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recycled_personalities's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
Genuinely such a good read. It was really comforting queer representation and that definitely made me happy. It’s a LITTLE slow at the very beginning but please don’t make the mistake of giving up on it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Gore, Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Car accident, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Cursing, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Homophobia, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Grief, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Outing, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Transphobia, Violence, and Xenophobia
thevieira's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, and Transphobia
Moderate: Death of parent, Homophobia, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Racism, Deadnaming, Child abuse, and Animal death
suirean'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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: Deadnaming and Homophobia
criticalgayze's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I tried this one on audio several times last year and couldn't get past the first few chapters, so I was apprehensive when my grad school literature group picked this as one of our class reading selections. I am very thankful that I was forced into reading the whole thing in print because I wound up really enjoying the book, and it was the first book to make me cry this year.
I most appreciated the way that Aiden Thomas gets to live in so much of their truth and culture with their writing. There is such a clear awareness here of what it is like to inhabit a transgender body and to navigate a Latinx community, and I found there to be an incredible care and attention to detail here that you cannot get when people are not allowed to be the ones to tell their own stories. Thomas also does a lot to incorporate so many perspectives through pan-Latinx inclusion and a wonderful feminist lens. Yadriel and Julian were very cute together, their families (found and otherwise) were wonderfully crafted and loved in the writing, and the whirlwind amateur sleuth storyline was really enjoyable.
I do think the sleuthing does not get quite enough time, and the reader is kinda rushed along at the end to wrap things up. The emotional climax suffered as a result, and I don't think the reader got to live in that final tension as effectively as it could have been handled. I also don't know if approaching this through a lens of literary evaluation for class study made me notice the twist about halfway through the book or if it wasn't supposed to be difficult to spot.
Quotes:
They wouldn't even let him try. It was easier to hide behind their traditions than to challenge their own beliefs and understanding of how things in the world of the brujx worked. (Page 24)
Yadriel knew better than to decline an offer of food from a Latinx mom more than once. Carefully, he took a bite, shifting it to his cheek to avoid the cut. (Page 117)
Yadriel didn't think that was possible. He didn't see how anyone could get a clean break from Julien once they entered his orbit. (Page 157)
"Growth isn't a deviation from what we've done before, but a natural progression to honor all those who make this community strong." (Page 339)
I most appreciated the way that Aiden Thomas gets to live in so much of their truth and culture with their writing. There is such a clear awareness here of what it is like to inhabit a transgender body and to navigate a Latinx community, and I found there to be an incredible care and attention to detail here that you cannot get when people are not allowed to be the ones to tell their own stories. Thomas also does a lot to incorporate so many perspectives through pan-Latinx inclusion and a wonderful feminist lens. Yadriel and Julian were very cute together, their families (found and otherwise) were wonderfully crafted and loved in the writing, and the whirlwind amateur sleuth storyline was really enjoyable.
I do think the sleuthing does not get quite enough time, and the reader is kinda rushed along at the end to wrap things up. The emotional climax suffered as a result, and I don't think the reader got to live in that final tension as effectively as it could have been handled. I also don't know if approaching this through a lens of literary evaluation for class study made me notice the twist about halfway through the book or if it wasn't supposed to be difficult to spot.
Quotes:
They wouldn't even let him try. It was easier to hide behind their traditions than to challenge their own beliefs and understanding of how things in the world of the brujx worked. (Page 24)
Yadriel knew better than to decline an offer of food from a Latinx mom more than once. Carefully, he took a bite, shifting it to his cheek to avoid the cut. (Page 117)
Yadriel didn't think that was possible. He didn't see how anyone could get a clean break from Julien once they entered his orbit. (Page 157)
"Growth isn't a deviation from what we've done before, but a natural progression to honor all those who make this community strong." (Page 339)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia and Blood
Moderate: Deadnaming, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Confinement, Racism, and Xenophobia
Minor: Homophobia
thecurlybookworm's review against another edition
emotional
informative
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Transphobia and Homophobia
Minor: Deadnaming
princess424's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
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? N/A
5.0
I LOVE this book!!! It has an amazing representation and is different from other LGBTQA books I have read. The relationships in this book were though out and realistic and grew to become more understanding and loving. I absolutely loved the characters personalities and the setting. Aiden brought these characters and places alive through his words and descriptions and the ending was heartbreaking but also fulfilling. I can’t wait to read more of Aiden’s work and see what he does with this world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Death
Moderate: Homophobia, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Murder
masterrainb0w's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia and Blood
Moderate: Homophobia and Violence
reaja's review against another edition
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Transphobia
Minor: Homophobia
theespressoedition's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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
4.0
What an absolutely incredible story. Major props again to Aiden Thomas for creating something that just completely captivated me and made it so hard to focus on anything else aside from the book! It was almost the same level of obsession I had while reading Lost in the Never Woods, which made me so happy. I had high hopes after enjoying that one so much and Cemetery Boys did not disappoint.
Y'all, this book is a major tearjerker. Like, expect to find yourself welling up at least once every few chapters. It made my heart hurt so much for those who are currently struggling with acceptance of their identity. But there was something so freeing in this book. The way that Julian and Yadriel related with one another was absolutely beautiful! And the diversity throughout the entire journey was really wonderfully done. Yes, there were challenges, but there was also so much acceptance, love, and changed hearts along the way.
One of the things that was so cool to me about this story was actually the magic in it. It was unlike anything I had read about before and it was totally fascinating! I loved learning more about the brujx and all the different abilities.
As I hoped (like with all my heart) there was a fantastic twist - and I didn't see it coming. Yet again, Aiden has surprised me with storytelling that took me on a totally wild ride. I loved every second of it and can't wait to continue reading more of their writing in the future!
Y'all, this book is a major tearjerker. Like, expect to find yourself welling up at least once every few chapters. It made my heart hurt so much for those who are currently struggling with acceptance of their identity. But there was something so freeing in this book. The way that Julian and Yadriel related with one another was absolutely beautiful! And the diversity throughout the entire journey was really wonderfully done. Yes, there were challenges, but there was also so much acceptance, love, and changed hearts along the way.
One of the things that was so cool to me about this story was actually the magic in it. It was unlike anything I had read about before and it was totally fascinating! I loved learning more about the brujx and all the different abilities.
As I hoped (like with all my heart) there was a fantastic twist - and I didn't see it coming. Yet again, Aiden has surprised me with storytelling that took me on a totally wild ride. I loved every second of it and can't wait to continue reading more of their writing in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Murder, Transphobia, Blood, Death of parent, Grief, and Homophobia
Moderate: Cursing and Torture
vicariouslyy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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? N/A
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Blood, Homophobia, Transphobia, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Death of parent