Seen at Scott Reads It 
 "Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books." 
 The Archived is one of those books that you know you'll love from the first page. I am so glad that I went with my instincts and picked up this book up. From the first few pages I realized that this book is one of the most original and best paranormal books I have ever read. The Archived immediately caught my attention and I just couldn't stop reading. I got just what I was looking for, a creepy paranormal book that really left me speechless. 
 Mackenzie is a Keeper, someone who is charged with stopping Histories (dead people who remain in the Archive). Histories rest on shelves like books and librarians can read their stories. Mackenzie has lost her granddad and brother recently so dealing with Histories provides a distraction. Soon she realizes that everything isn't what it seems in the Archive and someone seems to be tampering with the Histories. The Archive is on the verge of collapse unless Mackenzie can solve this mystery before it's too late. 
 In The Archived everything is just brilliantly executed as evidenced by the fact that this review will probably have endless compliments. Victoria Schwab's writing is superb and it complements The Archived's creepy and engaging plot line. Schwab's prose was simply engaging and I felt immersed in the hauntingly strange world of the Archive. 
 The plot of The Archived is complex and developed in an interesting way with a bunch of plot twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. I'll admit it in the beginning of The Archived I was a bit disinterested because I felt like there was a bit of info dumping. The explanation of the Archived was too much too handle in such few pages and I was a bit perplexed. All it took was a few more pages and all of my confusion was cleared and I was completely engaged in the Archived. The plot moved at a brisk pace and I was 
 Mackenzie was our female protagonist and she was just beyond awesome. I loved reading about Mackenzie's relationship with Da and it was just so moving. I really connected with the characters that Victoria Schwab created and I really empathized with them. All of the characters were extremely developed in a realistic and emotional way. Mackenzie is not just strong physically but her mental strength is really admirable. I also liked how Schwab's characters are flawed (I know it sounds like a weird thing to say!). I truly hate when a book's characters are just drop dead perfect because I just can't connect or really like the characters because they are just unrealistic. 
 In The Archived characters are realistically done and the relationships between the characters are really touching. Wesley was one of my favorite characters because he was just so different from a lot of male love interests. He wasn't one of those typical creepy stalkerish male characters that I loathe. Wesley was a charming protagonist with a great sense of humor and he wore lots of guy-liner. Never have I ever read a book where a male character wears guy-liner but Wesley totally owned it. I wasn't a huge fan of Owen at all from the first second we met him and I totally disapproved of his short fling with Mackenzie. I really felt like their fling was kind of unnecessary and ridiculous because it really was beyond creepy (like a necrophiliac kind of creepy). The romance with Owen was my least favorite of The Archived because it was kind of pointless and it just added a love triangle. 
 The Archived features one of the creepiest and most peculiar settings I have read. The world building in The Archived is simply strange but it adds a perfectly chilling atmosphere. I have never ever read a book with a setting like this and I just can't stop thinking about the Archives and the Narrows. Of all dystopian settings I have read about the Archives takes the cake for being the most original one. The only dystopian setting that is comparable to the Archives is Level 2. It's really hard to explain how I loved the Archives and how creepy it was. 
 Basically The Archived is one of the best dystopian books ever written. I would highly recommend due to it's fantastic characters, setting, and plot. I am so excited for the next book in The Archived series and I can't wait to read The Near Witch soon. Victoria Schwab has some of the best prose I have ever read because it was just so addicting. After reading The Archived I will read anything Victoria Schwab writes because The Archived was that good. To all you reading this review right now, I urge you to pick up The Archived immediately.