A slow burn story about the life of a woman trying to make a mark on the world. Reading it felt like a warm cup of latte in the middle of a crisp autumn day.

Are you kidding me? 😭 This book wrecked me.

I feel like this book was written for me because Addie is just the most relatable independent bad bitch and the way she talks about how much she loves books, movies and New York City, yeah that’s basically my brand.

I’m not usually one to read historical fiction or fantasy but this book was magical. The writing was absolute perfection, so gorgeous I could cry just thinking about it. I love the idea of reading about a character who is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets, it was fascinating and I just can’t imagine how lonely she is. It’s devastating to imagine.

I thought parts 2 and 3 were a little slow, but part 4 really knocked it out of the park for me and I loved learning more about Henry’s character. I just really adore Henry’s character so hard.

The ending literally made me cry like a bitch. I made a weird gasping sound during one scene that really got to me and then it was a flood of tears until the last page. This is definitely an all time favorite, I’m not going to be forgetting this story anytime soon.

Also kind of a side note here but the song cardigan by Taylor Swift came on as I was reading and now I’ll never listen to that song and not think of this book.

“And when I felt like I was an old cardigan under someone’s bed, you put me on and said I was your favorite.”

I adored The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.
It has all of my favorite things: a touch of magic, beautiful writing, character introspection, and emotion.
My favorite books tend to be ones where the characters are the focus rather than the action. I love stories that delve into what makes a person who they are, what drives them. The two main characters – Addie and Henry – are both so fascinating, and I was never bored during the story.
It was interesting seeing how her curse takes shape. And to ponder what I would do in Addie’s shoes. After so many years, it’s lovely to think of all the things Addie has witnessed and seen. But is it genuinely living if you have no ties, no connections?
I am, however, going to be haunted by the ending as I’m trying to fall asleep at night, left to wonder, “Why?! Why would it end like that” Which is why I’m making it our library book club selection for January so I can make other people discuss it with me.

This book. This book was everything. I loved it and recommend it highly to anyone who wants a beautiful love story. I thought I had it all figured out, but I didn't. I was pleased with the ending, but still wish I could have "known" Addie. I think we would have been great friends!

The invisible Life of Addie Larue has been out for 2 weeks now and I was lucky enough to read this one before it’s release a few weeks ago, so when I went to the bookstore (Waterstones!) i of course had to pick up a physical copy!!
Those blue sprayed edges are just 🤩🤩 so gorgeous and then the naked cover is very lovely too 😜

This is one of my fav books of the year at the start when we’re getting to know the story in the first few chapters it could be slow but once you get the story running and the two main characters meet oh you better hold on for dear life because we go on a rollercoaster of a journey!! These characters have their ups and downs, we are on this journey of so many emotions and just know this story will most likely crack your heart little by little until the crescendo/final page in the book😭😭 if you’ve read it you will know!!

The LGBTQ+ representation and Representation in general is very well written from the reviews I’ve seen too (please tell me if I’m wrong about though)

Finally this is a very well reoccurrence in my reviews because I will only post reviews about that I loved!!... is that I recommend this book so so much and everyone give this one a read! Even if this genre is not your type of thing!! Pick it up Pick it up 😂

THE BEST BOOK OF 2020. Hands down. I will root for this book ... forever. It's magic. I cannot give it enough stars. I felt like it was everything I've ever needed. It was beautiful, it was utterly heartbreaking, it was funny, it was whimsical.... all of that in one book. VE Schwab is a genius.

This book was one of my most anticipated reads for the year! I was not disappointed! This is one of my top favorites for 2020, most definitely! V.E. Schwab is such a fantastic author and this book took her writing to the next level for me. Addie LaRue is now one of my all time favorite characters I have ever read.

I have a confession to make: [book:A Darker Shade of Magic|22055262] and [book:Vicious|40874032] have been languishing on my shelves for years. I bought them when they first came out but other books keep overtaking them at the top of my never-ending TBR.

When I saw the ARC for this book I knew that the time to read my first book by Schwab was now. It started off slow, but I was still captivated by the darkness in the narrative. I don't know why I was expecting something akin to [book:Orlando|18839], but what I found was a book that uses immortality tropes in a sublime way (for the most part).

The reader gets to see Addie navigate various epochs and locales as she flirts (literally and metaphorically) with Luc, but the heart of the tale is Addie's curiosity about Henry, the only human who is able to remember her--most people forget about her the second she leaves their sight. She is drawn back to him and the two are able to forge a relationship, something Addie had not been able to do for over two centuries!

The story is gripping and will hold readers enthralled to such an extent that before they know it, they'll be almost done with the 400+ page tome. I know I lost a Saturday morning to it!

I absolutely adored this book. This is not to say that it is perfect, but it offered the escape I needed when I read it.

One last thing: The book does have a "twist." I should have seen it coming but, like Addie herself, I may have been too close to read the signs.

I will admit that I was hesitant to read this book because Schwab has been hit or miss for me in the past. However, the synopsis sounded incredible so I decided to give it a go and I am SO glad I did. This is quite possibly my favorite read of the year. The writing was so lush and I just loved every minute of it. This is not a book you rush through, turning page after page wondering what happens next. This is a book you savor with a cup of tea and a blanket on a cold day in front of a fire. I will indeed remember Addie for a very long time to come.

“Never strike a deal with one of the gods that answer at night,” and if Addie hadn’t messed up we wouldn’t have this amazing story!! While Addie has been alive for many years she’s still a relatable and you also feel for her. Her meeting with Henry is funny but also intriguing and you just want to keep reading to find out why he can remember her. The reason why, it should have been obvious was completely not for me, makes perfect sense and the way they help each other live makes you root for them the whole time. The ending was bittersweet but any other way would have taken away its realness. Loved it and so excited to jump into the rest of her catalog.

V.E. Schwab takes readers on a wild ride with this novel about curses, time travel, and adventure. It's a love story at its heart, a story of acquired love for one's self and the need to be seen. Hundreds of years ago, Addie made a deal with a demon. She lives on, but no one remembers her. Until one day one man does. One man who also made a deal with a demon. Addie's tale goes back and forth from her early life through the centuries she's lived and lost. The author provides historical context that adds to the build-up of Addie's present life and beyond. The story is so captivating despite it's fantasy, sci-fi narrative. Don't let others give away the novel's secrets. Read it for yourself!

Adeline LaRue was born into a working family and lived in a small French village in the late 1700s. She constantly feels the yearn to see more of the world, and be more, and experience more. The day she is to wed in an arranged marriage she prays to the god of darkness and trades her soul for immortality. As part of the deal, though, Addie is doomed to a life of being forgotten - a whisper of a ghost among humans. As she learns to navigate her new life, she lives many lives in many places but longs to make a mark. Three hundred years into her immortality, she meets Henry who remembers her, but has made his own deal with the god of darkness.

This story......made me feel and think and reflect. Through Addie, I realized the importance and power of a name and began to think about the mark I'm leaving with my life. I hoped and wished through Addie and Henry's doomed relationship and was glad the ending was right. Not perfect - but right.

This book has gotten rave reviews, and justifiably so. Pick this one up if you need a good wintertime-curl-up-and read story. It will make you think, and make you feel, yet it isn't so heavy and deep that you feel you are wading it through it together to the moral.

I haven’t read a book that sucked me right in like this one in a while... to be honest, it’s been a month since I finished it and I still think about it, and as a result I’m in a bit of a reading slump because I keep trying to find a book that catches me like this one did. VE Schwab never lets me down.

Absolutely loved this one. By far one of my favorites I've read this year! It's definitely the kind of book that will stick with me. Loved the writing style, the different settings, and getting to see the growth of our main character over the course of the story. Was a little worried about how it would end, but the ending ended up being exactly what I wanted! Can't recommend enough.

Born in 1714, Addie LaRue hopes for more. More than a marriage she doesn’t want and a life she doesn’t recognize. She wasn’t to be able to make her own choices and make her way in the world. Though many in her town are fine with living and dying in the same small village, Addie fears this fate. Her desperation leads her to pray to the old gods...and one of them answers. The god offers her a deal; however, it doesn’t become clear until afterward that her deal comes with strings, specifically Addie will be forgotten by all she meets. It’s been nearly 300 years and Addie has learned to navigate the constraints of her curse. That’s why the last thing she expects is for a bookstore attendant to remember her.

As a reader, this is a strange book to review because the book spans 300 years, so it feels like a lot happened. But it also feels like not much occurred, and I think that’s what made this book work. Given the scope of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, it is an intimate exploration of mortality and what it really means to live. By singling out Addie, the reader certainly gets to see her live through several notable moments in history, but also, with such an independent protagonist, there are also a lot of ways that the reader comes to care for her well-being and sanity.

The historical moments in the novel also provide a backdrop as Addie observes humanity and begins to lose her innocence. Despite this loss, she doesn't often lose hope as she explores the bounds of her curse. What the reader comes to appreciate is Addie’s resilience and smarts, which she successfully uses to navigate the world she inhabits.

Though Addie is the titular character, the reader also learns more about Henry Strauss, the bookstore attendant, who works at The Last Word. Henry has his own story to tell, one that is significant given how it overlaps with Addie’s own narrative. There is a mutual respect and understanding that provide fertile ground for the two to form a bond that is enjoyable to see and explore.

Though I guessed some of the plot twists, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was very enjoyable, particularly with the final surprise which I did not see coming. I highly recommend it, particularly if you want a fantasy novel that is rooted in reality and contemplates what it means to be human and live a good life.

I teetered on a 5 for this book, but it just didn’t quite get there. I really really liked it. It was a book set over 300 years, as the main character, Addie cannot die. She has made a deal with the devil to get out of a life she didn’t want to live, and now she must live eternity never being remembered by anyone. The concept is so amazing, and V.E. Schwab really pulls it off. My only minuscule issue is that at some points it became a little repetitive, and that’s really just a problem with a woman who has to meet the same people over and over and go to the same places again and again. Everything else was so intriguing. I absolutely loved the intensity between Addie and Luc. The pull of the forbidden. Also it made me think about what it is that people want at their core and what it takes to provide it. Overall a really good book.

“Three words, large enough to tip the world. I remember you.”

In The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by Victoria Schwab, readers learn about Addie and the bargain that enabled her to live forever. Starting off in 18th century France, we meet Addie and learn about her life in the French countryside. As Addie gets older, she realizes that life is passing her by. When her parents force her to get married, Addie turns to the Gods for help but makes a deal with the devil instead. This book takes you on Addie's journey by alternating between past and present until the past runs into present day. The story starts off with Addie learning more about her curse and the limitations that are put on her, but when she meets the exception the rule--the one man who can remember her--the story instantly more joyous as Addie experiences a life without loneliness. In this compelling fantasy, Schwab takes readers on a journey through time with her engaging writing style and suspenseful tones. You are instantly transported into Addie’s life, and you are rooting for her as she fights to survive the curse.

This story had me hooked from the beginning, and I just had to know more about Addie. When she struggled, I just had to continue hoping that she would gain something out of her cursed immortality. Of course, when she meets Ben and he remembers her, I knew something was up. The story kept playing it off as a “the devil made a mistake” conclusion, but I was not fooled. I didn’t know what was allowing Ben to remember Addie, but I knew something wasn’t right. As they continue to grow closer, and I learned more about Addie’s past with the devil, I began suspecting that he planted Ben in her life to try and get her to give up. Alas, when we learn the truth of Ben, it is bittersweet because I hated that he had made a deal with the devil… but at the same time, I was happy that Addie had a chance to experience life with someone. The story ends somewhat tragic as Addie gives herself to the devil in exchange for Ben’s life to be released from his bargain. I really hoped that they would still have some kind of bond, but Schwab wasn’t that kind. She gave us two humans going their separate way. Ben returned to life, with only his writings of Addie left behind, and Addie went with the devil. When Schwab hinted that Addie made a deal she could get out of, I was immediately filled with questions. Does Addie get out of the deal? What becomes of her? Does she find a way to reunite with Ben in any way? What becomes of him? How do their lives end up? Despite the many hanging questions, I thoroughly enjoyed this story, as it makes you truly understand the “you get what you ask for” phrase.

The concept of this fantasy is unique and disquieting. While I'm not usually one for tales of trickster devils or demons, the particular ways that the two main characters are cursed incite curiosity. Addie LaRue is fascinating, shifting between innocent naivete and worldly disillusionment. She is also a lens for the various settings in which she travels, offering commentary on the varied humiliations and indignities suffered by women, especially poor, unaccompanied women. Her story is harrowing and hopeful, and I rooted for her to escape her curse.

This book felt like it crawled into my heart and soul with each page. The writing is gorgeous and there were so many lines that made me stop and pause. I will remember Addie for the rest of my life.

Unpopular opinion: I struggled through this book like no other. I finished it but it definitely caused a book slump. I really wanted to love this since it was once of my most anticipated reads of this year but it just wasn’t what I was looking for. I think part of it was my own fault. I immediately added this to my tbr when I saw the tag line about making a deal with the devil. I guess I thought the story would be a lot darker. Instead, I got hit with a very sad, mundane, and character-driven history book. Not a lot happens in this story. I was frequently bored but kept pushing through because I wanted to see what all the magic was about.

What I did like was the relationship between Addie and Luc. This was the most exciting part for me and I really enjoyed Luc as a character. His personality was written so well, he felt real to me. I also can’t deny the amazing writing. V. E. Schwab is an extremely talented writer and my disliking of this story has nothing to do the writing, more so the content itself. Her prose is beautiful and I’ll definitely be checking out more from her in the future!

Even though I can’t share in the excitement over this book, I can mostly understand why so many of you have fallen in love with Addie. I’m sad that I wasn’t able to experience the magic so many people have found within this story. While I struggled and fought to finish it, I can’t possibly rate it poorly. This truly was a matter of it being my personal preference and nothing to do with the story or author.

3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️