Right, this is not gonna be the five star review I expected I was gonna write but oh well, we live.

I had fun. Let's start with that. I had a lot of fun with this mysterious, spellbinding, filled with ancient Mexican mythology- inspired dioses and semidioses book! I speed-run through 'The Sunbearer Trials' and it felt great! I felt bad for Xio, cheered for Niya, hoped for the best/ worse for other characters and just enjoyed the ride along with Teo knowing, that he's gonna go from the underdog to a badass with the coolest wings. He was the main character after all.

Right, this book was great! There is nothing very negative I can say about it and that is my biggest problem. The writing style of Aidan Thomas is amazing, it made this book really captivating and entertaining. The characters were well-developed and interesting and I wanted to know more about each and every one of them. Where then lies the problem?

The plot is the problem. This book was, unfortunately, incredibly similar to The Hunger Games, Percy Jackson and bunch of other teenagers-have-to-fight-for-their-lives books I've read over the years. It just felt very repetitive and even though the plot was interesting, every few pages I found myself thinking 'I've seen this before'. This really bothered me because I love books with mythologies from all over the world and I love Aiden Thomas as an author!

I was also really not into the whole Teo-Aurelio potential romance thing. I LOVED the diverse representation though!

Don't get me wrong, I will still most likely read the second book in this series because I do want to know where will this story go from here but Gods, I do hope 'The Celestial Monsters' will be a bit more original.

Wow, I feel like I committed a crime by writing this. Okay, just to conclude: book is fun, characters are great, plot is ish-okay but a bit too repetitive but I will still read the second book because Aiden Thomas ROCKS!

Wonderful world building and diverse, complex characters make Aiden Thomas' Sunbearer Trials a real winner.

Teo is a great protagonist. He's a rebel, always pushing and thinking outside the box which makes the trials an ideal arena for his wits and abilities. But not in an exaggerated way, but in a tough kid turns good way. And by infusing the fantasy and modern into the world it made the whole idea of the trails that little bit more believable too. The trials permeate the story, adding a layer of tension throughout that gets the reader gripped.

I also really liked the inclusion of Mexican mythology and making it integral to the plot. It was an interesting spin on the typical mythology books, showing the brutal side of the Gods and their complete lack of empathy for humans.

Super compelling and original YA fantasy.

I enjoyed it so much more than the previous book by this author. I really liked it, in fact and I am looking forward to see what the next one brings. It is so good to see them grow!

This is the second book by Aiden thomas i have read and i give him high praise, for turning this into another beautiful, colourful adventure.I loved tao and all he stood for

This has got to be the quickest I've read a book this whole year. This is my first time reading a book by Aiden Thomas and it's fair to say that I can't wait to read his other work.

The Sunbearer Trials is a hunger games meets Mexican mythology masterpiece. Teo, a jade semidios, has been selected as a worthy opponent in a competition in which the winner becomes the Sunbearer and the loser the sacrifice. The fate of the world rests on this sacrifice being made to stop evil from returning and wreaking havoc.

ahhhh!!! I absolutely loved this book!!!! I adored the Mexican mythology and don't get me started on the representation. There's just something so heartwarming about witnessing a character finally love themselves for who they are and not giving a shit about everyone else.

I ate this book upppp. I love the different relationships between characters. Teo and Niya are friendship goals and they would do anything for each other. I also think I have an unhealthy obsession with Niya. She's just so f-ing cool. Aurelio and Teo ughhhh. I love them. Friends to enemies to lovers is where it's at!! When Aurelio opened up to Teo I wanted to cry. They're just so precious to me.

I love how, despite being in life or death situation Teo stays true to himself. Sure, it could be said that he's too soft but I liked that about him. He doesn't let his morals be corrupted by influences that surround him.

The Sunbearer Trials is a very quick and easy read which is exactly what I was looking for. The plot wasn't incredibly complex but I didn't mind. I would say that this book is definitely for it's target audience (ya) and if you were older and went into it expecting more then it may not live up to your expectations.

Now my only real criticism, and it is a tiny one, is the fact that there are social media references. I really dislike mentions of TikTok and Instagram etc. in a fictional book. I feel like it makes the book very dated. It also just makes me cringe. But that being said, there weren't many and it is just a preference that I have. So don't let it dissuade you from picking this book up.

I cannot wait until the next book comes out, but for now, time to read Cemetery Boys.

The Sunbearer trials has everything I love in a book. Fantasy, Action, a melding of worlds into modern day and it's YA and by an author i enjoy? requested immediately. Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan For the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly I went into this with an open mind but it felt,,,strange reading this after loving Cemetery Boys so much and not enjoying this. I'm not quite sure why, but it just didn't feel like it was what was kind of stated in the summary. I was expecting Hunger games mixed with Percy Jackson but it didn't feel that way.

The plot was fine- did i predict most of it? yes but it was still entertaining. The pacing was a bit maddening as it seemed really slow to me, but may have been just me that sees it that way.

The worldbuilding is probably the part I struggled with the most, I couldn't quite get my head around some parts of it, and sometimes the meshing between the modern world and the fantasy side clashed and was a bit too jarring.

The characters were really well written and developed throughout which i really enjoyed probably the most in the story.

The highlights of The Sunbearer Trials are its fully-rounded characters and immersive atmosphere. However, whilst it is an enjoyable and action-packed romp, it reads as younger than YA - which may be a problem for some. This writing style made it hard for me to fully invest in the story, and the internal logic of the powers system and the way the society operated weren't always totally coherent. That said, the ending in particular was really intriguing, and I will probably pick up the next installment.

I’m very intrigued to see where the rest of this story goes. It was a really quick read that I couldn’t put down. I’m a fan of fantasies based on mythology and this was from a culture that I hadn’t read much before so it was interesting to hear more about the myths of Mexican culture. It was a good balance of a fun story with the relationships between the main characters and also the more overarching plot involving the trials and the mythology based elements. Can’t wait for book 2.

The Sunbearer Trials is a fun little journey through a Mexican mythology-inspired world as the main character Teo participates in a series of trials in an attempt to avoid losing his life as a sacrifice to the sun god. A little ham-fisted in places, this book is nonetheless enjoyable with interesting and dynamic characters. Its absolutely worth a read.

8/10

Aiden wrote one of my favourite books of all time; Cemetery Boys so I am excited to read every single thing he writes and this was no different. I loved this book with my whole heart and I cant wait for the next one !!

I had to stop after 100 pages as there was just nothing drawing me in and making me want to continue reading.

This was a really enjoyable and fun novel with some great characters. Not being very familiar with the mythology of the Pre-Columbian Americas, I found the gods and goddesses in the story fascinating, and I thought Aiden Thomas did a fantastic job of bringing them to life. I thought Teo was a fabulous protagonist and really enjoyed the friendship between him, Niya and Xio. The setting was vibrant and the descriptions of the landscape were gorgeous. The plot itself, successfully took a well trodden idea (that of a competition for supremacy between teenagers) and completely made it original and interesting, which I really appreciated. Overall, I thought this was a great read and will look forward to the sequel.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I have a bit mixed feelings about this book. Let's start with the positives: I absolutely loved the characters, the diversity and queer representation. Plot was very clear, stakes were high, predictable? Sure, but not in a bad way. You just expect some stuff as you read more of the same genre and recognise patterns of events or characters. However, I was super invested either way. I absolutely loved the images of symbols at the sides of the pages. I loved how distinct and different were each of the big cast of characters. Not negatives but not positives either: I couldn't recognise at all what age group was the book aimed at. The language, the style of writing and amount of exclamation marks read like middle grade, the plot, dialogues read like older YA. It's not a bad thing, once again! But it left me a bit uncanny for the first part of the book as I couldn't put the right 'label' in my head. I was also really surprised with the last chapter's plot-twist - I am sure it will be explained in next book, but I feel like it didn't made much sense considering what was said earlier. I will however look out for the second part because I really liked the characters and I'm really excited to see what's more to come!

The Sunbearer Trials was fast-paced and had a lot of action, with a bit of mystery and some sweet, emotional scenes sprinkled in. I do think the comparison to Percy Jackson and The Hunger Games has been a little unfair, because it’s more than that, especially with the mythology, culture and trans identities that it explores. It landed on a twist and cliffhanger, and I can’t wait to read more in the series

Every decade, a Sunbearer must ensure that Reino del Sol is safe from the evil Obsidian gods. The winner of the trials brings light to each of the temples but the loser is sacrificed to the gods to keep them at bay and fuel the protective Sun Stones for the next ten years. This year, semidiós Teo is eligible for The Sunbearer Trials but as a Jade, he’s not expected to be picked. He hasn’t spent his life training for them like the Golds have. However, this time it seems that the gods have other plans. Not one but two Jades are picked to compete. What chance do they have against a group of highly skilled warriors? The Sunbearer Trials is a very high-stakes, mythological fantasy with a fantastic diverse cast of characters and trans-masc hero in Teo. It does contain the deadly trial trope but it’s far from another Hunger Games. I loved so much of the imagery in this book. Thomas does an amazing job at writing a world that is so beautiful with some very interesting magic. It ends with a crazy twist that I don’t think any reader could have expected. I’m excited for the sequel!

I absolutely adore everything about this book, from the plot to the characters to the writing. I rlly and truly love Aiden’s writing so much and he’s rapidly become one of my all time favourite authors, it was an absolute pleasure to read this and I will be rereading it again soon once I get a physical copy !!!

I really enjoyed this (younger) YA fantasy. Set in a classic quest/competition narrative, this stands out of the crowd thanks to its queer representation - I always love to see good trans rep, and Aiden Thomas writes some of the best out there. Teo is a great dumbass, he isn't any sort of super gifted main character, he is flawed and average in many ways, trying his best and often falling short. But he is a good person and he cares about the people around him. He is fun to read about, and his story is a compelling one. While this didn't quite live up to the magic of Cemetery Boys, it was a great read and cemented Aiden Thomas as an auto-buy author for me.

I'd just read Cemetery Boys, so I was excited to take another walk in this author's world's! I love the way Aiden Thomas writes, and feel it really brings the world and characters to life. The Sunbearer Trials was certainly no disappointment for me!

Bits I liked:
- wonderful trans MC within a rich, diverse world across LGBTQIA+ and Global Majority spectrums
- strong characters with recognisable traits and personalities
- a beautiful culture-centric world, well-described, full of interesting language and delicious food
- an exciting plot that works well for the age-range, but I still enjoyed it as an adult
- a good gentle slow-burn that could still turn out differently, which I prefer over the insta-love tropes!

Bits I liked less:
- I did find the plot a little obvious, and it has been compared to Hunger Games etc, which I can understand, but regardless I think it holds its own and its enjoyable even if you see the twists coming
- I didn't expect it to end there and it felt a bit sudden, but I love that it's set us up for further adventure!
- After reading Cemetery Boys it did feel like it had a lot of similar themes, but it's filling a gap in kid/YA lit that desperately needs these wonderful own voice stories, so I'm here for it!

Overall for me it's another great read from Aiden Thomas, and another reason to have them on my authors-to-autobuy list!

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan for this arc.

As a diehard fantasy fan this is hard to admit but the past year or so I've really been struggling to read many fantasy books. But the premise of this just dug it's claws in me and would not let go. Although I have many unread arcs (sorry netgalley) I knew I had to bump this one to the top.

This series is tipped as The Hunger Games meets Percy Jackson, but with the added bonus of being set in a modern latinx fantasy world and having a trans mc.

Teo is a lil troublemaking Jade semidios (demigod), son of the Goddess of Birds, Quetzel. Teo has to go to a human school because, unlike the Gold semidios, he's not allowed at the academy.

Every ten years there is a trial to find the new Sunbearer, and the new sacrifice. The sacrifice's blood is used to keep the Sol stone burning and the Obsidian Dios trapped. There are always 10 semidios picked, and they are always Golds, however this year Teo, a jade, is picked, along with fellow jade, Xio.

Their world is a sort of modern fantasy world with tech like TúTube (Youtube) and their version of Instagram (who's name I've forgotten), so the trials are also televised.

The Golds are seen as celebrities in this world and are trained to hone their powers to help the mortals, causing them to be seen as superhero type characters (including having their own trading cards). Teo is pretty bitter about the disparity between the Golds and the Jades but despite this, his best friend, Niya, is a Gold.

Niya is the daughter of Tierra, dios of earth and is an absolute himbo. And I *know* himbo is meant to be for men but seeing as it's more complimentary than it's derogatory female equivalent I'm using it, also it fits Niya much better. (And I actually think she would appreciate being called a himbo so fight me).
Niya is a bit of an outcast with the Golds so her and Teo, along with a begrudging Xio, team up to try and survive the trials.

I just loved this book; It made me laugh out loud, fall completely in love with the characters and the world and feel genuine peril in the trials. Aurelio must be protected at all costs!
Whilst the ending, for me, wasn't a surprise I still enjoyed it immensely and found that I was just happy to be along for the ride.

I loved the casual queerness of the gods and everyone in this world. It's not explained, but the Gods can create children even in same sex partnerships. I think most, if not all, of the ten semidios competitors were on the LGBTQIAP+ spectrum and one of them is also deaf, and I think a lot of attention was put in to make sure that you remembered that Dezi was deaf, and that people made the effort to sign without it being a big deal.

The embers of a romance are being kindled in this story but I think we've got a way to go yet. And as much as I loved getting to know Teo, Niya, Xio and Aurelio, I would like to know more about the other competitors. I'm kind of bummed that this is just a duology actually, I'd have loved a trilogy. Why do you have to write such loveable characters Aiden??

I really enjoyed watching Teo's journey in this book; with his wings, his confidence, his determination, his strength, especially considering he only had one power that we know of and couldn't use it very well 😅
He's the scrappy underdog who fights for what's right, is fiercely protective and loves a bit of mischief.
And for a lot of this book, the meme 'Teo no. TEO YES!' kept coming to mind!!

Anyway, I would like book two asap please! 💚

CW: blood, death, injury, fire, emotional abuse, child abuse

This book is so much fun. Every ten years, the Sunbearer Trials as used to chose the sacrifice who is killed to replenish the powers of the sun god Sol. Teo, a semidios son of a bird goddess, shouldn’t be chosen to compete in the trials - as a Jade, he doesn’t have the powers or the training of the Golds. But for the first time in decades, not only is Teo chosen, but he’s also not the only Jade. With all the odds stacked against them, Teo and his friends — Niya, a brash confident Gold, and Xio, the other Jade boy — need to fight to make it out alive.

This is a contemporary, Mexican-inspired YA adventure, filled with fantastical animals and lush landscapes and teenagers being teenagers while they compete for their lives. Teo’s friendship with Xio and Niya was one of my favourite elements: Niya and Teo have been friends for a long time, while shy, quiet Xio is a recent addition. The whole cast was fabulously queer, and I loved the incorporation of Teo’s transness into his relationship with his semidios wings.

It’s comped to Hunger Games, and I would take that with a grain of salt. Yes, the central plot involves a competition in which kids might die, but it doesn’t have the broader worldbuilding, the character-focused prose or commentary on exploitative consumption by the audience. It’s not at all a dystopican epic. Based on the voice, I also assume the intended audience is lower YA (13-15ish) rather than upper YA - this is also a weakness of the book, I think, since the voice and prose generally feels pitched towards that younger audience, but occasionally there is something (usually in the dialogue) that jarringly bumps that age bracket up.