Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my advanced copy of this book! It is amazing. Aiden Thomas has done it again. I will read whatever they write!!

Best known for Cemetary Boys, a YA standalone fantasy about gay necromancers, Aiden Thomas has stolen my heart with his latest novel. The Sunbearer Trials is the first in Thomas’ new YA duology that follows a trans boy thrust into a competition and is heavily influenced by Mexican culture. If you loved the competition aspect of The Hunger Games series and Throne of Glass, you will absolutely devour this book.

Every 10 years, the Sunbearer Trials are held to ensure that the ruthless Obsidian gods are kept locked away. The winner will bring light to all the Sun Stones while the loser will be sacrificed to provide safety for the next 10 years. Teo, son of Jade god Quetzal, planned to spend his time during the Sunbearer Trials watching from the sidelines with Gold god and best friend Niya. Jade gods haven’t been selected by Sol, the sun god, to compete in the trials for decades. When Teo is chosen to compete with Niya, another Jade, and seven other Golds, Teo is going to have to work harder to avoid ranking last in the competition. Teo and Niya team up to protect Xio, a thirteen year old Jade, from coming in last and being sacrificed. Teo reconnects with a childhood friend turned enemy during the trials and as his feelings for his friend become romantic, it becomes evident that only one can win and that the loser will be sacrificed. Things go awry when someone begins to mess with the competition by making the competitors abnormally violent.

Although this is the first book in the Sunbearer duology, The Sunbearer Trials has cemented this duology as one of the best I’ve ever read. Influenced by Mexican culture and with a mainly queer cast of characters, this book captured my attention almost immediately. Teo, the main character, is trans and the author did a great job of incorporating Two’s struggles with being trans in this fantasy world. Additionally, Xio is also trans and, while not much is known about him, there are a few points in the book where Xio is shown to have gender dysphoria and is in the process of figuring out his identity. Niya gives off strong butch lesbian vibes but also bi wife energy.

Not much is really known about the other competitors since the book is from Teo’s perspective, a Jade god who lives with mortals unlike the Golds who are separated from both Jades and mortals. From what we do see from Teo’s POV, Aurelio, the friend turned enemy and love interest, will do anything to protect his sister and only family that has stuck by him. Auristela, Aurelio’s twin, projects herself as the mean girl when, in actuality, she is really caring and wants her brother to succeed. She is also the person of Nita’s affection and attention. Ocelo, a Gold jaguar shifter, is non-binary and, although they come off as rough at first, they are secretly a cinnamon roll. I’d really love to see more of these side characters in the sequel because it seems likely all the competitors could become really good friends and that some romances could flourish between them (particularly between Teo and Aurelio, Niya, and Auristela, & Marino and Dezi).

I was really intrigued by the mashup that this novel was going to be. Percy Jackson meets Hunger Games sounds fabulous. Unfortunately, I did not find either of these series in this read. The characters did not grab my attention, though I did enjoy the setting. I really wanted more of the setting in the reading of the book, but the nuances of modern language kept bringing me out of the story. This was YA, but much of the characterization felt younger, and it was distracting to have more adult language but with MG characters. Unfortunately, in the end I just did not enjoy this book and won't continue to the sequel.

I loved Cemetery Boys and was so excited for this series and it did NOT let me down!! It’s doing something like the Hunger Games meets Percy Jackson but with Aztec lore and a trans lead (within a diverse cast, too) and it just WORKS so well! The adventure/action bits had me pacing while I was reading, I was so anxious; the characters were all so compelling and unique and interesting; the world building was beautifully done without having to hit us over the head with it too hard. I loved this and think it could really lend itself to a 9th grade ELA class (to go alongside Global 1 curriculum?)
All around, I loved and would recommend this book to any student or educator. Cannot wait for the next book!!! 😭

I haven't read any of Aiden Thomas's other books, but if this book is any indication, I need to check them out! Fast-paced Mexican-inspired fantasy with a main character I couldn't help but root for. I saw it described as Percy Jackson meets Hunger Games, and that is a very apt description. You've got competition and semidioses, strong friendships and hints at maybe romance to come. I look forward to the next book so I can find out what happens next.

Only halfway through the year and I already KNOW this will be my number one favorite book of 2022. I already knew Aiden Thomas was a good writer after loving Cemetery boys and Into the Neverwoods but they have outdone themself. When I heard Percy Jackson meets the Hunger Games I was like hmmm sounds super exciting but really? Really! But better than both. Literally made me love every character, the meme references were so funny, every interaction between Aurelio and Teo had me screaming, the cast is so diverse, and have y'all seen the stunning art of the characters on instagram?? There's trans, nonbinary, sapphic, and deaf characters. I can't wait for book two. This book gave me some emotional damage but it's also full of moments of queer, trans joy.
Tw for child abuse

This review is based on an ARC.

I loved this book, I could not put it down. My inner child was screaming "where was this book when I was younger?!?" I loved how seamlessly Aiden created a world where LGBTQA+ identities could thrive. I want to live in this world. It is a book filled with representation and breathes life to a culture often left in the shadows.

It's hard to put into words how this book made me feel. Every single word had me clinging on for the next, jolting me upward and slamming me back down again.

I've seen countless people say that The Sunbearer Trials is like Percy Jackson meets The Hunger Games. This is true, yes, but it's entirely its own in the best ways. Teo, the MC, isn't a trans Percy or a half-god Katniss. He's Teo, for all of his struggles and depth, and he's magnificent as the main character. I found that all of the characters are so well-written. Side characters that could have easily been one-dimensional means to an end— Marino, Dezi, Ocelo, any of the other competitors in the Trials— really feel personal and autonomous from the author. Aiden Thomas almost makes it too easy to love them all, regardless of fault.

The world building is detailed and vivid. A myriad of communities are built within 400 pages and none feel cheap. I think this is, in part, due to the pacing of narration. Each trial is given the exact amount of time that makes sense for the plot, none feeling too short or too drawn out. I have a bad habit of sometimes reading too quickly through action sequences, but this book had me holding onto every word. Everything written feels necessary, but not bare.

For fans of Aiden Thomas, this will surpass every expectation that you've had of the author, I'm positive of it. I say this as a huge fan of them myself. Cemetery Boys is one of my favorite books, but Thomas has outdone themself with their third book. I cannot wait for more of their supporters to read this one. I often wear my Cemetery Boys merch out in public because I love getting questions about it, and The Sunbearer Trials is just SO good that I'm going to be twice as obnoxious when this merch hits Graveyard Goods.

For those who aren't familiar with Aiden Thomas and their wonderful ability to create magic, this will be the book to make you fall in love. This is the perfect YA fantasy book.

I heard before going into this that it is supposed to be like "Percy Jackson" meets "The Hunger Games" and that could not have been more accurate. The main character, Teo, reminds me of Percy in a few ways, particularly in that they both love mouthing off to the gods in their respective pantheons. The main trio in this book also reminded me quite a bit of the main trio from Percy Jackson, and the way the ending even had some parallels that had me screaming. I'm not sure how much of this was on purpose but I don't care, I absolutely love it either way.

The queerness in this book is beautiful and the way Aiden made it so that being trans is a celebrated part of this fictional world made me so happy. I always love queer books that don't have any queerphobia but I can't remember the last time I read a book where the queerness was written into the world building in such a beautiful and natural way. Aiden made it so that it's not only widely accepted in his book, but widely celebrated among the dioses and semidioses through gender affirming ceremonies without a transphobe in sight. It was so refreshing and the queer joy made my queer heart very happy.

This is the second of Aiden's books that I have read and the second of his books that I have loved enough to give five stars ("Cemetery Boys" being the other). And I will be very (im)patiently waiting for them to release their sequel to the "Sunbearer Trials" and I will be pushing all of my bookseller friends to read it once it's out and pushing it on all the customers coming in

A book that's basically The Hunger Games for demigods? Of course I was gonna give this five stars. When I tell you I could not put this book down. I genuinely have no words to describe how amazing it is. The plot, the pacing, the CHARACTERS oh my gods all of it was so good. I love that there are multiple trans characters and the fact that Sol, arguably the most important dios in this universe, is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns is so special to me. If Percy Jackson is for the people with ADHD and dyslexia, this book is for all the queer, trans, gender non-conforming folks out there. The mythology came alive and I know I'll be thinking about this book for a really long time.

Now, I'm regretting reading it so soon because not only do I have to wait until September to discuss it with people but I have to wait even longer for the sequel! I cannot wait to see what's next for Teo and the rest of the gang. Definitely recommend picking it up when it comes out!

Absolutely obsessed.

You can tell how much the author loves and cares about every single character, to the point where even the secondary characters were memorable and likable-- I would gladly read whole books on every single one of them, honestly. The worldbuilding was amazing-- I would put Reino del Sol very high on the list of fictional places I would love to visit, and that's saying something. I loved the writing, the pacing, the plot, the twists, all of it. I'd say the "Percy Jackson meets The Hunger Games" is actually a pretty accurate description, and it stands up to both of those, but I'd also add some ATLA in there. In particular, anyone who (correctly) thought that Nico di Angelo is trans or that Azula deserved better should read it, tbh.

Also, I feel fully betrayed and personally attacked by that ending, and I already *cannot* wait for the next one.

A new fantasy series perfect for fans of Percy Jackson and The Hunger Games. Aiden Thomas writes another page-turning adventure filled with Mexican folklore and mythology. An exciting journey from start to finish with a diverse and delightful cast of characters. You won’t be able to put this book down.

Thank you NetGalley and Feiwel and Friends for this eARC, the opinions are my own. This book is a masterpiece! I think this is the best fantasy book I think I’ve ever read, definitely the best I’ve read of 2022! Teo is the son of Quetzal diosa of birds, he lives in Reino del Sol where the gods and their children rule and protect the mortals who live there. Sol once created the gods, they first created golds, then jades, then obsidians, and last mortals. Unfortunately the obsidians didn’t like the mortals so Sol sacrificed themselves to stop the obsidians. Every ten years the remaining gods hold The Sunbearer Trails to strengthen the sacrifice Sol made and keep e obsidians locked up. Typically golds are chosen for the trails, jades are rarely chosen and never win. Teo is a Jade semidios, so when he’s chosen for the trails along with another jade it’s hard not to see it as a death sentence, for the loser of the trails is sacrificed. Can Teo survive the trails? Can the help their friends survive? And what if something is wrong with the trails? I loved the pacing of the book and that there was a mix of action and characters figuring out who they were, with neither taking away from the other! Each participant in the trails was likable in their win way, some more then others, but the all had depth, had cool powers and I’m sold! I also loved that all forms of gender were so well excepted an people were allowed to be who they were, it wasn’t even questioned! Is so nice to read! This book is full of Queer and I’m here for it! I honestly think that Teo is my favorite, but if I was choosing based on powers I don’t know who I’d say cause they were honestly all cool! I can’t recommend this book enough, if you like fantasy, especially ones with trails r competitions, then this book is for you! Aidan Thomas wrote a beautiful story! The only sad things is that we have to wait for book two to see what happens and book one isn’t even out yet! But I will be rereading book one when it comes out

As each new decade begins, the Sun’s power must be replenished so that Sol can keep traveling along the sky and keep the chaotic Obsidian gods at bay. Sol selects ten of the most worthy semidioses to compete in the Sunbearer Trials. The winner carries light and life to all the temples of Reino del Sol, but the loser has the greatest honor of all—they will be sacrificed to Sol, their body melted down to refuel the Sun Stones, protecting the world for another ten years.

Teo, a seventeen-year-old Jade semidiós and the trans son of the goddess of birds, isn't worried about the Trials . . . at least, not for himself. His best friend, Niya is a Gold semidiós and a shoo-in for the Trials, and while he trusts her abilities, the odds of becoming the sacrifice is one-in-ten.

But then, for the first time in over a century, the impossible happens. Sol chooses not one, but two Jade competitors. Teo, and Xio, the thirteen-year-old child of the god of bad luck. Now they must compete in five trials against Gold opponents who are more powerful and better trained. Worst of all, Teo’s annoyingly handsome ex-best friend and famous semidiós Hero, Aurelio is favored to win. Teo is determined to get himself and his friends through the trials unscathed—for fame, glory, and their own survival.

The Sunbearer Trials was one of my most anticipated readings and met all expectations.
The premise was a mix between THG and PJ, and although it is much less violent than THG if you can notice the resemblance. The mythology in this book is everything I love, I need to know more about this amazing world.
Aiden's description allowed me to vividly imagine cities and trials.
And the characters, what more incredible beings. Even the rivals that with very few pages allowed you to know who they were and what they wanted.
And romance 🥰 gives slow burn a new meaning.
I need the sequel now!

The Sunbearer Trials is about Teo, the demigod son of Quetzal, goddess of birds. He is stronger than a full human, and he has wings! But his mother is a Jade, the lower rank of gods, and so he goes to a regular high school instead of getting to train to be a hero with the children of the Gold ranked gods. It's not fair but at least he doesn't have to worry about being chosen for the Sunbearer Trials, a competition that comes around once a decade, in which 10 Gold demigods are chosen to compete for the honor of Sunbearer, ...or the honor of being the demigod whom the Sunbearer has to sacrifice to prevent the end of the world. Significantly less fun. However, unsurprisingly given the title of the book, Teo is chosen to compete! He's got his best friend and a new friend by his side, but the odds are stacked against him since he does not have the years of training the Gold demigods do. He does have his wings, if he can face using them, and the somewhat unwanted advice of a former friend, so maybe his odds aren't as terrible as they seem at first. It's going to be a competition to go down in history, whatever ends up happening!

This book was so much fun. Teo is a great character, he's funny and mischievous, loyal to his friends but still with his own drive to succeed. His mother is a god, but he has a great relationship with her. He's trans, but his gender is accepted without question. The side characters are just as good, Teo's friend Niya is a force to be reckoned with, and all the other competitors have interesting and diverse attributes. The plot keeps moving but still has time for character building moments in between the action. And while there are plenty of books involving high-stakes competitions, this one felt unique in both the set up for it, and the events themselves.

In short, I loved this book and definitely recommend it. My only complaint is that I now have to wait for the sequel, and I really really want to know what happens.

Thank you Feiwel & Friends for the eARC of The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas in exchange for my honest review.

I've loved everything I've read by Aiden Thomas, hands down -- and this is no exception. I really love the world building -- it feels different from anything else I've read. The characters have such dimension and you truly get to know them in this book. It feels very much like a magical Hunger Games -- and you're captivated by Teo as he's chosen for The Sunbearer Trials.

The only thing I wanted from this book was a little more -- of everything. I wanted to spend multiple chapters on each part of the tournament. I can't wait until the next book in this series and to see how Teo and the rest of the characters grow and develop.

5/5 for me.

I was thrilled to get the opportunity to read this book early because I LOVED Cemetery Boys. My favorite thing about Aiden Thomas is the representation of Latinx and trans characters. These groups are not represented enough in literature.

This story reminded me of the Hunger Games right away. Children fighting against each other and a sacrifice at the end. There was an element similar to Percy Jackson as well with all the different "gods."

I really enjoyed the storyline. The underdog story of Teo, Niya and Xio was great. The competitions were interesting and the love interest was cute.

My favorite part of the book was the ending. In this case, the ending did a lot to set up the sequel of the book. Overall, I enjoyed the action in this story as well as the inclusion of trans and Latinx characters.

I first learned of Aiden Thomas through a recommendation from one of my students. This author is well worth reading and they display a keen sense of observation, along with the creative force needed for damn good science fiction, in this new book. I would gladly recommend this for readers new to and familiar with Thomas’s work and will most definitely share about this book with my future students.

Although I felt that Thomas' debut Cemetery Boys was much stronger, this was still an excellent book. The 'Hunger Games meets Percy Jackson' marketing is spot on when describing the plot and atmosphere in the book, especially the humor Thomas naturally weaves into the writing and the existential dread of what going through these trials would entail.

One thing I really like about Thomas is his focus on making distinct characters, no matter how little attention they may receive at any point of the story. Teo was a great protagonist; seeing him grow from someone who has never trained a day in his life to pulling incredible feats later on is very satisfying. And the relationships he has throughout the book are the most enjoyable part, especially the scenes he shared with Niya, Aurelio, or his mother. Niya was definitely my favorite, because she was so humorous and an absolute joy; she's basically the mash-up between Luisa from Encanto and Julian from Cemetery Boys is the greatest. The rest of the side cast are amazing, too, as they are filled to the brim with unique characteristics and diversity that make them stand out.

The only thing that kinda grated me throughout my read was the modern references or lingo thrown in every now and again. One in particular was that the characters were constantly saying something about 'vibes', like 'the vibes aren't right' or 'you're killing the vibes'. I know they're a group a teens and that's how teens talk nowadays, but it just made meraise a brow all the same whenever I saw the word.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable read and I'm immensely looking forward to the sequel in the future.