"Cemetery Boys" by Aiden Thomas

Have you ever read a book that caught your attention right away? Have you ever read a book where you're instantly transported into the world of the story, where the characters seem like they could just leap out of the page at any moment? Have you ever read a book where you're reading the equivalent of lightning captured in a bottle, something that only happens under the right circumstances and will probably never happen the same way again? Have you ever read a narrative equal of meeting your soulmate...?

I'm just going to say this right out of the gate: I loved this book. I don't think I've ever fallen in love with a book as fast or as intensely as I have for Cemetery Boys in a long time. There was no way that I wasn't going to fall in love with it in hindsight: the concept, the characters, the story, the energy inside it that pulls you along for the ride, the amount of details that Aiden seemingly crafted out of thin air to make their story come to life. It was a match made in literary heaven. I still can't believe how alive this book felt when I held it in my hands and read its contents. It makes me want to climb on my roof and shout as loud as I can how good this novel was before I explode from the pressure of needing to talk about this story in complete detail to anyone who will listen to me...

However, I'll try to rein it in and give as much of a spoiler-laden/spoiler-free review as I can, which is why we're here in the first place. Strap in, because there's a lot to cover without uncovering major spoilers!

What's the book about?

Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can't get rid of him. When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his true gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free. However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school's resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He's determined to find out what happened and tie off some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.

(Summary from Goodreads)

When did I read this?

September 12 — 24

Positives:

(but really, what isn't a positive in this masterpiece?)

+ The camaraderie between Yadriel, Maritza, and Julian.

+ Julian and Maritza's sass.

+ Julian's unquestionable acceptance of LGBTQ+ identities.

+ Yadriel's kind heart and determination to do the right thing no matter what.

+ The fact that Aiden's a freaking word-magician.

+ The artful weaving of details that don't seem like they aren't going to be important later, but sike! They are!

+ The details in this story are so vibrant.

+ No. Detail. Is. Wasted.

+ Every moment and every detail of Julian's last day was just perfect! ❤️

+ The climax (including one scene towards the middle of the novel) had me on the edge of my seat.

+ Reading this story actually made me think about what was going to happen next and how things were going to turn out.

+ The chemistry and tension between Yadriel and Julian. ❤️

+ I somehow didn't see this relationship coming, but I was there for it!

+ I felt like the characters were real people and I was standing with them in the kitchen, in the graveyard, in their bedroom, etc.

+ I wanted to get to really know these characters.

+ I loved the casual naturalness of the characters' conversations with each other, especially with (you guessed it) Yadriel, Maritza, and Julian.

Negatives:

- During the climax, we find out who's behind all these shenanigans, and they suddenly spout what I like to call "super villain dialogue." From 0 to 100, this person goes from having natural dialogue to spouting out phrases and sentences like:

"I will take what is mine,"
"It's the only way,"
"You can't stop me,"
"You leave me no other choice,"
"It's too late,"
"Don't make me hurt you," and
General evil plan exposition.

I won't say that this turned me off from finishing the story, and I realize that there really wasn't any other way to explain this person's reasons for why they did the things they did without it feeling even more cliched or out of place in the narrative, but it did slow things down to a crawl and took some of the impact out of the climax.

- The book hangover I got after finishing this was like a post-break-up from a serious relationship.

- That I can't rate this book anything above 5 stars. :(

- The fact that I don't have this book in my hands right now WHY HAVEN'T I BOUGHT A PHYSICAL COPY YET I NEED IT IN MY POSSESSION MY SOUL IS SCREAMING AND MY LIFE IS PAIN :(((

Reality Check:

Kids/teens on the streets, missing persons, brief discussion of cultural appropriation

Content Warning:

Dead naming (though the dead name itself isn't mentioned), mentions of transphobia, bullying, and harassment, a brief mention of familial abuse

Is it a truly litassociative experience?

What more can I say about this book that I haven't already said? It was like Aiden grabbed me by my shoulders and pulled me into their world of Latinx brujx and magic and the power that love and friendship provides. It's the most intoxicating reading experience I've ever had. The characters, the setting, the details, the story, the relationships between the characters, the unabashed queerness and Latinx pride that radiates from the page, the visible love and care that went into writing and publishing this masterpiece of storytelling easily make this in my top 5 books of all time list, if not making it the best book I've ever read. There are no combinations out of the infinite possibilities for words in any language on Earth that can convey my love and adoration for the story that Aiden has told us. Please go get a copy for yourself and celebrate its infectious energy and pride. It will not disappoint, I can promise you that.

I also have to give special attention to Mars Lauderbaugh, the front cover designer for Cemetery Boys, because they somehow managed to convey every important element into the first thing readers will see. Just look at this cover. The cover is gorgeous. I mean, really look at it. It's fantastic. The colors and the imagery are so vibrant and distinct. Every time I look at it, it leaves me speechless. I want to hang a poster of it over my bed so I can look at it every night before I go to sleep. It's what made me interested in reading Cemetery Boys in the first place, so thank you, Mars, for convincing me that this story was one worth reading.