Scan barcode
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Grief, Blood, and Animal death
Minor: War
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
some_random_person_hi's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I have missed the intensely fast pacing of certain YA/middle grade books and this fully delivered on that front. The plot hard carried the book by so much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Grief, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Bullying, Cursing, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Ableism, Confinement, Animal death, and Death of parent
Bullying is done both by characters you're not supposed to root for and characters you're supposed to vote for. Ableism is unchallenged & specifically anti-npd ableism.melaniereadsbooks's review
adventurous
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
Thank you to Bookishfirst, Fierce Reads for a finished copy of this book!
When the Sunbearer Trials, which only happen once a decade, come back around, Teo doesn't think he has a chance of being chosen. As a Jade, Teo is less worried about being one of the 10 semidioses to compete, and more worried about his best friend, a Gold, being chosen. But then the unthinkable happens: not only is Teo chosen, but Xio, another Jade semidios, is also chosen. Teo and everyone else knows that the Jades are the most likely to lose the Sunbearer Trials and become the sacrifice that renews Sol's protection of their land, but he is willing to do whatever it takes to keep that from happening.
My expectations for this one were completely sky high and I wasn't at all disappointed. Teo is a chaotic disaster bird-boy and I love him. Niya is strong and amazing and soooo chaotic. I would like to be her friend. And Aurelio is such a great character and I wanted more more more scenes with him and Teo and I can't wait for the sequel whenever it comes out so I can see more Teo, Aurelio, and Niya kicking butt and taking names together!
The plot of this is so good! I love competition books like this (kind of Hunger Games - esque) and the added layers of mythos and the Dioses (oh my god, Quetzal is so pure) and Sol the Nonbinary Sun Dios and...Yeah. I don't know how else to talk about this except by naming elements that I loved. It is so so good. The world-building is rich and complex and I was so fully immersed. Also like the world is so queer and trans- normative and I love that soooo much.
This was one of those books that you want to devour in one sitting, but also want to spend your time with and savor. It was a weird push-pull for me in that way. I ended up devouring, but now that it is coming out, I plan on borrowing the audio and really savoring it for a second readthrough!
When the Sunbearer Trials, which only happen once a decade, come back around, Teo doesn't think he has a chance of being chosen. As a Jade, Teo is less worried about being one of the 10 semidioses to compete, and more worried about his best friend, a Gold, being chosen. But then the unthinkable happens: not only is Teo chosen, but Xio, another Jade semidios, is also chosen. Teo and everyone else knows that the Jades are the most likely to lose the Sunbearer Trials and become the sacrifice that renews Sol's protection of their land, but he is willing to do whatever it takes to keep that from happening.
My expectations for this one were completely sky high and I wasn't at all disappointed. Teo is a chaotic disaster bird-boy and I love him. Niya is strong and amazing and soooo chaotic. I would like to be her friend. And Aurelio is such a great character and I wanted more more more scenes with him and Teo and I can't wait for the sequel whenever it comes out so I can see more Teo, Aurelio, and Niya kicking butt and taking names together!
The plot of this is so good! I love competition books like this (kind of Hunger Games - esque) and the added layers of mythos and the Dioses (oh my god, Quetzal is so pure) and Sol the Nonbinary Sun Dios and...Yeah. I don't know how else to talk about this except by naming elements that I loved. It is so so good. The world-building is rich and complex and I was so fully immersed. Also like the world is so queer and trans- normative and I love that soooo much.
This was one of those books that you want to devour in one sitting, but also want to spend your time with and savor. It was a weird push-pull for me in that way. I ended up devouring, but now that it is coming out, I plan on borrowing the audio and really savoring it for a second readthrough!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, and Violence
Moderate: Murder, Dysphoria, Child abuse, and Child death
Minor: Animal death, Death of parent, and Kidnapping
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
In order to keep the Sun’s power replenished, semidioses between the ages of 13 and 18 are chosen by the god Sol to compete in the Sunbearer Trials. The winner of these Trials will then carry the light to the rest of the world, but only after the sacrifice of the competitor in last place. They will be used to fuel the sun for the next 10 years.
Teo is the son of a Jade god, not usually chosen to compete in the Trials. But when he and another Jade semidios are chosen to compete, Teo now finds himself competing against those training for the Trials for their entire life. Specifically, against Aurelio, his ex-best friend turned rival. And if Teo doesn’t do well enough, he might find himself becoming the sacrifice to Sol.
Thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for an advanced copy of The Sunbearer Trials to review! Aiden Thomas is a favorite of mine, so this was high on my list for this year. Plus, the cover is absolutely gorgeous. This book is being pitched as Percy Jackson meets The Hunger Games and let me tell you, that is an accurate description of this book.
Right from the start, Thomas drops readers into this rich world, drawn from Mexican mythology. There is a lot to keep track of, between the different gods and the different cities. While there were a few details I think slipped through the cracks, overall the world building is solid. I especially appreciated the way sexuality and gender were incorporated; no one really bats an eye. Teo also has a great conversation with Xio, the other Jade semidios, about gender identity, and I am here for that in a fantasy novel.
This book is also pretty fast-paced, but Thomas doesn’t sacrifice any of the character building for the plot. One of the best aspects of the book was the evolving relationship between Teo and Aurelio. They are ex-friends to a potential romance, but it doesn’t take over everything else. Can’t wait to see what happens with them in the next book.
For me, this book is closer to the feel of Cemetery Boys than Lost in the Never Woods was. Thomas’s writing has also grown, and I can’t wait to see what they do next.
All in all, if you love mythology inspired fantasy, definitely pick this one up in September!
-----
Percy Jackson x The Hunger Games is really such a great description for this book. Stay tuned for a full review to come tomorrow!
Teo is the son of a Jade god, not usually chosen to compete in the Trials. But when he and another Jade semidios are chosen to compete, Teo now finds himself competing against those training for the Trials for their entire life. Specifically, against Aurelio, his ex-best friend turned rival. And if Teo doesn’t do well enough, he might find himself becoming the sacrifice to Sol.
Thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for an advanced copy of The Sunbearer Trials to review! Aiden Thomas is a favorite of mine, so this was high on my list for this year. Plus, the cover is absolutely gorgeous. This book is being pitched as Percy Jackson meets The Hunger Games and let me tell you, that is an accurate description of this book.
Right from the start, Thomas drops readers into this rich world, drawn from Mexican mythology. There is a lot to keep track of, between the different gods and the different cities. While there were a few details I think slipped through the cracks, overall the world building is solid. I especially appreciated the way sexuality and gender were incorporated; no one really bats an eye. Teo also has a great conversation with Xio, the other Jade semidios, about gender identity, and I am here for that in a fantasy novel.
This book is also pretty fast-paced, but Thomas doesn’t sacrifice any of the character building for the plot. One of the best aspects of the book was the evolving relationship between Teo and Aurelio. They are ex-friends to a potential romance, but it doesn’t take over everything else. Can’t wait to see what happens with them in the next book.
For me, this book is closer to the feel of Cemetery Boys than Lost in the Never Woods was. Thomas’s writing has also grown, and I can’t wait to see what they do next.
All in all, if you love mythology inspired fantasy, definitely pick this one up in September!
-----
Percy Jackson x The Hunger Games is really such a great description for this book. Stay tuned for a full review to come tomorrow!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Dysphoria, and Child death
Minor: Animal death, Death of parent, and Kidnapping
starrysteph's review
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
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? Yes
5.0
The Sunbearer Trials is a vibrant, imaginative young adult fantasy with playful teenage wit and heartfelt storylines.
Once every ten years, a new Sunbearer must be crowned in order to fuel Sol’s Sun Stones, magical containers of power that ward off the evil Obsidian gods. Ten teenage semidioses are selected by Sol to compete in The Sunbearer Trials; the winner becomes Sunbearer and the child who ends up in last place becomes an honorable sacrifice.
Teo is a Jade semidios (son of Quetzal, the goddess of birds) and has never worried about the Trials - generally, only the most impressive Gold semidios heroes are selected. He’s ready to cheer on his best friend Niya and hope for the best. But unexpectedly, two Jade teenagers are chosen for this year’s competition … and Teo suddenly has to fight for his life.
The stakes are very high (we’re of course gearing up to the end of the tournament - a sacrifice of the lowest-ranked competitor), but the book generally feels light-hearted and not too intense.
The world is inclusive and queernormative in a way that is so comforting + welcoming to young readers. There’s gender and sexuality fluidity across all the characters, from mortals to the gods themselves. And yet Thomas still covers topics like discovering your identity + gender dysphoria - they’re just discussed within different boundaries (ie. at the start of the book, Teo binds his wings and feels like they are not part of him because they have traditionally “feminine” colorings). I’m SO excited for young readers who may be on their own journeys discovering their identities to experience this writing and feel held and safe. Additional representation includes a deaf character that is a fellow competitor in the Trials.
I found it to be a refreshing take on a concept (gods and their children) that we’ve seen explored in young adult fantasy before. The setup of each dios and semidios and family unit and how gods interacted with mortals felt delightfully new and engaging. While The Sunbearer Trials is Mexican-inspired, Thomas came up with a brand new, very fleshed-out creation story and lineup of dioses. The world-building was SO well done; intricate and creative but very easy to follow.
The descriptive language - of the people and cities and outfits and challenges - was riveting and transformative. Everything came to life before my eyes. I could easily see this as a movie; a show; an immersive theme park world. It was so rich!! I want alllll the art of this.
Teo is a great lead, even when you want to shout at him through the page. He’s age-appropriately frustrating but also incredibly endearing. He’s a very easy person to root for and I can’t wait for his journey to continue during the following books.
In general, I adored how personal and fleshed-out EVERY character was - even when I disliked their actions. There’s also some great development around classism and bringing the “Heroes” down to reality // exploring their flaws and challenges.
I also think this is one of the better-paced YA books I’ve read in a while. The action was fast & engaging, and between the more intense scenes were just the right amount of light-hearted, character-driven moments. I simply couldn’t put this one down.
The tone of the book is quite modern, but with fantastical alternative takes on social media and memes and turns of phrase. Sometimes this was too much for me (it felt like it was trying a bit too hard; and why SO many 2022ish references?) - I don’t know if teenage readers will also roll their eyes or laugh & love them.
But overall ... this was truly excellent. I don’t remember the last time I felt THIS excited about a fantasy world. I’m so excited for the rest of the world to experience The Sunbearer Trials.
PS. I LOVED the “hero cards” included both within the plot of the book and on the author’s website: it was a fun added layer to the experience. I want physical versions!
(I received an advanced reader copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
CW: death, murder, injury, blood, violence, bullying, dysphoria, emotional abuse, child abuse, child death, physical abuse, fire, classism
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Child death, Classism, Cursing, Blood, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death
More...