Reviews with content warning for Abandonment - Cemetery Boys

This book was such a treat to read, I've been hearing about it forever, so to finally be able to read it after waiting A MILLION YEARS on the library waitlist was so worth it! (Seriously y'all, it was worth it!)
Cemetery Boys follows Yadriel, a young trans brujo who just wants to be seen by his parents and community. When he tries to summon a spirit, instead he ends up with a ghost who refuses to leave. Julian is loud, brash, and refuses to leave until his unfinished business is taken care of.
I loved everything about this story, it is so great to see books with queer Latinx representation. (So my review is deeply biased, apologies dear readers)
Julian really grew on me, he was so charming and full of life. I went from rolling my eyes and being annoyed at him, to chuckling and smiling whenever he was on the page. All the food descriptions had my stomach growling! I actually went to go buy some pan dulce at the store after finishing the book.

I highly recommend this book! Ghosts, gays, and romance!

Content Warnings

wellreadandhalfdead's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really appreciated the diversity in this book. It's not often you get to see a transgender protagonist of color. I also loved that this was an urban fantasy book that used Latinx spiritual beliefs, which is a refreshing change from the usual demons/fairies/vampires. I fell in love with the characters, especially Julian. They all felt so alive! Also, the romance was adorable. I was rooting for Yadriel and Julian the whole time.

I didn't like how quickly the mystery was wrapped up. While there were plenty of hints to what was fishy, the ending only took up about thirty pages and was also confusing and unsatisfying. I'm glad there's going to be a sequel, otherwise I would have been more bothered.

Content Warnings

ellacole03's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

I really enjoyed a look at the trans community through the lens of Spanish culture. With its culture being rooted in tradition, I like how the dad realized that transition and adaptability will keep the roots of the tradition thriving. I am not of Hispanic descent, but I really enjoyed the references to Dia de las Muertos and the casual use of Spanish, because it taught me some stuff that I don't think I even realized. I was a little confused about what a portaje was for the longest, but after I got that it was a dagger, it made more sense.

I also enjoyed the fact that Julian was, in fact, alive and the uncle was corrupted,

but I had 2 key things I loved about this book. I loved Yadriel and Maritza's relationship and I loved how

Julian felt Spanish was an intimate thing for him, then spoke it with Yadriel. Their relationship burned at just the right pace to not feel unrealistic.

The only thing that kind of put me off was the beginning was kind of slow, but I understand that it was because it needed to set up the situation and explain what all the terms were. Overall, really good read!

Content Warnings

angievansprang's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The characters in this book were so vivid and alive, ironic considering some were ghosts. I found myself hopelessly enthralled by this YA romance and constantly trying to predict the outcome of the mystery/thriller side. A novel rich in Latine and general teen culture, I would definitely recommend giving this one a read.

Content Warnings

unsuccessfulbookclub's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I am very late to the Cemetery Boys fan club, but I’m so glad I finally made it! This story had a ton of my favorite things and took me through a classic YA coming-of-age story through a less common lens. Yadriel’s journey to prove himself to his community and family while also doing a Big ThingTM was so exciting but also had an incredible amount of emotional depth.

The thing about this book for me is that solving the mystery of who killed Julian and Miguel was not the main event…I was reading for the emotional and personal growth journeys for the characters and OH BOY DID THIS BOOK DELIVER.

A short list:

Julian, Julian, Julian. This kid is so real. He’s gritty and larger than life and emotionally deep and kind. I could not get enough of his big heart and sweet nature despite the hurdles his life threw at him. In a word: fierce.

Yadriel. YADRIEL!! There were so many small moments with Yadriel and his family that broke my heart but also felt like a huge hug. I adored the moments with Yadriel and his (large) family, especially his father. Thomas provided an incredibly nuanced and touching window into Yadriel’s life with its good and bad all mixed together while also giving us a ton of plot action. Yadriel is now one of my all-time favorite YA main characters.

Maritza. Okay, everyone needs a Maritza in their life and I’m so glad Yadriel had her. She’s an incredible bestie. She’s basically the definition of ride-or-die. I’m going to need Aiden to write like four to five spin off books and Martiza needs to be the MC in the first one.

Julian’s friends. I LOVE found family and this one is top-notch. Also, these kids activated my Mom Mode in a big way. I really wanted to feed them a good meal, give them a warm safe place to sleep and make sure they got to school. On the other hand, I adored how they found and cared for each other with what they had, showing that we can (and should) take care of each other.

This story underscored the importance of the #TransRightsReadathon and other movements to make sure that organizations that help traditionally marginalized communities are well-funded. Additionally, the readathon is a way for those of us outside of the community to understand the depth of the issues trans youth are facing. If you’re reading for the readathon this week, I challenge you to take a moment and try to internalize the things you’re learning about. What can you do as an individual to help? What level of understanding did the books you read provide you and how can you update your thinking or actions to reflect that new point of view? How can you scale your impact to make sure the things you learn don’t stay in your own brain?

Content Warnings

More...