Bumpy Oak Books

4 stars

**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Adrienne Young’s newest novel, Fable, brings readers to a story of high stakes sea trade, secrets, and debts. Fable, daughter of a wealthy trader, was abandoned by her father after a shipwreck. She is determined to earn enough coin to book passage off the island where she was left, and to claim her rightful place on her father’s crew. The sea and her islands are harsh, and Fable must learn to do what it takes to survive.

I know this book doesn’t come out and call itself a pirate book, but I’m going to call it like I see it. It’s a pirate book. Which, it’s summer and ’tis the season for skulduggery, I suppose, because I was here for it. Fable is a determined, bold, and out and out stubborn sort of girl. She was well characterized, and it was easy to see how her experiences shaped her into what she was. As much as Fable is the main, and obviously titular, character, I was a little bummed that the other characters in the book weren’t as fleshed out as she was. I would have loved to learn more about Paj, Auster, or West.

The writing was smooth, easy to read, and fast-paced. There were some moments that were clearly very transparent about what “twists” were going to happen, or were included solely for the sheer drama of it all rather than actually being important. Those moments combined with the weak side characters led this to be a strong 4 star rather than the 5 star it could have been.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and found it to be a fun time. I would absolutely recommend this book to fans of the Daughter of the Pirate King duology. I look forward to picking up the sequel to Fable when it is released.