Read + Review: Cemetary Boys by Aiden Thomas

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Cemetery Boys follows the story of Yadriel who is determined to become accepted among his family as a brujo after coming out as transgender to them. When his cousin Miguel suddenly goes missing and his family begins to scramble to find his spirit before Dia de Muertos, Yadriel becomes determined to complete the ritual of becoming a brujo himself and help free Miguel’s spirit. With the help of his cousin and best friend, Maritza, Yadriel completes the ritual and tries to summon his cousin’s spirit. However, he ends up summoning the spirit of Julian Diaz, the local bad boy of his school. Julian is determined to not leave this earth until he finds out what happened to him and Yadriel finds himself agreeing to help Julian in exchange for finally getting the chance to prove himself as a brujo. The only problem is Yadriel isn’t so sure he wants Julian to leave the longer he spends time with him.

I absolutely loved this book and the plot. The mystery and romance in the book left me smiling while also on the edge of my seat. The characters in this book were amazing and written really beautifully. Furthermore, I would’ve never been able to predict the plot twist towards the end. It left me shocked, betrayed, and sad all at once and I honestly felt bad for Yadriel most of all.

My favorite part of the book was the friendship between Julian, Yadriel, and Maritza. I became really attached to these characters and their lighthearted friendship to the point where I would die for them. Julian Diaz really did become a character I loved because even though he was a ghost, someone who was transparent and incorporeal, he was just as solid and real as he was alive. Cemetery Boys destroyed the brooding bad boy trope with Julian by showing him as someone who was bright and would do anything for the people he loved. Overall, the book was amazing with the characters, representation, and plot.

Reviewed by Tasnia, Libbie Mill Library