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lunarlibra's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I absolutely fell in love with the characters, there were multiple times i had to put the book down and run around my living room before coming back to it.
I felt so seen in Yadriel's anxious tendencies, but the bigger surprise for me was recognizing the struggles i had as a teenager with ADHD reflected in Julian. Full of energy and quick to anger, just like I was at that age!
The trans representation meant a lot to me. There are details of some struggles but also a lot of love and support! And reading about the ups and downs Yadriel has with his Latinx family felt like coming home.
It took me a few chapters to get sucked in, but once I did I couldn't put it down!
I felt so seen in Yadriel's anxious tendencies, but the bigger surprise for me was recognizing the struggles i had as a teenager with ADHD reflected in Julian. Full of energy and quick to anger, just like I was at that age!
The trans representation meant a lot to me. There are details of some struggles but also a lot of love and support! And reading about the ups and downs Yadriel has with his Latinx family felt like coming home.
It took me a few chapters to get sucked in, but once I did I couldn't put it down!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Minor: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Vomit, Transphobia, Medical content, Gore, Deadnaming, and Blood
samusc's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow, this book has so much heart!
Paranormal romance usually isn’t a subgenre I pick up, but the life that Aiden Thomas has given these characters had me crying over them so much.
The dialogue is written in such a way that I could read banter between Julian and Yadriel all day. I love how supportive they are of each other.
Yadriel is such an authentic protagonist, and is fully fleshed out among his identities as a Latinx trans boy. As time passes during the story, taking place over the days leading up to Dia de Muertos, the reader feels the anticipation and conflicting emotions Yadriel has over this upcoming deadline, to help Julian pass on peacefully and prove that he is a brujo.
The supporting characters are so memorable. Maritza is the best cousin anyone could ask for! The bonds between Julian and his friends (Omar, Luca, Flaca, and Rocky) are relatable for any Queer found family.
The breadcrumbs towards solving the mystery are laid out in a satisfying way that perhaps might not be solved right away by the intended audience (teenage/YA).
Of course the setting sets this book up to be the perfect read in October, though I look forward to rereading it at any time. If you don’t have funds to purchase more than a few books a year (and rely heavily on a library), this is the book to buy!
This book, and Aiden Thomas, absolutely deserved being on the NY Times Bestsellers list, and I can’t wait to see more works by openly trans authors up there.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming and Transphobia
Moderate: Child death, Death, Blood, and Body horror
kkpwnall's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Grief, and Transphobia
Moderate: Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, and Body shaming
cloudprince's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Body horror, Grief, and Transphobia
Moderate: Deadnaming, Homophobia, and Xenophobia
reading_between_the_trees's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Incredible book. Incredible story. Incredible characters. So many tears, both happy and sad. It was a privilege to learn about such a rich part of Latinx culture, and the issues of tran erasure brought up were so poignant and important to address. I'm so happy I own my copy of this because I am going to now be recommending it to everyone I talk to and probably rereading it in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, and Transphobia
It was a little bit spooky, but overall manageable for someone who doesn't do spooky things.
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