Reviews tagging 'War'

The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas

19 reviews

roseleebooks's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

This was an adventurous read and was a lot of fun while still feeling high stakes at times. It has great representation and I loved the setting.

I did feel that some of the characters were a bit one dimensional but that didn't take away too much from the story and how enjoyable I found the book.

The audiobook format was excellent with narration that added to the story. 

Looking forward to the next book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Xenophobia, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse and Child death

Minor: War and Injury/Injury detail

andelion's review

adventurous emotional inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Violence

Moderate: Grief, Blood, and Animal death

Minor: War

pynklaady's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I love this book! Aiden Thomas' world building is stunning, and through his vivid descriptions I'm drawn into the world of the Dios'. I can't wait for the sequel 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: War and Violence

Minor: Death

jo_lzr's review

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book HAS to be adapted into an animated series!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence

Moderate: Dysphoria and War

Minor: Child death

fanboyriot's review

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The world building to this was so interesting, I loved how it all came together and how the gods were there with the humans.  Think a young adult mash up of Percy Jackson and The Hunger Games—and make it queer.

It did take me a few chapters to fully get invested in this but once I did I ended up reading twenty-two chapters in one sitting. 

Obviously, I’m not a fan with how this ended but luckily I waited long enough to read this to know it ended on a major cliffhanger.  So it wasn’t quite as devastating.

Release Date: 06, September 2022

POV: Third Person

Rep: Trans (MC), LGBTQIA+ characters, BIPOC characters

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Dysphoria, Bullying, Blood, and Classism

Moderate: Grief, War, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Cursing, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, and Death

Minor: Transphobia, Child death, Animal death, Kidnapping, and Death of parent

jachnax's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Dysphoria, Death, and Classism

Moderate: War

rubyroses's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Wow this book has definitely left a permanent mark on me !! 🤩

The way Aiden Thomas presented so much diversity in such a nonchalant way filled my heart with joy. It was so nice to see a world where everyone is accepted and no one blinks an eye.  

The story itself was fast paced and exciting but occasionally felt rushed. For a land that was describe to be quite big it was a bit unbelievable that it was only a day by boat between the cities. I also wished the trials were more thought out. For a competition that determines the fate of the world and the death of an individual they definitely lacked depth and dare I say imagination. 

Luckily the dynamics between Teo & the golds also partaking in the trial was enough to keep me entertained for 405 pages. Overall it was a truly enjoyable book but definitely had a few holes in the plot. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Xenophobia

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Child death and War

robinks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I loved this audiobook and can’t wait for the second half of the duology! The characters are so lovable and complex, and the descriptions of each scene were so detailed that I could picture them easily. I would LOVE to see this story in a visual medium. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Violence, Bullying, and Classism

Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, Murder, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, and Cursing

Minor: Gore, Kidnapping, and War

braveprincess11's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

“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. Far better than the rest of us who stay quiet because they’re afraid to speak up.”

Aiden Thomas has once again absolutely shattered my heart, and rebuilt it back differently and better. 

From the very beginning of the book, Teo portrays himself as a caring and humble semidios, whose only prerogative is to keep his friends safe. He never shies away from speaking up for what’s right, and never lets his resolve waver, even in the face of potential death. 

Aiden Thomas consistently writes characters that get to the heart of the complexity of gender, and explains and humanizes the experience of living outside of society’s expectations in a way that I haven’t seen from other authors. 

His way of writing action and unexpected twists is… brilliant. Even when I thought I had it figured out, Aiden Thomas managed to create a reveal that had me gasping and left me unable to put book down until the end. 

I am desperate for the conclusion to the duology. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Child death, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Death

Minor: War and Suicidal thoughts

bedtimesandbooks's review

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Dysphoria, Classism, and Child death