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The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

V.E. Schwab,

Victoria Schwab

Start date: October 1, 2021

Finish date: October 31, 2021

Discussion: ❃Book of the Month (BOTMs)❃

Why we're reading this: Because it was chosen as the October 2021 BOTM.
[close] Because it was chosen as the October 2021 BOTM.

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❃Book of the Month (BOTMs)❃

* January 2023 - One of Us is Lying
By Alexandria , The Third Book Nerd · 1 post · 18 views

last updated Jan 04, 2023 08:32AM

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December 2022 - Red, White & Royal Blue
By Alexandria , The Third Book Nerd · 3 posts · 20 views

last updated Jan 04, 2023 08:32AM

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What Members Thought

May 06, 2021 Mia rated it did not like it

Shelves: hate, 1-star-reads

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I wanted to like this book. I really did. I found it on a list of 2020's best fantasy novels, and now I have to question the legitimacy of the list when this book is included on it. The prose is beautiful, if not overly repetitive. There's a constant reference to her freckles every chapter. Someone always comments on it, and it grew tiresome for me. WE GET IT!!! Her freckles are like stars.

I slogged my way through for 5 months. That's how painful this book is to read. The beginning draws you in I wanted to like this book. I really did. I found it on a list of 2020's best fantasy novels, and now I have to question the legitimacy of the list when this book is included on it. The prose is beautiful, if not overly repetitive. There's a constant reference to her freckles every chapter. Someone always comments on it, and it grew tiresome for me. WE GET IT!!! Her freckles are like stars.

I slogged my way through for 5 months. That's how painful this book is to read. The beginning draws you in because the premise sounds vaguely interesting. We all love a good deal with the devil.

I really wanted to like it. It had a bunch of stars (almost as many as Addie’s face), so I thought why not? I should've read the reviews on Goodreads first before purchasing this book. There is zero plot.

It's just about a basic girl Addie who wants to run away from the responsibilities of her life. She complains every page for whole paragraphs about how much her life sucks because she made a deal with the wrong 'person'. It's a constant back and forth between the past and present, which ordinarily wouldn't bother me, except that the details of her past don't really add much to her story or her character development (I should say there is none). It’s just pages of her traversing the streets of different cities, not actually doing anything. She’s essentially the same character from start to finish.

Even the stuff she does do, it’s not really for her. It’s to get one over on Luc (demon dude who’s like an old God). Her continued defiance and existence is out of sheer stubbornness more than anything. Some could argue she learned multiple languages, but they’re all western ones or that she’s explored several countries, but again they’re all in the west. She never goes east past Germany or west past L.A.

She’s not that fleshed out as a character. She’s petulant and petty. I thought even the reveal that she’s into women might go somewhere because that was surprising, but it doesn’t.

The guy that’s not the demon god who’s supposed to be her love interest is dull. There’s nothing remotely interesting about him. He’s your standard nobody understands me and I’m depressed guy. He mopes his way through several chapters and the big surprise surrounding him is less than shocking. It’s to be expected.

Henry bemoans that he’s never enough, and is always looking for outward acceptance of himself. Like his whole story could’ve been transformed if his had been a tale of learning to love yourself instead of relying on others to love you.

And the demon dude, I’m not even really sure what purpose he served. He pops into the picture every couple of chapters, to remind Addie of their deal, and ask if she’s ready to give up. And then for a brief time, there’s a little something between them. His character is never really fleshed out either, which could’ve enhanced the book. We never really have a chance to know him outside of Addie’s interactions with him. His role is mostly to serve as the devil whispering over your shoulder and to add some kind of conflict to a book that really has none.

The story isn’t remotely interesting until the end. It’s that last bit of book where there’s a hint of something to pique the interest, but then it sort of flops like a fish on land.

So pretty words aside, this book was awful. Go read A Darker Shade of Magic if you haven’t because that’s where the author shines. ...more

21 likes · Like · see review

Feb 24, 2023 Courtney Davidson rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbtqiaplus, bisexual, signed-by-the-author, hardback, illustrated, stencilled-edges, siblings, uk, age-gap, printed-cover

Never make deals with the devil. He’ll always make your life miserable.

11 likes · Like · see review

Oct 04, 2022 Ella (Marauder's Version) The Book Monster rated it really liked it

Shelves: 4-stars, i-own, genre-romance, lgbtq-rep, stand-alones

Why did it end like that?!

9 likes · Like · see review

Mar 23, 2021 Sehrish | سهريش rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: my-absolute-favorites, fantasy-fiction-magic, ya-fiction, read-2021

“Stories are a way to preserve one's self. To be remembered. And to forget.”

Next Steps: Googling all the fan-art that's available for this book!!!

My first book by Schwab and what a book it was!!!
This book deserved all the hype.. I've never read something like this and I cannot find words to describe the work by Schwab.. The writing was simple but the essence, the story, the characters were something beyond words and writing..

Addie LaRue.. a forgotten nobody.. stubborn, artistic, kind... a st ...more

8 likes · Like · see review