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

(SPOILER) And that betrayal! ♥️🗡️

(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 thought it was a little odd that there are two transmasc characters in this book, both on the same side/team and stuck in the same situation, but I get it now: this is an opportunity for Aiden Thomas to explore how trans people seek each other out for support and understanding.

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.

competing against professionals heroes who have been training for this type of physical competition at a special academy just for this their whole lives, and one of these kids WILL be killed and sacrificed at the end. I am outraged at their parents. (2/2)