The Archived by Victoria Schwab
ARC received from Disney Hyperion at ALA
Release Date:
1-22-2013
Reviewed by: Middle
Sis Jenn
The Sisters Say:
Brilliant, Bewitching and Beautifully Written
Wow!!!! At first this was not high on my TBR list. I had
heard good things, but there was so much more I needed to read. And then I made
a trade with another blogger, so I read it quickly before sending it off. And I
am SO GLAD I did! This book was so uniquely addicting that I read it in one
sitting. The characters were full of life (or death...you know, if they were a
History) and Victoria's world bled from the page. It was perfect--I wouldn't change a thing!
From Chapter 1, I was immediately entranced by the poetry in
Victoria’s words. I could immediately
relate to Mackenzie, and my heart broke for her loss. She has lost Da, her mentor, and Ben, her
little brother; and through Victoria’s words, I felt Mac’s pain as if it were
my own. There was one part in the first
chapter where Mac says, “The silliest things shatter you.” She goes on to talk about how after you
suffer a loss, you try to move on—but the small things, a ball under a bed, a
crumpled up t-shirt in the corner of a room can bring all the pain flashes back
to you at the speed of light. But
instead of that light, you are shrouded in darkness. The writing was so full of emotion that I
just knew this book was going to be amazing.
And it was.
Mac was the perfect heroine—strong-willed, curious, but
flawed and easily broken (in spirit, not in body). She was truth wrapped up in the guise of a
Keeper, one who returns Histories who have escaped the Archives. I loved watching her as the digs deeper and
deeper into the conspiracy. I loved
watching her fall victim to her own insecurities and suspicions. But most of all, I loved watching her conquer
those insecurities and fight back for her world and her life. She pushed through, even when the cards were
stacked against her. Trust me, Mac will
have you punching a fist into the air and yelling, “Go get ‘em!”
And then the guys…oh, there are so many guys that will leave
you with a bit of drool on your chin. I
don’t know how Victoria did it, but there were so many guys that caught my
attention: Roland, Wes, and Owen. I mean, wow!
I didn’t know who to choose!
I loved Roland’s sense of humor and his loyalty. I felt like I could trust him immediately. He was charming and, maybe I’m wrong, but I
think he has a thing for Mac. I really
enjoyed the conversations between him and Mac.
They were clever and heartfelt. Even when Roland was being a jerk, you could
tell it was for Mac’s own good.
And Wes...otherwise known as “Guyliner.” I’m not normally a fan of guys that wear
eyeliner, but somehow, Wes makes it hot.
He seems like he has a dark side, and if you know me, I’m a sucker for
the dark side. But, Wes was more than
that—he was mysterious, and at times I just knew he was hiding something. But he still managed to sweep me off my feet.
And Owen…he’s a complete mystery. He’s sexy in his own way, and Mac immediately
feels for his position. She wants to
help him, and darn it, so do I! Not much
is known about this mystery man, but, if you’re like me, you’ll find yourself
wanting to know more!
So…there’s this entire slew of guys that Mac can pick from,
and let me tell you, when she does—it is oh so steamy hot! There were some kissing scenes that left me
blushing from head to toe, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I re-read them
once or twice….okay, three times. The
question is…with who? I won’t tell,
you’ll have to check it out on your own.
Victoria builds an
amazingly captivating world that will draw you straight into the romance,
betrayal, and suspense. She keeps you
guessing right up until the very end, and I, for one, can’t wait for the next
book!
