Will I love Cemetery Boys?

This book was a joy to read. A fantasy story in a cemetery that’s both heartfelt and full of life. I loved how it wove Latinx culture and Día de los Muertos traditions into a story about identity, family, and magic.

Yadriel’s journey to prove himself as a brujo felt so personal and empowering. Then there’s Julian, the ghost he accidentally summons and starts to fall for. Their banter, their bond, the way they grow together—it just made my heart ache in a good way. It’s a love story, a ghost story, and a celebration of being seen.

This book got me back into reading novels after a depressive slump.

Though geared towards young adults, the themes of fighting for what you believe in and for a place to fit in, even within your own family, are so strong and universal. Plus, the plot is just plain old ghost-busting fun.

Cemetery Boys was the first time I truly felt represented in a fantasy novel, and once I started, I couldn’t put it down. 

The navigation of family dynamics in the story is brilliant - we follow Yadriel, a gay Latinx trans teen whose family is made up of brujas (women) and brujos (men). The struggle to find his place in that system, and the way that his family members seem accepting in one moment, then dismissive in another is unbearably relatable for many queer kids growing up in Latinx households.

In an effort to prove his worth to his family… show more.

This book was such a fun escapist read for me. I laughed out loud while reading on multiple occasions, in public! I especially loved the characters and relationship dynamics in this book. From Yadriel to Maritza, to Julian, each character felt fully fleshed out and real. If you like paranormal romance, mystery, or lovable himbos, this book is definitely for you!

Where do I even start? There is so much to love about Cemetery Boys, from the lovable characters, fun banter, beautiful and lovingly crafted world-building, complicated family relationships, to the swoon-worthy romance. But I think what draws me so much to this book is the main character, Yadriel’s, determination to prove himself even when the odds are against him. He knows who he is and what he wants, and he’s willing to fight for it. As someone who’s always felt self-conscious of who I am and sometimes struggles with feeling like I’m not enough, he was someone I… show more.

Trans representation can be found in all genres, and Cemetery Boys is proof of that. This Latinx YA fantasy book is also a love story, set in my town of Los Angeles. Thomas creates a rich mythology involving Latinx culture, ancient gods, and brujos, and folds it into a gay teenage love story involving a young trans man who wants to prove himself, and a ghost from the wrong side of the tracks. If you’re jonesing for something like Harry Potter but with centered (and unambiguous) queer characters, this would be the book for you! 

The stakes couldn’t begin any higher—a night in a cemetery, summoning spirits, and the mystery of a dead cousin (and that’s just the first three chapters). The main character of Cemetery Boys is a transgender, gay sixteen-year-old boy who is excluded from the rite of passage that would firmly cement him in his close-knit, diverse, East LA community. There’s romance, suspense, and more than a few spine-chilling moments as well as the main character, Yadriel, who will grab your heart and not let it go.