WHAT A CONCLUSION!
Following Teo, Niya, and Aurielo as they head off to try to stop the apocalypse that Teo accidentally (unintentionally?) kicked off on the one hand, and Xio's continued efforts to find a place that feels like home in the messy world of Golds, Jades, and Obsidians. I absolutely loved the addition of Xio's POV in this book. Not only did it help to track what was going on with the captured semidioses, but getting to be inside of their head as they figured themself and their place in the world out made it far easier for me as the reader to forgive them.

As for Teo, Niya, and Aurielo, it was fun to follow along on their adventures, as well as watch the blossoming of the romance between Teo and Aurielo. I especially loved how their interactions with mortals also shaped their developing worldview, and how this manifested in Teo's continued defiance at the very end with the full set of the dioses. I also loved how well Thomas writes his teenagers. I think Niya is sort of the perfect example of this, as she is always having to be so strong that the moments she breaks down and Teo has to comfort her really highlights that even though she is this extremely strong semidios, she's still affected by being overwhelmed and exhausted. The way the trio leans on each other in the face of mounting stress about this massive responsibility was really heartwarming.

I do think there were a couple too many "deux ex machina" moments, where the trio is saved over and over again by sheer chance in a way that became a little predictable. By the third time I was no longer worried they all wouldn't make it I just assumed they would be fine. But this is me truly picking at straws, this book was honestly SO so good. What a great conclusion to a beautiful duology.

*Thank you to Feiwel and Friends and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Celestial Monsters throws us right back into the thick of it and it's CHAOS. And not the fun kind of queer crush chaos, though we get that too later!

I enjoyed getting both Teo and Xio's POVs, as we get to see them grapple with their decisions from The Sunbearer Trials. I was honestly more interested by Xio's chapters - the growth that he's forced to have as a character is unparalleled. We also get to see more of characters like Atzi who were overshadowed by all of the Auristela drama in the first book. We also get to see Aurelio adjust to being on his own for the first time and all of his internalized inadequacies. I did feel like Teo and Aurelio's relationship was a little rushed in this book, but I'm guessing some scenes had to be cut so it wouldn't be 500+ pages. It was nice to spend time with some of the other gods and learn more Reino del Sol's past. I thought that the ending twist was well foreshadowed and aggravated me just enough for me to feel satisfied at the end.

Overall a great duology that I'd recommend for anyone who loved mythology as a kid or just wants to see some queer kids save the day.

i received an e-arc from netgalley for an honest review :)

i’d heard a lot about the sunbearer trials, being a gay trans man who reads a lot of gay books, but id shied away from it due to my own fears of dysphoria. what if, reading about someone like me, reminds me of who i am and makes my fears seem more real and problematic? recently i’ve been ignoring that fear and it has consistently paid off. so when i saw this book i knew it was some kind of sign, to finally buck up and read it. and god they did not disappoint. i finished the sunbearer trials yesterday, and celestial monsters maybe 5 minutes ago, and they were incredible. celestial monsters deals with the ‘what happens after?’ that many books and media completely ignore. we’re faced with the monsters and darkness the events of book 1 left us as consequences, and characters who were teetering on the edge of good and bad. celestial monsters being dual POV most definitely heightened the experience, even if i wanted like 300 pages of aurelio and teo being cute. speaking of, i was 1000% over analyzing but aurelio being a metaphorical sun and teo being a metaphorical icarus had me in a chokehold about halfway through, i was gnawing on the bars of my enclosure with that thought. anyways, though, this series will leave a lasting impression. i am certain i won’t be forgetting these characters for a very, very long time and look forward to other works of thomas.’ found family with blood family and healing generational trauma was written so, so well. amazing work

Teo never imagined he’d be a hero, but with the sun gone and chaos unleashed by the Obsidian gods, he must now rise to the challenge. Alongside his crush Aurelio and best friend Niya, Teo must navigate a dark wilderness, confront personal demons, and restore light to save the world.

Wow wow wow wow … WHAT A FINALE!

Listen there will be no spoilers here but if you loved The Sunbearer Trials you will eat this second book up with a spoon!

I swear I highlighted half the book from my laughter, shock, excitement, swooning, fear, tears, and love. There were some parts I was full on cackling, some parts I was clenching my jaw, some parts with tears in my eyes, and some parts that hit the romantic in me SO HARD.

The friendship. The dual pov *chef’s kiss.* the burgeoning romance. Niya’s wit. Aurielo’s steady presence. Xio’s feelings. Teo’s sarcasm, love, and joy.

This is a book world I will return to again and again. The pure joy I felt by the end is unmatched.

Oh gosh I really wanted to be able to get into this series but I think I missed my time. It has strong Percy Jackson vibes (but make it trans) which in absolutely amazing but a touch too middle grade for my current reading tastes. I've seen plenty of other adults loving this duology though so I'm sure it's personal preference.

🧬⚔️✨BOOK REVIEW - Celestial Monsters by Aiden Thomas✨⚔️🧬

🌟🌟🌟🌟 (4/5 stars)

Okay, the moment I finished The Sunbearer Trials, I needed to pick this up. Celestial Monsters picks up where we left off, with Teo still grappling with the aftermath of the Sunbearer Trials. Aiden Thomas doesn’t waste time and plunges us right back into the action, and I was HERE for it. The stakes are higher, the challenges tougher, and Teo's journey is more intense than ever. But did it live up to the hype? Mostly, yes!

The world is just as vibrant and immersive as in the first book. Thomas expands the mythos in such a satisfying way, giving us more of the world of the gods, the monsters, and the trials. The character development also shines; Teo's struggles with his identity and purpose hit all the right emotional notes. Plus, the inclusion of more queer characters made my heart sing. Representation matters, and Thomas nails it here.

But the pacing was a bit uneven for me. There were parts where I felt like we were racing through the plot, only to hit a lull that took me out of the story. And while I adored Teo in the first book, there were moments in Celestial Monsters where his decision-making had me frustrated. I get that he’s under a lot of pressure, but come on, Teo, get it together!

In the end, Celestial Monsters is a worthy sequel that fans of The Sunbearer Trials will definitely enjoy. It’s a solid continuation of Teo’s story with all the action, emotion, and queer rep you could want. If you loved the first book, you’ll be eager to see how this chapter in Teo's journey unfolds.

Thanks to Aiden Thomas, the publisher, and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

This duology was so much fun to read! Where the The Sunbearer Trials had me hanging onto my seat as the teens competed against each other, Celestial Monsters had me both so worried for and in awe of these kids. The weight of the world and of the consequences of their actions is heavy on their shoulders and it would be SO easy to just give up and accept what is coming, and instead each and every one of them finds the strength to keep pushing and survive, and ultimately to do what is best for the many and not just the few.

I’m so glad that we regularly got moments of comic relief because boy was I stressed! And I ended up finding myself bawling by the end. It was great being in Teo’s pov for book 1 but for this sequel I really loved that we got a dual pov with Xio too, I loved having that insight into both of their journeys.

I loved how so very Mexican this world is. There was a lot that was familiar to me but I loved looking up unfamiliar names and words and learning that they all had Mexican roots. At a time where there’s so much discourse in the Latinx diaspora about people like me not being “Latinx enough,” Aiden’s books remind me that that’s not true. Add to that this world that is so queernormative and it feels like a home.

It’s been such a joy to read Aiden’s books, I can’t wait for what’s to come.

4.5 stars rounded up

Review: I have loved this duology so much. I think this was the perfect ending. I loved how everything came together and how the characters grew and the story evolved. Absolutely loved it

Synopsis: Teo never thought he could be a Hero. Now, he doesn’t have a choice.

The sun is gone, the Obsidian gods have been released from their prison, and now chaos and destruction are wreaking havoc on Reino del Sol. All because Teo refused to sacrifice a fellow semidiose during the Sunbearer Trials.

With the world plunged into perpetual night, Teo, Aurelio and Niya must journey to the dark wilderness of Los Restos, battling vicious monsters while dealing with guilt, trauma, and a (very distracting) burgeoning romance between Teo and Aurelio. Once more racing against the clock, the trio are determined to rescue the captured semidioses and retrieve the Sol Stone. With it, Sol and their protective light can return and order can be restored.

Now the future of the whole world is in their hands.

Celestial Monsters immediately continued where The Sunbearer Trials left off, so the tension at the beginning was already high. unfortunately, i didn't find this as appealing as TST.

there's 2 POV, Teo and Xio. while it's full-on adventure in Teo's POV, there wasn't really much happening in Xio's POV aside from their internal turmoil. no action from Obsidian gods, IDK what they're doing in that temple for days. and despite the title "Celestial Monsters", the monsters themselves didn't get proper spotlight IMO. Just another obstacle for Teo and friends.

with more Teo & Aurelio's interactions, Niya's moody temperaments, the lack of other Demigods action, overall the plot was underwhelming. at least the ending was decent and heartwarming.

extra points for the inclusivity, just like TST. even though I found it bizzare how whoever can hate and threaten anyone but the right pronouns should be used at any time despite of the bubbling hatred.

Aiden Thomas just keeps getting better! What a fantastic conclusion to this sparkling duology. I love the worldbuilding, the banter, and the character growth! I'm a sucker for found family, and that is such a strong theme in these books. 10/10 recommend!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this duology so much!!! It was just so fun and adventurous and FUNNY! I laughed so much. This book picks up right after The Sunbearer Trials with Teo, Aurelio, and Niya figuring out what their next steps are. They’re such a great team, and every interaction between them just felt so real and authentic.

The story is action packed! And it’s truly filled with so much love! You can tell Thomas absolutely cares and loves this story and these characters deeply, and it shows in every moment of this book.

The ending was absolutely beautiful 😭♥️

CW: death of parent, violence, blood, torture, fire/fire injury, ableism, injury/injury detail

I went into book 1 being very nervous that I wouldn't like it because it's not my typical genre but I loved it. So ever since I finished it, I was waiting for book 2 to come out. I had such high hopes for it…and it didn't let me down! It was just as good as the first one. I loved seeing the characters grow and them exploring their world, learning about the past and thinking about the future. It was just so good! This is how you do a sequel. I also liked that this one ended up being a dual POV. I didn't expect that but it was a welcome change and was very necessary for the story.

If you loved the sunbearer trials you won't want to miss the conclusion to this amazing duology. And if you haven't read it yet, please do!

Content warning: death of parent, violence, torture, death

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC of this story!
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW

IF THERE'S ONE THING I KNOW FOR SURE, IT'S THAT AN AIDEN THOMAS BOOK IS GOING TO MAKE ME CRY. I was doing so well too y'all. I was laughing, having a good time and then I read the last fifty or so pages and 🥹 needless to say this book was perfect. I love how Aiden wrote Aurelio, Teo, Niya and Xio. Their character growth throughout the novel was impeccable. It was also great to see how each of them have their own flaws but were still able to think positively or try their best. They're all half immortal but their humanity really shined in this sequel.

The added world building of Los Restos and the Celestials was really great too. I'm also left wondering if Vengaza actually cared for Xio at all or if he really was using them for their own gain. It seemed like, especially when he was teaching Xio about their powers, that he had some kind of care and gentleness for them but maybe I'm hoping for too much.

The banter between Niya and Teo, of course, was incredible to read and I lvoed how Niya was always teasing Teo about Aurelio and vice versa, teasing Aurelio about Teo. I loved reading about their adventures together!

Anyways, I've said it once and I'll say it again. I'M GOIGN TO READ EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING AIDEN THOMAS EVER PUBLISHES.

Let me start off by saying I know this is planned to be a duology but please give me more in this world!!! Anyways, Celestial Monsters was a solid sequel to The Sunbearer Trials, which was my favorite book of 2024 so far. With that being said, I went into this book with high expectations. The negatives for me within this book was the pacing and chapter lengths. It took a bit for me to really get into this story, and by a bit, I would say 60% in. I felt it got kind of repetitive with what was going on and was slow going. I also wanna say that the first half of the book, the chapters felt like they went on forever, when I thought there was going to be a new one, it just kept going. But then about 70% into the book, the chapters were short, so that was kind of annoying. Now for the positives! I enjoyed the surprises within the plot and new backstories that were given. I actually couldn’t not predict exactly how the end was going to go, which I loved. The book also saved itself and earned a star by making me emotional at the end. Like I stated in the beginning of the review, I would love more stories/books in this universe especially with the ending. Overall, Celestial Monsters was not necessarily better or as good as the first book, but it was very much enjoyable and a good wrap up to the story.

Leaving off where the Sunbearer Trials ended, Teo and Aurelio have realized they like each other, which was super cute. Xio betrayed them all and Niya is really struggling with it. Now they're on a mission to retrieve the sol stone and try to fix everything that's happened.

They encounter many monsters along the way, Through dealing with them and meeting some different people, they realize that monsters aren't always as they seem, and neither are the gods.

This was a great story about friendship and found family.

Celestial Monsters was exactly what I hoped it would be. Teo, Niya, and Aurelio are the ideal adventure quest trio, we got to spend time with the rest of the competitors from The Sunbearer Trials, and Xio apologists finally had their day in the sun. If book one is often compared to a cross between Percy Jackson and the Hunger Games, book two feels more akin to just Percy Jackson (which was a welcome change for me). Sometimes the messaging felt a bit heavy handed, but the story delivered the heart and levity I was looking for, along with saguaro cacti and javelinas. A fitting conclusion for this bighearted duology!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for an eARC of this book in exhange for an honest review! Spoilers below!

When the email came through that I had been approved for this ARC, I dropped everything. I quickly finished my last book (We Shall Be Monsters, so great) and set up shop so I could find out what Teo, Aurelio, Niya, Xio, and the rest of the *ahem* sacrifices, were getting up to. To say I missed them was an understatement.

Thomas does it again, folks. He does a wonderful job of creating an environment I want to physically get into. The lush world of The Sunbearer Duology sounds magical and leaps off the page. I can see the colors. I can taste the frying spices. I can feel the jungle dirt against my feet. Thomas is a painter and his world is so vivid. The way Thomas loves his cultural heritage shines so brilliantly in this duology—and anything that he could have mishandled simply didn’t exist.

I personally love the way Thomas gets in Xio’s head. Teo is our hero, make no doubt about it, but Celestial Monsters is where Xio really shines. He’s young, he’s frightened, he wants to do good, but how can he? Teo’s gentle, guiding presence makes it easier. It almost feels as if Thomas is writing Teo as the kind, older brother we all want in our lives.

He also handles the way loss affects us. I was curious as to how that would work, because these kids went through it in the last few chapters of The Sunbearer Trials. But Thomas definitely understands the nuance of how loss, grief, and betrayal affect different people in different ways.

The love story is also so sweet. Teo, in another display of kindness, allows Aurielo to take the wheel. And Aurelio—my god. Someone please hug that boy and protect him at all costs. And keep him out of the water!

Overall, I truly had a great time reading this book. I set a timer for an hour, and read for two, if that gives you any indication as to how ‘hooked’ I was on this one. Thomas promised a lot in The Sunbearer Trials and he delivers with Celestial Monsters. The ending is the perfect start to something new, and I wouldn’t complain if we meet Teo again somewhere down the road.

Look for it September 3, 2024!

i loved this one! i've been waiting for the sequel in this duology ever since i finished the first book and this one definitely didn't disappoint! aiden thomas never fails when it comes to blending a mix of everything into his books while managing to keep everything cohesive and not jam packed with information. i loved the history, i loved the lord of the rings esque quest, and i loved the normalcy of queer characters through this duology.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Celestial Monsters is a wonderful conclusion to Aiden Thomas’ first duology, The Sunbearer Trials. This installment is just as much fun as the previous one, wrapping things up beautifully. I enjoyed seeing a darker part of the world after the Trials, with the world plunged into darkness, and the stakes were a lot higher as a result.
Teo is a great protagonist once again, and he and his crew fight to fix the mess he created, not to mention the growth of his romance with Aurelio. But Xio was a nice additional POV, especially as they’re coming into their queerness and trying new pronouns. While I like Teo, Xio really stole the show in this regard.
This installment was just as action-packed as the first. Sometimes it did feel a bit uneven in terms of pacing, especially in the second half, where I felt my investment beginning to flag a little more. But overall, the narrative is enjoyable, and fulfilled on the promise of the duology overall.
This was a great series, and I hope Aiden Thomas writes more of them (although I’ve also enjoyed the standalones!)! I’d recommend this series to readers interested in a high-action YA fantasy series with affirming Latine/x and LGBTQ+ rep.

this is my therapy. I cried but in like an its so beautiful way. I love our four main characters each so much, Teo, Nina, Aurelio and especially Xio! Xio reminds me so much of my comfort character Nico di Angelo in all the best of ways. Also they start using they/them in this book! Every time Teo and Aurelio interacted I screeched, and I know Niya did too. The fighting feels a bit like Pokemon in this one, I don't remember feeling that way about the Sunbearer trials. Ultimately a great conclusion to the duology though I really hope we will get more of those characters/this world!!