Another winner by Thomas. This was such a great concept and it was executed so well. I did not see the ending coming and I am really eager to read what comes next.

Oh my gosh. Words cannot adequately describe how much I love this book. Watching Teo become a sideline semidiós into a hero was amazing. It wasn’t instantaneous either. The build up of his confidence grew with every challenge, as did his relationship with the other competitors. The world building was just as natural, taking aspects of Mexican/Latine culture and reforming them into this magical world. The pacing was brilliant, offering high stakes competitions balanced with character building outings in the cities.

Gender and sexual identity are not treated as an “other” aspect of life, but as something accepted and celebrated, especially with a genderless Sol god.

The only thing that took me out was the shoehorning of social media. It was unneeded, especially with the cheesy renames, but it is otherwise an amazing read and I can’t wait for book two.

This book was gifted in a giveaway.

I enjoyed this book! It was such a fun and new read. I will for sure be looking at more from this author! Full review will be written soon.

So glad I finally got to this book! Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get to this book when I won it and life got in the way. But I am so glad I read it. It definitely deserves the hype. What a unique story thats wonderfully written. A great balance action and adventure in this Mexican inspired fantasy tale that highlights a hunger games like trials. Couldn’t put it down!

Full of vibrant, interesting characters, this story leaps off the pages. The premise of the novel is fresh, new, and unique. It carves its own place out on the shelf amongst other fantasy, mythology retellings and is almost constantly checked out at the library. This book is easy to convince readers to pick-up, you mention Percy Jackson melted with the Hunger Games with a queer, Mexican twist and teens are hooked!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me free access to the digital advanced copy of this book.

It’s a very lighthearted and enjoyable read! Although it’s YA, it’s more similar to middle school aged reads like Percy Jackson than I expected.

Aiden’s work is always a joy to read, his characters are well developed and god, the representation. I really wish I had Aiden’s books growing up!

Teo is an unlikely choice to compete in the Sunbearer Trials, a competition to decide the victor and sacrifice to keep the world safe from the Obsidian gods, as he is only a Jade semidios and ranked lower than the Golds who train for this honor. Despite this, the Sun god selects him for the competition, and he must face conflict in the arena and within himself to survive and make sure his friends survive with him.

The Sunbearer Trials brings Teo and his friends through tense battles with gorgeous prose and Mexican-inspired worldbuilding. I was on the edge of my seat rooting for Teo to think his way through the artfully crafted tasks made to test to the semidioses. I only wish this book had been able to spend more time developing the characters, both the semidioses and their parents, so the twists and turns would feel a little more grounded. Overall, I loved this book and was surprised many times as the story weaves through plot twists. I can’t wait for the sequel.

The Sunbearer Trials
Aiden Thomas
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5)

spoiler free

summary/plot: The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas tells the story of Teo, a Jade semidiosa who gets picked to compete in the sunbearer trials with Golds. I really liked the pace as it was fast paced but the pace never really changed.

characters: I loved Teo and honestly I loved reading from his pov. I also loved just how the other characters were so different from each other and they each had their own characteristics.

what i liked: The representation in it was awesome, and honestly very normalized within. So that made me happy.

final thoughts: Aiden Thomas will honestly never fail to make me feel so seen and so happy as a trans person. This was truly a great read. I have a slight theory of something that I'm not going to mention cause of spoilers, but it makes me excited for the next book.

Thank you Netgalley and Fierce Reads for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review!

The adventure, the mythology, and the moxie. This book has it all. Thomas does Mexican mythology a favor by creating the Sunbearer Trials and introduces the masses to a beautiful culture. The writing is lush and descriptive, with care and effort given to depict each location. The sounds, the smells, and the sights are all depicted in a way that has you absorbed. The action? Fast paced, not too confusing, and extremely exciting. After the initial figuring out the gods that comes with any mythology, this book is endearing. Trans rep, found family, and a potential enemies to lovers? Sign me up!

The Sunbearer Trials was a creative and beautiful fantasy novel. The background of this book is positive for school environments. This book has an entire cast of strong characters which makes it a must for all school libraries. The story did have some triggers that must be listed before allowing anyone to check it out from a school library, but none that would keep it from being used in a school setting.

The story starts strong by showing us who Tío truly is and the struggles they are currently dealing with. By the time we get into the trials, you will become so invested in all the characters. The author has done a wonderful job keeping the reader intrigued throughout all of the trails and leaves them begging to know what will happen next. This book is a reminder to all that strength comes in many forms.

Aiden Thomas is an auto-buy and this book was no exception. Fantastic characters, interesting world, stunning book.

It took me over a week to read the first 25% of this book because it took some time for me to immerse myself in the world because I struggle a little with fantasy. Then I read the rest of it in under 24 hours because I literally couldn’t put it down.

Honestly, I’m struggling to figure out how to write a little summary of the plot because of my aforementioned reasons, so instead, let me rave about the characters and the vibes of this book. Should that be a reason for 5 stars? Maybe not for some, but for me it absolutely was.

I loved that these are teens who act like teens!! In this fantasy world with all this mythology where they’re demigods and have these massive followings because of who they are and their abilities. Of COURSE some of them will be loud and egotistic and obnoxious. Of COURSE there would be cliques and the ones who underdogs will band together. I’ve watched this happen in enough real-life competitions.

I wanted Teo to win and prove himself! But I also didn’t because of all the plot reasons!

Full disclosure: this plot ends on a cliffhanger that will leave you screaming for the sequel.

Welcome. Join us in this hell. We’re all in this together now.

4.5 stars rounded up!

I enjoyed this book and will read the second for sure. As a big fan of Aiden Thomas (LOVED cemetery boys), I was very excited for this. It did take me a while to read it (I started in September and stopped because I couldn’t get into it. Then started it back up in March) but I think the last half is very engaging.

*important note. The editing of this book was really not great - some many grammatical and continuity errors. But more importantly one of the characters who uses they/them pronouns is constantly misgendered due to editing. Which is frustrating*

I will say this book reads more middle grade, but with lots of cursing. It definitely felt younger - Teo felt very childlike, which isn’t bad (17 year olds are kids!) but I think the writing lends itself to more MG.

The mythology was amazing - I loved all the dios and semidioses and their magic. It was fun to learn about that and super well done. With that being said, the worldbuilding was a little rough imo. I like fantasy worlds that feel 100% new, with nothing that ties the reader to our current world. This had a whole new world but then social media called TicTac, Instagrafia, and TuTube. Like come on. I rolled my eyes every time that came up because it immediately took me out of the story.

I don’t care for the budding love story with Teo and Aurelio - I don’t actually see the appeal between the two of them and which there wasn’t a romantic arc. But maybe I’ll feel different. I loved Niya a lot and want more Marino, Dezi, Xochi, and Atzi.

I loved the trans rep and how this world embraced non-binary and trans experience. I also liked the metaphor for Teo’s wings for his body dysmorphia and ultimate body acceptance (the binder for his wings). I did a read a few reviews from trans readers who questioned some of the pieces of Teo’s experience (top surgery and T before 17) but since that isn’t my lived experience I won’t comment.

Overall, I enjoyed this. There were things I loved but things I really didn’t enjoy. Definitely a decent read if you like Aiden Thomas, Latinx fantasy, and great trans characters.

This was a beautifully done book. I loved how Teo really came to understand themselves. The transformation of his wings was probably my favorite part!

The plot and characters are amazing and I didn’t see the twist coming until it hit me in the face.

I can’t wait to relay the sequel.

This is probably my favorite that Aidan Thomas has done. I love the world that has gender and sexuality as just a fact of life--all fantasy should be that way. I also love how very clearly they weave Latinx culture throughout the book. To me, the ending was super rushed--I read the ebook and at 85% of the way through nothing major had happened yet--and I don't know that the tension and the stakes feel high enough. But overall, again, probably my favorite Aidan Thomas one.

An imaginative beginning to a whirlwind duology set in a Meso-American inspired fantasy world, "The Sunbearer Trials" is perfectly tailored for fans of "Percy Jackson & The Olympians", "The Hunger Games", and readers looking for an extra splash of LGBTQ+ representation.

Aiden Thomas’ wows with this epic story about Teo’s journey as he navigates the trials, literal and metaphorical, that face him as he attempts to win a dangerous competition, fulfill an ancient rite, and learn to embrace his identity fearlessly. Teo is trans. But Teo is also a Jade: a semidiós (demigod) of a lower rank. The Golds get the responsibility, the respect, and the prestige. At least the ritual that requires ten semidióses to compete for the honor of being Sunbearer and to avoid the misfortune of being the honorary sacrifice to the sun god Sol every decade, is left to the Golds… or it was until Teo was one of two Jades to be chosen for the first time in more than a hundred years.

I can’t wait for the next book! Aiden Thomas’s writing just can’t disappoint! "The Sunbearer Trials" is everything I could hope for: fantastical, mythological, hilarious, sweet, romantic, and most importantly self-affirming. I definitely recommend you pick this one up!

I an unable to review this title, as it was archived before I had a chance to download and read it. This feedback is only to stop this title from adversely affecting my netgalley feedback rate. If in the future I have the opportunity to read this title, I will post a proper review here.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher and bought two copies of the finished book. Thanks and support your authors! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Sunbearer Trials

Author: Aiden Thomas

Book Series: The Sunbearer Duology Book 1

Rating: 3.5/5

Diversity: Hispanic Trans MC, Hispanic Trans-Questioning character, Hispanic characters, Black Hispanic characters, Deaf Black Hispanic character, Non-binary Hispanic character, Black Hispanic Lesbian character.

Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, mythology, Mexican mythology, LGBT, queer

Publication Date: September 6, 2022

Genre: YA Fantasy

Age Relevance: 15+ (cursing, parental death, racism, classism, religion, death, grief, violence, body dysphoria)

Explanation of Above: There is some cursing in this book. There is violence shown in the book and death. There’s parental death mentioned. There is some racism, prejudice, and classism shown in the book. The book is based off of Mexican mythology and gods are shown and mentioned. There is some grief shown. There is a scene where body dysphoria discussed.

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Pages: 401

Synopsis: As each new decade begins, the Sun’s power must be replenished so that Sol can keep traveling along the sky and keep the evil Obsidian gods at bay. Ten semidioses between the ages of thirteen and eighteen are selected by Sol himself as the most worthy 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 used to fuel the Sun Stones that will protect the people of Reino del Sol for the next ten years.

Teo, a 17-year-old Jade semidiós and the trans son of Quetzal, goddess of birds, has never worried about the Trials…or rather, he’s only worried for others. His best friend Niya―daughter of Tierra, the god of earth―is one of the strongest heroes of their generation and is much too likely to be chosen this year. He also can’t help but worry (reluctantly, and under protest) for Aurelio, a powerful Gold semidiós and Teo’s friend-turned-rival who is a shoo-in for the Trials. Teo wouldn’t mind taking Aurelio down a notch or two, but a one-in-ten chance of death is a bit too close for Teo’s taste.

But then, for the first time in over a century, Sol chooses a semidiós who isn’t a Gold. In fact, he chooses two: Xio, the 13-year-old child of Mala Suerte, god of bad luck, and…Teo. Now they must compete in five mysterious trials, against opponents who are both more powerful and better trained, for fame, glory, and their own survival.

Review: I really liked this book for the most part. The book revolves our MC who is a semidios in a world where every decade a trial is replenish the sun’s power and keep the evil gods at bay. However, one person must be sacrificed in the trial and their body is used for fuel for the sun stones to protect the people for the next decade. Our MC is selected for the trial and the book goes through his journey through the trials and trying to figure out the best way through this predicament. I thought overall that the story was great and I was interested in it throughout the read. The book reminds me a lot of Percy Jackson and it’s like it and The Hunger Games had a baby. The characters are well written and the book has amazingly detailed world building.

However, the book takes awhile to get into and the amount of characters in the book is very overwhelming. I did have to read the synopsis to understand the basics of the book and the prologue made me a tad more confused than I thought it would.

Verdict: It was good! I highly recommend it!

I won this book for I think yallwest or YallFest one of those but gosh it took me so long to get to it. I’m happy I finally got to enjoy it and finished it.

The story line was an underdog story, and I’m a sucker for it. Aiden hits some topics on here that I hope will give others comfort and allow them to be seen. I truely enjoyed this, it was action packed in this found family/betrayal combo and it really had me wanting friends but then I remembered I don’t mix well with others 😂

That ending was one I didn’t see coming and it’s one that has my full interest and I’m ready for book 2!