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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
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: Bullying, Violence, Blood, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War
Minor: Animal death, Child death, Transphobia, Kidnapping, Death of parent
adventurous
funny
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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Dysphoria, Classism
Moderate: War
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Violence, Classism
Minor: Death, Physical abuse
adventurous
emotional
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:
Complicated
Writing: 3.5⭐️/5
The writing in this story is serviceable and clear. Personally, I found a hard time getting into the novel. It took me two attempts to get into the novel, despite reading several chapters into the story both times. The lack of a clear and immediate hook presented a problem; however, as the novel went on, the stakes definitely pulled me in and I was more engaged. If you’re thinking of picking up this book, there might be a bit of a waiting period for the writing to grab you.
Characters: 4⭐️/5
The characters were both fun and realistic. I loved learning about their connections, their various personalities, and their motives and dreams. Some of the characters lacked a bit of polish to me, and I certainly would have loved a few more characters to develop a bit more clearly, but overall the characters shined.
Plot: 3.5⭐️/5
The plot is fun – and predictable. I enjoyed the world, honestly, more than the plot. I had fun sinking into this world classified by your connection to the gods, and loved learning about the powers and the trials. The actual plot though felt like an aside to the world and, though it eventually wrapped me in, I would have loved a bit more focus here.
Who Should Read This Book?
- Fans of LGBTQ+ fantasy novels
- Fans of young adult fantasy books
- Those looking for a cute but strained-by-situation love story
- Those looking for something a bit different, but backed by familiar tropes and plotlines
Content Warnings?
- Violence, blood, bullying, dysphoria, child abuse, fire, fire injury, injury detail, classism, child death, death,
Post-Reading Rating: 3⭐️/5
I had fun, but I wouldn’t seek out the next one.
Final Rating: 3.5⭐️/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
adventurous
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
This feels like a YA novel although I don’t think it is. It’s a fun and interesting story, though the main character is a bit of an idiot sometimes. Spent the first half of the book pretty frequently frustrated with his choices and interpretations of what’s happening around him. I was much less annoyed for the second half, so he does turn it around.
Without spoiling the plot, it wasn’t too hard to predict the twists but they were still fun to read. I’m interested enough that I’m gonna read the second book so I know how everything turns out.
Also worth noting is that this book did a good job with LGBTQ+ inclusion and normalization. There was a lot of representation as well as positive and healthy discussions about gender dysphoria and taking time to figure it out.
Overall, a fun read I’d recommend, but nothing that blew my mind or felt overly exceptional.
Without spoiling the plot, it wasn’t too hard to predict the twists but they were still fun to read. I’m interested enough that I’m gonna read the second book so I know how everything turns out.
Also worth noting is that this book did a good job with LGBTQ+ inclusion and normalization. There was a lot of representation as well as positive and healthy discussions about gender dysphoria and taking time to figure it out.
Overall, a fun read I’d recommend, but nothing that blew my mind or felt overly exceptional.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, Murder
Minor: Child death, Death
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-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:
Complicated
In the world of The Sunbearer Trials, ten teenage children of the Gold and Jade deities of Reino del Sol compete once a decade in a tournament of the same name. The winner becomes the Sunbearer, who brings the light of Sol to the world to protect it from the dangerous Obsidian deities from beyond the stars; the loser becomes the sacrifice used to power the light of Sol. When Teo, the trans son of the Jade goddess of birds Quetzal is chosen, he sets out to make sure him and his two friends aren't the sacrifice...but maybe they might be able to win the Trials after all? I personally loved the representation of trans and non-binary people in this book; Teo and his friend Xio (which is also the first time I've seen someone who is actively questioning their gender in a piece of media!) are both trans boys, and the warlike Ocelo is non-binary. I also was enamoured with the deaf chosen boy Dezi, and how the group makes sure he is included. The worldbuilding of this setting is immense, with a pantheon of deities that boggles the mind and deepens in the modern-day context of the world. As a long-time fan of Aiden Thomas's previous book Cemetery Boys, I continue to enjoy the way they blend humour and anguish to make a riveting story with larger-than-life characters. I eagerly await the sequel!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Medical content, Grief
Xio goes through phases of disordered eating in the book due to the stress of the Trials.
Teo and Xio have a very frank conversation regarding using hormones and gender dysphoria about halfway through the book.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dysphoria
Minor: Bullying, Death
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
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:
Complicated
I loooooved this book so much. It had everything I've ever wanted. All the characters were interesting and the plot was intriguing. Also the plot twist at the end was great. I can't wait for the second book and I hope we get to learn more about the other characters. The only thing is that some of the dialogue is a little cringy, but it's not that big of a deal.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dysphoria
Minor: Death, Murder
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:
Complicated
“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.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Dysphoria
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, War