A review by arkwen452
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

To be perfectly honest, I have not been reading YA books anymore. I picked this book up after it sat on my TBR for so long and it match a qualification for the Trans Rights Readathon. I am so very happy that I did. It was a fresh and exciting story that combines Latinx cultures, family, Latinx lore, love, devotion, self-discovery, and yes teenage angst. More than that, readers form a bond of understanding and acceptance when introduced to the main character, Yadriel. 

Yadriel, a young, shy trans teenage boy from a mixed Latinx family who desperately to be welcomed and accepted by his family members of brujx. A secret community of healers, ghost seers and ghost releasers—roughly translated into a crude form ‘witch’. After secretly completing the selection ceremony with the help of his BFF and cousin, Maritza, Yadriel is accepted by the spirits as a Brujo. However, the sudden and violent feeling of loss felt by the family of his cousin sets Yadriel and Maritza off to find his ghost and release him to the after-world before day of the dead. 

Yadriel and Maritza find themselves in over their heads when the lead they follow does not lead them to their missing cousin but to a peer from their school. Bad boy, Julian Diaz. 

Cemetery Boys will take readers through a world-win of emotions, fear, love, grief, longing, comradery, adventure, and a celebration for life. I enjoyed the way Yadriel began to open up to Julian—even if it was semi-forced since Julian was a ball of energy lol. 

Besides, Maritza it was clear that Yadriel needed that connection with someone outside of his family and immediate family who would see and accept him for who he was. It was clear that there was a void in his life since he lost his mother who was the beacon of support for him.  Likewise, Yadriel’s desire to prove himself as a brujo within his family also seemed like his only real way to show his family that he was who he was because even with how he presented himself, what he called himself and how he told them who he really was—at the heart of it all they still didn’t seem him as Yadriel. 

But Julian was different. He is squirrely, wild, blunt, easy going but quick tempered. Julian saw things as face value and accepted things in the moment for what they were. He didn’t think too deeply about things but also had this ability to accept people and things for what they were. 

When he realized he was brought back as a ghost he was shocked, but he didn’t dwell on that fact too much and immediately wondered about his friends who were with him when he was attacked. I can only imagine how relieving that must have been for Yadriel. And why couldn’t his family been that way?!! 

I also appreciated the way Yadriel got Julian to think more about things and the seriousness of their shared situation. 

Cemetery Boys does not skimp on the mystery element of the narrative either. As readers follow Yadriel, Maritza and Julian look deeper in the events of Julian’s death, they begin to realize that the disappearance of their cousin and Julian’s death are in fact connected. Without giving away spoilers, I believe readers with be hooked onto the story until the very last heart-pounding and adrenaline fill end as Yadriel, Maritza, and Julian fight to save the lives of everyone against the forces of evil. 

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