Book Review: The Woken Gods - Gwenda Bond

Title: The Woken Gods

Author: Gwenda Bond

Release Date: September 3rd 2013

Publisher: Strange Chemistry

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: ARC from publisher

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

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.

When I first read that synopsis, I knew I'd love The Woken Gods. All that promised mystery, intrigue, and action? This magnificent book didn't just deliver—it surpassed. I may have just read one of my top ten fave books this year.

The first surprise that this book gave me was the mixture of mythologies from various ancient civilizations, making it stand out amongst the numerous YA myth-inspired novels out there. The author executed this story with obvious knowledge that could be observed especially when the gods interacted with each other. That's not something I've seen a lot of in the other books. Also, the idea of relics—divine objects or artifacts that humanity had somehow learned how to use—was just fascinating. For example, there was one called Babel Stone, a chunk from the famous tower that let its user speak any language.

The Woken Gods was made even better by the characters. Kyra, our heroine, was simply admirable; I rooted for her right from page one. She was smart, thoughtful, and honest. She had never imagined the chaos she was about to get into, but when push came to shove, she knew how to play her cards... even against some vengeful and merciless gods.

And then there was Kyra's ragtag group of allies. Her best friends, Bree and Tam, who put her safety before their own. Thanks to, I don't know, teenage hormones, their friendship was complicated and simple at the same time, but they stuck it out together till the end. There were also Oz and Justin, government operatives tasked with watching over Kyra but ended up helping her immensely in her mission. Together, they were practically just a bunch of kids going against elders and gods, but they did what they could with what little they had, setting aside their differences for the greater good. All that without unraveling suppressed superpowers along the way—'cause let's admit it, that's what happens most of the time.

All the interconnecting conspiracies made The Woken Gods a true thriller, but it still had a twisted sense of humor that perfectly fit this twisted book. It was truly unpredictable, and there was a well-developed and swoon-worthy romance to boot. Despite a few slow moments, I was never bored. To sum this up, The Woken Gods is a freaking awesome book that I would definitely recommend to Rick Riordan fans, and oh, who do I have to beg for a sequel? 

MY FAVORITE PART was Kyra riding on Anzu. I may have turned green with envy.

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