Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

 When I say this book is everything I don't say that lightly. 

It is a spooky mystery. 

It is about being able to be yourself fully and truly. 

It is a YA book with a trans main character written by a transgender author. 

It is a book with a gay main character. 

It is a family drama. 

It is physically a beautiful book, peek under the dust jacket. 

It is a story with a lot of heart. 

It is a story that isn't about white kids. 

But all of that is wouldn't matter if the story sucked. And it doesn't. THIS WAS AN AMAZING STORY!! I loved every moment of it even when it made me cry. 

Set in LA Yads is is a teen who lost his mother not too long ago and lives with his dad and Lita. Their home is in a cemetery where his father is the leader of the brujx. The story timing centers around the days leading up to Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) and the return of the loved ones who get to come back for a couple of days. Yadriel is looking forward to seeing his mother, the only person who he felt truly saw him, well aside from his BFF and cousin Maritza. His father seems to be trying but still sometimes misgenders him. His Lita tells him he will "always be her little girl." And Yads just wants to be himself and he knows he is a brujo. 

Maritiza knows it too. And tries to help him. And in doing it the mystery takes hold...their cousin has gone missing right after they all felt him die..but no body can be found...and then there is Julian...

And that is all I can say...I want you to experience this story in real time. 

I hope Aiden writes more!

(Finished September 24, 2020)

PS This would have been a single day read if I had been able to read uninterrupted but work and parenting and trying to work on starting (restarting) my Pampered Chef business kept me from it. I LOVED THIS BOOK!!