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

This book really exceeded my expectations and the comp titles are a very good comparison. This book does read more Percy Jackson than Hunger Games in terms of tone.

This book very much reads as Percy Jackson for older teens, mostly due to the more mature humor (still teen appropriate though) and heavier themes, think like early high school rather than later middle school. The humor could be a bit hit or miss, especially with the pop culture references, but the pace moves so quickly that I honestly didn't care. If I were to compare this book to anything else, the dynamics between Golds, Jades, and mortals gave me big My Hero Academia flashbacks in the best way.

I was initially concerned about the large cast and that characters would start to blend together but each semidios and Diose is so distinct that I had almost no problem with differentiating between the characters. I also was rooting for everyone to survive by the end of the book. This also goes into how much I love the worldbuilding and the attention put into setting. The world was given so much lovely description, I adored the lore especially the opening prologue, and the descriptions are just so vivid. This book also continues the trend of the food descriptions being so good that they actually make me hungry reading them.

The actual tournaments and main plot were so well-paced and plotted out. I loved the progression of reveals in this story leading to the climax. I think the emotional stakes were always very much there. I think the ending both resolved enough that I didn't feel too mad about where it ended while still very much setting up intrigue for the sequel.

Now onto Teo. Teo is my favorite protagonist written by this author to date. I love his strong convictions, the way he shows affection, and his more prankstery attitude. I just really bought into his beliefs and the emotional strength and conviction he had just really made me root for him. I also adored the build up for the romantic relationship in the series and the relationship between Teo and the main "antagonists" of the book.

I also absolutely adored the relationships between the Dioses and their kids and it provided so much intense emotion in this book

Ultimately, the book was surprisingly fun for a book about a death tournament while still having a deeply emotional center. I could not recommend this book enough.

On a smaller note a typo did appear on page 215 where the line says "insulted with feathers" instead of "insulated with feathers"

This was an absolute delight to read. The world was so vivid and colorful. I liked the characters and the relationships between them. The plot was so, so good. I cannot wait to see the sequel for this!!

Aiden Thomas writes some of the most enthralling worldbuilding I've ever had the pleasure of reading. I can't picture things in my brain, but the type of description the author uses really just hits the right spot for me. I'm definitely adding them to my list of "instant buy" authors. The way that LGBT issues are discussed and widely present in this material was wonderful.

I really, really liked this... and I think I'm going to read it again before long. I have it preordered and can't wait to get my physical copy!

This book is super good and I loved it a lot! The diversity and the normalization of LGBTQ+ people was really great and it made me super happy. I can't wait to read this book! I only had one problem, and it was that the characters had computers and electronics and it felt really out of place and wasn't explained within the world. But besides that I really loved the book and thought it was perfect! I can't wait to see what the sequel holds!

I would give it a 4.5 out of 5, but since I can't do that, I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars!

Let's start by saying, this is my first Aiden Thomas book I've read, and I was blown away. This book was described as Percy Jackson meeting The Hunger Games which was not only spot on, but drew my attention so quickly I couldn't read it fast enough! Aiden Thomas creates a beautiful lore-full world, with gods categorized as Gold, Jade, and Obsidian. Their children, the semidioses, must compete against each other to determine who the next Sunbearer will be-- and who will be sacrificed to keep the Obsidians locked away in the sky. The morality and importance of the situation is incredibly fluid, and allows you a view into a world where that line is blurred and crossed in the best of ways.

If you want a fantasy book with high stakes, relatable and heartwarming characters, and fast-paced plot, this is going to be one of the highest recommendations I can give. The ending will leave you wanting more and more from this soon-to-be duology!

Reading for LGBTQIA+ month

I feel extremely bad about this rating, but this is not what I wanted from this book at all. I was promised The Lightning Thief meets The Hunger Games. It was neither of these things. I will say I enjoyed the trans, nonbinary and Latinx rep, and not a whole lot else. Teo was whiny. I'm usually all about enemies to lovers, but Teo/Aurelio were more like former friends to enemies to whatever the f, and I'm not going to stick around to find out what it is. Aurelio's sister is a menace. The "betrayal" was a menace. I will say there are other books I want to try from this author, so it's probably a it's not you it's me kind of situation. I'm not saying don't read it. It wasn't that bad. I just wasn't into it. I see this is listed as YA but it reads very MG. Just a warning.