Adrienne Young Books in Order

Where to Start with Adrienne Young

Adrienne Young is celebrated for her rich, atmosphere-driven worlds that blend historical elements, mythology, and deep emotional stakes. Since debuting in 2018, she has navigated Norse-inspired landscapes, dangerous high-seas pirate networks, and mysterious small towns. For readers new to her work, deciding where to begin depends on your favorite tropes and genres.

Option 1: The World of the Narrows (Fable Series)

If you love high-seas adventure, pirates, found family, and a touch of romance, start with Fable. This is Adrienne Young's most popular series and provides an excellent introduction to her signature lush writing style, strong female leads, and tense world-building.

Option 2: The Sky and Sea Duology

If you prefer Viking-inspired fantasy, brutal clan warfare, and raw, emotional survival stories, start with Sky in the Deep. As her debut novel, it showcases her ability to create fierce warriors and high-stakes family dynamics in a cold, unforgiving landscape.

Option 3: The Standalone Adult Mysteries

If you are looking for mature themes, small-town secrets, magical realism, or time travel, start with Spells for Forgetting or The Unmaking of June Farrow. These standalone novels mark her transition into adult fiction and are perfect for readers who want self-contained, atmospheric mysteries.

The World of the Narrows (Fable Series) Reading Order

The World of the Narrows (often referred to simply as the Fable series) is Adrienne Young's premier fantasy universe. It spans novels, a companion novel, prequels, and novellas. Depending on how you like to experience character arcs and background lore, there are two primary ways to read this series.

The Recommended Order: Publication Order

Reading in publication order is highly recommended for first-time readers. This sequence introduces the world and characters as the author intended, revealing secrets and family histories in a way that maximizes narrative tension and emotional impact.

• Fable (2020) – Introduces Fable, a seventeen-year-old dredger abandoned on an island of thieves, who must earn her way onto a ship to find her father.
• Namesake (2021) – The direct sequel to Fable, picking up immediately after the cliffhanger ending and expanding the political stakes of the Narrows.
• The Last Legacy (2021) – A companion novel set in the same world, focusing on Bryn Roth, a young woman navigating her family's criminal empire. It features appearances and cameos from the main duology characters.
• Saint (2022) – A prequel novel that explores the origins of Fable's father, Elias (Saint), and his legendary romance with Isolde. Reading this after the main duology provides deep, emotional context to Elias's actions in Fable.
• Tides & Drift (2024) – A collection containing two essential novellas:
  • Tides: A prequel story detailing Paj and Auster's early days and how they became partners within the Roth crime family.
  • Drift: A sequel story focusing on Willa and Koy as they build a new life on the remote island of Jeval following the events of The Last Legacy.

The Chronological Order

For a re-read, or for readers who want to follow the historical timeline of the Narrows from the very beginning, the chronological order arranges the prequels and novellas before the main story:

1. Saint (2022) – Prequel focusing on Fable's parents.
2. Tides (Novella, collected in Tides & Drift) – Paj and Auster's prequel story.
3. Fable (2020) – Core duology Book 1.
4. Namesake (2021) – Core duology Book 2.
5. The Last Legacy (2021) – Companion novel set after the duology.
6. Drift (Novella, collected in Tides & Drift) – Post-trilogy epilogue story for Willa and Koy.

Note on Drift: Willa & Koy: This story was originally released as a standalone digital novella in 2023 before being compiled into the physical Tides & Drift collection in 2024.

The Sky and Sea Duology Reading Order

Before launching into the ocean adventures of the Narrows, Young made her debut with a brutal, Norse-inspired fantasy duology. This duology is best read in publication order due to returning characters and lingering plot developments that are resolved in the second book.

• Sky in the Deep (2018) – The story of Eelyn, a member of the Aska clan, who discovers that her brother, whom she thought died in battle years ago, is alive and fighting for the rival Riki clan.
• The Girl the Sea Gave Back (2019) – Set ten years after the events of the first book, this companion novel follows Halvard, who was a child in Sky in the Deep, and Tova, a young woman with the power to cast runes who is forced to navigate the escalating tensions between the clans.

Adrienne Young's Standalone Novels

In addition to her fantasy series, Adrienne Young has penned several highly acclaimed standalone novels. These books do not require any prior reading and can be picked up in any order.

• Spells for Forgetting (2022) – Young's adult debut. A dark, atmospheric mystery set on a remote island in the Pacific Northwest, centering on a town harboring a decade-old murder mystery and a love story that refuses to die.
• The Unmaking of June Farrow (2023) – A genre-bending adult novel that combines magical realism, historical mystery, and time travel. It follows a young woman in North Carolina desperate to break the generational curse that causes the women in her family to lose their minds.
• A Sea of Unspoken Things (2025) – An atmospheric mystery published in January 2025. It centers on James Golden, a woman who returns to her coastal hometown to investigate the suspicious death of her twin brother, uncovering dark family secrets along the way.

Co-Authored and Non-Fiction Works

For aspiring writers and fans of the creative process, Young also co-authored a practical resource guide:

• The Storyteller's Workbook: An Inspirational, Interactive Guide to the Craft of Novel Writing (2022) – Co-authored with bestselling author Isabel Ibañez. This interactive guide provides writing prompts, structural exercises, and creative advice for plotting and developing stories.

What to Know Before You Start

While Adrienne Young's YA fantasy works (like Fable and Sky in the Deep) are fast-paced and action-heavy, they place a heavy emphasis on emotional connections, found family, and romantic subplots. If you transition to her adult works, expect a slower, more atmospheric pace with heavier themes of grief, generational trauma, and community secrets.