Addicted to YA discussion

This discussion will be lead by Rhea. The discussion leader will be here to help keep the conversation going. Look out for comments and questions the discussion leader might make and respond back to them!

So glad this was chosen for February! Are there certain set chapters for each day or week? Or are we just supposed to read it at our own pace and comment when and as we feel about what we are reading?
I've never done one of these online discussions before. Thank you!

I’m excited to do this this month! I’d never done a BOTM before!

Already read this book and i love it!!!!

I’m just a couple of chapters in and enjoying it looking forward to seeing what people think once we’ve all started.

I just finished this recently, so I'd love to discuss it with you all!

Yeah read this last year and loved it.

Wow, I'm really enjoying this one. Been a long time since I read a book with pirates. Love the MC too, she's awesome!

Currently reading this! Sounds interesting so far.

I’ve just finished and I absolutely loved it. That ending! When is Book 2 out?!

Loved this book! The only thing that kept it from being five stars for me was the cliffhanger ending. I like series, but I don’t like it when a book ends as if it’s the end of a chapter in the middle of the story.

So anyone else read this because of the cover? Or just me?

My book club read Fable last year and there were mixed reviews... I however enjoyed the the book and will continue to read when the next one comes out🙂

I'm pretty sure book 2 comes out next month! I'm really excited for it because of that insane ending. I really liked this book, but there was something that just kept me from loving it, ya know? I don't know how to explain it but I just needed a little something more. But still so good!

I really enjoyed this book! I found it difficult to get into at first...I had to push myself through the first 30%, then I was hooked. I agree with Mary-Faith though, there was something that just kept me from absolutely loving it, but overall I enjoyed it. I will be reading the next book when it comes out...I need to know what happens next!! What a cliffhanger!

I discovered Adrienne Young last year via Sky in the Deep, which I loved! When I found out that she had a new book coming out last year, I picked it up as soon as I was able.

I really enjoyed Fable; it was one of my top three reads in 2020. I agree that it did take me a bit to get through the first part of the book, but once the train was going, it was not going to stop.

I can understand the feedback that the story is missing something but not being able to put your finger on it. I think I really enjoyed the writing where I was able to overlook it. However, I have heard from others when discussing this aspect of the story that they feel the romance in the story was a bit rushed and they wish it would have developed differently.

What is your opinion on Fable? Is she a likable and strong main character, or do you think she's missing something?

Even though it takes place in an imaginary world, it still felt more like historical magical realism than fantasy to me (no magic system, I guess).

Also, I think Fable's character is well done for a YA novel. Obviously, her time on Javel could have been written a lot darker than it was - a small, young girl on an island of brutal men. But I'm personally glad it didn't go there, grim dark is not my thing.

I just finished Fable today and I thought it was so good. Just like others in here, I found the beginning a bit slow. I actually started reading the first few chapters a while ago but never really got into it. Then I saw it was the BOTM and I picked it up again. I'm so glad I did!

I feel like it might also have been hard to get into because there were a lot of words I was unfamiliar with - either made-up words to add to the universe, or it might just have been sailing terms.

Besides that, I really enjoyed how adventurous and thrilling the book was, and how you couldn't predict what will happen next. A true page-turner! I'm excited for the second book to come out next month.

I felt kind of neutral about Fable as a character. She wasn't my favorite character ever, but I didn't dislike her for any reason. This was one of those books that I felt more interested in the minor characters, actually. I do understand what some people are saying about the romance. I kept waiting for something to happen, then all of a sudden West is saying they can't have a relationship but then that changes so fast. It was a lot.

Also, the sailing terms - yes! I was always trying to figure out what part of the ship they were talking about because I was too lazy to look it up. 🙈

I'm maybe 60% through it, and enjoying it so far. In the first couple of pages I considered not reading it, because it started to remind me of Daughter of the Pirate King, which I read last year (ship-raised, strong-willed female with a strained relationship with her dad); I didn't want to read the same story in a different book. But I'm glad that I kept reading. It's a mysterious and intriguing tale.

One thing that I specifically like is Fable herself. I'm so, SO annoyed with most of the YA fantasy female leads from the past several years. They're hot-headed, arrogant, proud, rude, and have a chip on their shoulder. Fable is refreshing in that she proves her strength and abilities through what she accomplishes, not by having an unnecessarily sharp tongue. She stands up for herself and can handle herself in many situations, but also recognizes her mistakes, and has self-awareness. I look forward to finding out what her future holds.

The thing with her and West is currently weird to me. Like, I assume a romance is blossoming, but what could it be based on? Their interactions when he was buying pyre from her were really limited, so that just isn't a very solid foundation for real romance. I'd actually like to have a story in which the MC doesn't have any love interest; I'd hoped this book was going to go that way, but since it doesn't appear to be, I hope it's done well.

So far, I'm really enjoying Fable. It's got some issues. I really had to force myself to keeping going for the first few chapters, but sometimes books are like that. You have to sort of learn the author's language a bit. It's picking up though. It's a good book, but, I'm not sure, it's like there is something not totally there for me. Like deviled eggs without the paprika. It's small but there is a notable ingredient I feel like isn't really present, at least not yet.

I just got to the end of chapter 37, back on the Lark, and oh MAN! That kiss! This scene gripped me, I felt like I was there, and it felt so real and so, so good. I hadn't wanted there to be romance in this book, but if there was going to be a first kiss, that was exactly how it should be. I am in love with this scene.

What do you all make of this part?
"When I opened the door, I didn’t look back.
Because I knew I would never see my father again."
That seems illogical to me, that she wouldn't look back because she didn't think she'd ever see him again. Wouldn't that make you look back? It just seemed odd to me, like it was supposed to be some profound scene, but didn't make sense. Or does it make sense?

I'm on mobile and can't edit that comment here, apparently, but that was in the scene when she runs into Saint in the tavern on Dern.

There is a lot of sea-faring language in the beginning. Do you think that contributed to the effort it takes to get into the book when first starting to read?

@Jessica Brilliant point about that scene! It stood out to me too. Didn't she want to look back because of pride, betrayal, feeling like she's starting a new chapter of her life without him? It does feel strange to me if their relationship is just left at that. I wonder if that's means Saint won't be in the second book at all. And I'm intrigued to find out what his warning about West means.

@Rhea It surely did for me. I kind of wish the beginning of the book was written "simpler" so it would've been easier to get into the book. Perhaps it might have been even more gripping if the book started where she was actually escaping from Jeval and running away from Koy.

The beginning of the book was slow, yet there was so much happening. And I guess the sea-faring language didn't help to make it any easier to navigate.

It wasn't until I had a look at the first few chapters just now that I realised West was introduced in the book before Fable got on the Marigold (when they were trading). I guess that just proves that I didn't pay much attention until she got on the Marigold, where I feel like the book truly kicked off 🤪

Juliana wrote: "...I wonder if that's means Saint won't be in the second book at all. And I'm intrigued to find out what his warning about West means...."

I have a feeling that she will actually see Saint again, but the author was saying that Fable thought she never would. Or maybe she won't! My hope is that Saint and West team up to find her. I'd love that. I'm also curious about West's backstory that Saint hinted at; gosh, I hope he hasn't been deceiving us and Fable, because I love him!

"Like deviled eggs without the paprika." Okay, but why is this the best description ever??

As for the whole thing with Saint, as soon as I read that line about Fable never seeing him again, I was like, "Yeah right girl." I would be shocked if he doesn't show up in the next book. And him teaming up with West to find her? Oh my gosh, my heart would not be able to handle that!

Mary-Faith wrote: "...as soon as I read that line about Fable never seeing him again, I was like, "Yeah right girl." I would be shocked if he doesn't show up in the next book. And him teaming up with West to find her? Oh my gosh, my heart would not be able to handle that!"

I reeeeaaallllly hope it goes that way, but I don't want to put too much hope into it, because then I'll be really disappointed if it doesn't happen. : o)

West and Saint teaming up to find her - I love that!! That's such a great point. I really hope that happens too.

As a whole, what is the greatest success and the greatest weakness in this book's plot, characters, development, etc. in your opinion and why?

Just started this today, only read 2 chapters atm but am intruiged. I thought the description of Fable diving was beautiful. God I miss the sea....
This may be waaay too soon to tell yet but I'm just going to hazard a guess and say that the scar on her forearm was given to her by her father just before he left, and at some point in the novel when we meet him he's going to try to justify his actions by saying he was really acting in Fable's best interests when he left her on the island and gave her the scar to make sure the men don't come near her or something along those lines.

I enjoyed this book, but I felt as though the "found family" trope was over-exploited here. When Fable joined the crew and they declared her their family, it felt very hollow to me. It didn't feel like they had much of a family-like relationship at all. The only person who really had cause to like her was Willa.

Morgan wrote: "I enjoyed this book, but I felt as though the "found family" trope was over-exploited here. When Fable joined the crew and they declared her their family, it felt very hollow to me. It didn't feel ..."

Yeah I agree it's kind of cheesy/rushed but I still really like the characters and genuinely am loving this far more than I thought I would

Johnny wrote: "This book was so weird to me. I've read a lot of really compelling synopsis that turned into really clumsy and poorly written books. This one, the synopsis was so clunky I almost didn't try it but ..."

I had a similar issue with almost not wanting to read the book because the blurb seemed so bleh. It took me a few chapters to really let that go but all in all, I was really glad I did.

Hi everyone! I read Fable this year and I really like it! I am excited to read Namesake!

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