One of the best books I've read all year!

The writing in this book is just beautiful. It's lyrical, poetic, and any other lovely descriptive word you can think of. It's full of imagery and metaphors and is worth all the hype that is sure to come. The characters are delightfully complex and there are several twists to keep you on your toes. It was the perfect amount of bittersweet with a wonderful ending. A book worth all the stars.

A big thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc!

Many people have contemplated the question: “what would you do if you could live forever?” However, few would have considered the unexpected condition that Addie finds herself facing- a life remembered by no one.

Similar to a modern day interpretation of the Monkey’s Paw, “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” by V. E. Schwab beautifully explores the idea that one doesn’t always get what they wish for, but through surprising twists and turns may find themself exactly where they belong.

V. E. Schwab takes the reader on a truly captivating whirlwind of an adventure through the ages with unforgettable (pun intended) characters and their ability to remain hopeful carry on when all else seems hopeless. V. E. Schwab is back again with a smashing success, and I can’t wait for everyone else to fall deeply in love with Addie and her journey as I have.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was heartbreaking. Full of amazing moments with the perfect main character to take you through the many years of her life. The whole story left me wanting to know more and sad when it ended. I felt like I couldn't get enough of either Addie, Henry or Luc!

I had the privilege of reading an early copy of V.E. Schwab's lush new novel, and it was glorious. Rich as butter prose, feelings as sharp as knives, a riveting story from a fan favorite.

If I were anywhere near as eloquent as VE Schwab, I might be able to find the words for this book. I'll try anyway, but it took me weeks of thinking about it after finishing it to begin to try to express the experience. It was dreamy. She has such a mastery of writing, such amazing skill in choosing her words. From the beginning to the end you can tell how much love she put into this story.

It was unlike anything I’d ever read before, but parts of it felt familiar, like a fairytale I’d heard somewhere before. Addie is a loveable main character and to follow her path through centuries, fighting for her freedom under a curse, was very compelling.

It was a slower read, but so lyrical. I think this qualifies as a modern classic. Thank you, VE Schwab, you’ve done it again!

I was in awe of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. I could not stop reading it. It was completely original and so well written and thought out. I felt like I lived in this book and knew Addie. I loved this book so much and I know it is one I'll reread every year. Thank you so much to V.E. Schwab for writing such an amazing 5 star book.

A truly unique and devasting story.

Adeline "Addie" LaRue always wanted more from her life than her tiny village and marriage. On the day of her wedding, she runs and makes a deal that comes with a cost she never expected. In return for immortality, she loses the ability to leave a single trace of her existence. People forget about her as soon as she leaves their sight. She can steal things but anything she breaks becomes whole soon after.

It's a bleak story and Addie suffers a lot throughout the story. But while many would despair at the cost of this wish, Addie is determined and stubborn to fight. She tries and succeeds in finding little loopholes. She leaves little traces of her existences in songs and artworks she's inspired as she goes about her life. The book goes back and forth in between the past and present, showing scenes of how she's lived after her ill-fated wish and the places she travels to.

One day while stealing a book, she meets Henry, who is able to remember her and is just as lonely as Addie. Their interactions were sweet, all the more so because you know that their time is limited. And their end comes suddenly. The ending is beautiful, sad yet filled with so much hope. I really adored this book and Addie will remain in my thoughts for a long time. I very much recommended this!

Thank you to Macmillan for providing this ARC.

What a beautiful book. I was lucky to get an early (VERY EARLY) eCopy of this book to enjoy and enjoy I did. It's just so well written, which shouldn't be a surprise coming from V.E Schwab. Every single book of hers that I've read I have loved. She has a way of writing characters that walk down that middle road of being both good and bad, and this book is no different. Addie has an invisible life, a deal with an old god, and now she cannot be remembered. I don't want to spoil anything as this book doesn't release until October 2020, but it is a story of one woman who just wants to live her life, and all the adventures and heartache. Henry is a character that was unexpected, but he had such a beautiful story, and such interesting challenges of his own, and his struggle with his "storms" really hit home as a beautiful idea of mental health and the struggles of so many people. I can't recommend this book enough. I felt happy, sad, nervous, angry, filled with hope, and also an appreciation for the life I have now. The power of memory, and what we leave behind is something that we all feel, but we don't always think about, but we do now, because of this book.

Stunning. Absolutely brilliant. The concept is simple but the story and emotions unfold into an intricate tapestry. Layered with heartache one moment and contentment in the next.

1714. A French girl essentially sells her soul to a devil for an immortal life. The catch being that she can never leave a mark on the world she longs to explore and experience. Never be remembered. 300 years later, in a bookstore, someone remembers.

There’s a type of feeling I get when I read incredible and special fantasy novels but it’s nearly indescribable. I felt it when I read The Night Circus and again when The Starless Sea was all wrapped up. It’s that soft but beautiful build of emotions. You don’t know when the book offically lays it’s roots into you, but you sure recognize it before you’re done. If only because you start to dread the last page.

Quite, honestly, I feel like I’m rambling in an effort just to produce words. This review is hard because I can’t give anything away but also, I kinda want to hold this story close and just let it be me and it for a while. I’m happy to let the book be read by everyone but don’t want to talk it out. I want to pretend that it’s just me and these characters, frozen in a moment.

Perhaps that says it all and more likely it says nothing.

Okay, fine. Here’s some thoughts... the 300 year journey is crazy good. All the little details that are built around this “curse” are brilliant. I thought it might be a little slow to start but by the time you’re wrapped up in it all you realize how perfectly balanced the book is. People upon people and places upon places stacked and shifted into stunning chapters. And the lack of connection between Addie and the world only amplifies what she does achieve and the relationships she has by the last page. It creates the most amazing emotions for the reader.

Loved it and highly recommend.

*I received a free advance ecopy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The devil is in the details. And in the case of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, the titular character knows this all too well. Adeline LaRue makes a desperate deal to live forever only to find that she is forgotten by everyone she meets. Even as she finds ways to leave her mark on the world, nothing prepares her for the unexpected moment when someone does remember.

I will remember every bit of Addie LaRue’s life. I felt every bit of Addie’s fears and sorrows, joys and hopes. It wasn’t just Addie, though. I found myself invested with not only main characters, but also the brief glimpses of those along the way. The story weaves between past and present and while I had some initial fears that I would struggle to keep the timelines straight, instead I slipped easily between the two. I was equally eager for both parts of the story.

All of it is a testament to the talents of V.E. Schwab. She is a master of emotions and character, of tension and anticipation. It was, for me, a masterpiece of storytelling—one I plan to return to several times.

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

V.E. Schwab is most definitely a favorite amongst bloggers and bloggers, and for good reason. The tale told in this book is something different, enchanting. The writing has a smooth cadence to it, the world's being built around Addy the kind a person wants to get lost in.

This is my first book by V.E. Schwab and it didn't disappoint!

I loved The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. It was so well written. The history, the context, the feelings that it conjured, were amazing!

I didn't realize I needed this book, until I started reading it. I cried, I laughed, I loved, and I hurt for the characters.

Addie LaRue wanted to be independent during a time when women weren't allowed to be. She wanted to be like the trees. To stand tall and be strong. However, when her choices were taken from her, she tried to save herself, and made the deal with the devil.

Schwabs writing, is one of the best I've seen in years. I will forever be a fan of her work and will be reading them all now.

Thank you again, NetGalley and Tor books for this wonderful book. I loved it!

This was a really GOOD book! I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it and just found it so impressively well thought out and unique. Her writing in this is lovely, pulling you along effortlessly, and the story feels both epic and intensely personal at the same time. It also had some elements of another of my favorite stories that I really appreciate; the lonely immortal, the magic, the sad love, the hope. Addie is such a wonderful heroine, all spunk and openness and just so hungry for the world. I also thought the overall themes of living life to the fullest were beautifully done and not too heavy handed. I’ll talk about it some more closer to release, but this one will be well worth your time.

Wow! I don’t give out 5 star ratings often, but I just couldn’t find anything I didn’t like about this book!

Addie LaRue is Genre bending dark love story about a 17th century 20-something French girl who make a pact with a “dark spirit”... long life and freedom in exchange for her soul. (Now I know what you’re thinking... Boring! It just another young white girl does big dumb thing and with the help of a few we’ll place friends, finds the perfect life, love and a way to get out of it trope, right?!) Well, you’re wrong!,

The rest of the 400 plus pages is the story of what happens afterwards. And it is a masterpiece of Beautiful sentences, well spaced plot (even with the time jumps throughout), and multidimensional characters that both loved and hated at the same time. Addie starts off much as you would expect for a young woman in her time, albeit a little out of step due to her precocious desire to “want more”. We, as readers, watch her grow to use her feminine power and become comfortable in her own skin is empowering. At times she makes mistakes or gets it right and we get to explore her thoughts and actions of her decisions in a epic tale fashion.

Oh and the love story! It was raw, flawed, grandiose at times, and was genuinely... well, REAL. The author explores how a person can really love someone, and doubt the rightness of the match, question the fall, and possibly walk away from that same person WHILE knowing they are breaking both their hearts with the best intentions. The friendships that central to the main characters are also much less adorable, and more realistic. Everyone has that one friend that is a tad narcissistic but you love them anyway right?!

The take away- Love is messy and Life is made up in moments. You have the power to choose how to use them. Do it wisely and don’t waste it! All great nuggets of wisdom that are sprinkled in through this story which is what makes this story about a 300 year old woman falling in love top notch.

I was pleasantly surprised when my request for this book was accepted. I didn't think that I had a chance in receiving an ARC of this book. I'm really glad that I did and I can't wait for the book to come out so everyone can see how beautiful a book it is.

Addie LaRue is a character that while you might not fall in love with her, she definitely gets under your skin and you can't stop thinking about her. Her story and the way Schwab made me feel about her was amazing. I just wanted the best for her. She was a character that even though the story was not something realistic, Addie felt like a character you could relate to. The way Addie interacts with the world is just eye-opening and how I wished everyone looked at the world and society.

Henry is a sweet sweet man and oh how I love him. Everything from his name to his life to the way he treats Addie is a delight to read about. He isn't the main focus of the story but he plays an important role. His arc throughout the book is really nice to read about and I love the way it ended.

Schwab's writing in this book was so lyrical and beautiful. I felt myself get immersed in the story even though there was some back and forth with flashbacks and the present day. The whole thing felt seamless and I thoroughly enjoyed it even though normally I don't tend to like books that have two timelines. I previously have had a hard time getting into Schwab's writing but this time it was easy for me to fall in love with the writing.

The plot is kind of predictable but it's in a good way. I could tell what was going to happen but I still kept on reading like I had no clue what was going on. I liked the story and found it sweet and enjoyable. It was a satisfying story that left me happy and pleased with how all the characters ended up. I liked that it was standalone and really want to read more standalone books.

Schwab is a wonderful writer and this book has made me want to read more of her writing. I definitely recommend this book if you're looking for something sort of light but will also definitely tug at your heartstrings and make you a little weepy.

Captivating and well-spun story of a young woman who trades her soul to an old god, in exchange for a life of freedom. The true cost of the deal reveals itself over the course of 300 years. Immediately added Schwab's entire back catalog to my to-read queue.

Finishing this book was like waking up from a dream. I sat down to read it and the story dragged me completely under. I've read and enjoyed other V.E. Schwab books but wow this new world she spins is amazing! This is the kind of book you wish you could forget for the pleasure of reading it fresh for the first time again.

If you like Nicholas Sparks novels, you'll love The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

"Life is the minutes you want minus one."

Adeline LaRue has never left Villon, France. One day, her father takes her to market, and she realizes there is a whole world outside the tiny square mile that everyone she knows will be born and die in.

"Adeline is sixteen now, and everyone speaks of her as if she is a summer bloom, something to be plucked, and propped within a vase, intended only to flower and then to rot."

But she wants more.

So when she is to be married off to a widower, she makes a deal with the only one who will listen. A deal for her soul. And so begins the invisible life of Addie LaRue. Blessed to never be tied down to anything or anyone, and cursed to never be remembered by anything or anyone. And pushed on by the hope that one day, she will get the better of the Thing who owns her soul.

I have to say that this is a major departure from the fantastical style of V.E. Schwab! Not in a bad way, but definitely not what I was expecting after having read the rich fantasy worlds in her other books. This one is much more worldly, much more believable. And so it sucks you in even more.

There's a bit of fantasy, with the magic of her curse and Luc, the thing made of darkness who made the deal for her soul. But other than that, this book follows her through history as she never ages, never dies, but also never leaves a mark on the world. She finds little ways to spite Luc, mostly by being stubborn. She cannot make a mark on anything, nobody can specifically remember her, but she can leave ideas, thoughts, inspiration. She has become a muse to leave her mark on the world. There's a really schmancy metaphor in there somewhere about making a difference in your own small way, and even that tiny thing cause ripples and waves and makes a bigger impact than we realize.

"Stories are a way to preserve one's self. To be remembered. And to forget. Stories come in so many forms: in charcoal, and in song, in paintings, poems, films. And books. Books, she has found, are a way to live a thousand lives - or to find strength in a very long one."

Addie is everything I want in a heroin. A deal with the devil, stubbornness and strength, a good heart, but real, she feels and hopes and despairs and loves.

Luc is everything I want in a villain. Morally ambiguous enough to want to read more though you still love to hate him.

And then there's Henry. I won't tell you about Henry, you'll have to read the book to know Henry!

This book took me an age to get through. It's partly the quarantine blues and partly that it's not a suspenseful book. It's a romance without the sex. Something I'd be as happy to recommend to a teenager as I was to recommend to a grandmother. When I read a romance, THIS is what I want.

I'm so impressed with Victoria Schwab. The flexibility of a person to write things that are so vastly different, and yet still have threads of similarity, is what so many people aspire to. Its stunning and amazing and inspirational. I was already a fan of hers, but this book - again SUCH a departure from her normal style - cemented her into my favorite writers club. Wow. Just wow.

5 Stars, anyone who raves about Serpent and Dove will be ROCKED by this book.

*Thank you to NetGalley.com who provided this eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRueAddie LaRue, born in 1691, was desperate to escape a provincial life, married to a man she did not care for. Desperate for reprieve, she made a deal with a powerful shadow in the forest. But the deal is not what it seems. Addie gets to live forever, but is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. She spends 300 years roaming the world as a virtual ghost, when she finally meets a young man who does remember her. But why is he able to recall her face? What forces are at work in Addie’s immortal life to explain this astounding anomaly?

I absolutely loved this book. It is so well written and cleverly nuanced. Addie is a character with complexity, depth, and authentic emotions. She navigates her new world as if starting life over from birth. She struggles to learn the boundaries of her curse and how to fight for a place in a world that knows nothing of her existence. She is as beautiful as she is tragic. Henry, the impossible boy who finally sees her, is a melancholy book seller with his own intricate motivations and is completely relatable. The Shadow exists to make deals and devour souls, and he is extremely good at his calling. He is delightfully sinister, but is anything but one-dimensional, and is a perfect foil for Addie.

The entire story is utterly enchanting and gut wrenchingly sad. V.E. Schwab’s writing draws out very real emotions from her characters and transfers them directly to the reader. I laughed and I ugly cried. And I loved every moment of it. I wish I could experience the beauty of this unusual novel again for the first time.

I received this e-book ARC of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab through Net Galley from Tor Books in exchange for a truthful review.

What a unique and novel situation Adeline “Addy” LaRue is put in when she makes a deal with the devil that will have her live forever but not leave a mark, always forgotten.
I slowed down the reading of this ARC because I felt each and every word had to be savored.
Seeing how Addie lives within the confines of her curse was remarkable.
After 90% in, I became stingy and kept putting off reading it because I just really didn’t want for Addie’s story to end. And such a meta ending, bravo!

The “SAT” word, palimpsest, is used 6 times. At first, I was a bit put off to see it crop up that many times, but then I realized… it was THE perfect word for this novel, and for Addie’s life.