Cemetery Boys (Cemetery Boys, #1) in Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge

From the Bookshelf of Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge…

Cemetery Boys (Cemetery Boys, #1)

Aiden Thomas

Start date: September 1, 2022

Finish date: September 30, 2022

Why we're reading this: September group read for "book by a Latinx author"…more
[close] September group read for "book by a Latinx author"

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What Members Thought

Jun 23, 2020 Heather - hturningpages rated it really liked it

Shelves: loved-it, mystery-thriller, reviewed, arcs, lgbtq-characters, bookclub

Rating: 4/5 cinnamon roll ghosts

Format: ebook. I鈥檇 like to thank Fierce Reads and NetGalley for a free copy of this book as part of a #YallStayHome prize!

What it's like:
This book reminded me a bit of the movie Coco (supernatural adventure on Dia de los Muertos) but the friendships and romance reminded me more of the Raven Boys.

To sum up:
This is a story about a Latinx trans boy and his journey towards finding acceptance of himself, among his family, and his fellow magical community of brujos an Rating: 4/5 cinnamon roll ghosts

Format: ebook. I鈥檇 like to thank Fierce Reads and NetGalley for a free copy of this book as part of a #YallStayHome prize!

What it's like:
This book reminded me a bit of the movie Coco (supernatural adventure on Dia de los Muertos) but the friendships and romance reminded me more of the Raven Boys.

To sum up:
This is a story about a Latinx trans boy and his journey towards finding acceptance of himself, among his family, and his fellow magical community of brujos and brujas. Yadriel knows that he is a brujo in his heart, but his family and fellow brujos are less convinced. When Yadriel鈥檚 magical family senses one of their own has just been murdered, Yadriel is determined to become a full brujo so he can find them and release their spirit. When Yadriel and his trusty bff and vegan sidekick Maritza attempt to find his cousin鈥檚 spirit however, they accidentally summon a beautiful angsty ghost named Julian instead. While Julian doesn鈥檛 remember how he died, they quickly realize that this mystery could reveal something about Yadriel's cousin鈥檚 death as well. Together, Julian, Yadriel, and Martiza attempt to find answers on the streets of Los Angeles, to find answers for Julian and find Yadriel鈥檚 cousin before Dia de los Muertos.

What I loved:
I loved how Thomas wove in intricate elements of Latinx culture into this story. The slang, the food, the traditions, it all created a vivid backdrop for this story. I loved Julian鈥檚 journey of gaining confidence in himself and his identity as a boy and as a brujo, and how each element of the mystery came together. The slow-burn romance was torture to endure but made the climax of events at the end all the more powerful.

What was meh:
The only parts I didn鈥檛 love was in the middle when the pacing slows a bit. I don鈥檛 enjoy when in the middle of a story the main character has to go to school or do some mundane activity to 鈥減lay it cool鈥� for their community or their parents haha. This part was relatively painless though and did serve a purpose for finding out information important to the mystery so I'll allow it haha.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I loved Aiden Thomas鈥� narrative voice, the rich setting, the magic, and the relationships in this book. I can鈥檛 wait to have my own physical copy of this book and to read whatever he writes next! ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

May 06, 2024 Jaime rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-fantasy, ya-romance, poc-author, lgbtq, ghosts, witches-wizards-magic, found-family, latino, forced-proximity, read-2024

Yadriel is trans, but his traditional Latinx family is having trouble accepting it. They insist he can only be a bruja (healer) when he is confident his destiny is to be a brujo, working with his father, brothers, and other male relatives to help ghosts cross over. But after he secretly completes his brujo ritual with the help of his cousin, he accidentally summons the ghost of a boy from school that has just died that night. When Yadriel tries to release him into the afterlife, it fails. The bo ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 12, 2021 Ana rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, overdrive, 2021, 2021-january, 2021-aty, 2021-popsugar

I loved this book. The characters were amazing, I loved all of them and how real they were. I loved the culture and the magic. And I loved the plot. and that ending is perfection.

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