I was provided with an eARC of this book in exchange for a fair review.

Well, I have found my favorite book of 2020 thus far, no contest. Addie LaRue was captivating from page one, and was completely unputdownable (seriously...one sitting). I loved how the story unfolded with the multiple timelines, a style that was handled seamlessly. There were some very real tears shed as we neared the end. Addie was an incredible MC and Henry was just wonderful. Luc was everything you wanted him to be and added a perfect thread to tie the story together.

All in all, I ADORED this book and cannot wait to hold a finished copy in my hands.

To put it simply, this book is a masterpiece. I've always enjoyed Schwab's exploration of deep humanity of characters thrust into fantastical circumstances, and here is no exception. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue soars with melancholy, hope, and enough glimpses of the darkness to make this a compelling read that is impossible to put down.

Favorite Quote:

“I remember you.”

Three words, large enough to tip the world.

I remember you.


V.E. Schwab is one of those authors that takes her readers on a magical, winding journey and they just never know where they might find themselves by the end. When I read the blurb for The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue I was intrigued, so much so that I practically begged for an ARC.

I read a tweet from the author where she talks about this book being ten years in the making, and I absolutely believe that. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is such a twisty, turny, winding adventure. It was perfection on-page and I loved every bit of it.

This is a story about a young woman who makes a deal with the devil and gets exactly what she asks for, but most assuredly not what she wants or expects. On the day of her wedding, she asks for freedom, and her wish is granted. She is free from all entanglements to the point where she belongs to nothing and no one. And no one will ever remember Addie LaRue ever again.


"That is the madness of it. Every day is amber, and she is the fly trapped inside. No way to think in days or weeks when she lives in moments. Times begins to lose its meaning– and yet, she has not lost track of time. She cannot seem to misplace (no matter how she tries) and so Addie knows what month it is, what day, what night, and so she knows it has been a year."


This story is told in alternate POVs and shifts in time repeatedly between moments in the past and present day. I think this might be something that would bother me in another story and maybe with another author, but here it is used masterfully. Addie makes her deal and then readers are taken on a journey through her life experiencing her challenges and hardships after becoming someone who no one remembers once she’s out of sight. She is like a ghost in the world, yet figures out a way to make a life for herself. Addie becomes part of history and makes her mark on the world despite her curse, but she is alone.

And then one day she meets a man in a bookshop and he remembers her.

Who is this Henry Strauss and how is it that he remembers when no one has for three hundred years? How do their lives intertwine and why?

The brilliance of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is the depth and breadth of the narrative. This story spans 300 years and jumps between countries as Addie’s long, lonely life is revealed on-page. Her relationship with Luc, the darkness who granted her wish, is tragic and dark and sad and I had to keep reading because I needed to know if she would find a way to finally outsmart him. Then she meets Henry and her world changes for a time…

I have to say I was kind of stunned by the conclusion, but I really don’t think it could have ended any other way. This book will stay in my thoughts long after I’ve read it, but that is something this author always manages to do to me. Make me think about her characters and her words for days after I’ve finished reading. I predict this will be featured on many a favorites shelf and best-of list. Highly, highly recommended.

Final grade-A

With the Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, VE Schwab takes fears we’re all afraid to examine too closely and pokes at them with a stick. Schwab somehow manages to pinpoint some of the greatest fears in human existence, and amplifies them into tangible obstacles for her heroine. Addie LaRue is shoved into a fantastical, larger than life “what if”, and the reader comes out the other side feeling inexplicable hope. The fear of being forgotten, leaving no mark on the world, is not a small one. In Addie LaRue, it is examined through the lens of two characters so deliciously specific, and yet so universal. Everyone can see themselves in Addie, and in Henry, and the bits we don’t recognize are so exactly what we want to see in ourselves that were sucked in, insatiable for more.

I read this book in bits at a time, wanting so much to devour it all at once, but not wanting to be finished reading it. It is devastating gorgeous. It means so much to me and I know a lot of readers will feel the same way. After all, we are only human.

Ambitious and achingly beautiful, with a delicious plot that is impossible to predict, Addie LaRue will not be forgotten.

THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE is so many things at once I hardly know where to start. It follows Addie, a French villager at the turn of the 18th century who wants a life beyond the boundaries of her village. In a twist of fate, she gets her wish: she is allowed to live an immortal life with all the freedoms from society she wants. The catch? Literally every person she meets forgets who she is the moment they walk away. Addie can't say her name, tell her own story, leave any sort of mark on the world, or otherwise "exist" in a tangible way. It will be 300 years before she meets someone - a bookseller who seems pretty typical at first glance - who can remember her and say her name.

This book is beautiful. Captivating. Glorious. A love song to literature. A homage to the passing of time. VE Schwab penned an epic tale for fantasy lovers and for those who wouldn't touch fantasy with a 10 foot pole alike. There is defiance, love, betrayal, and tempests of emotions. There is such subtlety and grace. The prose flows in every line.

You know that scene in Harry Potter where Harry opens a book in the Restricted section and almost gets sucked into the book? That's how reading ADDIE LARUE feels.

And on a more personal level, this is the life-giving book I needed for 2020. Let's be up front for a minute: with *waves arms vaguely* the world being what it is this year, focusing on reading is really difficult. It's easy to think "oh, it's just me," but it's everyone, right? We're all going through this. I basically haven't been able to read anything SFF-related since March. Typically that's 90% of what I read--this is the fourth SFF I've picked up during the pandemic, BUT, it's the first one that I've read and gone "ok listen I have the mojo back let me put the children's books down gimme more epics gimme something intense I can do it--." Reading ADDIE LARUE brought back a sense of normal that I personally haven't felt since February, really. It interrupted that chaotic spiral and grounded me back down. I am incredibly thankful I got this book at the right time, and I want to say that if you are also in this weird 2020 funk, ADDIE LARUE is so distractingly detailed that it might just be your life preserver.

What a great story from an author that never disappoints. I fell in love with Addie, and it's honestly one of those books you could just keep reading if only the pages magically increased as you read. It was such a magical yet realistic journey through loneliness, love, and freedom. prompting tough questions about life, legacy, and oh so much more. I don't want to spoil a thing for anyone here. I can't wait to talk about it once my friends have read it as well!

I think VE Schwab's writing just gets better and better. I was drawn in by Addie immediately. I am looking forward to sharing this story with my students. Though it is not a YA title, I think teens will really understand Addie's desire to have her own life.

Wonderful, engrossing story that I read in one sitting. Girl sells her soul for freedom but like all contracts, the devil is in the details. Strong characters and terrific plot make this a book that's hard to put down.

Addie LaRue was born in 1691 in the small village of Villon, France. Addie has always felt trapped there. Villon is a place where she is expected to be a respectable and dutiful woman who marries, has kids, grows old and is eventually buried not far from where she was born.

On the night before her wedding, desperate, she prays for a miracle. She prays to the old god's to anyone who will listen. She begs in the darkness and the darkness answers back.

Addie makes a deal with the darkness: to live forever. Addie however gets more than she bargained for and now lives a cursed life. She is free TK go whoever she wants, BE whoever she wants but no one will ever remember her.

Until one day, 300 years later — she walks into a bookstore and a young man, named Henry, remembers.


Before this, the only work I'd read by Schwab was the Villains duology, which is very different to Addie LaRue.

Schwab took 10 years to write this book and has said this is the closest thing to a romance book she'll write. You could feel through the words how important and personal this story was to the author.

The writing was beautiful. And though I'm sure it will not be something that everyone will love, it suited me perfectly.

The pacing of this book was slow. But not for one second was I bored or uninterested. Chapters skipped back and forth in time, but in a non-jarring way.

Everyone I'd spoken to who had read this book, told me they read it too fast and advised me to take my time and <u>savour it</u>. So I did.

I knew this already but WOWwww Schwab writes such amazing characters who feel so real, so unique. I fell in love with each of them.

Addie was such a wonderful character who I ached for. She is lonely and just wants to Liv's her life the way SHE wants. A girl who wants to be remembered. I admired her unwillingness to give up and let the darkness win.

I already said this in a reading update but I am complete trash for Henry. He's my cinnamon roll of a guy who deserves all the love.

Luc, our darkness/devil was also a super interesting character. hard not to feel sorry for him at times but also the toxic relationship he had with Addie made me feel a bit icky .

A recurring theme in this story is the power and importance of art. It is probably one of the best things in this book.

How this book was being pitched didn't exactly fit with what I did read, however I did enjoy it so so much.

I was not prepared for that ending (the tears people. THE. TEARS.) but I think it ended just right!

«thank you to Tor Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review »

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a fantasy read that travels through the lifetime of Addie, who is cursed and can’t make her mark or be remembered. It’s a heartbreakingly beautiful story and it a stunning read. Addie LaRue defiantly has made her mark in this story and V.E. Schwab has written a piece of art.

Call me dramatic, but everytime I think about this book for the past few hours, I just want to succumb to my sadness and cry my eyes out again. I’ve been staring at the blinking cursor for minutes and it’s a struggle to come up with words when every time I try, I just want to pick this book up again and read that ending over and over. It was powerful, hopeful, but heartbreaking at the same time.

Addie LaRue thinks herself as cursed. Whenever she goes, no one will remember her the moment a door is closed and she is separated from other beings. This is the result she gets from trading her soul for a life time of freedom with the darkness called Luc. 300 hundred years and not a day goes by that someone remembers her, until she attempts to ‘steal’ a book in a hidden bookstore. Until a young man named Henry catches her on her act and says “I remember you”. So how could Henry remember her when everyone else couldn’t? GET THIS BOOK AND READ IT YOURSELF WHEN IT’S OUT IN THE WORLD! *winks*

I don’t think there’s anything that I didn’t love about this book.
- Beautiful writing style? Check.
It’s no secret to a lot of my friends that Victoria Schwab is at the top of my favourite authors list. She always has her way to my heart with her beautiful writing and she did it again this time. I can tell you that there were dozens of quotes that I highlighted from this book, I wish I could share them all. I also love how she pays attention to every small detail and this book proves that she takes researching really really seriously because who else knows which year was it when coffee was first found? Obviously not me.
- Interesting characters? Check.
I love all Victoria Schwab’s characters but Addie has certainly taken a piece of my heart. She was such a strong, determined, clever, and sacrificing character. She clearly learnt a lot from her past and I admire that about her. And then we have a devil that I’m still not sure whether I loved or hated. If you love morally grey character, you will definitely like him! And not to forget Henry, our sweet sweet boy, I couldn’t help but fell for him at the end of this book.
- Gripping story? Obviously,
I’d give this book 100/10 for the originality of the story alone. I know some people feel like parts of this book are kind of repetitive but it’s not for me, in fact I found it really interesting and that’s the point of Addie LaRue being invisible. I’m still wondering how Victoria Schwab could come up with this story line, but then again she is amazing so...

As someone who prefers fast-paced books, I was surprised to find myself actually enjoying the first 25% of this. We went back to the past to see Addie’s early story and the chapters switched from past to present too so it was slow and a tad boring at first. But I can assure yout that alll the build up is worth it!

I really really loved this book, I was shocked, I was blown away, and I’ll never shut up about it. Love story between a French girl and the devil over 300 years? Nope, It’s definitely more than that.

THANK YOU TOR BOOKS FOR THE REVIEW COPY!🧡🥺

To escape a forced marriage, Addie LaRue makes a bargain with the devil in 1714. She gets to live forever, but the catch is she will be forgotten by everyone she meets. After 300 years, Addie has become resigned to her fate until she meets a young man who remembers her name. I loved everything about Schwab's clever adult fantasy novel, which has the fast pacing of a YA novel that makes it easy to read. Adeline and Luc (short for Lucifer) made excellent sparring partners, and Henry's addition to the story worked perfectly. An all-around joy of a read that is one of Fall 2020's must-reads.

In early 1800s France, 23-year-old Adeline LaRue is an old maid by community standards, though she's happy to be unmarried. Unlike her peers, Addie just wants to see the world, not be married off to a man that she's unlikely to love. In fact she's so against the idea of being married that on the eve of her wedding, she runs into the forest and makes a deal that frees her from ever being accountable to anyone...but also curses her to an immortal life in which nobody remembers her once she's out of their sight. She can see the world, but she can't leave her mark on it in any way.

This is a fascinating book about what it means to be free, as well as what it means to love and be loved. I'm a fan of Schwab's previous books about magicians in various parallel worlds, but this is absolutely nothing like those. That said, it's still a wonderful, thoughtful novel, somewhat reminiscent of Life After Life by Kate Atkinson. Well worth reading.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue blew me away. Schwab's writing wrapped me up and it felt like I was falling into Addie's skin each time I read. For a person who no one remembers, Addie LaRue is unforgettable.

It's 1714 and Addie LaRue makes a deal with a devil, Luc, to avoid marriage. She gets to live forever and travel wherever she wants, but there's a catch: everyone she comes into contact with will forget their interaction. Until 300 years later, Addie walks into a bookstore and a boy says, "I remember you."

Schwab alternates between flashbacks and present day to tell Addie's story. The flashbacks show Addie's journey as she comes to terms with her bargain and immortality as well as her growing relationship with Luc. I looked forward to each of these chapters because her relationship with Luc is incredibly complex.

The way Schwab wraps up the ending is beautiful. I can't wait to read this book again.

I know for a while yet, this novel will stick with me. It will not be easily forgotten. This was easily one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it knocked my expectations out of the water.
The central protagonist of this novel -- its namesake, Addie LaRue -- is a girl who essentially sells her soul to the devil for an immortal life. For three-hundred years she is destined to be forgotten by everybody who ever lays eyes on her the moment a door shuts between them. However, in modern day New York City, one person finally remembers her.
Schwab's writing is poignant and stirring, painting vivid images with only a few words. It is not an action-packed novel, yet I was hanging onto the edge of my seat the entire time. Addie's story is gripping in the best way possible; she is both bold and soft, strong and emotional. This novel is a wonderful work of literature that will stick in a reader's mind for weeks after closing it.

I am so glad I had a night to think on this review because I want to cover as much as I can without *too much*

First let me start by thanking Netgalley for this ARC. NOTE* I will be purchasing this for my library because I want to put this in as many hands as I can. I was NOT surprised at all when I found out that this book was MANY years in the making.

OK, *cracks knuckles* I am so grateful that I pushed through on this one because I typically do not on books that are super descriptive and take a bit to get going. This was so worth it. It was a roller coaster of a journey and the plot took a bit to get there but when it gets there...BAM.... it gets there.

This is one of those books that you HAVE to commit to. Absorb it. Devour it. Think on it and then start all over again.

Adeline is a tough cookie. This book starts out in France in the 1700's. Addie doesn't want to be tied down. She wants to be free. She is a free spirit, an artist and a thinker. When forced to marry, she is suffocating. She is going to die being shackled. So she does the only thing she can think of - makes a deal. This deal leaves her with a curse that no one can remember her. She can't leave a mark on the world. It is awfully lonely.

Addie travels the world and gives up many different things but the one thing she refuses is her soul. This book follows Addie over many decades and finishes up in the 2010's with what had to be one of THE best endings.

The absolute beautiful writing style hooked me. When I would typically call a book DNF, I pushed through because I was entranced.

I can't wait to see the print copy of this because I am sure there will be art work that will tie in with the story.

Characters to love:

Adeline
Henry
Luc

I can't say anymore without giving away too much but this IS a love story but is it possible to love the devil? Read and see!!!

This is (somehow) my first V.E. Schwab and I will be checking out her backlist immediately. Incredible writing, richly drawn characters, a truly unique plot. This will fly off the shelves

With each book, V.E Schwab creates a more incredible world and concept. Every time I think she might run out of creative ideas, she continues to surprise me and remind me why she is my favorite author of all time. Addie LaRue is the story that Schwab has been working over the course of ten years to write, and you can tell that from the amount of love and dedication in written into the pages of this book.

Addie LaRue was like nothing I have ever read before. Within the first couple of chapters, I could not stop reading and was hooked. I devoured the story of Addie, which was much more than just a story of a girl who sold her life to the devil. There is really no other way to describe this book that a work of pure literary perfection.

I have already started to recommend this book to so many people with plans to continue recommending it nonstop. This became a favorite book within just a few chapters and my love only grew as I kept turning the pages.

Received an ARC from Netgalley for an honest opinion.

I wanted to like this book more, but I can't. I was drawn to it by the description, but it didn't suck me in. If it takes me more than 3 days to read a book then there is a problem. I had to force myself to finish it, and if it was a book I had gotten from the library, I probably wouldn't have bothered. I've never read any of her other books, and if they are anything like this, I probably won't. If you like her other books, then you will like this one.

When Schwab initially announced this book I was skeptical, but since she hasn’t written a book I haven’t at least enjoyed so far, I gave it a chance and I am so glad! I really dig Schwab’s style--it’s lyrical, dark and goes places I want it to go while still being surprising. The Invisible Life of Addie Larue is sad, beautiful and bittersweet. The imagery is gorgeous and there are some scenes that just feel so real and tangible. I am especially impressed by Schwab’s talent to create such complex and nuanced characters, especially her women. Lila from Darker Shades, Kate Harker from Monster of Verity, and Addie are all such great complex women characters who are vastly different from each other but all feel real. I loved seeing Addie grow and change over her three centuries, how strong yet kind she stayed. Luc was a great complicated antagonist who was equally terrifying and intriguing, and Henry Strauss broke my heart. I will most definitely buy this when it is officially released and the odds are high that I will reread this whenever I go through my next Schwab re-reading kick.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy!