The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue Paperback – April 11, 2023

There is a lot I want to say about this book, but I’ll begin with this: It’s a story I will be thinking about for a while, the ending in particular.I haven’t read a book that tugged at my heartstrings quite so much in a long time. But that didn’t happen right away; it happened toward the end, after the characters and their lives were established, when I knew what was going to happen, and knew it was going to hurt. But it didn’t quite go as I anticipated, and what the author chose to do there was perfect for this story. It didn’t change the fact that I cried through most of the final 15% of the book.But that’s the end of the tale, and I should probably talk more about the beginning. Addie LaRue is twenty-three when her unusual story begins. She’s supposed to get married to a man she doesn’t really care for and barely knows, but that isn’t the live she ever envisioned for herself. Instead of going to the wedding as planned, she runs into the forest at the edge of her village and prays to any god that will listen. The trouble is, she lost track of time and forgot her mentor’s advice: Never pray to the gods who answer after dark.A deal is made, and Addie finds herself inexplicably erased from her family’s history. No one remembers her, and as soon as they turn away, close a door, or go to sleep, she’s forgotten again. Every day is a series of new beginnings, and she can’t leave a mark on the world. But she’s given unlimited time to explore the world.300 years later, she encounters Henry, the only person who has ever remembered her. There’s a romance between them, and he listens to her stories and continues to remember, even when his friends don’t. But Henry has his own story, and it’s intertwined with Addie’s in ways neither of them could have anticipated. (It’s Henry’s portion of the story that wrecked me toward the end, but as I mentioned above, it didn’t play out quite as I anticipated. I really liked what the author did, and it was so much better than I thought it would be.)The book moves between Addie’s life in the present (2014), her stories from the past (1714 up to the 1980s), and in the latter half, Henry’s present (2014) and recent past (2013). It may sound like a lot to keep track of, but I thought it was done well. And without the chapters from both characters’ pasts, the ending wouldn’t have been half as poignant. Their histories are what really made this book work for me.Overall, I thought The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was a wonderful story.

Started out as an easy page turner with a fascinating story and likable main character, quickly digressed into never ending side stories without enough ‘umph’ to pull the reader through. My engagement and interest waned greatly during the middle hundred and some page of the book. The book is good overall and the end third is compelling but the book needs a serious trim down if it’s going to continue to garner reader interest.

Oh My God!!! Literally sobbing my eyes out finishing the last few chapters. Had to read with the book parallel to the ceiling so I could read through my tears.This book started out as a slow read for me, not because of the writing style but because Addie experiences one of my darkest fears. This story is so beautifully written, I can't explain it. I can't even find the correct adjectives to express the feelings I felt reading this story. It was not quite "heart wrenching" but it was along those lines. By the tone and foreshadowing of the book you can guess where the story goes and how it ends, but it was SO WORTH the read.I do find it funny that at the end of the story, we are told that this book was published without the authors name and then this book was printed with the authors name larger than the title…

I've read about 20 books in the past 4/5 months and this has been my favorite. The type of book you know you need to buy, the type of book and character that stays with you once you finish it. This book reminds you that life is fleeting, that travel is worth it, that pain and pleasure are two sides of the same coin. I will be channeling and remembering Addie after this book. It is amusing, I find myself wondering about her now and hoping she is enjoying her new terms. Either way, 10/10, definitely recommend. So sad that it is over, I feel I could read about her life forever. Great ending that came full circle. Not the ideal outcome, but life rarely is. This book, this main character, will also encourage you to be less embarrassed and live more authentically. Truly one of, if not my only, favorite book. Thank you to the author, I really loved it!

This book is really a 3.5 for me, but cannot do half stars. For me, this book moved along well and I felt like the main character was believable. I loved how the author was able to thread in historical characters and little anecdotes about them. I enjoyed reading it, but once Addie gets to New York and starts hanging out with Henry and his friends, the book seems to transition to more of a YA novel. I liked how the author ended the book and thought Luc (the demon) was an interesting and complex character. However, my BIG problem with this book is that the author is not consistent with the situation and circumstances of when people forget Addie. She talks abut spending full days with certain companions from her past until they go to bed, but then she also has people forgetting her when they just leave a room that she is in, or they go to the bathroom and return. How could she spend full days with people and never leave their sight. Are we to believe that they never had to go to the bathroom? This issue gnawed at me and made it hard for me to really appreciate the novel. How could the author make such a blatant mistake? It is the entire basis of the story, that people forget Addie and how they forget Addie. Too bad, too, because it could have really been a fantastic novel.