A trans boy determined to prove he’s a brujo to his Latinx family summons a ghost who refuses to leave in Aiden Thomas’s paranormal YA debut. Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can’t get rid of him.Bestowed by the ancient goddess of death, Yadriel and the gifted members of his Latinx community can see spirits: women have the power to heal bodies and souls, while men can release lost … have the power to heal bodies and souls, while men can release lost spirits to the afterlife. But Yadriel, a trans boy, has never been able to perform the tasks of the brujas – because he is a brujo.
When his cousin suddenly dies, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.
However, the ghost he summons is not his cousin. It’s Julian Diaz, the resident bad boy of his high school, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He’s determined to find out what happened and tie off some loose ends before he leaves.
Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.
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This book was amazing! I am not a member of the LGBTQ community so I don’t fully undertsand the struggles that LGBTQ members of my community deal with but this book certainly helped. Yadriel is transgender and all he wants is to be accepted as a brujo. Since he is transgender his family won’t allow him to go through the ritual to become a brujo because they don’t believe that Lady Death will accept him as a brujo like she would if he went through the ritual to become a bruja. So Yadriel and his best friend Mairtza, who also is kind of an outcast because she is a vegan and refuses to use animal blood for rituals and practicing, do the ritual themselves and Lady Death accepts him as a brujo. That same night his cousin goes missing and since no one knows that he is a brujo he tries to find him by himself by trying to summon his ghost. He accidentally summons the ghost of Julian Diaz, the high school bad boy, who also went missing around the same time as his cousin. Together they try and figure out what happened to Julian and Yadriel’s cousin before Dia de Los Muertos.
I really enjoyed this book because it not only dealt with familial acceptance of someone’s identity but also cultural acceptance. Most LGBTQ books that I have had the pleasure of reading, talk about someone trying to find acceptance in their family and friend group. This book went further than that and brings in ones culture. Yadriel’s family (for the most part) accepts him as he is, but because he was born a girl they believe that he must be a bruja which are the healers in their society instead of a brujo which protect, summon and banish ghosts. I loved the acceptance from Lady Death because she represents their whole culture. I really hope more people read this book because it brought up somethings that I never would have thought about when I think about the daily struggles that some members of the LGBTQ community place.
A bit slow in the middle but picked up at the end. Love the representation.
What a beautiful story about brujx. Creative.
As someone very hard to please when reading, I found Aiden Thomas’s book, Cemetery Boys, very hard to put down.
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A beautiful fantasy love story is all that I can conjure up of calling this book. The way Aiden Thomas writes is magnificent and almost flawless, their style of writing captivates you within only the first page. Yadriel, a sixteen-year-old transgender boy is finding it hard to prove to his Brujx family that he is a boy and a Brujo.
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Stuck in their old school ways of thinking, Yadriel’s father and grandmother refused to let him go through with his quinces festivities to become a brujo. His mother, the only one who was able to comprehend and accept him the way he is, passed away and left him trying to find his way of proving to his Brujx family that he is indeed a Brujo.
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When Yadriel and his best friend, Maritza decide he can figure out on their own that he is a Brujo, they stumble upon a spirit that they accidentally summon. Julian, who has just passed away and doesn’t even know he is dead is confused as to why he showed up randomly in Yadriel’s family church. For Yadriel to become and show his family he is a Brujo, he decides to help Julian figure out how he died and help him cross over. If I were to go any further I’d be giving away the ending of this beautiful story, but all I have to say for now is that Cemetery Boys is worth every penny you spend on this book. It gives light to LGBTQ+ struggles as well as Latinx struggles within the United States.
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I, one hundred percent recommend this amazing story to anyone who wants to read a story about love and loss.
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*This review was done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official book blog.
So good! What beautiful messages of family and changing traditions throughout. In the middle of the book I was wishing for more action, but the ending was so good that I think this was all perfect!
What I loved most about Cemetery Boys was Yadriel, Julian, and Maritza. These characters working together to figure out what happened to Julian and Yadriel’s cousin Miguel. The relationships between these characters was fantastic. They each faced their own hardships and identity when it came to their family, culture, and being a brujo. We see what connects them together in their world and how they accept each others differences, but also love each other for them. If for no other reason, I recommend reading this book for the characters.
I did like how Yadriel was trying to prove himself as a brujo and the obstacles that were put in his way due to his families failure to accept him for who he is. I liked that Yadriel believed his his abilities as a brujo and while he did want his family to see that he was a brujo, it wasn’t his main focus throughout the book. He genuinely wanted to help Julian and his cousin. That’s honestly what made the story for me. Now, did the whole story keep me completely intrigued and entertained. No. I lost interest at some points as they tried to figure out what happened to Julian as they did their investigative thing, but I found the relationships between the characters far more interesting.
Cemetery Boys is a solid read and I now see why everyone loved it. Did it completely blow me away? Not at all. But I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.
Read for October 2020 Barnes and Noble YA book club
Cemetery Boys is a YA urban paranormal fantasy about Yadriel (Yaz) an East LA teenager whose family is part of a long line of Brujos/Brujas that have a connection with the dead. Because Yaz is trans he is not allowed to have his initiation ceremony and become a “Brujo” but is expected to become a “Bruja” instead. When he does his own ceremony he inadvertently brings back the spirit of Julian (a teenage schoolmate) instead of finding answers about his missing cousin Miguel. Over the next few days Yaz and his cousin Maritza (with the ghostly help of Julian) delve into the truth behind Julian’s death and what happened to Miguel.
During most of Cemetery Boys I would have rated it three stars. I found a lot of inconsistencies in tone and the way characters behaved. There are several interactions that seem to be added to push some kind of narrative about the social-political climate but don’t really move the story forward. In relation to the missing Miguel the family was all over the place in their reaction. Their internal Brujo connection informs them he is dead and they don’t know where he is or where his body went. But the Grandma is dancing around in the kitchen hours later and Yaz and Maritza are laughing and joking. Yaz is consistently more interested in Julian (who he barely knew prior to the ritual that brought him back) his mysterious death and his missing body rather than his own cousin. This all takes place over a few days so Miguel’s loss should be fresh and painful. Due to all of those issues I was really heading toward a three star rating but there is a lot of action and resolution of the mystery in the last 25% which pushed it to 3.5 (rounded up to 4 for Bookbub)
This is an LGBQT LatinX #ownvoices debut novel and it might be a really good fit for a lot of young readers but I never felt personally connected to the story or invested in any of the characters.
I enjoyed this so, so much! It was sweet and heartwarming and cute and just a little bit spooky. I caught on to who the villain was almost right away but I don’t even care because this was so well written and I absolutely loved Yadriel and Julian!
Yadriel, a trans boy, is trying to prove to his family that he is a real brujo. When he summons the ghost of bad boy Julian Diaz things quickly get complicated. Now Yadriel and Julian have to work together to find out what happened to him so they can release his ghost.
I knew by the end of the first chapter that this was going to be a great book. I couldn’t put it down and I was instantly sucked into Yadriel and Julian’s story. Not only were the characters amazing but the details about the brujx and Dia de Muertos were fascinating.
This story focuses mainly on Yadriel’s anxiety and worry over proving he is a brujo to his traditional family. This causes him to perform the brujo ritual and to summon a spirit all on his own. He is determined to be a brujo and to show his family that just because he is trans doesn’t mean he isn’t a brujo. I loved how determined and passionate Yadriel was about being true to himself.
I really enjoyed the relationship that developed between Yadriel and Julian. Julian is energetic, loyal, and full of life, even when he is dead. He accepts everything about Yadriel which made this relationship even sweeter for me. These two are complete opposites but their relationship was perfect.
This story is about acceptance and family. A family can be who the one you were born into or the one you find along the road of life that accepts the true you. I loved that there are both kinds of family in this book because a lot of people can’t rely on the family they were born into, especially LGBTQ folx. Also all the supportive side characters in this book were perfect, especially Yadriel’s cousin Maritza.
Overall, this was an amazing YA novel and I couldn’t put it down. I don’t usually like YA but I am so glad I gave this book a chance. I will definitely be checking out Aiden’s future books.
Reader Warning:
– Misgendering of the Hero by a family member
– Gender dysphoria
– Death
– reference of child abuse with a minor side character
– references of deportation of family members
Looking for a book that has ghosts and humor? Maybe one that features LGBTQ main characters? How about including a Latinx culture? And is so well-written that you’re not going to want to put it down? Yeah. This book. It’s an amazing book.
So, the story hooks you from page one. Yadriel is a trans boy whose bestie is his cousin Maritza. The two are from a long line of brujx and it’s been long overdue for them both to be acknowledged as brujo and bruja respectively. Why? Because Yadriel’s family isn’t sure he is truly a brujo as he’s trans and Maritza is a vegan so she avoids using blood for magic. However, Yadriel accidentally summons Julian, a recently deceased boy from his high school who had no idea he’d died.
Interesting, right? Right.
Thomas does an exceptional job of creating characters and detailing the brujx world. There’s so much humor and realness that I was stuck in that heaven and hell of wanting to get to the end of the book to know what happens and never having it end because it was too good to leave their world.
‘Cemetery Boys’ stands out from other paranormal stories because Thomas did an exemplary job of weaving the Latinx language and culture around LGBTQ characters. As they point out, Spanish words have a gender which made it even harder on Yadriel to gain support from his family. It had been so engrained in his family that he had been born female so he couldn’t be male, even though he was. This discussion and conflict throughout the book was so well-done. I felt the love the characters had for one another as well as their misunderstandings, some so incredibly painful I choked up. And then some acceptances so powerful and rewarding to read that I choked up again with tears of joy. Even a shouted, ‘yes!’
I loved this book. It’s wonderful for any readers over the age of 11yo (mostly due to reading level) who is interested in ghost stories, thrillers, humor, LGBTQ stories, Latinx stories, OR family stories. ‘Cemetery Boys’ has so much going for it that I’ve already suggested it to other parents and many of my friends. I HIGHLY recommend this book.
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.
“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…
(More reviews like this at Betwixt The Sheets.)
(I received this title as an ARC. All opinions are mine and freely given.)