Celestial Monsters was truly worth the wait. The Sunbearer Trials was one of my favorite reads in 2022 and despite having nearly two years to get overly excited for the sequel, Celestial Monsters delivered across the board.

This book adds Xio's perspective which I really loved. Getting inside their head, unpacking their resentment toward the Golds and their desire for vengeance really helped explain why they made the choices they did. I loved that Xio really struggled with their guilty over betraying Teo and Niya and how it complicated their quest for vengeance against the Golds and the dioses generally. Adding Xio;s perspective also helped to really build out the world -- it was so interesting to spend time in Los Restos and learn about the Obsidians (Thomas does such an incredible job of making Vengaza and the rest into truly epic baddies).

The road trip vibes of Teo, Niya, and Aurelio are unmatched. All three characters get their own time to shine and go on their own emotional journeys, even if we only get Teo's perspective. Niya is still my forever favorite but I loved watching Teo and Aurelio's relationship blossom and how it caused Aurelio to slowly com out of his shell.

And the PLOT TWISTS!!!! The ending was just one thing after another and I thought it was perfect. It made me cry, it made me gasp -- there were real stakes and I truly wasn't sure how things were going to end at various times.

Augh this is truly one of the best YA fantasy duologies I've ever read. 10/10 must read

3.75 stars

Celestial Monsters is the conclusion to The Sunbearer duology, and first of all THAT COVER? Literally one of the most gorgeous things I've ever seen.

If you're reading Aiden Thomas, you just know the book is going to have top-tier comedic moments, and that is no different here. While the first book in the series had a cohesive plot and arc, I feel like the plot in this book was just a bit weaker and a lot of the journey to the final confrontation seemed unnecessary to me while I was reading. I enjoyed the dynamics between our characters and the dialogue, and the ending delivered for me!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

4.5⭐️

The jungle consumed every ounce of light that was left as the sun continued to fade. They carefully made their way through the dense foliage, blindly working their way toward their destination. It wasn’t supposed to be like this… it was never supposed to end this way. The darkness continued to swirl around them, disorienting them… would they be able to stop it?

Celestial Monsters is the sequel to The Sunbearer Trials and picks up exactly where the first book ends. Told in a dual POV we get to return to the characters we fell in love with during book one.

I loved this sequel and I was so excited to return to these characters that I love so much! Really enjoyed the dual POV narrative. The middle was a bit slow for me, but overall this was such a fantastic follow up to The Sunbearer Trials and I love Aiden’s writing. Plus, Niya… she’s the best!
I won’t say anything else to avoid spoilers, but definitely pick up this sequel!

I have mixed feelings about this book. The beginning for me felt very slow and hard to get through. It felt like it was dragging on for a long time for no reason. I had to force myself to keep going. After I got more than halfway done did it start to get better. I really did like the ending but I felt confused about some parts. I did wish there was a bit more romance because the description made it seem like there would be a lot more. Overall it was a good book but I don’t think I would want to read it ever again.

I had such a fun time with this series. I think it's so awesome to see queer and trans representation in a YA mythology book like this. It's informative without being too heavy-handed so readers can learn about the trans experience without feeling like they are attending an HR seminar about it. I did constantly think throughout the second book "The dioses are kind of shitty parents to make their kids do all this without stepping in," and then to see at the end their solution was just to back out of living on Earth all together was a little head-scratching. I guess these teenagers will know how to take care of themselves? Teo is such a relatable hero though that it makes the plot holes easy to overlook. This is my top recommendation for anyone looking for an epic YA series to recommend the young avid reader in their life -- and for adults too.

I wanted to like this book. I really did. The Sunbearer Trials was a really good read for me and I consumed it so fast but with this one... It just wasn't for me. I'm afraid I have to give Aiden Thomas books a rest from now on.

I hate to say this about a YA book considering...well, it is young adult and I am very much not a young adult anymore, but the whole book just felt immature. The Hunger Games comparisons are inevitable simply because of the subject of both books, but it is more than that. Hunger Games books are still some of my favorites and Celestial Monsters tries so hard to be that and unfortunately fails. I don't remember just how many times I rolled my eyes at unrealistic dialogue or actions. Characters mostly felt like caricatures of personality traits instead of fleshed-out, complicated people, and I swear if I had to read about Aurelio blushing for the hundredth time I was going to throw my Kindle somewhere. The plot and characters in the first book felt a lot more complicated but this one was so...surface level. And that conclusion still makes no goddamn sense to me.

Anyway. This was a disappointment and took forever to read (clearly) but I am sad to say I did not enjoy it and would not recommend.

Overview:
Celestial Monsters is the second book in a duology by Aiden Thomas. The first book, The Sunbearer Trials, is a cross between The Hunger Games and Percy Jackson (except this series is based on Mexican-inspired mythology). The Trials aren’t just held for entertainment; they’re held regularly to keep the world safe from evil gods & their accompanying monsters. Celestial Monsters has three of the original characters racing against time to counter what happened during and after the competition.

What I loved:
☀️ The story alternates between Teo’s & Xio’s narration instead of solely focusing on Teo as the previous book did. Xio’s narration provides context and explanation for their actions in the 1st book.
☀️ Niya is SO ENTHUSIASTIC!
☀️ There wasn’t much information about who the other competitors were as people in the 1st book, but readers now get to learn more about them other than their fierce competitiveness.
☀️ The two main characters are trans, and there are many queer relationships. In their world, there’s no strife from other people about who they are or who they love. Antagonism occurs because of hierarchies of the gods and their children, not because someone isn’t straight or cisgender.
☀️ I don’t know much about Mexican mythology, and these books made me want to learn more.

What didn’t work for me:
🌧️ The characters, even though I have great affection for them, could have more depth. I feel like I know Teo pretty well but not so much the others.
🌧️ Xio’s choice at the end of the book isn’t fully earned. They were getting to a point where that choice was understandable, but when it happened, I thought, “Hey! Did I miss something??”

Who I’d recommend this to:
📚 Fans of high stakes competitions, especially in fantasy worlds
🌈 Readers looking for diversity in gender identities and sexual orientations in characters
⚡️ Mythology-related stories

Thanks to @NetGalley and @macmillanusa for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars

“You’re only a monster if you choose to be.”

This book picks up right where The Sunbearer Trials ended and continues Teo’s story, but this time instead of trying to survive the trials he is trying to fix what he brought upon the world by not sacrificing Auristela to Sol. Teo, Aurelio, and Niya have two weeks to stop the Obsidians before the Sol stones go out.

Like the first book, I was instantly sucked into Teo’s story and seeing these characters overcome the challenges they face. Teo has really grown since he was first introduced. He is no longer the spoiled and unconfident Jade who is focused on pranks and having fun. He is now a fighter, protector, and is determined to protect his friends and people. I really loved seeing Teo become confident, be the unofficial leader, and argue for a better future.

Another wonderful surprise about this book was that we actually get Xio’s POV as well. We ended the previous book with Xio betraying everyone to help resurrect the Obsidians. We see the progression of their feelings about the Obsidians and about themselves. Not only is Xio doubting his choices, we see them also looking at their gender and trying out new pronouns. I think this is the first book I have read where a character changes their pronouns halfway through and I want to read more of this in the future.

For the other characters in this book, we see Aurelio struggle to work without his sister but also open up to Teo and Niya more. We see beneath the facade that he has put up for years and find a man who doesn’t really want to fight but continues to because of his mother’s demanding influence. We also see Teo and Aurelio finally admit their feelings and become a couple. I really loved the progression of their relationship during this story.

My favorite character in this series is probably Niya though. She is brilliant, strong, and very amusing. I really love the friendship between her and Tio and how it grew to involve Xio and Aurelio over time. Also the friendly banter between Niya and Teo was always so good. Thomas does a wonderful job at creating a solid and beautiful friendship between these two that you can’t help but love.

The character development for all of the characters is probably one of my favorite parts of this duology. When this story started they were all teenagers but by the end of this book they have become responsible young adults who are determined to make the world a better place. I loved how all the main characters questioned tradition and all fought to change the world for the better. Thomas really does a fantastic job at creating solid characters with great development over a story, even the villains are fantastic.

Overall, I think this was a wonderful conclusion to this story. It was a fun and action packed read that I couldn’t put down. Also I love how queer inclusive and accepting this world is, and find I really want more fantasy like this. Also I really wish the real world could be this way.

Celestial Monster is the finale of The Sunbearer duology, it starts right where the first book ends, so there will be spoilers.

What an adventure, the world is ending, disasters everywhere and Teo, Aurelio, and Niya have a mission, to save their Golds friends and defeat the Obsidians, there is drama and their time is running out but at the same time it is fun and witty, I love their camaraderie, the friendship is goals and the romance is a slow burn and cute.

This time, it is Dual POV, Teo, and Xio. Teo is fun, a little cooky and sassy, super likable with a little of a hero complex, and Xio is having an existential crisis, first, (Xio's pronouns are they/them/theirs) their life was a lie and now that they believe there has found their mission they realize they were deceived, the poor kid, in some scenes, I just wanted to hug him but in others, I wanted to make him see reason.

I love both POVs, they complement each other, while Teo is trying to save the world, we travel through several cities in the El Reino del Sol, we see a glimpse of the apocalypse, and in Xio's POV, we read about how the gold prisoners are doing and more about Obsidian's plans.

It's fast-paced, it's exciting, and one of my favorite aspects is the character development, for all the characters, we see more of their emotions and motives; Aurelio, although he doesn't have his POV, stands out, his relationship with Auristela and his mother has greater relevance, he is a cutie but a little shy grumpy. And you can always count on Niya for moments of humor, she is a badass with a golden heart.

Semigods, it doesn't matter if they are gold, jade, or obsidian, it's easy to empathize with them, they feel real and human, none of them are perfect, they are heroes but they also make mistakes, they are kind but they can also be selfish, We see more about the relationships between them, with their parents and humans. Their vision of humans will change a little when they meet a clan that lives in harmony with the environment and doesn't need to be rescued by the demigods.

Although touring El Reino del Sol in the middle of the apocalypse is not the best, I still enjoyed learning more about El Reino, is a whimsical and beautiful place, I love the entire representation of Mexican culture, the food, candies, the jungles, myths, and legends, the author correctly captures the culture and he weaves it with fantasy, drama, humor, and friendship, is a beautiful homenaje.

I think this time the story is a little slower, compared to the first book, but its action scenes are brutal, especially the last third of the book, the action was everything, and more immersive, it’s a great duology, it has a bit of everything, love love the cast, they feel so real and the ending was hopeful. The author now is auto-buy for me.

Thank you so much to Colored Pages Book for the physical copy, check their website to see the rest of the tour.


Read if you like:
Latinx Rep
Trans & LGBTIQA+ Rep
Folklore Inspiration
Ya Fantasy
Adventure & Romance & Humor & Drama
Hunger Games & Percy Jackson style

I've been eagerly anticipating the sequel to The Sunbearer Trials which had left us on a truly unfair cliffhanger. It was so much fun to watch Teo come into himself during the Trials as he made friends and discovered he could not only survive the trials but even win. Winning came at a huge cost, however, and the ramifications of the end of the trials are really seen in Celestial Monsters. Teo, Niya and Aurelio are all that are between the Obsidian gods completely taking over and restoring order by returning the Sol stone.

My favorite part of this book was getting Xio's pov and what goes down with the other semidioses while Teo and the gang look for the Sol stone and their fellow Trial participants. This book was described by Thomas as basically a road trip book and I definitely saw that. While the stakes of this book are extremely high, the book felt lighthearted at times while also harrowing as these teens keep coming across different monsters they must conquer on their journey.

This is a quest story but also one of self discovery and Teo still has a lot to learn about himself and Los Restos.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my Sols!! One of my most anticipated sequels ever is finally about to publish and let me tell you, IT IS WORTH THE WAIT!! My jaw was on the floor at the end of The Sunbearer Trials and l've been waiting to find out what happens ever since!

I love this duology for many reasons. The fantasy world building is top notch, with characters that steal their way into your heart. The action is enthralling and breathtaking! I also love the Latinx and queer representation. YA and adult readers can both find enjoyment and belonging in these books. In fact, my daughter and I both read and love all of Thomas' books!

I’ve been so excited for this release and couldn’t believe I got this ARC! Ahhhh!!! This book was exactly what I needed it to be for a final book in a duology. After the betrayal from a friend and release of the gods I was eager to find out how Teo would be able to navigate everything! The dual POV with Teo’s and Xio’s perspective was perfection. The pacing and writing was fantastic. I loved that we got these very detailed high stakes action scenes that was balanced well with slow heartwarming moments. This book has magic, friendship, love, betrayal, forgiveness, found family and amazing LGBTQ+ representation.

Celestial Monsters continues right where we left off at the end of The Sunbearer Trials with our heroes trying to save their world. The world has been sent into the perpetual night as Teo refused to complete the sacrifice during the Sunbearer Trials. Teo, Aurelio, and Niya are on a journey through Los Restos to get to their friends and rescue them from the prison where the Obsidian gods have them.

I have loved every book that Aiden Thomas has written and The Sunbearer Trials had no different result so I was quite pleased to get a chance to read Celestial Monsters before others. Once I picked this book up it was hard to put it down because I had to know what happens next. I was worried for our team of three who were trying to rescue the rest of our friends, and I was curious about the obsidian and their motives.

This book goes back and forth between Teo and Xio’s perspectives, which I quite enjoyed because we get to see how an obsidian is experiencing all of the events. I appreciate that the author allows us to learn more about Xio and how you can’t help but love him the way that Teo does. There is no way that you can read this book and not see things through Teo’s perspective when it comes to Xio.

There is nothing that I do not enjoy about this book. I love the romance between Teo and Aurelio and the way that each of them plays off the other’s strengths. I love each of the characters that are included throughout the book even if they don’t all get the same amount of appearance time.

While the obsidian are the bad guys in this story there is just something to love about them. What I loved about each of them was how elaborately they are described and how they add an element of horror to this story. I love how the author incorporated Latinx folklore into the book through each of the monsters the team encounters as well as each of the gods.

Final Verdict: Celestial Monsters is the perfect conclusion to The Sunbearer Trials and anyone who enjoys fantasy will have a blast with this duology. Young adults will enjoy reading along as our main character, Teo works alongside his friends to save the world and adults will enjoy reading to learn about this new world.

I unfortunately had to dnf this book because I felt like I’m outgrowing ya and at times this was a very eye roll . I will definitely pick this up again to give myself the peace of an ending but I know someone else will be able to enjoy this more than me.

If I had read this in middle school or high school
I would have felt differently so this is just a personal issue

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC and ALC!

- The POV being split between Teo and Xio was so well done, and it was crucial to seeing Xio’s development.
- Loved the audio, and the narrations are so well done! the pacing slows in a few places, and the audio helped me keep going.
- Getting to see all the gold’s through Xio’s POV was so interesting, and it helped me remember details from book 1 that I had forgotten.
- While the plot structure is a pretty common quest structure, I loved how I really wasn’t sure how it would get resolved until the very end.
- I loved the way this book really explored how a revolution can succeed, but then fail during the rebuilding/upkeep.
- Getting to have Teo, Niya, and Aurelio together for so much of the book was fantastic! Seeing Niya deal with those two fools dancing around their relationship was hilarious!

Thank you NetGalley and Feiwel and Friends for the ARC of Celestial Monsters by Aiden Thomas.

Celestial Monsters by Aiden Thomas is a fantastic conclusion to the The Sunbearer Duology. The novel’s dual POV structure between Teo and Xio is a masterstroke, offering readers a comprehensive view of the intricate plot and the diverse perspectives of its characters. This approach allows for a deeper emotional connection and a more nuanced understanding of the story’s unfolding drama.

Teo, a central figure in the narrative, is particularly noteworthy. His character is portrayed with remarkable depth, showcasing his unwavering commitment to his ideals and his fierce protectiveness towards those he cares about. Teo’s development throughout the book is both compelling and poignant, making him a character who resonates deeply with readers. His journey is a testament to the strength of his character and adds significant emotional weight to the story.

The romance between Teo and Aurelio was perfectly done. We got glimpses of it in the first book but the sparks fly (figuratively and literally) in this book. While the romance is there it in no way distracts from the larger story.

The historical backdrop of the dios and their conflict with the obsidians provides a richly layered context that enhances the overall narrative. This elaborate history not only adds depth to the world-building but also elevates the stakes and complexities of the plot. The tension between these ancient factions serves as a catalyst for the unfolding events and adds a compelling dimension to the story.

One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its ability to surprise and engage through unexpected twists and turns. Aiden Thomas expertly weaves these surprises into the narrative, ensuring that the plot remains dynamic and captivating from start to finish. These twists are not just shocking but are intricately linked to the story’s themes and character arcs, making them all the more impactful.

In summary, Celestial Monsters is a remarkable fusion of emotional depth, intricate world-building, and compelling character development.

Celestial Monsters is the sequel/finale to The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas. This duology features the semidioses born to Jades, Golds, and Obsidians, aka dioses of different varieties who exist with different goals for the world. Celestial Monsters picks right up from the cliffhanger ending of The Sunbearer Trials. Teo, Niya, and Aurelio must trek across their world and into Los Restos, the monster-ridden ruins of Venganza’s Obsidian city, in order to save the world from the apocalypse and its creatures and bring back Sol to save them from the neverending night— all while Teo and Aurelio fall for each other in spite of their uncertain future.

Returning to this world felt like coming back home. Something about Aiden Thomas and the worlds he spins is comforting and fun and so funny. I was legitimately constantly laughing *and* gasping out loud and crying (multiple times) as Aiden Thomas played my emotions like the strings to the story he orchestrates. (Also, I just have to specifically mention that I love all the food that Aiden writes about— immediately makes me want to hit up Mexican restaurants and grocery stores to eat all of these for myself. Please, please where can I can find a homemade bowl of pozole, for I am aggressively not a good cook, but I want it, and I miss it.)

I absolutely adore Niya. She is everything. Can she be my best friend? I feel like she’d take me in. Please and thank you. Her “brand of ADHD” and her personality had a way of keeping me laughing and easily brought levity to what could have otherwise been a much darker book had she not existed.

I loved reading Xio and their coming into the world and themself. Being a 13-year-old can be real hard, and I can only imagine that being a 13-year-old Obsidian from the past living in a world run by Golds and Jades and finding out how and when they did the truth of their bloodline— much harder. I have a special spot in my heart for lonely characters, so all I wanted to do was wrap up Xio in a blanket of love and candy. They deserve to feel the love of friends and community and especially also have the time and space to figure out how they fit into their own being as well as into the world.

I would also like to wrap up Aurelio in a blanket of safety from the pressures of becoming a hero and especially from his mother. It was so easy to see why sweet, sweet serious Aurelio commands so much love and loyalty from both his twin and Teo. He’s just Zeke from High School Musical. Someone get that boy into culinary school where he can cook and bake to his heart’s content.

My favorite things about Teo are his mischievousness and most especially his heart of gold. (heh see what I did there.) His ongoing and persistent friendship with Fantasma in spite of not really understanding each other warms my jaded heart. (heheh i think i am funny.) I really empathized with his and Niya’s continued concern for Xio despite their conflicted feelings. Moreover, I loved reading Teo and Aurelio fall into each other. (I love a good childhood friends to strangers to enemies/rivals to lovers.) Because of their early friendship, they had a certain understanding of each other that carried through their years apart and laid the foundation for their budding relationship. *chef’s kiss*

Also! Every single one of the semidioses chosen for this Sunbearer Trials has a special place in my heart. I absolutely adored reading every single one of their scenes, and <spoiler> the first time that they stood up for Teo to the Obsidian dioses had me legitimately crying, especially at the beginning of the book/fresh off of rereading the first book. </spoiler> The captured Golds’ conversations with each other and with the Obsidians were so!! good!!! Special shouts out to Atzi and Dezi— they know what they did. <3

As of writing this review, according to my record, I have read over 150 books for the year or 2024, and Celestial Monsters is by far one of my favorites for the year (mayhaps of all time?). Thank you, Aiden Thomas, for making me laugh and cry and bringing me back into fantasy (a genre that I very much love but largely miss since I am a mood reader who has largely been in the mood for contemporary romance since covid changed the world). I pledged my loyalty to Aiden after picking up Cemetery Boys, and I will read everything he writes, even his grocery list if he so chooses to share that with the world. Thank you, Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends, for the ARC!

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for this #gifted arc. All opinions are my own.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024. I LOVED the first book in this duology (The Sunbearer Trials) and Cemetery Boys is one of my all time favorite reads. When I say I screamed from happiness when I saw I was approved for this arc I am not exaggerating.

And so it PAINS me to give this anything less than 5 stars.

Don’t get me wrong, there were A LOT of things in here that worked for me, but overall it wasn’t as engrossing as the first book.

Things I loved:

The representation: Just like in the first book, Aiden Thomas draws on Mexican culture to create a vibrant world where trans, non binary, and queer characters shine as the heroes and main characters in the story.

The characters: Each one was written realistically, and with thought and care. They were well rounded, and easy to root for.

The dialogue: It wasn’t stilted and kept the story moving. It also felt natural for the age of the characters.

Dual POVs: we get two POVs in this novel, and each felt unique and strong.

The conclusion: the ending was satisfying and went in a direction that took me by surprise, which is a good thing.

Things that didn’t work this time:

The pacing: this one felt a lot slower to me, partially due to the fact that the main characters didn’t exhibit as much urgency as I was expecting them to throughout the bulk of the novel.

The plan: … there was no real plan here? This is a bit typical for YA fantasy adventure novels, but I was hoping for more.

However, I’m glad I read it, and I’d recommend it - to both adults and teens.

SUGGESTED SNACK PAIRING: mazapan, takis, or pozole

Triggers: kidnapping, injury detail, suicide, death of a parent

“You may not be able to change what you’ve done, but you can use it as fuel to drive you forward. You can still make a difference.”

I’m so sad that this story is over, but I don’t think it could have ended any better. We pick up right where The Sunbearer Trials left off and it feels like we hit the ground running immediately. The perspectives shift between Teo and Xio, which I really loved. Getting an insight into Xio and the actions they take in the first book propels the entire plot. Teo, Aurelio, and Niya have teamed up to try save Reino del Sol. There is so much to be said about the friendships and growth throughout these two books. These characters are just incredibly well-written. They all have such distinct personalities, even the ones that don't get a particularly large amount of page time. Everything in this book works so well together to form a story that is engaging and compelling.

Aiden Thomas has this way of writing where I can clearly picture the world they create. It feels visceral and vibrant without overpowering the rest of the story. Teo and Aurelio’s relationship starts off subtle and builds, and I adore them so much. The journey that Teo takes throughout this book is compelling, and as a read you can’t help rooting for him. He really wants to make their world better, especially after his experiences in Los Restos. Teo is one of my absolute favorite characters in this story. It's inspiring how much he wants to change the world and how he enlists all the other semidioses to help.

Xio’s arc is great. Not only do they come into their own by harnessing their powers, they embrace they/them pronouns. One thing I have loved about this duology is the way gender is fluid and there isn’t an uproar when pronouns or transitions take place. It’s accepted and it is really great to read. I felt that Xio’s chapters were necessary to explain his actions and give him the complete arc he deserved.

I love this duology and I’m so grateful to have participated in the street team. I can’t wait to see what Aiden Thomas does next!

3.5⭐️

This was a really great conclusion to the duology. One thing I really liked and appreciated in both books, especially this book, was that these characters are children and they act like children. This means immaturity, small attention spans, short tempers, big dramatics. All relationships between all characters were expanded on with this second book, and I loved the little bits of love we saw.

I did feel that this book had way too much action and the scenes went by so fast. I found myself having to go back and reread parts because I couldn’t understand how we got to where we were. The same things I disliked in the first book I also disliked here, but this is more of a personal preference than a mark against the books themselves.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!