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tea_coffee_sam's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Dysphoria, Blood, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Murder, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
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
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
theaceofpages's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
4.5
Imagine a mix between Percy Jackson (Rick Riordan), The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins) and the far lesser known Worm (J.C. McCrae) with a whole lot of extra queerness thrown in and you get The Sunbearer Trials. This is a story (of sometimes not so) superheroes, gods and their children, crazy challenges, travel and sacrifice to try prevent the return of the Obsidians - those who previously nearly destroyed the world.
I loved this book so much! At different times it reminded me more of one of the above mentioned books than the others, but it remained completely unique. I always enjoy it when fantasy worlds are based on something other than western myths (in this case it is inspired by Mexican mythology), but as someone who isn't from that part of the world I would have loved a glossary of some kind to explain what the culturally inspired things are. Another slightly lower point of the book was the inclusion of social media. Specifically in the way it was done. I don't mind this world having technology of ours alongside the magic, but it bothered me that the names were so close to the platforms in our world. I think it would have been a lot less jarring had the author made up new names - even if the platform performed the same function as the real world counterpart. I know it's very minor, but it did annoy me. Some things were also repeated a little too frequently for my taste (e.g. Teo is a Jade, not a gold. He didn't get to go to the academy. Jades never get to compete. Oh, just a reminder that Teo is a Jade and less powerful and wasn't trained). It's not too major though. Oh. And one last frustration. Spoilerish related to trans stuff.The sudden wing transformation. I wasn't a fan. Just believing doesn't make you suddenly have all the traits of your gender identity. He went through an otherwise normal transition process, so I don't see why this should be different. I don't have a problem with the wings changing, but it should rather have happened through molting as this is more consistent with how birds work - look up henopause in peacocks for a great example of what I'm talking about! .
I loved the world building and the various characters. It was all very well fleshed out. And I loved how birds were important and incorporated. (Well animals in general, but birds were the focus). And I loved how queer it is. Everything is just normalised in this world and I'd love it of things could reach that kind of level in real life. I know the author is queer, which probably helps to explain why Teo and the other representation are so authentic. I love it when LGBTQ+ can just be and are just normal characters.
The book ends on a set up for the sequel. While I did have some suspicions about what was going on, I definitely didn't see the how coming. I definitely want to know what happens next and will definitely be reading the sequel when it comes out.
Some notes on some of the content warnings:
I loved this book so much! At different times it reminded me more of one of the above mentioned books than the others, but it remained completely unique. I always enjoy it when fantasy worlds are based on something other than western myths (in this case it is inspired by Mexican mythology), but as someone who isn't from that part of the world I would have loved a glossary of some kind to explain what the culturally inspired things are. Another slightly lower point of the book was the inclusion of social media. Specifically in the way it was done. I don't mind this world having technology of ours alongside the magic, but it bothered me that the names were so close to the platforms in our world. I think it would have been a lot less jarring had the author made up new names - even if the platform performed the same function as the real world counterpart. I know it's very minor, but it did annoy me. Some things were also repeated a little too frequently for my taste (e.g. Teo is a Jade, not a gold. He didn't get to go to the academy. Jades never get to compete. Oh, just a reminder that Teo is a Jade and less powerful and wasn't trained). It's not too major though. Oh. And one last frustration. Spoilerish related to trans stuff.
I loved the world building and the various characters. It was all very well fleshed out. And I loved how birds were important and incorporated. (Well animals in general, but birds were the focus). And I loved how queer it is. Everything is just normalised in this world and I'd love it of things could reach that kind of level in real life. I know the author is queer, which probably helps to explain why Teo and the other representation are so authentic. I love it when LGBTQ+ can just be and are just normal characters.
The book ends on a set up for the sequel. While I did have some suspicions about what was going on, I definitely didn't see the how coming. I definitely want to know what happens next and will definitely be reading the sequel when it comes out.
Some notes on some of the content warnings:
- Animal cruelty:
Animals get used and no quite intentionally hurt during one of the trials - Classisim: <spolier> Jades are seen as lesser than golds
- Transphobia:
Some internalised transphobia/ enbyphobia as well as descriptions of dysphoria.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, and Classism
Moderate: Abandonment, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Cursing, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Transphobia, Child death, and Animal cruelty
fareehareads's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Teo and Aurelio have my whole heart. At this point Aiden Thomas has become my comfort author. I love everything they write. This story was full of heart and a really compelling adventure that would have been my shit when I was a teen. I'm just so happy we get stories like this that mix up traditional fantasy stories (full of cisgender mainly white characters) and instead give us a new narrative full of Mexican-inspired lore and some heartwarming trans characters. Also the world building feels so expansive to me, I could vividly see the descriptions of the temples and each dios and semidios' look , colors, and symbolism. Niya was such a fun character, the twins were highly entertaining throughout the book, and Teo being so stubborn was just so fun to witness. There are definitely echoes in this book to the Percy Jackson books and I loved to see a new kind of mythology story with a completely different earth origin story and meaning. I will definitely read the next book when it comes out!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Bullying, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Animal cruelty
Minor: Classism
princessrory's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, and Child abuse
Minor: Grief, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Kidnapping, Gore, Transphobia, Blood, and Emotional abuse
This book has amazing trans (and other queer) representation, and while there are mentions of dysphoria, I was so impressed by the author’s approach to world-building that allowed for a queer-loving world to flourish in this book.takarakei'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
3.0
A diverse/LGBTQ+ Hunger Games is basically how I would describe this book. It's been a while since I read THG but the parallels between these stories are blatant. But it is a unique world, and the descriptions are lush and vivid. The characters are diverse in every sense of the word. But there are a LOT of characters, and it helps to look up more info on them on the author's website (it would've been helpful for this to be included in the book).
However, for a book with a trans main character, and LGBTQ+ rep, I found a lot of the dialogue to be rather sexist. I have never read a book that used the word "douche" so many times, and it's not like that word can be used in a way that's not derogatory. I really wish the author had chosen different words to describe someone being a jerk that aren't rooted in misogyny. This kind of ruined the overall experience for me and I found it hard for me to enjoy the book because of it.
I might read the sequel when it comes out from the library, but probably won't make it a priority.
However, for a book with a trans main character, and LGBTQ+ rep, I found a lot of the dialogue to be rather sexist. I have never read a book that used the word "douche" so many times, and it's not like that word can be used in a way that's not derogatory. I really wish the author had chosen different words to describe someone being a jerk that aren't rooted in misogyny. This kind of ruined the overall experience for me and I found it hard for me to enjoy the book because of it.
I might read the sequel when it comes out from the library, but probably won't make it a priority.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Cursing, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Child abuse, Dysphoria, Sexism, Misogyny, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Animal cruelty and Child death
noahsingh's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Obsessed with this, and already quite desperate to read the next book.
Should be the Next Big YA Fantasy Thing imho, Percy Jackson should be shaking tbh
Really loved all the characters and has some Very Fun worldbuilding
Should be the Next Big YA Fantasy Thing imho, Percy Jackson should be shaking tbh
Really loved all the characters and has some Very Fun worldbuilding
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Child abuse, Dysphoria, Bullying, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Child death, Grief, Medical content, and Murder
lauralintunen's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Child abuse, Dysphoria, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence
Minor: Animal cruelty, Blood, Child death, Confinement, Death, and Medical content
delz's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.5
This action packed story is based on ancient Mexican mythology. There are gods and the children of gods called semidios, there are different factions with different powers. Every ten years there are Sunbearer Trials where ten young people compete against each other to see who the new Sunbearer will be and the loser will be sacrificed to renew the Sol Stone, reenacting Sol’s sacrifice to keep out the evil darkness. Teo is the hero of the story and he is a “Jade” his gift is having wings. Teo’s best friend is Niya, she’s a “Gold” her talent is taking any metal and transforming it into whatever she needs. Golds are highly trained, rich and powerful, so Teo and Niya’s friendship is unusual, but their relationship adds the much needed comic relief to the high anxiety adventure. The story ends on a cliffhanger and fingers crossed book two will be published soon.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence
Minor: Animal cruelty
purplepenning's review
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
4.0
For some reason, I thought this was a standalone. It's very much not, and now I have to wait a year to resolve a cliffhanger endng. I tried to not let that affect my rating, but I'm only human, not a semidiós!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Violence
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Classism, Cursing, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Body horror, Child death, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Grief
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