I've been meaning to read this book for a while, as I've heard such good things about it! And it's a likeable read. I particularly enjoyed all the cultural elements - I know very little about Latinx culture, and everything around the Día de Muertos here was fascinating. Part of that, I think was the gorgeous imagery: everything to do with marigolds, especially (one of my favourite flowers!). Cemetery Boys is filled with really beautiful images, and I think that was my favourite part about it.

I was less convinced by the romance. This has nothing to do with the protagonist, Yadriel, who I found both sympathetic and convincing. I just couldn't get into Julian... people who are this frenetic in real life exhaust and irritate me, and apparently it's no different in fiction. He's very clearly a decent person, but still: exhausting. I understand that there's a sequel to this, which I will certainly read, and maybe now that the two boys are together they can chill the fuck out a little. Unless there's another supernatural jaguar emerging from a sacrificial pool, because that deserves every bit of screaming that it gets.