RATING: 4.5/5 STARS

This book was fantastic - trans teen MC summons a ghost to prove he is a real brujo to his traditional Latinx family. The premise was so unique and the execution really delivered! I loved all of the references to Hispanic culture, especially Day of the Dead because I love the traditions associated with this holiday. The folklore and magic and haunted cemetery vibes were thoroughly described, and the interwoven Spanish was done very naturally. Yadriel and Julian's relationship was so sweet. The scene surrounding their first kiss is one of the cutest I have ever read. I hope this book blows up, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

A sincere thanks to Swoon Reads for providing an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Social: @_shelf.awareness on Instagram

Review originally posted at my blog

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC copy of Cemetery Boys for me to review.

Cemetery Boys follows the story of Yadriel, a teenage boy from a traditional Latinx family. The special thing about their family though is that they are brujo. Men of the family are tasked by Lady Death to help the spirits of the dead pass on. However, Yadriel’s family cannot quite accept his gender identity and so he has not been allowed to become a brujo. With the help of his cousin Martiza he performs the rite of the brujo himself and gains the acceptance of Lady Death herself. But when his cousin unexpectedly dies, Yadriel attempts to summon his spirit to help solve the mystery. Only he ends up summoning the spirit of Julian, a troubled classmate from school. They must work together to solve the mystery surrounding both Julian’s and Yadriel’s couisn’s deaths, but the darker the mystery gets, the stronger Yadriel’s attachment to Julian grows.

I thoroughly enjoyed Cemetery Boys. Yadriel was a heartfelt protagonist that I wanted to cheer on from page one. His struggle with acceptance within his family is heartbreaking, but Thomas gives him plenty of support along the way. Martiza is an equally lovable character. She’s no-nonsense and a staunch supporter of Yadriel. Their friendship was absolutely precious. Julian likewise is an outstanding character. With a temper that flares hot near constantly he could have come off as very one-dimensional but Thomas brings him to life with a big heart and a ridiculous sense of humor. Yadirel and Julian’s romance is super sweet. They’re both ride-or-die for each other in the end, stubbornly and stupidly looking out for one another as the risk of themselves. All of the characters felt real, filling out the world that Yadriel lives in.

The only reason I’ve given this book 4 stars (really 4.5) out of 5 stars is that I found the mystery plot to be a bit predictable. But honestly, that could just be me. As an avid reader and would-be writer I often find myself able to pick out certain plots ahead of time. This in no way impeded me from enjoying the rest of the book. Thomas has built a wonderful story of love and compassion that’s filled with humor and heart. I highly recommend this title.

But don’t just take my word for it!

As I mentioned earlier, I wanted to highlight other reviews for this book from a queer, Latinx perspective. I reached out to Adri of Perpetual Pages on Youtube so that I could share their vlog on Cemetery Boys. Please check out their video

So extremely happy to have this moody, gorgeous diverse title available for my patrons. I was enchanted by the writing from the beginning but it was the storytelling that fully drew me in. Very excellent read.

This story is deserves all the hype and more. Fabulous YA about a Latinx trans teen who accidentally summons a ghost--and, while trying to send that ghost onto the afterlife, ends up falling in love with him instead. A powerfully-written, important book about being true to your identity and finding the people who will support you along the way. Teens are going to love (and need!) this story!

Aiden Thomas does a wonderful job blending the macabre and comedy with a healthy respect of Latin culture in their debut novel "Cemetary Boys." It's billed as a paranormal romance, which is apt. The story follows trans teen Yadriel on a mission to prove his conservative Latinx family that he truly is a brugo and not a bruga. He sees an opportunity when news of the mysterious death of a member of his community to solve the case and show his worth. While on the hunt to get answers, Yadriel mistakenly summons the wrong spirit of a local teen who is also recently deceased, his name is Julian. They team up to give Julian closure and find the missing spirit before Dia de Los Muertos. The plot is complex, yet Thomas does a nice job of tracking the threads to help the reader keep track of what's happening. Readers will get a healthy understanding of the Latinx and LGBTQ+ community without feeling like they are sitting through a boring lecture. It's a nice balance between education and entertainment.

Cemetery Boys was a book truly different than anything I've read before, and after being a young adult librarian for 17 years, that says something. Yadriel is a brujo, which means he can send the spirits of the dead into the afterlife. Unfortunately, his family is having some trouble accepting this, as he was assigned female at birth, and brujos are male. When he goes searching for the ghost of his murdered cousin, he meets the spirit of another boy who was keillor the same night. He becomes the caretaker of the spirit and tries to figure out what happened to him and his connection to Yadriel's cousin. Spanish is spoken untranslated throughout the book, but can be figured out through context. This is an interesting intersection of trans issues, Latin American culture, a murder mystery, and a fairly creepy ghost story.

I cannot stress how much I loved this book. Aiden Thomas's writing is engaging and fun but so emotional at times. I became so invested in Yadriel and Julian's story that I actually cried during part of this book (something I never do). I'm so glad that stories like Yadriel's are being told. They're stories I wish were around when I was younger. I'm so excited to have this book in our library and be able to recommend it to our teen readers. I've also preordered a copy for myself. Can't wait to add it to my bookshelf!

This book was absolutely amazing!!! Diverse, beautiful, aaahhhhhhhg!!! Like I feel like Aiden wrote the book I’ve been waiting for and now I just... I love it. I can’t express how good this book was! Just take my word for it and read it

I loved every bit of this. I loved the plot (even if I saw the ending coming). I loved the representation, both the trans representation and the Latinx representation. The characters are fully fleshed out and well developed. The family situations are all believable. Just... everything is so good.

I'm a sucker for fantasy novels with romance, this book was so much more. Yadriel wants to prove himself as a real Brujo to his family. He wants their acceptance of gender. Then he accidentally summons the wrong ghost, who happens to be a bit of a bad boy, and Yadriel finds himself starting to fall in love.
I cannot begin to really describe how much I loved this novel! It was obviously written with love and passion, and the #ownvoices was amazing. The characters are easy to root for and the reader is helpless to their charms. If you want a crazy fun book that will make you cry, have you on your feet with joy, and (if you're like me) thrilled to read an LGBTQIA+ book all about living your truth, READ THIS.

Absolutely adored this book. This book was my most anticipated book of 2020 and it definitely didn't disappoint! The writing style was unique. I have never seen so much rep seamlessly put into such a fun plot.. The 3 main characters played very well off of each other. I will definitely read more from this author! This book will lead itself to so many different students. I can't wait to recommend to my students.

Cemetery Boys is a wonderful, queer centered YA book. Featuring a trans main character and taking place in the days leading up to Dia de los Muertos, it's an inclusive book with an electric setting.

Yadriel wants to be a brujx like the rest of the men in his family, but because he was born a girl, his father does not believe the same magic flows in him. The book immediately draws you in with the opening pages as Yadriel commits the sacred ceremony himself to become a brujx and is accepted by Lady Death. The rest of the book follows Yadriel as he navigates his new life in secret (with very real consequences surrounding him) as well as his inner battle with accepting who he is when constantly faced with peers and family who question him.

A great ghost story all around, made better by being told from a trans main character thanks to an #ownvoices trans, latinx author. Love!

Infinite stars. This book had me on the edge of my seat, crying, upset and full of joy and wonder.The researcher in me wants to learn more about the Brujx community and its rituals. The main character is Yadriel, a boy coming into his own. Wanting to be accepted into his community and father's heart. He meets Julian by happenstance and what follows will have you begging for more, Maritza rounds out the triangle and brings a soothing, albeit spiciness, to the mix. We learn a lot about the preparations for Day of the Dead and transitioning within the community. I hope to read more about this trio soon and also see their tale on the big screen. Key takeaways are: acceptance, love, forgiveness and change.

Rating: 4/5 cinnamon roll ghosts

Format: ebook. I’d like to thank Fierce Reads and NetGalley for a free copy of this book as part of a #YallStayHome prize!

What it's like:
This book reminded me a bit of the movie Coco (supernatural adventure on Dia de los Muertos) but the friendships and romance reminded me more of the Raven Boys.

To sum up:
This is a story about a Latinx trans boy and his journey towards finding acceptance of himself, among his family, and his fellow magical community of brujos and brujas. Yadriel knows that he is a brujo in his heart, but his family and fellow brujos are less convinced. When Yadriel’s magical family senses one of their own has just been murdered, Yadriel is determined to become a full brujo so he can find them and release their spirit. When Yadriel and his trusty bff and vegan sidekick Maritza attempt to find his cousin’s spirit however, they accidentally summon a beautiful angsty ghost named Julian instead. While Julian doesn’t remember how he died, they quickly realize that this mystery could reveal something about Yadriel's cousin’s death as well. Together, Julian, Yadriel, and Martiza attempt to find answers on the streets of Los Angeles, to find answers for Julian and find Yadriel’s cousin before Dia de los Muertos.

What I loved:
I loved how Thomas wove in intricate elements of Latinx culture into this story. The slang, the food, the traditions, it all created a vivid backdrop for this story. I loved Julian’s journey of gaining confidence in himself and his identity as a boy and as a brujo, and how each element of the mystery came together. The slow-burn romance was torture to endure but made the climax of events at the end all the more powerful.

What was meh:
The only parts I didn’t love was in the middle when the pacing slows a bit. I don’t enjoy when in the middle of a story the main character has to go to school or do some mundane activity to “play it cool” for their community or their parents haha. This part was relatively painless though and did serve a purpose for finding out information important to the mystery so I'll allow it haha.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I loved Aiden Thomas’ narrative voice, the rich setting, the magic, and the relationships in this book. I can’t wait to have my own physical copy of this book and to read whatever he writes next!

While a poignant and diverse story to tell, Cemetery Boys does suffer slightly from the same writing most debut novels seem to have. It details a vivid plot and contains characters that we don't see often in literature, especially young adult literature, but the winding, sometimes confusing sentences and the often one-sided and inaccurate character writing leaves the reader questioning how this novel received as much hype as it did. The characters, while diverse in background, fall flat in personality. They tend to make decisions that seem unrealistic, often choosing what to say and do in ways that don't line up to previous actions or fit in their given personalities. The reader is often left seeking a little bit more in the writing. More detail, more background, more context. Just more. Instead, we are given a surface level dive into this world that doesn't explain everything necessary and leaves the reader feeling unsettled by the novel's end. I am hopeful next works by the author will be more promising as the debut isn't always an author's best work. Writing grows with time and Thomas shows potential. I am also hopeful the editor will review new works a little more rigorously for plot and character development.

First of all,I just want to thank Swoon Reads for granting me this e-arc. I was floored from the very first moment I saw this book. I read the synopsis and I honestly fell in love with it. And don't even get me started on the cover because it's so gorgeous that words won't be enough to describe it. It's one of the most beautiful covers I have ever seen. And let's be honest y'all... there are some amazing ones out there.This book was one of my most anticipated release of 2020. I think I mostly hyped it for myself ,lol. - We all read some amazing books. Unique ones even. And that's why we are here. But I have never heard something like this one before... Wow. The characters were amazing. I really bonded with them. And it's what makes the story great. The themes and the book itself is so unique and gorgeous. - You can feel that it's written by a real Latinx person. It's not like there were bits thrown into the book just to make it 'diverse' which is amazing even though it sometimes made me use translate because even I've been studying Spanish for 6 months but ,apparently haven't learned a thing yet. The main theme of this book so much more than romance but it was also sooo romantic. Somewhere in the middle I kind of lost interest,if I am being honest because I think I felt like things have slowed down. But things got real dark real fast. The ending was so shocking and so amazing. It was unexpected. I mean,I usually predict the endings but I had no idea what to expect with this one. Which is amazing. It was a wild ending. I won't even wait for paperback. I'll buy this as soon as I have the money ahh . The only reason I am giving this 4 stars is because of myself. I believe I overhyped the book for myself and even though it was amazing I missed that "wow" moment which is what makes 5 stars. But I am %100 positive that everyone will adore this. It was beautifully written.

I don't remember where I first read or heard about this book, but as soon as I learned about it I knew I needed to read it. Cemetery Boys follows Yadriel as he tries to prove to his family that he's a brujo, and in the process accidentally conjures up the spirit of a dead classmate, who he falls in love with.
"Things weren't magically fixed by an empowering speech, but it opened doors and built bridges. It carved out space for Yadriel to step forward and be who he was, as he was. There were still more obstacles to overcome and battles to fight, but Yadriel wouldn't feel alone in it anymore."
I loved this book! The premise and setting are so fun. Cemetery Boys takes place around Dia de los Muertos, so there's a lot of festivities and food discussed throughout the book (which made me super hungry). The story starts with Yadriel conducting his own quinces with his cousin Martiza because his family doesn't think he can have one, and in the process of proving himself to his family, accidentally conjures up the spirit of Julian, a dead classmate.
The story follows Yadriel, Maritza, and Julian as they try to figure out what happened to Julian and why his ghost showed up when they were trying to conjure Yads and Martiza's cousin. Cemetery Boys is so fast paced, the characters only have a few days until Dia de los Muertos and need to figure out what happened to Julian and their cousin before then.
Cemetery Boys has a lot going on. There are discussion on, deportation, homelessness, misgendering, and family issues but they were all handled so well, in depth, and given enough page time. I love that we're finally at the place where reading stories about LGBTQ+ individuals isn't just about their struggles anymore, we're finally seeing LGBTQ+ characters in every type of story. Even though Yadriel does deal with misgendering and deadnaming from his family, this is not the premise of the story, this is a fantasy/romance/mystery. As the story starts Yadriel is 100% sure of who he is, but he's struggling with trying to find the balance between being respectful towards his family and traditions and standing up for himself and calling them out.
Yadriel was always forgiving people for being callous. For misgendering him and calling him by his deadname. He was always giving them the benefit of the doubt, or writing it off as people not understanding, or being stuck in their ways when they were hurtful. Well Yadriel was tired of it. He was tired of forgiving. He was tired of fighting to just exist and be himself. He was tired of being the odd one out.
Even though the story is from Yadriel's perspective, Julian and Maritza are big characters who were just as amazing. Julian is so snarky and energetic and funny and I love it. I laughed so hard when Yadriel wakes up and sees what a mess Julian made because he doesn't sleep as a ghost and was bored. Martiza is also great, like others in her family she's also a bruja, but she's vegan so she doesn't practice since she refuses to use animal blood. She's also one of Yadriel's biggest supporters and always has his back.
I loved Yadriel and Julian as a couple, but I wish we got to see their relationship progress more on page. Yadriel blushes and stares at Julian a couple time throughout the story, but I wish we had a little more insight on how Yadriel's feelings towards Julian change throughout the book.
Overall this was a great book, and I cannot wait to read more from Aiden Thomas (I also wouldn't mind more stories set in this world with these characters). If you haven't read Cemetery Boys yet I highly recommend you pick it up!
Have you read or are you planning to read Cemetery Boys?

I wanted to like this book more than I ultimately ended up liking it. While I did enjoy the overall plot and characters, something did not click with me when I was reading it. It took me a long time to get through this book, although I am not sure if it was the pacing, or if it was because I have been having trouble focusing because of the pandemic. I think it may have been a little bit of both of those factors.
I loved the premise of this book, the fact that it was diverse and own voices, and the ending. However, it dragged just a little bit for me. I would still recommend this book to others.

I loved this! A wholly imaginitive and original world/magic system while still being based on existing traditions enough that it's recognizable. I enjoyed that Yadriel's experiences are shaped by being trans, but he isn't reduced to only his transness. I did guess the ending about halfway through, but I don't mind that.

This book was so much fun! I can't believe this is a debut novel. Everything was so vivid, colorful, and full of character. I loved the characters, the setting, the significance of Dia de Los Muertos, and Yadriel's identity. In my opinion, I think the author did a great job of illustrating how someone's sexuality and gender identity is not what defines them but it is a part of who they are and everything that they do. Yadriel was a strong and determined main character. I will definitely recommend this book once it comes out!