Hello Ghouls and Gals,
Welcome to another book review! Today I’m doing a review of Cemetery Boys (Cemetery Boys #1) by Aiden Thomas.
I wanted to pick a fantasy novel with some LGBT flair, and this one fit the bill. I’m also buddy reading this with my friend Misty, so stay tuned for our buddy read & rant conversation!
Alright, let’s see how this book went!
Blurb
Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can’t get rid of him.
When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.
However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school’s resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He’s determined to find out what happened and tie up some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.
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The Review
Wow, this was a fun fantasy read!
In this book, young trans man Yadriel struggles to find a place where he belongs in his community of brujx (witches). Desperate to make a name for himself, he and his best friend Martiza sneak into a church to perform the proper ritual for him to become a brujo. But when a string of disappearances threatens the safety of his community, Yadriel must find a way to save them and the spirit of a young man he is tethered to.
First things first, I absolutely loved the LGBTQIA+ representation in this novel. I haven’t read many novels featuring a trans character as the MC, and that was refreshing. Speaking of the main character, Yadriel was a great protagonist. He’s got a good head on his shoulders, but is also conflicted with the way he’s been seen by his community and the outside world. There was loads of personal growth for Yadriel as he finds acceptance and love with an unlikely young gay man named Julian. Their interactions and slow building romance really tugged at my heart strings. I also loved how snarky Maritza was.
The plot moved relatively quickly, and each chapter had great elements of fantasy and mystery that kept me blazing through the pages. I will admit, there were a lot of characters in this book, almost too many to keep up with, but knowing the culture I’m aware that latinx families are large, so it still felt authentic. I also predicted the mystery bad guy pretty early on, but there was enough lack of evidence to still keep it something of a surprise when the big reveal came.
If you need a solid fantasy read with great LGBTQIA+ characters and heart, you can’t go wrong with this one!
That’s A Wrap!
Well that’s it for this book review. I hope you enjoyed it!
Have you read this book? Are there other similar books you’ve read that you simply have to gush about? Feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to start a conversation!
Have a great day!
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