The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

Have you ever read a book that got much better the second go around? For me, that book is The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. I liked it the first time, but I admit my reading was a bit colored by how different it was from Schwab’s previous books. This time, however, it was so damn good that once I was finished, I had to sit quietly so I could fully absorb just how good it was. This was in part due to the masterful narration by Julia Whelan, but it was also a case of the right book for the right time. While I’d like to claim that I saw myself in Addie, our bold and beautiful heroine who was granted her desire to be in control of her life at the cost of being eternally forgotten, I connected more with the non-eternal Henry. Henry, with his ‘storms’. Henry, with his self-doubt who wants nothing more than to feel like he is enough. If I am ever lucky enough to meet V.E. Schwab (fingers crossed), I will have to thank her for creating a character that made me feel well and truly seen.