Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

106 reviews

noxsie's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious sad 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

3.75

This was a decent YA fantasy romance. I guessed the twist relatively early into the book but that didn't necessarily ruin the rest of the book for me.
The romance between Yadriel and Julian is sweet if a little fast paced considering they're ready to die for each other after knowing each other for only days. 
But the character development was well managed and it was great to see Yandriel finally excepted by his whole family at the very end. 

Overall, it was a good book. Not something I'd likely reach for again, but enjoyable while I was reading it. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Transphobia and Blood

Minor: Animal death, Deadnaming, and Death of parent

naoml's review

adventurous emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

4.25

"Growth isn't a deviation from what we've done before, but a natural progression to honor all those who make this community strong"

I thought this was very well done. The representation of queerness and transness was not overworked, but beautifully woven into the story, which stands on it's own very well. I thought the world building and family dynamics were really well crafted. Not 5 starts because it felt a tad rushed in a few places

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Deadnaming and Blood

Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Homophobia, Death of parent, and Deportation

dmrains's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious 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? No

5.0

I loved every second of reading this book! I was excited that I called *part* of the ending, but was still struck by the twist! Excellent use of foreshadowing. Incredibly realistic characters and development of stakes & tension, ESPECIALLY for a debut novel!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Death, Transphobia, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Deportation

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Homophobia, Car accident, and Alcohol

Brief mention/discussion of gang activity, dismissal of "Street kids"

sephiefoxx'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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Transphobia, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Deadnaming, Violence, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal death and Child abuse

takarakeireads's review

adventurous 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

4.5

A great mix of latinx culture, mystery and a lil queer romance. Just amazing characters that were fun to read! Julian and Maritza especially are iconic! I really enjoyed reading about Yadriel's family and was pleasantly surprised by how intricate the storytelling and plot pacing was. Honestly this would make a fantastic screen adaptation!!!

Really appreciate the positive representation of Maritza as a vegan character!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Transphobia, and Blood

Moderate: Deadnaming and Death of parent

Minor: Animal death

animal blood is used for some rituals

chrisb913's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious 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

This book had me hooked beginning, middle, and end. Aiden Thomas did a remarkable job with the characters, plot, world building and every aspect of this story. I look forward to reading the sequel and everything else Thomas writes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Transphobia, and Blood

Moderate: Deadnaming, Violence, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, and Car accident

erikagibson126's review

adventurous funny hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Drug use, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Medical content, Kidnapping, Outing, Abandonment, and Deportation

nikoops's review

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious 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? No

5.0

Cemetery Boys is a mystery wrapped in a coming-of-age story. Yadriel knows who he is, but it is a bit harder to get his community and family to acknowledge these truths. It’s ever harder to focus on that when there’s the mystery of the ghost boy and other missing people. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

hagwife's review

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring tense 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

4.75

Cemetery Boys undeniably centers on Latinx and LGBTQ+ voices and amplifies those voices in a beautifully intense and wickedly fun supernatural mystery. This book contains such warmth, such love for the people and lives it represents; Thomas masterfully navigates all of the joys, sorrows, and tensions that come with family, culture, and personal identity.
 
I actually don't want to say any more about it because I just want people to read it, to meet Yads, Jules, and Itza and share in their stories. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Grief

Moderate: Bullying, Deadnaming, Transphobia, Outing, and Dysphoria

Minor: Animal death and Deportation

bree_h_reads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

2.75

I really wanted to like this book. And I had enjoyed it for the most part until the very end, which is why I think this feels so disappointing.

I thought the book had a pretty strong intro. It established the world effectively and did so in a way non-Latin readers could understand. I had a quick grasp on relationships and dynamics. I think the book ended up being a bit heavy handed in foreshadowing with this establishment of the world, but I still appreciated it and that there was foreshadowing.

I also really liked the complexity in the family dynamics. It didn’t feel like Yadriel’s family was villainised for not fully understanding him. It was upsetting, you understood Yadriel’s pain, and (at least with his father) you felt like he was TRYING. And when Yadriel revealed he had become a brujo how PROUD he was of Yadriel. It felt realistic and I appreciated that aspect. This also leant well to the story being told of Yadriel’s struggle as a trans teen, which was compelling and provided such great insight into what trans teens go through in trying to find comfort in their own body.

The biggest issue I had with the book was the romance. I had such a hard time buying into it, especially considering how short of a time the book takes place over. When it did fully turn to romance it felt sudden and like the story hadn’t properly built to it. I felt the book would have been better if it had been about forming a friendship instead of a romance. Especially considering how isolated Yadriel felt as the only noted “friends” outside his family were his cousin’s friends. This was only emphasised when in the ending there was a dramatic declaration that the Julian had feelings for Yadriel and all I could think of was the Sassy Gay Friend video for Romeo and Juliet. I had a couple other issues with the end, but they’re spoilers so I’ll refrain from sharing them.

Overall a book with a strong start that fumbled the ending.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Transphobia, Blood, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Child death, Racism, Violence, Murder, Dysphoria, and Classism

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Medical content, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Cultural appropriation, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation