Celestial Monsters

Starred review from July 1, 2024
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* In the fallout from the Sunbearer Trials, Teo, the 17-year-old trans son of bird goddess Quetzal, has secured the title of Sunbearer. Teo's refusal to participate in the sacrifice at the end of the trials led directly to the apocalypse, leaving Reino del Sol in eternal darkness in the absence of the sun. As the newly freed Obsidian gods create chaos, Teo, Niya, and Aurelio journey to find the Sol Stone and release their fellow semidioses from the grasp of the Obsidians. Unlike the first in this duology, Celestial Monsters introduces the POV of Xio, who previously betrayed his friends as part of a revenge plot on behalf of the Obsidian gods. The choice to start the novel in Xio's perspective will hook readers for its duration, all while allowing for a nuanced development of Xio as the villain--and, eventually, for a fulfilling redemption arc. The core friendship between Teo, Niya, and Aurelio is also deepened as the trio quests to return light to their world; their playful banter is a balm during their journey's most difficult moments. Teo and Aurelio's continuing romance is sweet and captivating, allowing Aurelio to truly shine in a story set primarily in darkness. 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.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2024
Thomas returns to Reino del Sol, the fantasy world introduced in The Sunbearer Trials (rev. 1/23). Teo's refusal to sacrifice a fellow demigod at the end of that novel has caused the sun to vanish. Now a horde of monsters with immense destructive power has been released. It's up to Teo -- with his impulsive best friend and his broody crush -- to steal back the Sol Stone so they can avert the apocalypse. They fight monsters, learn brutal truths about Reino del Sol's history, and kiss a little along the way. To resurrect the sun, someone still needs to be sacrificed, but Teo is determined to find another course of action. As he and his companions visit cities with more communal structures than they're used to, 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. Though the metaphors for transness are subtler in this installment, there are still some moments of gender exploration -- and many of queer joy. Bodie Shanis

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from September 1, 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

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from October 1, 2024
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)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2024
Thomas returns to Reino del Sol, the fantasy world introduced in The Sunbearer Trials (rev. 1/23). Teo's refusal to sacrifice a fellow demigod at the end of that novel has caused the sun to vanish. Now a horde of monsters with immense destructive power has been released. It's up to Teo -- with his impulsive best friend and his broody crush -- to steal back the Sol Stone so they can avert the apocalypse. They fight monsters, learn brutal truths about Reino del Sol's history, and kiss a little along the way. To resurrect the sun, someone still needs to be sacrificed, but Teo is determined to find another course of action. As he and his companions visit cities with more communal structures than they're used to, 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. Though the metaphors for transness are subtler in this installment, there are still some moments of gender exploration -- and many of queer joy.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)