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The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - sample
In the vein of The Time Traveler’s Wife and Life After Life, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is New York Times bestselling author V. E. Schwab’s genre-defying tour de force. Download a FREE sneak peek today!
A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget.
France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever—and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.
Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.
But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget.
France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever—and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.
Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.
But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
438 pages, ebook
Published June 23, 2020
About the author
V.E. Schwab
69 books83.2k followersThis author also writes under the name of Victoria Schwab.
VICTORIA “V. E.” SCHWAB is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty books, including the acclaimed Shades universe, the Villains series, the City of Ghosts series, Gallant, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and The Fragile Threads of Power. When not haunting Paris streets or trudging up English hillsides, she can usually be found in Edinburgh, Scotland, tucked in the corner of a coffee shop, dreaming up monsters.
VICTORIA “V. E.” SCHWAB is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty books, including the acclaimed Shades universe, the Villains series, the City of Ghosts series, Gallant, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and The Fragile Threads of Power. When not haunting Paris streets or trudging up English hillsides, she can usually be found in Edinburgh, Scotland, tucked in the corner of a coffee shop, dreaming up monsters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews
March 15, 2021
It's my all time favourite book now
March 15, 2021
ALL TIME FAVORITE BOOK
July 16, 2020
Okay, now I’m even more excited and it’s too far away so I’m in a slump and kind of pouting. Bittersweet and definitely gives us all something to look forward to even with this quarantine.
January 14, 2021
Perhaps one of my favorite books ever. Inventive, imaginative, and full of characters I simply loved.
January 7, 2021
4.5 y definitivamente no es un libro que te sea indiferente
November 25, 2020
Read the whole book, not just sneak peak! I was glad my husband read it first because many times I had to talk to someone about the book. He never gave anything away and I’m glad he just let me finish it late last night. Very well written and a wonderful story about life.
April 1, 2022
I loved this book - so many plot twists and it was unpredictable! I only thought I knew how the book ended, I was surprised and I’m definitely wanting a sequel!
September 15, 2020
This Sneak Peek was so good! I can’t wait to read the full book come October.
January 1, 2021
This was one of those books that I didn’t want to really like but of course, it won me over and was one of my favorites for the year.
November 14, 2024
A pact with the devil that comes with consequences, for one a life too short, and the other a life too long. A beautiful story with a satisfying ending.
March 19, 2023
I'd be jealous of those persons who read this book for the first time. i wasn't reading, i was literally saving it but it has to end, since i was turning pages every time i look at it. But this is the book that should never end how come everything becomes beautiful like this, it's impossible at least i thought it was impossible but this book proved me wrong. I don't even know what I'm feeling exactly. I'm really glad and sad at the same time that this is my first fantasy-romance book, I'm afraid that my standards got sooo high about this genre, that i wouldn't be able to enjoy any other books like i enjoyed this one. However, it was such a beautiful first impression. www.goodreads.com/hermellareads
January 19, 2021
Interesting premise of a Faustian bargain with the Devil, but this just went on and on and on. Covered a lot of historical time periods, which were interesting in themselves, just not so many one after another, with the Devil (if that’s what that black shape thing was) predictably appearing in each time frame. It got more interesting during the last third when she met her love interest, the man who remembered her. But still, where was the editor? This should have been shorter.
December 12, 2020
This book was fantastic! I could not put it down! It’s an adventure, a tragedy, a history lesson, a fantasy, and a love story. Heartbreaking and heart pounding all at once! Richly and beautifully written. I wish it never ended!
October 21, 2020
Interesting premise, but sadly no a lot happened.
October 23, 2020
Such a fun read! Very long but enjoyed every page. This book is made to read on a snow day. Loved it.
November 12, 2020
Loved the sneak peek. Finally get to read the whole thing.
March 16, 2022
It was interesting. In the end, she tricked the devil so I guess that is good. It is a fantasy, but a dark one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2023
ÄNTLIGEN klar herregud denna bok tog aldrig slut och det var inte helt värt det ärligt talat såhär tjocka böcker kräver åtminstone 4,5 stjärnor GODNATT asså äntligeeeeen fri
April 22, 2024
Chyba najpiękniejsza książka jaką czytałam 🥲
January 15, 2025
4.5 stars I love the writing
November 3, 2025
When I catch you V.E. Schwab for that ending…
The book was 6/5.
Read it.
The book was 6/5.
Read it.
January 3, 2025
Finished my re-read and what an absolute joy🥹🥹🥹 I love this book so much and even more after reading it a second time!!!
May 2, 2025
Zwischenzeitlich war das Buch zu langatmig und eintönig, aber das Konzept des Buches hat mich abgeholt und den Schreibstil hab ich geliebt, deshalb eher 4/5
August 2, 2023
Unique and fantastic. Actively trying to fight the book hangover and losing. Definitely need to add this one to my bookshelf!
October 10, 2026
wow be careful of what you wish for
January 19, 2024
V.E. Schwab is an amazing writer. I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Invisible Life!
December 23, 2020
Imaginative and believable. A fascinating glimpse of life in today's New York, with tantalizing snips of life in European cities through the past 300 years. Addie is resourceful and brave as she deals with the bargain she made as a young woman. Quite a different kind of read for me, and most enjoyable.
March 16, 2022
I'm so sorry to all you Invisible Life lovers out there, but this book just did not hit like I thought it would. I was so hyped up to be this amazingly deep, life-changing book and I just didn't feel it. I felt like the concept of this book was a good one, but the author could've done so much more with this book IMO. Instead of focusing so much on Luc and all the years in the past where he showed up in Addie's life, I wish those chapters were used to talk about all the famous places and people she has seen. The characters felt so surface level and almost just 'eh'. I understand that that could be intentional since Addie isn't able to make connections with other people, but we could've at least seen some sort of character development with Henry, Luc, or Addie. Maybe I missed something in the book, but it just wasn't for me.
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September 13, 2020Definitely looking forward to this one. I really need to read Schwab's other work!
June 27, 2026
4.5/5 stars ⭐️
•
spoiler warning!
•
this was my first v. e. schwab novel, and it definitely won't be my last.
•
this book follows addie, a young woman in 18th-century france, who makes a deal with "the darkness" (aka a nerfarious god) to live as long as see wants to. of course with any kind of demonic entity, there's a price, and it was beyond just her soul in the end. she was plagued with the fate of people forgetting her completely if they exited a room or doorway, or by the next day. so while she lives forever in theory, she can't make true connections like everyone else can.
•
the "darkness" (aka luke) is modeled himself after a fantasy man addie dreamed up in her youth, so he's obvi a super hot tall lean man with curly black hair & green eyes. chef’s kiss.
•
I truly loved him as the MMC/bad guy. he's obviously trying to get her to give up her soul. but over the course of 300 years, you feel wrapped in addie's confusion of whether he is manipulating her or truly loves her. if a god like that is truly capable of real love or if it's just about possession and control…
•
we also get POV from henry, the true good MMC. he's made a deal with luke too and that's why he can remember addie. but he only has a year before he gives up his soul in exchange for everyone loving him. of course, it's an empty kind of love, where people get foggy eyed and blindly like him. addie just likes him because he’s kind and can remember her
•
i like how this book not only changes POV between henry and addie, but it also flashes timeline wise every chapter to different points in addie’s long life, past and the present. the variation was a little hard to keep up with sometimes, but overall the slow reveal of information and growth of addie's attachment and love/hate dynamic with luke made it have a good fantasy romance. the classic safe, soft love vs fiery bad for you kind dilemma.
•
the ending absolutely made the book for me. addie's decision to trade herself to luke in exchange for henry's freedom, while secretly exploiting a loophole in their bargain, was perfect.
•
but her plan isn't entirely selfless — despite everything, she's become just as captivated by luke as he is by her. we as the reader know she's too engrossed in him to probably actually commit.
•
if you enjoy morally gray MMC characters that aren’t kinky or overtly murdereous, slow-burn relationships, and stories that linger long after you've finished them, i can't recommend this one enough.
•
also an author confirmed standalone novel, so while i would love a second book, i’m content with it as its own.
•
spoiler warning!
•
this was my first v. e. schwab novel, and it definitely won't be my last.
•
this book follows addie, a young woman in 18th-century france, who makes a deal with "the darkness" (aka a nerfarious god) to live as long as see wants to. of course with any kind of demonic entity, there's a price, and it was beyond just her soul in the end. she was plagued with the fate of people forgetting her completely if they exited a room or doorway, or by the next day. so while she lives forever in theory, she can't make true connections like everyone else can.
•
the "darkness" (aka luke) is modeled himself after a fantasy man addie dreamed up in her youth, so he's obvi a super hot tall lean man with curly black hair & green eyes. chef’s kiss.
•
I truly loved him as the MMC/bad guy. he's obviously trying to get her to give up her soul. but over the course of 300 years, you feel wrapped in addie's confusion of whether he is manipulating her or truly loves her. if a god like that is truly capable of real love or if it's just about possession and control…
•
we also get POV from henry, the true good MMC. he's made a deal with luke too and that's why he can remember addie. but he only has a year before he gives up his soul in exchange for everyone loving him. of course, it's an empty kind of love, where people get foggy eyed and blindly like him. addie just likes him because he’s kind and can remember her
•
i like how this book not only changes POV between henry and addie, but it also flashes timeline wise every chapter to different points in addie’s long life, past and the present. the variation was a little hard to keep up with sometimes, but overall the slow reveal of information and growth of addie's attachment and love/hate dynamic with luke made it have a good fantasy romance. the classic safe, soft love vs fiery bad for you kind dilemma.
•
the ending absolutely made the book for me. addie's decision to trade herself to luke in exchange for henry's freedom, while secretly exploiting a loophole in their bargain, was perfect.
•
but her plan isn't entirely selfless — despite everything, she's become just as captivated by luke as he is by her. we as the reader know she's too engrossed in him to probably actually commit.
•
if you enjoy morally gray MMC characters that aren’t kinky or overtly murdereous, slow-burn relationships, and stories that linger long after you've finished them, i can't recommend this one enough.
•
also an author confirmed standalone novel, so while i would love a second book, i’m content with it as its own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews