Amanda Smith’s Reviews > The Sunbearer Trials > Status Update

(SPOILERS) Realistically? The other gods and semidiosas probably would have killed or exiled Teo for not performing the ritual, and for the Obsidians and monsters returning to Earth. But I'm glad we're not doing that. That would hurt too much. Too much misery. Instead we're skipping straight to the quest to save the world.

Will this book end on a cliffhanger?

(SPOILER) And that betrayal! ♥️🗡️

(2/2) And THEN (super SPOILERS) Teo outright refuses to do the sacrifice. Also well justified, as at this point we know Teo will go against the status quo to do what he thinks is right. Well written!

(1/2) Lots of good twists! (SPOILERS) Xio isn't in last place, it's Auristela (the love interest's twin sister). Teo wins first place, making him the Sunbearer, which isn't a surprise, as the justification for it is well built. But Auristela being the sacrifice? That means that Teo is going to kill the person who means the most to Aurelio. This could completely destroy their fledgling romance.

(2/2) One of the adults, hell, one of the other teens, should recognize the sabotage, and it drives me nuts that all the characters except the main character are too stupid to notice. I get making the protagonist the main problem solver, but this is TOO OBVIOUS.

(1/2) Teo is the one who notices something is wrong with the contestants? It's pretty fucking obvious—I'm confused why none of the adults have noticed. Then when he raises the alarm, one of the adults throws an obviously contrived temper tantrum to distract everyone. 🤦 This is so unrealistic.

There's some sort of mind corruption happening to the contestants.

I really should finish this book before it's due back at the library.

[SPOILER] Xio just lost the third trial. Oh boy, I hope this isn't going to become an allegory for trans kids dying. 😬

I'm glad I'm listening to the audiobook. My Spanish is weak, and this way I know how the words are actually pronounced. If I was reading the book, I would probably think of incorrect pronunciations, especially for the names.