The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz

Why does Victoria Scott books always hit me really hard in the feels? I haven't cried over a book in a long time, and during the last chapter of this book I had tears pouring down my face. This book is a MUST READ of 2016. Despite the fantasy aspect of the Titans (Mechanical horses!), Victoria's novel is full of real world problems, a strong female friendship, and tons of girl power.

I liked Astrid from page one. She is determined and fierce. She knows what she wants. After her grandfather gambled away all his money and then the house his family lived in away, Astrid's family has no choice but live in their car. After settling down again, Astrid's father looses his job that results in hardships for his family. Then matters get worse Astrid's father gambles the remaining of their money away in a Titans race. Now facing eviction Astrid doesn't know what to do. Her father and his pride refuses the thought of Astrid getting a job.

I was easily able to relate to Astrid. Though my family isn't as unfortunate as Astrid's family, I understand her fear of loosing her home. It is a scary thought. But hope arises when the makers of the Titan races announce that one person will have the $50,000 entrance fee waived. By luck Astrid meets someone with an early version of a Titan and enters the race. The winner of the overall races receives an award of 2 million dollars and Astrid knows that is enough to save her house, and send her and her best friend to college.

I never thought I was going to fall in love with a metal horse, but Padlock is different. Titans 3.0 don't have feelings. They are incapable because it wasn't programmed into them. But Titans 1.0 do.

Padlock acted and behaved like a real horse, he was able to be afraid and show love to Astrid. He went even further at the races. Astrid doesn't trust anybody except her best friend. Its hard for her too. The people she trusted all her life made nothing but mistakes. Eventually she trusts Padlock, she jokes with and was generally a happier person around him. Padlock even had a little romance with the White Mare that lived in Barney's barn. I was routing for a horse romance. That is how much I loved Padlock.

I can talk all day and night about how much I loved this book. I am still trying to put into words how it made feel. The ending left me content with how Astrid's life will be after everything is said and done. In my mind I can see where Scott can write a sequel to Titans but I won't be unhappy if it doesn't happen because I loved this book. Titans is a book I will highly recommend to everyone and anyone who will listen to me.

This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction

I didn't know what to expect with this book, and I think that was actually a fantastic thing because I ended up constantly wondering where Scott was going to head with the story ... and I was never disappointed. Titans is less fantasy and more urban fantasy. It takes place in a near future version of Detroit when the economy there has pretty much collapsed. Her family is struggling to keep afloat after her father loses his factory job (and after their savings has been eaten away by gambling debts). Astrid wants desperately to help, and a chance comes her way to do so - but it's dangerous, and her father certainly wouldn't approve. Not when she's planning to race an eerily lifelike mechanical horse in the very races that have helped strip their family of their financial reserves. Still, Astrid can't sit by and do nothing. This is her opportunity to save her family and live out a lifelong dream.

What Fed My Addiction:

Astrid.
What's not to love about Astrid? She was an incredibly strong female lead - she did NOT let anything hold her back, whether it was the rich jockeys who looked down on her, the danger of riding a two ton horse through truly perilous obstacles, or facing down her dad's wounded pride. Astrid's intelligence gave her an edge in the competition, but it was her heart that truly set her apart from her rivals - everything she did, she did for her family. To make sure that her little sister was taken care of and to prevent them from losing their home. Of course, Astrid wasn't perfect. She had a hard time giving up any modicum of control, and she suffered from both trust and guilt issues. But these aspects of her personality just made her that much more human and had me rooting for her even more!

The racing.
Padlock wasn't an ordinary mechanical racehorse (gee, that's not something I ever thought I'd write). His ability to exhibit emotion seemed unbelievable to Astrid at first, but she eventually softened to him and even learned to trust his instincts - though that was a hard transition for her. The races themselves were exhilarating and incredibly dangerous - I feared for both Astrid's and Padlock's lives often!!

Friendship and family.
Both friendship and family were HUGE themes in this book. Astrid's family was somewhat falling apart because of the pressures that their money issues were putting on them. This was definitely NOT a fairy tale perfect family, but in the end their love and devotion won out and the overarching theme was that of redemption and family bonding. And the friendships in this book were phenomenal! First off, there was Astrid's best friend Magnolia - this was the true picture of what a friendship should be. These two stuck together through thick and thin and always had each other's backs. One of the best friendships I've read in a book! Then there were the friendships (practically family relationships) that Astrid formed with her manager and the other people on her racing team. It was truly a group effort that got them through - and I loved every minute of it!

No romance!
This might come as a disappointment to some people, but I was actually kind of thrilled that there was no romance to steal the focus from the main story (okay, unless you count a couple of minor romances between secondary characters). At one point, I was pretty sure a romance was brewing, but I loved the direction that Scott took the story instead!

What Left Me Wanting More:

Nothing.
I honestly can't think of anything that I would have changed about this book. Was it perfect? Probably not - but when I can't call a single flaw to mind, I know it's a five star book!

I now understand why Scott has so many dedicated fans. I will certainly be reading more from her. This book was superb - it often sent my heart and my emotions into overdrive! I give it 5/5 stars.

***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

3.5

3.5 stars, this book actually pleasantly surprised me (I don't like horses)

This was, perhaps, a bit predictable, but still, it was a good read.

First off...that cover! I'm loving the electric blue and black. And let me start off by saying that Titans would be a perfect Scholastic Book Fair book. You remember the days when your Scholastic book order forms came home with you from school, right? You milled through the selection hoping one book spoke to you and you begged your parents to let you get it. You promised you'd read it, unlike some of the others you'd ordered and ended up collecting dust or were sold in a garage sale. This is the book you want to read, love, share with your friends, and tell them to get their own copy because it is a keeper. Honestly.

Titans isn't just about racing robotic horses. There are many situations readers will relate to and that's a huge part of why I love this book. Astrid (the protagonist) is a relateable character. She's from a blue-collar middle class family trying to make it one pay check at a time, that is until her father looses his job. Gambling addictions have altered these characters lives and the way they view the world and the people around them. She has her best friend Magnolia, who, despite her families financial issues, finds an outlet to help her family with her creative talents. She's bubbly, and maybe a little outspoken, but she has drive and proves to be a great friend to Astrid.

Astrid resents the situation her father's gambling put her and her family into. Her older sister is in a relationship with a guy who is a controlling jerk. Astrids world is collapsing around her and her family seems to be falling apart at the seams. It isn't until an opportunity presents itself that Astrid has hope to change her families future.

Astrid is so likeable. She has a heart, she holds the weight of everyone's burdens on her shoulders, she's determined to find a way to a better life for her, and her family. Rags and his friend Barney offer her an opportunity of a lifetime: to ride a Titan. And since Magnolia and Astrid's fathers are out of work and the pressures of eviction lay at the forefront of their minds, she agrees to train and ride the Titan. In order for her to enter the races, Astrid needs financial backing. It's not cheap. Then enters Lottie, whom I absolutely loved by the way! She may be the financial assistance Astrid needed, but Lottie taught Astrid and Magnolia about becoming better in many ways, but also staying true to themselves and setting goals, staying strong, and defying the odds.

"Strength is forgetting everything I've taught you and becoming a machine. It's reaching inside yourself and finding you are not someone to be toyed with. It's taking every doubt you have and crushing it beneath your heel.
"You, Astrid Sullivan, are an Oleander--beautiful, graceful, intoxicating.
"May God have mercy on the person who touches you, and brings their fingers to their lips." (This is just a glimpse of the quote that made my heart skip a beat. Lottie is an amazing mentor and taught very valuable lessons to Astrid and Magnolia.)

Astrid had many road blocks along the way. But she leaned on her friend and trusted in those who believed in her the most. It broke my heart that her father wasn't the man she needed him to be. She sought after his approval and loving arms only to be denied and mocked. I actually couldn't stand her father. He made my blood boil. Here's a quote that made me angry and broke my heart. As much as Astrid wants to win, and as angry as her dad is at her, what he says out loud pierced a hole in my heart for her.

"I've been going to those races since I was thirteen years old. And now I'm riding them. I'm doing well, and I can do even better." I suck in a deep breath. "I can win, Daddy."

My dad does the worst thing he could--he laughs. He laughs, but his eyes brim with sadness as he glares at Rags. "She can't win. You know it, and I know it. She'll only get hurt."

And let's talk about that infamous Titan, Padlock. This robotic creature grew on me and I adored it. Astrid's relationship with her Titan was slow building. Realistically, she saw it as a machine, not a real animal that feels emotion. And along their journey Astrid opens her heart up to Padlock and allows herself to trust and care for him. There were some cute moments between the two.

In the final stretch, you really understand just how amazing Astrid is, and how big her heart is. A memorable character is one who stands out. It could be something you relate to, or even could be on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. Either way, you just don't forget about them for quite some time. This book has multiple memorable characters.

Races came and went. But what really drove me to love this story besides the action was everything else, including the very little romance (it's a nice change of pace). The emotion behind the characters actions, the reasoning as to who they were in the story. It's almost too difficult to put into words. But trust me, this is one fantastic book!

Disclaimer: I read an ARC of this that I traded with Aly!

Okay so I really enjoyed this one. I thought it was a good mix of action and familial relationships and there was no unnecessary romance which was a huge plus for me. BUT I couldn't help but compare it to [b:The Scorpio Races|10626594|The Scorpio Races|Maggie Stiefvater|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1461209661s/10626594.jpg|15535056] by Maggie Stiefvater and because of that it, it was lacking something for me.

I liked Astrid and thought she was really strong and brave for doing what she did to keep her family together, especially her found family. I also really liked Magnolia because she stood by Astrid through thick and thin even when she was having problems of her own. And I liked their friendship: they bounced ideas off of one another, supported one another, and while they both had their own issues, they also helped the other in their time of need. Their relationship is the #1 reason I enjoyed this book. I love books that have positive female friendships and this is definitely one of them.

I also liked the secondary characters and getting to know the management team. They were so much more than just cardboard characters and they all had their own wants and desires. I really liked Rags and thought he played such an important role in Astrid's life.

I did think the introduction was a little bit sloppy and really just a way for Rags and Astrid to meet. But it felt forced and I was not really fond of how he was introduced and brought into Astrid's life. It felt too convenient for me to be really convinced. I also thought the races themselves were a bit lacking. As much as I was on the edge of my seat during them, it felt really repetitive and obvious what was going to happen because of how much book was left. It was like those episodes of Law & Order where they "find" the killer after 20 minutes and you're like "nope there is too much time left" if you know what I mean.

The whole idea of mechanical racing horses was cool though. I liked this and thought it was really well done. I liked that there were different models and how they worked. I thought this was clever and something that kept me really interested in the concept of the novel itself. But the horses themselves were awkward and difficult for me to picture. And the actual race tracks that weren't typical and had the jams were really hard for me to picture as well. I think they were described well enough but I feel like there was a missing piece for me to be really brought into Astrid's perspective and see what she was seeing.

But I didn't get a huge emotional connection to any of the characters or the horse, Padlock. I found myself not really caring if Astrid won or lost because she was a bit of a survivor and would probably have been okay if she had to move. I also thought Astrid's guilt was ... weird and like she placed a lot of weight on her shoulders for no reason. I feel like it would have been one thing if

Spoiler

she was the only one there and had left her grandpa with no one but there were three other people at the house with him so I didn't understand her guilt at all

.

Overall, this is a good novel. It has a lot of action and horse races and is interesting enough. But if you are looking for horse racing with a twist, I would pick up [b:The Scorpio Races|10626594|The Scorpio Races|Maggie Stiefvater|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1461209661s/10626594.jpg|15535056] instead.

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Oh, where to begin.... There are so many things that are wonderfully beautiful and heartfelt about Titans. I was in it all the way, riding the highs and lows beside Astrid. My love of Padlock growing with hers. She cried and so would I. Her loses were mine. And the ending, I couldn't have asked for a more complete and satisfying ending. Well done Victoria Scott! Thank you SO much for this extraordinary story.

When I first saw the synopsis of this book, my first thought was: Horses? Mechanical horses?! YES PLEASE. It sounded awesome. I was sure it would be awesome. I was not wrong!

I love Astrid and Magnolia’s relationship! I love seeing girl friendships that are pure and not catty. I feel like it’s so rare in YA anymore. Astrid and Magnolia supported each other and took care of each other. They were always there for one another, no matter what. It was a very positive relationship, and I feel that more female relationships in YA need to be portrayed as such!

The relationships and family dynamics felt very real. There was conflict, but there was also catharsis, making for a wonderful and realistic balance.

I really liked Astrid as a character. She’s stubborn, but determined and full of heart! I love her fierce resilience. I also really loved the underdog quality of this book. Like if you really put your mind to it, there’s nothing you can’t do. I love that!

I freaking LOVE that there was no romance!! It’s so damn rare in YA, it’s refreshing! (You should all know by now that I’m not a fan of romance, especially when it detracts from the plot of a non-romance story.) The main focus was on the platonic and mentor relationships – Astrid/Padlock, Astrid/Magnolia, Astrid/Rags. And they were wonderful!

Spoiler

I loveloveloveLOVE that Hart ended up being Magnolia’s interest. When he was introduced it seemed guaranteed that he was going to be meant for Astrid. I fucking LOVE that it broke the cliche that when you’re introduced to a guy he’s automatically going to be the main love interest.

I loved Rags! It’s kind of a stupid name but I love the dynamic between he and Astrid. He’s a crotchety old man but he’s funny – I loved the grudging moments of affection he shared with Astrid!

Now to talk about my favorite part of the book – Padlock and Astrid. I love that Astrid only saw Padlock as a thing at first, but slowly came to realize he was so much more, and eventually came to love him. CAN WE PLEASE TALK ABOUT PADLOCK. Gahhhh I love him so much! He was amazing! I love that he had his own personality, that he was sentient and not just a mindless machine. (It’s like all the feels from Stealth and Big Hero 6 all over again)

I saw some say that this book was a rip off of The Scorpio Races. I honestly didn’t see the similarities while reading. The family dynamic is similar, and yes you could probably substitute man-eating horses for the mechanical ones and it’d be disturbingly similar, but the mechanical horse race is so unique and awesome that it seemed 100% original when I read it. And the whole against-all-odds-with-crazy-life-threatening-obstacles-competition was just so Victoria Scott that it seemed 100% her. If you haven’t read Fire and Flood this one is very similar (while also being completely different). She has very distinct story-telling!

The only drawback for me was that the pacing was a bit slow at times. There was a point in the middle where I was actually losing interest and it dragged on a bit (which is not good, considering this is only 300 pages). The scenes at the parties and social stuff bored me quite a bit. It started off strong, had a rather large lull, then finished off even stronger. I didn’t start really getting invested until the circuit races began and I started getting more and more attached to Padlock. (Let’s be honest, 75% of my interest in this book is because of Padlock!)

AND THE ENDING. VICTORIA HOW COULD YOU OW MY HEART OW IT HURTS. I fucking bawled! And writing about it is making me tear up all over again!! 

Spoiler

HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HER SO SHE COULD WIN I CAN’T EVEN *starts to cry again just thinking about it* And Rags gave her Padlock’s EvoBox WAAAAAAHHHHHH!!! (Remember how I compared it to Stealth and Big Hero 6? SHE HAS THE EVOBOX THERE’S STILL HOPE. I HAVE TO BELIEVE IT *wails*

If you haven’t read this book, you definitely need to!

Favorite Quotes

“I’ve found you should say the thing that’s bothering you outright. Takes away its power.”

“Let’s do this, Padlock. Not to win. Not to place. But to remember this moment as the time we ran with the Titans. Because you are a Titan. And tonight, I am a rider.”

“Get your behind into that saddle and race hard, Astrid Sullivan. I already know how strong you are – you just go show everyone else.”

This review was originally posted on Novel Heartbeat. To see a breakdown of my assessment, please visit the full review here.