Each decade, Sol selects the ten most worthy semiodioses to compete in The Sunbearer Trials, a set of high stakes challenges that will have its winner carry the light and life to all the temples in Reino del Sol and its loser sacrificed to refuel the Sun Stones that protects Sol for another ten years from things lurking in the dark. Teo, a 17-year-old trans son of the goddess of birds, and thus a Jade, isn’t worried about being chosen. The trials are for heroes and Jades aren’t those. But then, for the first time in over a century, Sol chooses not one, but two semidioses: a 13-year-old child of Mala Suerte named Xio…and Teo. Now they must compete in five dangerous trials against opponents who are far more powerful and trained for this, or face the fatal consequences of losing.

This is the queer The Hunger Games meets Percy Jackson that is going to take readers’ hearts by storm, I guarantee it. Thomas creates a vivid world that feels almost seamless. There’s no info-dumping that might drag down the pacing, instead, new information about the places Teo gets to visit is given peu a peu, which I love especially in high fantasy. All the cities are a mix of modern elements and old glamor and while there are nods to real life (social media and celebrity life), it is well balanced with the magic that keeps their world thriving, such as the highly powerful Sol Stones. Altogether, this mix of mythology, modernity and magical abilities made for one hell of a ride.

While I admit that I sometimes had trouble distinguishing the characters from each other (there’s a huge cast of characters and of course there isn’t time to flesh out everyone completely especially since this is a duology), I loved how we got to see characters bond and squabble and actively try to sabotage others. There are definitely a few characters in the book you’ll love to hate while others turn out to be potential friends that you might not have guessed would be helpful.

The highlight of this story is of course The Sunbearer Trials. From the harrowing challenges the chosen ones have to face to the unlikely alliances—and downright villainous acts of other competitors—that are created, every trial felt more dangerous than the last one. I loved the way the media sensationalised the trials and how Teo’s role in the competition engendered character growth. The trials are a horrible practice and always end with someone being the sacrifice and this barbaric tradition has never sat right with Teo—and that doesn’t change even as he fights for his own survival. There is also so much camaraderie and support between Teo, his best friend and another competitor they chose to take under their wing (pun intended) that adds so much to the stakes of the trials. Other characters that are introduced also play huge roles in the way Teo sees not only himself but his entire existence as a Jade and I loved how that added to the story. We also have a bit of a childhood friends to rivals to …maybe something more than friends teased between Theo and Aurelio which I was so here for. There’s also a few twists and turns and I found myself rooting for different outcomes throughout the story, yet couldn’t have predicted where the novel ends up going.

Thomas also adds so much inclusion and diverse representation without making it the focus of the story which I absolutely loved—we need more representation where queerness is totally the norm and here we have it— from fluid gender and sexuality representation and Sol’s genderless presence to a nonbinary villain and our main character Teo whose transition isn’t so much the focus as him binding his wings for much of his teenhood because of the dysphoria they initially cause. There’s also so much rich culture discussed in this story that I couldn’t do it justice by merely listing it here. All I can say is that it’s a rich tapestry that will have you compelled to flip the pages even faster.

The climax of the story is as intense as it gets and with a plot twist that is much a surprise as it is a betrayal, I’m itching to see how it all wraps up in the second part of this promising duology.

Percy Jackson meets The Hunger Games in this queer adventure in which teen semidioses compete in a series of challenges to safekeep their world. With high stakes, intricate mythology, vivid worldbuilding and a riveting cast of characters all spearheaded by snarky Teo, this book is perfect for fantasy readers young and old alike!

The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas is a fun story about dioses, diosas, and semidioses. These children of the gods are placed in a competition called the Sunbearer Trials. As a Jade semidios, Teo has to attend the opening ceremonies out of obligation, but would is not worried about being selected to participate since that “honor” is bestowed upon Golds.
Spoiler alert:

Teo is a Jade semidios. He is the son on of the goddess of birds, though he hides his own wings under a binder to keep them, literally, under wraps. I really enjoyed seeing the initial parallels between Teo’s binder for his wings as a metaphor for trans kids who wear binders. As with Thomas’ work, it is refreshing to have positive trans stories out in the world.

Great story with a nice twist/surprise at the end which leads right into a sequel. Too bad we have to wait for that to come out!

So much fun! The rep, the story, and the colorfulness of this world was awesome! I really liked the myths and legends all woven inside-even if they were loosely made up. The idea of trials is always fun and this was very well-executed.

As soon as I saw news of this book being Hunger Games meets Percy Jackson, I HAD to read it!! The story telling was amazing, this new world that Aidan Thomas has created is filled with wonders and evils that is so refreshing to read about. The Sunbearer Trials had me itching to get to the next trial and so on, it was a very entertaining book and I loved it!

Thank you, NetGalley for the E-Arc!
I have been an Aiden Thomas fan for a while; I've read his books before in the past and this definitely lives up to my expectations. This book follows Teo as he and his friends try to survive the Sunbearer trials. This is a battle royale story where all of the characters are simultaneously trying to win and become the Sunbearer as well as to not be last. Last place means becoming a sacrifice to protect the world. I flew through the story and there were parts that I just died laughing. the part where Teo is talking to birds it's just so entertaining and I actually had to pause and collect myself.
I also really liked the twist at the end however I do wish it was a little bit less obvious. I feel like I guessed it pretty early on and wish there was a little bit more redirection but I definitely still enjoyed it. Overall I think this was a wonderful start to the series and I cannot wait to read the next one.

The Sunbearer Trials is the first book in a new duology by Aiden Thomas. This is a enthralling read based on Mexican mythology that follows 17-year old Teo, semidios of Quetzal. Every decade the Sunbearer Trials occur and ten semidoises are chosen to compete for glory and the honor of protecting their world. The winner will be crowned the Sunbearer, and will reignite the Sun Stones to ward off the evil Obsidians. The loser, becomes a sacrifice that will keep the Sun Stones lit until the next Trials.

The world that Thomas has created in this book is so interesting, it is vibrant and alive. It has been a long time since I have wanted to live in a book, but I would definitely want to live in this one. Not only that but all the characters are so dynamic and work so well in this world. Thomas was also able to succeed where some YA authors fail, in that all of these characters actually feel like teenagers, rather than mini adults. The relationships between them are also very well written and believable.

The story itself was so gripping that I had a very hard time putting it down while I was reading. I just wanted to know what happened next. The five Trials are all very interesting and I absolutely had to read all the way through a Trial once I started it. The scenes between the Trials were also very well done and it was a treat to see more of the world and how these characters interact with each other.

I can't wait to read the next one and see how this story ends in the final book!

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

First off, I love Aiden Thomas and I’ve been so ready for this book for AGES. The great world-building. The plot, though honestly I could’ve spent the whole time learning more about the world and different cities because it was all so fun and interesting. I also loved the attention to detail in everything from the food to the clothes.
When it came to character, I loved the MC and his growth (seriously almost cried at THAT scene) and the nuances of all his different relationships. The side characters were also amazing and even though there were 9 other competitors, I still felt like I had a good grasp on each of their personalities.
I am SO excited for the next book as I have many questions and theories that I need answered ASAP!!!

This was my first Aiden Thomas book, and now I really need to go get to The Cemetery Boys.

Teo is a young trans boy, the half-god son of Quetzal, a Jade God in a society where gods are real, and Jades are "lower" than Golds. (Their blood is the color of their god status, which is pretty neat.) The Sunbearer Trials happen once a decade, with one semidios becoming the Sunbearer, and another a Sacrifice, to restore the Sun Stones -- made when Sol sacrificed themself to banish the Obsidian Gods that wreaked havoc on the world. Teo is chosen to compete despite his Jade status, and from there goes through a series of trials.

I really loved the mythology of the book and the world. I wished we could have seen more of the world and the gods themselves, but I'm hoping the sequel gives us that. I loved all of the characters and the depth revealed for a lot of them over time. I thought the connection between Teo and Aurelio was nice, building off of a childhood friendship gone sour. I'm super excited to see where this goes next.

"The Hunger Games" meets "Percy Jackson" in this tremendously fun YA fantasy inspired by Mexican mythology. I had such a blast reading this book! The characters are all endearing dumbasses, the world-building is delightful, and the plot was unbelievably fun! The queer representation was some of the best I've seen, and I can't wait for the sequel!

If you think it would be hard to top The Hunger Games, well, you've never read The Sunbearer Trials! Aiden Thomas is back with an exquisite fantasy-- and best of all, it has queer and LatinX rep! What I loved about this, aside from the adventure of course, was that Thomas made sure to represent LGBTQIA+ in such a positive, normal way. You can be sure each teen will feel seen in this book, and I'm so excited to get this for our collection and recommend it! Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan for the review copy!

Whenever there's any mention of Aiden Thomas and/or Cemetery Boys, the teens I know/work with, light up. This love is for the author's storytelling, the phenomenal queer/trans rep,, the celebration of being Latine, and the joy they pour into their work.

THE SUNBEARER TRIALS offers readers the same immersive world-building, beloved characters, so much wonderful & nuanced queer/trans representation, and joy. My hope is that this story becomes so ubiquitous it replaces The Hunger Games in discussions of plotting novels (and screenplays because The Sunbearer Trials is so visually delicious it should be made into a movie). I'll definitely be using this novel with my creative writing students--for all the reasons listed above and because there are no white people. What a refreshing and *very* needed contrast to most of the books kids have to read in high school.

I had really high expectations about this book after reading that it was like Percy Jackson combined with the Hunger Games. It definitely lived up to those expectations! I loved the mythology. The narration does a great job keeping the reader up to date with the important Gods and their children so there is never any confusion about who is who.

The descriptions of the cities and arenas the kids visited were so well done that they were easy to picture. They all sounded dazzling in their own way, making me really hopeful that this will eventually be made into a movie! The scenes between the trials were great, but I felt myself getting more and more excited to read about the next challenge. Each one was creative and really intense.

The kids chosen for the Sunbearer Trials were all so distinct, which made it easy to keep track of them. It was really interesting to see how Teo's feelings about the privileged Golds changed as he got to know them and their experiences. I think this is an important lesson for teens to read -- that just because someone seems to have an easy life, doesn't mean they actually do or that they're happy at all. So many of Teo's relationships with his "enemies" shifted throughout the book and I can't wait to see where they end up.

Another important lesson was the queer normativity throughout the book. Some of the gods themselves were nonbinary and two of the main characters were trans, having gone through ceremonies to celebrate them finding themselves. It was really well done and I especially appreciated being able to see how Teo approached his transition and how it still impacted him. Everyone was genuinely respectful of each other's pronouns. Not once did one of the enemies use their gender identity against them, which was awesome to see. Too many books rely on queerphobic outbursts to show how cruel it is, but this book does a great job of showing how hard it is to be LGBTQ+ without including harmful language.

I absolutely did NOT expect the ending and I'm already so eager for the next book!!! I need to know what happens ASAP!

Wow this book is beautiful and intense.
Teo was such an eccentric character and i was drawn into the story right away.
I can see this being a new favorite among teens. There is so much going on, that this is something for everyone to like.

A great new teen fantasy read!

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

please allow me to open this review by stating that I am totally biased bc I absolutely love birds and I went feral for this protagonist

Teo is the son of the goddess of birds, Quetzal, and both him and his mom have wings and can talk to birds. they live in a city constructed with birds in mind, so it's far more common to see someone with a lil bird companion than it is to see a stranger without. I was enthralled in this world by like, page 10. I had decided wholeheartedly to preorder this title by page 30. I just couldn't believe how enamored I was with the world Thomas builds in this book.

imho, you'll like this book if you
- like birds. frankly they don't feature as much in the plotline as I was expecting but there's still tons of birds in the bg and (hilarious) avian jokes
- like winged characters. if you've ever been a fan of Maximum Ride or wing!fics you will enjoy this. the preening scene made me laugh bc I would've died to see it back in high school
- are intrigued by other mythologies. the worldbuilding in this book is amazing !!! the pantheon was so interesting and I wanted to know more about literally everyone. I realize the Obsidians are evil but I was dying to meet the god named Chupacabra
- like worldbuilding. this book isn't high fantasy or anything but the worldbuilding is lovely. the descriptions of architecture, cultures, temples, and cities was astounding. the cities basically have patron gods, so each city has a fundamentally different vibe. I loved the goddess of nature's city so much
- liked the Hunger Games but wish the kids would've been more ,,,, kid-like. idk, I really don't think that most teens are just okay with killing other children. in the Trials, the kids all understand that at the end of them someone has to die, and they get quieter and more withdrawn the closer to the crowning they get. I really loved this. it frustrated me in the Hunger Games how casual death had become. in Teo's world, every ten years the 'loser' of the Sunbearer Trials is sacrificed, so it's more normal for them but it is certainly not treated casually
- liked the Hunger Games but wish they would've been more fun. I loved all the different trials the kids went through, esp the temple w/ the punching door and the kraken (??) that lived under the floor grates


p.s. this book is full of amazing rep. I truly don't think there is a single white person, which, as a white person, I was living for. there's tons of queer rep and it's all completely normalized. the sheer idea of the gender confirmation celebrations made my heart ache. and the mention of semidioses being able to have two biological parents of the same sex bc gods don't have to follow biology rules?? absolutely living for it

thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC!

This book was fun, exciting, and inclusive! It has me back aboard the Aiden Thomas train and glad to be here. They have such a clear passion for story-telling and character building; their work can be so refreshing to read.

I can easily see The Sunbearer Trials becoming a new favorite among fans of YA series like The Hunger Games and Percy Jackson. I also think it will be a beacon for young queer people looking to see themselves represented in YA fantasy. The mythology elements were fascinating, and very easy to follow for a reader going in without any prior knowledge.

I’m looking forward to owning a copy of this novel after its official publication, and can’t wait to read the follow-up book(s) that will continue the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Publishing for an advanced epub of this title!

I absolutely adored this!!

The beginning to this duology was stunning. Aiden thomas' world building is always done so well, and I found the mythology very interesting, and the characters were super dynamic and well rounded.

Lots of trans rep, ranging from unlabeled, nonbinary, agender?, and ftm trans rep, and its done SO WELL.

romance is super subtle and low key, but im excited to see where the characters go in book two.

I was absolutely blown away by The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas! The novel takes place in a world where the god, Sol, sacrificed their life to save the world from the evil Obsidian gods. Every 10 years the Sunbearer Trials take place with 10 demigods, who are almost always Golds. The loser of the trials must be sacrificed to protect the world from the Obsidians. Teo, a Jade demigod, is shocked when he is chosen to compete in the trials, but throughout his journey, he realizes things are even more complicated than he initially thought.

While I’ve heard people compare this book to The Hunger Games, I personally loved this book so much more. The trials in the book were inventive and action-packed. I found myself wanting to skip ahead just to see what the results would be. Likewise, I appreciated the fact that the demigods were ranked after each trial, and that those rankings made sense.

On a similar note, I thought the camaraderie in The Sunbearer Trials was phenomenal! Teo develops complex and multifaceted relationships with most of the other competitors, and I adored this human element of the story. Teo, Niya, and Xio were the perfect trio! They truly complemented each other well, and the way that they knew each other’s flaws and still had such a strong friendship was endearing.

One of the aspects I enjoyed most about the book was the queer representation. Teo, the main character, is a trans boy. The way Thomas used Teo’s wings to convey messages about what it’s like to be trans was moving. Additionally, Xio is also a trans boy, and he and Teo connected over their shared experiences and struggles. In my opinion, this connection was so vital to the story, and it shows why more books need multiple trans characters. Having two trans characters converse and connect amplified Teo’s and Xio’s experiences, whereas we might not have gotten that insight if there had only been one trans character.

Similarly, the worldbuilding was fantastic, and I enjoyed the way Thomas made being queer a normalized part of this world. There was both subtle and overt representation of queer people in this book, and we truly need more books like this, especially within the fantasy genre!

Finally, I loved the way I just got lost in this story! You can always tell a great book from a good book because you will lose track of time while reading a great book. I found myself shocked to reach the end of the novel, and obviously disappointed because I want more of this story now! I also laughed out loud a few times throughout the book, and I thought the touch of humor was the perfect addition.

Overall, while The Sunbearer Trials has been compared to other books in the genre, I can certainly say it stands on it’s own and has the potential to become a new classic within YA fantasy. It’s not often that you find a book that seamlessly incorporates queer representation with a compelling story, but that is exactly what this book accomplished!

Happy to say I enjoyed this much more than Aidan Thomas previous novels, which were both fails for me unfortunately. This story was absolutely vibrant, bursting with creative world building and characters that were relatable and lovable. It leaves you wanting more so surely you’ll buy the sequel. I thought the pacing was done well and the character development was realistic and it was obvious the author loves their characters, seeing how they handle them with such care. The representation was phenomenal, it was such a joy to see. The mythology was so interesting and it was incorporated so well into modern times. The only direct gripe I have with this book is the writing style itself. I had the same issue with the authors previous works, I found the writing juvenile and the diction stunted. I can definitely see an improvement from their previous works but the issues i had then remain standing. I think the content of this book is important and well thought out but the writing style definitely ticked off a few notches.

Aiden Thomas is an amazing writer.
They kept me interested the entire book and giving an ending that made me look forward to the second book.
Pretty early on I had a feeling of what would happen toward the end and even though I was right I was still filled with a lot of emotion while reading it.

The Sunbearer Trials is a vibrant, imaginative young adult fantasy with playful teenage wit and heartfelt storylines.

Once every ten years, a new Sunbearer must be crowned in order to fuel Sol’s Sun Stones, magical containers of power that ward off the evil Obsidian gods. Ten teenage semidioses are selected by Sol to compete in The Sunbearer Trials; the winner becomes Sunbearer and the child who ends up in last place becomes an honorable sacrifice.

Teo is a Jade semidios (son of Quetzal, the goddess of birds) and has never worried about the Trials - generally, only the most impressive Gold semidios heroes are selected. He’s ready to cheer on his best friend Niya and hope for the best. But unexpectedly, two Jade teenagers are chosen for this year’s competition … and Teo suddenly has to fight for his life.

The stakes are very high (we’re of course gearing up to the end of the tournament - a sacrifice of the lowest-ranked competitor), but the book generally feels light-hearted and not too intense.

The world is inclusive and queernormative in a way that is so comforting + welcoming to young readers. There’s gender and sexuality fluidity across all the characters, from mortals to the gods themselves. And yet Thomas still covers topics like discovering your identity + gender dysphoria - they’re just discussed within different boundaries (ie. at the start of the book, Teo binds his wings and feels like they are not part of him because they have traditionally “feminine” colorings). I’m SO excited for young readers who may be on their own journeys discovering their identities to experience this writing and feel held and safe. Additional representation includes a deaf character that is a fellow competitor in the Trials.

I found it to be a refreshing take on a concept (gods and their children) that we’ve seen explored in young adult fantasy before. The setup of each dios and semidios and family unit and how gods interacted with mortals felt delightfully new and engaging. While The Sunbearer Trials is Mexican-inspired, Thomas came up with a brand new, very fleshed-out creation story and lineup of dioses. The world-building was SO well done; intricate and creative but very easy to follow.

The descriptive language - of the people and cities and outfits and challenges - was riveting and transformative. Everything came to life before my eyes. I could easily see this as a movie; a show; an immersive theme park world. It was so rich!! I want alllll the art of this.

Teo is a great lead, even when you want to shout at him through the page. He’s age-appropriately frustrating but also incredibly endearing. He’s a very easy person to root for and I can’t wait for his journey to continue during the following books.

In general, I adored how personal and fleshed-out EVERY character was - even when I disliked their actions. There’s also some great development around classism and bringing the “Heroes” down to reality // exploring their flaws and challenges.

I also think this is one of the better-paced YA books I’ve read in a while. The action was fast & engaging, and between the more intense scenes were just the right amount of light-hearted, character-driven moments. I simply couldn’t put this one down.

The tone of the book is quite modern, but with fantastical alternative takes on social media and memes and turns of phrase. Sometimes this was too much for me (it felt like it was trying a bit too hard; and why SO many 2022ish references?) - I don’t know if teenage readers will also roll their eyes or laugh & love them.

But overall ... this was truly excellent. I don’t remember the last time I felt THIS excited about a fantasy world. I’m so excited for the rest of the world to experience The Sunbearer Trials.

PS. I LOVED the “hero cards” included both within the plot of the book and on the author’s website: it was a fun added layer to the experience. I want physical versions!

CW: death, murder, injury, blood, violence, bullying, dysphoria, emotional abuse, child abuse, child death, physical abuse, fire, classism