Finally got around to reading this book and wow it was amazing! I need the sequel like today plz?! I love how diverse our characters are and how vunerable the main character was too! So many more thoughts coming soon once I gather them more clearly! 5/5 STARS!

The Sunbearer Trials is the first in Aiden Thomas’ new duology and packs quite the punch. What initially felt like a rehashed version of The Hunger Games only with Latinx demigods ended up evolving into something much more unique. Full of representation and Latino culture, Thomas heroes are both beautiful and beautifully flawed. Themes of staying true to oneself, friendship, and young love make this a series for everyone.

I absolutely cannot wait for the second half of this unique duology to be released.

Highly recommended for middle schoolers (6-8th grade) as the language and violence is a bit coarse for younger grades.

Thank you to NetGalley, Aiden Thomas and Feiwel and Friends for this advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

I don’t think Aiden Thomas misses when they write. This was fantastic! It was so good that I pre-ordered both the special edition copy and the original. I’ve recommended it multiple times. The world, the characters, the plot- all of it was stellar! I can’t wait for more!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. Review based on final copy. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed Aiden Thomas’ debut, Cemetery Boys, and while their follow-up, Lost in the Never Woods, didn’t appeal to me as much, I was eager to give them another try with The Sunbearer Trials. The concept is so much fun, and delivered on the promise of being “The Lightning Thief meets The Hunger Games,” a Mexican-inspired mythological world and a queer central pairing.

The world building is quite interesting. The story basically revolves around a competition between semidioses (demigods) for the title of Sunbearer, who will be the most powerful of them all. Gold semidioses are typically chosen to compete, but as the story begins, Teo is one of two Jade semidioses chosen.

Teo takes on the challenge somewhat reluctantly, but he has a knack toward leadership and makes for a great warrior and champion throughout.

I also appreciate how gender identity was incorporated into the narrative. As both a trans boy and the son of the goddess of birds, I appreciated the rendering of his complex relationship with having wings that resembled a female bird’s allowed for a nuanced, compassionate exploration of the concept of dysphoria.

While the competition is the driving force of the narrative, I love that there’s still room for friendships and other interpersonal relationships. Niya is his best friend and fellow Jade, and I love how she’s buff and strong (similar to Luisa from Encanto). Xio, son of the god of bad luck, also is part of their crew, and I loved seeing the three of them together. Teo also develops a bit of romance with Aurelio, and I love that it has a slow building enemies to lovers arc.

I really enjoyed this, and I can’t wait to see where the story goes in the next book! If you’re a fan of multicultural YA fantasy, I recommend checking this out!

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Feiwel & Friends in exchange for an honest review.

Aiden Thomas has quickly become a must-read author for me and I was so excited to see that they were writing a duology! Not only is the cover for THE SUNBEARER TRIALS absolutely gorgeous, but the story is so so good. This story is full of Mexican mythology and is a modern-ish setting where every decade, 10 teenagers that are semidióses compete in the Trials - one is declared the Sunbearer, and another is sacrificed in order to keep their world safe from the Obsidian gods that want to enslave humanity. But in this world, some gods are ranked higher than others creating a hierarchy to their semidiós children and causing friction between the group chosen for the Trials when two Jade semidióses are chosen to compete alongside Gold semidióses.

The characters are full of life, the Trial challenges are interesting, and that twist... OMG. I really enjoyed how diverse the cast of characters is and how each teenager was unique and had their own personality and backstory, even if we only got things from Teo's point of view. There is great LGBTQIA+ representation and I appreciated that while there are hints at romantic feelings within the group of teens, that this novel is more about friendships and chosen family than having the plot center around a romance. I cannot wait for the sequel to come out because I NEED to know what happens next!

*Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!*

I've been a big fan Aiden Thomas and their work since Cemetery Boys came out years ago, and when I heard about The Sunbearer Trials I was so excited. Well he's once again written a book I will be rereading for ages! The characters have fun/different personalities, powers, and goals and seeing them all compete and interact with each other was amazing. The world building was fantastic and really made you want to just jump into the story to see everything for yourself. The ending was perfect to get readers excited for the next book with some very interesting twists that I'm curious to see addressed in the next part of the series. It was very well written and had a fantastic plot that the characters and world made even better with my only complaints being that everything that happened in the timed trails for the amount of time they supposedly had seemed a bit off (it was hard to imagine the whole mountain climbing trial only took 10 minutes) and one character Ocelo who I thought used specifically They/Them pronouns (The art and information about the character on the author's social medias outside the book suggests this) was referred to as 'he' a few times and the same happened with the sun gods character Sol. I did try to reach out to the author and an editor for the book about this but unfortunately didn't receive a reply. However if both characters actually use He/They pronouns (or multiple pronouns in general) and not just They/Them pronouns then obviously nevermind on that particular subject.

Overall I loved it, it's my new favorite book that I recommend to all my friends and as many customers as I can at my bookstore!

I had a lot of fun reading this book! It had Aiden Thomas's trademark charm and banter, with a world that was super colorful and interesting. I love how Teo grows into his power and his confidence, and I can see this story being really important to a lot of teens that will encounter it. I am excited to see more work like this from Aiden, because I really loved it. The only thing I didn't like were the pop culture references to things like tiktoks, because they kind of pulled me out of the world that had been created, but it wasn't a big enough issue to make me not like this book - I will definitely be recommending it to others!

I’d been waiting for this book forever. (Or at least it seems like forever.) I loved Aiden Thomas’s two previous books and would eagerly read their grocery list. I was concerned this one might not be for me because I typically don’t love fantasy or books with a ton of characters but I should have known better because of course Aiden deftly handled the characters with grace and heart and humor. There were so many lovely details that made the characters and the story so real and I only cried twice which is way less than I cried reading Cemetery Boys. Now I’m done reading and back to waiting for the second book in the series.

The Sunbearer Trials was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022, so when I saw I'd been given an ARC from NetGalley, I was beyond ecstatic. Cemetery Boys is such an amazing book, so I was super excited to see what Aiden Thomas would do with this incredible sounding concept. While I do think I would've liked this even more if I hadn't read it while forcing myself through a reading slump, I did really enjoy it!

The world building was, without a doubt, my favorite part of this book. Being dubbed as Percy Jackson meets the Hunger Games, I was so interested to see what kind of world the book would take place in, and I was not disappointed. In a way, the Sunbearer Trials was a mix of mythology, trials/competition, and superheroes. While I was not expecting this, I was very happy to discover that direction, because I love all of those tropes and themes so much.

Each place the characters visited was vividly described, and the mythology was fleshed out well, too. It was explained simply enough that it was easy to follow along and never get lost, but it still had complexities that made learning more about the world fascinating.

Additionally, the main character is a Jade, while most of the others competing in the trials are Golds. There was a clear division between the two, even though both are considered dióses and semidióses. I liked how Teo was determined to stand up for himself and others like him, despite all of the mockery and discrimination he faced. Even so, he realized that making a name for himself and proving the public wrong is less important than protecting those he cares for. This development was done really well, and I enjoyed watching his thought process grow throughout the story.

Also, can I just say how much I loved how unapologetically queer this book was? Pretty much everyone was queer, from the good guys, the bad guys, and everyone in between. I LOVED it! Having a trans main character in a fantasy novel was so incredible and so important. Being trans is a huge part of Teo and his journey, but it's certainly not all of it. Aiden Thomas did a fantastic job of balancing everything, and I really hope we get to see more queer representation like this in the future.

While I found several of the supporting characters unlikeable (they were supposed to be though!), there were several that I was still attached to, and even those I didn't like as much, I still enjoyed watching their journey. I am kind of bummed that my favorite character turned out to be evil, but you know, IT'S FINE. It's fine....

Speaking of which though. That twist at the end! I did not see it coming. I knew something wonky was going on, but that was not at all what I was expecting. My jaw dropped. I was also under the impression that this was a standalone, but be aware because it is not! It ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, which I wouldn't have minded so much if I hadn't thought it was going to wrap everything up. Even still, I am so excited for the next book, and I cannot wait to see what Teo gets up to.

There was a romance subplot in the Sunbearer Trials, but it certainly wasn't the main focus of the book, and I liked that. The relationship between Teo and Aurelio was slow building, but it had a bit of that friends to enemies to lovers vibes which I am totally here for. I can't wait to see how they're developed in the next one!

Overall, I really did enjoy my time with the Sunbearer Trials, and I am already so looking forward to the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this one! It was Percy Jackson meets Hunger Games but queer and with Mexican mythology. It was so much fun, I loved all the characters, they had me laughing out loud. I also loved the urban fantasy aspect, the world building and the diverse representation. I’m really looking forward to the next book!

Right, this was pitched as “queer Percy Jackson” and that’s all I needed to know to become obsessed with it. My obsession was huge, monumental, even. But once I read it, the obsession became so so much bigger. Because wow.

If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be “WOW”.

Everything is so well done: the world-building, the characters, the mythological aspect, the relationships: EVERYTHING IS PERFECT.

Teo… what to say, what not to say: I hope you take me seriously when I tell you that Teo is one of my absolute FAVORITE characters that I’ve EVER read. I love Yads and Julian (Cemetery Boys), Neil and [redacted] (The Feeling of Falling in Love) Nick and Jay (Self-Made Boys), but Teo captured my heart in a way that I can’t describe. One of the main things he struggled with were his wings: they were kept bound under his clothes but when they finally broke free, they fit who Teo is. And I think that is one of my Top 5 moments in the ENTIRE book.

I also adore Xio to a fault. That kid can do NO wrong in my eyes. I love him to pieces and he’s literally Nico di Angelo, if Nico were trans. And, of course, there’s Aurelio, the firestarter (That fits him pretty well *wink wink*). There is so much to say about him, but I’ll shorten it down to a couple of sentences: he’s doing his best with what he’s got and you don’t see that til you’re about halfway in the book. The guy is loyal and will never shy away from doing what’s right. All in all, I loved him and I CANNOT WAIT to see more from him in the next book.

Overall, The Sunbearer Trials was a book about the trails themselves. They were the main part of the story and genuinely were in the limelight the whole time. I was always beyond excited to see what was happening next and how twists would be added. It added a lot to the suspense and the story itself when different characters were moved up and down in the rankings! The most thrilling part was, you never knew what was going to happen next.

Beyond that, Aiden Thomas really did the most for world building. Each trial was held in a different city and each city was described and built so well, I could picture it. (My favorite part was getting to see the alebrije sanctuary!!) The different gods were also so diverse: some non-binary, others genderqueer, some gay, some straight and others on a different part of the spectrum.

All in all, this book was SO well written, each character was just perfectly suited to be themselves and I just loved every moment of this book.

Also, Aiden, I need the second book ASAP, please. I’m dying over here.

I don't think Aiden Thomas is for me. I adore him as a person but his books and I don't get along. The sunbearer trials is a great book with wonderful and accurate queer representation. While I can tell that it's a great book, I was never able to really connect with this story or the characters in depth. There are many people I would recommend this book to but sadly it wasn't for me.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I am so excited to have had the opportunity to read and review "The Sunbearer Trials" by Aiden Thomas! I've been looking forward to reading one of their novels for quite some time but hadn't been able to get a copy. It took me a while to get into the narrative and to adjust to the characters. They're young and it reads as very young and modern. This was a fun twist, but I'm used to reading high fantasy without the modern technology, so there was a bit of an adjustment. However, as I became familiar with the world, its mythology, and the characters, I was enraptured with the beautiful descriptions and engaging families and power systems. I found myself wanting to pick up the novel during any free moment. I'll be using this book during a First Chapter Friday lesson with my 7th graders. I think many of the students will relate to the main character and also his culture.

I always tell people that I don't really like fantasy, but the truth is, apparently, it has to be diverse fantasy for me to absolutely love it. This book was absolutely perfect. It's like a better Hunger Games, and I am desperately hoping it's a series now.

Aiden Thomas has an amazing way of bringing hispanic culture, and stories, into our world and hearts. I absolutely loved this book and was so fascinated from start to finish. I wouldn’t say it’s Hunger Games likes because we’ll throughout history sacrifice trials have always been a thing. Also only one child was meant to die, not all children but one, like in The Hunger Games. However I get the Percy Jackson vibes. I look forward to reading the second book and more this amazing author comes up with!

Every ten years, ten Sol-chosen semidioses must compete in the Sunbearer Trials to keep Sol strong and the Obsidians at bay. Teo, son of the goddess of birds isn't too worried about being chosen - he's a Jade, and Jade semidioses are rarely chosen for the trials. This year however, Sol has selected two Jades: Teo and Xio, son of the god of bad luck. Teo must work with his close friends and few allies to make it through the games alive, because the person in last place is always the sacrifice to Sol.

I loved this book. Listen, I know every early reviewer enjoyed this book, and it is so well deserved. The worldbuilding is fantastic and nuanced, while still being accessible for a young adult audience. The games were interesting and had their own unique challenges, and characters had to find innovative ways to beat a very rigged system. I also love Aiden Thomas's writing style and dedication to LGBTQ+ (especially trans) representation.

AND THE ENDING. I'm going to need to second book ASAP. 5 stars

4/5
thanks to macmillan children's publishing group and netgalley for the arc!

the sunbearer trials is a YA fantasy featuring Mexican mythology and a trans masc mc! this is my second aiden thomas book, and i am pleased to say that i enjoyed it more than i enjoyed the cemetery boys. my main issue with the book is, similar to my issue with cemetery boys, is that it is a YA book but the writing style seems to be for a younger audience, but this time it didn't keep me from enjoying the book. the cast of characters was interesting and i liked the world building, as well as the character development. i will highly recommend this book to people at the bookstore!

Okay, I was so excited for this premise because it has a little Percy Jackson flavor mixed with a dash of Hunger Games (not exactly, but kids fighting and one will have to die so sort of), but with Mexican mythology instead of Greek. And it was a fun read during all the trial scenes. But... I didn't love Teo as a main character. He was just a little too much for me (I think he is similar to Percy Jackson except for Percy is 12 and has the same maturity level as Teo half the time, who is 17). HOWEVER, Teo is still very easy to sympathize with and root for, despite all the bits that irked me. The cast of characters is pretty fun, with Aurelio being my favorite.

My biggest grievance that knocked this down basically 1.5 stars is how it's written. This is a YA book, so I understand that it's not going to be written for older adults. However, a lot of the actual writing (not content) felt very middle-grade rather than YA, so it was always a shock to me when the F-bomb and "shit" were being thrown around so casually, as the characters felt so much younger than they were supposed to be. It just really took me out of the scenes, and frequently, so that made the book less enjoyable. Still fun, and I will want to read the second, but not a high recommendation for me.

This is one of the best books I've read all year. It was cute, and supportive, and full of gender affirmation.

I had an inkling or two about the twist at the end, but I was not expecting on that scale. There’s great character development, and the interpersonal relationships feel so authentic.

I will read whatever Aiden Thomas writes and The Sunbearer Trials was SO fun! Well, as fun as a tournament between young demigods to determine who is the winner and who gets sacrificed to Sol can be, anyway. The descriptions and world-building were beautifully done and I adored MC Teo. I don't want to give spoilers, but there is a lovely moment with Teo that made me tear up. The LGBTQ+ rep is diverse and one of my absolutely favorite aspects of this book is that all of these kids and teens are just who they are...no one is commenting on how they "should" look, what gender they "should" be, or who they "should" be attracted to. In this story, Teo, who is trans, is not fighting to be accepted as trans, he is just accepted.

This story is action-packed, full of sweet friendship, and has a twist I did not see coming! I'm so excited for the next one.