February 2022 book of the month club - The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

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rubysmama

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I feel like there was an author's note/acknowledgement in the back, but maybe it's a different note.
I think my e-book had something like that, as well, but I've returned it now, so can't check.

Here's a couple interviews, though, which talk about the book, including her inspiration to write it.
Probably don't read them till you finish the book, as the 2nd one is definitely spoilery.
And both, btw, have spoilers about Peter Pan, if you don't know that story and how it ends. I didn't, till now. :ohwell:

Interview With an Author: V.E. Schwab
V.E. Schwab on the 'defiant joy' of her epic novel 'The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue'
 

pearl99

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I have acknowledgments in the back thanking people, but that's all. I searched for "author's note" and decided trying to find it would have spoilers while sifting through the posts so I'll wait till I'm done to find it :)!
 

gilmargl

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I tried again - sitting here while my new kitchen is being installed. But there's no way I'll be able to finish reading this book - perhaps it is so bizarre that anything can happen - frog turns into a prince, Sam into a green-eyed goddess, Henry (or was he called Harry or...) could be a dragon, Does a mermaid turn up?
When I don't like a book too much I tend to analyse it - how often does the dreadful simile "like the color of egg yolk" (yuck!) occur or describing evening time by refering to long shadows? No - sorry Part III was as far as I could go! The book has vanished from my computer and is now invisible!
:lol:
 
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rubysmama

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You really did give it a good try, gilmargl gilmargl . It's just so strange, though, that most of us seem to have gotten hooked right from the start and couldn't put it down, and you struggled from the get go. Are you sure you were reading the same book? :lol:

Anyway, not every book will be a hit with everyone. Hopefully next month will be a better fit for you.
 

pearl99

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I tried again - sitting here while my new kitchen is being installed. But there's no way I'll be able to finish reading this book - perhaps it is so bizarre that anything can happen - frog turns into a prince, Sam into a green-eyed goddess, Henry (or was he called Harry or...) could be a dragon, Does a mermaid turn up?
When I don't like a book too much I tend to analyse it - how often does the dreadful simile "like the color of egg yolk" (yuck!) occur or describing evening time by refering to long shadows? No - sorry Part III was as far as I could go! The book has vanished from my computer and is now invisible!
:lol:
I've decided if I feel that way about a book I'm not going to keep going "just in case."
Life's too short and so many books, so little time!
 
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rubysmama

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started The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue yesterday.
Waiting to see if you love it or hate it, since those seem to be the only opinions on this book.

I'm keeping the book (it's from the library) so I can refresh to discuss it.
Good idea. Mine's been returned, but I did write a review while everything was fresh in my mind.

I've decided if I feel that way about a book I'm not going to keep going "just in case."
Life's too short and so many books, so little time!
So true.
 
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rubysmama

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It's finally time to discuss Addie. And since I already have my review written, I'll post it now.

I’ve never read anything by this author before, but loved the book description when I first read it, and hoped the story would be as good as that blurb, and it was.

And though I knew Henry was going to remember her, it was in the description after all, I still got goose bumpy when he said “I remember you”. Then I started wondering how it was possible. I wondered if he had a brain tumor. Wondered if he too was cursed, but he was aging and people remembered him, so it wasn’t the same as Addie’s curse. Of course, once we learned what his curse was, it all made sense. The female customer infatuated with him, Robbie unable to get past his obsession with him, even the woman at the food truck. So clever, the author was, laying those subtle clues.

As for the end, I sobbed through the last few chapters. My perfect ending would have been Luc revoking both curses, due to his respect and "love" for Addie, and then Addie and Henry living happily ever after as mortals. But that wasn’t likely, since he was a dark god. So then I thought maybe he’d take both of their souls by the end of the book, which would have been a depressing ending. So it being something in the middle was ok with me. And though I doubt Addie would ever be able to outwit Luc, we were left with the possibility that she might.

I always feel like I’m being stingy when giving out stars for a book, as despite loving a book, most books are not perfect. So usually I give between a 3 and 4 rating. This time is no exception, however, I’m going to bump it up to 4.5 stars, for the main reason that the author included an orange cat in the story, and despite multiple mentions of the cat being old, plus knowing some authors seem to add animal deaths for no reason other than shock value, Book did not die. So that, for me, that is worth another half star.
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