A review by mattiedancer
The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas

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? It's complicated

3.5

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
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