The Sunbearer Trials

Product Information

you are a loud, impulsive, persistent seeker of justice, and that makes people uncomfortable, but it doesn't make you bad. it makes you very good, in fact.” I also love Aurelio’s arc, but I don’t want to say too much about that yet because I think it really starts to shine in book two and I’m not allowed to talk about it! Feiwel & Friends I’m incredibly unsatisfied with this and really feel like this was marketed poorly. I’m tired of letting both authors and publishers get away with misleading audiences into expecting one thing and then delivering another. You cannot pitch a book as part Hunger Games unless you are actually committing to that kind of seriousness and grimness.

It wasn't until the final trial that I understood that the grading wasn't per trial but an overall score. That would have been nice to understand earlier on. Then again, with my mind full of so many names, I might have missed it. But in the final trial, we never learned where most everyone ended up. We know who became Sunbearer and who became the sacrifice. And we know where Xio and Niya ended up. But the rest? We should have found out where everyone ended up. That being said, I do want to leave this on a positive note. I did love the Mexican inspired mythology as well as the diversity of gender and queer representation. I haven’t decided if I want to continue the series but I more than likely will. Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book! 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. Y no solo eso, sino que Jade, uno de nuestros dos candidatos, ve cómo su mundo se tambalea peligrosamente al darse cuenta de que, además de competir por su vida, tendrá también que enfrentarse a su peor enemigo (un enemigo muy especial🤫) the character cards that mmarsloud has drawn for them is an absolute thing of beauty. each so, so gorgeous & intricate with diverse abilities, identities, and appearances. i eagerly followed along as each character card got revealed & honestly? went a little feral whenever they were.

About this book

Aiden Thomas, bestselling YA author of Cemetery Boys (2020) delivers a dazzling, magical dystopian Mexican-inspired fantasy tale. The Sunbearer Trials is a duology (two books) and this first installment is non-stop heart-pumping adventure that you will have a hard time putting down. This YA novel is geared for 13 to 18 year-olds, but I loved reading it as an adult. Another anticipated read ending up being very alright. Not to be dramatic but I waited 2-3 years for this one. I guess because Cemetery Boys was too good but I have to learn to stop comparing authors different books to each other because then I get disappointed. Thank you to MacMillan Children’s Group and the author for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Inspired by Mexican folklore and mythology, this follows semidioses (demi-gods) competing in dangerous trials to determine who will be the next Sunbearer and who will be the next sacrifice to protect their world. The Sunbearer has always been a Gold- the most powerful and privileged of the semidioses who receive specialized training. Only once has a Jade even competed. Teo is a Jade, a 17 year old trans boy who has no expectation of being chosen by Sol to compete in the trials. But of course, he's entirely wrong. I also just wanted a super fun action adventure story where queer, trans and Latinx kids could see themselves as not only heroes, but as the children of gods. I want them to be able to read The Sunbearer Trials, connect with one of the characters and root for them as the story goes on. It’s such a powerful, thrilling thing to be able to see yourself in a book. I think this is a story that all young adults readers will be able to find someone they really attach to and identify with, from the Stoic Hero, to the Well-Meaning Troublemaker, or the Beefy Lesbian with a Sword! The book didn’t know what tone to take either. Was it a fun time? Was it serious? It doesn’t know! It honestly felt like a middle grade masquerading as Young Adult. Throw in some swear words and call it YA! Why not?but if you know me, you would know i’ve made cemetery boys a personality trait. and i would do anything to be in the worlds aiden thomas creates.

to replenish the sun’s power & keep the obsidian gods at bay, each decade 10 semidioses are chosen to compete in the sunbearer trials. the winner gets the prestige of travelling through reino del sol to replenish the sun stones. the loser, however, gets the greatest honor— a sacrifice to sol to fuel the sun stones. the children of the mighty gold gods train their whole life for this trial, unlike the children of the jade gods who historically have never been chosen. until now. until teo. what's a semidiós to do except try his hardest to survive? Niya loved moments like this, where it was just her and Xochi, under the sunlight, close as they could be. There was no overlapping pressure to save someone or appease a god. It was just her and Xo, and Niya wouldn't ask for anything more. Thomas: I think we’re living in a period of a lot of political anxiety, and figures like Katniss Everdeen really resonate because she’s this underdog from District 12 who never should have survived the first 20 minutes, let alone win the whole thing. She’s got conviction and morals and things she’s willing to die for, and I think we all want to be like that! I think we all like to imagine that, even in the most dire of circumstances, we’d still do the brave and right thing. 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. Despite the large cast of characters and distinct personalities, Aiden Thomas manages to avoid making things feel jumbled or squished together. It’s a fast-paced story featuring fascinating and lively characters with varying motivations, powers, and roles to play.

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The world-building could have been better. The trials had the best scene settings, but the non-trial scenes could have taken place anywhere. just as i did with cemetery boys & lost in the never woods, i inhaled the entirely of the sunbearer trials in under 12 hours because i have zero chill & immediately added it to the faves shelf. disclaimer: this isn't really a fair review since i wasn't in the right mindset for this kind of book, plus i'm not the target audience anyways.