Wow this book was everything. As someone who is also a punk, the authors not at the beginning about loving to listen to MCR one second and blast the newest musical straight off of Broadway the next really spoke to me and told me I was in good hands. And boy was I.
I love the chapter titles all being based off of iconic punk/rock/metal songs. I love the whole book being based off of one of the most iconic songs of all times just with the gay twist we were all wanting. This is one of those books that is going to be with me for a long time.

The perfect read for fans of Simon Vs the homosapiens agenda and Autoboyography. I had so much fun reading this book! Will definitely make it a staple in my queer recommendations

Wesley “Big Mac” Mackenzie is close to failing his senior year of high school, preferring skateboarding, spending time with his friends, and taking pictures on his phone. Dragged to the Nutcracker, Wes couldn’t be less interested until he sees Tristan Monroe’s hypnotizing performance as the titular character. Closeted Wes believes he shouldn’t like out-and-proud Tristan, but he can’t get Tristan out of his head. As they spend time together, Wes begins to think he could change his life for the better. He just needs to start standing up for and believing in himself.

This was a great YA debut full of emotions and growth. The serious topics addressed in the novel were well-handled. I adored the relationship Wes had with his mother. I can’t wait to see what else this author writes in the future – fingers crossed there might be a sequel about Brad in coming!

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an audio ARC of this book.

Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada is a good fit for those seeking a heartwarming and relatable story about self-discovery, friendship, and the courage to embrace one's true identity.

This was such a heartfelt story. It was impossible not to get wrapped up in Wes' struggle to be himself and find his place. He was so angry (for good reason) and misunderstood and even though he tried to hide it he felt so much. It reminded me of the ways I was misunderstood as a teen, the way my friends were misunderstood. It was hard to listen to, hard to witness so much pain and embarassment and fear and tentative hope. I found myself wincing at times as I listened, cringing from the secondhand embarassment, and then crying by the end. It was beautiful.

The audiobook was performed brilliantly and the narrator really embodied the characters and brought them to life. He has a very nice voice and listening made it even easier to get wrapped up in the story. I generally listen to audiobooks while doing chores and making art and I did, but as the story progressed I found myself devoting more and more of my full attention to it until I was only listening.

*Thanks to NetGalley and RB Media for providing an early copy of the audiobook for review.

This is the perfect coming of age book for anyone with a passion for photography, dance, skateboarding, music, and so much more. The passions of the characters explored in this book really makes it easy to connect with these characters making their experiences and the journeys they take through out the book so much more powerful.

A feel good coming of age story that I’ve sorely been missing from my reading endeavors lately. The characters were fully flushed out and Mackenzie made for a compelling morally grey character that was easy to fall in love with 😍

I was kind of debating between 4 and 5 stars for my rating of Skater Boy, but the night I finished it I was laying in bed crying over it, so that cemented it- 5* for me. Add in the narration by my favorite YA narrator Michael Crouch, and really, it was a no brainer.

This was such an intense read and I loved it so much. I just wanted to protect Wes from everything. Phew. He had so much internal rage, with a big ol' chip on his shoulder. But there was so much more to him than he let people see. I loved his coming of age journey, even while it broke my heart at times.


Michael Crouch was the perfect choice to narrate Wes's story. His vulnerability really shone through in this performance.

Wes is a senior in high school and he is trying to figure out his future and his sexuality all at once. To top it off his best friends and having issues and his mom is in a serious relationship and wants to get married. Its a lot. I enjoyed this audiobook (until it stopped working and I couldn't finish it). The narrator is good, a perfect fit for this book.

4.5 ⭐

such a fun and quick read!! I loved the vibes of the book, I really liked the characters.

This book 100% needs more hype! There's so many layers to this story. Our main character Wesley "big mac" goes through so much growth through the book.

10/10 such a great LGBTQIA+ read!

I'm super impressed! I love "discovering" a new author, and not only is Anthony Nerada new to me, it looks like Skater Boy is their debut novel so they're new to us all!

Wonderfully complex characters fill the pages, and the non-stop action kept me on the edge of my seat. An absolutely enthralling novel, I hope this is the first of many from Anthony Nerada.

I enjoyed the audio version of Skater Boy which is beautifully performed by Michael Crouch.

Absolutely fantastic read. Loved Skater Boy's authenticity - from Wesley “Big Mac” Mackenzie's struggle to share his feelings with his friends and family to his aggressive way of processing his anger. Wes is such a rich character with a level of depth that makes you root for him, even in when he makes the worst decisions.

Tristan's character, while less of a focus, is a great contrast for Wes, both in terms of his own comfort with his self-worth/identity and his privilege. The author doesn't shy away from acknowledging the differences in privilege because while Tristan has wealth, he is also a Black man in America, which comes with its own challenges.

This book had me completely hooked all of the way through, and crying at parts, while I rode the emotional roller coaster of Wes revealing his feelings and identity to his chosen (and growing) community.

♡ Opposites Attract
♡ Emo/Punk Music References
♡ Punk x Ballerina (gay edition)

I absolutely loved this book. The details and development of the characters was done so beautifully. Wes really figuring out who he is and his character development was just amazing.

This has to be one of the best coming of age books I’ve ever read. The past trauma, the anxiety, the fear of coming out, and the wellbeing of those closest to him were all seriously written so well.

Wes and Tristan were total opposites, I mean one was a skater boy and the other did ballet after all. Their dynamic was really lovely, Wes falling instantly for Tristan and totally being an awkward mess when he met him was hilarious.

Wes and his friends gave off“boys will be boys” at first glance, trouble makers, and bad grades to show for it but in the end they really proved that saying wrong.

Also I absolutely loved all the Golden Girls references they were so cute.

A big thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this wonderful audiobook, I’m so grateful.

Spice Level: n/a
POV: First Person
Release Date: 06, February 2024
Rep: Gay (Main Character), Black Gay (Love Interest), Non-Binary (Side Character), LGBTQIA+ Characters, BIPOC (Characters), Anxiety Disorder, Domestic Abuse Survivors (Main Character and His Mom)

⚠️ Content Warnings:
Graphic: Mental illness, Bullying, Drug use, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Violence, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Domestic abuse (past), Addiction, Racism, Car accident (past), Child abuse (past), and Homophobia

Skater Boy is a great story of character growth. Wes is full of anger and a bully on the outside, and a teen full of fears and traumas on the inside.
We follow Wes, an angry gay hero, with a bad attitude and a huge chip on his shoulder, as he experiences a true turning point in his young life, after his future gets put into question by a school counsellor and he’s forced to start thinking about his behaviour and treatment of others, and what he actually wants to do with his life.

I loved the character development in this book. Wes grows so much throughout the story, and his journey felt authentic and emotional. The romance, family dynamics, and future plans all come together beautifully. Definitely worth a read! This book shows that being true to yourself doesn't mean hurting others, and redemption is always possible.

Skater Boy is a love letter to high school friendship, first love, and self-discovery. Wes has a handle on his life - he has the same best friends since he was a kid, he gets into fights and messes around at school, and he is a skater. But when Wes watches a beautiful young man doing ballet, and slowly becomes closer to him, Wes starts to feel the strain of keeping secrets from his friends, fearing for his future (or lack there of), and longing to explore other passions. Readers will fall for Wes and his cohorts as they go through high school figuring it out as they go.

With all the heart and struggle of being a teenager, Skater Boy delves into the complications that come from repressing trauma and show how they affect people in many different ways. Wes may not always make the right call and is often impulsive, but he is ultimately kindhearted and open to change. He has been dealing with his childhood trauma as well as he knows how. And this story doesn’t shy away from the fact that he needs additional help and resources to move forward, as well as the willingness to really help himself. I appreciate how much Wes grows throughout the course of this story, but I also respected that he wasn’t “fixed” by the end of the book. He has grown in his relationships and found that he doesn’t have to be one type of person. He can be everything at once - punk, queer, troubled, smart but not good at school, artistic, a good friend and a good boyfriend.

This book is great for anyone who loves a good YA character study with a hearty dose of love story and quirky friendships.

10/10 recommend! Beautiful book! I couldn’t stop listening to it! The ending left me with a warm heart and the last line *fangirl*.
This was such a beautiful and the narrator for the audiobook was perfect! You could feel all the emotions and honestly I couldn’t stop listening to it so it felt like leaving my friends/family when it ended.

This is a delightful YA novel with a tried-and-true meetcute between a skater boy and a creative artist. I loved the simplicity of the story and the way to romance developed. The narrator is great as well, and brings an extra spark and vivaciousness to the story!

BOOK REVIEW - SKATER BOY by Anthony Nerada

⭐⭐⭐✨ - rounded down.

Thank you, NetGalley, RB Media and Anthony Nerada, for providing me with a copy of Skater Boy for review.

I found this to be a morally challenging story. I was very close to DNF'ing this book on several occasions. I was not engaged with Wes and felt uncomfortable trying to engage with the punk/bully main character.

The story gets to where it needs to - there is a plot, a love interest, and stuff is going on that is perfectly fine. The issue at the end of the day is whether you want to spend time with Wes. I don't think he deserved many of the chances that numerous characters give him in this story, but I might just be bitter and jaded.

I think this story chooses the misunderstood punk trope from the perspective of the punk whilst failing to give that character much insight into how others are human with their own misunderstandings, too. Like wanting to justify previous poor behaviour whilst not caring about other people or that they might actually have been having just as shitty a time. it was just frustrating.

*An audio ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

If you're not already singing the Avril Lavigne song, this is not the book for you (just kidding, just kidding).

However, if you are already singing the song, you will love the blatant references and homage to 2000s pop punk and grunge culture. This is a wonderfully routine YA contemporary about all the usual bits- identity, family, friends, and hating your small town. I listened to the audiobook- narrated by the YA legend Michael Crouch- in under 2 days between work assignments and loved every minute of it.

The perfect contemporary for YA devotees who never got over pop punk.