Tuesday Reviews: Titans by Victoria Scott

Title: Titans

Author: Victoria Scott

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Release Date: February 23, 2016

Format Read: ARC

Rating: Four Stars

Description from Goodreads: From Victoria Scott, author of FIRE & FLOOD, comes a thrilling story of impossible odds.

Ever since the Titans first appeared in her Detroit neighborhood, Astrid Sullivan's world has revolved around the mechanical horses. She and her best friend have spent countless hours watching then and their jockeys practice on the track. It's not just the thrill of the race. It's the engineering of the horses and the way they're programmed to seem so lifelike. The Titans are everything that fascinates Astrid, and nothing she'll ever touch.

She hates them a little, too. Her dad lost everything betting on the Titans. And the races are a reminder of the gap between the rich jockeys who can afford the expensive machines to ride, and the working class friends and neighbors of Astrid's who wager on them.

But when Astrid's offered a chance to enter an early model Titan in this year's derby, well, she decides to risk it all. Because for a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, it's more than a chance at fame or money. Betting on herself is the only way she can see to hang on to everyone in the world she cares about.

When I received an ARC of TITANS in mail, I nearly peed my pants. I am a HuGe Victoria Scott fan, and TITANS appealed to me when the announcement of it's future birth was released, so of course finding this in my mailbox was a moment of extreme joy.

This is the first book I've read in a long time that has a near-zero romance rate, and I absolutely loved it. The main themes of the story included friendship, family, and hardships, and it was an amazing tale of believing in oneself and risking everything to give your family a future. 

The girl-on-girl best friendship in TITANS was one of the main reasons that I enjoyed it so much. Astrid and Magnolia are closer than close, and they have no drama whatsoever throughout the book, even when times get tough and they go through their own personal struggles. It's always a beautiful thing to see flourishing female friendships, ones that consist of the girls lifting each other up instead of tearing each other down.

And then there's the element of these Titans-- part horse part machine-- and the technicalities that come with racing them. Scott thought this story out intricately, leaving no plot holes or missteps along the way that had me questioning the way the horses worked or the way the racing happened.

Also. Padlock. Ohmygosh. Victoria Scott has this incredible talent for creating the most lovable and adorable animal characters. She stole my heart with Madox and plucked its strings with Padlock. I want my own Titan, and I will name it Padlock and we shall run off into the sunset with Madox at our side.

I give TITANS a four star rating. I loved it, though not quite as much as FIRE & FLOOD, and it will definitely hold a special place on my shelf. If you enjoy horse stories, or stories of those less fortunate who fight to keep their family together, this is a book for you. And of course, if you're a fan of strong female friendships.

Happily,

Stephanie