THE Unbound (The Archived)

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

Rating: 3.5/5 Title: The Dark Vault: The Archived and The Unbound Author: Victoria Schwab Synopsis: 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.

I expect a lot from sequels. I need them remind me of everything I enjoyed in the first book, but not retread old ground. I need them to give me new likable characters, while allowing me to grow closer to characters I’ve already met. I need the events of the previous books to have consequences, and for the actions of the characters to have repercussions. I need higher stakes, deeper world-building, tighter plots, and more satisfying resolutions. Whether it’s the second or the third or the tenth book in a series, I need each sequel to continue upping its game to keep me invested in the series. It’s a tall order that is hard to fill, which is why I often wind up settling for less. I’m pleased to report that no settling was necessary in the case of The Unbound. The narrative picks up shortly after the events of The Archived, with heroine Mackenzie Bishop coping with the trauma of a betrayal that nearly killed her, and the fallout of the decisions she made as a result. In the meantime, her world is broadened by the start of the school year. The story is no longer confined to the halls of the Narrows and the rooms of the hotel-turned-apartment-building that Mackenzie calls home. Now she has to deal with a new school and new friends, and must work constantly to keep the ghosts of her past and the demons in her head quiet — while still proving to the Archive that she is a competent Keeper. Fortunately, she’s not alone. Guyliner-sporting co-Keeper Wesley Ayers is once again by Mackenzie’s side, livening up her life with sass and sarcasm while also providing the grounding and support that only someone who knows her secrets can. Their relationship grows and deepens as it is tested by both the trials of high school and the string of disappearances that seem tied to Mackenzie. His humor and openness provide a much-needed balance to Mackenzie’s seriousness and secretiveness. Mackenzie also makes some friends at school, and it’s fun to see her interact with people her own age who don’t share knowledge of the Archive. The new setting of Hyde School gives The Unbound a freshness that is much appreciated after the purposefully claustrophobic confines of The Archived. With the move into the world outside the hotel, the scope becomes greater and the stakes feel higher. It’s interesting how the broadened environment plays with the narrowing walls of Mackenzie’s mind, as no matter where she goes, she can’t escape the haunting memories of the History who terrorized her. He even plagues her dreams, which results in nearly crippling insomnia and the concern that she may be suffering a break from reality. Mackenzie’s struggles are compounded by the disappearances happening around her, as the lines between reality and the Archived continue to muddle. It’s a brilliant balance of internal versus external conflict, with both plotlines weaving together and building on each other as they head toward a conclusion that is both intellectually and emotionally satisfying. As always, Victoria’s prose is lovely, a perfect blend of poetry and suspense. It gives the book a visceral quality that makes it easy to picture and hard to put down. There are some authors who have the gift of stories and some who have the gift of words. It’s clear in Victoria’s writing that she has both. Not only are the tales she crafts smart and imaginative and original, but the ways in which she tells them are beautiful. The Unbound is everything I wanted in a sequel to The Archived. More mystery. More suspense. A greater sense of purpose and consequence and world. Deeper relationships. Higher stakes. And, of course, more Wesley Ayers. If you read The Archived and are wondering if you should pick up the sequel, wonder no more. Go forth, read, and enjoy.

This review is for both The Archived and The Unbound. I downloaded The Archived a couple days ago when I noticed it was selling for $.99 on Amazon and finally decided to give it a try around midnight last night, because, well, I wasn't tired and I needed something to help kick my Ignite Me (Tahereh Mafi) book hangover. Depending on your point of view, that was either a really good thing, or a really bad thing. I meant to just read the first few chapters, see if I could get a feel for whether or not I'd like it, but, one thing led to another, and the result is that I'm operating on just a few hours of sleep because I finished not just The Archived, but The Unbound as well in oh, less than 18 hours. Both of these books absolutely shattered my expectations and I can easily say that the second book was just as good as the first. Although it was pretty obvious once I got to a certain point in The Archived who the bad guy was going to be, the plot (in both books) still kept me eagerly on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. The concept (the Archives and the Histories) is unlike anything I've ever read before and there are many things about this world that I love - from the sounds created by human touch and the ability to "read" memories in objects to the rings that keep those sounds at bay and all the different doorways and portals that can be created by the keys. Ms. Schwab has an intelligent and effortless sort of writing style that makes for a truly enjoyable read and her characters - both main and supporting - are quite well developed. I love Wesley's quirky, fun-loving, yet loyal personality (guyliner included) and the fact that Mackenzie is strong and independent, yet still so achingly vulnerable. And I love, love, love the depth of commitment each of the pairs of Crew have for each other. It reminds me very much of Cassandra Clare's parabatai - most especially the relationship between Will and Jem in The Infernal Devices series (although the male/female dynamic of the Crew seems to often have a romantic element to it that is markedly different from, and indeed not the point of, the parabatai relationship). All I know is that I really want to see a certain Crew ceremony take place and learn a certain character's first name... But the single most amazing thing about both of these books is Ms. Schwab's ability to inject a such a very human psychological element into what is very much a manufactured world. In The Archived, it's Ben's death and how Mackenzie and her parents grieve his loss (and to a lesser extent, Owen's grief over Regina's death). In The Unbound, it's the effects of PTSD and Mackenzie's fear that she's lost the ability to ascertain where her nightmares end and real life begins. It's fascinating. I'm so very glad I decided to read these books and really, really hope that there's a third on the way next year.

The Archived duology was by far way better then Vicious to me. There were a lot of things in Vicious I just couldn't get down with. However this was so good to the point where I couldn't put it down and had to keep reading. Now there is one big thing I just couldn't over look in The Unbound and that was how un-mystery like this book was compared to The Archived if that makes sense. I mean I knew exactly who the culprit was from the get go. I would have loved it more had that not been the case but I digress. That however was my only qualm. I thought everything else was well crafted. Schwab's writing is so easy to read. It captures you and takes you places and that is something I love in books. I also thought and I cannot leave this out Schwab did really good in how she handled PTSD in this book. I mean I felt very hard for Mac and wanted to see her overcome this obstacle from the get go so bravo Schwab for that!!! All in all I have to say the more I read Schwab's work the more I am growing to like her as an author. Next up the Shades of Magic trilogy, but not now I have other books I want to read first!!

Please note: The Unbound is the second book to this series, if you have not yet read book one, The Archived, you really should get on that because this review will be full of book one spoilers. If you're already a fan of The Archived, dare I say: The Unbound is even better! The Pros: - The writing is even more impressive as this author fine-tunes her skills with a vision and prose that surpasses her previous work. So many quotable passages in this book, guys. But, anyone who is familiar with Victoria's work really should not be surprised. Like a fine wine, this author only gets better with age. - The emotional levels are through the roof. Victoria takes risks in how she treats her main characters. She forces them to deal with such issues as PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) due to the horrific events in book one. There were moments when I wondered if our main characters would be successful, or if they would just give up, give in or worse. Bonds of trust are severed and misunderstandings between family and friends run rampant within The Unbound. You will wonder who is right, who is wrong - and who to trust until the very last page. This books is both breathtaking and heartbreaking in its beauty, but you will love every page of it. - In all but one case, the book is entirely unpredictable. Oh goodness, if I had to make comparisons, The Unbound is like a mix of Carrie by Stephen King, meets Something Like Normal by Trish Doller. Odd combination, I know, but you will understand one the plot and the psychology behind it come to light. Though I had a good idea who the villain would be in the end, I had no idea how they would pull off their devious plots. Suspense galore, my friends. Suspense galore. The Cons: - The pacing in The Unbound is a bit off at times, but is an improvement over The Archived. Mainly early on in the book when Mac goes back to high school and acclimates to her new friends and schoolwork is when I had issue with the pacing. Otherwise, once the meat of the story kicks in and all heck breaks loose, the sluggishness of the earlier chapters is quickly forgotten. I never once found myself wanting to put the book down, at least. - Mac's depression occasionally dragged me down. But then again, I doubt that the emotional level and the story wouldn't have been half as interesting if it hadn't. Just make sure you read with a fluffy animal or with pictures of unicorns and rainbows around you. You might find that you need to pick-me-up. Any other cons? Not really. But how quickly can we expect book three? With that ending, I know that things are going to get interesting...

I just couldn't get thru this book. The first one was a page turner and I didn't feel the same about this book. It was just ok. I ended up putting it down and maybe I'll give it another try later.

I loved it, so much so that I fought through an allergy & benadryl fog in order to read it today. I’ve had this book on pre-order since it was first available on Amazon, and NOTHING was going to stop me from devouring it. The Unbound is fantastic, filled with characters that I love, from Mackenzie the broken but resilient MC, to Wesley the always caring and sweet love interest, and even to Owen who haunts Mackenzie’s dreams and even sometimes her waking moments. They are all excellent, fleshed out, and the chemistry between Mackenzie and Wesley is especially beautiful to witness. What amazes me about Schwab’s writing ability the most is how she can make the “real world” seem just as incredibly vivid as the Archive. Each is stunning, from the descriptions of the courtyard and buildings of the private school, to the labyrinth-like halls of the Archive. It’s impossible not to get lost in such a detailed, and truly beautiful world, one that blends realistic setting and the fantastic seamlessly. What makes The Unbound a sequel that not only doesn’t succumb to second-book syndrome, but excel and even surpass The Archived, is the way that Mackenzie’s mind is breaking and altering her reality so that each twist and turn the book has is as shocking for the reader as the characters within. She has such a hard time determining what is in her dreams, what is in the Archive, and even what is real in her regular everyday life. The constant struggle to hold onto her sanity in the ever-changing world around her is something that many of us can relate to, and Schwab does it more justice than I thought was possible. There is romance here, beautiful and touching, and heart wrenching at times too. Battles with the law, crime scenes, escapes, psychosis, and questioning of oneself, The Unbound has all of these things and so much more. If you haven’t read The Archived, I urge you to do so, because not only is that book great in its own right, but then you can read what I would argue is one of the best sequels out there.