Titan Magic

Titan Magic #1

by Jodi Lamm

Mute, heartless, and tormented by auditory hallucinations, Madeleine Lavoie never questions why her family has hidden her from the world. But the night her brother casts her out, she learns the mysterious voice she thought existed only in her mind is no delusion, and no matter how hard she tries, she can never disobey it. Now Madeleine must find her own voice in a cacophony of powerful tyrants, monsters, and gods. If she fails, she will forfeit her life and the lives of everyone who loves her. But if she succeeds, she may finally gain the ability to love someone in return.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Mythology, Paranormal, Ebooks, Fiction, High Fantasy

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 30, 2011

About the author

Jodi Lamm was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, where she currently lives with The Other Lamm, a princess/cat, a parrot/evil overlord, and a variety of musical instruments. She writes for the love of storytelling. She’s addicted to fantasy, ghost stories, and anything with just the right amount of eerie romance.

Reviews

[Giselle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Titans, monsters and gods aren't part of my usual reads, but when I read this synopsis about a mute girl with hallucinations and lots of secrets, my uncertainty turned to intrigued and I found it to be an entertaining story.

The mysteries start immediately in Titan Magic. We meet Maddy (Madeleine), mute and hearing voices. Actually only one voice - a voice whose command she can't seem to refuse. Which is why her mother and brother tie her to the bed so she's not able to do as he wishes and go find him -however badly she wants to. I was curious right away about Maddy's strange predicament; why is she mute? Who's talking to her and why is he calling on her? Before long, her brother throws her out of the house and she runs into the forest where she starts to learn who she really is. So the mysteries are plentiful, but they aren't all drawn out. We get some answers right at the beginning, more towards the middle, and it ends with everything disclosed.

The world in Titan Magic holds quite a few characters. Maddy, the protagonist, goes on a big journey of self-discovery and what she finds changes her whole life - her whole self-image - and not for the better. She soon learns to deal with this and makes the best of what is given to her, which I really admired. I did enjoy her story, although I did have difficulty relating to her. A lot of her findings were strange to me as I had not stumbled upon the myths before. (It's based on a certain folklore that I had only heard about in passing.) I can't say it wasn't interesting, just very hard to grasp, therefore slightly hindering my enjoyment of the story. Along with Maddy, there are a lot of personalities that we stumble upon. All of them play an important role in the story and each one have their own unique charm that really brings them to life; Marcus with his inner demons, Will and his honest-to-goodness heart. The characters are easily the best part of the novel.

Jodi Lamm's Titan Magic gives us a fun filled fantasy that I'd recommend to those who like their books filled with magic, romance and discovery.

[Nafiza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I demand that you all go and purchase a copy of Titan Magic and then read it. Seriously, I mean it. Go!

Okay fine, I’ll give you some reasons that will perhaps justify my demand.

I don’t usually read self-pubbed novels and even more rarely am I moved to write a review on the ones I do read. This one intrigued me initially because of the description of the main character and then Misty of the Book Rat rated it highly. Titan Magic presents a very new type of heroine (and I will not give away the type she is) and a very different (fresh, new, innovative, attach what adjective you will) mythology. Maddy is one of the more fascinating protagonists that I have come across.

She is a curious mix of spitfire and vulnerable. Her inability to talk does not present as much trouble as I had expected. I liked how Lamm portrays her inhuman-ness. Usually we are told that a main character is not human yet she acts exactly like human teenage girl. Maddy’s confusion about her nature, about the way she feels about certain people, her questions about who she is and what she is form the foundation of the character. Her interactions with the various people are also, interestingly, character building. The way she reacts to the various characters shows who she is. There are a lot of male characters in the novel. I just realized that Maddy is the only girl in the novel. However, it’s just an observation and not a criticism. There is a love triangle which is not really a love triangle. It is really difficult to write a review without giving away one of the main elements of the novel. Suffice it to say that this novel explores themes of self-discovery, courage and desire in a bold new way.

The novel is quite an accomplishment and I really do recommend it to you. There are betrayals, angst, creepy crazy parents, love but not love, love plus self-hate. It’s a smorgasbord of emotions and ambitions. It’s just really really intriguing, you guys and I am really making a mess of my review. But I do not want to spoil the discovery because I feel the discovery is an important aspect of the story.

Just take my word for it, okay?

Read the book.

[Inoli · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most different, unique stories I've read. Complex and deserves a rereading. Fascinating. I want to learn more about the mythologies this was derived from. I don't really see this as a retelling but I want all the folklore and mythology related things together there. I actually don't know what to call this except very well done.

[Misty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm always a little leery of self-published works, so when a self-published author emails me asking to review, I always go looking for an excerpt first.  Almost always, the answer is then a polite, "Um, no."  But occasionally the excerpt will win me over and have me intrigued enough to start thinking a hesitant, "Yeah, sure?"  The excerpt I found for Titan Magic led to a much more resounding, "Yes, please! Gimme, gimme!"  But excerpts can fool you, so I was still a teensy bit hesitant. That is, until I actually picked the book up, because within the first chapter, my hesitancy went out the window and it never showed its face again.  Titan Magic is easily one of my favorite things I've read this year. For realsies.

When I finished it, my initial one-line review on GR was 'This is a book to be discussed, not rated' which means this is going to be a difficult review to write. (And yet watch how long I can blather on. Talent, people!) But seriously. As I said in my review of Shadows on the Moon, I would love to read this in a lit class or book club because I would love to have passionate, face-to-face discussions with people about it. It's complex and intriguing, and will potentially make some people uncomfortable, which to me is the hallmark of a good discussion book. But beyond that, it's really readable and engaging - you can't have a discussion if 1/2 the people there couldn't be bothered to finish the damn thing.  With this, I don't think that would be a problem.

The world building was fantastic. The world, or more accurately, the setting, is very insular for such a huge story, which was kind of neat. The whole thing is based in mythology, philosophy and religion, but it's done in a very organic way. It's very folkloric, with lots of fairy tale and mythology references, but it's not bogged down by them. The most, um...religiously sensitive? among you may be put off by a few things here or there, but then, I wouldn't expect you to be reading a fantasy about people "playing god" and trying to create life, so... As I said, it may make some people uncomfortable, though I don't think that's ever the intent.  (Basically, the people made uncomfortable are going to be the people who are always made uncomfortable. By everything. Ever.) Personally, I found the philosophical and moral implications really fascinating, part of what would make this such a good book to sit and chat about, and it added this great layer to the story and the world. The slight totalitarianism of the society added a nice layer, too. But mostly the idea of love - in all its forms, with no such thing as good or bad love - that comes through strongest in the end added warmth and humanity that really set Titan Magic apart.

From here on out, things get slightly spoilery (not much, but some), so you have been warned.
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The main character, Maddy, is so very rootforable.  Throughout the story, she learns that not only is she not quite normal, she's not even quite human, and her struggle to understand what she is and to decide for herself whether she can ever be more (or even ever should be more), was really gripping.  Like a good philosophical debate, the reader questions how things should turn out and whether there can be - or should be - a happy ever after for Maddy, or anyone else involved.  Maddy has to struggle with not only what she is at her core, but whether, as potentially powerful as she is, she has any amount of control. The idea of being a vessel for other people, of being a slave to others emotions and having them rampage through you, yet never feeling your own and not even being sure if you can have emotions, was really intriguing.  And as I've stated in the past, I love an unusual or silent character, and even if Maddy's silence sort of had loopholes, she certainly fits the bill of out-of-the-box characters I love.  Her need to find her voice is a good metaphor for her story in general, but even if you don't want to get all metaphor-y, Maddy just works as a character. She's relatable even when her circumstances aren't, and it all just makes for really interesting reading.

More interesting, though, and very impressive, was that it had me constantly reevaluating not only what I wanted to happen, but what should happen and what needed to happen. And Maddy questions this, too, which is part of what makes her a great and intriguing character.  Everything is built on shifting sands, and I was constantly wondering where and when the sinkhole was going to open up and swallow everyone whole.  This, like some of the philosophical nature of the book, is something I think may make people uncomfortable because they like to have a clear idea of who to root for, who to fall for and who to hate.  But for me, the best stories are never cut and dry.  Everyone is flawed and even the most flawed can be good.  Lamm really capitalized on this.

Now, there was a time about 2/3 of the way through that the train got derailed a little bit.  Part of it, I think, was Lamm's exploration of gray area and those shifting sands I was talking about. It seemed to lose focus a touch, or like too much was going on/in the air, for it to really come clear. I think some people would be more bothered by this than I was because I think some people get really irritated when they're confused.  But though it began to feel a little chaotic, it worked because it suited the core of the story, and it pulled together in the end, anyway.  The only reason it even bears mentioning was because for literally the rest of the book, both before and after this rough patch, I was just sort of enthralled and never doubting a single thing. I read every line rabidly and it all seemed so smooth and perfect that any little deviation from that was bound to stand out.

In the end, I am so very happy Jodi emailed me, and so very happy that I have a habit of looking up excerpts. I enjoyed myself thoroughly reading this, and think it's one I'll want to reread in the future so I can get different things from it each time. And, um, I know I used the word 'philosophical' a lot in this review, but don't be put off by that. That's just me being a Very Happy Geek, but even if you're not the type for philosophical discussions, Titan Magic is a very fun, fast-paced book, too. I can't wait to start pushing it on people because, as I've said in the past, I am a tabber - I have lots of little post-it flags sticking out of this book, and though I'd love to share them with you here, I'd rather not spoil them for you because they're going to be so lovely when you come upon them yourself.  But until you do - until someone does - I have no one to discuss them with, so I need to start pushing.

Okay, okay, I'll give you one.  I love a strong character who knows herself, and I love a strong statement, so this one kind of gave me chills:

"So what good is a soul to me?  I am what I am. The only one who needs me to be anything else is you."

Love it. <3

[Ferdy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spoilers - 2.5 stars

I kind of liked this but I also kind of hated it. I honestly had no idea what the hell was going on for most of the book, it was just so weird. The world building was poor, half the dialogue made no sense and the characters were too mysterious. There were mentions of war, titans and family dynamics but they seemed like an afterthought because of how vaguely they were described, it was annoying. Even at the end, very little was explained, it was irritating and bizarre.
I guess the characters were interesting enough but I couldn't really enjoy and appreciate them because I was confused as to what the hell was going on.
I liked the premise of the book as it was different from the usual YA, I just wish it had been executed better. The idea that Maddy (the heroine) was mute and heard voices in her head was intriguing. When she decided to listen to the guy in her head, I expected things to pick up but instead Maddy just plodded along not knowing what was going on, who she was and who to trust. When the truth about Maddy's identity was revealed, it was done in a very slow, nonsensical and convoluted way. It was frustrating.
The heroine, Maddy, was decent enough but I found myself unable to connect with her, I think it was because her reactions were odd — when her brother kicked her out she got over it straight away, when she met a talking animal she was like whateva, and then she just became friends with some random guy after one conversation... I wanted more emotion and realism from her.
Maddy had a couple of love interests, her sort of brother, Marcus, and the voice in her head, Jas..They were both rubbish as love interests. Marcus was annoying at first but he did grow on me, his motivations regarding Maddy weren't very clear, even at the end I wasn't sure what his feelings for Maddy were — did he orchestrate everything so Maddy could be free?? He was a bit confusing.
The romance between Jas and Maddy was plain weird. Jas created Maddy from clay or something and then gave her life. He was her master and she had no free will — he could control her and could make her feel whatever he wanted to. So when he fell in love with her, she felt the same way because she had no other choice but to..it was sick. Why couldn't he get a real girl?! To add to the cringeyness, Maddy referred to Jas at one point or another as her father, her mother, a parent, her creator and her god..it was fucked up.
I have to give points for originality and for characters that weren't the bog standard cardboard cutouts found in every other YA book. I would have enjoyed this a lot more though if things had been explained clearer, and if the romance had been less creepy and if the world building had been more developed. All in all, not bad but not good either.

[M.R. Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Premise:

Madeleine (Maddy) Lavoie is an invalid. Her memories go back only three years. She has very few emotions. She hears voices - including her own, though she has always been mute. She tries nightly to escape her family home and has to be physically restrained. She naturally assumes that she is insane. Her first inkling, though, that something is seriously wrong, comes when her brother suffers an extreme change in personality, ignores her for a year, and finally kicks her out of the house. Alone in nothing but a shift, corset, and greatcoat, she encounters a number of increasingly bizarre characters, almost all of whom seem to want to control her, most of whom treat her as something less than human. Her assessment of her own sanity isn't helped much by the fact that one of them is a talking stag who claims she is his property. Maddy's goal, then, is to discover whether she really is inhuman, avoid being controlled or killed, and figure out whether she is capable of or even wants to feel love as normal people do.

The Good:

Pretty much everything. I've reviewed Lamm before, and as before, her prose is stunning. She is a master of words. The plot she has crafted for Titan Magic is complex and unpredictable without falling into the trap of the outlandish that sometimes springs up when authors try too hard to defy convention.
I was very much intrigued by a protagonist who is both emotionless and mute, and I think Lamm dealt with those challenges admirably, especially given that the protagonist is female. It is very hard to find a female protagonist in fantasy (or any genre, really) who does not degenerate into hysterics at least once. Maddy is very practical and rational, except in one or two instances when she is supernaturally forced to endure someone else's emotions.

(As a slightly spoilery aside, I did take issue with her placing a woman in a position of "natural" servitude, at least for the first few chapters. Once I realized where she was going with it, though, I rejoiced in the allegory. Maddy's journey is very much womankind's journey from object to personhood as she seeks her voice and her own agency.)

Her world-building was beautiful, rich and complex without beating the reader over the head with the place's history. I do want to know more, though, about this political system and the old religion and the mythology. I hope for more tasty tidbits in the sequel.

The Bad:

Not much. As some other reviewers on Goodreads have noted, there was an awful lot going on, and an awful lot of plot threads to keep track of, which made me go back to check on things once or twice. Also, while I found Maddy very interesting, it was difficult for me to connect with her for about the first half of the book. (I think this might be partly because of the word heartless in the blurb, which lead me to expect more cruelty than apathy.)
There were exceptionally few typos in the book, but I did notice that the author consistently used "bore" for "bared" in reference to characters exposing their teeth. However, the version I read was the version the author emailed to me, and that might be corrected in the version available for sale.

The Interesting:

Or, things that stood out to me, but that I wasn't sure whether to call good or bad.

*SPOILERS*
Lamm seemed to be setting up something like an ironic love triangle, in which neither potential love interest really worked well. Marcus is the brother, who later is revealed to be a sort of foster brother, who later is revealed to be a powerful supernatural creature without any real blood connection to the family. He can be pitied for his mood swings, which are caused by his being possessed, in a way, but toward the end, he turns up as bat-wig insane, even when not possessed. He seems to want Maddy to share in his world-domination, but is perfectly willing to use her up to get what he wants for himself. Jas, who turns out to be Maddy's creator, is described in various relationship roles, including mother and god. He starts out very whiny and self-pitying, which is addressed by other characters with all the appropriate disdain and exasperation. His character does evolve admirably. However, while he can be excused for having complete control over his creation, he uses that control to coerce her into actions she does not want to take, even after it becomes obvious that she has acquired a real personality. Of course, he has been brainwashed into believing her incapable of being a person, and does eventually come to see her as real, but I found it incredibly awkward that she should be romantically interested in someone who treated her as an inanimate object for most of her life.
That's both good and bad. I enjoyed the emotional contortions the characters had to go through, which is very much in agreement with real life, but I think I would have been happier if Maddy had ended up on her own for a little while.

*END SPOILERS*

In Conclusion:

I recommend it. Lamm has given me the opportunity to beta-read the sequel before she publishes it, and I'm chomping at the bit to get into it.

Also, I'm not sure whether Lamm intended this book as YA or not. Several Goodreads users have categorized it as Young Adult, but I read it as a much more mature character study. I enjoy YA, but the majority of the genre is nowhere near as sophisticated as Lamm's work, and I think that readers who go into Titan Magic looking for fast plot and romance will be disappointed. Readers would be better off going in with the attitude that they will be given a thoughtful critique of humanity, couched in a fantasy framework.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to thank Jodi Lamm for providing me with the ebook copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll be honest, going into the this book I wasn’t sure what to expect really. I had seen other reviews for it and coupled with the summary it painted a really intriguing picture. I’m very happy to say that this book ended up surprising me so many times that I ended up loving it. I will say that it is a little hard to review though, because if I say too much it will ruin the story or at least part of it, so I’ll try to be deliciously vague and enticing.

The story overall is one that I’ve never quite experienced before. From the summary you may think that it will be a straightforward fun little fairytale, but that’s not the case at all. Instead you are greeted with an in depth and meaningful story in which the author has expertly weaved insight on the depth of emotions, humanity’s meaning, and what it is to have a soul into the very core of the story. It’s fairly fast paced and the mystery that this book contains is immense. All the questions you have in the beginning of the story are answered in a timely and satisfying manner but upon receiving those answers you end up with even more mystery, and because of this I was hooked. I really enjoyed trying to figure things out as I read and I loved how it kept surprising me even in the most docile of moments. The ending was not what I was expecting, and it seems to be slightly open for a sequel. The lore that this book thrives on is not something you see very often in books now, and those not familiar with it may be a tad confused at first but as I said before it all evens out rather quickly. The writing is really rich and detailed, but it has a quality and style to it that will stick with you after you’ve put it down.

The characters are incredibly important to this story and it made me realize the difference between a ‘story driven character’ and a ‘character driven story’. This is very much the latter, and each character has something different to bring to the table. Maddy is an interesting character and the more you read the more interesting she becomes. With each question that is answered you learn a little more and you understand a little more. She’s definitely one you can relate to as well since her emotions are so clear and the description that goes into her situation and thoughts really makes it so that you can experience her journey with her. Jas is such a bitter-sweet character that everything he does brings understanding and sympathy. Will is a charming man with loyalty and humor that really won me over before the end and he’s probably my favorite character. Marcus is such a bold character right from the beginning that you can’t help but wonder about him and his story is the one that really shocked me the most. All of the characters are vibrant and have personalities, and more importantly none of them are solely good or evil. Each character’s mind, relationships, and ideas are explored and delved into over time and thanks to that the characters truly take on a human quality that other books overlook. The characters have layers and each one doesn’t feel predetermined or stiff, it feels organic.

I can’t go into detail about the events in the book because I run the risk of unraveling the story for you, but I can say that each little twist and turn only made me want to run deeper into this. I had a hard time putting it down when I found the time to read it, and ended up missing more than a few hours of sleep because of it. Nothing was what I expected it to be and when I finished I immediately started craving more, so I can honestly say that if there is a sequel I will be reading it. I am simply dying to learn more about the characters and what will happen to them.

[Amy Fournier · Rating 3 out of 5]

The synopsis for this book sounded really interesting. I love fantasy so I was excited to read it. I found it to be a little weird, but still good. The story moved along nice and steady through most of the book. There was action, fantasy, and a bit of romance. The characters were interesting and the story was creative.There is a lot of mystery to what certain people's intentions really are. I was trying to figure out who was good and who was bad through most of the book. It wasn't until the end that things were a little clearer. I loved really trying to figure out the characters.


Madeline has been hidden away, literally not allowed to leave her own home. No one can hear her speak, and some people believe she is crazy. She hears a voice and even she thinks she is delusional. She has to listen to the voice no matter what, she can't disobey it. She ends up being tossed out on the street by her brother with nothing but her fathers coat. She figures out that she is not crazy, and she hasn't been just imagining the voice she hears. She ends up discovering surprising things about herself and her family and has to be strong and make the right choices. She knows that she has to find her voice, not just for herself, but for everyone around her. She has ended up the center of something bigger than she could have ever imagined. I really liked Madeline. She is really brave and strong. She is very scared of the things that are happening, and she is confused, but she still does what she believes she has to.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It is a hard book to review without giving anything away. It was interesting, and flowed well. The story was very centered on the characters more than events and surroundings, which I liked. I felt that we got to know the characters well. I was confused about them for a while. There were a few I didn't know whether to like or dislike, but I feel like in the end we knew them pretty well. There are still things we are left wondering about, but it's not a huge cliffhanger or anything. I liked the book and I am interested to see what will happen next.

[Hillary Hunt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This author really, really, really likes to keep you guessing. Which can create some nice suspense, but you gotta give me something delicious to snack on along the way or Ima get cranky. Reading this book felt like being strung along on crumbs.

It seemed like it wasn't until well into the book that things were starting to be explained. But even then, it was hesitant. I felt confused a lot. And the reasoning behind keeping everything secretive from the MC felt flimsy at best. Oh, and I couldn't figure out how old these characters were supposed to be until close to the end. The MC often seems like a child, but romantic advances are made upon her frequently. The romance in this book isn't really romantic. It's odd and....confusing.

The MC was hard for me to really like. Because of the nature of what she is, she isn't a very feeling character. She's kind of blank. She barely reacts to anything happening around her, and any feelings she does have aren't really hers. This was another thing I didn't fully get until the last 15% of the book.

The writing was good enough, but the world building/mythology was just too inaccessible. Was this a castle and horses type world? The women wear gowns and corests. There are swords and bows and arrows. But then there is a mention of airships dropping bombs and the characters frequently used more modern lingo like "doll face". Plus, the rules of Titans/chaos/golems were confusing and fed to the reader in very small doses. I still have questions.

The ending was fairly exciting, and it was nice to finally start to make sense of things. Really, I think Titan Magic has a unique/interesting concept. I just felt kept in the dark for too long. And the nature of the characters made it difficult to care for them.

I will give kudos to the author for creating a story in which you don't know who to root for. Her world is not a black and white one, and I respect that even if it leaves me feeling a bit ambivalent about it all.

[Greta is Erikasbuddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love bedtime stories.
I love the romance and adventure they weave.
The way you hold your breath as you get to the next page.

The moment you realize you uncovered the truth
But only to be fooled again.

I am always amazed by the magic of characters.
The timeless effort the storyteller takes to make each one come alive.

"Titan Magic" while a little darker than those bedtime stories you grew up with is just what the doctor ordered when hunting for a good book to curl up with.

It's Once Upon a Time meets On a Dark and Stormy Night.
A perfect blend of action, mystery, magic, and swoon.

Maddie always thought she knew who she was. A mute girl that gets tied to her bed at night and gaurded by her brother.

This sounds pretty normal. Right? I mean... why wouldn't a young girl get tied up before bedtime every night?

It's completely normal to Maddy.... until one day her brother loosens her ropes and tells her to leave. With a kiss goodbye she is about to embark on an epic journey of fairy tale proportions.

Maddy believes she is mad. And not just her...Everyone thinks she is mad. But why do they think that? They don't know about the voice she hears inside her head. How could anyone know? Who could she tell? That voice is always telling her to find him. And now with her ropes loose and the voice getting louder, who knows what will happen next?


If you are a fan of "The Golden Compass" and "Narnia" then this book needs to be on your To Be Read List !

Paranormal Wastelands would like to thank the author for supplying us with a review copy.

[Wendy Darling]

I really didn't even look to see what this is about. Nafiza says I must read it, so it will be.

[Aeicha · Rating 4 out of 5]

READ THE ORIGINAL AND COMPLETE REVIEW (AND MANY MORE) AT WORD SPELUNKING

Jodi Lamm’s TITAN MAGIC is one of those books that comes along every once in a while and completely surprises me with how deeply and unexpectedly it moves me. Based on the book’s blurb, I expected a simple, fun fairytale like story; but what I got was a truly spellbinding and meaningful tale and exploration of the human condition.

MY BRIEF SUMMARY
Madeline “Maddy” Lavoie cannot speak, nor can she remember her life past the last three years. She is plagued by a voice that only she hears and apparently cannot disobey. After three years of being hidden from the world, Maddy’s brother cast her out of the house simply telling her to go find her voice. What Maddy finds is a talking stag, a swindling man for hire with a beautiful heart, truths about who and what she is that forever change her, and a voice she never knew she had.

STORY
I’m a big fan of stories that take different folklores and myths, and instead of simply retelling those tales with minor variations, they add their own added unique spins, storylines, and characters, creating something new, original, and refreshing. And Jodi Lamm has done just that with TITAN MAGIC. Lamm weaves a captivating and gripping story that blends the old with the new, the familiar with the unexpected, and the dark with the light.

TITAN MAGIC is neither fast paced or slow; it flows nicely. The story begins with mystery and intrigue- Why is Maddy mute? Whose voice does she hear? What happened to her memory?-but Lamm doesn’t drag these questions out, torturing readers till the end. These mysteries are quickly solved, but then new ones are revealed. Lamm does an excellent job of balancing and spacing her story’s mysteries and revelations, ensuring that readers never get bored or frustrated…and I certainly never did!

Without giving anything away, I’ll simply say that I was enchanted by the fantasy elements surrounding Maddy’s existence. There’s an eloquent, yet dark whimsy do these elements that make them both fascinating and fearsome. Lamm’s scope of imagination and creativity in this book is impressive and her writing is lovely and haunting.

As beautiful as the fantasy elements are, the depth and meaning found within this book are breathtaking. Lamm explores so much more than a simple folk story or myth; she also offers a profound look at the human condition-what it means to be human, where our humanity and souls comes from, the duality of man, the power and essence of love. And she does so with an effortless subtlety.

The last portion of the book is very climatic and intense; there’s a great deal of stuff going on toward the ending. I’m a bit conflicted about the ending. Not because it isn’t a satisfying ending that really ties everything together nicely, because it is and it does. I think I was expecting and perhaps even wanting an ending that was a bit messier and less tidy. Also, the way the romantic aspects are left was not what I personally was rooting for. But, the ending does leave plenty of room open for a sequel…a sequel I will definitely be reading!

CHARACTERS
This is very much a character driven story, and Lamm’s characters are undeniably compelling.
Maddy is such a fascinating character because there is so much mystery and intrigue surrounding her. In the beginning of the book, she’s quite lost, both literally and figuratively, and I really felt like I was experiencing her journey and story with her and not simply through her. Maddy’s insecurities, doubts, longing, and fragile self-awareness made her very relatable to me. This is a protagonist that readers will want to root for and will want to see her journey through till the end.

There’s an interesting array of important male characters, each offering something significant and different to both Maddy and readers. Jas’ bitter-sweet pain and longing makes him a sympathetic character. Marcus’ shocking actions and confessions make him an impossible to ignore character. And Will *sighs*…With his humor, heart, and loyalty Will is such an easy character to fall in love with.

There’s no clear cut antagonist in TITAN MAGIC. Every character has both light and darkness in them, which drives them all to do both good and bad things, mostly in the name of love.

ROMANCE
I don’t want to spoil anything for those who haven’t read this book, so I won’t go into too much detail here. So many of the acts and betrayals committed in TITAN MAGIC are done out of, because of, or for love…mostly romantic love. And the essence and power of love itself plays a very important role.

As for the different romantic relationships featured in TITAN MAGIC, there’s- unrequited love, forbidden love, lost love and first love. Lamm has explored and written all these different kinds of love beautifully and with a heart-aching honesty.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: TITAN MAGIC moved, captivated, and enchanted me with its ability to be both profound and entertaining, dark and hopeful, romantic and fantastical. Jodi Lamm is definitely an author whose work I’ll be looking for in the future. And this is one book you should definitely read!

[Olivia Hou · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really don't know where to start with this book, but first of all, I can say that it was one truly unique book that I've ever read. It's really one of those books that you don't encounter everyday. When I read the synopsis, I was all like Wow, this sounds AMAZING! The synopsis was really what captivated me and told me to put all other books aside and read Titan Magic. (great job Jodi!) Like who doesn't want to read about gods and monsters?

I can't exactly explain the main plot without spoiling everything but, 'Titan Magic' is about Maddy Lavoie, a mute who's hearing all these voices in her head. The beginning starts with her brother, Marcus, throwing her out of their home, though he shows Maddy much affection before he does. Maddy's journey begins as she encounters a titan, Jas, that's trapped in the body of a stag and slowly, Maddy starts to find out about who she is, her past, and how she came to be.

So when I said that I thought this book was unique, it was because of the protagonist, Maddy. The story is written in third person it focuses on Maddy's perspective. It's unique because most young adult books are told from a typical girl's perspective, but with Titan Magic, everything is different. Maddy is no typical teenage girl. She's not even close to normal at all. I found that pretty interesting. When I was reading in Maddy's perspective, I could really put myself in her shoes because of her inhumanness. She can't feel any emotion, and that made it easier to focus on the story, rather than hear the main character ramble about their thoughts. It was kind of like watching the action from let's say, a camera when I was reading.

Though I liked the story, there were a few parts than confused me and left me in the dark. The story was just a TINY bit too fast paced for me, especially with the concept of titans and magic. I would have found it more enjoyable, if it actually spaced out all the ideas more so it wouldn't seem so messy, though the book did have a good and strong narrator voice, which I liked. Another thing about the book is that I felt like the romance was a bit confusing. Maddy, as stated before is inhuman, so how can she have someone love her? It just didn't seem real and it kind of confused me on how there were like three guys fighting over an inhuman Maddy, who's supposedly unable to show any kind of emotion, especially love. The ending was also a bit confusing, kind of like a bad cliffhanger ending, where everything is a bit of a mess. I kept asking Why? but I guess the author wanted you to read the sequel, so that's understandable, but honestly, the whole book could have cleaned up a bit. It was a bit like dropping bombs, but I didn't find that too bad, since I'd rather be reading very quickly paced novels than ones that bore you and action only happens after 75% of the book. Trust me, I've read enough of those that I am grateful for all the fast paced ones.

Though some parts of the story were confusing, I found myself unable to put the book down. It was a great mix of fairytales and fantasy, two genres that I love. Unique yet fascinating, Titan Magic is really one of those books where you can actually feel yourself dissolve in a world filled with magic, unable to come back. Titan Magic could totally become a fairytale.

Once upon a time, there was a mute girl named Maddy, who was kicked out of her own home by her brother, Marcus...

Overall, I think this book had a great plot and story, though there were times where I was a bit confused. There were some things I disliked and absolutely loved in the story, so it made it hard to decided between giving it a three star or a four star book, but in the end, I decided that I'd give it four stars because I just loved the whole fantasy idea and it was truly one book that was different than all those I've read so far. I can't wait to read the sequel that's sitting on my desk right now, Titan Magic: Body and Soul!

A huge thanks to Jodi for providing me a copy of this great book!

Ratings:

Cover: 6/10
Plot: 8/10
Originality: 9/10
Characters: 7/10
Pace: 7/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Feels: 6/10
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars! :)

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Titan Magic was such a wonderful and rather entertaining read. It was full of surprises, love, laughter, and heartache. It thoroughly surprised me in being as good of a book as it was. Truthfully, I didn't know what to expect from a book that featured a mute girl. I thought to myself: "How is Jodi going to write a story based on a mute girl? She doesn't talk!" Yet the fabulous Jodi did it! She created an utterly fabulous book where the girl doesn't really talk.

So this is where Maddy comes in, our mute, heartless girl. She is the centre of this story, the heart of it, despite having a heart herself. I loved Maddy's character! She was as real as I would imagine a mute person could get. Even though some incidents lead her to believe she isn't human (I don't want to spoil anything here), I think she was, in the end, more human than some humans I know. For me as a reader, I think what made her human was her confusion. She was a confused clay-girl that didn't know who to trust. One minute she was all for Jas, our hot stag (ahaha), than the next she was all for her brother Marcus (and sometimes William). So, even though she wasn't really human, she was still human to me for this reason. Even though the story isn't told in her perspective, I think readers will really enjoy hearing Maddy's "voice."

The setting for this book was so magical and vivid. Jodi has such marveling writing, I admit to re-reading certain paragraphs. Her world-building was incredible. And plus, by her descriptions, one would think it was very Victorian and vintage. I'm totally born in the wrong era (I love vintage) so Jodi won me over when I discovered this wasn't some modern-age fantasy. You don't quite know where the story takes place, usually at a house, or a forest, or even a castle, but just the vibe from this world that shun through her writing was magical. I love magical.

As a YA romance-ey loving-type-reader, I enjoyed the bits of romance in this. Of course there was some romance, but of course, Jodi completely went contrary to the norm. We have a mute girl, something I've personally never read in a book, and we have romance between sister and brother! But wait! It's not a gross thing once you read the book. Trust me. There are many surprises within this romance *wink wink wink* And also, we can't forget about our boy Jas *Swoons* He's a Titan (hence Titan Magic) and just totally swoon worthy (even though he's an animal for most of the book). I just think he was handsome. He really loved Maddy and did all he could to save her from being killed, by him! Can't tell me a man's not hot for trying not to kill you! Give the guy a break though. All in all, I'm hoping to see escalating romance between some characters in its sequel.

The verdict? Definitely worth the read, especially if you love fantasy and fairy tales.

My rating:
5 curly pig tails
Because this book was so different and unique

Angela

[Jillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was ... an original story but also pretty bizarre. (Mostly) In a good way though.


I like this story because, while the book uses a popular trope in that Maddy is compelled into acting/feeling a certain way, it doesn't romanticize it at all like so many others. The "I'm obsessed with this guy because of mystical reasons" plot always seems to come with instant acceptance and an easily resolved ending but this book adds the frustration that I as a reader often feel when looking at these situations. Maddy both "loves" and cares for someone in turns and, when allowed any measure of independence from the situation, is confused and upset at the situation. I like that it shows that range.

However, I don't think the author isn't very smooth at transitioning through these emotions. Part of this is a plot point in the book but it doesn't explain everything. Transitions in general don't seem to be Lamm's thing because the plot jumps around a little oddly -- as if everyone was having a conversation and then suddenly someone stood up and yelled "well *I* like cheese!!" and this was shocking and led the conversation in another direction until another person stood up and shouted "well *I* enjoy watching TV!!!!" and the conversation changed again. However, though I definitely noticed it, I still enjoyed the story despite this.

Also, people in this book just love to talk about secrets in a hidden language in front of poor Maddy. If I were her, I'd be smashing things. You can't go more than a handful of pages without one character going "you know that *thing* we cannot talk about? It's still thinging. In fact, the thing may be thinging harder than a thing has ever thinged." And the other character going "not the thing!!! My god, we can't tell Maddy. Whatever you do ... don't ... tell ... Maddy." As poor Maddy stands there and watches. Again, sort of a plot point but at a certain point I wondered if the author just couldn't come up with ways for Maddy to just overhear/infer a secret conversation instead.

There were also a few slight inconsistencies with the world -- how Maddy must irrationally fight to save Jas one moment and then, as someone carved words into his skin, feel no such compulsion.

But, overall, a cool concept. I liked that the author wasn't afraid to write a different character. In fact, all the characters were 'different' and more interesting for it. Nobody seemed to have any typical cliches or even expected character points/flaws. Some people may definitely be turned off by this, but I thought it was great. I don't like to read about cookie cutter people and these characters were definitely weird and outside the box. The lack of emotion that Maddy and Marcus contain make their reactions odd and unrealistic in a human sense, but in a soulless statue way they make more sense.

Final conclusion: cool, if weird, book.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Titan Magic majorly surprised me. I wasn't expecting a huge fantastical novel, filled with a few mysteries and quite a bit of suspense, plus a unique mythology that draws from older ones. Just looking at the cover and reading the synopsis didn't prepare me for just what Titan Magic was all about. When I started reading, I was instantly intrigued. Maddy is the daughter of a wealthy family, but she hears voices in her head that compel her to go to it. Honestly, what's more interesting than a crazy girl? But the thing is, I didn't think Maddy was crazy at all, from the very beginning, so I wanted to know what the secret behind the voice was.

The mythology was interesting to me because, from the title, you can guess it's going to be about Titans so I assumed it was going to be based on Greek mythology. And while a slight reference to Greek mythology was made later in the book, the whole world itself really was it's own freestanding mythology. I thought the concept of what Maddy was was totally unique, (I know I've never read about it before), if even a little creepy in the sense that, um, well *SPOILER ALERT*, {HIGHLIGHT THE TEXT TO READ IT!} since she was a golem and her body was made out of earth and clay, she had to be carved. And yes, Maddie is a girl. So that means that the person who carved her, I won't say who, actually had to, um, make her anatomically correct. Which is kind weird. Her maker even mentions that fact at one point!

Jodi Lamm's writing style is beautiful and fluid, perfect for this kind of high fantasy novel. I'm not sure exactly when or where this novel took place, but from the way Jodi wrote, it seemed Victorian-esque which I think it why I loved it so much because I'm a bit obsessed with the Victorian era.

The romance was really the only thing that I felt didn't live up to my expectations. I really can't say too much without giving anything away. But Maddy is in an odd situation where she can't really love anyone, and since things are mostly from her perspective, it's hard to actually warm up to either of the two boys that are vying for her heart. I was partial to both, honestly, for different reasons. The ending left off cleanly, without a cliffhanger, but another book is on the way according to Jodi, so I'll just have to keep reading to see what happens. I give Titan Magic 4 out of 5 stars.

[Carina · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Rating: 3.5 / 5

First thoughts:
If you're looking for a truly unique YA novel, stop searching and pick up Titan Magic. Its fairytale-like world surprised and fascinated me. I really hope that this wasn't the last we've seen of Madeleine and her adventures. While it took a while for me to get into the story, I soon started to really enjoy it and hoped to find out more about this special world.

More detailed:
When I started it, I didn't really know what to expect from Titan Magic but I was surprised by it nonetheless. The things Madeleine finds out about herself sometimes confused me, but I also grew quite fond of her and always hoped that everything would become better for her. She is a very strong character, but still reacts reasonably to some discoveries and situations at the same time.

At first I found it difficult to get into the story as it took a while to be able to really identify with Maddy. At the same time I wasn't too familiar with the mythology used in Titan Magic and needed some time to get comfortable with it. But once I got used to it, I started to really enjoy this novel and could appreciate the unique premise.

The other characters we encounter are very diverse. None of them are similar to each other and every single one is important for the storyline. While I love Will and Jas, I never really could warm up to Marcus or Eli - but I wouldn't want to miss any of them, because each of them contributes very significant things to the story.

I'm really looking forward to find out more about Madeleine's story, because - even though some parts of the ending were really enjoyable - I was left hanging a little bit and I'm curious to see what will happen now. It almost feels as though Titan Magic was only an introduction and that the "real story" will begin now with that ending.

All in all, I really liked Titan Magic, especially for it unusual premise and the diversity of characters. Like I said above, you should definitely pick up a copy of this, when you're looking for something completely different than any usual YA novel.

---

I received an eBook for review from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books like these make the impossible seem possible.

I was drawn into this book from the very first line of the summary. Mute and mad, Madeleine Lavoie has lived her entire life confined to bedposts in her room. Her life is not what she believed it to be...

To say I was so excited to read this after the first chapter may be an understatement. Mythology is something I absolutely adoooore. I think it's absolutely magical that Jodi took something that NOBODY has tried to recreate and made it into something beautiful! I shall bow down to Jodi for making me see golems with a totally new perspective. Because honestly, when was the last time you read an amazing story about golems?! Those clunky, clay things? This is what I love most about reading mythology. We've all had those long, droning history lessons about Greeks, Romans, and whatnot. But really, history's about the way you interpret it. So here's a fascinating interpretation of golems!

The heartbreaking moment when Maddy learns about her true nature, I just wanted to wrap her in a hug and assure she's just as human as any of us! Her creator/master, Jas, is one aggravating and confusing character. No, actually Marcus, Jas, and Eli are confusing. Their motivation and reasoning is just a shocker, really. I never knew what to expect out of this book. It just kept turning and turning and at the end, I was just left... flabbergasted.

All in all, Will Taylor was my favourite character. He's so sweet and and true gentleman. Oh and Marcus.. Marcus, Marcus, Marcus..! He's just...! I really love what Jodi did with his character! Yes, I got extremely confused throughout the book about Marcus, her supposed brother, but it made sense. It had me going: 'YES. I GET IT NOW!' because it was just such an ingenious twist to the book!

It was a such pleasure to read this book, to be introduced to this new way of looking at clay creatures. I think this will be one of those book I'll end up thinking about in the middle of class, contemplating the way I look at things now. I can't wait to see else Jodi has up her sleeve!

Review also posted on The Book Barbies.

[Shellie Sukhakanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first read the synopsis I knew that this would be something that I would enjoy, it had me at "Mute, heartless, and tormented by auditory hallucinations". I was instantly drawn in once I started reading it. This was something that I hadn’t read before and I loved the story line. There was mythology in there but nothing that threw me off or drew away from the story for me (basically if you’re like me with barely any mythology behind you, you’ll still get this book!)

Madeleine "Maddy" is a mute who has to be tied to her bed every night to not escape her home, she hears a voice calling to her every night and cannot fight nor disobey it. Every night she fights her brother, Marcus, to go to the voice. One night Marcus unties her and cast her out with just their father's coat, pen and notepad, and a necklace. Maddy quickly runs in the direction of the voice that is and has been calling to her and what she finds is not a boy or man but a stag. A talking stag that not only she can hear but he is the only one who can hear her.

Jodi has created this magical world where gods, titans, magic, and the titans "puppets" as they are called all live together. I loved learning the history of Maddy, her past, and what she has the potential of doing. Everyone knows what Maddy is capable of so now she must figure out who she should trust, who is really on her side, and who is using her for their own purpose. She may not have a heart or soul but the choices that she makes sure makes it seem like she does.

The plot was paced perfectly, not getting too much information at once and all the questions that I had were all answered throughout the book leaving me nothing but satisfaction. There was action and love in all the right places. I never saw what was coming next and the ending left me in shock (good, not bad). Every major decision in Titan Magic was done out of love. I was so wrapped into this story I got through it in just hours and found myself being pulled back to it each time that I would try to put it down (yep, even when I was quarantined in my room and felt like death).

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book from the author for an honest review.

Alright. So when I decided I wanted to read this, I thought it would have something to do with Greek mythology with the whole Titan thing. Reasonable guess, right? And the cover is really pretty. (That plays into my picks more than I would like to admit.)

And at the beginning, I liked the book. It was strange, but kind of suspenseful and thrilling. I liked trying to puzzle things out. But the longer the book went on, the less I wanted to be reading it. I felt that it got too confusing. I started noticing the setting (or lack thereof) more. I started finding it difficult to sympathize with the characters (but I'll get to that more in a minute).

I think that generally, it's an interesting concept. Maddy is mute and relies on her family to keep her safe from the voice in her head that tells her to do things. (I'm avoiding spoilers, but it does get more interesting from there.) It's when the story started reaching its last 20% or so that I started seriously losing interest. There were too many plot twists that just didn't feel right. They didn't make sense. Of course, they make a little more sense looking back, but something still feels off.

And I quickly realized I had issues with the characters and, perhaps the main plot point in the story. I actually can't entirely blame the story for this. See, in the middle of reading this story about a girl who obeys everything the voice in her head says, I ran across the #yesallwomen trend on Twitter and it started making me sick to read about Maddy. After reading all those real stories of women who gave in to men because they had no other choice, I couldn't stand to read about Maddy being in the same position. It horrified me. And by that point, I just wanted to be done.

So, you see, I can't entirely blame the book. And I don't. It's just that reading it at this point in my life, right now, I give it 2 stars. It was ok. It wasn't great for me. Had I not found those Twitter confessions, I would probably give it 3 stars.

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

This, and other reviews can be found on my blog Just a Lil' Lost

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ (3.5/5 stars)

Madeleine is a mute, having never been able to speak. She is hidden away by her family, strapped to her bed in the night to prevent her from wandering off as she follows the voice she constantly hears in her head calling for her. When her brother banishes her out of the house, she wanders the woods before encountering mysterious and somewhat intimidating company.

I enjoyed that the premise of Titan Magic was really unique. Lamm has fleshed out the origin and history of her characters quite well, creating a realistic world of fantastical elements. She has developed a world of titans and golems, filled with a rich back story with intrigue and ulterior motives.

That being said, I had a challenging time trying to picture what each of the characters looked like. I felt that sometimes the physical descriptions didn't match their mannerisms or behaviour, which made it a bit difficult to buy the idea that so-and-so was doing this or saying that. In particular, I found many of the male characters in Titan Magic to be on the creepy side. With the comments and actions made towards Madeleine, regardless of their age or relationship to the girl, the dynamic left me feeling a bit uncomfortable for her. Another pivotal moment in the book felt a bit left askew where - without giving away major spoilers - Madeleine is to summon for help with the next time she "says" a certain person's name, however his name comes up several times without anything happening, as if the story's forgotten that important plot point.

It's been a while since I've read a full-on fantasy-genre book, often favouring ones that are a blend of realism with fantasy/paranormal elements. Despite my previously mentioned challenges, I did really enjoy the story. The characters will keep you guessing till the end as to their motives in this well-paced novel by Lamm.

[Christie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tonight, no matter what the voice said, Madeleine Lavoie would not listen to it, she would not sympathize with it and, most importantly, she would not obey it.

Madeleine Lavoie is mute. Though she has long conversations in her head, her family cannot hear what she says. Her only memories are of the last 3 years. Every night she is tormented by a voice calling to her. Her mother and brother tie her to the bed every night and keep her hidden from sight. But, one night, her brother sends her away and she tries to find the source of the mysterious voice that she cannot resist.

This was a book I received for free from the author for participating in a reading challenge a few years ago and never read. I wasn't sure what to expect, I had never read anything by the author or even read the synopsis of the book. It was an interesting read, but for the most part fell a little flat for me. The first part of the book is extremely slow. We learn about the world through Maddy's eyes and its a bit frustrating since she knows very little about the world. Because of this, the first part of the book goes extremely slowly and is quite confusing.

The other characters in the book are also all over the place. There's lots of magic and possession and spells going on here, so you never actually know the characters really. Some of the magic and the way it affected relationships and feelings was a bit problematic for me (although at least in the case of James, I am not the only one who finds the whole thing a bit icky). The end of the book picked up the pace quite a bit and I did find myself becoming more interested in the world at large and what was going on. I do have the 2nd book in the series as well, though I am not sure if I will read it or not, but the ending of this one does tempt me to pick that one up.

If you are looking for an original fantasy story and don't mind a lot of magic affecting thoughts and feelings of characters you might enjoy this one more than I did.

[Isabel (The Reader & The Chef) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored Titan Magic!

It's a very charming book, a little on the bittersweet side though. I'm really glad that I got the chance to read it. I hadn't, for a long time, read a book like this one, so unique and interesting. And because of this, I'm finding it quite hard to make a review that will satisfy completely my thoughts about it so I guess I'll just tell you a little bit of what this story is about:

So, first of all, we are talking about magical creations in the form of humans that come to life thanks to a Titan, they are called golems. These golems have no soul of their own. However, they do have owners (masters) that can control them and are bound to them as guardians. The golems can feel everything that their masters feel, including when they are in danger.

Maddy, the lead character, is unaware that she is a golem, believing that she has been human all her life. From the moment she finds out, she desperately wants to find a way to get a soul. Her creator/master/Titan is in love with her and is determined to protect her which doesn't come easy due to the fact that he is expected to erase her, and in some way, his nature is forcing him to do that. Although, there is another guy who would make sure that doesn't happen (*cough*her pretend "human" brother *cough*)...

Full of wonderful characters, Titan Magic is a very enjoyable read! The only but I could say about this book is that I found it a bit confusing sometimes, I had to pay close attention to get some parts of the book, but other than that, thumbs up!!

Thank you so much to Jodi Lamm for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. You can also find this review at The Reader and the Chef.

[Jessica at Book Sake · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book goes to show that you don’t need a big publisher to write a big story. The first night I picked up this book I only had time to read the first two chapters, but I would have continued reading if sleep wasn’t needed. The writing is fantastic throughout. The characters all have their own stories to tell, each one just as mysterious as the last. This is a fantasy novel that also focuses on the characters and the way each separate being works, feels, and lives. I love my characters and Lamm has written a number of great ones that I would love to see more of. I think that if the story continues (there’s always room to continue, right???) there can be even more character development which would have made the book even better. While some back stories were told on the pertinent characters, I wanted even more, I can’t get enough of knowing what makes each one tick. In the beginning I also had to question what a Titan really was. (I’m apparently not up to par on the mythology behind it…it seems I started with the Olympians, which defeated the Titans by the way.) So I was a little lost as I didn’t know what was being referred to. Either way, the writing was clear and well planned out; the story flowing easily from one thing to the next. Definitely worth picking up and giving a read, I’ll be happy to read future books by Jodi Lamm as well.

Reviewed by Jessica for Book Sake.

[Cat · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started out very promising; the mysterious Maddy suffering from a voice in her head..but unable to communicate vocally. The story moves fairly quickly from there, but unfortunately just gets more and more confusing. Although Maddy is unable to speak, to some, her thoughts can be heard. As the reader, it gets a bit confusing trying to differentiate how the other characters are "hearing" her. So: some can hear her thoughts, some can read her lips, some can just guess what she means by logical thinking and/or body language, and others just have to read what she writes...

The characters are quite tangled up in their relationships with each other. There are only a handful of characters to begin with, but for the most part the all know each other well, anyway. I also felt like the author tried to hint at certain relationships (i.e. intimate or not), but it was just so vague to me, I didn't get it.

Maddy was a decent character - she's lost and confused, and lonely. Then she finds out that everything about her has been lies. Her journey to discover her "voice" (among other things) can be heartbreaking at times. Unfortunately I just didn't really connect to her...I didn't get her reasonings or her thought processes.

[Cecilia (rather barefoot than bookless) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book was absolutely fantastic! First of all I loved the story, the magic about it, the creatures in it! How did she came up with this idea when everyone else is writing about angels, vampires and fairies, I have no idea but it works! If you want to read something unique, this is definitely something for you!

This book is not about the superficial, not at all. The author does not really tell us much about what the characters look like but you will get a sense of it. This story is about humanity, love, friendship, loyalty and trust.
Madeleine is searching for her voice but she is also searching for her humanity and the ability to love and be loved for who she is and not be judged by what she is. All the characters in this book is lovable in some way and at the same time you get really mad at them sometimes. It is hard to decide who is the good one of the guys Will, Jaz and Marcus. I guess they all have their moments and will have your interest till the very end. This story is really beautiful and complex and the ending is unexpected and great and confusing at the same time. I really loved this book and I truly recommend this book with my whole heart!

[Amara Luciano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: Perfect Bed Partner
Source: Jodi Lamm

my thoughts in a few sentences: Coming highly recommended from Misty at The Book Rat and Erin at Tales of the Inner Book Fanatic, Titan Magic by Jodi Lamm reads like a fairy tale embedded in this organic world of magic. It’s chaotic and powerful and meaningful, rich with characters that harbor their scars and flaws in a way that’s not hidden, but also not proud. Titan Magic by Jodi Lamm is about acceptance and the varying shades of love, and what it means to love and how the very feeling can define humanity in a person. I was blown away by the mythology, the themes, and every single character compounded together to make this story so wonderful.

Full Review on My Blog »

[Star · Rating 3 out of 5]

Madeleine Lavoie has only her brother and mother since her father died. She remains hidden from the world, never speaking, called Mute Maddy or Mad Maddy. Yet her inability to speak isn’t by choice and she hears someone calling out to her in her mind. When her brother kicks her out, she must discover the source of the voice and her own destiny. TITAN MAGIC is based on an ancient and unusual premise, written for a YA audience and even adult readers. I felt for Maddy, not knowing who she was or why she is the way she is, journeying to discover the truth about herself and the situation she finds herself in. A pawn of many factions, Maddy doesn’t know who to turn to. My favorite characters were Maddy and Will, but I also felt deeply for Marcus by the end of the story. TITAN MAGIC is beautifully written with delicately intricate world-building and authentic characters.

[Beccabooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK so i was really excited to read this book. i have heard amazing things and i was really looking forward to it. i have had it for many months and decided this was the time i was going to read it. i was really disappointed in it. The writing was good and i really enjoyed the journey of finding out who Maddy(the main character) was and what she was. but other than that........ i did not like that every minute she was with a different guy. One minute she's with one guy and you turn around and she's with another. i understood it. but i didn't like it. there was so many twists and turns and even though i enjoy books with twists and turns but i couldn't stand the amount this author put in. I wanted to like it and even though i liked certain parts of it i couldn't like it as a whole.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is really unique. There are times I felt completely lost, but would find my way quickly. There are things I question, but who doesn't when they read a book. My heart goes out to this young girl and it makes you want to read more to find out what happens. She is strong and she will find her way, it makes you love her all the more.
There are a lot of characters in this book and each one is so different from the other, it makes you think the author was purposely trying to make them so different, they must have tried a million scenarios for these characters.
There is definitely a lot going on but you will find it makes sense and it's a great read for teens.