Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

264 reviews

arkwen452's review

adventurous emotional funny 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? Yes

5.0

To be perfectly honest, I have not been reading YA books anymore. I picked this book up after it sat on my TBR for so long and it match a qualification for the Trans Rights Readathon. I am so very happy that I did. It was a fresh and exciting story that combines Latinx cultures, family, Latinx lore, love, devotion, self-discovery, and yes teenage angst. More than that, readers form a bond of understanding and acceptance when introduced to the main character, Yadriel. 

Yadriel, a young, shy trans teenage boy from a mixed Latinx family who desperately to be welcomed and accepted by his family members of brujx. A secret community of healers, ghost seers and ghost releasers—roughly translated into a crude form ‘witch’. After secretly completing the selection ceremony with the help of his BFF and cousin, Maritza, Yadriel is accepted by the spirits as a Brujo. However, the sudden and violent feeling of loss felt by the family of his cousin sets Yadriel and Maritza off to find his ghost and release him to the after-world before day of the dead. 

Yadriel and Maritza find themselves in over their heads when the lead they follow does not lead them to their missing cousin but to a peer from their school. Bad boy, Julian Diaz. 

Cemetery Boys will take readers through a world-win of emotions, fear, love, grief, longing, comradery, adventure, and a celebration for life. I enjoyed the way Yadriel began to open up to Julian—even if it was semi-forced since Julian was a ball of energy lol. 

Besides, Maritza it was clear that Yadriel needed that connection with someone outside of his family and immediate family who would see and accept him for who he was. It was clear that there was a void in his life since he lost his mother who was the beacon of support for him.  Likewise, Yadriel’s desire to prove himself as a brujo within his family also seemed like his only real way to show his family that he was who he was because even with how he presented himself, what he called himself and how he told them who he really was—at the heart of it all they still didn’t seem him as Yadriel. 

But Julian was different. He is squirrely, wild, blunt, easy going but quick tempered. Julian saw things as face value and accepted things in the moment for what they were. He didn’t think too deeply about things but also had this ability to accept people and things for what they were. 

When he realized he was brought back as a ghost he was shocked, but he didn’t dwell on that fact too much and immediately wondered about his friends who were with him when he was attacked. I can only imagine how relieving that must have been for Yadriel. And why couldn’t his family been that way?!! 

I also appreciated the way Yadriel got Julian to think more about things and the seriousness of their shared situation. 

Cemetery Boys does not skimp on the mystery element of the narrative either. As readers follow Yadriel, Maritza and Julian look deeper in the events of Julian’s death, they begin to realize that the disappearance of their cousin and Julian’s death are in fact connected. Without giving away spoilers, I believe readers with be hooked onto the story until the very last heart-pounding and adrenaline fill end as Yadriel, Maritza, and Julian fight to save the lives of everyone against the forces of evil. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Moderate: Death, Transphobia, Deadnaming, and Grief

Minor: Death of parent

vikosaurus's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

I just love the casual representation of queer people so much !!! It was the perfect density and weight for it to be readable even when there was a lot going on and it was still catchy enough for my adhd brain to be able to finish it. Also overall pretty comfy vibes. Love it very much <3

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Blood, Bullying, Death, Transphobia, Deadnaming, Murder, Grief, and Dysphoria

Minor: Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Bullying, and Outing

birdieex's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

I cannot begin to explain how many tears I shed from this book! Our main character is a gay, trans, Latino boy. The rep is absolutely incredible. The language and culture interwoven is beautiful. I found myself using an online translator for some words and phrases simply to get the direct meaning, but the author makes it possible to use context clues to figure it out if you don't speak Spanish and sometimes straight up tells you in text.

I fell in love with Yadriel and Julian a soon as they appeared on the page and I highlighted so many quotes the made me laugh. The characters are so strong and I was so absorbed in the world that I had trouble wanting to put the book down.

As a trans adult who was that trans teen fighting for their identity to be seen, that aspect affected me deeply. It was hard to see Yadriel's struggle since I related so much, but it was so beautifully written.

One of my favorite books by far! Can't wait to read more!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Dysphoria, Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Outing, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Death of parent, Grief, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Deportation, Police brutality, Violence, Animal cruelty, Kidnapping, Alcohol, and Cursing

Minor: Cultural appropriation, Car accident, Sexism, Mental illness, and Misogyny

Women are discouraged from a certain job in the community.

picaresquedreamer's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Grief, Animal death, Blood, Murder, Cursing, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Child death, Sexism, Medical content, and Transphobia

Minor: Child abuse, Homophobia, Colonisation, and Racism

ems_book_shelf's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny fast-paced

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

5.0

WOW I LOVED THIS BOOK. I was pulled into the story immediately, the pacing was fantastic, the mystery/adventure aspect was so fun to read. I really liked Julian and Yads as characters on their own, but especially together. Their relationship was so cute, and I wasn’t sure how the book was going to end, there were definitely some tears shed, but I’m so so soooo happy with this book 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Deadnaming, Death, Child death, Death of parent, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Classism, Deportation, and Grief

bbelitz's review

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Medical trauma, Racism, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Deadnaming, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, Transphobia, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Child death

angelfireeast24's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Blood, Child death, Death of parent, Grief, Violence, and Transphobia

Moderate: Classism, Death, and Deportation

Minor: Racism

sapphic_alpaca's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny mysterious sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Violence, Death, Gore, Body horror, Cursing, Blood, Dysphoria, Transphobia, Grief, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Deadnaming

Minor: Homophobia, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Deportation, and Sexual content

rieviolet's review against another edition

adventurous emotional 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

3.5

I listened to the audiobook version so this is going to colour my review/rating a bit, because I'm still trying to get used to this medium of reading, and my mind doesn't always cooperate and tends to wander a lot.

I felt like the beginning and the end of the story were stronger and more memorable, whereas the middle part was a bit slow and, to be honest, I remember very little of what happened, it all kind of blurred together.

I really liked the representation of the trans experience thorugh the character of Yadriel. We got to see the big and more evident aspects of it, but also the little and everyday details. 

I appreciated the cultural elements, as well as their more fantastical re-imagination; though I think maybe at times the author verged into overexplanation. I also liked the interspersed sentences and expressions in Spanish.

I wasn't quite sold at the beginning on the romance but, as the story progressed, it got better and I'm not ashamed to say that

when Julian said "mi querido"

I screamed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Racism, and Transphobia

Moderate: Death of parent, Sexism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Kidnapping, Gore, Child death, Religious bigotry, Murder, Dysphoria, Child abuse, Deadnaming, and Violence

Minor: Abandonment, Drug use, Cultural appropriation, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Bullying, Classism, Deportation, Homophobia, Animal cruelty, Self harm, and Torture

astralfeline's review

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I tried starting this book multiple times throughout the past couple yrs and for some reason was never hooked in the first couple chapters. But I was determined to make it happen this time since I'd heard so many good things about this book and I have to say I wish I'd read it earlier 😭 This is the sweetest story. I love the lgbt (especially trans) rep in this story. I love the characters and how they feel like real people with their own motivations and interests. I loved the added details about Día de Muertos while also adding in the extra magical elements making it a bit more fantasy feeling.  The character interactions and relationships amongst each other are so well done. And I think the plot and overall storyline is just perfect. It didn't feel like it dragged at any point, but it wasn't too short either. I loved listening to the audiobook and reading along at the same time so I could see the spelling of any Spanish words or phrases and easily translate them if needed. Also

the chemistry and interactions between Julian and Yadriel definitely had me giggling and kicking my feet, it was just so cute. I'm so glad this book had a happy ending because towards the end it definitely had me in tears

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Death, and Blood

Minor: Death of parent, Transphobia, and Dysphoria