Thanks to NetGalley and Swoon Reads for an advanced copy of this book! Honestly, it was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and I’m so glad that it lived up to the hype. Like, I stayed up late finishing it on Monday night because I just couldn’t put it down. From the characters to the world building to the plot, everything works together so seamlessly in Thomas’s debut.

Due to COVID, the release date of this book moved from June to September. However, fall is pretty much the perfect time to read this book. Set in LA during Dia de Las Muertas, there are witchy vibes all over this book. Thomas’s writing does a lot to help create an atmosphere that’s easy to lose yourself in. I wouldn’t be mad if they kept writing in this world because it was that well done. Everything from the culture to the magic immerses you in this world right from the beginning of the book.

The characters! If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that characters are the most important part for me in any given book. Yadriel and Julian were almost perfect complements of each other, and their relationship felt so effortless. Yadriel’s journey throughout the book to get his family to accept his gender felt authentic and fit in with the world building and the story itself. Personally, I felt his relationship with his dad and the way that it transforms throughout the book represented struggles for a lot of transgender youth. 

Julian’s struggles also represented struggles that a lot of teens face. He has his friends that he would protect with his life (and he literally does), and he has a complicated relationship with his brother, his caregiver since both his parents are gone. Honestly, both Yadrial and Julian are cinnamon rolls and 100% of the reason why you should read this book.

All in all, I don’t think I can come up with any complaints for Cemetery Boys. I can’t wait for my pre-ordered final copy to come so I can read it all over again. And you can bet that Aiden Thomas will be immediately going on my authors to watch list. Their writing feels so effortless, and I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

Yadriel is a trans guy who wants to be accepted by his conservative, Latinx family of brujx, or witches who work with spirits. With his cousin and steadfast ally Maritza, he performs the ritual to become a brujo in the eyes of their goddess, the Lady Death, and it works! He is able to summon a spirit shortly thereafter-- the spirit of a kind of annoying, hyperactive bad boy of their school, Julian Diaz. He died on the same night the brujx felt their cousin Miguel die, but neither of their bodies were found. What follows is a story of mystery, determination, and acceptance in a richly detailed East LA Latinx community getting ready for Dia de los muetros.

If you loved the relationship between Maggie Stiefvater's' Adam and Ronan from the Raven Boys, you will adore the magician/bad boy thing between Yadriel and Julian. If you like brightly colored worlds, with delicious sounding food, again, this is the story for you. If you like stories of people accepting where they went wrong, and doing the work to make it better, yep, again, this one is for you. Highly recommended.

Thanks NetGalley for the e ARC.

**I received this book from netgalley in exchange for a review**

"You ready?" Julian asked [...] "No," Yadriel confessed. [...] Julian grinned. "Do it anyways."†
^^^ this is my message to anyone on the fence about reading this book.


WOW, I loved this book! I loved the three main characters, I loved their personalities, I loved their witty banter. I love the emotional growth that these characters went through over the course of the book. I pre-ordered the hardcover of this when I was only 30% through this book, it's really that good.

I loved learning about bruxj culture. If you know everything or nothing about this culture, it doesn't matter. The author does a fantastic job explaining all the big and small details in a wondrous, fantastic way.

So why four stars and not five? My only complaint about this book, is that there was a scene about partway through that was waaaaaay too on-the-nose in terms of foreshadowing. There was a folktale told (a true tale, in the world of this book), that immediately gave away the ending for me. It was just a bit too obvious. I still loved the book, but I wish this tale was told a little bit differently, so it didn't make the ending so clear.

Also, I LOVE the cover.

†check against final text

CEMETERY BOYS should 100% be on your pre-order list for this September. I devoured this book in less than 24 hours. It’s an amazing contemporary fantasy book centering around Yadriel, who is determined to prove to his traditional Latinx family that he is a real brujo even though they have problems accepting his gender. I loved the family dynamics, setting, and romance in this book, but I especially loved the magic. I will absolutely feature this book with my teens and recommend it to them.

A transboy main character, Latinx supernatural tradition, queer romance, and dark magic mark this colorful, romantic, spooky tale.
Recommended grade level: 8+
Genre(s) and keywords: supernatural, fantasy, romance, LGBTQIA+, horror, Latinx culture, #OwnVoices
Topics: ghosts, death, magic, magical families, transgender experiences, growing up, romantic love
Themes: identity, tradition, being an outsider, acceptance, loyalty, family
Who will like this book?: Readers looking for magic steeped in a rich culture and tinged with horror will find what they're looking for here. There's a sweet, positive gay romance between two boys who support each other. The book affirms the variety of experiences (particularly, gender and sexual identities) it depicts and is a sometimes scary, sometimes angsty, but overall uplifting read.
Who will not like this book?: The book starts a little light on the supernatural/horror elements and practically drops them altogether in the middle (then brings them back with a vengeance at the end). Readers who are interested in plot over character or fantasy over realistic/romantic elements may find these parts slow.
Other comments: Trigger warning: misgendering. Mature content: There is some language (a couple f-words, if I remember correctly). Physical aspects of romance are mostly restricted to kissing. The boys go to a party with alcohol, but Yadriel doesn't drink and Julian can't because he's a ghost. Some of the magical rituals can get fairly dark, but that's balanced out by other lighter story elements.
Readlikes: I've never read anything like this before! There have been a slew of youth and YA LGBTQIA+ fantasy stories lately though, so I'll leave a few of those here for you to try out and decide for yourself:
-The Deep & Dark Blue by Niki Smith
-The Witch Boy by Molly Ostertag
-The Fascinators by Andrew Eliopolous (recommended for grades 7 and up)
-These Witches Don't Burn by Isabel Sterling (recommended for grades 8 and up)

**ARC from NetGalley**
Loved this one from start to finish. Great premise, the author got you interested in the characters and their worries right away. Particularly enjoyed the fact that they didn't deadname or misgender their main character throughout, even though others were having a difficulty accepting him as he is. The budding romance was a nice soft touch to what could have been a terrifying story. Will certainly be recommending this everywhere.

A great YA that pushes all the right buttons. I'm a sucker for queer slow-burning hate-to-love romance. I loved all the characters and their self-struggles, and I really felt for everyone. The teens act like teens and the adults like adults, so this is definitely a book teens would relate to. Thanks Netgalley!

Yadriel is a trans gay boy and an aspiring brujo, if only his family will accept him as he sees himself. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the Brujx community in this story; it isn't something that I have come across before. I also enjoyed the interaction between Yadriel and Julian. I will definitely recommend this to my students.

There is a lot of hype about the upcoming release of #CemeteryBoys, and it is worth every bit of it. This book is on the short list of my favorite books for the year. I will not go into spoilers because it isn't out yet, but the story mixes culture, history, and contemporary issues alongside a fantasy/magical realism style storyline. I enjoyed the characters and the balance or action and dialogue. There isn't a misstep in this book. Thank you to the publishers and #NetGalley for the advanced copy. I can't wait to purchase it for our school library.

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.