The Archived (The Archived #1) by Victoria Schwab

Book Summery (Via Goodreads): Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da 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.

Being a Keeper isn’t just dangerous—it’s a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da’s death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

Book Review:
I first fell in love with Victoria Schwab when I read The Near Witch. Schwab has a wonderful writing style that subtly builds until you're gobbling up the pages as fast as you can read them. The Archived was no exception. This fast paced, character driven novel kept me up, devouring every word until I reached the end. I wished I had slowed down a bit and savored the story a bit more. On the up side, after completing this novel, I was REALLY EXCITED to discover that this is the first book in the series!!! I mean giddy happy excited. Ahem. My favorite characters are easily the protagonist Mackenzie and her counterpart Wesley (swoon!). Mackenzie makes for a great main character because she a flawed, easy-to-relate-to character. She makes mistakes for all the right reasons. She's kick-ass, but down-to-earth at the same time. I relished her flashbacks between Da and herself (not to be confused with her Dad). I loved the alternating story-lines. Very clever on Schwab's part. I am dying to know more about Wesley! I hope that the next book in the series focuses on him a bit more...I feel as if there's a story there begging to coming forth. My complaint about this novel is the relationship between Mackenzie and her parents. It was very disjointed, for good reason, but I would have liked to see more growth in that area. As far as world building goes, Schwab blew me away with the Outer, Narrows, and Archive (which totally exists in my mind now). I'd love to explore the Narrows and the Archives more (though we do get to see a fair amount of them). There is so much more I would like to say, but I don't want to ruin the story. I highly, highly recommend The Archived and cannot wait for book 2!!!

Favorite Quote:
"'Chop chop, Mackenzie.' Mom calls through the door. 'You know what they say -'

'I'm pretty sure no one says it but you -'  

'Up with the sun and just as bright'."

Cover Art Commentary:
I just LOVE this cover! It caught my eye immediately! The key is prominent in the cover, as it is in the story. I love the background which is subtle, but reminds me of the "archives." ;)

Rating:

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

Book Summer (Via Goodreads): The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.
These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.
But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.
The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.
As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

 
Book Review:
Oh my stars,this book was FANTASTIC! I have read reviews that have said as much, but I had to check it out for myself. Needless to say, I was not disappointed! Schwab's writing is beautiful and elegantly paced. Her descriptions are vivid and fluent. It made want to slow down and drink it all in. The main character, Lexi, is flawed, adventurous, intuitive, and downright lovable. She goes to great strides to do the right thing, even at her own expense. I loved her relationship with "the sisters." Her visits to the sisters home were some of my favorite parts of the book. I also loved Lexi's relationship with her own sister, Wren. It was very heartwarming, a bright spot among the darkness. I did want to mention that this book is extremely creepy and goosebump-inducing! I must say that it takes a LOT to scare me, and this book was right on point. There were several times when I had to stop reading to look around because I thought I heard or saw something (that wasn't really there).This book has fluid prose, engaging characters, and paranormal accents. What more could one ask for? For more info, check out the authors blog here. 
 
Favorite Quote:

"My father taught me a lot about witches. Witches can call the rain or summon stones. They can make fire leap and dance. They can move the earth. They can control an element. The way Magda and Dreska Thorne can...The Thorne sisters are witches, through and through. And witches are not welcome here." (p. 22) 

Cover Art Commentary:
This cover has a beautiful, simple style. It's almost like the main character, Lexi, is reaching out to the reader.

Rating: