there is some of that and it is brutal. Even with Eelyn badly injured and taken as prisoner among the Riki, the flow of the story never slows down. I thought the pacing was really well-written, except maybe towards the last few chapters (things were a bit fast).

Eelyn is a strong, fierce warrior, though she isn't a heartless killing machine. Yes, she is a Viking warrior, but she is entirely human, with a loyal, noble heart. She loves her family and her people, and holds fast to her traditions and values, but even still, she begins to see how the Riki are just like the Aska. Eelyn's character growth is obvious; she is angry and bitter at first (and rightfully so), but her willingness to forgive creeps up on her. She was dealt a cruel hand and the Riki did badly by her at first, but she came out stronger, and she saw the truth of things.

I so wish this book could have also included Fiske's POV, like alternating third-person POVs or something. Fiske was an enigma a first - he seemed to be cold and driven and lacking in emotion. But all of his actions and decisions started to add up as we learned more about him as a man. He is a good person given difficult choices to make, and I can't fault him for what he did for his family, for Iri, for Eelyn. I adored Fiske. It took some page time for me to start to really like him, but I knew there was more than meets the eye. And hey, it took a lot more page time for Eelyn to like him. (And rightfully so. I'd hate him too at first, if I were her.) His redemption was sound though. He acknowledges his wrongs to Eelyn. This was so important and I'm glad the author made sure to write this into the story.

Eelyn's relationship with her brother is a tricky one. She is so angry with him for leaving the Aska even after he was healed by the Riki, for choosing to stay with the Riki, for never letting the Aska know that he was alright, for leaving her/forgetting about her. She tries so hard to harden herself against him; honestly I didn't really blame her at first, but I also slowly came to forgive Iri, just as Eelyn slowly came to forgive him. The author does such a good job of writing Eelyn's relationship and complicated feelings towards her brother. She is happy he is alive, but she is angry that he is alive (and living among the Riki, like family).

The story comes to a climax when the Aska and the Riki both are attacked by the Herja. A good solution? The Aska and Riki should join forces. The two clans have been rivals for a long time, but Eelyn and Fiske are willing to try to convince both clans to fight together. 

There is romance, if you couldn't tell! It's a subtle romance between Fiske and Eelyn. There is no insta-love or insta-lust - and you'd see why, when you see how Fiske and Eelyn meet and what happens after that. Eelyn shouldn't have fallen for Fiske, but she did, and I get it. I see why. They are so similar, and they needed each other, and they grew to care about each other. I loved how subtle the growing feelings were - I expected the romance between Fiske and Eelyn, but I also love watching it bud very slowly. And hey, no love triangle! A good slow-burn, hate-to-love romance. Two of my favorite tropes when it comes to romance!

The ending is a really, really good ending, for the Aska and the Riki, for Eelyn and her people, for Fiske and Eelyn, for Iri and his new paths. I so respect Adrienne Young for ending the book the way she did - it's a good HEA. Don't get me wrong, everything isn't sunshine and rainbows in all things, but the author also didn't do something obnoxious and cruel to any of the characters. The ending is so positive and hopeful and I loved it. 

What I Did Not Like:

Hmmm, I guess I wouldn't have minded more kissing? Fiske and Eelyn's chemistry was super subtle and didn't really start showing until more than halfway through the story - and for good reason (Eelyn was hurting and hating everyone, and rightfully so). But I would have loved to see a little more chemistry and tension between them, because I feel like they would have had such fiery chemistry. Their chemistry is simmering in a subtle way, which is cool, but there's nothing wrong with some good passion too. *wink*

Anyway that's not really a bad thing or a complaint, more of wishful thinking but HEY this book was excellent, don't mind me!

Would I Recommend It:

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants an action-packed story with a tough but vulnerable heroine (i.e. a warrior who is also not a cold-hearted killing machine), a difficult brother-sister relationship, a smoldering hate-to-love romance, and a pact that could change the course of history for the two clans. This story is so powerful because it shows how two sets of people can seem so different but are really just like the other. I think any YA reader would enjoy this book, and it's a standalone so there's no waiting for additional books!

Rating:

5 stars. This is the type of historical fantasy (or maybe just historical fiction - it's not always easy to classify Viking-based fiction) that I love and need more of. I love the kickbutt heroine who isn't perfect and isn't merciless, but is still fierce and tough. I love the kickbutt hero who makes difficult decisions to protect those he cares about, and whose selflessness is so underrated by those around him. I love the story of the Aska and the Riki coming together to survive. This book is a new favorite of mine, an instant preorder, a novel worthy of shelf space. I can't wait to read more by the author, unrelated or otherwise!

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Waiting on Wednesday (#254): Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I'm featuring:

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Publication Date: April 24, 2018

Summary (from Goodreads):

Seventeen-year-old Eelyn’s world is war. Raised to fight alongside her Aska clansmen in a generations-old blood feud against the Riki, her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield—her brother, fighting with the enemy—the brother she watched die five years ago. 

Faced with her brother's betrayal, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki if she wants to make it back to the fjord after the thaw. But when she begins to see herself in the people she's been taught to hate, the world Eelyn once knew begins to crumble. And after the village is raided by a ruthless clan many believe to be a myth, Eelyn is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend who has tried more than once to kill her. Together, they must end the blood feud between their clans or watch their people be slaughtered. 

A lush, Viking-age inspired fantasy about loyalty, forgiveness, and the definition of family.

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This sounds amaaaaaaaazing! Viking-age inspired fantasy = totally my thing. I need it!