Aiden Thomas
Aiden Thomas has published 5 books across 3 series. The recommended reading order starts with Cemetery Boys (2020).
Aiden Thomas is an American author who writes contemporary fantasy for young adults, centering trans and Latinx characters in stories that blend magic with questions of identity and belonging. They made their debut in 2020 with Cemetery Boys, a novel about a trans brujo determined to prove himself to his traditional family. The book landed on the New York Times list and shifted the landscape for LGBTQ+ representation in young adult fiction, giving readers the stories they had been waiting for.
Thomas followed Cemetery Boys with Lost in the Never Woods, demonstrating their range across genre-blending narratives. Originally from Oakland, California, they now live in Portland, Oregon, and hold an MFA in Creative Writing from Mills College. A queer, trans Latinx writer, Thomas advocates for diverse representation across all media, bringing that commitment to every page.
Thomas organizes bookshelves by color and cannot guess the ending of a book to save their life—a writer who lives fully inside stories. Their work offers recognition as much as escape, grounded in the belief that being seen for who you truly are matters.
Shelf & Shadows
Order of Cemetery Boys Books
- Tagsyoung-adultfantasyromancechildrenparanormal-romancehorrorDescriptionWhat does it mean to be seen for who you truly are, and what would you risk to prove yourself to the people you love most? Yadriel is determined to show his traditional Latinx family that he's a real brujo, not the bruja they insist on seeing, even as he navigates his identity as a transgender boy in a community bound by ancient magic and rigid expectations. When he performs a forbidden ritual to prove his abilities, he accidentally summons the ghost of Julian Diaz, a rebellious classmate who refuses to move on until he uncovers the truth behind his mysterious death. What begins as an uneasy alliance becomes something deeper as Yadriel races against time to solve Julian's murder while grappling with his own need for acceptance and belonging. This is a story that pulses with warmth and urgency, blending the rich traditions of Día de los Muertos with a tender, achingly authentic portrait of a boy fighting to be recognized on his own terms. Aiden Thomas has crafted something rare here—a book that honors both cultural heritage and the courage it takes to claim your identity, wrapped in a mystery that keeps you turning pages and a romance that sneaks up on your heart. It's gay, it's great, and it matters in ways that linger long after the final page.Publication dateSeptember 1, 2020Amazon rating4.6/5Print length352LanguageEnglishPublisherSwoon Reads
- Tagsurban-fantasyyoung-adultfantasyromanceparanormal-romancehorrorDescriptionThere's a particular kind of magic that hums beneath the surface of Aiden Thomas's worlds, where the veil between the living and the dead grows gossamer-thin and identity becomes both a battleground and a sanctuary. In this continuation of the Cemetery Boys universe, Thomas returns to the rich tapestry of Latinx culture and brujerío that captivated readers, weaving together threads of tradition, queerness, and the supernatural into something that feels both ancient and urgently contemporary. The atmosphere pulses with the same tender intensity that made its predecessor resonate so deeply—a world where acceptance must be fought for, where family ties bind in complicated knots, and where seeing the dead is only the beginning of truly understanding what it means to be alive. Thomas has built a reputation for crafting stories that refuse to choose between heart and spectacle, and this installment promises to deliver that same alchemy of emotional authenticity and supernatural stakes. The magic here isn't just window dressing; it's woven into questions of belonging, heritage, and the courage it takes to claim your own story when the world—and sometimes your own community—wants to write it for you. For readers who crave fantasy that doesn't shy away from real pain and real joy, who want their ghosts to matter as much as their living characters, this is a world worth haunting.Publication dateSeptember 8, 2026Print length432LanguageEnglishPublisherFeiwel & Friends
Order of Standalone Novels
- Tagsyoung-adultfantasysuspensechildrenthrillerDescriptionThere's something unsettling about returning to a place that's never stopped haunting you. Wendy Darling is back in Astoria, Oregon, five years after her brothers vanished in the woods behind her home—the same woods where local children are now disappearing again. The town that once whispered about her family's tragedy is holding its breath, and Wendy can't shake the feeling that the past isn't finished with her yet. When she literally crashes into Peter Pan—yes, that Peter Pan, still seventeen and very much real—everything she's tried to forget comes flooding back. He's searching for the missing kids, and he needs her help. But Peter isn't the carefree boy from the stories anymore. He's desperate, haunted by gaps in his memory, and the Neverland Wendy remembers has twisted into something darker. As they work together to find the children, Wendy must confront what really happened the night her brothers disappeared and whether the magical world she once escaped still has a claim on her. Aiden Thomas weaves a moody, atmospheric retelling that asks what happens when you can't outrun your childhood—especially when your childhood was never quite normal to begin with. This is Peter Pan reimagined through the lens of trauma and memory, where growing up might be the bravest thing you ever do, and some shadows refuse to let go.Publication dateMarch 23, 2021Amazon rating4.4/5Print length378LanguageEnglishPublisherSwoon Reads
Order of The Sunbearer Duology Books
- Tagsyoung-adultfantasyromanceepic-fantasyDescriptionIn a world where gods walk among mortals and divine bloodlines determine destiny, only ten semidioses are chosen to compete in the Sunbearer Trials—a once-in-a-decade tournament that will crown a Hero and condemn a sacrifice to fuel the sun's power for another ten years. Transgender Jade semidios Teo never expected to be selected, content to live in the shadow of his celebrated Gold warrior sister, but fate has other plans, thrusting him into an arena where the stakes are nothing less than life and death. What begins as a spectacle of divine athleticism and magical prowess becomes something far more complicated as Teo navigates treacherous trials alongside his childhood crush, the arrogant Gold Aurelio, and forms unexpected alliances with fellow competitors who may become friends or enemies depending on who survives. The competition demands not just strength and skill but impossible choices, and Teo must reconcile his gentle nature with the brutal reality that someone he cares about will be chosen as the sacrifice, their life traded to keep the sun burning and the world safe from the monstrous obsidian gods. Aiden Thomas crafts a richly imagined Mesoamerican-inspired fantasy that pulses with heart, humor, and high stakes, examining what it means to be a hero when the system itself demands cruelty, and whether courage lies in winning the game or refusing to play by its rules at all.Publication dateSeptember 6, 2022Amazon rating4.5/5Print length416LanguageEnglishPublisherFeiwel & Friends
- Tagsyoung-adultfantasyromanceepic-fantasyDescriptionThis is a book about the weight of impossible choices and what happens when mercy becomes catastrophe. Teo refused to sacrifice someone he cared about during the Sunbearer Trials, and now the sun is gone—literally extinguished from the sky, leaving Reino del Sol drowning in endless night and overrun by monsters. The Obsidian gods he inadvertently freed are tearing the world apart, and every moment of darkness is his doing. It's the kind of guilt that could paralyze you, but Teo doesn't have that luxury. Alongside his best friend Niya and Aurelio, the boy who's become much more than a crush, Teo plunges into Los Restos, a monster-infested wilderness where survival is uncertain and the stakes couldn't be higher. They're racing to rescue captured semidioses and reclaim the Sol Stone, the only thing that can restore light and order to their shattered world. But the journey forces them to navigate not just external horrors but internal ones—trauma, doubt, and the complicated tenderness blooming between Teo and Aurelio even as everything falls apart. Aiden Thomas delivers a duology finale that refuses to look away from the cost of heroism, wrapping high-stakes adventure and genuine emotional reckoning in prose that pulses with urgency and heart. This is fantasy that understands that saving the world means first surviving what it asks of you.Publication dateSeptember 3, 2024Amazon rating4.5/5Print length414LanguageEnglishPublisherFeiwel & Friends
Frequently Asked Questions about Aiden Thomas
Aiden Thomas writes in distinct series and standalone novels, so the order depends on your preference. If you wish to read the series in publication order, begin with Cemetery Boys, followed by The Sunbearer Trials, and then Lost in the Never Woods. The Sunbearer Duology continues with Celestial Monsters. The Order of Cemetery Boys has a related novella titled Espíritu. Reading the series in publication order allows you to follow Thomas's work chronologically as it was released.
A good starting point for Aiden Thomas is Cemetery Boys, published in 2020. This novel introduces the magical world and themes that the author explores. Alternatively, Lost in the Never Woods, a standalone novel from 2021, offers a self-contained story that showcases Thomas's writing style. Both options provide an entry into the author's work, with Cemetery Boys being part of a series and Lost in the Never Woods being a single volume.
The books within each series by Aiden Thomas should be read in the order they are published. For example, The Sunbearer Duology has The Sunbearer Trials followed by Celestial Monsters. Similarly, the Order of Cemetery Boys has Cemetery Boys followed by the novella Espíritu. However, the series and standalone novels themselves do not need to be read in a specific order relative to each other. You can read a standalone novel between books of a series if you prefer.
Aiden Thomas writes both standalone novels and books that are part of series. Lost in the Never Woods is a standalone novel published in 2021. The author also writes series such as the Order of Cemetery Boys, which includes Cemetery Boys (2020) and the forthcoming novella Espíritu (2026). Another series is The Sunbearer Duology, with The Sunbearer Trials (2022) and Celestial Monsters (2024).
Aiden Thomas has written four books that have been published. These include Cemetery Boys (2020), Lost in the Never Woods (2021), The Sunbearer Trials (2022), and Celestial Monsters (2024). Additionally, a novella titled Espíritu is planned for release in 2026.
The first book Aiden Thomas wrote and published was Cemetery Boys, released in 2020. This novel introduced readers to the author's distinct voice and thematic explorations. It is the first book in the Order of Cemetery Boys series.
Aiden Thomas's most recent book is Celestial Monsters, published in 2024. This is the second novel in The Sunbearer Duology series. Prior to this, the author released The Sunbearer Trials in 2022, which is the first book in the same duology.
Aiden Thomas writes young adult fantasy novels. His books often explore themes of identity, family, and magic, frequently incorporating elements of Latinx culture and folklore. The genres explored within his work fall under the umbrella of fantasy, often with magical realism elements.
Kristen Ciccarelli
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We verified the reading order for Aiden Thomas's books by cross-referencing official publication dates, ISBN databases, and publisher catalogs.
Last verified: May 2026
Shelf & Shadows. (…). “Aiden Thomas Books in Order.” Retrieved …, from https://www.shelfandshadows.com/authors/aiden-thomas