April 28, 2025 by Daniela Fleming (‘26)
Welcome or welcome back to Five Stars, a book review series where I share my “five-star” books – these books went above and beyond and stand out among the shelves of books I’ve read. Whether it’s the engaging writing, storyline, or some intangible “it-factor,” these books are worth your time. Now, I have to admit, I’ve been slacking on the reading myself – AP season is hitting hard. This means I haven’t been able to find a five-star in a while! So, this week, I’m bringing back a discovery from last year. But this book is no less special to me than all the others.
I present to you: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by Victoria E. Schwab. This book is hard to categorize into a genre, but Google says it’s a “historical fantasy with magical realism.” I understand the pain of fighting through boring historical books, or cheesy fantasies, but somehow this book is neither bad nor boring – it combines all the amazing elements of those genres. So basically, within this one book, there is something for everyone. It’s simply a page-turner.
The basic premise follows Addie LaRue, a girl who, in an act of desperation makes a deal with a god to live forever. The only catch? She is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. We follow Addie through centuries, her interactions with the very god that cursed her, and her invisible life. She lives in monotony until, one day, a boy in a bookstore remembers her name. Let the chaos unfold!
I don’t want to say anything more, because if you don’t pick up this book now, what more can I say? This book is a unique story for new and experienced readers alike. It has depth, drama, and much more- and that’s why this book is worthy of the five-star rating.
With all that said, happy reading!
photo source: us.macmillian.com