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.

Yadriel’s family has been so deeply steeped in gender roles set up by old traditions tied to magic that they refuse to see him as the young man he truly is. Because of this, they keep him out of important ceremonies and responsibilities, but he’s not going to let that stop him. With the help of his (hilarious) best friend, he performs a ritual on his own, confirming that those in charge of the magic do see him as a brujo, and that he has summoned the most stubborn, unpredictable ghost this side of the cemetery: classmate Julian Diaz. Is it weird to mention that he’s really, really good-looking for a dead guy?

Before Yadriel can release Julian into eternal death, they make a deal that sends them on an adventure with a literal deadline, trying to solve a couple mysteries and tie up loose ends. During the process, the two become intertwined in ways that make knowing the end is near impossible to bear. This funny, moving, fast-paced novel is original and exciting in how it addresses family, gender, identity, tradition, and magic. (Ages 13+, Fiction)

A gay, trans brujo summons the wrong spirit and falls in love with him. Rich Latinx cultural descriptions, a surprising antagonist, and a badass vegan best friend infuse this paranormal romance with a heart pounding race to the finale.

Cemetery Boys was a joy to read, and so much fun to experience. The large shapes of the story were semi-predictable, but I think that's a result of patterns in fantasy stories and my own reading habits (predominantly YA/SciFi/Fantasy), rather than any issue with the story. I think that, as a young person, this story will be surprising and emotionally resonant. What was fun was that, even when I could see where the story was headed, I wasn't quite sure how we were going to get there. Which meant that there were some nice surprises along the way and a strong emotional connection with the major characters.

The basic plot: Yadriel is a young Latinx trans boy, whose family are part of a historical community of brujx, people who protect and care for the spirit world. Because Yadriel is trans, he's never fully been accepted by his community as a brujo, leading to self-doubt, questioning, and feeling like an outsider. When Yadriel accidentally raises the spirit of "bad boy" Julian Diaz, Yadriel embarks on a journey of self-discovery and growing up. Set just prior to Dia de Muertos, this novel places the characters' journey against the backdrop of vibrant Latinx culture with reality and fantasy mixed together beautifully for the reader.

I really loved the character of Yadriel and his journey to better understand himself. His relationships with other people, especially Julian and his best friend Maritza are revealing and Julian and Yadriel complement each other well. For me, there were times where I wish we got more information about Maritza, and her relationship with Yadriel; she occasionally felt a little flat, or just like I wanted to know more about how she and Yads came together and connected. The pacing was mostly strong; there were a few moments where events felt a bit rushed and characters didn't feel as strongly developed, but I think a part of that is really that I just wanted MORE. Thomas's character writing feels intimate and I just wanted to know more about certain moments or characters. The ending felt perfect - happy enough, not forced, not over the top, and I am a SUCKER for a happy ending. The world isn't happy enough, so finding happiness in books is always a pleasure.

The fact that this is a fantasy story centered around a queer Latinx narrator is great, since fantasy has long been the territory of the chosen white boy. I really enjoyed learning a bit more about some of the mythology of Dia de Muertos (it seems from a variety of cultures), and I also appreciated that there's just enough context for the reader, but that you occasionally do have to go look something up (although you won't miss anything if you don't).
Yadriel is real, he's scared and funny and brave and serious, he tries his best, and he has a good heart - all of the necessary qualities for a hero in a fantasy story. Occasionally I don't know that there is enough description/characterization to understand all of the feelings of each character, but overall, the story is strong. Definitely recommend this as a read and I think it'll be a great and compelling novel for anyone who likes YA, magic, ghosts, and romance.

society as a whole needs this book. children, teens, young adults, everyone. aiden thomas not only wrote the most adorable, heart-wrenching, suspense-filled coming of age story as his debut, he also made all the characters believable, loving, and relatable. this book isn’t just a common everyday romance, this book has diverse cultures and poc as the main characters. i laughed, cried, cooed, and gasped. aiden is able to flawlessly transition between different emotions. not only does the book rep the trans community, it also features a family trying to adjust to the it. many of the books i’ve read don’t show the family learning to adjust or the ignorance of the family after the character comes out. julien is my favorite by far, he said, “why isn’t it enough?” and “not good enough for them, or not good enough for you?” this is as much a fantasy story with badass characters as it is about self-acceptance. julien is by far the fiercest, most loyal, protective, loving boyfriend towards yadriel while he is struggling with his family to come to terms with himself. the romance is slow burn and has so much tension it can be cut with a knife. i love that this story doesn’t overshadow it’s overall message with too much romance. yes, romance is there, but the meaning of the book can not be forgotten. maritza is the friend you want to have. she’s always got yadriel’s back when he needs her. hell, she saves him once or twice. and yadriel is the character every trans person would ever want. he is brave, selfless, and kind, but also deals with real problems and struggles that are realistic. if you are still reading this, i need you to preorder this book. you get swag if you preorder and you’re going to want this the second it comes out. thank you aiden for doing the lgbtq community justice.

WOW WOW WOW. Where to even begin with this book. Just WOW. Where do I send my therapy bill to? Collecting my thoughts on this one has proven difficult so im sure this is not the last time you’ll hear me talk about Cemetery Boys. This GROUNDBREAKING new debut jumped to one of my favorite books of all time. This book told the story of a young trans latinx boy navigating his identity and seeking acceptance from his family while navigating a language and magical tradition that is very gendered. Aiden Thomas told a story about trans acceptance in a way I had never read before and as a cis person it helped me see into that experience in a whole new way. ALSO - the way Aiden wove magic into this book while not letting it feel confusing AND not bashing you over the head with it or over explaining was remarkable. With a ghost as a love interest I really thought we were gonna get silly explanation after explanation about why certain things were possible BUT Aiden did not give anyone that satisfaction. We had to wait for the mushy romance and FUCK... let me tell you it was so worth it. The romance in this book is the most earned romance I’ve ever experienced in a book. I genuinely didn’t know what was going to happen next in several places and even had to put the book down and take a breather because everything was so wild my little cancer heart couldn’t take it. This was a beautiful debut novel that I will be screaming about for a foreseeable future. PRE ORDER IT NOW! (Ps representing felines today - much love to Purrcaso)

This was such a fun read! The love and care taken with the characters and culture show just how important it is to have #ownvoices authors sharing their stories. Things were a little slow at the start, and the villain/plot weren't a huge surprise to me but man, it is not even worth quibbling about those things because this book was so absorbing and these characters were so great to spend time with.

This fast-paced and supremely engaging fantasy novel will absolutely delight readers. Thomas has created real and authentic characters that will speak to the experiences and sensibilities of YA readers while also infusing the story with a fascinating mythology. I highly recommend this phenomenal book!

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

My Rating: 5 Stars

Holy. Cow. This was a book that I didn't know I needed in my life until I started it. Do you ever read a book that so completely takes you by surprise? I expected to like this book, the synopsis alone is intriguing as hell. I did not expect to ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. Seriously it blew me away in the best way possible. 

I'll start by saying that this is the first YA novel that I've read with a trans MC and I was absolutely HERE for it. I felt for Yadriel and his constant struggles with his family, the incessant correcting of pronouns and names. He was such an easy character to connect with that I immediately wanted to fight anyone who ever hurt him. Basically, he is my new favorite cinnamon roll character. Come at him, I dare you. 

Julian, the main love interest, is essentially my spirit animal. You know the dog from the movie UP, Doug? Yeah, Julian is like that dog brought to life. Well, with a more developed character and personality of course, but you get the gist. He was the most perfect comedic relief and as a secondary character he absolutely stole my heart. Speaking of secondary characters, I feel like Maritza would personally climb out of the pages of this novel and skin me alive for waiting so long to mention her. She was the perfect witty. loyal and sassy sidekick for Yadriel, and her fierce protectiveness had me falling in love with her almost instantly. 

The magic system in Cemetery Boys is unlike anything I've ever read and I was absolutely entranced by both it and the latin culture the book incorporated. The entire book was diverse and shined a bright light on issues that are prevalent in our society today. 

I don't know what else to say but READ THIS BOOK! It will absolutely be one that I reread frequently in the coming years...or months...maybe weeks...quite possibly tomorrow.