Cemetery Boys

(I received this title as an ARC. All opinions are mine and freely given.) "Am I dead?" "Yeah...." "Oh, Jesus." -- "My brother is gonna kill me.." "Looks like someone already beat him to it." 'Cemetery Boys' by Aiden Thomas has been one of my most highly anticipated releases of the year and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. I'm still feeling a little raw from reading it.. Following the path of a trans boy named Yadriel, the story centers around his determination to prove his status as a brujo to his traditional Latinx family as he struggles with the inherent prejudices both inside and outside their community. Wielding ancient magic gifted to them by their goddess, Lady Death, those who carry her gift are able to see spirits. Women have the power to heal bodies and souls, while men can release lost spirits into the afterlife, but as a trans boy.. Yadriel has never been able to heal like the brujas.. and the leader of the brujx has never allowed him to prove he can fulfill the role of a brujo. Having been prevented from going through his quinces, Yadriel and his best friend Maritza take it upon themselves to see his opportunity come to fruition. When his cousin dies suddenly, Yadriel's focus on proving himself becomes laser-sharp. "You don't need anyone's permission to be you, Yads..." When the spirit he summons turns out not to be his cousin, but rather the resident bad boy.. Julian Diaz, things grow even more complicated. Julian isn't interested in passing quietly into the afterlife. He's intent on discovering what happened to him and taking care of some things before he leaves.. and with Yadriel unable to force him, the two make a deal to help each other. Much of the mythos here is born of a mixture of Aztec and Mayan legend that makes up the more recent Mexican-American folk Catholicism.. such as Mictecacihuatl, the Aztec goddess and queen of the underworld, also known as Santa Muerte (Saint Death or Holy Death).. la Niña Blanca (the White Girl).. la Huesuda (the Bony Lady).. la Flaquita (the Skinny Lady).. and many other names. The magic origins are built largely from the stories of Xibalba (roughly translated as Place of Fright or Place of Fear), which is prominient in both early cultures.. though Bahlam, the Jaguar god and one of the Hero Twins of the Popol Vuh (though there are three translations of this text so it varies slightly), is born of Mayan sources who were said to have defeated the Lords of the Underworld (Xibalba) who had tricked and killed their father and uncle, also twins. Here though, Bahlam is no benevolent being.. and it is conflict between him and Lady Death that actually begins the story of the generations of brujx. "You're insufferable..." "Yeah, but I think you're kinda into it..." Obviously, the story is full of mystique and the tales from which portions of it are created only make it more interesting.. if that's possible. I've always been entranced by myths of gods and goddesses from all cultures and of the pantheons, the Aztec and Mayan remain amongst my favorites. It's impossible not to feel for Yadriel, not to want to shout at those who make things unnecessarily difficult for him.. and not to warm to Maritza for being that ride or die chick by his side. The best friend who will fight the world for him, who wants to see him succeed maybe even more than he does.. even if she has a moral aversion to aspects of the lifestyle for herself. Thomas did a fantastic job of painting Julian as an obnoxious, stubborn spirit with a wicked temper, all the while managing to offer us peeks of those parts of himself he preferred to keep hidden. If I'm being honest, Luca broke my heart more than anyone.. but there's a lot of beauty and a lot of pain sprinkled deftly throughout this bewitching debut novel with all the skill of an old hand. I caught myself laughing and couldn't stop myself from crying. It's emotional and lovely.. and everything I could have hoped for...

I don’t even know where to begin, except that I loved every single word of Cemetery Boys. What a brilliant and fun story; filled with a mystery to solve, loveable characters, a sarcastic ghost, and a trans narrative that is absolutely affirming. Seriously, this book has it all. We have fun and realistic characters. Honestly, every character was meaningful and helped give the worldbuilding extra depth. Yadriel, Martiza, and Julian are simply the best. I would absolutely want to be friends with them and also defend them with my life. Which is how fictional characters should make you feel, right? AND I TOTALLY HAD A CASE OF THE FEELS…all the emotions while reading this one. While there are stressful factors for our characters, including mysterious murders, death as well as grief, transphobia and misgendering, however the book truly is joyful. Full of Latinx culture, learning, growth, as well as love and acceptance. I think there are many morals to learn and especially for cis readers to understand and experience the agony that trans folx experience especially when misgendered. I can only hope that from understanding and experiencing these traumas will and can lead to empathy and visibility. The debut narrator, Avi Roque, was perfect. Their voice was full of emotion and was absolutely brilliant in helping me get lost in the story. I’m looking forward to hearing more of Avi’s voice! This book has my whole heart. I can’t even imagine how impactful it will be for teens to be represented and to see themselves in this novel. Plus it is perfect for this time of year with all the fall vibes, magic, and ghosts. It is one of my favorite books I read this year and I really hope many of you too, will read Cemetery Boys.

Aiden Thomas's queer YA, fantasy, mystery, romance, coming-of-age story CEMETERY BOYS is pure magic! Yadriel comes from an ancient ancestral lineage of brujx who have been granted magical powers by Lady Death: men are able to release spirits to the afterlife and women can heal the living. Yadriel feels like an outsider from his community because he has been denied the rite of passage to become a brujo because he is transgendered. But when his cousin mysteriously dies and the brujx cannot find his body, Yadriel sees an opportunity to prove himself. While trying to solve the mystery, Yadriel mistakenly summons the ghost of fellow teen: bad boy Julian. Now Yadriel must help resolve Julian’s unfinished business while still proving himself to his family and community! It’s very apparent that as a queer, trans, Latinx author himself, Aiden Thomas has written CEMETERY BOYS as a love letter to Latinx culture and queer identity. The vivid descriptions of the brujx traditions and Día de Muertos celebration were fascinating and informative. Trans identity is thoughtfully represented with nuanced discussion around chest-binders, proper pronouns, and deadnames. I loved that the story highlighted many different types of relationships: romantic, familial, chosen family, friendships, and cultural. I do feel like the strict gendering of the brujx magic didn’t necessarily fit with the inclusiveness of the story though the possibility of nonbinary and agender brujx was briefly touched on. And though I found the mystery a little predictable, the characters are spectacular and the journey is well worth it! Do yourself a favor and read CEMETERY BOYS! This book has something for everyone: it’s got magic, mystery, first-love, loss, evil spirits, all while celebrating Latinx and queer identity! It will make you laugh, cry, and swoon! This Own Voice YA debut is an absolute triumph! Follow my Instagram for more book reviews and fun book content: @BookyNooky

I don't even know where to begin with how much I loved this book. Cemetery Boys is about a Latinx Trans Boy (Yadriel) who is destined to prove his gender and become a Brujo, which is an honor bestowed to the men in his family. When his cousin goes missing/presumed dead, he attempts to set his cousin's spirit free. He performs a ritual that makes him accidentally summon a different spirit in Julian, the known bad-boy in Yads' school. Julian wants to find out why he's dead and if his friends are okay--tying up lose ends. He asks Yadriel to help him accomplish this task and before you know it, the two build a strong relationship that neither of them really want to let go of when it comes to setting Julian's spirit free. Let's talk about the characters: I am 100% in LOVE with Yadriel and Julian. I think this is my new favorite Book Couple. I was craving more scenes with their flirtation, information sharing, and overall sense of appreciation for one another. I cried and I laughed at several moments that I will forever cherish in my mind when I reflect upon this book. I also LOVE Maritza, Yad's cousin/best friend (his number one supporter when it comes to being Trans). She was so fun and her banter with Jules was HILARIOUS! She was such a protector over Yads and she reminded me so much of my sister. Next, I want to talk about the culture that is represented in this book. The Latinx culture, specifically the Day of the Dead, is one of the most beautiful aspects of this book. The culture, in itself, is a character in this novel and I felt like I learned so much about this community that gave me so much appreciation. I also respected that the author is an OWN VOICES author, as well as the book having an OWN VOICES narrator. The authenticity and passion shined and it blew my mind. I was so invested in this book because of that factor. I respected the knowledge, the experience, and the overall sense of self that the author gives to his Trans character. It just makes me so happy to know that there will be Trans kids and teens that will read this book and feel seen and heard. Aiden Thomas, do you have any idea what good things you are doing for the Trans community? SO. MUCH. GOOD. The writing---fantastic. The story flowed effortlessly and I had to literally stop myself from reading because if I didn't, all other responsibilities would be set aside for me to devour this book. Overall, I loved this book. I pre-ordered the Hardback copy and it’s gorgeous!

I am honestly in love with this book. I was reading Cemetery Boys for a college assignment on YA literature in high school classrooms and ended up flying through the book in one sitting. The three main characters (Yadriel, Julian, and Maritza) have such heartwarming and endearing interactions, but they are not perfect characters. This adds to their likeability for me, as they each work through their own issues and call each other out. Yadriel and Julian's friendship and eventual relationship are very wholesome, with Julian taking Yadriel's transness in stride and defending him. Also, because Yadriel is simultaneously dealing with his own desire to be affirmed as a brujo, trying to solve the mystery of his cousin's death, and coming to terms with his feelings for Julian, there is a lot of action in this book which keeps the energy up. It is a YA novel, obviously aimed at a teenage audience, and the plot does reflect that at times. The big twist is a little transparent for an older reader, but the action and climax were still exciting for me. Some of the conversations that characters have about social issues or their intersectional identities can feel a bit stilted and scripted, so the flow of dialogue lags in these moments. However, I think that these topics are handled very well and would probably feel relevant to many target readers as they cover contemporary issues like sexuality, immigration, racism, classicism, etc. in teen terms. This book is also an excellent example of transgender representation in literature done right. I am a transmasculine person and I wish that I had read a book with characters like these when I was a teenager. The nuance of Yadriel's experience is captured really nicely without making his entire character about being trans. In addition, Thomas' representation of Latine culture was also very well done and he presented a very loving fantasy interpretation of bujeria, which is so often demonized or stigmatized. For readers whose identities are represented by these characters, I think this book has a special power to make those who are often marginalized feel represented and respected.

I honestly don’t even know how to start this review without screaming incoherent streams of consciousness about needing to read this book because it was INCREDIBLE. At the age of 15, the males and females in Yadriel’s traditional Latinx family take part in their quince celebration, where you undergo a ritual to officially join the brujx. Females become brujas, the healers. Males become brujos, the summoners of spirits. Yadriel is a trans teen boy who is determined to prove to his family and community that he is a “real” brujo. Yadriel accidentally summons the wrong spirit and is stuck with Julian Diaz, school bad boy that Yadriel didn’t know prior to their untimely meeting and that no one realizes is dead. There’s so much to unpack in this story, and I will not be able to to do it justice in this review, so I am going to just hit some of the highlights with the caveat that y’all need this book. I loved that this was a powerful coming of age story that centered on three main concepts: acceptance, identity, and love. Yadriel desperately craves acceptance into his family, which made every instance of him being misgendered and dead named even more heartbreaking. We also get to see Yadriel’s journey with the acceptance of himself and his identity and what that means. Julian is an integral part in this, and their conversations surrounding that journey are something that needs to be normalized. When it comes to the part about love, this is so much more than romantic love. There is also familial love and platonic love and the intersectionality between all of them. This is an #ownvoices story, and the author really dives into the rich culture of the Latinx community in regards to gendered language (and the effect that has on gender identity), Dia de Muertos: the massive celebration (and not the sugar skull stereotype), THE FOOD (omg the food…it made me wish I was back home in New Mexico), the folklore of the brujx, the indigenous history, etc. ALL of it was truly amazing. The world building and magic in this book was beautifully crafted. I loved that the magic system had a cost, that the price for doing life-saving magic in this book is STEEP. I think that when it comes to magic, one of the biggest retorts is well why can’t you cure cancer or some other ailment, but Thomas brilliantly addresses what the price of doing said magic would be…and not everyone is willing to pay that price. I’m honestly blown away that this story is a debut novel because ALL of it was amazing. It literally hits you with all the feels up until the very end. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing an advanced listening copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.

This books is truly enjoyable. Yads and Jules are such lovable characters. The plot is a little thin but I get that I’m almost 40 and I’m not the intended audience so no points deducted for that at all. Let’s get to the good stuff. Yads and Jules are such good characters. Jules is witty and wild. Yads is so sweet and empathetic. Yads is a brujo but most of his family doesn’t see him as once since he is a trans man, they think of him as a bruja. He sets out on his own to prove to Lady Death (the brujx goddess) and his family that is in fact a brujo by summoning a spirit (one of the brujo gifts). He intends to summon the spirit of his cousin who is missing but summons Jules. The two of them set off to find out how Jules was killed and what happened to Yads’ cousin. They have a great relationship and are really cute together. I think this story is so important because it highlights the intersection of the Hispanic community and being trans. We need more stories like this for younger queer communities and just in general.

Had me on the edge of my seat, heart burning in anticipation and heart felt emotions. I will never forget such a unique and incredible plot.

I got the hardcover and it came in good condition. The cover art is gorgeous, the paper thick and well textured. As for the book, Aiden Thomas has a talent for writing humour tinged with sadness. For getting the queer experience across, an urge to belong, and urge to prove yourself while at the same time not wanting to. The plot is pretty good, but it's the charachters that make the book. So if you like charachter driven books, I'd say you'll enjoy this. I read the book in a two days and then made my sister read it. Have recommended it to other people as well, i think we'd all be better for having read it. Looking forward to the author's next works.

3.5 stars for the quality of the book I am still excited to get to reading (I got the paperback)

Yadriel’s brujx family has trouble accepting him as a transgender boy. He wants to prove to them that he can be a brujo, so he summons a ghost. The problem is that he can’t send the ghost on to the afterlife. The ghost turns out to be a bad boy from his school, Julian. Julian wants to make sure his friends are okay before going to the afterlife because he can’t remember the final moments of his life. Yadriel agrees to help Julian, but as they get closer, Yadriel gets more reluctant to send Julian’s spirit away. I loved the way this story looked at gender through traditions and magic. Yadriel’s family was very traditional. They didn’t want to accept him as a brujo because he was born a girl. Some of his family members refused to use his correct pronouns or his preferred name. This was a little complicated, since the Spanish language uses only male or female genders. Similarly, their magic system only identifies someone as a brujo (a boy) or a bruja (a girl). That becomes a problem when someone identifies as male, but the family sees them as female. Yadriel had the support of a couple of family members who helped him find his true magic. I was shocked at the ending. I didn’t see the final twists coming at all. During the last few chapters, I was getting worried that the story wouldn’t end the way I wanted it to. However, there were some surprises and I was pleased with the ending. This is an amazing debut! I’m so glad I finally read it.

Cemetery Boys nos cuenta la historia de Yadriel, un chico trans que quiere demostrarle a su familia –y al resto del mundo- que es un brujx y que es tan bueno como cualquier otro, ya que la Muerte lo ha nombrado digno de ser parte de su comunidad. Este libro juvenil se enfoca en la identidad, en los primeros amores, en el grupo de amigos que se convierten en familia y, a la vez, habla de lo que significa el juntarse entre familiares para celebrar a los espíritus de los que ya se nos adelantaron. Mezcla varias tradiciones de los países Latinoamericanos y hace hincapié en la celebración del Día de Muertos aquí en México. En pocas palabras es una probada de lo que significa ser parte de una cultura que encapsula lo rico y basto de su diversidad gastronómica y, al mismo tiempo, expresa la inconformidad hacia algunas acciones que, en su mayoría, son machistas o binarias. Eso sí, tenemos un romance muy bonito y peculiar, además de una familia encontrada que se siente como un abrazo al corazón. Resta decir que amo mucho a Julian y fue mi favorito en todo el libro, ya que tiene momentos muy dulces, bobos y enternecedores por igual –el “¿te puedo robar un beso?” siempre vivirá en mi memoria. Julian es uno de esos chicos que te roban el aliento y que me encantaría conocer en la vida real. Además, es una lectura que atrapa desde el primer capítulo y que, si eres parte de Latinoamérica, seguro que te vas a identificar en muchos sentidos. La ambientación logra que nos sintamos allí con ellos y que, a la vez, apreciemos la magia de nuestro particular sentido del humor. Ya había escuchado parte de este audiolibro y decidí no terminarlo en esa ocasión porque sí quería tener mi copia en físico, lo cual fue una excelente decisión ya que se convirtió en uno de mis libros favoritos de este año y soy muy feliz de tenerlo en mi biblioteca. En serio lo recomiendo con los ojos cerrados porque, por donde lo veas, es una lectura necesaria, emocionante y estos personajes ciertamente dejaron su marca en mi corazón. El epílogo me destruyó en el mejor de los sentidos y ojalá que todos fuésemos tan valientes como para arriesgarnos a ser nuestro verdadero yo.

OMG this book is incredible! I laughed and I cried and I laughed some more and I just feel the instant urge to reread this book because it was that good. The plot was amazing, the premise itself in all honestly was incredible and this book did not fail to deliver on so many accounts. The mystery, the romance and the drama were all so well contained in the story and it just blew my mind. Because I was reading it as part of a book club and we were able to discuss as we read I did predict one of the big twists but that doesn't meant that it still wasn't absolutely incredible and managed to blow my mind anyways. Plus, the ending was so much happier than I imagined and the epilogue made me cry both sad tears and happy tears all in a couple pages. it was just absolutely blooming amazing. The characters are just chefs kiss, they are all so well written and varied and I love them all so much. Yadriel is an incredible protagonist and I rooted for him the whole way through the book and felt for him so deeply at the emotional parts of the book too. Julian and Maritza too were wonderful and I just adore them as a main trio. Maritza is such a badass woman and I love how she refuses to compromise her morals the whole way through the book and I know that she will make an incredible bruja. Of course all of the other characters were so vibrant too and the whole cast of characters were so well written and just sung with life. I adored them all so much! In case you haven't guessed yet, the writing of this book in incredible too and I feel so fortunate that I was able to read it. The whole thing was absolutely incredible and the fact that it all sung so well with the fact that the latinx culture at the same time. It was just such a fantastic book and I cannot wait to read more by Aiden Thomas.