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!

2/5 stars

I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Oof, this review is going to be controversial, so fair warning! To be clear: it has nothing to do with the latinx, trans, or gay representation throughout the novel. All marginalized identities are presented in a positive, fulfilling, and engaging light, and my review does not take away from Thomas' ardent dedication to marginalized teens. This review has everything to do with style, voice, plot structure, character development, and even relationship dynamics. To be blunt: none of it was good.

PROS:

Worldbuilding: While I'm not a fan of the heavy exposition, I love the burjx community Thomas created. You can tell a lot of care was put into this setting, and I greatly respect that.

Representation: It's great. Yadriel is a trans latinx man and I'm so grateful he exists. His relationship with his father mirrors the relationship between many latinx children and their parents, particularly if they're LGBT+. As non-binary latinx, I felt Thomas represented our community well. Julian was also wonderful gay representation: unconventional but still honest, kind, and even goofy. One of my favorite scenes involve Yadriel confronting his fears and insecurities revolving around his identity and Julian encouraging/supporting him the entire way through. Thomas also does a great job exploring a multigenerational latinx family, which again, I have personal experience of. Some scenes made me chuckle, given how closely they mirrored some of my own memories.

CONS (minor spoilers below):

Writing Style & Exposition: This, right here, is why I did not enjoy this book. Scenes dragged out for AGES, it felt like someone was oh so slowly dragging their nails against a chalkboard. The prose and Yadriel's voice is passive, dry, and lacks any flow, which all combined is a trifecta for reading displeasure. We are always told how people feel rather than shown. Instead of letting scenes play out, Thomas explains what people are doing and why they're doing it. Scenes, INCLUDING ACTION SCENES, lack any semblance of dynamic prose. Scenes that should be quick and engaging are not, weighed down by random tidbits we don't need during the tension. The start of this book especially should have been fast, electric, EXCITING. But it's bogged down by the prose and Thomas' lack of direction.

There are literal pages of info-dumping and exposition that make it hard to stay engaged. SO MUCH of the novel is straight filler and holds no weight on the story, and history that the reader should be learning is thoroughly ignored for more irrelevancy. Like, did we NEED two pages of history for the ghost gardener? Whose only purpose was to corrupt and eventually attack the party? We did not! That time could have been used to develop Yadriel and Julian's relationship organically, or even add some weight to Yadriel's relationships with other characters, like his older brother or his uncle.

Repetition: This gets its own section because holy wow. So much flushing. So many ears burning red. There are other ways the body shows embarrassment, please, omg.

Plot: The romantic subplot takes over the main plot from about the 65% mark and doesn't let up until the 90% mark. Just straight up we abandon the main plot and the romantic subplot takes over. But that's not how it works. That's not why I'm here! I want the mystery solved AND Yadriel to get the boy. But if you abandon the WHOLE POINT OF THIS BOOK, the reader (me) is going to be frustrated! Yes, the scenes with Yadriel and Julian were very cute but they didn't advance the MAIN PLOT AT ALL. Because we abandoned it! Yadriel literally went "welp, fuck it" and went on a romantic day trip with his ghost boyfriend. And that works fine in fanfiction because that's all about wish fulfillment but that's not why I'm here! This is a novel, there needs to be point, there are beats you need to hit and Thomas just doesn't hit them. Literally 80% into the novel and we were not any closer to uncovering the mystery of what happened to Yadriel's cousin than we were at the start of the book!

Villain: I can't discuss them much without giving them away, but if you're aware of standard fantasy tropes, you'll know who it is very early on. And unfortunately, they never reach their full potential. And even in the end, when we're given a very basic motivation, we're never given a real "why?" It's all very basic and I didn't care.

Character Development: This ties into everything else but the characters are so stale. There is no depth to any of the secondary characters, and what little character we get from our main cast never really expands outside of their initial characterization. Sure, Yadriel becomes more confident in his brujo abilities, but that's about it.

Relationship Development: Because of how passive the writing style is, I don't find Yadriel and Julian's romance very developed or even engaging. They barely feel like friends until the 65% mark hits, and then we got heart eyes galore. This is fine because their scenes thereafter are cute and their ending is sweet, but I would have LOVED it to be more fulfilling (and you know, in sync with the actual main plot). But if you're going to have your romantic subplot take over for about 25% of the novel, it better be developed well. And it wasn't, so again, I was frustrated by how much I disliked this entire novel's structure and pacing.

So, there you have it. I feel like shit giving this novel such a bad review but these are my honest feelings. This book needed another round of edits, particularly a development editor who could have tightened the last half and a line editor to make Yadriel's voice more active and dynamic. I'm sure teens will love the representation as I did but everything else leaves so much to be desired.

Cemetery Boys wowed me with its rich atmosphere and great cast of characters. This book is so well-realized that you truly feel like you are dropped right in to Yadriel's story. But, for those who haven't enjoyed the experience yet: Yadriel is part of a brujx community in east LA; his family lives in a cemetery and is charged by the Lady of Death to manage departed souls and ensure a smooth passing into the afterlife. Well, the male brujos are responsible for that part. As a trans man, Yadriel hasn't been accepted as a brujo despite his absolute confidence that the role is what he was meant to do. Yadriel takes matters into his own hands and in doing so, discovers more about himself and his power than he could ever imagine.

The only quibble that I have with this one is that the final act, with most of the drama and plot twists, seemed to happen really quickly. I would have liked the final climax to be more drawn out so that I could savor it more (insert acknowledge of dirty, yet true, innuendo here). There is so much to love about this story and I would especially recommend Cemetery Boys to anyone who loves magical realism.

Unique constellation of themes woven into a good book for a YA audience. Teaches various lessons in diversity and acceptance of those not like oneself without getting preachy, Making the main character simply who he is from the first words is great. I know I learned about the latinx culture and Dia de los Muertos in an enjoyable way. The diverse characters allowed insight into many facets of life in latinx East Los Angeles. Written with compassion that makes you like the characters, event when they do unlikable things. The ending was an unexpected surprise. I was smiling during the Epilogue and happy for the characters. The book does read like a first novel - a bit plodding at times. This could be helped with some fleshing out of some of the themes when it reads wordy. The final scene needs to be tightened up - this is too much detail to make it more "exciting". Then again it is a YA novel. I would suggest a Spanish glossary be added. I understand some Spanish. Between what I knew and the translations built into the text I was able to understand most of the Spanish, but not all. For those without Spanish knowledge, it will make the book more accessible.

I don't read much contemporary fiction...I think I burned out on early YA problem novels and I've always just preferred fantasy.

But when I read the description for this book? I had to break out of my comfort zone. Add in that June is Pride month, and I was set.

PLOT PREMISE: Yadriel is a Latinx, trans, queer brujo -- who falls in love with a "ghost" around Dia de Muertos. Yadriel and his family are brujx -- charged by Lady Death with healing the living (brujas) or helping the dead pass on (brujos). When Yadriel's cousin goes missing, he sees it as an opportunity to prove himself to his family (especially his father) that he IS a brujo and that he belongs. Instead of his cousin, he meets Julian, the ghost of a boy from his school. Before Julian will let Yadriel help him move on, he first wants to make sure his friends are okay.

✔︎ - NO LOVE TRIANGLE!!! 🎉 Instead we get a beautiful story of teen love, without being too angsty.
✔︎ - DIVERSITY
✔︎ - FALL VIBES (the novel is set during Dia de Muertos, so late October/early November and even though it's LA, there are short days, cool weather, and fall flowers)
✔︎ - CULTURE: I love that this story depicts a culture different from mine. Thomas describes the traditions around Dia de Muertos and the Brujx ceremonies with such loving detail that they jump off the page. The image of Yadriel painting the calavera for his mother just sticks in my mind...

﹅One of the reasons I read this book was, somewhere, it was described as "magical realism," and that's a genre I'm actively seeking out these days. Having read it, I'm not sure it *is* magical realism, but it's delightful nonetheless. Here, the magical elements are definitely spiritual/religious in nature and connected to the cultural traditions, which I thought was one of the strongest elements of the story.

✘ I did read an ARC from Netgalley, so this may be revised before the book is released in September. There were a few moments where the story stalled a bit -- conversations and scene were just a little repetitive -- some streamlining and tightening up of scenes would easily address that. (For example, there was one scene at the end, where Julian just refused to leave Yadriel, and it felt like we got the same point several times, with no real forward-momentum to the story.) Not a significant detraction from the story in any way, and something which may be remedied by the time the final draft is published.

VERDICT: I thought this was a beautiful book and I plan on buying a copy when it's released. Not only for myself to read again, but because I want my kids to grow up in a house where the bookshelves are filled with diverse stories. And I think Aiden Thomas has told an important story that needs to be read.

Powerful Prose:
"Navigating pronouns was a minefield when language was based on gender."
--This line just struck me -- probably because we don't really gender things in English the way they do in other languages. It was a powerful, thought-provoking moment for me.

"The aquelarre celebrates transition. All of you are on the precipice between youth and adulthood...Between uncertainty and confidence. Our traditions should grow and change with every generation. Just because we follow the ancient ways, does not mean we can't also grow. [...] Growth isn't a deviation from what we've done before, but a natural progression to honor all those who make this community strong."

Cemetery Boys is unadulterated magic.

This book makes me feel so many things, and I know that isn't an eloquent or professional way of putting it but it's so incredibly difficult to put words to describe how much I loved the book, how much I loved the characters, and how much I loved the magic of it.

Before I start, I just can't get over the fact that this book is set in East LA! Y'all don't know how happy I am reading a book set in my area, East LA is literally right next door and it's where my Gramps grew up, there's just such a connection there and seeing small things, like jokes about fast food places on Whittier being haunted, filled my heart. But now, onto the rest of why I love this book.

Aiden put so much thought into the way they wrote this world, you can just tell while reading it (but I also highly recommend watching interviews and panels they've done, such as the one over on Adri from Perpetual Page's channel. It'll warm your heart and brighten your day, trust me). The several names for Lady Death, how Día de los Muertos works for families whose family members died in other countries, the tradition behind a brujx's quinces. And even behind the not-so-magical parts: the harsh reality that there are LGBT+ kids who are on the streets because their parents didn't accept them, the fact that schools still use deadnames if they aren't legally changed, things that I, as a straight cis woman, am privileged enough to have never thought about.

It also shares the fact that family is more than blood. It's the people you let into your life, the ones that settle down there and become so tightly woven that you'll do anything to keep them there. It's friends who have each other's backs in their own special ways, who will go to bat for you, and do what they can to be there for you.

You don't have to be a trans or enby person to love and relate to Cemetery Boys. You don't even have to be Latinx. But to my Latinx family out there, and all of my trans and enby friends, I hope you see yourselves in this book.

Read Cemetery Boys. You'll fall in love with the world and the characters, trust me.

Aiden Thomas’ CEMETERY BOYS is a rich, #OwnVoices book about Yadriel who wants to prove himself as a brujo after his family refuse to let him go through with the ritual because he is trans. But in the process, he summons a spirit and one of the brujx goes missing….

I loved absolutely everything about this book. There genuinely wasn’t a single thing I can think to fault about it; when reading it, you can just feel how much love, energy and passion has been put into this book, and for that reason, I cannot wait to see what Aiden Thomas writes next!!

First and foremost, the characters in this book are *so* emotive, funny and well-written. Yadriel gives of an energy that makes you immediately want to protect him but also understand that he doesn’t need it, because he’s a badass and can look after himself. I think his character arc was incredible, and it warms my heart to think of the progress he’s made from the start to the end of the book. Yadriel is so caring and kind, yet he doesn’t receive the same treatment from the people around him. One of the most admirable things that stands out about this book is the way Yadriel handles it when he is misgendered or deadnamed; he rightfully gets upset, yet he doesn’t just brush it off and forget it just because someone says sorry afterwards. The message this sends to the readers is so, so important, and highlights that actions speak louder than words.

Yadriel, Julian and Maritza are such a fun trio and I was constantly laughing at everything they got up to. While Julian is sarcastic, grumpy (at first) and has trouble controlling his anger, Maritza is bubbly, full of life and loving – and the dynamic between the two was so funny to watch unfold. The adventures they get up to together warmed my heart, especially the parts where they had to go to school, I genuinely CRIED from laughter! I’m not usually an emotional person when it comes to book, but there were several other points during this book that made me cry too, the main one being when Julian crosses out Yadriel’s deadname in his school yearbook and changes it. WHAT A SOFTIE. Julian comes across as a typical ‘bad-boy’ but he’s actually so much more than that, he’d do anything to help his friends out, he’s so vibrant and full of life (despite being a spirit) and I adore him.
The magic system in this book was so colourful and descriptive, as was everything else in this book. Cemetery Boys, as a whole, just screams colour to me, it’s almost as if the book should glow. The descriptions and imagery in this book blew me away; while too much description can sometimes be annoying in books, the author really managed to get it right with this, he made everything so vivid and bright, I felt like I was the one walking through these stunning scenes instead of Yadriel. He also puts so much emotion into the narration of this book, which lead to me crying at multiple points xD
Getting to read about all the Latinx aspects of this book was so interesting!! It definitely challenged my Spanish, but is easy to understand what is being said whether you have knowledge of the language or not. The Dia de los Muertos celebrations were so cozy and bright and it felt like I was stepping into the celebrations alongside the characters.
The ending… where do I start??? I’m thoroughly surprised that my heart didn’t give out actually. I was SHOCKED at how it played out in the end, it was beyond unexpected and I didn’t suspect it for a second. I’ll leave it at that to avoid spoilers, but while it was unexpected, I really loved how it all wrapped up!
So, if you don’t go out and pick this book up after everything I’ve just said, there’s something wrong with you. This book is the perfect read, no matter what your preferred genre is, and you’re sure to take something away from it. Also, the names of the animals in this book are SPECTACULAR, and I will not tell you them just to add to the reasons why you should read this book ;))

A wonderful fantasy featuring transgendered characters. It was refreshing to see this type of story represented today.

This book was absolutely amazing. I had such a great time reading it and I just wanted to bundle Yads and Jules up and protect them as much as possible.

We meet Yadriel, known as Yads, just a few days before Día de Muertos (The Day of the Dead). Yads is a brujo in a family of brujx and yet feels like an outsider because his family and community cannot accept his gender or who he is. Yadriel is transgender and because of this, his father and community have decided there's no way he's a brujo. This means that despite what his mother wanted before she died, and as much as Yadriel wants it, they will not let him have the traditional ceremony where he is introduced as a brujo to the community, or let him participate in the traditional ceremony in which Lady Death grants him his powers to raise and release the dead.

To prove to everyone they are wrong and that he is a real brujo, Yads and his cousin Maritza perform the ceremony themselves. That very night, their cousin Miguel is killed and everyone in the community feels it. Yads is convinced that now that he's been granted his powers by Lady Death, all he needs to do is find Miguel's body, release his spirit, and find out what the hell happened to him. Doing that will have to make his father and family accept him as a brujo once and for all. The only problem is, in trying to raise Miguel from the dead, Yadriel summons a different spirit: Julian.

Julian has no idea how he died, is shocked to find out he's dead, and wants to know what the hell brujx are. Once he gets over the initial shock, he tells Yads that before he'll let him release his spirit, Yads has to help him make sure his friends are okay. Yadriel has other things to worry about, but what if helping Jules is the answer to all his problems? After all, if he can release Julian's ghost, then his family will have to accept him right? And what if Jules death and Miguel's disappearance are related? Yads may not be happy about it, but if he's going to prove himself, he's going to have to help Jules.

Both Jules and Yads characters were so well written, that I couldn't help but fall in love with them. Both of them have their own identities and struggles, which are explored throughout the book. One of the things I loved the most was that they didn't start out liking each other. Julian's character is so head strong, angry, and full of life that he's a force of nature. Yadriel is a force of nature in his own right, but his personality is a bit more toned down that Julian's. They're forced to remain together and even though they're so different, there's something so easy about their interactions and conversations. Those initial connections only help their relationship to grow as the story continues. The way that Jules didn't even bat an eyelash when he found out Yadriel's transgender was amazing because a lot of what Yadriel is experiencing is related to the fact that his family can't accept him. And yet here is this stranger, who doesn't even think twice.

The other great thing about this book was the cultural elements of it. This book is about cultural identity and meshing what you know and learned with who you are. The magic, the culture, the characters themselves....I'm so glad I was able to read this and I definitely think everyone should pick this up.

Sidenote, can we get a story about Maritza because I LOVED HER.

Go grab this book when it's released on it's new release date: September 1st! And be sure to add it to your Goodreads. And guess what? IT'S OWN VOICES!!

Yadriel is a young trans boy who just wants to be seen and recognized for who he is. This is his journey to be recognized as a true brujo, a magic user, in his Hispanic community in East L.A. Part of this journey to recognition involves releasing the spirit of Julian, a recently murdered young man, who refuses to pass over into the afterlife. Yadriel may have bitten off more than he can chew trying to release this vivacious spirit! This story by Aiden Thomas is compelling and gives great insights into the lives of trans youth. I think this is an especially good window into the life of trans youth because it does come from a community whose very language is gendered. There is a clear love of both Thomas’s characters and the Hispanic culture that shines throughout this book. I would recommend this book for young adults in grades 9-12 (and beyond!).

TW: Misgendering, gender dysphoria, death of a parent

The Plot: When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his true gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin Miguel and set him free. However, Yadriel has summoned the wrong ghost. And now he can’t get rid of him.

The Characters: Yadriel- Fierce cinnamon roll who I want to wrap in a blanket and fight the world with. Cautious of how he will be treated yet so fiercely determined to prove to those around him who he is and where he belongs, it was enjoyable watching Julian yank him out of his shell.

Julian- Leave it to a ghost teenager to worry about his phone and skateboard. Also tough guys who are secretly the SOFTEST are my favs. Doesn’t know how to whisper combined with the fact he doesn’t know how to shut up makes me confused on if I want to hug him or strangle him.

Maritza- Adventurous and supportive, Yadriel’s cousin was everything I wanted out of a side character. Though she will never understand Yadriel’s need to belong and his constant battle with the rest of the family she is endlessly on his side and jumps at the chance to aid him where she can.

Also “the boys” are best. That is all.

Overview: It needs to be acknowledged that this story starts with a lot of pain and trauma as the protagonist Yadriel is fighting against his family and loved ones on being misgendered and finding his place but that overall this is a tale of love and finding who you are. You can feel every emotion the author went through writing this and though this may be hard to start I promise it is so worth it to continue to find the happiness that lays in this book and that it doesn’t take long to get there.

The best way to explain this book is that I feel the entire thing was a missing animated movie that belonged in my childhood. It was nostalgic without me having ever read it before and ready to flip back to page one ready to re-visit the story all over again immediately.

The plot was predictable but in an endearing way that has you screaming at the characters frustrated they can’t see what’s ahead of them. As much as I’m enjoying this as an adult, I hope teens enjoy it even MORE for the same reasons.

Set during Día de Muertos, this book brought the culture to life so well I could swear I smelled the food cooking right of the pages. I don’t speak the slightest bit of Spanish but everything built around the bits of language brought the context in so I didn’t need to and added so much more imagery. I’m sure there are lovely little Easter eggs I’m missing.

The magic system was fascinating, the characters where dynamic and engaging and ever so loveable. There was never a lull in the stroryline, I always wanted to know what was happening next. I could read about these characters forever. This became my most anticipated release of the year and it did not disappoint. Cannot wait to get my hands on a finished copy especially with the stunning pre-order goodies.

On a final note I need to add a little personal tone to this review as well because there’s a point in this book where Yadriel is trying to get on his binder after a shower AND HOLY HELL DID I FEEL THAT IN MY SHOULDERS AND BACK. I have mentioned I identify with they/them/their pronouns in my blog and though I do no wear a binder anywhere near as often as I used to, it was like a ghost feeling wafted over me in the WORST way because wearing a binder FREAKIN WET is the DUMBEST THING. WAIT TILL YOU ARE DRY.

In short I loved everything about this and my heart is happy.

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas is a very different take on Dia de los Muertos and the ceremony surrounding that time. The characters are very realistic, including the dead ones. I had a hard time putting this book down to get back to real life.

Loved, loved, loved this book. It's so representative of so many things within it's pages, and such integrally important community's that don't get their proper due. This book is full of LGBTQ+ and Latinx diversity and it's brilliantly conveyed on the page. I wish that this book was written years ago, when I was young and needed literature that represented my culture, but better now than never. This book may be YA, but it's made for adults as well because this is writing at it's finest.

I would like to thank NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was initially intrigued by this novel based on its focus on Brujeria in the Latin Community. We meet Yadriel, a trans teen, who seeks acceptance from his family and community. To do so he must subvert traditional gender roles: in the Brujx community, males summon and release the dead while females are the healers. Set around the Day of the Dead Celebration, Yadriel fights throughout the novel to be accepted as a brujo, with the powers and responsibilities that come with it—all while trying to solve a mystery of multiple missing teens.
The story really picks up midway through the book. I kept wondering how the author was going to resolve the story and its central mystery. Aiden Thomas manages to tie everything up beautifully by the book’s end. I often find myself guessing resolution of mysteries midway through a book, but with this novel, I can honestly say I was both intrigued and satisfied by the resolution. It was surprising while feeling believable and a natural progression of the story and its central themes. Aiden Thomas does a wonderful job exploring such themes as gender identity, cultural traditions, illegal immigration, and gang violence.
This novel sprinkles Spanish as well as a little Nahuatl. There are many references to Aztec, Mayan, and Incan culture. The multiple descriptions of Brujx rituals and ceremonial attire are delightful to read. If the films Whale Rider, Coco, and Ghost had a child, you would get Cemetery Boys. I can see this being the start of a new long-running series of YA mystery novels. I strongly recommend this book.

In Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas, brujx serve Santa Muerte or Lady Death as a link between the worlds of the living and the dead. Brujos can release trapped spirits from our world to send them to the afterlife and brujas can heal. Yadriel hasn’t been able to find a place in either world. At school, he’s the weird kid who lives in the cemetery and used to talk to himself. At home, his family refuses to accept him as a brujo after he comes out as transgender. When Yadriel tries to gain his family’s acceptance and prove his gender by summoning the spirit of his murdered cousin Miguel, something goes wrong. Instead of Miguel, he summons the spirit of Julian Diaz, a former classmate who disappeared the same night as Miguel and has no intention of being sent to the afterlife before he finds out how he died. Working together to solve the mystery of how Julian died, they find disturbing clues that Julian’s death may be linked to Miguel’s. As the two grow closer, Yadriel finds that, the more he knows Julian, the less sure he is that he will be able to let him go, even to prove his brujo powers to his family.

I sincerely loved this book. The plot is well-paced and the characters are so real they practically leap off the page. The romance works well and adds emotional tension without taking over the rest of the narrative. Yadriel’s Latinx background is front and center, with a multicultural community that acknowledges the cultural variations that exist within the Latinx umbrella, and Spanish is mixed in throughout the book in ways that are generally understandable from context if you don’t speak Spanish. Yadriel’s struggles with his family felt realistic, showing that even loving and well-intentioned relatives can cause hurt when they misgender him or use his deadname, but things with his family ultimately move in a hopeful direction. The reveal of the villain wasn’t surprising, as it is clear from early on in the book what will happen, but that didn’t make it any less enjoyable. Despite having predicted most of the twist, I was still sucked in and anxious for the characters. The world needs more ownvoices stories like this one and I’m already looking forward to shoving it into as many pairs of hands as possible when the copies I ordered for my library arrive.

Cemetery Boys is a deliciously magical story of Yadriel, a trans Latinx who needs to prove to his traditional family of brujos that he is a brujo who can summon and help dead spirits pass to the afterlife. When, in an effort to investigate his cousin's murder, he accidentally summons the spirit of Julian, a chaotic bad boy, things get wild fast. Yadriel and his best friend Maritza are drawn into the mystery of both boys' deaths, and Yadriel finds himself falling for Julian's ghost. Yadriel must navigate the growing and heady romance between them and his family's pressures to conform to traditional gender roles. The descriptions of the Day of the Dead celebrations and brujx culture are fascinating and add to the immersive magic. All of the storylines come together in a thrilling and unexpected climax. I highly recommend this story.

What an exquisite book that encompasses so many YA struggles— fitting in with one’s community, personal identity, making family proud/accepting of who you are, teen insecurities, and so much more. There are so many layers to these wonderful characters. I also loved the immersion into the brujx world and the slow burn romance. Cemetery Boys brings a level of inclusion to YA I haven’t seen yet. It’s easy to be attached to the MC right away as well.