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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REVIEW Cemetery Boys by Aidan Thomas is the YA paranormal story of Yadriel, a gifted member of the Latinx community with the ability to see spirits. Woman of the community posses healing powers while the men are able to release lost spirits bound to the earth to the afterlife. Yadriel, being a trans boy does not have the healing gift of a bruja, so he is out to prove to his family that he is a true brujo. With the aid of his best friend he performs a sacred ritual to invoke the favor of the goddess of death and then tries to find the ghost of his recently deceased cousin and set it free. But the spirit he summons is not that of his cousin but that of Julian, the resident high school bad boy with unfinished business. Yadriel reluctantly agrees to help Julian but soon learns that releasing him to the afterlife might be more difficult than he had anticipated.
This is beautiful and moving story of family, community, inclusion and acceptance. It is packed full of mystery, drama and romance, as well as a cast of incredible characters lead by a passionate, courageous and heroic protagonist. This not-to-be-missed novel will move you to laughter and tears while immersing the reader in a culture rich in tradition and folklore. This stellar debut novel has garnered a great deal of hype and acclaim which I can guarantee is all well deserved. And of course, the fabulous cover art cannot go unmentioned.
CEMETERY BOYS is a fun and charming adventure with an enjoyable concept featuring characters you just can’t get enough of. Not only is this a great book, but it’s exactly the kind of book that we need. We need books featuring diverse characters, on fresh and exciting new adventures. Everything from the cover to the story itself is lovingly crafted and feels special to hold and read. I can’t help but wish this was the beginning of a long series of books, but even if not it’s wonderful introduction to Thomas’ writing and story telling and a sign of more great things to come.
LOVED this book! I loved the characters and the budding romance and the world building. Some twists I saw coming and some I didn’t but it was a wonderful read! It’s been way too long since I stayed up all night because I had to finish a book and Cemetery Boys did that for me.
I’ve been wanting to read this since I saw it come out and am glad I finally got to. I really enjoyed this story, and frankly, didn’t have any idea anything about the Brujx before.
I loved the ghost story romance. Well done!! I didn’t see it coming and then it was all I wanted.
The magical elements in this story appeal to me. I like wiccan and voodoo stories and felt this was much of the same, just a different culture, but it still felt relatable.
I definitely want to read more about Yadriel and his people. I was so invested in those parts of the story.
4.5/5
Very emotional and insightful. I loved the relationships and did not feel like there was any info dumping and if there was it was done in a captivating and entertaining way. This story is what a fairy tale should be.
This stunning debut novel from Thomas is detailed, heart-rending, and immensely romantic. I was bawling by the end of it, but not from sadness: I just felt so incredibly happy that this queer Latinx adventure will get to be read by other kids. Cemetery Boys is necessary: for trans kids, for queer kids, for those in the Latinx community who need to see themselves on the page. Don’t miss this book.
This book is magical, tender, loving, and so so so important. I love it with all my heart.
Cemetery Boys is a celebration of culture and identity that will captivate readers with its richly detailed world, earnest romance, and thrilling supernatural mystery. This delightful debut is a must-read for all paranormal romance fans.
Cemetery Boys is nothing short of an astonishing work of art. Aiden Thomas masterfully weaves a tale of family, friendships, and love in a heartwarming adventure full of affirmation and being your best self.
A story much bigger than the paper that binds it, Cemetery Boys is the tender intricacy we have all been waiting for.
Cemetery Boys did an immaculate job of shattering the glass ceiling on prevalent themes of transgender and stereotypes.
Why you need to read this book:
Yadriel is the transgender black sheep of his Mexican family hammering his way to find his place in the world (is this line, not enough?)
Great insight into Latin culture, spirituality, and their customs. I may not be a bruja but I too had an overcaring granny aka Abuelita and I loved to see how strong the bonds of the family ran and the struggles of growing up “ethnic.’
Cemetery Boys teaches readers that family is not only dependent on the blood in your veins but rather through the bonds you forge, either through friendship or with ghosts who follow you around (read it and you’ll understand *wink*)
Cemetery Boys is a strong and empowering story about acceptance not only by others but more importantly by yourself. It teaches you the value of finding your way and shatters the gender stereotype.
It’s is a gripping murder mystery/ whodunnit that will have you guessing right up until the very end
This is my first paranormal transgender book and I was not disappointed. It spoke to the struggles of countless young people across the world and I daresay, gave them a spark of hope.
Yadriel is a trans Latinx boy that is part of a community that allows them to see spirits. The gift is one that is a bit different relative to the gender of the individual. Yadriel wants desperately to be a bruja. A bruja has the ability to release a spirit into the afterlife, whereas a brujo have the power to heal bodies and souls. Since Yadriel was technically a female at birth, the gift he has been blessed with is different than the gift he truly wants. With the recent events of his cousins death, Yadriel is determined to prove his worth as a bruja. When he tries his hand at summoning the ghost of his cousin to enable himself to release his spirit, things end up getting a little unexpectedly complicated as he ends up summoning the spirit of another boy, Julian Diaz. Julian is not ok with his death by any means and wants to enlist the help of Yadriel to get to the bottom of what really happened. Will the duo be able to solve the mystery so Yadriel can get Julians’ spirit released? Will Yadriel be able to find out what really happened to his cousin?
I read this via audiobook. I absolutely loved the narrator, Avi Roque! He was perfect! I really enjoyed this book. I had been wanting to read this book so bad and I’m so glad I finally did. There was so much to this book, including identity, as Yadriel is really struggling to find his own identity, loss, as he has lost his mother and now his cousin, acceptance, as he is trying so hard to be accepted by the males in his family, specifically his own father, love, as a relationship forms between Yadriel and Julian, and much more. I would definitely recommend this book and would rate it .
I can’t believe I waited so long to read this. It’s got everything I love, magic, a little romance, queer characters and some of my culture. Yadriel’s journey is so beautifully written and I didn’t want it to end. It’s a cute, full of feels story with an angsty slow burn romance between Yadriel and Julian. It’ll keep you on the edge of your seat. It’s also a bit of an insight into the Latinx culture. The food, the love, the family, it all shines through and adds to the fantastic representation.
This book shines with the author’s passion. The attention to the details, struggles and high points of a Gay Trans teen’s life makes the story feel so real, even while the same teen tackles angry spirits and evil Gods. This book is perfect for anyone wanting a book immersed in Latinx culture, queer found family, and love of every kind. (Also I would sell my soul for more stories in this world focusing on side characters like Rio or Flack).
Loved! Oh my goodness what a trip! My anxiety was through the roof for most of this story! Yads and Itza are friendship goals, and Julian is just the best. I love how true to themselves each and every character is, even the side characters. They’re genuine and authentic and they know who they are 100%. Definitely recommend!!
Book 136 towards my goal of 290! 4.5/5 stars for this YA Coming of Age Fantasy read! Yadriel is trying to prove himself as a brujo, when he summons a ghost…..then can’t get rid of him. Such a cute story! So many feels! Loved our main characters! Loved the story line. Loved the family dynamics in the story. Cover is perfect. Narration was great. This book has tons of great representation! Cannot recommend enough!
There is so much to love about this book and I feel like I need to re-read it soon to pick up on more! And have Google translate handy occasionally. I loved reading about brujx culture and a trans journey. I would seriously read a whole series of this book!
This book was everything and more. I laughed and cried. I loved every minute of it. Yadriel and Julian were such amazing characters. I also loved Miritza so much. I was actually sad when this book was done only because there was no more to read! I highly recommend this one!
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book, but man. By the end I was crying and didn’t want it to be over!
The slow burn, impossible love between Julian and Yads just rigged at my heart. I was rooting for them and trying to figure out any possible way they could be together.
The friendships were such a big part of the story and I loved them. Family was the same way. I was amazed at who the villain was!
This is a must read!
Oh my gosh, I loved this so much! I loved the unique concept. I loved the exploration of the Latinx culture around Dia de Muertos. I loved that Yadriel was trans and out in the book and most of the characters just accepted that. I adored this book and I cannot wait to read more from Aiden Thomas!