This book certainly lived up to the hype! Set firmly during Dia de Muertos and the lead up to the celebration, this teen fantasy is a fantastic read for spooky times. The Latinx trans lead is so real, the voice feels heard, not written or read. The exploration of finding yourself an outsider in your own culture and proving your place was very moving, heartfelt, and relatable. And the romantic lead is so vibrant and full of personality that you forget he’s a ghost, much like the main character does.

I do feel I have to mention that I figured out who the villain was at exactly the halfway point, and once I figured that out, I predicted many of the details of the climax. But the resolution is such a happy ending that it’s worth it. I should also say I cried through the last three chapters! Extremely cathartic.

This book was so, so sweet. I loved how real the brujx world within the cemetery felt, and how vivid the characters were. Yadriel's relationships with his family and his community, his struggle to be accepted, and his growing relationship with Julian all felt very immediate as I followed along with his story. I loved Julian's energetic and empathetic character, and the support for both Yads and Jules by their friends.

I will admit that I don't know how to evaluate YA very well, as I felt that I was not the primary audience for this book. The twist was incredibly predictable due to some pretty obvious telegraphing. However, although this could have completely killed my enjoyment, the strength of the characters, the time spent with Julian, and the depiction of the brujx world somehow outweighed this narrative issue.

4.5/5

This book really feels like a love letter to the queer Latinx community. So often we find a Latinx book be about and for a specific community: Mexican, Cuban, Colombian, Puertorican, etc. But Aiden took the amazing plethora of the Latinx diaspora and set it it as the backdrop to their immersive story. I love that this book addresses the pain and difficulties Latinx communities face without it being JUST about that. We get to see the joy of the Dia de Los Muertos preparations as well as the grief that comes with mourning. We get to see a love story unfold as a mystery is solved as well as the difficulties in finding that love after what could be considered "too late."

Is it wrong that what I loved most was seeing the language so authentically rendered on the page as well? I'm so used to seeing simple phrases like "gracias" or "hola" as depictions of our culture but Thomas leaned into our multi-lingual, multi-colored speech with such care that it came alive on the page.

"¿Donde está?" she grumbled to herself, talking so fast in her thick Cuban accent that the s's at the end of her words got left behind.

I absolutely LOVED this book and recommend it to everyone!

This isn't a favorite book of the year, but it was such a luscious and beautifully diverse little world that I can't in any good conscience even think about giving it less than 4 stars. It was fun and predictable and had some lovable characters, and overall it was just really good. I will gladly pick up more books from Aiden Thomas in the future.

Wow! I did not want that to end. What a beautiful weaving of the different cultural identities of Latinidad and queer representation mixed in with some brujx magia and murder-mystery. With a splash of some romance. Though the beginning was a bit slow, it lays down the foundation for our protagonist, Yadriel, and his relationship with his family, which is essential in understanding the complexity of familial bonds/duty (especially in Latinx households). Aiden Thomas does a magnificent job demonstrating the traditional perspectives of older generation Latinos contrasted with the emerging era of the new generation of Latinx where it is difficult to balance respect while promoting growth/evolution and acceptance.
Thomas has definitely done their research on the different traditions, the significance of those traditions, and the diversity of Latinidad. Not only did they nail it on the interpretation of the various cultural practices, but the depth of Julian beyond the "bad boy" trope demonstrates the love and care Thomas put into creating this world and their characters.

This book is absolutely fantastic. First of all, the own voices representation is amazing, and I was incredibly excited about this book the second I learned about it. This is a Latinx trans boy book that immediately found a place in my heart. I loved the story, the celebration of Dia de los Muertos, the characters, the writing! This book felt authentic, the characters felt so real. I absolutely loved how character-driven the book was, and the interactions and relationships we saw in this book. At the same time, it was such an exciting read. I highly recommend this book.

This was cute! But I think I maybe thought it was for the older end of YA, and this felt more like geared toward maybe 13 or 14-year-olds and so it didn't click with me as much. But that's not the book's fault, so giving a 4 star rating for this one. Glad the representation is out there! I think a lot of people who enjoy fanfiction in particular will like the tropes in this story.

I loved this book! Cemetery Boys is easily my favorite book of 2020 so far. I loved learning about the Dia de Muertos celebration, the Latinx culture, and a little bit about being a trans boy. I loved the friendship between Yadriel and Maritza, as well as the friendship that developed between them and Julian. I'd love to read more from this universe and more from this author!

This was a book that gave me hope for the YA genre. Thomas is an own voices writer who created an impressive story brimming with: exploration of identity, family dynamics and LGBTQ+ acceptance, Latinx culture, and a paranormal romance that will haunt you. Cemetery Boys is a work of love that allowed readers to experience Yadriel’s journey of navigating a very traditional family who does not allow Yadriel to enter the brujx because of his identity as a trans teenager. With only his cousin to support him after the passing of his mother, Yadriel faces the struggles of being overlooked at his quinces (rite of passage for the 15 year old brujos in his family) and endeavors to perform the ritual himself.


When Lady Death herself acknowledges Yadriel with her blessing and ability to handle a conduit, Yadriel is able to prove that he is a true brujo. His joy, however, is short lived when he feels a tether snap in his soul which signals the death of a brujx member. When his cousin Miguel is discovered to be missing with no trace of his body, Yadriel takes it upon himself to channel his newfound powers to conjure Miguel’s spirit.


Except, instead of Miguel, the spirit of Julien Diaz, the brooding enigma of his high school, is summoned in his wake. In order to make Julien cross to the other side, Yadriel races to meet Julian’s demands before Día de Muertos.


Julien is life and energy.

Yadriel is quiet poetry.


On their journey together, they might just find a love that is more eternal than death itself.


Aiden Thomas you took my heart away with Cemetary Boys ! Hold onto it until Lost in the Never Woods.

Cemetery Boys was one of my most anticipated releases of 2020 and I’m happy to say it totally lived up to the hype and anticipation! I loved this book about a latinx trans boy who wants to prove himself as a brujo to his family but ends up summoning the wrong ghost… and falling for him. I actually sped through it in a single day, that’s how invested I was. I absolutely adored this book and recommend it wholeheartedly, and here’s why:

The magic system

Yadriel and his family are brujx – people with powers bestowed upon them that enable them to see spirits and communicate with them. The brujo use their powers to summon spirits and guide them safely to the afterlife, while the bruja’s powers are more of a healing nature. I loved this aspect of the story, learning more about the magic system and seeing the brujx go about their daily lives in preparation of Dia de las Muertas.

The characters

I loved every single one of the main 3 characters. Of course Yadriel, our main character, was such an amazing character. He’s been through so much and it’s so tough watching him go through his family not accepting his true self, but his character arc is so well done and I loved going on this adventure with him. Julian (the spirit of the story) was a breath of fresh air. I thought I knew what to expect from his character from the blurb alone, but he proved to be so much more than the bad boy stereotype. I loved his chaotic energy and his interactions with Yadriel. And then there’s Maritza, Yadriel’s cousin and partner in crime. I loved how fierce she was, how supportive she was of Yadriel, and how she would do anything for him. Together, these three made a great sleuthing trio.

The romance

I’m not gonna lie, I was seriously craving some ghost romance for some reason, and the romance between Yadriel and Julian was so much fun to watch enfold. I loved every minute of their slow-burn, doomed romance. Though they only knew each other for a short while, it never felt instalovey but instead flowed naturally for their circumstances. I loved how Julian was so supportive of Yadriel and his identity and I loved how Yadriel brought out a soft, happy side to Julian. I was rooting for these two so hard and I was not disappointed.

The Latinx culture and family dynamics

I loved the depiction of the Latinx culture and traditions. A lot of the story centers around Dia de las Muertas and the preparations for this and I enjoyed learning more about it and Latinx history and mythology. Also, the food!

The family dynamics also were very intriguing and very interwoven in the Latinx culture. Though Yadriel’s family is not all as accepting of his identity, it still feels like a tight-knit community who would do anything for each other and love each other, despite their misgivings and treatment of Yadriel.

The trans rep and discussion on identity and acceptance

The issue of identity and acceptance are woven throughout the story and we really feel Yadriel struggling and get a feeling for the daily discriminations trans people go through. It was painful seeing Yadriel’s family being unaccepting of his true self and misgendering him, because even though they loved him, they still hurt him. But eventually, the story is about acceptance and Yadriel gets everything he deserves (because he really deserves the world, let’s be real).

I only had one minor issue with this book, and that was the predictability. I thought it was pretty obvious from the beginning who the bad guy was and what was really going on. That said, it didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the story. In fact, I enjoyed catching on to the foreshadowing that was woven in and I was still just as excited to read what would happen next and how everything would be solved in the end.

Overall, I highly recommend this story. It was intriguing, spooky, adorable and fun. I loved it so much that I’m definitely buying a copy for my shelves and will often re-read it.

Cemetery Boys is my first book by Aiden Thomas, so I don’t really know what to expect from this book. I do, however, have heard great things about it, so I was hoping I’ll end up enjoying this book too. Thankfully, Aiden manages to deliver such an interesting and captivating story, I end up loving Cemetery Boys.

This book follows Yadriel, whose only wish is to be acknowledged as a brujo. However, the brujx community refuse to perform the ritual, so he end up performing it himself, along with the help of his cousin Maritza. After Lady Death has blessed him as a brujo, he tried to test his power by summoning the ghost of his cousin, but somehow, he end up summoning the ghost of Julian, aka the school’s bad boy. Because of this, Yadriel has to help Julian uncover the mystery surrounding his death, which might be closer than Yadriel expected.

What I love the most from this book is actually the characters itself. The first-half of this book is quite slow, but I think that’s because Aiden wants us to get to know the characters better. Yadriel is pretty quiet and shy, while Julian is basically his opposite. I think Julian’s traits are what surprise me the most, since I was expecting the brooding, mysterious kind of bad boy, but that’s not the case. He’s actually loud, cheerful, and funny, and if he didn’t skip school a lot he might’ve been the class clown instead of the bad boy. Because of this opposite personality, Yadriel and Julian’s friendship (and eventually, romantic relationship) are pure golden and made me laugh out loud a lot.

Another thing that I want to talk about is the family aspect. Yadriel grew up in a tight-knit brujx community, and his family is basically the leader of the brujx. The brujx has magic system based on gender, where bruja’s power is focused on healing and brujo’s power is focused on sending souls to the afterlife. I think Aiden describes really well the struggle of being queer (specifically trans and gay) in a community with lots of traditions. Like, sometimes you hate your family for just following traditions blindly and end up not accepting who you are, but also it’s not that easy to hate your family. My point is, I love how Aiden handle the family matters here, since it felt real and honest.

All in all, Cemetery Boys is a great story about loss, love, and acceptance. It also has a bit of murder-mystery in it, though I can’t say the twist surprise me (but it’s still executed well!). I definitely recommend this book.

Yadriel Vélez Flores, a young brujo, wants nothing more than to be formally accepted as a full-fledged member of his community. But even when stretched incredibly thin investigating the mysterious disappearance of Yadriel’s cousin, the brujxs refuse to turn on tradition and accept Yadriel as a transgender brujo.

Thinking it will finally convince the East LA brujxs of who he is, Yadriel attempts to call back his cousin’s spirit. Unfortunately, though, Yadriel brings back the ghost of Julian Díaz, an unruly teenage boy from his school, instead.

What follows in Aiden Thomas’s premier YA novel, Cemetary Boys, is a beautiful, queer, coming-of-age story deeply invested in indigenous and latinx tradition. With an unfalteringly honest voice and an unending commitment to his and Yadriel’s shared community, Aidan crafts a gripping tale brimming with teen romance and suspense.

I really enjoyed this YA novel and am crossing my fingers for a follow-up!

Yadriel is a transgender teen and part of a magical yet conservative Latinx community of witches. Eager to be accepted by his family as a true brujo (male witch), he performs a ritual without the traditional audience of the community. On the same night of Yadriel's covert attempt at this pivotal ceremony, two things happen in quick secession: his cousin Miguel goes missing (presumed dead) AND he meets a newly dead spirit (who's ironically full of life) named Julian. Yadriel soon teams up with other outcasts to solve the mysteries of Miguel and Julian. Still operating as a brujo in secret, Yadriel unearths another mystery: can you fall in love with a ghost?

Stunning. Absolutely beautiful fantasy!! I had heard so many amazing things about this book, before picking it up, and it lived up to every single one of them. I want everyone to read Cemetery Boys! It’s lovely. It’s important. (And as a special bonus, it has the perfect vibe for fall). An instant favourite that I’m sure will find its place on MANY people’s Favourites lists.

Wow wow wow wow. This is probably going to be a new favorite of mine. This is the story of Yadriel, a trans Latinx brujo who is having troubles being accepted by his traditional Latinx family. His family doesn't see him as a real brujo and refuses to preform the ritual. Feeling frustrated and with the help of his cousin, and dear friend Maritza (who I LOVED by the way) they perform the ritual themselves. He then goes on a quest to find and release the ghost of his murdered cousin.

Instead he gets Julian Diaz, a ball of energy and rumor. He is the schools' resident bad boy, and he won't go to death quietly. Julian wants to find out what exactly happened to him and tie up some loose ends before he goes. Yadriel agrees to help him before he sends him to the great beyond. This is where our story begins.

I'll start with the plot because this is the first thing that really sucked me in. The plot was exciting and moving. There was a solid balance between happy and sad moments and there were moments that had me laughing out loud. The twist was something that I didn't really expect, although the foreshadowing was definitely there when I was looking back on it. The mentions of Latinx culture blended wonderfully with the tales of the brujx and Latin tradition.

LOVED all of the characters. Yadriel was such a great character to read from the perspective of. He was honest and you felt for him as he struggled with his family's unwillingness to accept him. Julian was a smart ass, but SO goofy and unexpected. I loved the relationship that the two of them had and the way that it developed. It wasn't quick and easy, it developed over time (at least over the time of the novel) and it was well developed. There wasn't love at first sight. The characters of Yadriel and Julian, with two very different and distinct voices were perfect for each other, regardless of being so different. Maritza was a sassy Latina queen and I love her. I love that she was a vegan Latina too. As a vegetarian Latina, I know that I got a lot of funny looks growing up because I refused to eat meat. Food is such a HUGE part of Latin culture, being different or eating differently than those around you can get you some weird looks, even though it shouldn't. That being said, not just the romantic relationships are great. All of them are. They are so different, but well developed. You can really tell how much Maritza and Yadriel support each other and how willing they are to fight for the other.

Another thing I love is how diverse this book was. There were so many Latin and Caribbean cultures and traditions included here. Most of the time, unless something was describing someone gendered, there was no gendered language used. No "brujos" or "latinos" to describe the whole, but plenty of brujx and Latinx which is much more inclusive of how varied and wonderful the Latin culture is. That's another thing, reading all about these Latin traditions, foods, music and words woke memories in me that I forgot about. As a disowned daughter of a Latin, and Hispanic (yes, there is a difference), I was raised in the culture but once I was thrown out of my parents life I lost that connection to my culture. I truly loved this story from start to finish and it made me feel so much. I highly recommend this to anyone and everyone. I want to thank Xpresso Book Tours and Aiden Thomas for giving me the opportunity to find one of my new favorite books.

What a book!!! I don’t even know where to begin. Trans representation, ghosts, brujxs. For real. Can’t wait for my physical copy to arrive so I can get it in the hands of kids!!!

Everything I could've possibly wanted in a book! I was alternately laughing, crying, and paralyzed in fear over what would happen next. The casual queerness was beautifully written, touching the realism that many face without making it a focus.

I read this book twice. And... Oh. My. Gosh. This is one of my favorite books of 2020 full stop. This may be one of the few good things that came out of 2020 as far as I'm concerned. I feel kind of strange reviewing this book because while I do belong to a marginalized race, I am not Latinx, I am not trans. I am a black woman. I cannot speak to the trans experience or the Latinx experience.

I had so much love for Yadriel. Again, I can't speak to any of his feelings or experiences, but I can say that I sympathized with him in a way that felt so strong and so raw that there were moments when I had to put the book down and walk away before running back to it to see what happened next. In many books there can be an erasure of parents or adult figures but we were able to spend quite a bit of time with Yadriel's family (except his brother, I wish we had seen more of him).

Julian was such a shining star in the book. I think it would have been very easy for Julian to be a flat, boring character. He wanted to check on his friends, then we wanted to figure out how he died, he was kind of a "tough street" kid, and that could have been it. He could have been a modern twist on the Fonz. But he was so much more. He was tough, he was sensitive, he was goofy, he was chatty, he had a temper, he was a lover. Julian took my emotions on a roller coaster that I didn't want to get off of.

The magical aspects of the book were really well done. I recently read a book and it took a good 4 chapter before I had any idea what the author was talking about. Aiden (I say the authors name like I know him) did such a fantastic job of explaining the magical abilities of brujo's and bruja's, showing us what it all meant, and beautifully integrating it into Yadriel's family and culture (to the best of my black american understanding).

Yall I actually started reading this book for a second time because it was that good. I also want to make a plug to the Hey YA Podcast. Aiden Thomas was interview, talked a bit about Cemetery Boys and gave us a teaser of his next books which I'm already obsessed with.

Do yourself a favor. Read this book. Thank me later.

Great paranormal romance that’s a stunning #ownvoices debut with a Latinx trans brujo protagonist.

Content warnings include: transphobia, misgendering, murder, violence, mild gore.
Mentions of: parental death, deportation, homophobia/queerphobia, teenage homelessness, parents kicking out child for being trans, child abuse, child joining gang, racism.

In short, I can’t recommend this book highly enough. It was perfect in every way.

The longer version: Strongest for me was the #ownvoices rep, which definitely showed through as authentic. I can’t comment so much on the Latinx rep, though it felt real to me. I liked the way it included Latinx folklore and traditions in the paranormal aspect.
I am trans, though not a trans man, but the trans rep in general was awesome. It shined through little details like Yadriel struggling with getting into his binder directly after showering, which is a situation I’ve been in countless times before and made me laugh and wince.

There was quite a bit of transphobia – not so much the violently obvious, but more the casual, permanent one, and mostly showed in Yadriel’s family and how his gender is seen as not combinable with brujx traditions.

Speaking of brujx culture, it’s very strictly binary, but that is questioned on page, as well as the static nature of the traditions, which I was very relieved by!

Another strong point were the characters. I adored Yadriel, the protagonist; Maritza, his best friend; and Julian, the ghost Yadriel summoned and who’s now refusing to leave. All three were loveable and rounded characters, with flaws and strengths. Julian made me laugh a lot, he’s lively and animated, though he also had a distinct temper that shows violently on the outside and was quite intimidating. If I was their age, I would be in awe and adoring of Maritza (and cuddle her dogs every chance I’d get.) And I would absolutely want to be Yadriel’s best friend, and I related to him a lot in particular.

They are also very definitely teens. The book is firmly in the YA category, not one of those that are only YA due to a technicality but feel more like adult. Cemetery Boys is definitely suited for younger readers, too, and I am especially excited what it can mean for trans and Latinx youth. I am not the target demographic, being an adult and white, but it already meant a lot to me with the trans rep and just being wonderful in general.

That said, there are also hints to more heavy topics. The above mentioned transphobia is one, but also racism and deportation of immigrants, especially South American ones, and what that can do the the US born children. Teen homelessness due to neglect, abuse, and being kicked out by parents for being queer was another, as well as the vulnerability of teens like that to gangs and their violence, and others who mean to do them harm.
These things were not explored in depth, and mostly shown through Yadriel’s POV, who transphobia and racism aside had a comparatively sheltered upbringing. He came across as a bit ignorant due to simply not having been confronted with these things before, but it was still handled respectfully in my opinion.

The one thing I wish had been adressed more in depth was Julian’s violent outbursts. He had a temper that showed in shouting, throwing and kicking things, going as far as pushing away people who are physically trying to hold him back. This is described on-page as him “lacking impulse control”, which I think is an alarmingly mild term. It admittedly mostly only escalated in highly stressful situations, and he is a teenager who was put under a lot of stress throughout the course of the book, but it was still an alarming tendency that has the potential to turn harmful.
However, the ARC I read was not a finished copy, and according to the author the book underwent heavy edits before release, so I’m hoping some of the changes made pertain to this!

Plot wise it was a nice mix of murder-tinged adventure and YA romance, though the foreground was always Yadriel and Julian’s arrangement to tie up Julian’s loose ends now that he’s dead.

Overall this was a wonderful, well-rounded read that I believe can appeal to a wide audience. It’s an incredibly strong debut, and I love that it exists, especially for the youth that will read it.

'Cemetery Boys' by Aiden Thomas has been one of my most highly anticipated releases of the year and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. I'm still feeling a little raw from reading it..

Following the path of a trans boy named Yadriel, the story centers around his determination to prove his status as a brujo to his traditional Latinx family as he struggles with the inherent prejudices both inside and outside their community.

Wielding ancient magic gifted to them by their goddess, Lady Death, those who carry her gift are able to see spirits. Women have the power to heal bodies and souls, while men can release lost spirits into the afterlife, but as a trans boy.. Yadriel has never been able to heal like the brujas.. and the leader of the brujx has never allowed him to prove he can fulfill the role of a brujo.

Having been prevented from going through his quinces, Yadriel and his best friend Maritza take it upon themselves to see his opportunity come to fruition. When his cousin dies suddenly, Yadriel's focus on proving himself becomes laser-sharp.

When the spirit he summons turns out not to be his cousin, but rather the resident bad boy.. Julian Diaz, things grow even more complicated. Julian isn't interested in passing quietly into the afterlife. He's intent on discovering what happened to him and taking care of some things before he leaves.. and with Yadriel unable to force him, the two make a deal to help each other.

Much of the mythos here is born of a mixture of Aztec and Mayan legend that makes up the more recent Mexican-American folk Catholicism.. such as Mictecacihuatl, the Aztec goddess and queen of the underworld, also known as Santa Muerte (Saint Death or Holy Death).. la Niña Blanca (the White Girl).. la Huesuda (the Bony Lady).. la Flaquita (the Skinny Lady).. and many other names.

The magic origins are built largely from the stories of Xibalba (roughly translated as Place of Fright or Place of Fear), which is prominient in both early cultures.. though Bahlam, the Jaguar god and one of the Hero Twins of the Popol Vuh (though there are three translations of this text so it varies slightly), is born of Mayan sources who were said to have defeated the Lords of the Underworld (Xibalba) who had tricked and killed their father and uncle, also twins. Here though, Bahlam is no benevolent being.. and it is conflict between him and Lady Death that actually begins the story of the generations of brujx.

Obviously, the story is full of mystique and the tales from which portions of it are created only make it more interesting.. if that's possible. I've always been entranced by myths of gods and goddesses from all cultures and of the pantheons, the Aztec and Mayan remain amongst my favorites.

It's impossible not to feel for Yadriel, not to want to shout at those who make things unnecessarily difficult for him.. and not to warm to Maritza for being that ride or die chick by his side. The best friend who will fight the world for him, who wants to see him succeed maybe even more than he does.. even if she has a moral aversion to aspects of the lifestyle for herself.

Thomas did a fantastic job of painting Julian as an obnoxious, stubborn spirit with a wicked temper, all the while managing to offer us peeks of those parts of himself he preferred to keep hidden. If I'm being honest, Luca broke my heart more than anyone.. but there's a lot of beauty and a lot of pain sprinkled deftly throughout this bewitching debut novel with all the skill of an old hand.

I caught myself laughing and couldn't stop myself from crying. It's emotional and lovely.. and everything I could have hoped for...