The Near Witch - Book Review

The Near Witch
by Victoria Schwab
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.

What did I think of it:
This is one of those books I put on my wishlist when it first released in 2011. Then when I finally wanted to buy it, it was out of print. So when it was rereleased this year I decided I wouldn't miss out again and got hold of it.

And this book is so good!

Schwab is a master at creating the perfect atmosphere for a spooky story. I could easily picture the moors and the small town of Near. I was drawn in by the writing and the story right from the start.

Lexi is a strong and wonderful heroine, I was totally rooting for her to solve the disappearances and to live her life as she wanted, instead of having to conform to what people expected. I also loved her mother. She seemed like a submissive person, but under her meek exterior she hid a spine of steel.

Once I started on this book I couldn't put it down and read into the night to finish it. What a wonderful and gripping read. My edition included a prequel novella at the end of the book, but I will confess I didn't read it. Some things don't have to be explained, but can stay as mysterious as they are.

You bet I'll get my trotters on all of Schwab's books in time.

Why should you read it:
It's an atmospheric and beautiful YA read.


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Tunnel of Bones - Book Review

Tunnel of Bones (Cassidy Blake #2)
by Victoria Schwab

What is it about:
Trouble is haunting Cassidy Blake . . . even more than usual.

She (plus her ghost best friend, Jacob, of course) are in Paris, where Cass's parents are filming their TV show about the world's most haunted cities. Sure, it's fun eating croissants and seeing the Eiffel Tower, but there's true ghostly danger lurking beneath Paris, in the creepy underground Catacombs.

When Cass accidentally awakens a frighteningly strong spirit, she must rely on her still-growing skills as a ghosthunter -- and turn to friends both old and new to help her unravel a mystery. But time is running out, and the spirit is only growing stronger.

And if Cass fails, the force she's unleashed could haunt the city forever.

What did I think of it:
I really enjoyed the first book in this series so got my greedy trotters on this book as soon as I could.

And this book is just as fun as the first one.

Cassidy and her parents go to Paris and she immediately gets into trouble with a spirit there. I loved seeing Paris through Cassidy's eyes. I've been there several times, so some of the places Cassidy visits were familiar to me, including the catacombs. I must say that although I find the long tunnel leading to the catacombs a bit creepy, the catacombs themselves have always felt peaceful to me. Not so in this story though!

Being familiar with stories about the catacombs I could guess where the story would lead to, but that didn't diminish my enjoyment. This book is full of action and cool characters. I finished it in one sitting.

All in all a very entertaining read and you bet I'll get the next book as soon as it releases.

Why should you read it:
It's a very enjoyable and spooky middle grade read.


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Vicious - Book Review

Vicious (Villains #1)
by V.E. Schwab

What is it about:
Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

What did I think of it:
This is a really cool read.

Victor is an anti hero - maybe even bad guy - done right. He is set on getting revenge on his former roommate Eli, and isn't afraid to break rules to do so.

The story switches back and forth in time, and slowly you discover what set the two at odds with each other. I was hooked from the start and couldn't wait to find out if Victor would get his revenge and how many lines he'd cross to get it. Even when he does questionable things I kept rooting for him, and for his friends. I loved getting to know them. I especially loved Mitch, who is loyal and tries to be Victor's conscience with little luck.

The story took a few turns I didn't see coming and I feared for the lives of Mitch and other characters. Things between Victor and Eli escalate towards a really cool climax. And that ending! This book can easily be read as a standalone, but you bet I got my greedy trotters on the sequel, because I need more!

Why should you read it:
It's an awesome story about betrayal and revenge.


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City of Ghosts - Book Review

City of Ghosts (Cassidy Blake #1)
by Victoria Schwab

What is it about:
Cassidy Blake's parents are The Inspecters, a (somewhat inept) ghost-hunting team. But Cass herself can REALLY see ghosts. In fact, her best friend, Jacob, just happens to be one.

When The Inspecters head to ultra-haunted Edinburgh, Scotland, for their new TV show, Cass—and Jacob—come along. In Scotland, Cass is surrounded by ghosts, not all of them friendly. Then she meets Lara, a girl who can also see the dead. But Lara tells Cassidy that as an In-betweener, their job is to send ghosts permanently beyond the Veil. Cass isn't sure about her new mission, but she does know the sinister Red Raven haunting the city doesn't belong in her world. Cassidy's powers will draw her into an epic fight that stretches through the worlds of the living and the dead, in order to save herself.

What did I think of it:
I loved The Archived series and This Savage Song by Schwab, so I was very curious about this book that is aimed at a younger audience.

And this is a really cool read.

Cass can see ghosts and cross to beyond the veil, but she still has to learn a lot about her powers and how to use them. In Edinburgh she discovers that there are far more powerful ghosts than she ever met before and that she has to learn fast if she wants to survive.

I liked Cass' friendship with Jacob and loved how they were there for each other. I also enjoyed learning a bit about Edinburgh's history and ghost stories. I had some trouble with Lara, but she grew on me. And this book made me look up the rules of taking a pet to the UK and I discovered that these days it's a lot easier than it was in the past.

All in all this book sets up the world and characters in a very enjoyable way and adds a creepy adventure with high stakes. I had a good time with this book and will definitely keep an eye out for the next.

Why should you read it:
It's a fun and enjoyable Middle Grade read


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The Unbound - Book Review

The Unbound (The Archived #2)
by Victoria Schwab

What is it about:
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.

Last summer, Mackenzie Bishop, a Keeper tasked with stopping violent Histories from escaping the Archive, almost lost her life to one. Now, as she starts her junior year at Hyde School, she's struggling to get her life back. But moving on isn't easy -- not when her dreams are haunted by what happened. She knows the past is past, knows it cannot hurt her, but it feels so real, and when her nightmares begin to creep into her waking hours, she starts to wonder if she's really safe.

Meanwhile, people are vanishing without a trace, and the only thing they seem to have in common is Mackenzie. She's sure the Archive knows more than they are letting on, but before she can prove it, she becomes the prime suspect. And unless Mac can track down the real culprit, she'll lose everything, not only her role as Keeper, but her memories, and even her life. Can Mackenzie untangle the mystery before she herself unravels?

With stunning prose and a captivating mixture of action, romance, and horror, The Unbound delves into a richly imagined world where no choice is easy and love and loss feel like two sides of the same coin.

What did I think of it:
This book is just as cool as the first book.

I was hooked from the start and wondering and theorizing what was going on. Mackenzie soon gets in over her head, and I liked that Schwab didn't shy away from making it very hard on Mackenzie to keep her job as Keeper, by letting both the Library and her parents crack down on her. Luckily she has Wesley to help her out at times.

There is a bit of a love triangle thing going on, but not serious enough to annoy me. Mackenzie has too much problems to solve to get too deep involved in love triangle dramas.

The story was suspenseful and compelling once more. I could guess at some things, but there were other things going on that had me puzzled. I kept cheering Mackenzie and Wesley on to figure things out and to save the day.

The ending was satisfying, still I was glad there was a short story included at the back of the book, because I needed more. The short story was everything I needed to feel content, even with the knowledge there might not be more books coming in this series.

All in all an awesome read.

Why should you read it:
It's a wonderful and suspenseful Paranormal YA read.


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The Archived - Book Review

The Archived (The Archived #1)
by Victoria Schwab

What is it about:
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.

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 that 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 may crumble and fall.

In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hard-won redemption.

What did I think of it:
I read The Archived back in 2013, and somehow never got hold of the sequel. So when The Dark Vault was announced (both books + a short story) I pre-ordered it. I will be reviewing each book separately. I first reread The Archived as I wanted to have the story clear in my mind before starting on The Unbound.

And The Archived is even more beautiful than I remembered.

The story is very intriguing. The idea of an archive where sleeping copies of the dead rest is compelling. I could easily picture both the Archive and the Narrows where those Histories that accidentally wake up wander, confused and scared.

I could easily relate to Mackenzie as well. Eager to follow in the footsteps of her grandfather, missing her brother, trying to cope with both her own loss and her parents'. I felt for her and rooted for her to uncover what secrets the old hotel where they just moved to holds, and to figure out what's happening in the archive.

As this was a reread I already knew some important things that happen in the story, but even knowing what would happen I still was totally invested and worried about Mackenzie. And I could pay more attention to the writing this time around. This book is in present tense, but Schwab's writing is excellent, so it didn't drag me out of the story. Especially the parts where Mackenzie remembers her grandfather are almost poetry.

All in all this is a beautiful and engaging read. You bet I'll be reading The Unbound next.

Why should you read it:
It's a wonderful and suspenseful Paranormal YA read.


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This Savage Song - Book Review

This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity #1)
by Victoria Schwab

What is it about:
There’s no such thing as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy from author Victoria Schwab, a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains—and friends or enemies—with the future of their home at stake. The first of two books.

Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives.

What did I think of it:
This is a really cool read.

The world didn't always make sense to me. So there are cities with monsters, but once outside of a certain zone around those cities it's perfectly safe? The way the monsters were described I didn't get why they weren't everywhere. And why are people still living in those cities if it's safe outside of them? But maybe I missed something...

That one point of confusion aside: I loved both Kate and August. August is a tortured monster who longs to be human, while Kate wants the love of her father so badly she is willing to give up on her humanity if it makes him notice her. Of the two of them I could understand Kate the most. August has people who are there for him, and at times I thought he was ungrateful for what he had, while I could understand Kate's longing for a place to belong. She's going about it the wrong way to get it, but that's what can make a good story if told the right way.

The story itself is suspenseful, full of action, and it drew me in from the start. There's one point about 2/3 in that it dragged a little in my opinion, but that might be because I thought Kate and August were given important clues, but were a bit slow to catch up on what's going on.

All in all a cool story, with interesting monsters and world building. I will keep an eye out for the next book, even though this book gives us another one of those 'let's throw this out as bait for the next book' endings.

Why should you read it:
It's a well written Dark Future YA read.

The Archived - Book Review

The Archived (The Archived #1)
by Victoria Schwab

What is it about:
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.

What did I think of it:
I have this rule for myself that I can only buy a book if it's less than 10 Euro, unless it's a book by a 'must buy' author, like Ann Aguirre or Laura Bickle. So when I heard about The Archived and saw that it was more than 10 Euro I was disappointed. It sounded like it might be a really cool read, but I just couldn't buy it until the price dropped or a paperback version was released. But then I won a gift certificate and used that to treat myself to The Archived.

Was it worth it to bypass my own rule this way?

It was. This is a very original and cool read.

I really liked the idea of this big library full of husks, carrying the history of the deceased. I also could easily imagine the creepy corridors and hallways Mac has to enter to hunt down the escaped Histories. I absolutely loved the world building.

Present tense (again) aside the writing was nice. Schwab's writing really fit the mood of this story. It's beautiful and a bit contemplative.

I really liked Mac, even though she is rash and pushy at times. As in most YA books there's a bit of a love triangle thing going on, but I actually liked how it was done for once.

The story itself was slow at times and then with sudden spurts of action. All in all I really liked it and near the end I couldn't put the book down until I finished it.

So this was a really enjoyable read and I'm glad I picked it up. I will probably read the next book as well, but it will take another gift certificate to purchase it if it's more than 10 Euro. And if I don't have a gift certificate I'll wait for the cheaper paperback version.

Why should you read it:
It's an original Paranormal YA read.