Publishers Weekly
★ 06/29/2020
In Thomas’s vibrant YA debut, Yadriel, a gay, trans 16-year-old, is determined to prove himself, as a brujo and as a boy, to the traditional brujx cemetery community he grew up in. After being denied his quinces and initiation rite as a brujo, Yadriel takes his fate in his own hands and performs the rite himself, unlocking his magical gifts. While seeking the lost spirit of his recently murdered 28-year-old cousin, Yadriel mistakenly summons the spirit of a recently departed schoolmate named Julian. Helping Julian to cross over would prove Yadriel’s worth as a brujo to his family, but as Yadriel discovers the sort of kind, protective person Julian is, Yasriel may not be able to let him go. Thomas marries concept and execution in a romantic mystery as poignant as it is spellbinding, weaved in a mosaic of culture, acceptance, and identity, where intricately crafted characters are the pieces and love—platonic, romantic, familial, and communal—is the glue. Though the puzzles that Yadriel unravels can be guessed, the emotional journey is worth every step. Ages 13–up. Agent: Jennifer March Soloway, Andrea Brown Literary. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
Longlisted for the 2020 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature
A YALSA 2021 Best Fiction for Young Adults Top Ten pick
"This stunning debut novel from Thomas is detailed, heart-rending, and immensely romantic. I was bawling by the end of it, but not from sadness: I just felt so incredibly happy that this queer Latinx adventure will get to be read by other kids. Cemetery Boys is necessary: for trans kids, for queer kids, for those in the Latinx community who need to see themselves on the page. Don’t miss this book." —Mark Oshiro, author of Anger is a Gift
"Aiden Thomas' debut novel can't help but charm and captivate readers of all ages, though teen readers will invariably identify with and appreciate the high jinks and emotional vulnerability that make each character and scenario deliciously enchanting." — Booklist, starred review
" 'Scooby-Doo' meets 'Love, Simon' in this inclusive supernatural romance steeped in East Los Angeles Latinx culture.... Thomas injects the queer paranormal romance genre with a fresh shot of lavishly detailed Latinx culture, blending in Mayan, Mexican, Central American and South American traditions while commenting on cultural appropriation, deportation and class. Windows into the intersecting Latinx and L.G.B.T.Q. experience are plentiful here, and the opportunities for discovery and discussion are endless." — New York Times Book Review
"This book is magical, tender, loving, and so so so important. I love it with all my heart." —Mason Deaver, author of I Wish You All The Best
"The novel perfectly balances the vibrant, energetic Latinx culture while delving into heavy topics like LGBTQ+ acceptance, deportation, colonization, and racism within authoritative establishments." —TeenVogue.com
"Cemetery Boys is a celebration of culture and identity that will captivate readers with its richly detailed world, earnest romance, and thrilling supernatural mystery. This delightful debut is a must-read for all paranormal romance fans." —Isabel Sterling, author of These Witches Don't Burn
" Thomas marries concept and execution in a romantic mystery as poignant as it is spellbinding, weaved in a mosaic of culture, acceptance, and identity, where intricately crafted characters are the pieces and love—platonic, romantic, familial, and communal—is the glue." — Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Cemetery Boys is nothing short of an astonishing work of art. Aiden Thomas masterfully weaves a tale of family, friendships, and love in a heartwarming adventure full of affirmation and being your best self." — C.B. Lee, author of Not Your Sidekick
"A gay, transgender brujo with burgeoning powers seeks answers about his cousin’s death... Both the romance and mystery burn slow and hot until the climax... Their romance provides joyful, ground-breaking representation for gay, transgender boys. Heart-pounding." —Kirkus
"A story much bigger than the paper that binds it, Cemetery Boys is the tender intricacy we have all been waiting for." —Kayla Ancrum, author of The Wicker King
"Speaking from experience, this is the kind of book that you read and then immediately go force all your friends to read so they can share the pleasure." —Buzzfeed
"A wildly memorable novel." —Paste
"Magical, swoonworthy, and utterly charming." —Bitch Media
"This one is just what your heart needs right now." —TOR.com
"Thomas sensitively navigates Yadriel’s struggles as a trans teen, from the insecurity of not wearing his binder at night around Julian, to deadnaming by family members, to the emotional burden of constantly forgiving people who misgender him. In spite of some heavy themes, this is a pleasing ghost-story-turned-romcom ... Readers wary of tragic endings can relax—there’s a well-deserved happy ending in store for this ghost boy and brujo." —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Packed with eerie adventure, tingly romance, and family drama, the novel lays bare the tension between upholding tradition and reaching full self-acceptance. Cheeky, relatable characters bring humor and lightness into Thomas’s debut, which also takes on themes of death, loss, abandonment, and rejection." — Horn Book
School Library Journal
04/17/2020
Gr 9 Up—Yadriel is a transgender teen boy growing up in East L.A., where for centuries, brujos have been responsible for releasing the spirits of the dead, and brujas have healed the living. When Yadriel's family can't accept that he is a boy and not cut out for healing, Yadriel is forbidden from attempting the ritual to become a brujo. Refusing to abandon tradition and helped by his best friend Maritza, Yadriel completes the ritual in secret, but abruptly discovers that his cousin Miguel has just been murdered. When searching for Miguel's spirit, Yadriel and Maritza instead stumble upon murdered schoolmate Julian Diaz, who demands that Yadriel help find out what happened to him. Thomas is generally successful at weaving various Latinx customs and traditions into this #OwnVoices supernatural romance. Spanish words and phrases are liberally peppered throughout, and their meanings are generally clear from context. The occasionally repetitive writing has minimal cursing; the characters and their struggles are authentic, showcasing their need for acceptance from their loved ones but also their refreshing certainty about who they are and what they stand for. VERDICT A whodunit with a tender and forbidden love story that will draw readers in as it gradually unfolds to a gratifying conclusion.—Alea Perez, Elmhurst Public Library, IL
OCTOBER 2020 - AudioFile
Avi Roque gives an earnest and authentic, if inexperienced, performance of this supernatural mystery/magical love story. Sixteen-year-old Yadriel is trans and is desperate for his family to accept him as a brujo who has the power to summon and release the spirits of the dead. When he accidentally summons the spirit of a boy he knows from school a few days before the Día de Muertos festivities, Yadriel and his friend Maritza embark on a quest—with Julian's spirit in tow—to find out what happened to him. Roque brings the book’s diverse East Los Angeles Latinx community to life, and their narration for the endearingly impulsive Julian is especially effective. The more time Yadriel and Julian spend together, the closer they become, but can their journey have a happy ending? J.M.D. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2020-06-25
A gay, transgender brujo with burgeoning powers seeks answers about his cousin’s death.
Sixteen-year-old Yadriel also wishes for acknowledgement from his community but unexpectedly finds himself entangled in the unresolved wishes of a strong-willed, good-looking spirit. He descends from a long line of brujx who have been granted magic power by Lady Death to heal the living and to guide spirits into the afterlife. Although he’s grown up surrounded by a close-knit community, Yadriel feels alone, excluded indefinitely from a sacred rite of passage because he is transgender. When he senses that his cousin Miguel has died suddenly but the family can’t locate him, Yadriel sees an opportunity to prove to everyone he’s a true brujo by solving the mystery and releasing his cousin’s lost spirit. His plan quickly falls apart, as he accidentally summons the spirit of Julian Diaz, a boy with unfinished business who died the same day as Miguel. Both the romance and mystery burn slow and hot until the climax. Stakes begin high, and the intensity only increases with a looming deadline and a constant risk that Julian might lose himself, turning maligno. The cast of characters represents a diversity of Latinx identities sharing a community in East Los Angeles. Julian is Colombian while Yadriel is Cuban and Mexican. Their romance provides joyful, ground-breaking representation for gay, transgender boys.
Heart-pounding. (Fantasy. 14-18)
