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.

A unique story, yet at the same time tender and familiar as the main character seeks love and acceptance from his family and peers.

Yadriel is a trans boy who desperately wants his family to realize he’s a boy and allow him to become a brujo. His family serves Lady Death and help souls pass over. The men, brujos, carry sacred daggers and the women, brujas, are healers. When Yadriel’s cousin dies, his family can’t find his body to help him to the afterlife. Yadriel tries to summon his cousin’s spirit and instead summons a handsome newly dead boy named Julian. Who doesn’t know how he died. With the help of Yadriel’s cousin Maritza they try discover what happened to both boys. But the longer Julian stays with Yadriel, the more he wants him to stay.

The author does a beautiful job of interweaving different Hispanic cultures and Spanish phrases into the tapestry of the story. Family (both born and found) play an important role in the story and in Yadriel and Julian’s character arcs. The mystery unravels to an exciting and deadly conclusion.

It starts off slow and kind of dense, but once the action begins, it's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. It reads as a true epic, one that makes you feel the world really has been reshaped as you read it. Would recommend.

This book was just delightful. The plot was a little lacking, as the villain and their plan was pretty heavily broadcast from the very beginning, However, the characterization was top notch and the detail put into the setting and background more than made up for that. After all it,’s about the journey, not the destination. The fact that this was own voices was super important, and you can really feel the love and detail it provided. The romance was adorable and believable, and the side characters were fully actualized. I would read a book about any one of them. All in all a delight to read!

There is something to be said for reading a book about dead boys falling in love while in the midst of a global pandemic - and I mean that in the best way possible. It also reads like fanfiction, and I mean THAT in the best way possible, too.

Let's be real. When you pick a fanfic, you're there for that sweet, sweet pining. And boy howdy does CEMETERY BOYS have that in spades. It's well done, too; the relationship in this book was fantastically developed and doesn't fall into the traps that a lot of YA debuts suffer from when it comes to pacing out the romance. Yadriel by himself was a little bit timid at first, a little bit quiet and a little bit desperate to prove himself. Once you add Julian and Maritza into the mix, however, the three of them become a force to be reckoned with, and it's incredibly charming watching Julian slowly coax Yadriel out of his shell.

The relationship in this book is SO charming. Yadriel and Julian have got that sun and moon trope thing going on in full-force, and I love love love it. Every scene where the two of them were together was amazing, and then the bit at the end where <spoiler>Julian does the whole "nobody touch him, he's mine" thing when Yadriel is unconscious, even to Yadriel's father</spoiler>?? Please inject that shit directly into my veins, thank you very much. And the way Yadriel slowly, slowly falls for him was SO GREAT. <spoiler>There's a scene right before the first kiss where Julian finally, FINALLY speaks spanish to Yadriel after resisting it the whole book, and Yadriel just <i>melts</i> over his Colombian accent. That whole paragraph gave me chills.</spoiler>

God. Julian just in general. Easily my favorite character in the book. He's such an ADHD disaster and I love him so much for it. I normally don't like it when books suddenly change POV 80% of the way through, but when this book does it and we <i>finally</i> get a bit of insight into the hurricane that is Julian's mind, I was so excited. I could read 1,000,000 words of just Julian being a loveable mess. Again - fanfiction!!

My main issue with this book was the writing style. I felt like a lot of it was written in passive voice, which may only irk me and me alone because of my history working as a technical writing tutor, so I don't know if it's REALLY worth mentioning here, haha. Besides that, though, the prose itself was fairly blah; there were a few cliche metaphors and chunky bits of dialogue/action, but it was always super easy to digest. I had no problems with visualizing anything, or with imagining how a character was acting, or with voicing out dialogue in my head. The first chunk of the book before Julian shows up was also very slow going for me, but I had the same problem with CARRY ON, too, so that could just be a thing that I don't particularly enjoy.

And then the rep!!! I loved loved loved the trans and Hispanic rep in this book. Ownvoices authors just hit differently, you know? I appreciated the way struggling with unaccepting (or slightly accepting) family is addressed in this book, how people that <i>say</i> they're on your side snap and say something to hurt you when they're in a moment of weakness. There was a lot of really heavy stuff tucked away underneath the family dynamics in CEMETERY BOYS, and the fact I was able to see it as a cis guy is something I really valued.

This book was just <i>fun</i>. If you want something to read while trying to decompress from however many hellish months we're all going to be cooped up in our houses, this is your man.

-

(Special thanks to the cool cats over at Macmillan for the NetGalley ARC!!)

There is so much to love about this book that it was difficult for me to decide where to start.

However, with any book, the characters are the most important, so that is where I will begin. Yadriel and Julien were adorable together. Yadriel is serious, smart, and sweet. Julian is a bouncy goof who is somehow so tough and so soft all at once. I enjoyed watching them grow together over the course of the book. I love how strong Maritza is, and I love her dogs. I wish they were real so I could pet them and get one of their enthusiastic greetings. Even the minor characters, whether they got in the way, helped, or foreshadowed something that was coming later, were brought to life with so much detail. I got the impression that all these side characters had a backstory far more detailed than what was visible on the page.

I loved all the queer rep. As a masc-leaning trans nonbinary person, my identity had some overlap with Yadriel's, It was nice to feel seen on the page. I would've loved to have read this book when I was younger, especially because at this point in the story, Yadriel hasn't started any kind of medical transition. It's important to show that trans people are still trans even if they're not on HRT or having surgery.

I also appreciated how the author balanced showing the struggles trans people go through trying to get their families to accept them and use the right words and showing people who were not only open and accepting, but strong allies. The narrative acknowledged the struggles we face, but didn't let them swamp the story.

When I started reading, I had braced myself for a sad ending, but was pleasantly surprised to find it wasn't sad at all.

I'm not sure what classes I'm teaching in the fall, but I'm hoping I'll find a way to use this in one of my courses because the writing is beautiful and both the story and rep are so important.

A fantastic and fun read! Yadriel and Julian are original and fully-formed characters. Great for readers who love Nico from the Percy Jackson books.

Why you should get excited for Cemetery Boys:
- This story is set during the Day of the Dead and dives into folklore and traditions surrounding it.
- The protagonist is a gay trans Latinx brujo who can communicate with ghosts (yes, Yadriel is as epic as he sounds).
- The love interest is a ghost (a very, very cute one with chaotic neutral energy).
- These characters have strong “looks like a cinnamon roll and is a cinnamon roll” vibes.
- There are dogs! Dogs, I tell you!

Review:

“You ready?” Julian asked, a curious look on his devastatingly handsome face. “No,” Yadriel confessed, his voice tight.Julian grinned. “Do it anyways.”

I have been trying to put into words how I feel about this masterpiece of a story, but how can I find the right words when I literally just want everyone to check out Aiden Thomas’ Twitter feed that is funnier and more insightful than I could ever dream of being? I cannot, in coherent sentences, explain the awesomeness that is this book (and without screaming and flailing my arms no less), so enjoy this list of bullet points that will hopefully encourage you to pick up this book:

- Magic and paranormal content, oh my! Bestowed by ancient Maya gods, brujx are able to see spirits and communicate with them – it’s even their “job” to help them move on. There is also a lot of discussion about Día de Muertos and its history and Latino traditions involved with that holiday and if you’re a sucker like me and were already obsessed with movies such as Coco or The Book of Life, this deeper dive into the historical background of a vast culture will be just as magical to you!

- The family dynamics: I have never been part of a Latinx family, but after reading Cemetery Boys, I feel like I have. Thomas creates such an immersive experience of the intricacies of relatives that are (sometimes too) close to each other – from the abuela who will force feed you and keep an eye peeled on the staircase to know who’s sneaking out, to fathers not knowing how to talk to their children and uncles who try to keep the peace – all while doing their best to convey how much they love their tight-knit community.

- The discussion of identity: In a very poignant conversation between Julian and Yadriel, they discuss why Yadriel has to prove his gender identity to his family. It’s a central topic of the entire book and it hits home – though perhaps his family’s intentions are benign, not accepting someone for who they are especially when they tell you to your face is hurtful and discouraging. Without spoiling anything, this story takes a close look at what it means to be supportive and how to make transitions easier for the people you love. Yadriel is told time and time again that just because he “decides” to be a boy, does not mean he can become a brujo instead of a bruja in the eyes of Our Lady Death – which obviously isn’t the truth as Yadriel is blessed by her. Above all, Yadriel is just a boy who is trying to find his place in a very conservative community but as someone aptly says in this book, “we should be embracing differences, even if it scares us.”

- One of the biggest parts of this story that has my whole heart is the thoughts Yadriel has about people who keep misgendering him or use his deadname. The fact that he constantly feels like he has to accept everyone’s apologies and how he feels angry about the fact that he shouldn’t feel angry that this keep hurting him – it’s painful to read and realize how many people in this world go through this process day to day and it just resonates – we need to do better. No one should have to fight so hard just to exist.

- The way Julian helps Yadriel feel secure in his identity just broke my heart. There’s this passage in the book where they’re discussing one of Julian’s friends Flaca –

“I mean, Flaca isn’t any less of a girl just because other people look at her and don’t see her as one,” Julian went on. “Just because she’s not on hormones or whatever , or ’cause she’s not ‘passing,’ doesn’t mean other people get to decide who she is. And the same goes for you.” Heat bloomed in Yadriel’s cheeks. “You don’t owe anybody shit,” Julian told him, stormy anger brewing behind dark eyes.”

It’s just so *heart-eyes*. Cemetery Boys breaks through a lot of representational barriers in YA and the fact that anyone out there questioning the validity of their identity will get to read this and so many more passages like this…it just can’t be put into words of how important this feels.

- Intersectionality: In a story focusing on a Latinx gay transgender boy, the topic of intersectionality is going to come up – and Thomas handles the way in which stereotypes and societal expectations can hurt you in such an honest and no-bullshit way: Being transgender and gay had earned Yadriel the title of Head Black Sheep among the brujx. Though, in truth, being gay had actually been much easier for them to accept, but only because they saw Yadriel’s liking boys as still being heterosexual.

- It’s frustrating to read and even more frustrating to live in a world where expectations and rules are posed onto every aspect of one’s identity – and how much these social mores can mess with a person’s head. Reintroducing yourself to your family and having to contend with these expectations is discussed so openly in this novel and will have your mind reeling about all the things we don’t talk about enough.

- Freaking. Diaz: If you ever wondered what it would be like to fall in love with a hot Latino ghost who exudes chaotic energy out of his wazoo, let me introduce you to your new soulmate: Julian. Julian is such a whirlwind – he is lively, noisy, caring and carefree, and bright-eyed and energetic and confuses idioms and has the biggest, softest heart out there. Seriously, he loves everyone – except maybe himself. If I had to compare him to anyone, it’d be Doug from the Disney movie Up “I hid under your porch because I love you” is 100% something Julian would say and you cannot convince me otherwise. The book dives deeper into how we as a society attribute stereotypes and coin people bad boys for being lackluster about school instead of delving deeper into why they are having issues with focusing in school to begin with – and finding solutions instead of condemning people outright.

- Maritza needs to be protected at all costs – the sheer amount of support and encouragement this firehouse of a young woman delivers in this story is off the charts *cue Thank You For Being a Friend* Not to mention that she is a bit of an outsider herself because she does not want to conform to some of the conditions of becoming a bruja and that brings its own troubles with it – and just goes to show that to stand up for yourself will always matter!

- I don’t know how to explain this but I know this story would translate really well onto the screen? Thomas has that atmospheric writing down where you just immerse yourself into the story and whether it’s in Yadriel’s room, the underground where he meets Julian’s found family or in the cemetery preparing everything for Día de Muertos, it all just feels very cinematic and you can picture all these places so vividly in your mind with the way it’s described? *cue here my fingers crossing eternally for a movie or tv adaptation because I would legitimately stop breathing if I ever got to see Yadriel and Julian and that ONE scene in his bedroom*

- And lastly, the actual story just worked so well?! The subplot is a mystery of finding out who killed Yadriel’s cousin and who has been kidnapping teens and hiding their bodies and what the motive for all of this is? – we follow along as Julian loses more and more of his connection to his body and it’s chilling and drives up the stakes to unimagined heights! A real nail-biter!

I want to give this book a never-ending hug. By far one of the most spectacular debut novels I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Not to be missed!

4.5 stars

There is *so* much to like here. The main character, Yadriel, is a trans man who is aiming for one critical goal: "Be who he was, as he was," as noted toward the end of the novel. Yadriel is unwaveringly likable. He's dealing with layered issues of acceptance not only based on his trans identity but also because another of his identities - Brujx - operates on a gender binary: brujas and brujos. Because certain characters fail to accept Yadriel's gender identity and expression, they also thwart his progression toward being a fully recognized brujo. Oh, and he's Latinx and gay. He is the poster child of intersectionality, and he both benefits from inhabiting these many spaces and suffers from others' lack of understanding and acceptance.

Yadriel's quest for acceptance and his movement toward achieving central and internal goals make for a fascinating narrative on their own, but the secondary characters make this even more fun. Julian and Maritza are particularly awesome (and they're in good company).

At times, the description and/or minutiae of specific scenes feels a bit overwhelming, but while I hoped for a more succinct presentation at times, I never fell out of rooting for Yadriel and most of the folks in his life. Yadriel's identities are handled in a respectful and appropriate way in the sense that the related discussions are not heavy handed; this is who he is, and folks are sometimes accepting and other times not. For me, the ending of this also really works.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and can't wait to share it with my students in a few weeks!

When you're trying to summon the ghost of your cousin and accidentally summon the ghost of a sexy bad boy instead #justbrujothings

This was so good! I've been eagerly awaiting this book since I first saw its beautiful cover on twitter and it did not disappoint. I'm very excited to shove this book at all my friends and the teen patrons at my library. The 2020 YA releases this year are AMAZING.

What can I say about this book? So many feelings and emotions rushed to the surface as I was reading this FANTASTIC novel. Yadriel is part of the Brujx community, wanting to prove that he IS a brujo. His determination shined throughout the entire story. Throughout the plot, I cheered for his success. I loved all of the other characters: Maritza was strong and Julian was such a nice element to the mix. The character development was so well written. The world Aiden created contained such interesting and fantastical mesoamerican elements, bringing Latinx and LGBTQ awareness as well. I have been supporting Aiden since I learned of his story. It doesn't disappoint! Also, the cover is beautiful. 2020 has some AMAZING stories coming out, and I can't wait for the rest of the world to read his work!