This duology is amazing. While the gods and powers can be a lot to initially wrap your mind around, the payoff is worth it. Niya and Fantasma are some of my favorite side characters, but I honestly love the entire cast! The bird tidbits added in crack me up. And there’s a wonderful balance of action, emotional depth, and comedic relief. I love all the representation this book has!

LGBTQ+ rep: so much! Transgender main characters, male/male, female/female.

I enjoyed Celestial Monsters more than The Sunbearer Trials. I liked that Teo, Niya, and Aurelio got to see how other people lived and how their parents have impacted some of them, whether good or bad. They lived in a bubble and had no idea that other people might view them and their parents as the enemy. Honestly, that was probably my favorite part of the book. Even though Teo already had an inkling that maybe they were doing things incorrectly, Niya, Aurelio, and the other golds needed a bit of a wake-up call.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillian audio for this audiobook. I really enjoyed the book and the listening experience. I found the audiobook to be very immersive and added to the overall experience. The story itself was fun and I felt like I really got to know the world better. I loved touring through the different cities and imagining the scenery.

Aiden Thomas quickly became one of my auto-buy authors. I adore having his books on my shelves at home and in the classroom, since they handle topics both fantastical and still relevant to teenage interests with grace - and without holding back on the tough things.

Celestial Monsters is a brilliant followup to The Sunbearer Trials, starting just after the previous book ends, as Teo, Aurelio, and Niya venture out to save Reina del Sol from the newly-unleashed Obsidians. It's inclusive (with trans, nonbinary, and all of the queer rep across the spectrum), and the leads are relatable. Teo whines - of course he does, he's a teenager going through (and feeling responsible for) the potential end of his world as he knows it. Meanwhile Xio, revealed to be a child of an Obsidian rather than the Jade they were pretending to be, struggles between their newly-discovered family and the ones that were beside them their entire life. Their PoV adds some much needed perspective into the Obsidians, and a lovely discussion about history being written by the victors.
And then there's the lovely budding relationship between Teo and Aurelio. We get to see the struggles that Aurelio faces without his sister by his side, the self-doubt and anxiety. It's a nice changeup from the perfect Aurelio we saw in The Sunbearer Trials.

The story gets predictable at times, but it's so well-told that I can forgive it all. The resolution genuinely surprised me, too!

This long awaited follow up to THE SUNBEARER TRIALS was well worth the wait!

Aiden infuses his work with heart, culture and humor. I am so grateful that authors like Aiden exist. Writing exclusive stories that have high fantasy vibes as well.

I absolutely loved the dual POV and the adventure these kids went on. I was hooked the moment I opened the book.

I love the little quips and jokes, I definitely laughed more than I thought I would with this one.

Absolutely stunning book. Love Aiden Thomas and his work. Loyal fan for life!!

I enjoyed Celestial Monsters even more than The Sunbearer Trials! It’s a fantastic conclusion, with Teo and the gang facing mythological beasts and bigger stakes. The worldbuilding deepens, especially with its rich blend of Latin American mythology, and the queer representation remains beautifully done. If you loved the first book, this one is an absolute must-read!

The audiobook is a great match as well & really brought it to life!

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Celestial Monsters by Aiden Thomas - ARC REVIEW

Y'ALL CELESTIAL MONSTERS CAME OUT YESTERDAY!!!

When I was approved for the audiobook ARC through Netgalley, I was ecstatic and IMMEDIATELY requested the audiobook of book one, The Sunbearer Trials (TST), through the @libby.app, for a quick reread.

André Santana, @andressnta , as narrator of both books, did a beautiful job bringing Aiden's characters to life. I usually have to be doing something when listening to audiobooks like driving or putting laundry away. The way this book had me laying on my bed staring at the ceiling as the plot unfolded 🤌

☀️☀️☀️☀️

Celestial Monsters (CM) picks up right where TST left us hanging - the sun is gone, the Obsidians have taken off with their hostages, Celestials are attacking the cities, and our main trio is in need of more candy for their rescue mission.

CM did a fantastic job of expanding the world we were given glimpses of throughout the trials in TST. Not only did we get to visit new cities and meet the people who lived there, but we also got to hear more of the history of this world and how that history influenced the way different locations operated.

Though this is a fantasy world, the relevant commentary on class, privilege, and discrimination keeps it grounded in reality.

I was thrilled we got dual POVs between Teo and Xio in CM. Bouncing between the two characters definitely provided a balance to the story. It made it difficult for me as the reader to take sides since it was more than just a good vs. evil situation. We were able to see the thought process and lived experiences from both sides that led everyone to their actions.

I absolutely adore the whole cast, and this was such a wonderful conclusion for this duology.

Celestial Monsters released September 3rd, 2024 - go check it out!

Thank you to @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for providing an audiobook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I wish I could scream to the heavens about how much I loved and adored this book and this duology. Aiden has such a way at weaving the lore and mythical elements throughout this very touching story. It was so amazing to see Teo, Niya, Aurellio and everyone else. The ending of Sunbearer left you with questions, concerns, and doubts, but Aiden brought us right back where we left off ready to take off for adventure to "save the world". What we think is just a world saving mission to keep status quo, actually turns into so much more. There is self-discovery, grief, love, and so much more. 10/10. Also, having Xios POV was a shock but so amazing! The audio of this was fantastic and the narrator put on an entire show.

I’m sure it has been a normal amount of time since the first in this duology came out, but it feels like a lifetime. It honestly was a little disorienting to start because it picked up the second the first book ended but I hadn’t been in that world in a long time. As I got back into the story I found myself enjoying the world. In some ways this story was better than the first, but it others it cut some corners and was a bit disconnected. For instance I felt like the reunion of Teo and Xio was way too sudden and went more smoothly than it should have. I also found the ending to be unsatisfying after so much work showing the reader that there are no monsters, only those misunderstood. But in other ways the ending was satisfying. The book continued to make me happen with the wonderful representation and acceptance of differences, particularly with queer characters. Altogether I enjoyed this duology quite a bit and while there were tweaks I felt would have improved it, the world building was wonderful.

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! The audiobook was fantastic and the narrators definitely held my attention from beginning to end.

Celestial Monsters is the perfect ending to the Sunbearer duology! It picks up right off where we left off in the Sunbearer Trials with Teo, Aurelio and Niya heading off to save the world and their friends. With the bonus joys of Xio’s POV, the sweetest romance between Aurelio and Teo, as well as Niya’s humor this is the perfect cozy read!

What a fantastic follow up to The Sunbearer Trials! This series follows Teo as he and several other semi-dioses compete in a magical trial to determine the sacrifice necessary to keep their world safe from the dark Obsidian gods. But as the competition goes on, Teo and his friends discover that someone is interfering with the contestants, threatening to plunge the whole world into chaos. In Celestial Monsters, we follow Teo, Niya, and Aurelio as they are tasked with retrieving the Sol Stone from the dark city of Los Restos, and we get the added perspective from Shio, as they discovers the plans of the Obsidian gods, and question their own godly nature and motivations.
The world-building continues to be so cool. I love the indigenous Mexican-inspired mythology and god pantheon, and the depiction of a somewhat contemporary world where gods still walk among humans. In this book we see more interactions between the gods and humans, and get a different perspective on their relationship and social structure.
This series does a great job at establishing high stakes without being too dark or graphic. Our heroes are powerful and have a good sense of their responsibilities, but they're also well-depicted as teenagers, with all the angst, impulsivity, stubbornness, and forgiveness that entails. Shio's perspective helps add nuance to the world and main plot, and I liked how their emotional journey of nature vs. nurture really built on the events of the first book.

Due to Teo's refusal to sacrifice one of his friends at the end of the Sunbearer Trials the sun has gone from the world and the Obsidian gods have been released from their prison. Reino del Sol is now in chaos. Teo, Aurelio and Niya set off on a quest into Los Restos to attempt to obtain the soul stone and return the light. They must battle monsters and personal demons to complete this mission.

Aiden Thomas is so incredibly talented. This series is a perfect blend of adventure and heart. He creates the most well rounded characters. Teo is such a compelling main character. I also liked getting more from Xio. The dual pov really made this book shine. I really love the elements of Mexican mythology that are woven into this story. This is a beautiful duology, I will really miss this world. I can't wait to read what comes next for Aiden. I had the audio version of the book. Andre Santana's narration was great!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't reread THE SUNBEARER TRIALS before jumping right into this audiobook, but I'm happy to say I didn't really need to! CELESTIAL MONSTERS picks up right where TST left off and did just enough to remind me what was happening without going overboard with explanation. I got right back into it and really enjoyed the conclusion to this story. One of my favorite story elements was the recurring theme that when you have community, you don't need heroes — you can rely on one another for help. The character (and romance) arcs were satisfying, as was the story's ultimate conclusion. And narrator André Santana gave an excellent performance as always!

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!

(4.5 rounded up to 5)

Such a wonderful finale to this duology.

What I liked:

I absolutely loved being back with Teo and his friends. Their quest to save their world was adventurous and fun. There was a good amount of action in the second half of the book.

Xio’s POV chapters weee interesting. I really liked seeing things from Xio’s perspective.

I enjoyed the ending and how the duology was wrapped up.

What didn’t work for me:

I do wish there were a few things that were explained a bit more.

This sequel starts off running! You start right where the first one stops and you're constantly on the move! I admit I was lost when I first started reading, but a quick recap and I was good to go. Teo and Aurelio are the cutest and I adore them.

Most of the book you are following Teo, Aurelio and Niya as they are constantly on the move to help bring back the Sun. There isn't a lot of down time for the characters which helps highlight just what is a stake for everyone. Storywise I wasn't as invested as I was the first one. The first one I absolutely loved and could not put it down, but two of the side characters in this one had me wanting to take breaks or skip their scenes. I came to dislike them and I felt by the end they did not 'learn' or 'grow' like the others. (Not revealing names so as not spoil someone else's enjoyment). Teo's constant interactions with the birds he came across was one of my favorite parts as it showed what he had to offer, how kind he is, and how much those around him cared. The scene with the chicken had me cackling! One of my favorite parts. IYKYK.

The ending was perfect for this book, and I was actually really satisfied with how it took into account everyone in this world. Overall I loved Teo and Aurelio's growing relationship, the Quetzals, the queernorm world, seeing how the other cities/people lived in this world, and the themes that revolved around the importance of friendship and the power of love. If you loved the first one, this one will be perfect for you!

The audio was well done, and I really enjoyed the narrator too.

If the Sunbearer Trials was for fans of The Hunger Games, Celestial Monsters is for fans of Percy Jackson!

Because Teo refused to sacrifice a fellow semidiose during the sun bearer trials, the sun is gone, Reino del Sol is plunged into perpetual night, and the obsidian gods have been released from their prison and are wreaking havoc on Reino del Sol. The only way to bring the light back is if Teo retrieves the Sol Stone. So, Teo, Aurelio, and Niya go on a journey to the dark wilderness of Los Restos to retrieve the Sol Stone, battling monsters along the way.

The story had a great blend of adventure, heart, and humor. I loved getting to return to these characters. Teo is a compelling lead and has to deal with a lot of complicated emotions regarding the outcome of the trials and the guilt and trauma that have followed that, while also exploring his relationship with Aurelio.

Without the trials structuring the pacing, it felt a little different than the sun bearer trials. It was a little slow in the first half, but it picked up in the second half. But overall, it was a fun book and while the ending was absolutely bittersweet, it was satisfying. I think if you liked The Sunbearer Trials, you’ll enjoy the sequel.

Aiden Thomas creates an excellent conclusion to “The Sunbearer Trials”. This book takes place immediately after the events of the first and really focuses on the various relationships and friendships that were established then. I really enjoyed the narration provided by Andre Santana.

Celestial Monsters by Aiden Thomas is the perfect end the The Sunbearer Duology! If you’d haven’t read The Sunbearer Trials, what are doing with your life? Please do yourself a favor and read it, immediately. In Celestial Monster we pick up right where The Sunbearer Trials ends. A LOT is happening and our main character Teo along with some trusted friends set out to follow through on an important quest to save the world. This book is brimming with action, friendship, love, community, and heroism. Aiden Thomas is magic with a pen (computer?) they write such lush worlds full of heart. You cannot help falling in love with these characters even the ones you are supposed to dislike have so much depth to them. I am amazed at Aiden Thomas’ talent as a writer. They are creating worlds with beautiful queer and Latinx representation and I am so happy that these books exist in the world. Thank you Aiden! Please pick up The Sunbearer Trials and Celestial Monsters! 5⭐️