Thank you to Toppling Stacks Tours for an ARC of this novel. I loved Cemetery Boys when it came out so I was thrilled to learn that there would be a sequel. Espiritu picks up a couple of months after the events of Cemetery Boys, Julian has recovered from his near-death experience from book 1 but he continues to see ghosts and is now having scary visions all made worse by the fact that he can't tell his closest friends what he is going through as Yadriel's Brujx community needs to be kept private. I loved the found family aspect; especially how close Julian and his group of friends are and how Julian and his brother Rio provide them with a home. I loved the way grief was portrayed and how the book acknowledged that time doesn't always make it easier. I will say that this one did not hit the same as Cemetery Boys but I feel like that is a less of a book issue and more of a me issue as I am almost 30 and YA just doesn't hit the same.
Title: Espíritu (Cemetery Boys #2) by Aiden Thomas
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publishing Date: September 8, 2026
Synopsis:
Julian used to be a ghost and now he can’t stop seeing them. Ever since being sacrificed as part of a forbidden ritual, Julian has been able to see and communicate with the spirits of passed brujx. And that would be okay, if it allowed him to be part of his new boyfriend's community. But Julian’s also seeing other things: shadows in the corner of his eyes, glowing eyes in the dark, and “dark spots” on people – gaping, black gashes that are somehow wrong. He did ask his new magical boyfriend about it, but Yadriel has never heard of anything like it either, and he’s so busy with his new Brujx responsibilities, trying to figure out where all the new malingos are coming from, that Julian hates for his problems to ruin what little time together they have.
Then, a strange new brujx shows up. Ángel, as a nonbinary brujx, can heal the living and release the dead, but more than that, they can also see the same dark spots as Julian. Despite Yadriel’s reservations, Julian eagerly accepts their help. But, Ángel’s ruthless methods feel wrong to Julian, who wants to move away from hurting others. With the shadows growing darker, and the discovery of a gaping dark spot on his friend Luca, Julian has to decide who he wants to put his trust in, and just how far he’s willing to go to save what is his.
Book Links:
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/219147513-esp-ritu
Amazon:
Barnes & Noble:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cemetery-boys-aiden-thomas/1146474040
IndieBound:
https://bookshop.org/p/books/cemetery-boys-esp-ritu-aiden-thomas/c816143b17c0d284
About the Author:
Aiden Thomas is a New York Times bestselling author celebrated for writing heartfelt, genre-blending young adult fantasy that centers queer and Latinx characters. Their debut novel, Cemetery Boys, became a New York Times bestseller, was a finalist for the Lodestar Award, and was longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature. They have since authored multiple bestsellers, including Lost in the Never Woods, The Sunbearer Trials, and its sequel Celestial Monsters. Aiden is a passionate advocate for trans and Latinx representation in literature, and has taught with organizations such as Tin House and Lambda Literary. Their work is widely praised for its joyful defiance, immersive worldbuilding, and celebration of chosen family. Aiden holds an MFA in Creative Writing and lives in Portland, Oregon. Pronouns: he/him and they/them
Author Links:
Website:
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/aidenschmaiden/
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17960047.Aiden_Thomas
Tour Schedule:
https://topplingstackstours.com/2026/08/18/tour-schedule-espiritu-cemetery-boys-2-by-aiden-
thomas/
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