Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Summary from Goodreads

A trans boy determined to prove his gender to his traditional Latinx family summons a ghost who refuses to leave in Aiden Thomas's paranormal YA debut Cemetery Boys, described by Entertainment Weekly as "groundbreaking."

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.

Review:

So, this was a new take on paranormal romance! I’m a huge fan of ghost stories, and this one does not disappoint. Part YA love story, part Exorcist horror story, Part family drama about growing up and acceptance, this story had a little bit of everything a good book needs. Also, throw in some really cool details about Dia de los Muertos, magic, LGBT heroism, and a murder mystery, and well, this book had my number.

Also, this would make a fantastic CW show….The new Vampire Diaries…I would watch the hell out of this show. Even the L.A. setting and the clear racism and divides in multiple places (including the police department), make for an almost Netpune/Veronica Mars atmosphere. Half of it takes place in the cemetery and I know Joss Whedon is a sensitive subject right now, but this has classic Buffy feels too.

Anyway, tv shows aside, this was a fantastic read. I wanted to know what happened to the dead teenagers right off the bat. But more than that, I loved Yadriel. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book from the point of view of a trans character before. And while a part of me knew there must be so many struggles, I really never thought about how many. Wow. And to add all the cultural struggles and then magical ones too. Yadriel made this book what it was, and I’m so glad I got to read this because of him.

And then there’s the sweetest love story. It reminded me of Meg Cabot’s old ghost YA books from the early 2000’s, but way more progressive and just so much more sweet. The flirtation and acceptance between these characters is just everything. I haven’t shipped two paranormal characters like this in a super long time.

My only wish is that I read this one on a dark and stormy night…. All in all, I read it super quickly, and I know a lot of teens will too. It had a little bit of everything. I give it a 10/10.