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zydecovivo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Transphobia, Kidnapping, and Death
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Death of parent, Bullying, Violence, Outing, Deportation, Dysphoria, and Deadnaming
Minor: Animal cruelty
withlivjones's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
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? No
4.0
I loved the celebration of Latin American culture in this book, and I learned a lot. Yadriel is a great protagonist who is very easy to root for, and the romance between him and Julian was very sweet. I was expecting Julian to be a little more brooding and standoffish since he’s immediately described as a “bad boy”, but I ended up quite enjoying his golden retriever boy personality. I also felt like the ending was a little rushed in terms of pace, considering the first half of the book was pretty slow-paced. I also thought that the ending was a little too tidy and happy? Idk, Yadriel being able to bring everyone back like nothing had happened and surviving doesn’t sit quite right with me. Overall, though, I really enjoyed this!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Transphobia
Moderate: Death of parent and Violence
Minor: Deportation
arkwen452's review against another edition
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Death, Transphobia, Deadnaming, and Grief
Minor: Death of parent
kamiqr12's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Minor: Child abuse, Death of parent, Deadnaming, and Transphobia
frawst_disasta_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
A lot of this book worked for me. The struggles with being accepted by your family, especially as a transgendered teen, are very apparent and touched on a lot. There is hope and love.
The two things that didn’t work for me: a whiplash into Julian’s POV for a short time (I truly wish we got more of Julian or not those few pages) and how quickly these two fell for each other, especially given one is dead.
The two things that didn’t work for me: a whiplash into Julian’s POV for a short time (I truly wish we got more of Julian or not those few pages) and how quickly these two fell for each other, especially given one is dead.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia and Death
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Deadnaming
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Blood, Bullying, Death, Transphobia, Deadnaming, Murder, Grief, and Dysphoria
Minor: Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Bullying, and Outing
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
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
brittknee52'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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Deadnaming, Death, Transphobia, Violence, and Death of parent
ems_book_shelf's review
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Deadnaming, Death, Child death, Death of parent, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Classism, Deportation, and Grief
bbelitz's review against another edition
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
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