THE Unbound (The Archived)

Rating: 3.5/5Title: The Dark Vault: The Archived and The UnboundAuthor: Victoria SchwabSynopsis:Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.Mackenzie Bishop's grandfather first brought her here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now her grandfather is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was: a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.Follow Mackenzie as she explores the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking, through these two timeless novels, now bound together in this thrilling collection. With stunning prose and a captivating mixture of action, romance, and horror, The Dark Vault delves into a richly imagined world where no choice is easy and love and loss feel like two sides of the same coin.Initial thoughts:Victoria Schwab is one of my favorite authors. I have read her Darker Shade of Magic Series, VIcious, and I am currently reading her Monsters of Verity series so I had very high hopes for these books as well. I had some issues finding it in the store though (I learned that they are going to be re-releasing these books as a set later on) so I ended up having to get it from my local library. I will be get it for my shelves later though. Before reading this series, I thought the concept of the dead being cataloged like in a library was very original. I loved the idea as I am a librarian myself and thought it would be neat to see how the lives of the dead were stored.Plot:What I liked:The idea of Histories and hunting for them was very original. When I first read the book cover, I believed that each History was going to actually be written down in a book and cataloged within the archive, so I was surprised when the archive was more like a morgue with the sleeping dead within that happened to wake up within the archive. I found that very clever and well thought out.This book was written in first person and sometimes switched over into an almost diary like tone where Mackenzie recalled something from her past which helped the reader understand things that needed to be explained as they happened. It was a very small cast in the first book and then blossomed as Mackenzie started to branch out a little more allowing her character to develop from the first book.The character development throughout the series was really well put together. None of them felt too flat and all changed, showing different sides as the story progressed. One character in particular captivated my attention with this was Wes. I really did find myself enjoying his character.What I didn't like:There were a few things in this world that didn’t quite make a lot of sense and didn’t seem to be explained all that much. One thing I thought could have been explained better was exactly how the Histories get out into the Narrows especially when there are librarians monitoring the area and making sure that they do not escape.I really did enjoy the series, but I felt that it was rather repetitive at certain points within the book. There were times where sequences were nearly identical to one another and it could be a bit distracting for me. Also, rather than move the story along, it was rather like each time something was repeated it was because the characters were in a standstill situation.Characters:Mackenzie Bishop: She wants to believe that she can take care of herself, and is too stubborn to really ask for help from others. I liked how she was independent, but something that threw me off about her was how she continued to push people away even after they had shown that they could be trusted and would understand what she was going through. Trust is a two way street and she only seemed to think that others should trust her without her trusting them.Wesley: He was a really cool character. I loved his bubbly personality, but he was also quick to display his emotions. I really liked how he complemented Mackenzie.Owen: Everytime he appeared within the book he made me nervous. He greatly paralleled Wes within the books.The librarians: Some of them I liked and others I didn’t. They followed their rules and did what they had to to keep the Archive running smoothly.Roland: I loved this character. I actually think that he was my favorite. He felt so relatable as a father like figure for Mackenzie when she needed it. He was firm with her, but was also willing to bend the rules some because he understood what she was going through with the death of her brother.Da and Ben: Both of these two are dead at the beginning of the book so you don’t get as much of their characters as if they were still around, but it was interesting to see how their deaths and their pasts influences the character’s decisions through the series.Mr. and Mrs. Bishop (Mackenzie’s parents):These two were not my favorites in the book, however I did sympathize with them. Both wanted to protect Mackenzie, but they also had their own agendas in a sense. Her mother seemed a bit scattered while her father seemed more put together, but still distant.Overall:Overall, The Archived and The Unbound were very fast paced and held a certain mysterious aspect to it that I enjoyed. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy a nice thriller mystery book series and On a side note, please go read some of her other books as well. Victoria is again one of my favorite authors.

http://www.theinkgobbler.wordpress.com/Reading a good book is a little like falling in love. You don't notice it happening - at least not at first - but the thrill of being together, the reluctance to part ways, the lingering thoughts in your head... it's all there. Maybe this is sounds a little strange, or maybe it's just a little sad and I'm a loner bookworm romanticizing everything in her life, but it's undeniable that there's nothing quite like the feeling of settling down with a seriously good read. This is just how I felt as I read "The Unbound," the sequel to Victoria Schwab's "The Archived," which had me tumbling head over heels and possibly drooling a little at the incredible writing and exciting plot. "The Unbound" is no different, and had me simply mesmerized.Let's take a moment here to thank the literary gods that this book did not succumb to the dreaded sequel syndrome (do I douse the soil with ink as sacrifice or dance a ritual jig or what?). The transition between the two installments is smooth and seamless, and it helped to have little reminders in the beginning of the novel about what happened in the previous book. The storyline picks up just a couple weeks after the end of "The Archived," with the beginning of the school year fast approaching. This, of course, lends itself perfectly to a whole slew of new developments and new characters, expanding the world of the novel as a whole. While the first book felt like it was contained within the walls of the Coronado and the Archives, "The Unbound" takes us to the world beyond. It was interesting to see the ways in which Mackenzie and Wesley interacted with other people their age (not to mention normal), which gave them greater dimension and depth. As for the plot itself, it doesn't really hit its truly thrilling part until the halfway mark, but the characters and the build up is so great that it keeps things up and running throughout. And when we do get to the super exciting stuff... Well, let me just say, you're in for a joyride.As I've mentioned before, the expansion of the world of the novel brings with it not just a bunch of new characters, but also more depth in old ones, too. Mac and Wesley's relatively normal friends at the Hyde school help to foreground the undeniably more "unusual" lives of our protagonists. But what's more is that they add more colour and flavour to the interactions and relationships in the novel, and are the perfect tools for Ms. Schwab to showcase some serious wit and humour to boot. I especially appreciated the way in which each of the characters, from Cash and Saf to Amber and Gavin, had their own stories and distinct personalities, giving even more depth and complexity to the story.But, of course, our main heroes here are Mac and Wes. "The Unbound" felt even more intensely personal this time around, especially since it's told from Mac's point of view. The aftermath of her encounter with Owen shadows her thoughts and feelings throughout the story, and really brings to light her vulnerability. This isn't to say that she's a weakling, not one bit. Mac is still a strong, kick-ass heroine, but this time, one with more fears and worries to add to the hole left in her life after the death of her little brother, Ben. This vulnerability, though, very sweetly lends itself to an intensification in her relationship with Wes, which, trust me, had me smiling at many, many instances while I was reading. If I wasn't sure about whether I liked Mac and Wes together in "The Archived," I sure boarded that ship this time around. I like the way their romance doesn't engulf the story and make Mac a soppy, annoying, lovestruck girl (she wouldn't be Mac otherwise), yet there's undeniably a sweetness to it that's realistic and believable, striking the perfect balance between aww and ugh.Ms. Schwab's incredible writing cannot go unmentioned. The narrative of "The Unbound" is simple yet chillingly elegant at the same time, flowing seamlessly from sentence to sentence, chapter to chapter. The use of flashbacks in the present tense, offset by a different font, are hauntingly beautiful, and also are clever in the way that they help to offset or emphasize an element of the main plot. There's just enough description to render everything vivid in the reader's mind, without bogging down the storyline. Instead, everything is smooth and fast-paced from start to finish, and it's no wonder I couldn't put this book down.With a plot that hooks you in and keeps you hooked, a wonderful, dynamic cast of characters, and some seriously incredible writing, "The Unbound" is as close to perfect as a sequel can get. I highly, highly recommend checking "The Archived" series out - this may be my favourite one of the year yet! Now, when's the third book coming out?Rating: 5/5

*70 pages in* I'm totally there, man. I'm there. <3*100 pages in* I didn't reread The Archived before starting this one and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get into it as quickly. It's just so familiar and I love the characters so much. There's one little thing that's niggling at me, and it's not really little but it is a THING. There's a lot of offhand comments about Mackenzie's mother's therapist that maybe she doesn't have her best interests at heart, or that she's only looking for a payday. That's quite dangerous to project in a book, particularly if it's aimed at young adults. I'm hoping that it'll be unpacked or addressed at some point.*100 pages left* No clue what's going to happen or how it's going to be resolved. The love story is freaking ADORABLE but I am SO STRESSED.*40 pages left* It's all kicking off. I have no idea how this is all going to get fixed.*30 pages left* I swear there better not be a cliffhanger at the end of this. I can't deal.*20 pages left* How can there be another plot twist?!*Finishes* Huh.It's taken me an entire day to compose my thoughts into some semblance of order. Absolutely loved it and it didn't disappoint. I've been putting off reading it since it came out and I think it's because I didn't want to be let down after The Archived. But it was so familiar to me. I was worried it would rehash Book 1 but it doesn't. Mackenzie is dealing with PTSD and everything that happened in the last book. I wish it had been longer and hadn't wrapped up so quickly but it didn't take away from my experience. I had an issue with the demonising of therapy but it was addressed with the introduction of Mackenzie's therapist. You see her anxiety over it and her reluctance to engage but because we have such a different representation it showed that there isn't just one type and yes, there are people who would take advantage but more so than that there are people who genuinely want to help.

The Unbound is a fantastic sequel to The Archived, with a thrilling plot, wonderful and believable characters and a particularly great insight and portrayal of PTSD. If you liked The Archived you'll love the sequel!

Very... unusual! Creative and cool. Loved it.

Good service and good book, she is a very good writer.

Couldn't put this book down!