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.

I cannot speak to the accuracy of the representation of Latinx culture in this book, but really appreciated how immersive the culture was in this story. I will say that I frequently had to stop and look up entire sentences that were in Spanish, as the characters will often have conversations with little context clues as to what they are saying. While this wasn't a big deal for me, I could see some readers getting frustrated with this. I thought the ghost romance thing was a little weird personally - and it happened very quickly, which isn't my favorite. I enjoyed the premise of the magic system in this world and the use of cultural ties. While I am not a part of the Latinx culture, I enjoyed learning about it through this story. I will say that there is a lot of swearing and a lot of descriptions of blood and sacrifice (animal and human) that might be off putting for some people.

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.

Trans Latinx brujo? Sign me up.

From the moment I set eyes on the description of Cemetery Boys, I couldn’t wait to read it. While queer representation has been steadily growing, especially in YA, it’s so hard to find a good book about latinx people by latinx people. This is the book I never had growing up. Yadriel is smart, courageous, loves his family, and is willing to do what is right when things are hard. What an incredible character to follow on this fast-paced, spooky journey.

This book reminded me of all the best parts of Labyrinth Lost, The Raven Cycle, and The Witch Boy. Thomas really nails Los Angeles as the backdrop of this urban fantasy, something I appreciate having grown up there. Yadriel is a young trans boy who is desperately trying to prove to himself and his family that he is a capable brujo by summoning the spirit of his recently murdered cousin. He accidentally summons the handsome and lively spirit of Julian instead. The two are, on the surface, complete opposites, but the longer they work together to release Julian’s spirit, the closer they become.

The thing I loved most about this book is how important family is to Yadriel. The representation of a big Latinx family was beautiful and I have almost never read such a loving and true picture of those family values written in YA. Yadriel’s family is not perfect, set in traditions both magical and not, but he doesn’t give up on them or them on him. Maritza is the perfect cousin, backing Yadriel up at every turn, and I particularly loved their dynamic which reminded me so much of my own family. Yadriel’s experience of his culture contrasted nicely with Julian’s and I felt that this book was crafting a careful message we don’t get to see too often— everyone experiences their own Latinx culture differently.

This is a book that not only represents transness, but celebrates it. From the beginning this is a book about self love and acceptance. I devoured it not just for the beautiful romance or the well-paced mystery, but because I have never seen my own culture or city reflected with such nuance and love. I cannot wait for this book to be published, as it will most definitely be the centerpiece of our next GSA book club.

This is such a strong 4.5. There is so much to celebrate about this book. To start off easy, I love that our characters are in the middle of the YA age range. If I remember correctly they’re 15? It’s nice to see representation in that age group.

This book felt so comfortable. It’s a weird way to describe it, but the writing and dialogue just had a flow that was so true to the way people interact with each other. I really get disturbed by forced things in books and nothing felt forced in this one. I say all the time, I hate when social issues get spoon-fed in novels, especially YA. But everything in that vein that was handled in this book felt very organic and true to the storyline.

I’m so happy to read an ownvoices book about a trans boy that has a (spoiler alert) happy ending. Even so, the happy ending wasn’t romanticized, and it was acknowledged that things would still be hard even after the book ended. It was just so genuine. The authenticity of Yadriel’s identity felt so refreshing and I think kids will really be able to see themselves in him. Kids who may not have experience interacting with trans people will also benefit from this because it is adamant about the way that trans people should be treated and I’m really happy about that!!

Our love interest, Julian, really turned the book up a notch. He was so funny and goofy and headstrong and lived with no regrets and was just a great addition to the story. Same with Maritza, Yads’ cousin/best friend; she was loyal and dripping in sarcasm and totally was the best sidekick.

The end of this book has a few really gripping scenes that would (broken record in my reviews, I know) make for a GREAT movie. This book gives me The Outsiders vibes, I can’t really explain it, but it’s definitely there.

I for sure recommend picking this up in its new release month of September.

10/10 would recommend! This is a book that I've needed for so long and I can't wait until it's out in the world and in the hands of readers! Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas is the story of Yadriel, a teen boy who has come out to his family as trans and is trying to get his family of brujas and brujos to accept that he is a brujo and able to serve Lady Death. When Yadriel accidentally summons the spirit of Julian, a student from Yadriel's high school, the boys reach a mutually beneficial agreement - Yadriel will help Julian with some unfinished business if Julian will allow Yadriel to help him pass over, a ritual that will prove to Yadriel's family that he is a brujo. But the boys are on the clock with only days left until Día de Muertos -- will they be able to accomplish what they need to in time? The story that unfolds is expertly told and rich in Yadriel's Latinx heritage -- there are lush descriptions of ofrendas, food, and traditional clothing, Spanish words and phrases are mixed in throughout the novel and there is a deep respect and reverence for gods and saints, drawing from Incan, Aztec, and Mayan traditions.

Cemetery Boys is, at its heart, a story about family, friends, self-acceptance, and unbreakable bonds. This novel is brimming with the supernatural, with spirits walking side by side with Yadriel and his family. Yet it's also a story that's equally full of the mundane and every day struggles -- walking to school, wiling away hours in class, and staying up too late. There are also struggles that are unique to Yadriel as a trans guy -- negotiating which bathroom to use, dealing with binders and clothing, being misgendered, and working to get his presentation just right. But Yadriel isn't going it alone and there are wonderfully affirming scenes with him being supported by his loved ones, particularly his best friend and cousin, Maritza. At turns heart wrenching and so profoundly joyful you can't help but smile, Cemetery Boys is an unforgettable experience.

The plot was imaginative and the familial and cultural representations vivid and authentic; however, this was poorly written. I read a galley, not a finished copy, but there were still an absurd amount of typos and grammatical errors. Pushing past these, I honestly felt the writing style was very weak. It's a shame, because the queer narration was very well-handled and the plot is certainly interesting.

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas has quickly become one of my favorite reads of 2020, and as a high school librarian, I cannot wait to put this book in my collection and book talk it to every student I see. Yadriel was a dream protagonist—strong yet human in all the right ways—and Maritza was a fierce and hilarious sidekick. Don’t even get me started on Julian, either, as I found myself tearing up more times than I imagined I would throughout this book. I can see Cemetery Boys being a beacon of light for not only trans youth (where it is very needed) but also for any youth (and adult!) who may find themselves scrutinized or left out by society. I cannot recommend this book enough, and hope you all add it to your pre-order lists or pick up a copy when it comes out in September.

Hoping the typos and mistakes get cleaned up for the final copy, because this is a book teens will be clamoring for. Imagine all the romance of the movie "Ghost," combined with the colorful Day of the Dead setting of "Coco," with a trans brujo falling for a ghost. I guessed the bad guy early on, as well as the Julian: alive or dead? plot, but it was still a fun ride to the end.

.5/5 stars. There were a lot of things I really enjoyed about this - I love the intersectional diversity and the brujx magic was interesting. Even though I knew who the villian was that mystery was still interesting. I was, however, not completely convinced by the love story. I felt like it became too intense, too fast? I totally get why Yadriel liked Julian and it was cute in the beginning, but as soon as they acknowledged it, it felt a little too intense/extreme. Like it went from 0-60.

But I don't think that'll deter most people - in fact I'm sure there will be plenty of teens swooning over them.

Also, I've already got my pitch for the book ready "The Witch Boy meets Coco"

Finally a book I've been anticipating that did not disappoint at all! This was such a fun, touching, spooky, wonderful own-voices novel with excellent LGBTQ and Latinx rep and beautiful world-building.

Full review at link to my booktube channel.

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to offer an honest review.

Why You Should Read It: I need to tell you all right now how amazing this book is! It is fantastic, guys. Aiden Thomas has done something magical with this book. They've blended Latinx culture and language into the story in a way that is both beautiful and present, yet understandable even to me, the whitest person you've ever met. They also created such vibrant characters. Yadriel was so real I felt like I could touch him, and he tells us multiple times how shining and alive Julian feels to him, which makes him feel just as shining and alive to us. I'll admit, I saw the ending coming about 45% of the way through the book, but the story was still handled in such a way that I didn't even mind that I knew how it was going to end. There were still plot points to live through and emotions to experience vicariously through Yadriel and Julian. I am so in love with this book, and I can't wait until it's released so I can have a copy of it on my shelf with all my other favorite books.

Why You Should Have It in Your Library: Y'all have heard me harp on about diversity in fiction, particularly young adult fiction, more than you probably want to. But that is a major reason why you should have this book in your collection; I mean, apart from the fact that it's fantastic that is. Cemetery Boys is heavily populated with both Latinx characters (I'm having trouble remembering for certain, but I don't think there's a single white person in this book? Which is amazing?) and queer characters. There are two explicitly trans characters and two explicitly gay characters; there might be more, I don't know, but there's only two of each the narration tells us about. And one of those gay trans characters is the main character Yadriel - and fun fact! The story isn't solely about the fact that he's gay and trans! I'm not complaining necessarily about books that focus their drama solely on a queer character searching for acceptance, but it's nice to have a book where only a portion of the drama is caused by his queer identity. The rest of it is because he sees dead people, which is a much more exciting reason to have drama. So put this on your "to purchase" list, and when September comes around, this book needs to be on your shelves.

This was a stunning blend of queer representation with Latinx communities. We don’t see this intersection often in YA so as soon as I saw the summary for Cemetery Boys months ago, I was more than ready to read it.
The representation in this novel was beautifully done. Community is an incredible aspect of the narration and Yadriel is young and still learning about the LGBT community he is now a part of.
The beautiful Latinx storytelling and history intertwines with a young guy trying to figure out how to prove himself.

I have been trying to stay away from advanced review copies that were outside of the month we are in but I just had to read this one. Incredible new YA fantasy coming out in September with a fearless main trans character who not only has to fight his own family when it comes to his identity but also solve the murder of people he knows. Steeped in magic and yet so thoroughly grounded in now, this gorgeous book deserves to be read and shared widely. #pernillerecommends

Yadriel is a brujo, gifted by Santa Muerte with the power to summon and release spirits. Unfortunately, his traditional family still thinks he's a bruja. On top of the misgendering, they won't even let him perform the ceremony to claim his power, so Yadriel and his rebellious cousin Maritza do it on their own. The first spirit Yadriel summons is a hyperactive, incredibly annoying, awfully dreamy boy named Julian, who forces them to help him look after his friends and wrap up unfinished business. While Jules makes Yads live it up, the mysterious deaths add up as Dia de Muertos approaches. Delightfully vibrant and rather adorable. Thanks, Netgalley.