My heart belongs solely to this book

filled star filled star filled star filled star filled star
hollybeebookworm Avatar

By

Best known for Cemetary Boys, a YA standalone fantasy about gay necromancers, Aiden Thomas has stolen my heart with his latest novel. The Sunbearer Trials is the first in Thomas’ new YA duology that follows a trans boy thrust into a competition and is heavily influenced by Mexican culture. If you loved the competition aspect of The Hunger Games series and Throne of Glass, you will absolutely devour this book.

Although this is the first book in the Sunbearer duology, The Sunbearer Trials has cemented this duology as one of the best I’ve ever read. Influenced by Mexican culture and with a mainly queer cast of characters, this book captured my attention almost immediately. Teo, the main character, is trans and the author did a great job of incorporating Two’s struggles with being trans in this fantasy world. Additionally, Xio is also trans and, while not much is known about him, there are a few points in the book where Xio is shown to have gender dysphoria and is in the process of figuring out his identity. Niya gives off strong butch lesbian vibes but also bi wife energy.

Not much is really known about the other competitors since the book is from Teo’s perspective, a Jade god who lives with mortals unlike the Golds who are separated from both Jades and mortals. From what we do see from Teo’s POV, Aurelio, the friend turned enemy and love interest, will do anything to protect his sister and only family that has stuck by him. Auristela, Aurelio’s twin, projects herself as the mean girl when, in actuality, she is really caring and wants her brother to succeed. She is also the person of Nita’s affection and attention. Ocelo, a Gold jaguar shifter, is non-binary and, although they come off as rough at first, they are secretly a cinnamon roll. I’d really love to see more of these side characters in the sequel because it seems likely all the competitors could become really good friends and that some romances could flourish between them (particularly between Teo and Aurelio, Niya, and Auristela, & Marino and Dezi).