While action-packed with both battles and romance, the story also deftly delves into themes of systemic violence, generational trauma, and abuse of power.“ —Kirkus, starred review
"A stunning, action-packed sequel filled with heart and a cast readers will wish to stay with long after they've put the book down." — Booklist, starred review
"Readers across many age ranges will be riveted. The character growth is realistic and endearing, while also providing excellent modeling for developing a healthy sense of self and positive personal relationships." — School Library Journal, starred review
"All of the charms of the first book suffuse this second outing; the Latine world with Gods, monsters, and magic continuously delights, the action-packed fights make for a quick pace, and the tender heart-to-hearts with friends and family, along with normalization of genderqueer identities, keep the narrative fun and heartwarming." —BCCB
"Thomas expands the first book’s exciting world-building to explore what a more just society might look like. Frequent fight scenes are broken up by considerable humor and thoughtful humanizing moments, as characters grapple with the immense pressures placed on them as the children of gods." —The Horn Book
Praise for The Sunbearer Trials:
“One of the best fantasy novels I have ever read. Aiden Thomas is masterful in their ability to not only build such a brilliant world but also characters who you love and want to root for. The Sunbearer Trials is a force to be reckoned with and has completely changed the game.” —Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, New York Times-bestselling author of Ace of Spades
“Clever, vibrant, & convention-shattering. The Sunbearer Trials is my favorite kind of YA fantasy—spectacular worldbuilding, a charming & supremely lovable main character, & a found family I would die for!” —Romina Garber, New York Times-Bestselling author of Lobizona
"Splendid storytelling. The Sunbearer Trials dazzles with adventure, breathing life into a bustling fantastical world filled with both wonders and evils. Aiden Thomas is a brilliant talent." —Chloe Gong, the New York Times-bestselling author of These Violent Delights
“Aiden Thomas fully knocked me out with THE SUNBEARER TRIALS, delivering charming queer characters, thrilling magical trials, and an immersive fantasy world full of intricate details. This book is a triumph and I could not get enough!” — Xiran Jay Zhao, New York Times-bestselling author of Iron Widow
"Thomas’s queernormative world and distinctly drawn cast deliver an upbeat fantasy teeming with captivating worldbuilding, earnest friendships, and electrifying adventure." — Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Thomas unravels a plot that is as riveting as it is terrifying, as...Teo teams up with the other semidioses to save the world they all know and love, regardless of class difference. Fans of the Hunger Games and mythology will revel in this energetic, well-wrought adventure." — Booklist, starred review
"A fun, super-queer read." — Buzzfeed News
Praise for Cemetery Boys:
"Detailed, heart-rending, and immensely romantic. Cemetery Boys is necessary: for trans kids, for queer kids, for those in the Latinx community who need to see themselves on the page. Don’t miss this book." —Mark Oshiro, author of Anger is a Gift
"The novel perfectly balances the vibrant, energetic Latinx culture while delving into heavy topics like LGBTQ+ acceptance, deportation, colonization, and racism within authoritative establishments." —TeenVogue.com
"A romantic mystery as poignant as it is spellbinding, weaved in a mosaic of culture, acceptance, and identity, where intricately crafted characters are the pieces and love—platonic, romantic, familial, and communal—is the glue." —Publishers Weekly, starred review
★ 09/01/2024
Gr 7 Up—As this second installment begins, Xio has betrayed his friends, the most promising semidioses are now in the hands of the dioses who made the Sunbearer Trials necessary, and the apocalypse is in progress. In the chaos, Teo, Niya, and Aurelio who set forth to rescue their friends (or enemies) and restore the sun to the sky. Along the way, the trio is repeatedly confronted with the largely negative impacts the governance of the dioses has had on the mortal population, forcing them to incorporate others' experiences into their understanding of their world. With a narrative that bounces between Xio and Teo to give comprehensive coverage of these rapid-fire, high-stakes events, readers across many age ranges will be riveted. The character growth is realistic and endearing, while also providing excellent modeling for developing a healthy sense of self and positive personal relationships. Although there are romantic subplots, most are minor and none progress far beyond confirmed crushes. In this queernorm Mesoamerican world, the Spanish flows freely and queer representation is diverse, with Xio and Teo identifying on the transmasculine side of the gender spectrum. Notably, 13-year-old Xio is encouraged to continue his gender exploration despite having come out as a binary transgender boy prior to the events of the first book. VERDICT A priority purchase for fans of the first book and any collection with teens in search of their post—"Percy Jackson" obsession.—Austin Ferraro
★ 2024-08-30
This thrilling sequel toThe Sunbearer Trials (2022) follows Teo and Xio, two semidioses (or demigods) and former friends, as they fight on opposite sides during a war and an apocalypse.
Following the theft of the Sol Stone by the formerly exiled and now unleashed Obsidian gods and their monstrous Celestials, the inhabitants of Reino del Sol are plunged into a dark and uncertain future. Flanked by his best friend and crush, Teo embarks on an odyssey to resurrect Sol and save the world, while Xio wrestles with their role in the Obsidians’ revenge. Teo learns that the power structures and histories he learned from the ruling dioses (including his mother, Quetzal) may hide injustices and inequities that he doesn’t want to restore. Meanwhile, Xio begins to question whether the quest for justice for which they were conscripted to fight might instead be a subterfuge that’s intended to enact an oppressive new world. While action-packed with both battles and romance, the story also deftly delves into themes of systemic violence, generational trauma, and abuse of power. Teo and Xio are complex characters who offer strong representation of and for trans and nonbinary teens, respectively. The central messages of self-discovery, social justice, and building communities of care in a hostile world will resonate with readers who are facing challenges themselves.
A powerful duology closer that explores gender, power, and community in a unique world infused with Aztec mythology.(Fantasy. 13-18)