Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Release: September 1st 2020
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Source: Xpresso Book Tours
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon,B&N, iBooks, Kobo

A trans boy determined to prove his gender to his traditional Latinx family summons a ghost who refuses to leave in Aiden Thomas’s paranormal YA debut Cemetery Boys.

Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can’t get rid of him.
However, when his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his true 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 off 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.

About the Author:

Aiden Thomas is a YA author with an MFA in Creative Writing from Mills College. Originally from Oakland, California, they now make their home in Portland, OR. As a queer, trans Latinx, Aiden advocates strongly for diverse representation in all media. Aiden’s special talents include: quoting The Office, Harry Potter trivia, Jenga, finishing sentences with “is my FAVORITE”, and killing spiders. Aiden is notorious for not being able to guess the endings of books and movies, and organizes their bookshelves by color.

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Cemetery Boys Review:

This book is entertaining, yet important, because it covers so many key topics about sexuality, acceptance, and finding your voice.

Firstly, the author covers SO many topics simultaneously that that there is never a dull moment. What I really loved about the story is the subject of identity. Yadriel is a gay trans Latinx boy who wants to be a Brujo, but his family is not supportive due to his orientation. Being accepted is one of the challenges many of us face, and I could really relate to Yadriel in terms of being accepted.

Moreover, I loved Yadriel’s relationship with Julian. I am not a fan of slow burn romance, but I really enjoyed it in this story. Yadriel has low self esteem because of the way his family and society treat him. Hence, it was so amazing to see him open up and become confident under Julian’s influence. Similarly, Julian is this fireball of energy, where he is hilarious and all over the place, and doesn’t care what people think. They complement each other and are so dynamic together. On a side note, I also loved Maritza and thought she was an amazing supporting character!

At the same time, the entire story takes place with the backdrop of a cemetery close to the Dia De Muertos (Day of the Dead) festival. This makes the book atmospheric, yet lively and engrossing. There is also this mystery element as Yadriel investigates on what happened to Miguel. I enjoyed the mystery element as well and could not guess the reason behind it.

Overall, I don’t think I have ever read a book that emphasizes on culture, diversity, sexuality, acceptance on top of a mystery, set in a cemetery ever! This book was very entertaining and I enjoyed reading it.

Giveaway:

Tour-wide giveaway (US only)

Print copy of Cemetery Boys

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas Blog Tour hosted by Xpresso Book Tours.Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!