The Woken Gods by Gwenda Bond - Ashley's Pre-Reading

*I received this book as an eARC from Angry Robot/Strange Chemistry on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

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Title: The Woken Gods
Author: Gwenda Bond
Year Published: 2013

Synopsis: The more things change…

Five years ago, the gods of ancient mythology awoke all around the world.

The more things stay the same…

This morning, Kyra Locke is late for school because of an argument with her father.

Seventeen-year-old Kyra lives in a transformed Washington, D.C., dominated by the embassies of divine pantheons and watched over by the mysterious Society of the Sun that governs mankind’s relations with the gods. But when rebellious Kyra encounters two trickster gods on her way home, one offering a threat and the other a warning, it turns out her life isn't what it seems. She escapes with the aid of Osborne "Oz" Spencer, a young Society field operative, only to discover that her scholar father has disappeared with a dangerous Egyptian relic. The Society needs the item back, and they aren't interested in her protests that she knows nothing about it or her father's secrets.

Now Kyra must depend on her wits and the suspect help of scary Sumerian gods, her estranged oracle mother, and, of course, Oz--whose first allegiance is to the Society. She has no choice if she’s going to recover the missing relic and save her father. And if she doesn't? Well, that may just mean the end of the world as she knows it. From the author of Blackwood comes a fresh, thrilling urban fantasy that will appeal to fans of Neil Gaiman, Cassandra Clare, and Rick Riordan.

Why?: I love fantasy novels, I love when ancient mythology is mixed into present-day scenarios (or future dystopian scenarios), and I'm a huge fan of Rick Riordan's books. And then there's the fact that I've never been disappointed by a Strange Chemistry novel... So I definitely had to give this one a read. Even if I have no clue who or what the Sumerian gods are. Are they the Egyptian gods? I guess I'll find out.

Expectations: I expect something along the lines of the Percy Jackson, except that the gods are more prevalent and Kyra isn't a demigod. I mean, she might be, but I don't get that from the description. I think there will be quite a bit of mystery and adventure, and a lot of self-discovery for Kyra. Also, I think she'll spend a pretty decent chunk of time hiding from the Society of the Sun, and probably discover something important about them. 

Judging a book by its cover: I kind of really like this cover. I like that there are Egyptian things and gods on it, and that the Eye of Providence is there. Because of all the Egyptian references, I would probably pick this book up if I saw it on a shelf in a bookstore or in a library. It's different from most YA book covers out there right now, and I can appreciate that.


--Ashley