OCTOBER 2022 - AudioFile
André Santana narrates this exhilarating audio inspired by Mexican mythology and folklore. Impulsive Teo, the half-human son of the Bird Goddess Quetzal, anticipates boredom during the once-a-decade Sunbearer Trials that restore the protective powers of Sol. When he and a lesser semidiós are chosen to compete, Teo will have to use all his wits to defend their lives. Santana nimbly captures Teo’s cheerful nature and his frustration with the divisions between the children of greater and lesser gods. Listeners will be captivated by the detailed descriptions of the cities within Reino del Sol and the fantastical beings who inhabit them. Santana keeps the tension in his narration taut as Teo wrestles with both physical challenges and his own feelings of inferiority. N.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
★ 07/25/2022
Intensely perilous competition and an innovative mythos permeate this thrilling duology opener by Thomas (Lost in the Never Woods). At the dawn of creation, the god Sol, “alone in the universe,” created godly children: the “powerful but vain” Golds; “kind but focused” Jades; “passionate but selfish” Obsidians; and the mortals, whom Sol loved most of all. The Obsidians were eventually locked away for their crimes against the gods and mortals, and kept at bay by Sun Stones, which were formed from Sol’s body. Now, every decade, the Sunbearer Trials are held to find a champion to relight the stones while the loser is sacrificed to fuel them. Golds have participated in the trial almost exclusively, until now: two trans boys, 17-year-old Teo, son of the Jade goddess of birds, is chosen alongside 13-year-old Xio, son of the Jade god of bad luck. Since Teo lacks the training that his fearsome Gold competitors receive, he must work with Xio and his one Gold friend to ensure they don’t lose. Thomas’s queernormative world and distinctly drawn cast deliver an upbeat fantasy teeming with captivating worldbuilding, earnest friendships, and electrifying adventure. Characters are described as having brown skin of varying tones. Ages 13–up. Agent: Jennifer March Soloway, Andrea Brown Literary. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
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
"The world of the Reino del Sol is consciously and emphatically queer and diverse. Readers who have aged out of Percy Jackson and Rick Riordan Presents will delight in the mythology that Thomas has created, while readers who enjoy the competition structures of Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass or Amanda Foody’s All of Us Villains will love reading about the challenges the heroes face." — School Libarary Journal, starred review
"A fun, super-queer read." — Buzzfeed News
"The novel successfully balances magical, action-packed battles with lighter interactions and dialogue...with elements richly drawn from Mexican culture to create a narrative setting that’s colorful, expansive, and unique." — Horn Book
"The Sunbearer Trials is a total thrill ride, one that focuses on friendships at least as much as romance, but the book’s greatest pleasure is in seeing Teo come into his own and gain power, in the face of unavoidable heartbreak."— The Washington Post
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
School Library Journal
★ 10/01/2022
Gr 7 Up—In this Mexican-inspired fantasy, Teo must unexpectedly compete against eight of Reino del Sol's brightest young Heroes and one unlucky 13-year-old in a competition to become the next Sunbearer, carrying light to all the temples of Reino del Sol and keeping away the evil Obsidian gods for another few years. While the rewards are great, competing has a high cost: the loser of the trials will be sacrificed in order to replenish the Sun's power. Teo, a trans 17-year-old semidiós and son of the goddess of birds, competes alongside his best friend Niya, a strong daughter of an earth god; Xio, a 13-year-old child of the god of bad luck; and Aurelio, son of a fire goddess, and his former best friend turned enemy. Along the way, he gains confidence in himself and his powers, even learning to fly using the wings that previously caused him too much dysphoria to look at. As the competitors travel to different trials, they explore beautiful locations and develop unexpected alliances. However, things aren't always what they seem, and after a few close calls, Teo begins to suspect that someone is tampering with the trials. The world of the Reino del Sol is consciously and emphatically queer and diverse, and transition is shown to be a celebration. VERDICT Readers who have aged out of Percy Jackson and Rick Riordan Presents will delight in the mythology that Thomas has created, while readers who enjoy the competition structures of Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass or Amanda Foody's All of Us Villains will love reading about the challenges the heroes face. While the trials do not always feel high stakes, this is a fun and warm-hearted start to a duology.—Kelsey Socha
OCTOBER 2022 - AudioFile
André Santana narrates this exhilarating audio inspired by Mexican mythology and folklore. Impulsive Teo, the half-human son of the Bird Goddess Quetzal, anticipates boredom during the once-a-decade Sunbearer Trials that restore the protective powers of Sol. When he and a lesser semidiós are chosen to compete, Teo will have to use all his wits to defend their lives. Santana nimbly captures Teo’s cheerful nature and his frustration with the divisions between the children of greater and lesser gods. Listeners will be captivated by the detailed descriptions of the cities within Reino del Sol and the fantastical beings who inhabit them. Santana keeps the tension in his narration taut as Teo wrestles with both physical challenges and his own feelings of inferiority. N.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
