Cemetery Boys was a lush, culturally-immersive read that I am so happy to have read! I loved Yadriel as a character and his friendship with Maritza was heart-warming and wonderful. The mystery surrounding the missing Miguel and the mistakenly-found Julian was incredibly compelling, though I admit that I correctly guessed who was behind the disappearances fairly early in the story. By far, the highlight of this novel is the way that Aiden Thomas beautifully paints the world of the brujx community. The traditions, the colors, the marigolds, the celebrations - I could feel myself standing on the edge of the graveyard watching the scenes unfold. I appreciate the myriad of #ownvoices representation in this novel as well. I will definitely be adding it to my HS library collection.

Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Wow, I absolutely adored this book. The characters were so richly written, I felt as if they could have walked off the page. I appreciated the care and attention to detail that went into portraying various aspects of Latinx cultures. Thomas addresses trans issues in such a tender yet poignant way. I seriously loved this book so much.

I’m still struggling to talk about this book in fully coherent sentences. I love this book so much. Yadriel is trans and is still struggling to get his family to accept him for who he is and to allow him to take his place as a brujo in his community. One night, Yadriel accidentally (and unexpectedly) summons a spirit. Julian has no memory of how he died or even of dying and is it not ready to be laid to rest. Yadriel and Julian make a deal that if Yadriel can find out how he died then Julian will allow him to send his spirit on (thus proving that he is, in fact, a brujo).

I loved the characters and the culture. This whole book is a delight. I want everyone to read it!

Amazing! I loved everything about this book. I'm obsessed with Yadriel and Julian. Such a great plot and incredibly vivid characters. I can't wait to read what Thomas has next.

This was everything I could have hoped for and more!! I was so afraid I had built this up too much over the months of anticipating its publication, but it fulfilled all of my hope and expectations in the best way possible. I literally have zero complaints about this book.

And also, I would effing d i e for Julian Diaz. (That scene where he goes feral trying to protect Yadriel??? A literal GODSEND.)

Everyone should read this book! It was just absolutely incredible.

This book certainly lived up to the hype! Set firmly during Dia de Muertos and the lead up to the celebration, this teen fantasy is a fantastic read for spooky times. The Latinx trans lead is so real, the voice feels heard, not written or read. The exploration of finding yourself an outsider in your own culture and proving your place was very moving, heartfelt, and relatable. And the romantic lead is so vibrant and full of personality that you forget he’s a ghost, much like the main character does.

I do feel I have to mention that I figured out who the villain was at exactly the halfway point, and once I figured that out, I predicted many of the details of the climax. But the resolution is such a happy ending that it’s worth it. I should also say I cried through the last three chapters! Extremely cathartic.

My primary reviewing platforms are YouTube and Twitter, so included in this review is links to the posts I made on both platforms, as well as my goodreads review.

This book was so, so sweet. I loved how real the brujx world within the cemetery felt, and how vivid the characters were. Yadriel's relationships with his family and his community, his struggle to be accepted, and his growing relationship with Julian all felt very immediate as I followed along with his story. I loved Julian's energetic and empathetic character, and the support for both Yads and Jules by their friends.

I will admit that I don't know how to evaluate YA very well, as I felt that I was not the primary audience for this book. The twist was incredibly predictable due to some pretty obvious telegraphing. However, although this could have completely killed my enjoyment, the strength of the characters, the time spent with Julian, and the depiction of the brujx world somehow outweighed this narrative issue.

4.5/5

This book really feels like a love letter to the queer Latinx community. So often we find a Latinx book be about and for a specific community: Mexican, Cuban, Colombian, Puertorican, etc. But Aiden took the amazing plethora of the Latinx diaspora and set it it as the backdrop to their immersive story. I love that this book addresses the pain and difficulties Latinx communities face without it being JUST about that. We get to see the joy of the Dia de Los Muertos preparations as well as the grief that comes with mourning. We get to see a love story unfold as a mystery is solved as well as the difficulties in finding that love after what could be considered "too late."

Is it wrong that what I loved most was seeing the language so authentically rendered on the page as well? I'm so used to seeing simple phrases like "gracias" or "hola" as depictions of our culture but Thomas leaned into our multi-lingual, multi-colored speech with such care that it came alive on the page.

"¿Donde está?" she grumbled to herself, talking so fast in her thick Cuban accent that the s's at the end of her words got left behind.

I absolutely LOVED this book and recommend it to everyone!

This isn't a favorite book of the year, but it was such a luscious and beautifully diverse little world that I can't in any good conscience even think about giving it less than 4 stars. It was fun and predictable and had some lovable characters, and overall it was just really good. I will gladly pick up more books from Aiden Thomas in the future.

Wow! I did not want that to end. What a beautiful weaving of the different cultural identities of Latinidad and queer representation mixed in with some brujx magia and murder-mystery. With a splash of some romance. Though the beginning was a bit slow, it lays down the foundation for our protagonist, Yadriel, and his relationship with his family, which is essential in understanding the complexity of familial bonds/duty (especially in Latinx households). Aiden Thomas does a magnificent job demonstrating the traditional perspectives of older generation Latinos contrasted with the emerging era of the new generation of Latinx where it is difficult to balance respect while promoting growth/evolution and acceptance.
Thomas has definitely done their research on the different traditions, the significance of those traditions, and the diversity of Latinidad. Not only did they nail it on the interpretation of the various cultural practices, but the depth of Julian beyond the "bad boy" trope demonstrates the love and care Thomas put into creating this world and their characters.

This book is absolutely fantastic. First of all, the own voices representation is amazing, and I was incredibly excited about this book the second I learned about it. This is a Latinx trans boy book that immediately found a place in my heart. I loved the story, the celebration of Dia de los Muertos, the characters, the writing! This book felt authentic, the characters felt so real. I absolutely loved how character-driven the book was, and the interactions and relationships we saw in this book. At the same time, it was such an exciting read. I highly recommend this book.

This was cute! But I think I maybe thought it was for the older end of YA, and this felt more like geared toward maybe 13 or 14-year-olds and so it didn't click with me as much. But that's not the book's fault, so giving a 4 star rating for this one. Glad the representation is out there! I think a lot of people who enjoy fanfiction in particular will like the tropes in this story.

Where to begin in reviewing this book. What a shining light that made me tear up multiple times. I am happy to live in a time where stories like these are debuting on the New York Times bestseller list.

I was reading a Twitter thread recently about how tropes from the perspective of diverse lens deserve more respect in the community, as tropes transform when the trope is done with diverse characters at the forefront. I feel like this book is the perfect example of that. Does this book have plot elements I’ve seen before? For sure. Did I guess some of the twists by, like, chapter two? Yup.

But that doesn’t matter much at all. While some of the bits of the ending felt rushed, and this is why I sit at more of a 4.5 than a 5, these familiar story beats felt completely new with the deeply felt Latinx inspiration. And these tropes transform when they are about the coming of age of a trans-boy.

This book is so richly detailed in it’s setting. The story oozes atmosphere and charm with its brujx flourishes and unabashed use of Spanish. I felt like I was right there in the graveyard with the characters and could very clearly see the scenes. And not only is the setting this rich and inviting, but so are the characters. Even those that we don’t get a ton of page time with remain distinct and interesting when we do. I could live for a whole spin-off with Maritza and Michelangelo and Donatello (aka Tweedledee and Tweedeldum). Julian is probably my favorite love interest of the year, and his lovely, chaotic energy is so real and stands above the crowd of typical YA romances. And while I could’ve used even more page space for the relationship between Yadriel and his family, what we do have works so well.

This book also has a great sense of humor. The jokes about cats and dogs (especially everything to do with Donatello and Michelangelo) had me rolling. And there were a number of moments that had me smiling that I feel Latinx readers would strongly identify with. The book does a good job of balancing this humor with the more serious and emotional bits, which helped me keep flipping through the pages.

Beyond the rushed bits of the ending, there are a couple of hallmarks of a debut author including repetitive phrasing and sentence structures. But ultimately, I don’t really care? Like I have my quibbles but the positive vastly overshadow them. Pick this up if you want a ghost story where oops, he falls in love with the ghost - with heart and humor to spare. This one is deserving of all the praise. Overall, this is a high recommendation from me.

I loved this book! Cemetery Boys is easily my favorite book of 2020 so far. I loved learning about the Dia de Muertos celebration, the Latinx culture, and a little bit about being a trans boy. I loved the friendship between Yadriel and Maritza, as well as the friendship that developed between them and Julian. I'd love to read more from this universe and more from this author!

This was a book that gave me hope for the YA genre. Thomas is an own voices writer who created an impressive story brimming with: exploration of identity, family dynamics and LGBTQ+ acceptance, Latinx culture, and a paranormal romance that will haunt you. Cemetery Boys is a work of love that allowed readers to experience Yadriel’s journey of navigating a very traditional family who does not allow Yadriel to enter the brujx because of his identity as a trans teenager. With only his cousin to support him after the passing of his mother, Yadriel faces the struggles of being overlooked at his quinces (rite of passage for the 15 year old brujos in his family) and endeavors to perform the ritual himself.


When Lady Death herself acknowledges Yadriel with her blessing and ability to handle a conduit, Yadriel is able to prove that he is a true brujo. His joy, however, is short lived when he feels a tether snap in his soul which signals the death of a brujx member. When his cousin Miguel is discovered to be missing with no trace of his body, Yadriel takes it upon himself to channel his newfound powers to conjure Miguel’s spirit.


Except, instead of Miguel, the spirit of Julien Diaz, the brooding enigma of his high school, is summoned in his wake. In order to make Julien cross to the other side, Yadriel races to meet Julian’s demands before Día de Muertos.


Julien is life and energy.

Yadriel is quiet poetry.


On their journey together, they might just find a love that is more eternal than death itself.


Aiden Thomas you took my heart away with Cemetary Boys ! Hold onto it until Lost in the Never Woods.

Cemetery Boys was one of my most anticipated releases of 2020 and I’m happy to say it totally lived up to the hype and anticipation! I loved this book about a latinx trans boy who wants to prove himself as a brujo to his family but ends up summoning the wrong ghost… and falling for him. I actually sped through it in a single day, that’s how invested I was. I absolutely adored this book and recommend it wholeheartedly, and here’s why:

The magic system

Yadriel and his family are brujx – people with powers bestowed upon them that enable them to see spirits and communicate with them. The brujo use their powers to summon spirits and guide them safely to the afterlife, while the bruja’s powers are more of a healing nature. I loved this aspect of the story, learning more about the magic system and seeing the brujx go about their daily lives in preparation of Dia de las Muertas.

The characters

I loved every single one of the main 3 characters. Of course Yadriel, our main character, was such an amazing character. He’s been through so much and it’s so tough watching him go through his family not accepting his true self, but his character arc is so well done and I loved going on this adventure with him. Julian (the spirit of the story) was a breath of fresh air. I thought I knew what to expect from his character from the blurb alone, but he proved to be so much more than the bad boy stereotype. I loved his chaotic energy and his interactions with Yadriel. And then there’s Maritza, Yadriel’s cousin and partner in crime. I loved how fierce she was, how supportive she was of Yadriel, and how she would do anything for him. Together, these three made a great sleuthing trio.

The romance

I’m not gonna lie, I was seriously craving some ghost romance for some reason, and the romance between Yadriel and Julian was so much fun to watch enfold. I loved every minute of their slow-burn, doomed romance. Though they only knew each other for a short while, it never felt instalovey but instead flowed naturally for their circumstances. I loved how Julian was so supportive of Yadriel and his identity and I loved how Yadriel brought out a soft, happy side to Julian. I was rooting for these two so hard and I was not disappointed.

The Latinx culture and family dynamics

I loved the depiction of the Latinx culture and traditions. A lot of the story centers around Dia de las Muertas and the preparations for this and I enjoyed learning more about it and Latinx history and mythology. Also, the food!

The family dynamics also were very intriguing and very interwoven in the Latinx culture. Though Yadriel’s family is not all as accepting of his identity, it still feels like a tight-knit community who would do anything for each other and love each other, despite their misgivings and treatment of Yadriel.

The trans rep and discussion on identity and acceptance

The issue of identity and acceptance are woven throughout the story and we really feel Yadriel struggling and get a feeling for the daily discriminations trans people go through. It was painful seeing Yadriel’s family being unaccepting of his true self and misgendering him, because even though they loved him, they still hurt him. But eventually, the story is about acceptance and Yadriel gets everything he deserves (because he really deserves the world, let’s be real).

I only had one minor issue with this book, and that was the predictability. I thought it was pretty obvious from the beginning who the bad guy was and what was really going on. That said, it didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the story. In fact, I enjoyed catching on to the foreshadowing that was woven in and I was still just as excited to read what would happen next and how everything would be solved in the end.

Overall, I highly recommend this story. It was intriguing, spooky, adorable and fun. I loved it so much that I’m definitely buying a copy for my shelves and will often re-read it.

Cemetery Boys is my first book by Aiden Thomas, so I don’t really know what to expect from this book. I do, however, have heard great things about it, so I was hoping I’ll end up enjoying this book too. Thankfully, Aiden manages to deliver such an interesting and captivating story, I end up loving Cemetery Boys.

This book follows Yadriel, whose only wish is to be acknowledged as a brujo. However, the brujx community refuse to perform the ritual, so he end up performing it himself, along with the help of his cousin Maritza. After Lady Death has blessed him as a brujo, he tried to test his power by summoning the ghost of his cousin, but somehow, he end up summoning the ghost of Julian, aka the school’s bad boy. Because of this, Yadriel has to help Julian uncover the mystery surrounding his death, which might be closer than Yadriel expected.

What I love the most from this book is actually the characters itself. The first-half of this book is quite slow, but I think that’s because Aiden wants us to get to know the characters better. Yadriel is pretty quiet and shy, while Julian is basically his opposite. I think Julian’s traits are what surprise me the most, since I was expecting the brooding, mysterious kind of bad boy, but that’s not the case. He’s actually loud, cheerful, and funny, and if he didn’t skip school a lot he might’ve been the class clown instead of the bad boy. Because of this opposite personality, Yadriel and Julian’s friendship (and eventually, romantic relationship) are pure golden and made me laugh out loud a lot.

Another thing that I want to talk about is the family aspect. Yadriel grew up in a tight-knit brujx community, and his family is basically the leader of the brujx. The brujx has magic system based on gender, where bruja’s power is focused on healing and brujo’s power is focused on sending souls to the afterlife. I think Aiden describes really well the struggle of being queer (specifically trans and gay) in a community with lots of traditions. Like, sometimes you hate your family for just following traditions blindly and end up not accepting who you are, but also it’s not that easy to hate your family. My point is, I love how Aiden handle the family matters here, since it felt real and honest.

All in all, Cemetery Boys is a great story about loss, love, and acceptance. It also has a bit of murder-mystery in it, though I can’t say the twist surprise me (but it’s still executed well!). I definitely recommend this book.

Yadriel Vélez Flores, a young brujo, wants nothing more than to be formally accepted as a full-fledged member of his community. But even when stretched incredibly thin investigating the mysterious disappearance of Yadriel’s cousin, the brujxs refuse to turn on tradition and accept Yadriel as a transgender brujo.

Thinking it will finally convince the East LA brujxs of who he is, Yadriel attempts to call back his cousin’s spirit. Unfortunately, though, Yadriel brings back the ghost of Julian Díaz, an unruly teenage boy from his school, instead.

What follows in Aiden Thomas’s premier YA novel, Cemetary Boys, is a beautiful, queer, coming-of-age story deeply invested in indigenous and latinx tradition. With an unfalteringly honest voice and an unending commitment to his and Yadriel’s shared community, Aidan crafts a gripping tale brimming with teen romance and suspense.

I really enjoyed this YA novel and am crossing my fingers for a follow-up!

Yadriel is a transgender teen and part of a magical yet conservative Latinx community of witches. Eager to be accepted by his family as a true brujo (male witch), he performs a ritual without the traditional audience of the community. On the same night of Yadriel's covert attempt at this pivotal ceremony, two things happen in quick secession: his cousin Miguel goes missing (presumed dead) AND he meets a newly dead spirit (who's ironically full of life) named Julian. Yadriel soon teams up with other outcasts to solve the mysteries of Miguel and Julian. Still operating as a brujo in secret, Yadriel unearths another mystery: can you fall in love with a ghost?