Finally a book I've been anticipating that did not disappoint at all! This was such a fun, touching, spooky, wonderful own-voices novel with excellent LGBTQ and Latinx rep and beautiful world-building.

Full review at my booktube channel: https://youtu.be/pit9j9kfHIg?t=71

Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to offer an honest review. ( )

"There's no way ya'll have been around for thousands of years without there being one person not fitting into the 'men are this, women are that' bullshit." (pp. 183-4)

Page 240: Yadriel's dad isn't a narcissist. And he's capable of change! I'm not even trans, and I could never be myself around relatives. I'm not a Stepford daughter/niece. ( )

Competent, fluffy, forgettable YA fantasy. Whodunnit was obvious halfway through chapter 2, unfortunately. ( )

In addition to caretaking their neighborhood cemetery in East L.A., Yadriel's extended family are also brujx. The brujas possess enhanced healing abilities, while the brujos' role is to assist the recently dead by releasing them from their tether to an earthly object. Yadriel, however, is trans, and his family is struggling with denial and acceptance, in particular with respect to what his role will be. In secret, inside the old church with the support of his cousin Maritza, Yadriel undergoes the ceremony to become a brujo, and to his joy (and relief), is accepted by Santa Muerte. There's just one snag: in the church they also discover the spirit of the recently murdered Julian Diaz. Now there are two secrets to keep.

I selected this title to fulfill the Read Harder category "a YA book by a trans author," but I approached it with skepticism, as I have never cared for magical realism. Despite my hesitance, I was hooked within the first three chapters and couldn't put it down. The characters felt genuine, and I came to care strongly about them. The writing is also quite wonderful. I have to say it was a very strange experience to have chanced to read this at the same time as Under the Whispering Door. The parallels are eerie and many. ( )

This book gave me all of the warm spooky fall vibes I was looking for to start the fall season. After inhaling The Sunbearer Trials earlier this year, I can easily say the two books are tied in my heart. Cemetery Boys had a touching coming of age story mixed with a cast of characters that had be rooting for them on every page. The budding romance gave me all of the butterflies I wanted while a world was seemingly falling apart around them.

Will definitely be picking up any book by or recommended by Aiden Thomas! ( )