Many thanks to Netgalley and Tor Books for the chance to read this book early.

Prior to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, I'd never read a V.E. Schwab book, but as soon as I came across this blurb I couldn't resist! And my goodness, V.E. Schwab can WRITE! I absolutely wanted to absorb every word because the writing was exquisite. It's rare to come across writers who have a knack for infusing such beautiful sentiments and wisdom in their stories combined with an epic talent for writing.

I'm always drawn to inventive storylines that feature some element I've never read before. This book took the idea of immortality and put a spin on it. Every time a door was closed or from one day to the next, Addie was forgotten by everyone, until one man with a story of his own remembers her. There were a few issues with the execution of the details of Addie's curse, however. There were many times Addie was on a date with someone, but her dates never got up to go to the bathroom or visit another room. To make this aspect realistic, there should have been more instances of Addie being forgotten throughout her daily life.

While I greatly enjoyed the concept and writing, I found my enjoyment of the actual story to come in waves. There were interesting moments mixed with rather mundane daily events. My mind would wander during the slower moments and I would struggle to stay invested due to the short chapters. It took me exactly a week to finish this book which is an incredible length of time for me to spend on one novel. I think if it had been shorter, I would have enjoyed the experience exponentially more. I also would have enjoyed more characterization of Addie. She didn't seem to have many interests outside of her condition, which caused her to float from day to day. There weren't notable traits she possessed besides being forgotten and her seven freckles.

"I remember seeing that picture and realizing that photographs weren't real. There's no context, just the illusion that you're showing a snapshot of a life, but life isn't snapshots, it's fluid. So photos are like fictions. I loved that about them. Everyone thinks photography is truth, but it's just a very convincing lie."

As a personal preference, I wasn't exactly excited about the great many deviant sexual relationships throughout the middle of the book. I felt as if every character for a chunk of the story was gay or bisexual just for the sake of being so. To me, it didn't fit with the storyline and seemed done as if in an afterthought to win audiences' approval.

Despite my hang-ups, I enjoyed the artistic aspect of the story, the idea as a whole, and the ending of the novel. I think it was all tied together in an interesting way and I was excited about the pace in the latter quarter of the story. Overall, it wasn't the huge hit I was hoping for, but I'm quite glad I made the time to read about Addie's invisible life. It was a nice escape from the real world and the endless negative news in the world right now. It made our momentary trails seem like a blip in the pond in the big scheme, which is one of the many benefits of reading.

My quarantine read courtesy of NetGallery and oh my f*****g god it was soooo good. I knew that going into it I would like it ( I mean 300 year old French girl and the devil fall in love, who wouldn’t like it ) but my mind was bewildered by this masterpiece! Please for the love of Luc pick up this book when it come out! You will not be disappointed.

Coming into this having read a decent about of V.E. Schwab’s books I was ready for beautiful prose and fabulous imagery, but I was blown away by the intricate romance in the novel.

Please read this if want to absolutely fall in love with Schwab’s writing for the first time or the 45th time! I promise it will leave you wanting more.

I have to start this review (as I do with any review of a V.E. Schwab book) by stating that this book is by my favorite author. I am subject to bias, and for those who know me I hope you take this review to heart because I always try to review in as unbiased a way as possible. That being said, this is one of the finest pieces of fiction I have ever had the pleasure of reading. It is far and away my favorite book from Schwab, and I genuinely cannot wait until its release so I can own several hard copies.

The love, care, and effort that went into writing this book is evident in every word on the page, and I thoroughly believe that this book is worth your time. I was swept away in the storytelling spanning 300 years, spellbound by the characterization of the God who answers after dark, and the push and pull that Addie and the other characters all have with the inevitable fate that binds them together. It's not a light read, but it's one I wish I could forget completely and re-read for the first time again (Ironic, based on the premise of the book). I don't know if you'll cry, but I certainly did. Just do yourself a favor and read this as soon as you have any possible way to read it.

I was sent an advanced reader copy of this book by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have no words.
Here is a book that everyone should read.
Here is a book with masterful prose that a reader can tear into like a pastry.
Here is a book that made me cry. For Addie, and for Henry, and for myself.
Preorder this book. Read this book. I would not be surprised to find it on a classics shelf in a century.
Here is a book that is more than a book.

It’s been such a chaotic time but reading this book was like falling into a different world. The words drew me in and I fell in love with Addie and Henry. Two people so different and yet so alike too. I loved the almost lyrical nature of the writing in this book and though you can tell this is written by Schwab, it is also different too. The flow of the story feels different than her other novels. I loved this one and cannot wait for others to love it too. 🖤

Addie LaRue is desperate to keep her freedom, so she sells her soul. She's now blessed with eternity, but the cost is apparent immediately: she cannot leave any marks on the world, and people forget her as soon as they leave the room. Addie's life takes her from rural France through war and hunger and strife for three hundred years. She exists in blind spots, looking for loopholes and ways to leave her fingerprints on the awareness of others, having to be content with being a half-remembered dream instead of a person in her own right.

And then in New York, for the first time in many, many lifetimes, she finds someone who remembers her.

Schwab weaves an exquisite tale of memory, love, and longing that keeps you guessing right until the end. Completely wonderful.

"What is a person, if not the marks they leave behind?"

Oh, my heart. This was phenomenal.

THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE is special. It is ambitious and dreamy and painfully, tragically beautiful. It's a book about love taking on many different shapes--from romantic to platonic to self-love. It's about how to survive, about how to fight for what you want in life. It’s about a woman who just wants to live her life fullest and be remembered in some way.

This is the story of Adeline LaRue, a woman approaching her mid-twenties in 1714. Addie has always fantasized of more for her small, humble life in the French countryside cottage where she lives with her parents. Addie wishes to travel wherever her feet wander, to see things she could only dream up, to be free. Because of her age, her parents have become impatient about her marrying and starting a life as a good wife and mother, and make plans to force her into a marriage with a widower with small children of his own. Looking for a way out of this unwelcome, mundane lifestyle, Addie prays to the new gods to interfere with these plans and comes up short. And without realizing it, Addie continues to desperately pray to unknown, more infernal, entities. Except for this time, something answers in the dark.

"The old gods may be great, but they are neither kind nor merciful. They are fickle, unsteady as moonlight on water, or shadows in a storm. If you insist on calling them, take heed: be careful what you ask for, be willing to pay the price...And no matter how desperate or dire, never pray to the gods that answer after dark."

In a moment of hopelessness, Addie makes a bargain with the wrong god, trading her soul for an unlimited amount of time on Earth. Addie declares that she will give up her soul when she has sufficiently lived her life and is ready to leave it behind. But the shadowy devil now shaped like a person can't make it so easy for her. Thus, Addie LaRue is cursed to immortal life, completely free to be responsible for herself and herself only, but in which she can leave no mark, cannot be remembered at all. Addie cannot even speak or write her own name, though she repeats it in her mind as a reminder that she is an existing person who matters. The only being that can say her name is the one who cursed her to this new exhausting life. And she makes it 300 lonely, albeit free, years before someone impossibly remembers her name.

Schwab weaves this tale together with different timelines, going back and forth between the past, set all over the place as Addie travels but starting in France, and the present, set in modern New York City. The book is so carefully constructed and the prose is breathtaking. You can feel the love and care that went into every sentence. Schwab took her time telling this story, and I think a lot of my emotional response to it comes from that slow and steady building of character and history.

The scope of this book is incredible, spanning centuries. We learn about the 300 years in which Addie has had to survive second by second without anyone remembering who she is, even sometimes moments after meeting her, creating all kinds of chaos. Addie has to start over constantly and relentlessly. The story portrays how the mechanics of the curse works and how stressful it is to be a woman during this time period, how gender norms hurt, and especially when no one can remember you or where you belong. Above all, how painful it is when you just want someone to know you as you know them. To feel known at all.

Also, as an aside, we learn about her complicated relationship with the devil who cursed her and their history throughout Addie's long life. It is really, really interesting, to say the least. And as we who read Schwab knows, she is extremely good at writing morally grey, questionable, mysterious type characters. We're all going to have some really fun discussions around this particular part of the book, I can tell you now.

"Don't you remember, she told him then, when you were nothing but shadow and smoke?"

"Darling, he'd said in his soft, rich way, I was the night itself."

Over the centuries, Addie struggles to find her place amongst an ever-changing world, which is heart-wrenching but doesn't let that stop her from trying every single day. This is the kind of book that showcases what we long for, what we desire in the depths of our hearts, sometimes even unbeknownst to us. I think what stands out about this book is the perseverance of the human spirit. How we can fall down a thousand times, get back up and brush the dirt off, and keep going. How humankind as a whole has done this almost constantly, since the very beginning.

V.E. Schwab put her soul into this book, much like Addie found ways to put her soul back into the world bit by bit. Art always prevails and sustains, in spite of what goes on in the world. Though Addie is cursed to a forgotten existence, she does indeed find seemingly small ways to insert herself into history by sleight of hand, by cleverness and inspiration. Though she lives through much heartbreak and tragedy due to her curse, Addie keeps finding the light, keeps discovering joys and adventures. The hopefulness of this book made me emotional because it’s just what I needed right at this moment.

"Nothing is all good or all bad," she says. "Life is so much messier than that."

I want to say more about Addie, about the Darkness that lurks around her, about Henry, the sorrowful boy who remembers her. But, I cannot, because that would mean delving into more detail, and trust me, the mystery surrounding them is worth the wait. One thing I would like to say is how everyone of note in this book is casually queer in a way that I feel like I don't often see in literature. Both protagonists have had boyfriends and girlfriends, and it's refreshing. I really liked all the side characters, too. Everyone was delightful in their own way. I miss them all already.

And I would be remiss to not talk about the ending at all, so I will say that it was very daring and surprising and I loved it. Just. Astonishing. V.E. Schwab keeps finding ways to amaze me with her storytelling. It's one of my favorite kinds of endings, which you will all see what I mean when you read it.

This book resonated deeply. I cannot wait to hold the physical copy in my hands and hug it tight. Thank you to V.E. Schwab for writing such a moving, vulnerable, and compelling story. I feel that this is her most personal book yet, and I'm grateful for it. THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE is an absolutely stunning and sweeping achievement of love, courage, and determination. 5 dazzling stars as memorable as the constellation of freckles dotting Addie's cheeks.

I highly recommend preordering this beauty.

Thank you endlessly to Netgalley and Tor Books for providing an ARC of this beautiful book for an honest review.

Electronic ARC provided by NetGalley.

This was a beautiful story that reminded me of The Time Traveller's Wife, The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, and Sandman (the comics), while also telling it's own completely new and unique story.

Adaline (Addie) LaRue is born in a small French town in the late 1600s. From childhood she wants more then what her life promises, and this desire comes to a head in 1714 when she is about to be married off to a local widower. Addie can see the rest of her life falling into place before her, and instead of submitting she runs, and as night falls she prays for something to change her life and give her the freedom she desires. The darkness answers her, in a Faustian bargain where he/it promises her life and freedom in exchange for her soul, when she no longer wants it. It's only after the bargain has been struck that Addie discovers the boundaries of her new freedom: she has time, because she will no longer age or change in any way. She has freedom because no one, including people who have known her all her life, will ever remember her. She can't speak her name, she can't write, or draw, or make any physical changes to the world, and as soon as she passes out of a person's sight they will forget she ever existed. It takes three hundred years for that to change, when Addie meets a young man named Henry in a New York bookshop for the second time, and he remembers her.

The book jumps back and forth between Addie's meandering past and the present timeline. Her story is slowly revealed, including her contentious relationship with the Darkness that cursed her (who she later names Luc). The central question of Addie's story is, how can you have a life if you can't leave any mark on the world? V.E. Schwab has done a remarkable job thinking about the details of Addie's curse, and finding solutions that someone in this situation might slowly discover. I was also impressed by the emotional impact many of Addie's interludes contained. Her story continually reminds the reader that even at its darkest, life can still offer you flashes of remarkable beauty.

I'm not sure what I was expecting from the end of the story, but the ending that we are given is perfect. I think that some people will be crying for a sequel when they finish, but I really hope that this book remains a standalone. The story is perfectly contained as is, and I would prefer to leave the ending open, and believe that anything at all could happen next.

This is my favorite V.E. Schwab book so far, and I hope other readers will be just as interested in Addie's story as I was.

As a huge Schwab fan, I had high hopes for this book. It lived up to all my expectations, and even exceeded some. I loved all of the twists and turns, and found it difficult to put down. Loved all of the New York references, and had fun spotting places I knew and had been to. Can't wait to get this book into the hands of my patrons.

Thanks to Tor for an eArc of this spell-binding book. The first part of this book felt like a smouldering burn that slowly sizzled until we reached the final explosive fire of emotion. The ending is thoroughly satisfying. Addie LaRue and V.E Schwab are brilliant. Remember their names!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

YALL. This book is everything. I always enjoy V.E. Schwab’s novels but this one? The best thing I’ve read in a very long time. I absolutely loved Addie and traveling with her on her 300 year long journey. I would happily read about another 300 years. She is delightful and strong and so relatable. Her story is moving and heartbreaking and inspiring. I will be telling everyone about this book. I can already tell this might be my favorite book of 2020. Read it. Trust me. Do your future self a favor and preorder it now!

I mean, what can you say about perfection, I read it in a day. And I can’t wait to read it again, Having loved her previous works, I had high hopes for this and was not at all disappointed,, in fact this might have nudged it’s way in to the top spot! There is just something so lyrical and compelling about the way she writes, descriptive enough to accentuate the story with out bogging it down in details. Love love love! I will always be excited about her new releases. Can’t wait for the 3rd City of Bones book to come out too. Incredible!

France, 1714: In a moment of pure desperation, Addie LaRue makes a Faustian bargain to live forever. Or so she thinks. Cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets, thus begins a tale of heartbreak, discovery, lust, and love - that spans across continents and centuries.

Addie has almost made peace with her life, three-hundred years later. But everything changes when the immortal comes across a young man in a bookstore. And he remembers her.

Wow. I think it goes without saying by now, but we're always safe in Ms. Schwab's hands; the woman knows how to write. The story's poetic rhythm was effortless, and simplistic in its telling. She has this amazing talent of getting such complex feelings across and explaining them so concisely in only a few words. It was chocked full of amazing sentiments, and beautiful one-liners.

While reading this, I couldn't help thinking of the film 'The Age of Adaline'. The movie, just like this book, is peaceful in its telling - taking its time. Schwab is in no rush to get the point across as quickly as possible. She slows down, just as Addie learns to slow down. The novel is atmospheric and peaceful; swathed in shades of pale blues, melancholia, love, and loneliness. However, because of this, I felt the novel to be a bit too long. There is so much feeling packed in one story, I almost think it would have been even better, had the dosage been smaller.

I also wanted more moments with a certain someone 😈 We didn't get enough! It would have been amazing to delve deeper into his own story, his background, his past, his magic, etc., He was honestly one of my favorite characters in the entire book.

Because it was third POV, I did find I had a hard time connecting with the characters, but that's merely personal preference.

Overall, it was another solid story from V.E. Schwab. It read like a classic, and the loneliness and quietness of Addie's life made my heart ache.

A HUGE, GINORMOUS, FAT thank you to the publishers and Netgalley, for sending me an ARC of this beautiful book!

Please don't forget to preorder this lovely. Preordering means a lot to authors, especially during this trying time. Also, don't forget to support your local indie's through preordering online. I work at an indie bookstore, so I speak from experience: this global shutdown has not been easy on us!

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue hits shelves on October 6, 2020!

A million thanks to Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing me an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

After reading so many books lately that I can only compare to the fast, fun adrenaline rush of a rollercoaster ride, the slow but sure voyage that was The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was not only refreshing, but took me entirely out of my depth in a way that I didn’t know I needed.

This book is intelligent. It reads like an ancient cautionary tale that a parent tells their children in order to prepare them for what is to come – which is ironic since it is about a character who ignores those same tales and goes the opposite path. We follow this character, Addie LaRue, throughout the bulk of a 300-year life where she is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. But despite the incredible loneliness she feels and the overwhelming obstacles she faces, she ultimately wouldn’t give it up for anything.

The writing was superb. I would not call it lyrical, but it found a way to be poetic and impactful in an accessible way. The characters – and there are a lot of them – were all crafted so delicately by Schwab. There are no throwaway characters, as everyone Addie meets is so integral to who she is and who she becomes. The relationships, both the ones mentioned in passing and the ones spanning hundreds of years, could be felt down to the core. They were by far the most fascinating aspect of this story for me, especially one in particular that anyone who has read the book can probably guess.

I do want to reiterate, this story unfolds very slowly. There are 300 years within these pages presented in a dual timeline, from the point of view of two different characters. There is a lot happening. There are moments that I felt, in the moment, didn’t really matter. In the end, it was clear that it was all intentional. Though my favorite part of the book was the last third, I do not think it would have landed as well if it weren’t for everything that was elegantly crafted in the first two.

This is a story for the ages, and a book that I would recommend to anyone. It has been so long since I read a book that unfolded in front of me in a way that reminds me that I have not, in fact, read everything before. There are still things left to be discovered, and stories yet to be told. This is a story that makes me grateful to be alive to experience them.

Those looking to fill The Night Circus shaped hole in their hearts need look no further! The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue has the perfect mix of supernatural intrigue, love story, and Faustian bargains!

I loved this book so much. V. E. Schwab was already one of my favorite authors so I am not surprised. I love her writing style so much. It is both lyrical but also natural to read. The concept was clever and well executed. I loved all the characters and the time jumps were not difficult to follow at all. The story really stays with you too. And by this I mean I spent the whole day convinced everyone I knew was going to forget about me.

What a fantastic story! It took me a moment to get fully into, but I was hooked. This truly is a dazzling and incredibly thought-provoking story. I spent the majority of the book wondering what it would be like to live through multiple centuries, and if I would have made the same decisions. I can’t wait until it is released in October so all my friends can read it too!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC. I was super excited to read a new Schwab book and super grateful for the ARC because I could NOT wait until October. She's one of my favorite writers. I have even instilled that love unto my non-reader younger brother. Now it's time to take a deep breath and clear the emotions from my throat and write a review at 4 am.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is an incredible story spanning the ages about, you guessed it, the invisible life of a girl named Addie LaRue. She sells her soul to a creature who may be a demon, a devil, an old god, a djinn, or some combination of them all, in exchange for immortality, and the catch comes with that she is forgotten by everyone she meets and can never leave her own mark on the world. She is forgotten, invisible, a ghost. The waiting game starts for her to get tired of life and relinquish her soul to her devil, but she's stubborn and persistent and loves life, all its ups and downs, and refuses to give in. He visits her on their anniversary, and appears at other moments, to help, hinder, and talk her into ending the game. She does this for 300+ years, but everything changes when she stumbles into a man who remembers her, and his name is Henry Strauss.
The story is told during the present day, from her perspective, sometimes from Henry's, but also throughout the previous years of Addie's life. We see her grow as a woman, see her in Paris, Florence, New Orleans, New York, and countless other places. We see quite a bit of Henry's adult life and his perspective even before meeting Addie, but I can't divulge more without spoilers.
I was absolutely enthralled and enchanted by the story spun about Addie and her devil (Luc). Their meetings throughout the ages. Their banter. The antagonizing remarks. His help. His manipulations. Both of them circling each other like wolves. The way their relationship and understanding of each other grew over time. I found that story to be the most compelling, personally. I was always wanting more and more of Addie's life before her present, always wanting to see more of Luc.
Henry's story was the counterpart, and while I can notice and appreciate all the emotions and secrets wrenched out of Schwab's soul with the change of his perspective, I didn't necessarily relate to it as much as other's have and will. I appreciate who he is as a character and his relationship with Addie, but I simply didn't like his story as much as I liked Addie's and Luc's.
I also could tell from the very beginning, that while he was sweet, it didn't seem like he and Addie were fated to be together. It didn't fit with the narrative. The signs were clear. Addie was compelled towards Luc because he remembers her, has been a solid figure throughout the wide span of her life, and she always fought against it. Addie was desperate to be remembered by someone human, and threw herself into him with reckless abandon, without even knowing him. I don't fault her for that. I understand. But it had me wondering where their relationship, and the book itself, was leading.
But this isn't a story about true love conquering all. It's a story about life and about living and being remembered and all the pain that comes with it. The climax was altogether unexpected, emotions crept into my throat, fluid might have even pooled in my eyes. It ended in a way very different from what I expected. The book was wonderfully refreshing to read and will be tucked in a special place in my heart, next to my fantasies of Luc.

4.5/5

If you could make a deal to live forever but never be remembered, would you do it?

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was a wonderful story. Beautifully written with interesting characters and a unique storyline. This book was different from what I expected, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and made myself read it slowly to savor it all. I enjoyed Addie, Luc, and Henry so much and am sad it’s over.

I love that V.E. Schwab has such strong lead females. Each book of hers that I read becomes my new favorite. I cannot wait until this comes officially.

Thank you to Netgalley and Alexis at Tor for this ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. The plot is unique, the structure lays out the story perfectly, and the characters are worthy rooting for the whole way through. Schwab spins an intricate tale with charm, heartbreak, and humor throughout. I would definite read it again.