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vicky30312's review
5.0
I really, really loved this sequel. It had the right amount of suspense and build up for the main event that I kept my nose glued to the book thr entire time. Not to mention the chemistry between Wes and Mac. This was my first series by Victoria Schwab and I will definitely be reading more. I really hope that she writes more for this series though... She certainly left the ending open enough to do so!
stuckinafictionaluniverse's review
4.0
The world stops.
Vanishes.
Goes black.
A long, lovely, silent moment of black.
And then it comes back, and I'm standing there in the park, just like before, and my head is killing me and my hands feel damp, and when I look down at them, I see why.
They're covered in blood.
3.5, but what the heck. This duo deserves much more attention.
Recommended for people who liked the idea of Mara Dyer, but thought it was about as scary as mismatched socks (surprise, I’m one of them!)
In this book, Mackenzie suffers from PTSD after the events of [b:The Archived|10929432|The Archived (The Archived, #1)|Victoria Schwab|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1338729878s/10929432.jpg|15846509], while struggling to balance her hidden life as a Keeper with your standard preppy high-school experience. A whole new mystery appears. Someone is killing people, and they all have one thing in common; her.
This sequel is much more psychological and engaging than its predecessor.
The stakes are higher, our newly introduced characters are lovable and the writing is captivating.
Victoria Schwab knows how to set a scene. With her haunting writing, this duology is very atmospheric and keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Her prose is beautiful in its simplicity and elegant at the same time.
We really get into Mackenzie’s head in this installment, while her best friend and love interest Wesley remains a mystery to me. I would've liked him to have more background and dimension to support that charming personality.
I love Mac and Wesley’s relationship, and how they're simultaneously written as partners in crime who have each others' backs and a cute, goofy couple. They’re easy to like, complement each other and joke around a lot. We see a lot more of Wesley in this book, so yes to that!
’’We’re a team, Mac. You don’t go committing a crime without your partner in crime. Besides, if I’d been with you, we probably wouldn’t have been caught. I could have stood at the door and made wild bird sounds or something when the cops came back. And if we did get caught, our mug shots would look fabulous.’’
I will without a doubt read more from Victoria Schwab. All those upcoming projects of hers make me my little heart happy, and considering how unique and entertaining these two books are, I can't even imagine what the rest of her work will be like.
Oh, and although the end of this was very satisfying, a third book wouldn’t hurt. ;)
Vanishes.
Goes black.
A long, lovely, silent moment of black.
And then it comes back, and I'm standing there in the park, just like before, and my head is killing me and my hands feel damp, and when I look down at them, I see why.
They're covered in blood.
3.5, but what the heck. This duo deserves much more attention.
Recommended for people who liked the idea of Mara Dyer, but thought it was about as scary as mismatched socks (surprise, I’m one of them!)
In this book, Mackenzie suffers from PTSD after the events of [b:The Archived|10929432|The Archived (The Archived, #1)|Victoria Schwab|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1338729878s/10929432.jpg|15846509], while struggling to balance her hidden life as a Keeper with your standard preppy high-school experience. A whole new mystery appears. Someone is killing people, and they all have one thing in common; her.
This sequel is much more psychological and engaging than its predecessor.
The stakes are higher, our newly introduced characters are lovable and the writing is captivating.
Victoria Schwab knows how to set a scene. With her haunting writing, this duology is very atmospheric and keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Her prose is beautiful in its simplicity and elegant at the same time.
We really get into Mackenzie’s head in this installment, while her best friend and love interest Wesley remains a mystery to me. I would've liked him to have more background and dimension to support that charming personality.
I love Mac and Wesley’s relationship, and how they're simultaneously written as partners in crime who have each others' backs and a cute, goofy couple. They’re easy to like, complement each other and joke around a lot. We see a lot more of Wesley in this book, so yes to that!
’’We’re a team, Mac. You don’t go committing a crime without your partner in crime. Besides, if I’d been with you, we probably wouldn’t have been caught. I could have stood at the door and made wild bird sounds or something when the cops came back. And if we did get caught, our mug shots would look fabulous.’’
I will without a doubt read more from Victoria Schwab. All those upcoming projects of hers make me my little heart happy, and considering how unique and entertaining these two books are, I can't even imagine what the rest of her work will be like.
Oh, and although the end of this was very satisfying, a third book wouldn’t hurt. ;)
uruseibaka's review
5.0
This was such a roller-coaster-of-emotions read for me. The Unbound made me sad, happy, giddy, laugh, almost cry and scream internally.
This was such a good read, I didn’t want to stop reading and was annoyed every time I had to. I just wanted to shut off the world and read, read and read.
Full review here.
This was such a good read, I didn’t want to stop reading and was annoyed every time I had to. I just wanted to shut off the world and read, read and read.
Full review here.
norabee's review
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
such an interesting concept and overall a fulfilling sequel, although the final moments felt a bit rushed
freadomlibrary's review against another edition
5.0
This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com
Critically
Plot – 4 out of 5 stars
Loved it. It’s full of adventure and suspense. It’s definitely much darker than the first one for quite a few different reasons. There’s a new mystery so the whole time you’re on the edge of your seat. There’s intrigue and twists and turns and what characterizes this series the most: you never know who to trust.
Writing Style – 5 out of 5 stars
Victoria’s writing style is the hardest thing to explain. It’s incredibly addictive, you never want to stop reading. It’s engaging and descriptive. You can picture everything with clarity. There’s so much emotion woven into it that it almost feels like poetry. And to top it all off, it translates a feeling of suspense very well.
Characters – 5 out of 5 stars
LOVE THESE CHARACTERS! Said it before, and I’ll say it again. Greatest, most complex and intense group of personalities ever. Our main character, Mac, is a bit different this time around. A lot of things happened in the first book that shook her up so she’s a little bit more vulnerable, a little bit more broken. But one thing that never wavers with her is her determination. She’s strong and cunning. She works very hard not only to be good at her job but also to be open about her issues and being honest with other people. As for our other protagonist, Mr.Wes, he is just an angel from heaven. I love and adore him. He is totally lovable and open. He’s really persistent with Mac and getting her to trust him. He’s so strong and courageous and it’s just amazing.
Emotionally
The plot of this book is very dark. Much much darker than the first one. We have our main character dealing with the aftermath of what happened in the last book. She’s still emotionally upset about it and she has to start school at a prestigious Academy. On top of that, people she encounters begin to disappear and Mac, being who she is, puts all her efforts into solving the mystery. And then on top of that even, there are a few people who are part of The Archive that want her out and are pretty much out to get her. So, it’s definitely a story packed with a lot of things going on. Mac is very self-reliant so the whole time she’s trying to push through and keep going and move forward but it’s like the weight of it all is crushing her and that shines through on her thought process. She feels like she’s going crazy and she doesn’t know who she can really count on which in turn makes the reader feel the same, paranoid and seeing every new character with suspicion. And then the mother of all plot twists happens! IT BLEW MY MIND! I did not see it coming and it just twisted the plot in a whole other direction which is probably why it’s called a plot twist. I was anxious the entire time after it and I did not the see the end coming either. I am so excited to see where Victoria is going to take this series because there are so many possibilities!
Mac is such a complex character. Her depth and character development is insane. The events of the first book shook her up a great deal. She is not the same person that she was. Her grief over her brother plus the post traumatic stress makes her vulnerable and weak. She feels paranoid, she’s having crazy nightmares and she thinks she’s making things up all the time. But she’s also very strong and determined. Part of her knows something is off, something is going on around her and she works her ass off to do her job as well as figure out everything that is happening to her. I admire her tenacity and her will to just keep going. A lesser character would have just given up but not Mac. I am in awe of her character development and I can’t wait to see how else she grows in the future books.
Wes is just amazing. I can’t rave about him enough. He is the perfect counterpart to Mac and her rough around the edges attitude. He is so sweet and supportive. I just think of him as a blessing. His story line ended a bit abruptly this time around and I really want to know more about him and who he is. I feel like there’s still so much to discover.
There are quite a few new characters this time around as well. I don’t want to talk too much about them because the parts they play in the plot could be spoilery. But what I will say is that they bring an entirely new dynamic to the story and it made things three times as intense and as interesting. I want to know more about them just like I want to know about everything else haha.
Critically
Plot – 4 out of 5 stars
Loved it. It’s full of adventure and suspense. It’s definitely much darker than the first one for quite a few different reasons. There’s a new mystery so the whole time you’re on the edge of your seat. There’s intrigue and twists and turns and what characterizes this series the most: you never know who to trust.
Writing Style – 5 out of 5 stars
Victoria’s writing style is the hardest thing to explain. It’s incredibly addictive, you never want to stop reading. It’s engaging and descriptive. You can picture everything with clarity. There’s so much emotion woven into it that it almost feels like poetry. And to top it all off, it translates a feeling of suspense very well.
Characters – 5 out of 5 stars
LOVE THESE CHARACTERS! Said it before, and I’ll say it again. Greatest, most complex and intense group of personalities ever. Our main character, Mac, is a bit different this time around. A lot of things happened in the first book that shook her up so she’s a little bit more vulnerable, a little bit more broken. But one thing that never wavers with her is her determination. She’s strong and cunning. She works very hard not only to be good at her job but also to be open about her issues and being honest with other people. As for our other protagonist, Mr.Wes, he is just an angel from heaven. I love and adore him. He is totally lovable and open. He’s really persistent with Mac and getting her to trust him. He’s so strong and courageous and it’s just amazing.
Emotionally
Spoiler
I thought this series couldn’t get any better and then this book happened. It blew my expectations right out of the water.The plot of this book is very dark. Much much darker than the first one. We have our main character dealing with the aftermath of what happened in the last book. She’s still emotionally upset about it and she has to start school at a prestigious Academy. On top of that, people she encounters begin to disappear and Mac, being who she is, puts all her efforts into solving the mystery. And then on top of that even, there are a few people who are part of The Archive that want her out and are pretty much out to get her. So, it’s definitely a story packed with a lot of things going on. Mac is very self-reliant so the whole time she’s trying to push through and keep going and move forward but it’s like the weight of it all is crushing her and that shines through on her thought process. She feels like she’s going crazy and she doesn’t know who she can really count on which in turn makes the reader feel the same, paranoid and seeing every new character with suspicion. And then the mother of all plot twists happens! IT BLEW MY MIND! I did not see it coming and it just twisted the plot in a whole other direction which is probably why it’s called a plot twist. I was anxious the entire time after it and I did not the see the end coming either. I am so excited to see where Victoria is going to take this series because there are so many possibilities!
Mac is such a complex character. Her depth and character development is insane. The events of the first book shook her up a great deal. She is not the same person that she was. Her grief over her brother plus the post traumatic stress makes her vulnerable and weak. She feels paranoid, she’s having crazy nightmares and she thinks she’s making things up all the time. But she’s also very strong and determined. Part of her knows something is off, something is going on around her and she works her ass off to do her job as well as figure out everything that is happening to her. I admire her tenacity and her will to just keep going. A lesser character would have just given up but not Mac. I am in awe of her character development and I can’t wait to see how else she grows in the future books.
Wes is just amazing. I can’t rave about him enough. He is the perfect counterpart to Mac and her rough around the edges attitude. He is so sweet and supportive. I just think of him as a blessing. His story line ended a bit abruptly this time around and I really want to know more about him and who he is. I feel like there’s still so much to discover.
There are quite a few new characters this time around as well. I don’t want to talk too much about them because the parts they play in the plot could be spoilery. But what I will say is that they bring an entirely new dynamic to the story and it made things three times as intense and as interesting. I want to know more about them just like I want to know about everything else haha.
teeggzz's review
4.0
*4.5
Oml I don't know what happened but now I am literal trash for The Unbound. The Archived was alright and I enjoyed it but there was something about The Unbound that I adored! *coughs* Wesley Ayers.
Victoria Schwab is so great at creating an eerie environment and a world that keeps you invested. I really enjoyed the mystery element that was tied in and just the over all setting was so vivid. I actually really liked being in a high school campus for a change and all the interactions between Mackenzie and her new friends. The sense of normalcy was really refreshing.
The characters are definitely what made this book so enjoyable for me. I didn't realize how much I loved Wesley and Mackenzie's relationship until now but it is pure gold! Their playful banter and over all affection for one another is so adorable and I found myself yearning for more scenes with them together.
I also didn't mind the new characters at the school, I feel like they really helped anchor Mac into feeling some what normal if only for a short amount of time. Although I cannot see how Mac didn't catch onto Cash and his major crush on her. He was obviously into her and tbh all of their moments were pretty cute but Wesley and Mac are still my otp ;)
And Wesley Ayers welcome to my fictional boyfriend list, you're going to be staying there for a while.
This book was sitting on a five star for quite a while but slipped a little later on in the novel. I was actually just enjoying a lot of the character interactions and Macs relationship with her family but as soon as Owen came into the picture something shifted. Not going to lie I was kinda hoping Owen wouldn't be the one creating the voids, I wanted it to be someone different to add a new element of surprise. I kind of always knew Owen wouldn't be gone forever and at one point I actually thought Cash may have been involved with opening them somehow. I don't know why but he was a new character and I guess I didn't fully trust him yet. Now if THAT happened that would've been surprising. Although in saying that I actually do like Owen as a character. He's the sort of villain that conveys emotion and isn't entirely brutal. He's a very intricate character and at times I actually found myself agreeing with him. I mean let's be real, the Archive does have a lot of issues and what he was suggesting didn't sound half bad. I think he's merely a troubled boy that can't escape his past and I'm not sure if he'll be permanently gone. Although if he did come back I think we all would expect it.
Also I don't know if it was fully explained as to why Mac was blacking out for a short period of time? I may have just missed it but at one stage I actually thought that maybe Owen was getting into Mac's head and making her do those things.
Over all I actually really enjoyed majority of this novel it's just the end felt a little repetitive to the last book in my opinion. :)
Also I'm really happy Mac and Wes are a thing now and their little reunion at the end was actually everything, I love them and I need book 3! Victoria Schwab please get on that shit because I NEED more Wes and Mac! :,(
Oml I don't know what happened but now I am literal trash for The Unbound. The Archived was alright and I enjoyed it but there was something about The Unbound that I adored! *coughs* Wesley Ayers.
Victoria Schwab is so great at creating an eerie environment and a world that keeps you invested. I really enjoyed the mystery element that was tied in and just the over all setting was so vivid. I actually really liked being in a high school campus for a change and all the interactions between Mackenzie and her new friends. The sense of normalcy was really refreshing.
The characters are definitely what made this book so enjoyable for me. I didn't realize how much I loved Wesley and Mackenzie's relationship until now but it is pure gold! Their playful banter and over all affection for one another is so adorable and I found myself yearning for more scenes with them together.
I also didn't mind the new characters at the school, I feel like they really helped anchor Mac into feeling some what normal if only for a short amount of time. Although I cannot see how Mac didn't catch onto Cash and his major crush on her. He was obviously into her and tbh all of their moments were pretty cute but Wesley and Mac are still my otp ;)
And Wesley Ayers welcome to my fictional boyfriend list, you're going to be staying there for a while.
This book was sitting on a five star for quite a while but slipped a little later on in the novel. I was actually just enjoying a lot of the character interactions and Macs relationship with her family but as soon as Owen came into the picture something shifted. Not going to lie I was kinda hoping Owen wouldn't be the one creating the voids, I wanted it to be someone different to add a new element of surprise. I kind of always knew Owen wouldn't be gone forever and at one point I actually thought Cash may have been involved with opening them somehow. I don't know why but he was a new character and I guess I didn't fully trust him yet. Now if THAT happened that would've been surprising. Although in saying that I actually do like Owen as a character. He's the sort of villain that conveys emotion and isn't entirely brutal. He's a very intricate character and at times I actually found myself agreeing with him. I mean let's be real, the Archive does have a lot of issues and what he was suggesting didn't sound half bad. I think he's merely a troubled boy that can't escape his past and I'm not sure if he'll be permanently gone. Although if he did come back I think we all would expect it.
Also I don't know if it was fully explained as to why Mac was blacking out for a short period of time? I may have just missed it but at one stage I actually thought that maybe Owen was getting into Mac's head and making her do those things.
Over all I actually really enjoyed majority of this novel it's just the end felt a little repetitive to the last book in my opinion. :)
Also I'm really happy Mac and Wes are a thing now and their little reunion at the end was actually everything, I love them and I need book 3! Victoria Schwab please get on that shit because I NEED more Wes and Mac! :,(
emasvingerova's review against another edition
4.0
Bylo to trochu slabší než první díl, ale pořád mě to bavilo :)
rumplled's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5