Huh. So you guys didn't like this one? Well, that's a bit awkward, cause I'm over here having a pretty good time with it.

Now, usually I'm on Outlier Island having to apologize for hating on a book everyone's loving. But this time, it's the opposite. Consensus seems to be that this story didn't quite reach its potential, but you could've fooled me. In fact, I had so much fun with The Ending Writes Itself, I'm kind of sad it's over.

After giving it some thought, I do have a few theories as to why it worked for me but maybe not for a lot of other readers out there, so let me have a crack at explaining.

1. This book is by an author duo, one of whom is V.E. Schwab (of Addie LaRue fame). Schwab is known for writing fantasies with lyrical, descriptive, verbose (take your pick) prose, and this is definitely not that. Truth be told, I actually wasn't that big of a fan of Addie, so it was a relief to read something from Schwab that was less long-winded and more straightforward. But if you're a big Addie fan and came here looking for more of the same, this may not have anything to offer you.

2. Across the board, I'm a big fan of stories that peek behind the curtain into the world of writing and publishing. And if that peek happens to be a bit satirical and tongue-in-the-cheek? Even better. So I had a great time following along as these writers competed to finish a dead author's greatest work. But I can also see how, if that topic doesn't interest you, then this would seem like much ado about nothing.

3. This is a riff on And Then There Were None, and I think in order to fully understand and enjoy the way this tale unfolds, you do have to have read the classic first. Otherwise, this doesn't really make much sense and can come off as somewhat random and unhinged. I'm a huge Agatha Christie fan, and And Then There Were None is one of my all-time favorites by her, so this was right up my alley. This isn't the first riff I've come across, nor is it the best, but it is a fun one and definitely scratched my infinite itch for anything Christie related.

So there you go. Hopefully that gives you a better idea of whether this book might be for you. But if my experience is any indication, sometimes you can never tell. At the end of the day, we are all individual readers, and the only way to know for sure if you'll like a book is to pick it up and see for yourself.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

Please don't hate, okay? I know how much everyone loves this book, but for me, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was a very uneven reading experience, with some gems buried under seemingly mountains of fluff.

Addie doesn't want the traditional 18th century life of just being a wife and mother at her poor provincial town. So on the eve of a forced marriage, she makes a deal with the devil for her heart's most fervent wish. Though that deal traps her in a curse, it also sets her on a most unexpected journey.

My foremost thought while reading this book is: gosh, this sure is a very long book for the amount of content in here. Not much happens through most of the pages. The actual plot in here is fairly simple and straightforward. In fact, you could safely cut out a lot of the paragraphs and chapters and not lose any meaning to the story, which is never a good sign.

So what is 450 pages filled with, you ask? Paragraphs and paragraphs of pretty writing. If it could be said in one sentence, it's said in several fluffy paragraphs. If one metaphor suffices, well, they come in sets of three or four, every time. It's all a bit much. In fact, it often seems as if the author cared more about putting together clever floral word arrangements than moving the plot along.

The other issue is that Addie is fairly naive, so this book comes across as distinctly YA even though it's marketed to adults. Her decisions, her thoughts, her growth (or lack thereof), her romances, they all feel very young. Though we follow Addie through her youth and later years, her character sounds exactly the same throughout.

Yet, for all the flaws, there is something undeniably charming in the story. I cared about the characters and what happens to them. And I found the premise intriguing. It reminds me of the movie The Age of Adaline, which takes a similar concept and does it much better, though coincidentally with a similar name.

In the end, I liked this book enough. There were moments of brilliance that really made this story shine. But they were often buried deep under mountains of indulgent verbal gymnastics that tested my patience to the extreme. I can't help but feel this was a missed opportunity, that with some aggressive editing, this could've been a stellar read.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars