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Quick answer: If you loved The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab, try A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern, Circe by Madeline Miller, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig and The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow.
In 1714, a young French woman named Addie LaRue makes a desperate deal with a dark god to escape an arranged marriage. She gets her freedom and an endless life, but the price is that no one will remember her. For three hundred years she survives by being forgotten, until a bookshop clerk in modern New York remembers her name. V.E. Schwab’s novel is lyrical, melancholy and romantic. The picks below share its immortal characters, bargains, love stories that cross time and beautiful prose. Most are adult or crossover fantasy.
Table of Contents
Why Readers Love The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Readers love Addie LaRue because its central idea is so vivid: to live forever and leave no mark. V.E. Schwab uses the idea to say something about art, memory and loneliness, and she lets Addie find clever ways to be remembered, such as in songs, paintings and dreams. The dark god Luc is charming and cruel, and the push and pull between him and Addie gives the book romantic tension. The jumps between centuries and the bookshop setting make it a favorite of bookish readers.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick below shares at least one thing readers loved about The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue: its characters, its mood, its setting or the questions it raises. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious choices, and we noted the genre and who each book suits best in the table, so you can scan for the right fit before you read the blurbs.
We kept every description spoiler-free and flagged mature content where it matters, since some of these books are written for adults and others suit teens. If you’re not sure where to start, the tips near the end of this list match each pick to what you loved most. The FAQ at the bottom answers the questions readers ask most often.
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Genre | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Darker Shade of Magic | V.E. Schwab | Fantasy | More V.E. Schwab |
| The Night Circus | Erin Morgenstern | Fantasy | Magic and romance |
| The Starless Sea | Erin Morgenstern | Fantasy | Stories within stories |
| Circe | Madeline Miller | Mythology | Immortality and loneliness |
| The Midnight Library | Matt Haig | Fiction | Second chances |
| The Ten Thousand Doors of January | Alix E. Harrow | Fantasy | Doors and books |
| Vicious | V.E. Schwab | Fantasy | Morally gray characters |
| The Song of Achilles | Madeline Miller | Mythology | Love across ages |
| The Binding | Bridget Collins | Historical fantasy | Books and memories |
| The Time Traveler’s Wife | Audrey Niffenegger | Fiction | Love across time |
| The Golem and the Jinni | Helene Wecker | Historical fantasy | Immortals in New York |
| Piranesi | Susanna Clarke | Fantasy | Dreamlike mysteries |
| Mexican Gothic | Silvia Moreno-Garcia | Gothic horror | Atmosphere and dread |
| Strange the Dreamer | Laini Taylor | Fantasy | Lush, poetic fantasy |
| The Daughter of Doctor Moreau | Silvia Moreno-Garcia | Historical fiction | Rich historical tales |
1. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
A magician who can travel between parallel Londons meets a thief. It’s fast, inventive and fun.
2. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Two young magicians are bound in a secret competition within a mysterious circus. It’s lush and dreamlike.
3. The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
A graduate student finds a mysterious book that leads to a hidden underground library.
4. Circe by Madeline Miller
The witch of Greek myth finds her power in exile. It’s lyrical and moving.
5. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Nora finds a library where each book is a life she could have lived. It’s hopeful and thoughtful.
6. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
A girl finds a book that tells of doors to other worlds. It’s lyrical and about the power of stories.
7. Vicious by V.E. Schwab
Two college roommates become enemies after an experiment gives them powers. It’s dark and clever.
8. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
The love story of Achilles and Patroclus. It’s heartbreaking and beautifully written.
9. The Binding by Bridget Collins
In an alternate past, books hold people’s memories. It’s a gentle love story with a dark secret.
10. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Henry, who is jumping through time involuntarily, and Clare try to build a life together. It’s romantic and sad.
11. The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
A golem and a jinni meet in 1899 New York. It’s atmospheric and full of heart.
12. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
A man lives in a vast house of statues and tides. It’s strange and beautiful.
13. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
A socialite visits her cousin in a decaying mansion in 1950s Mexico.
14. Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
A young librarian dreams of a lost city and finds a chance to visit it. It’s romantic and gorgeous.
15. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
A retelling of The Island of Doctor Moreau set in Yucatan. It’s atmospheric and sad.
How to Pick Your Next Read After Addie LaRue
- Want more Schwab? A Darker Shade of Magic and Vicious.
- Want dreamy prose? The Night Circus and Piranesi.
- Want a love story across time? The Song of Achilles.
- Want bookish magic? The Starless Sea and The Binding.
- Want something hopeful? The Midnight Library.
- Take your time. These books reward slow reading.
Content Notes and Reading Order
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a standalone novel with no sequel, though Schwab has written other books with similar atmosphere, including Vicious, A Darker Shade of Magic and Gallant. It includes some sexual content, a character who is abused by a parent in the past, and discussion of loneliness and suicide. If you need to avoid those themes, check reviews first. If you want a lighter version of the idea, try The Midnight Library.
Related: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue book club discussion questions and books like The Night Circus.
Frequently Asked Questions
What book is most like The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue?
The Night Circus and The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern are the closest matches in tone.
Is Addie LaRue a romance?
It has a central romance, but it is also about memory, art and loneliness.
Is there a sequel to Addie LaRue?
No. It’s a standalone novel.