Two Time Bending Tales

carolineripp328
Jul 1
3 min read

The Unmaking of June Farrow & The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and why they’re topping the charts in 2025.

These two books blur the lines between time, memory, and magic. They have both been added to Goodreads’ Most Read Fantasy list of 2025 (so far). And it makes perfect sense.

These aren’t your classic dragon-and-sword fantasies; they’re quieter and more reflective. The magic is subtle, often metaphorical, and the emotional stakes feel just as big as the fantastical ones. If you liked stories like The Age of Adaline, The Vow, or Back to the Future, or you’ve ever wanted to wander through time chasing answers (and maybe love), you’ll probably find something to love here.

There’s also a new movie coming out soon (A Big Beautiful Journey) which looks like it might explore similar themes of memory, identity, and time. I'm keeping it on my watchlist; if the trailer's anything to go by, it’ll be a great companion to these kinds of books.

On The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

I went into Addie LaRue without any real expectations, and I ended up pleasantly surprised. V.E. Schwab’s writing style isn’t too heavy or overly complex; it flows, it lingers in all the right places. There aren’t too many side characters to juggle (a blessing, truly), and the ones that do show up stick to their character arcs, which helped me stay grounded in an otherwise untethered timeline. Emotionally, this book got to me. I was rooting for Addie, yelling at her, mourning with her. It's the kind of story that sneaks up on you with its slow burn. I'd recommend it for a summer or fall read; something about it feels best paired with chilly air and cozy corners. It’s mystical contemporary fiction that leans a little poetic.

Comparing June Farrow and Addie LaRue

Here’s where my reading brain starts to spiral (in a good way). Addie LaRue felt slower in concept, but the magical world-building made more sense to me. Addie made a deal, she lived with the consequences, and over her 300 years, she came to understand the rules of the magic she’d bargained for. That clarity helped me, as a reader, feel like I could make sense of her options, or at least imagine what I’d do in her shoes.

In contrast, June Farrow is much more disoriented, and that’s the whole point. June doesn’t understand the magic. She doesn’t know the rules. She’s chasing a mystery that even she’s not fully sure exists. And while that’s fascinating, it also made me feel a bit unmoored while reading. I couldn’t guess what would happen next because, truly, no one in the book could, including June.

While I conceptually understand the choice to keep things vague in June Farrow, I personally preferred Addie LaRue. I liked being able to follow the magic’s logic and imagine alternate outcomes. With June, I felt like I was floundering beside her, which was the point, but it made it harder to root myself in the story.

Final Thoughts

If you love stories about time, love, sacrifice, memory, and magical rules that bend reality, these books (and probably the upcoming A Big Beautiful Journey) are for you. Just be prepared, they’ll tug at your emotions and leave you thinking long after you’ve turned the last page.

Here is my B2M adaptation cast for Addie LaRue:

Addie LaRue - Ella Purnell

Luc - Ed Westwick

Henry - Owen Teague

Bea - Maitreyi Ramakrishnan

Book - Justice Smith

Here is my B2M adaptation cast for June Farrow:

June Farrow - Bryce Dallas Howard

Eamon Farrish - Paul Mescal

Amos - Luke Grimes

Margaret Farrow - Holland Taylor

Birdie - Debra Mooney