The Unbound

Written by Victoria Schwab

Narrated by Piper Goodeve and Gabriel Vaughan

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?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: May 14, 2019
• ISBN: 9781977345424

Reviews for The Unbound

[destinyisntfree · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I am not really 100% sure what to say about this one, as my mind is reeling with the unanswered questions that the ending left me with, and it is likely that I will have to wait a very long time (or what will seem like it, anyway) until I get those questions answered.

I can tell you this much, without giving anything away. All of the things we thought we knew from the first book are entirely turned on their head in this one. The way this book is written will make you question everything you think you know. You will find yourself wondering where the fine line is between dreams and reality. The scary part of this book is that I can picture it, imagine it as real. I suppose that is the mark of a truly gifted story teller. Or maybe it marks me as mentally unstable. Or could it be a little of both?

The characters seemed so real to me and I could picture myself among them, living the lives they lived, feeling the things they felt. I find myself wondering how it is all going to end. How can I possibly go on not knowing? But we all will have to wait. We have to wait for the author to complete the series. It may well be the longest indefinite period of time of my life, but you can rest assured that as soon as I can, I will be hitting the preorder button when the title is available.

[brittaniethekid · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.5/5 Not as solid as the first one but still a great thriller.

[infjsarah · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the second one of these a litle bit more than the first. And what a lovely surprise for a character to go to school and for her peers to be nice. I thought all US schools were full of sociopaths and psychopaths! A non repeat of the trope gets a big tick from me. It is YA but not as superficial as that label can be.

[Aj squires · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very intense and a little predictable. I still enjoyed it and wonder when book 3 will be released in the series??

[Billie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Unbound
by Victoria Schwab

Not only is Mackenzie chasing the Histories, but she is also fighting her nightmares, starring the History who almost killed her.
But are they only dreams?

Then people with who she has crossed paths with are disappearing, and she's sure someone from the Archive is trying to frame her.

Victoria Schwab has become one of my favorite authors, and this book is a great example, exceeding the first of the series. Great fantasy and mystery for people of all ages, not just young adults. Though there is ‘a declaration of love’ in this book, there isn’t anything graphic so readers 12 and over can read it.

I highly recommend this series and all of the author's books.

I don't know about the other formats of this book but the audio version I listened to through Scribd also included the short story 'Leave the Window Open.' It was a nice touch, kind of gave some closure to the series even though there is supposed to be a third book, and I really hope there is!

4 stars

[lifeshiddengems · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was REALLLYY good! I liked it even better than the first one. First off, the characters were fabulous. I loved the old characters, as well as the new ones. Mackenzie was so strong, Wesley was amazing like he was in the first book, and the new characters were also a joy to read about. The entire story was nicely mapped out and everything made sense logically. The mystery was intriguing, and I could not put this book down once I started reading. I'm really looking forward to reading the third book!My Goodreads: fantasticalcatherine

[perco-2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

***This review containssome spoilers."For an instant, he stares atme, blue eyes wide. And thenthe light goes out of Owen'sface"He kept his word. He believedin something, howevermisguided.Argh. I've never felt thissorry for an antagonistbefore. It just breaks myheart. Yeah. I know the factthat Mac has been through alot because of Owen. But Idont know what the hell i amfeeling right now.But dont get me wrong. Iliked the character of Mac. Agirl who knew to kickhistory's butts back to theReturns. I was overwhelmedby the character.Anyway, the turn of theevents is fantastic. Itsthrilling. Its never boring. Imean, I thought the wholestory would be all about Macendlessly hunting historiesand sending their asses backto the Returns. But the storygot more exciting when Maccame back to school. Withnew cool characters.The twists are very shocking.The Unbound is great book foreveryone who loves YA andParanaormal and Mystery.Im very glad I've read thisnovel. Cant wait for the next one.

[morandia-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An excellent sequel. I quite enjoyed it. It was an emotional roller coaster, wondering if she really knew what she was doing or if she really was losing her mind. Full of tantalizing promises of a normal life.

[kbranfield-837433 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Unbound by Cara McKenna is a highly erotic journey of self-acceptance, redemption and love.

Neither Merry nor Rob are comfortable with who they are. Both continue to define themselves by their respective pasts and the people they used to be. Merry still sees herself as the overweight person she has always been. While she is happy with most of the physical changes from her weight loss, she still struggles with her self-image. The negative reactions of some of her friends lead her to a better understanding of herself and the realization that she has been settling for less than deserves in both her personal and professional lives.

At first glance, Rob appears to be the more together of the two. But as the story progresses, it soon becomes clear he is emotionally crippled by his troubled past. Filled with loathing and shame by his self-destructive past and what he considers deviant sexual desires, Rob is virtually a recluse who rarely leaves his cottage. His retreat has allowed him to stop his downward spiral, but he has not dealt with the underlying causes of his issues.

Rob is at first closed off and standoffish, but Merry slowly draws him out of his shell. Merry is attracted to Rob, and despite his mixed signals, she realizes the attraction is mutual. It does not take long for her to discover she will have to take charge of their sexual relationship. Merry assumes the dominant role in the bedroom and when she uncovers the kink that Rob is desperately hiding? She is not only accepting of it, but she relishes helping him act out his darkest fantasies. Their resulting sex scenes are intense, deliciously kinky and scorching hot.

Rob and Merry are brutally honest with themselves and their assessments of their pasts are sometimes harsh and unflattering. They both own their pasts and never try to push the blame for their actions off on other people. Rob is unable to forgive himself for his past and he is tortured by the damage he inflicted on the people he loves. He does not give up his secrets easily or freely but once he reveals what he considers to be his deepest and most shameful secret, Rob is finally able to take steps to truly heal.

Unbound is a complex, gritty and emotional read. Rob and Merry are flawed and a little bit broken but they are beautifully redeemed by the novel's end. Cara McKenna deftly balances heartbreak with hope and the end result is a delightfully non-traditional romance that is incredibly moving and not easily forgotten.

[lydia1879 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

ayyyyy

v readable. smart! cute! sometimes i didnt agree w/ the writing or the characterisation, but i skipped those parts bc life is TOO short.

a fun read.

[chicgeekgirl21 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Unbound is one of the best and emotionally deep erotic romances I've read. The heroine, after losing close to 100 pounds, is on a trek across Scotland to find and explore her new self. After catching a stomach bug (from accidentally ingesting loch water!), she finds herself at the doorstep of Rob. Rob is in self-imposed exile for a number of reasons which come to the forefront as he and Merry begin a tentative sexual relationship. Unbound is unique since it features a male submissive with an intense fetish (I won't reveal what it is, but it's hot!). The treatment of sexual fetishes--Rob's shame of his and Merry's interest and excitement by it--is extremely realistic and humane. Rob isn't a pervert and Merry doesn't "fix" him. There is another issue that ultimately becomes the tipping point in their budding romance, and it's not Rob's predilection for being tied down and dominated. I LOVED this book, at points exclaiming out loud to myself "It's SOOOO GOOOODD!" If you're a reader of erotic romance, I highly recommend it!