Ungodly Chaos

by Selma Soren

An action-packed contemporary fantasy for fans of Rick Riordan and Legendborn following a heartbroken girl who accidentally discovers her ex-boyfriend is the descendant of the Egyptian god of chaos and in danger from a deadly plot.

Amira Shah is having a perfectly good, perfectly normal year—until her boyfriend (and hottest boy in school) Kaidan Jaziri breaks up with her on her seventeenth birthday. But Amira is never one to let things go, and after overhearing Kaidan loudly arguing with someone in town, she follows him, only to fall through a portal to the underworld, also known as Duat.

There, she learns the chaotic ex-boyfriend who would endlessly rope her into trouble inherited his impulsive nature from his ancestor Apep, the god of chaos.

Kaidan is intent on solving a spree of murders happening in the human realm. Someone is killing other descendants—and if Kaidan isn’t careful, he might be next. Feeling a mystical pull to Kaidan and the underworld, Amira insists on helping solve the mystery.

Together with Kaidan’s rival and descendent of the sun god, Zain Nailos, they uncover secrets behind Amira’s mysterious connection to the Egyptian pantheon and pursue the clever killer who may have been hiding among them all along.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Mythology, Retellings, Young Adult Fantasy, Romance

320 pages, Hardcover

Published February 17, 2026

Reviews

[Thya (wiltedpages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was SO GOOD please please please tell me there will be more books set in this universe 🤞

[Maia Peters · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick fantasy YA read. About a teenage girl who learns that Egyptain gods and magic are real. When she forms a team with descendants to learn why someone is murdering their kind. It's has a low stakes love triangle however Kaidan the love interest came across as rude, judgemental, and unlikeable for most of the book. The final conclusion could have been more fleshed out.

[Eden]

DNF @46%

I don’t think this is *bad*, but I was critiquing it as I was reading it instead of being lost in the story. The FMC’s voice was sooo repetitive (if I had to read her refer to Kaiden as her ex ONE MORE TIME, I was going to lose my mind), and the plot in general was in a slump where I was at in the book. As soon as she thought of the second guy as “mine” all possessive when she’d known him a few days, I was out. Love triangles? 9/10 times not for me. I hope this book finds success, but it wasn’t to my taste.

[Abigail Singrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A girl teams up with her ex-boyfriend to find out who's killing the descendants of the gods.

Amirah Shah only meant to eavesdrop on her ex but finds herself accidentally falling through a portal to a world she never knew existed. It turns out her ex is the descendant of a Greek god of Chaos and lives part of his time in the underworld, also known as Duat, a fact he definitely didn't share while they were dating. What no one can figure out is how nonmagical Amirah managed to use the portal in the first place. But when Amirah learns of Kaiden's mission to save lives and realizes that his own may in be danger, too, she's immediately all-in on helping with his investigation. It doesn't hurt that Kaiden's rival, the handsome descendant of the son god Zain, is along for the ride.

Amira's wholehearted loyalty brings much to admire, especially as she works to get to know the boy she thought she understood. Amira must square all sides of Kaiden - the adorable boy who lived to make her happy, the cold-hearted boy who broke her heart on her birthday, and the broody, magical boy who's fighting a war she knew nothing about. Kaiden's stubborn rivalry with Zain provided an amusing foil to contrast against the brutal killer they're pursuing.

Compelling stakes, interesting characters and hints of a fascinating broad magical world combine in this promising series opener based on the pantheon of Egyptian gods.

Thank you to the publisher for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Ashley - The Tattered Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

📖𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌📖

𝒰𝓃𝑔𝑜𝒹𝓁𝓎 𝒞𝒽𝒶𝑜𝓈 ʙʏ sᴇʟᴍᴀ sᴏʀᴇɴ

𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: 🥀🥀🥀 ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ 𝟻 ᴇɴᴄʜᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ʀᴏsᴇs

✨ 𝐻𝑜𝑜𝓀✨

ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ᴇx ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴀ ᴘᴏʀᴛᴀʟ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɢʏᴘᴛɪᴀɴ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀᴡᴏʀʟᴅ, ᴀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛʙʀᴏᴋᴇɴ ᴛᴇᴇɴ ᴅɪsᴄᴏᴠᴇʀs ʜᴇ’s ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇsᴄᴇɴᴅᴀɴᴛ ᴏғ ᴀ ᴄʜᴀᴏs ɢᴏᴅ—ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏᴡ sʜᴇ’s ᴛᴀɴɢʟᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴄᴏsᴛ ʜɪᴍ ʜɪs ʟɪғᴇ.

𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌:

ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ sɪᴍᴏɴᴛᴇᴇɴ ғᴏʀ ɢɪғᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴘʜʏsɪᴄᴀʟ ᴀʀᴄ!

𝐸𝓍-𝒷𝑜𝓎𝒻𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓃𝒹 𝒹𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒶 𝒾𝓈 𝒷𝒶𝒹 𝑒𝓃𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽. 𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒹𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝒽𝑒’𝓈 𝒹𝑒𝓈𝒸𝑒𝓃𝒹𝑒𝒹 𝒻𝓇𝑜𝓂 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝐸𝑔𝓎𝓅𝓉𝒾𝒶𝓃 𝑔𝑜𝒹 𝑜𝒻 𝒸𝒽𝒶𝑜𝓈? 𝒲𝑜𝓇𝓈𝑒.

𝒰𝓃𝑔𝑜𝒹𝓁𝓎 𝒞𝒽𝒶𝑜𝓈 ɪs ᴀ ғᴀsᴛ-ᴘᴀᴄᴇᴅ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇᴍᴘᴏʀᴀʀʏ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʙʟᴇɴᴅs ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢʏ, ᴛᴇᴇɴ ᴀɴɢsᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀɴ ᴀᴄᴄᴇssɪʙʟᴇ, ʜɪɢʜ-ᴇɴᴇʀɢʏ ʀɪᴅᴇ.

ᴀᴍɪʀᴀ sʜᴀʜ sᴛᴀʀᴛs ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ɪɴ ᴠᴇʀʏ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛᴇʀʀɪᴛᴏʀʏ: ᴅᴜᴍᴘᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ʜᴇʀ sᴇᴠᴇɴᴛᴇᴇɴᴛʜ ʙɪʀᴛʜᴅᴀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴀɴᴅʟɪɴɢ ɪᴛ ᴡᴇʟʟ. ʜᴇʀ ʀᴇғᴜsᴀʟ ᴛᴏ ʟᴇᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢs ɢᴏ ɪs ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅʀɪᴠᴇs ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴᴄɪᴛɪɴɢ ɪɴᴄɪᴅᴇɴᴛ—ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡɪɴɢ ᴋᴀɪᴅᴀɴ ᴀɴᴅ ǫᴜɪᴛᴇ ʟɪᴛᴇʀᴀʟʟʏ ғᴀʟʟɪɴɢ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴅᴜᴀᴛ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɢʏᴘᴛɪᴀɴ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀᴡᴏʀʟᴅ.

ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ʟᴇᴀɴs ʜᴀʀᴅ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢɪᴄᴀʟ ᴀᴅᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀᴇ.

ᴋᴀɪᴅᴀɴ’s ʟɪɴᴇᴀɢᴇ ᴀs ᴀ ᴅᴇsᴄᴇɴᴅᴀɴᴛ ᴏғ ᴀᴘᴇᴘ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɢʏᴘᴛɪᴀɴ ɢᴏᴅ ᴏғ ᴄʜᴀᴏs, ɢɪᴠᴇs ʜɪs ɪᴍᴘᴜʟsɪᴠᴇ, ʀᴇᴄᴋʟᴇss ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴᴀʟɪᴛʏ ᴀ sᴜᴘᴇʀɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟ ᴇxᴘʟᴀɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ғɪᴛs ɴᴇᴀᴛʟʏ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅʙᴜɪʟᴅɪɴɢ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇᴘᴛ ᴏғ ᴍᴏᴅᴇʀɴ-ᴅᴀʏ ᴅᴇsᴄᴇɴᴅᴀɴᴛs ᴏғ ᴇɢʏᴘᴛɪᴀɴ ɢᴏᴅs ɴᴀᴠɪɢᴀᴛɪɴɢ ʙᴏᴛʜ ʜɪɢʜ sᴄʜᴏᴏʟ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀɴᴄɪᴇɴᴛ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ sᴛʀᴜɢɢʟᴇs ғᴇᴇʟs ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴇɪɴ ᴏғ ʀɪᴄᴋ ʀɪᴏʀᴅᴀɴ—ʙᴜᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ sʟɪɢʜᴛʟʏ ᴏʟᴅᴇʀ, ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴛᴀɴɢʟᴇᴅ ᴇᴅɢᴇ.

ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴇɴᴛʀᴀʟ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ—ᴀ ᴋɪʟʟᴇʀ ᴛᴀʀɢᴇᴛɪɴɢ ɢᴏᴅ-ᴅᴇsᴄᴇɴᴅᴀɴᴛs—ᴋᴇᴇᴘs ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴏᴛ ᴍᴏᴠɪɴɢ. ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀᴋᴇs ғᴇᴇʟ ʀᴇᴀʟ, ᴇsᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟʟʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴋᴀɪᴅᴀɴ ᴘᴏᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴀʟʟʏ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʜɪᴛ ʟɪsᴛ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀᴄɪɴɢ ɪs ʙʀɪsᴋ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀᴡᴏʀʟᴅ sᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ᴀᴅᴅs ᴛᴇxᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɪɴᴛʀɪɢᴜᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴡʜᴇʟᴍɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜɴɢᴇʀ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀs.

ᴀᴍɪʀᴀ’s ᴀʀᴄ ɪs ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʀᴇᴄʟᴀɪᴍɪɴɢ ᴀɢᴇɴᴄʏ. sʜᴇ ʙᴇɢɪɴs ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴍᴏᴛɪᴠᴀᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛʙʀᴇᴀᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ʟɪɴɢᴇʀɪɴɢ ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄʜᴍᴇɴᴛ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ ᴜɴғᴏʟᴅs, ʜᴇʀ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀɴᴛʜᴇᴏɴ ᴅᴇᴇᴘᴇɴs. ʜᴇʀ ɢʀᴏᴡᴛʜ ᴄᴏᴍᴇs ғʀᴏᴍ sʜɪғᴛɪɴɢ ғʀᴏᴍ “ɪ’ᴍ ʜᴇʀᴇ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴏғ ʜɪᴍ” ᴛᴏ “ɪ’ᴍ ʜᴇʀᴇ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀs ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇ.”

ᴢᴀɪɴ, ᴅᴇsᴄᴇɴᴅᴀɴᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜɴ ɢᴏᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴋᴀɪᴅᴀɴ’s ʀɪᴠᴀʟ, ᴀᴅᴅs ᴛᴇɴsɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴀsᴛ. ʜɪs ᴅʏɴᴀᴍɪᴄ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴋᴀɪᴅᴀɴ ᴘʀᴏᴠɪᴅᴇs ʙᴀɴᴛᴇʀ, ᴄᴏɴғʟɪᴄᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪɴᴛs ᴏғ ᴘᴏssɪʙʟᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟɪᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴡʜᴇʟᴍɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɪɴ ᴘʟᴏᴛ.

𝒲𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝑀𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝒩𝑜𝓉 𝒲𝑜𝓇𝓀 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝐸𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎𝑜𝓃𝑒:
✨ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴇᴇɴ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴅʀᴀᴍᴀ ᴅʀɪᴠᴇs ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛᴜᴍ.
✨ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʀɪᴀɴɢʟᴇ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀᴛᴏɴᴇs ᴍᴀʏ ғʀᴜsᴛʀᴀᴛᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀs ᴡʜᴏ ᴘʀᴇғᴇʀ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ-ʟɪɢʜᴛ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ.
✨sᴏᴍᴇ ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢɪᴄᴀʟ ᴇʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴀʀᴇ sɪᴍᴘʟɪғɪᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴀᴄᴄᴇssɪʙɪʟɪᴛʏ.

𝒯𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈 & 𝒱𝒾𝒷𝑒𝓈:
✨ ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢʏ-ɪɴsᴘɪʀᴇᴅ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇᴍᴘᴏʀᴀʀʏ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ
🔥 ᴅᴇsᴄᴇɴᴅᴀɴᴛs ᴏғ ɢᴏᴅs
✨ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴘᴏʀᴛᴀʟ ᴀᴅᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀᴇ
🔥 ᴇxᴇs-ᴛᴏ-ᴀʟʟɪᴇs
✨ ʀɪᴠᴀʟ ʙᴏʏs ᴅʏɴᴀᴍɪᴄ
🔥 ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ
✨ ʜɪᴅᴅᴇɴ ᴅɪᴠɪɴᴇ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ
🔥 ᴛᴇᴇɴ ᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ-ᴏғ-ᴀɢᴇ
✨ ᴇɢʏᴘᴛɪᴀɴ ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢʏ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴍᴏᴅᴇʀɴ sᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ
🔥 ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ ᴡᴏᴠᴇɴ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴍʏᴛʜɪᴄ ᴘᴏʟɪᴛɪᴄs
✨ ғᴀsᴛ ᴘᴀᴄɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴄᴄᴇssɪʙʟᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅʙᴜɪʟᴅɪɴɢ
🔥 sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ғᴇᴍᴀʟᴇ ʟᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴇᴀʀɴɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ᴏᴡɴ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ
✨ ᴅᴜᴀᴛ ᴀs ᴀ ᴠɪᴠɪᴅ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅᴀʀʏ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ

𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉:
𝒰𝓃𝑔𝑜𝒹𝓁𝓎 𝒞𝒽𝒶𝑜𝓈 ɪs ᴀɴ ᴇɴᴛᴇʀᴛᴀɪɴɪɴɢ ʏᴀ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍɪxᴇs ʜᴇᴀʀᴛʙʀᴇᴀᴋ, ᴄʜᴀᴏs-ɢᴏᴅ ʟɪɴᴇᴀɢᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢʏ-ғᴜᴇʟᴇᴅ ᴀᴅᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀᴇ. ɪᴛ’s ᴅʀᴀᴍᴀᴛɪᴄ, ғᴀsᴛ-ᴍᴏᴠɪɴɢ, ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴏᴏᴛᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ɢʀᴏᴡᴛʜ ᴀs ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴀs sᴜᴘᴇʀɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟ sᴛᴀᴋᴇs. ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ᴇɢʏᴘᴛɪᴀɴ ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢʏ, ᴛᴇᴇɴ sᴜᴘᴇʀɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟ ɪɴᴛʀɪɢᴜᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ sᴛᴏʀɪᴇs ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛʙʀᴇᴀᴋ ᴀᴄᴄɪᴅᴇɴᴛᴀʟʟʏ ᴏᴘᴇɴs ᴀ ᴘᴏʀᴛᴀʟ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴇsᴛɪɴʏ—ᴛʜɪs ᴏɴᴇ’s ᴡᴏʀᴛʜ ᴘɪᴄᴋɪɴɢ ᴜᴘ.

ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ!
𝒜𝓈𝒽𝓁𝑒𝓎
ʙᴏᴏᴋsᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ: @ᴛʜᴇᴛᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅᴘᴀɢᴇ

[Cozy Sabie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It was strange, she thought, that a person could look so lost in their own home."

GENRE: YA Fantasy with Egyptian Mythology by a SWANA Author
RATING: 4.5/5
FORMAT: eBook Arc

Overall Impression: Ungodly Chaos truly lives up to the name, from chaotic adventures to being chaotic teenagers living in a chaotic world and I really enjoyed every moment of it!

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Review:
Ungodly Chaos is a YA Fantasy that is set in our world and the underworld, or Duat, is a perfect balance of adventure and understanding who the MCs are as a YA book. I think the adventure was a fun, fast paced story that kept me hooked till the end of it and I wanted to see what would happen next.

We get to meet Amira and the story is mainly told from her POV but we also get a few chapters from other MCs like Kaiden, Zain and Layla (which I always enjoy as we get to see a different POV from the characters). I loved getting to know more about the different descendants described in the story, though I do wish we got more details on this.

I also really enjoyed the exploration of identity and where we fit in. As teenagers (whether you're early, mid or late teenager), fitting is and finding your place in the world is HARD. We get to see this perspective through Kaiden and Amira, who are both struggling to fit in differently. Kaiden, who has parents from different background (won't share more so as to not spoil anything), struggles with this and it comes across through the story really well. Amira, who has never really fit in anywhere, finds her own place as they go through their adventure together.

I think as a story, this dives into adventure and action while still keeping it realistic for the ages of the MCs, with their focus spread across so many things mentally. We get adventure and some Egyptian Mythology unique to the story. I can't wait to read more from the author, Selma Soren, in the future!

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for the Arc copy!

[Karen Cohn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ungodly Chaos is a fantasy novel based on Egyptian mythology. I really enjoyed this part of the novel - mythology is an interest of mine, and I know very little about Egyptian mythology; this novel explained the mythology it was based on without leaving gaps or expecting people to know more than they did, and that part of it was very well balanced. Amira meets Kaiden, and then Zain, who are Descendants - descended from Egyptian gods, with some inherited powers, and living in Duat, a different dimension, coming to Kemet, our world, for various reasons. In this case, they're looking for whoever is killing other Descendants and taking various body parts from the murder victims; Amira overhears a conversation between the two, then follows them through a portal from Kemet to Duat, thus involving herself in the investigation.

However, there is also rather more high school dating drama than I really appreciated; Amira spends most of the book trying to process being dumped by her boyfriend Kaiden, but as soon as the chance appears, she hooks up with Zain and all thought of Kaiden leaves her, as if the break-up she had been so obsessed with no longer matters. With that action, Amira ceases to be the independent, self-motivated young woman she had been, and becomes a trope: the woman at the center of a love triangle. Add to that Zain and Kaiden are so similar that it's hard to remember which is which when they interact with Amira, and I had to reread part of it to realize that she'd switched boyfriends, and it detracted from the story, at least for me.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Zachary Lupeamanu · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing Selma Soren's debut novel, I'm convinced that her writing is capable of sweeping even the most resistant of minds into a vivid and active imagination. Her environmental writing—situating her characters (along with the reader) in the world—successfully enchants through succinct, poetic descriptions. She requires only two or three sentences to cause the real world to drip away and for her created world to take its place.

When things get violent, Soren isn't afraid to take the reader's hand and bring us close to the action. When her heroes swipe their blades through the air and dodge magical attacks, you may feel an evolutionary urge to duck for cover.

This story is an exciting whirlwind that wastes no time kicking into high gear.

Just as Amira Shah falls into the realm of Ancient Egyptian religion, so does the reader, creating an immersive social structure for the protagonist and audience to explore together. Fans of The Lightning Thief and the rest of the Percy Jackson series should pick this up and giving it a shot.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this but it was just ok. I liked the idea and getting back into the Egyptian world. I actually wanted more time and knowledge from there than we got. The breakup between the two main characters and then the "love triangle" that was painfully forced on us felt like it was more important. It didn't feel equally fleshed out.

At the beginning I was hoping we would get another POV from Kaiden because, man, he was a piece of work. I felt like there was something we were missing. As I read on, I saw we were only getting Amira POVs. But then suddenly, 50% of the way in, we randomly start getting new POVs from Kaidan and Zain. However, there was no warning so I was initially confused. It didn't feel seamless.

I liked Zain a lot. And Layla. Maybe there will be another book about them? Because I don't see myself wanting to read more about Kaidan and Amira. And Taz!! I always want more cat :)

As for the murder, and once we found out who was behind them, I didn't understand why they were doing what they did. The stakes never felt too high, more like an afterthought.

All in all, it was genuinely a fast, fun read. But I was left with more questions than answers and don't really need them anyways.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy!

[Anne Fiewig · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️

adventurous, tense, medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Thank you Simon Teen for sending me an eARC for an honest review!
I was really drawn to this book when I read about the Egyptian god powers.
That's something I don't see a whole lot in books and was excited to read more about! While I think the concept for the book was really interesting, I didn't love it. It felt too rushed and too slow at the same time. Much of the book felt like it was constantly recapping something that just happened since there were so many characters to keep track of. I also think that having the characters in high school was a big disadvantage since they got so much freedom without any consequences for most of the book and then randomly having an upset parent for them disappearing for days.
Overall the book felt muddy and not 100% thought through. I think if this had been spread out into a duology there could have been a more consistent and stronger storyline.

If you are interested in Percy Jackson, love triangles, and ancient Egyptian gods, this may be the book for you!

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ungodly Chaos by Selma Soren follows Amira Shah, a seemingly normal teenage girl, who stumbles upon a mystery involving her mysterious ex-boyfriend. Cue a magical world involving the descendants of Egyptian gods and an adventure into the underworld.
I was very excited to jump into this story after seeing the cover and reading the blurb. However, there were a few things that could have made the story more intriguing. The overall plot idea was great but there were instances where the pacing did not follow through. Also, there were times where the FMC was overly focused on her exboyfriend and it may have detracted from the focus on her. A sprinkle of another love interest fizzled before given a chance, not much world building and quick climax at the end tied everything into a neat bow.
I did enjoy the character interactions and thought that there were so many more facets to this new world that we could learn about. Overall, this story has such potential and I look forward to seeing it.

Netgalley eArc courtesy Simon & Schuster, Margaret K Mcelderberry - Simon Teen

[Halcyon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating 3.5 Stars

If you're a fan of mythology, or even a Rick Riordan fan, then this book is right up your alley. Ungodly Chaos is about a girl who discovers that Egyptian mythology is REAL and someone is killing descendants of gods before her eyes. This would be super cool, except for the fact that her ex-boyfriend is one of these descendants and now she must work together with him (and the descendant of a sun god) to find out who's behind these murders.

I'm a big fan of the subtle queerness in this story. It wasn't a main point in the plot, but it was discussed amongst many characters how they thought other people were attractive. It wasn't a dramatic scene. It wasn't a shock to the other characters. It was normal, which is exactly what queer attraction should be in books.

I definitely recommend this book for people wanting to get into different mythology books. It does a very good job at introducing you to the different Egyptian gods and the world they belong to.

Thank you, Simon Teen, for this ARC!

[sunny_reads_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - I will never get tired of books about teenage demigods.

After Amira accidentally follows her ex to the Egyptian underworld, finds out he’s a demigod, and is informed all of the myths she grew up hearing are true, she refuses to go back to her old life and forget what she’s just learned, so when she overhears a conversation talking about how multiple descendants of the gods are turning up dead in her town, she stubbornly teams up with her ex and his rival to try and stop the killer and find out what’s really going on.

This was a fast-paced, quick read which kept me engaged throughout. My only complaint is that the characters didn’t feel as fleshed out as they could’ve been, resulting in a disconnect from the reader and them. I also wish the story would’ve dived deeper into the world itself, but regardless, this was still a fun Egyptian-inspired fantasy book which could easily get you out of your reading slump.

Thank you Simon Teen for the review copy.

[Elsa L · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book. We meet Amira who is nursing a broken heart while going to high school. Her boyfriend breaks up with her on her birthday. Kaidan you are Soulless. But then one day, she sees Kaidan talking with a group of boys she has never seen before and they disappear through a portal. So of course, she junps after them and everything Amira knew changes.

Her ex turns out to be a descendant of an Egyptian god and he is trying to solve the murders of descendants happening in the world. So Amira joins in the hunt for this serial killer. My absolute favorite part of this book is how deep into Egyptian mythology this book takes you. I very much appreciate the learning I’ve gotten by this book about this culture. And then of course, the diverse representation.

[Kaitlyn Lopez-Collier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Simon Teen for the arc!!

This was such a fun and fast paced read. Seventeen year old Amira’s boyfriend breaks up with on her birthday and she follows him into a portal to Duat and learns the Egyptian gods are real. Someone is murdering all the descendants of the gods and she has to team up to figure out who it is and to stop them. The story has brilliant imagery, magic, complicated romance and betrayal. I especially loved the shape shifting. If you love Egyptian mythology, you’d really enjoy this read!

[Demri Redmon]

Selma Soren’s UNGODLY CHAOS is a spectacular contemporary fantasy. I thoroughly enjoyed Soren’s writing voice and I was so impressed with how Soren weaved Ancient Egyptian mythology into contemporary teenage experiences. UNGODLY CHAOS was suspenseful & kept me on the edge of my seat while being well-developed & intriguing. The cast of characters was delightful as well. I highly recommend this book for fans of contemporary fantasies and Egyptian mythology. This is an incredible debut from Soren! Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Andi · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐.5 | 3.5 rounded down

This was a really fun read that was hard for me to put down! The plot was engaging from the start and the world-building is really well fleshed-out.

I would have loved to see more showing instead of telling in this book. Certain phgrases also got very repetitive at points ("my ex-boyfriend" for example) which took me out the story at times.

Overall, this series has phenomenal potential and I'm very excited to see where it'll go.

Thank you to Simon Teen for the ARC!

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this world and the way this felt like Percy Jackson, but a little bit older. I love the world building and the way the Egyptian Gods have essentially passed down their powers and life force over time. The main thing that brought this down from 5 stars was the number of times the FMC said “my ex.” It was an excessively high number of times and it got annoying, unfortunately. I want more of this world though! I could see how these characters could continue or more characters could be explored.

Thank you to @simonteen for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

[Deirdre Megan Byrd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ungodly Chaos by Selma Soren definitely lives up to its title, this book is chaotic in every sense. The premise hooked me right away, and I loved the bold, high-stakes energy that kept things moving. Some twists genuinely surprised me, but a few plot turns felt rushed, which made it hard to fully connect with the emotional moments. Still, it was an entertaining ride with plenty of drama and intensity. Not perfect, but definitely a fun, wild time.

[snazzy pen ✰ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Current rating: 3 stars??

A quick read that helped me out of my short-lived reading slump. Despite this, it did feel very repetitive at times and I also didn't like how so many of the characters would just easily accept new info/reveals?? Ultimately a forgettable read for me, so I don't really have any strong feelings, good or bad.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story. It was a Egyptian myth filled modern murder mystery with high stakes. I hope we see more novels following the main characters about there time in Duat.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for early access to this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

[Emma]

I worked on this book, so no rating! It's great for readers who grew up on Percy Jackson and Aru Shah and like a blend of contemporary and fantasy.

[Fanna]

more stories involving the egyptian pantheon

[Amanda Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay I couldn’t put this book down! I was hooked from the beginning!

[JXR · Rating 5 out of 5]

quick, fun, and effective fantasy story with a sort of Riordan-y vibe, although it's a bit lighter. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

[Jamie Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Coming Soon!

[RachelZ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Characters: 3.75⭐️
Setting: 3.50⭐️
Plot: 3.75⭐️
Themes: 3.00⭐️
Personal enjoyment: 3.50⭐️
Emotional Impact: 3.00⭐️
Overall rating: 3.50⭐️

Amira falls through a portal, following her ex-boyfriend Kaidan into the Egyptian underworld known as Duat where she pulled into a world of Descendants, ancestors of the Egyptian gods. She discovers that there are Descandants being murdered and she joins with Kaidan to discover why they are being killed to prevent more killings from happening.

I think the concept was cool, and its felt very much like an older-aged Rick Riordan book. I loved the idea of the Descendants of Egyptian gods and the mystery around the killings, however, this read very YA at points and there was repetitive characterizations. Like how many times can one mention that Kaidan is Amira's ex? Like that became his defining characteristic that kept standing out to me. It was a fun read and I am interested in seeing where the story goes, but I am not rushing to read it.

Would I recommend this book? Maybe, this is definitely a YA book targeted for a YA audience.

Thank you to Simon Teen for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Cristy (Quinnbook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the perfect YA adventure for lovers of mythology and high stakes. Amira Shah is your typical teenage, unfortunately her boyfriend Kaidan breaks up with her. She of course won’t let it go so she follows him and sees something she shouldn’t. While in town following him, she sees that Kaidan is arguing with someone and then out of nowhere a portal opens.

This portal takes them to none other than the underworld. Amira will learn the hard way just how many secrets her ex boyfriend has. Now they’ll have to work together to discover each other’s ancestors and it’ll be filled with danger and adventure. I am such a sucker for mythological stories and this one definitely was so good. Loved the magic system and how they introduced another possible love interest, highly recommend.

[Sarah ⟡ Tea & Tomes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Simon Teen for the gifted review copies!

I’m always drawn to stories that pull from Egyptian folklore since it’s not a pantheon we see used very often, and this one definitely caught my attention for that reason. The dual-world setup and the unfolding revelations kept things interesting, and there was a lot happening throughout the story.

I also really enjoyed the love triangle between Amira, Kaidan, and Zain. It added tension and emotional stakes that kept me invested.

There’s clearly more to uncover in this world, and I’m definitely curious to see where the story goes next.