The MC of this was, on the surface, a standard teen troublemaker - and I so admired the way that Nerada made him sympathetic. You wanted to shout at Wes for all sorts of things or at least drag him to therapy, but you were still rooting for him. I also really enjoyed the way it showed this generation of teens' worries about coming out, even when they have supportive families. It felt really real.

The audio: I think the narrator really got the character down. The only thing I'd say is that sometimes I wasn't clear on which were the character's thoughts and what he actually said out loud.

A voice-driven coming of age story where a punk boy finds his way to coming out, first love and all its joy and messiness, and a path toward the future without acting like everything will be perfect. Fantastic narration that perfectly captured the voice of the writing. Thank you for the chance to listen early.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book.

This was a great book about discovery and finding out who you want to be. It’s a story of change and finding people who love you for you. Tristan and Wesley are a sweet couple and it made me happy Tristan was encouraging Wesley to be himself. They’re both so different in so many ways, but they fit together.

This book was so well written. It shows the pain and confusion of navigating friendships and figuring out who you are in high school. You feel so deeply for Wes who is trying so hard to be a better person but somehow keeps doing things wrong. Every choice he makes are both frustrating and completely realistic to the character. He has so many layers and his switching of personalities between friend groups so he could fit in was so relatable. It also demonstrated the intense confusion and pain of going through a friendship breakup in high school, and how making new friends does not erase that hurt. Wes and his friends all have great character development, and it is cool to watch them learn to express themselves. I also enjoyed the narration. I listened to this book as an audiobook and thought it was a good listen. The narrator's voice fit the character well, and there was a good amount of emotion in his narration. Overall, I think this was a very good Y/A read if you're looking for something cute that will tug on your heart strings a bit without making you too sad.

A boy who has unintentionally built a bad reputation for himself falls in love with a dancer who is decidedly good for him. Only, change is hard when everyone, including yourself, already has a preconceived idea of who you are.

I thought this book was a good mix of romance and (angsty) introspection. There's a lot of emotion and character growth, not just from Wes, but from his entire friend group. There's enough action to keep the plot moving, some mystery as to Wes's past, and all of the main characters are easy to root for.

I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narrator. I thought he did a good job voicing Wes and his friends and taking all of the right parts of the book seriously. Over all, an enjoyable listen.

This is what my queer millennial dreams are made of 🎶🎙️

Genuinely, this book was SO GOOD. This book is what "Anything But Fine" wanted to be. It's got complicated messy characters and funny chapter titles based on 2000# pop punk songs. It's got a lot of found family and growth and learning. I just loved it a lot.

I think my favorite part of this book was that there isn't really a villain. We have characters who were bad before but are actively trying to do better. There are characters who you think might turn out to not have any good in them but by the end of the story you realize that all of us are flawed and that same message goes into all of the characters in this book. None of them are perfect and all of them have something to work on and they're allowed to do that. I really loved that Wes was a "bad boy punk". He's kind of an asshole but he's got some shit to work out and he is dedicated to doing that.

I don't really have anything negative to say to be completely honest. Highly recommend.

This book gives off perfect Avril Sk8er Boi vibes. He was a punk, he did ballet. When Wes, a punk skater boy who is loud and failing senior year gets roped into attending the Nutcracker Ballet with his mom, something changes. He sees Tristan, a ballet boy playing the main lead, the Nutcracker, and becomes interested in him. They start to spend time together and Wes changes gears with school and tries to do better. But of course, this is high school and trying to go outside of your clique makes things messy. Will Wes stick to the status quo?

I really enjoyed this book! I think it has the perfect blend of high school drama and romance. Wes really grows as a character but he takes a bit more time to adjust as he tends to overthink things. I found it interesting that it's really how he views himself and not wanting to be seen as "other" that mainly stands in his way. I thought that Wes and Tristan made a really cute pair. Tristan was very kind and let Wes take his time with things. He was always very encouraging of him. The book is a sweet teen romance that is written well. With the Audio book, I really liked the narrator! He gave emotion when needed and made the characters more dimensional. Overall 4.5 rounded up. Highly recommend!

He was a boy, he was a boy, can I make it anymore obvious?
In September of 2022, I commented on the TikTok of an author describing their gay Sk8r Boi book, saying I would love to read an ARC once they were available. Flash forward sixteen months, I’ve been following this book through the steps of its publication, and NetGalley delivered an e-arc and audiobook into my inbox, and let me say—the wait was well worth it. This book is heartfelt, it’s angry, it’s soft, it’s engaging, and it’s a wonderful wonderful debut.
Watching Wes come to the realization that he wasn’t happy with who he was becoming, and the reputation that he had built—whether intentionally or not, then choosing to put in the steps to make changes to his life, I felt like a proud parent. I cried along with him as I watched him struggle and fight and communicate and grow. This book speaks to the power we have over our lives, and how the people around us can shape us, whether or not we are conscious of it.
I loved it, and I can’t wait to see what Anthony Nerada has in store for us next.

The narrator did a wonderful job voicing Wes and his friends. This story is chock full of emotion and inner turmoil, and the narration displayed that and kept the story flowing easily. I sped through it, not realizing I was engrossed for hours at a time. A lovely performance.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Soho Teen for providing an advanced review copy.*

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

Let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you, NetGalley, RB media, and Anthony Nerada for allowing me to listen to an early copy of Skater Boy.

This book is a coming-of-age story about a scared boy, past trauma, and new beginnings.

Skater Boy is a Young Adult book, but don´t let yourself be fooled by it.
The themes in this story are various and not so easy, but very important for every teenager. Nerada's capability to write about alcoholism, trauma, not so healthy ways of coping was absolutely gentle and elegant.
This book wasn´t sad per se, it was very delicate and captivating but I found myself crying on more than one occasion.

In all honesty, I loved it.
All the characters were very sweet at the end. Wes's mother was truly a gem of a parent and even Ted, who was portrayed as super boring in the beginning in the end was a pivotal character for Wes's understanding of the world.
Tristan was a patient and gentle soul. He understood Wes and even if I did not always like his behavior (like wanting to change Wes's clothes and insult his friends) I think it fitted the 17 yo age perfectly.
The best friends are the classic portrait of ´boys will be boys´ but when it was their time to shine they absolutely rose to the occasion.
(I wish Nerada would write a book about Brad because I need his story!)


RB Media and Michael Crouch did a great job voicing Wes. The production was flawless and full of emotions.

Also loved all the references in this book - I´m a big fan of Avril Lavigne, Metallica, YUNGBLOD and Percy Jackson so I was sold very easly.

Audiobook Review: Skater Boy by: Anthony Nerada - @ anthonynerada
Narrated by: @ Michael.l.crouch
Release: February 6, 2024
Format: Netgalley Audiobook
The Low-Down: M/M. Young adult. Closeted skater-punk bad boy/"recovering bully" meets ambitious BIPOC ballerino.

I was lucky enough to get an early physical read of Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada. I was beyond excited to see this lovely story getting an audiobook and as a #netgalley #arcreader #arcreviewer, I also snagged a early copy of the audiobook (even though I also pre-ordered on Audible.) I could not wait to hear this story come to life. What I was not prepared for was how well @ michael.l.crouch would portray the exact way I envisioned the main character, Wesley "Big Mac" Mackenzie. I thought I had enough emotional attachments to this book, but the way Michael narrates it, it tugged at my heartstrings even more. This is a story about friendship, first loves, and being true to one's self.

It does tackle some hard issues (TW) such as underage drinking, physical a-use, tr@uma, ptsd, bu!lying, and anger management. However, most of these scenes are not detailed and are addressed beautifully in each of the characters' growth. Teary eyed while reading the book, then became weeping tears while listening to Michael portray the characters.

Skater Boy is for fans of: Geography Club, What If It's Us, Here's to Us, Love Simon, A Little Bit Country, and My Fair Brady

Wes was a punk, Tris did ballet…what more can I say?
He wanted him, he’d never tell, secretly Tris wanted him as well.

If you know me you know I’m a rock girly through and through and yes, I had the weird emo phase and am not ashamed of it. I am a proud survivor of the original MCR Black parade tour back in 2007. 😌💅🏻🖤
So when I saw that there’s a book about a gay skater boy and all the chapter titles are based on 2000s rock songs? I ran!
And did you know the love interest is a Black ballet dancer? I absolutely loved it and couldn’t get that Avril song out of my head.
Wes is struggling struggling in school, has friends who rather skip and smoke weed than think about their future and a broken family background. Add him being a closeted punk and you’ve got the perfect mixture for a lot of anger issues.
I love messy characters, nobody is perfect and certainly no teenagers.
Wes is thinking he has to take on everything alone, talks about his feelings or his past trauma to nobody and his teachers having absolutely no confidence in him doesn’t help.
But when he meets Tris in his pale pink ballet suit, his perfect family and friends he starts trying to do better.

There is huge character development in this, not only for Wes, but also his friends and I loved the sweet romance story a lot!
Realising you’re not on your own, finding joy in things, healthy ways to communicate and process trauma is so important.
Also realising that everyone has their thing…everyone has something they are struggling with!

For me the love drama in this was a little much, but still understandable. Did they talk? No! Should they talk? YES!
They are teenagers and I know we love a good romantic gesture in the end, but it felt a little too unrealistic to me.

Overall I really loved this book though and I felt the passion for detail, thought ans love that went into on every page!

OMG I'm going to gush about this book for a few minutes. This is Anthony Nerada's debut novel and hit was a smash hit in my opinion. I've become a fan and can't wait to read more of your books. I feel like I could praise this book for days, and have already suggested it to a friend I know will love it.

There were so many things I loved about this book...Each chapter and even the title paid tribute to a song title, and most of the time hearing them made me smile and think "I see what you did there." Almost like a fun little Easter egg. The entire book had it's moments were it really felt like stepping into movies and songs from the past - and I'm assuming with the "Dear Reader" moment at the beginning( which was extremely heartfelt) it was intentional. I actually really loved all the relationships in this book - the relationship between Wes and his mom was something really special. He might not have felt comfortable telling her everything about himself, but he also wasn't totally closed off to her as well. You could tell that there relationship was really strong, had a special connection and they were there for each other. She was really doing her best out there, just like he was, and to be fair some of the choices he made might not have made most moms react as understanding as she did. The relationship with his friends evolved so much through the course of this book and I loved how all the members of the group changed and grew as well. It was really good to see them all be so accepting even though sometimes it was through extreme measures.

I think one of the things I loved the most about this book is something I just recently noticed when reading "Husband Material". This book and that one both put a strong emphasis on "there is no right or wrong way to be gay". I'm not a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, but I can see where that is an important message to send. I love that the characters in this book is going to make someone out there feel seen and understood, and we need more of that.

Thank you to #NetGalley for an advance e-copy of #SkaterBoy by Anthony Nerada to read and review.

I got a free ARC copy of the audiobook from NetGalley!

The narrator is Michael Crouch, who is pretty much an audiobook legend at this point and definitely hit the mark!

Anthony Nerada pulled me in with that authors note at the beginning! I had an overall really good time reading this. Mac is young and dumb. Bad decisions were made and lessons were learned. The vibes were definitely giving Avril.

Quotes:

“No one ever asked me why I was angry in the first place cause what does a kid know right”

“You gave me the strength to put myself first”

“Maybe finding yourself means meeting somewhere in the middle of who you were and who you want to be”

My cons:

-mentions pandemic

-I got second hand embarrassment so bad I had to pause for an extended period of time a total of 8 times(it is about high schooler finding themselves so I guess it’s supposed to be embarrassing)

-um I don’t know how well the author knows ballet considering he said Mac picked up Tristians ballet shoe by the laces…. What? Do you mean the elastic or are you thinking of pointe shoe ribbons? Cause men typically wear flat shoes they don’t have ribbons And then using the word prance to describe the way he moved… not a fan of that but the book’s not really about ballet, I’m just a ballet dancer and it felt weird.

-Ohio is described as half way across the country from New York… um not really. This is not that big of a problem but I thought about it for a solid 20 minutes.

I loved how the book starts out with a note from the author and it made me smile so much!

As the author says in his note, this book changes the lyrics of Avril Lavigne's song Skater Boy -- Wes was a punk and Tris did ballet. But this book is so much more than just a change of the lyrics.

I could just feel the angst and anger bleeding out of Wes as he is struggling with how to be himself including how to tell his family and friends about his sexuality. Then he is attracted to an openly-gay black ballet performer/student who makes him want to be better -- but he doesn't want to change or be his project. My heart was breaking for Wes throughout the book - he does not have luck on his side and anger does not help communication.

It's hard to describe how good this book (and audiobook) is. The narrator in the audiobook is perfect for the character of Wes and it feels like Wes is telling his story.

Thank you to NetGalley and and RB Media for an ARC of this audiobook!

I loved it!! Listened to the audiobook in one day. I couldn't put it down. Wes' journey of self discovery was beautifully done. Very sweet story. Highly recommended the book/audiobook!!

“I learned right then and there that I wasn't allowed to be the riptide-wielding badass demigod I wanted to be most in life, because the truth is when adults ask that question, they don't really want to know what you want to say.”

Skater Boy is one of the cutest coming-of-age stories I’ve ever read. After hearing the author’s note, I knew this book was going to be something special. In this story, we follow Wes, a senior in high school, who is trying to figure out his identity, all while dealing with his trauma and impulsiveness.

“He was a punk. He did ballet. What more can I say?”

As unlikely to succeed as Wes and Tristan’s relationship might have seemed, I couldn’t keep myself from rooting for them from the moment they met. Tristan helps Wes find out who he is and encourages him to fight for his passion, while Wes helps Tristan loosen up and have a bit of fun from time to time. Even though their relationship is FAR from easy, they both manage to defy the obstacles and overcome every inconvenience they encounter.

I believe Wes’ story is so memorable because of how open and relatable he is. He struggles with figuring out what to do with his life, with the fear of change and leaving his life (and his loved ones) behind to become his own person and achieve his dreams. He’s afraid to even think about college because he won’t be there for his mom as much as before, and he’s ready to give up on his passion and future just to make sure that nothing bad could happen while he is away. Moreover, we can see Wes learn how to communicate in healthy ways with the people in his life and, slowly but surely, start to grow into a better person.

“Maybe finding yourself means meeting somewhere in the middle of who you were and who you want to be.”

I was lucky enough to listen to the audiobook version (narrated by Michael Crouch) and I loved every second of it. Listening to Michael narrate the events made me forget that this was just a story, and it helped me integrate faster into the atmosphere.

✦Thank you to Anthony Nerada and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. ✦

***Thank you to RBMedia for providing an ARC of this audiobook via NetGalley in exchange for this review. Opinions are my own.***

I finished this book and immediately had to look up Anthony Nerada. His 90s to early 2000s music references were so spot on that I was half-convinced we went to high school together. One of the smaller but more fun elements of this book: every chapter title is a play on a song from that era. You can almost play a game with yourself trying to place the lyric.

Skater Boy follows Wes (or Big Mac) Mackenzie as he navigates the unmitigated joy that is senior year of high school in suburban Valentine, Ohio. Wes has more than your typical teen challenges to deal with as he navigates not just school, work, and the unknown of the future, but also his sexuality, evolving friendships, money struggles, and a good bit of unresolved (if completely understandable) anger toward his absentee father. Wes has more or less successfully navigated these waters by channeling his anger into a punk persona that includes more than a few shakedowns of more vulnerable kids for literal lunch money, but that thick exterior starts to crumble when he meets Tristan, an out-and-proud ballet dancer who forces Wes to realize there might be other ways to handle the challenges life has thrown at him.

This book was a joy to listen to, and reminded me of the many reasons I love YA fiction:

-- ANGST. So much angst over every little thing.
-- A main character you both love and want to (figuratively) shake
-- First love
-- High school in all its torturous book-setting perfection
-- Deep focus on friendships, and the critical role they play in our lives

It also gave what is, IMHO, an underrepresented portrayal of a queer teen. When I was actually in high school and the songs in this book were current, we either got no queer rep or a very specific stereotype of a, usually flamboyant, almost always male gay teen with no familial support whatsoever. Current day, what we more often see on page is a pseudo-dream world where the adults might still be jerks, but amongst the teens, all identities are welcomed and celebrated. Skater Boy does a phenomenal job of adhering to neither of those over-simplified tropes, instead presenting a realistic and very human world where people of all identities have every range of personality you can imagine, and no one is all "good" or all "bad."

A quick note on the audio: Narrator Michael Crouch was excellent, with a believable teen voice and clear delineations for POV but no excessive voices or other elements to lift you out of the story. I will be looking up other books he has narrated!

This is a book that I think will be tremendously helpful to young people navigating adolescence and struggling to find themselves authentically represented in media. It is one that should be on the shelf of every high school library, especially in this era of unconscionable book-banning.

“Who would have thought? I was a punk. He did ballet. But together, we discovered there’s so much more to us than the labels we give ourselves.”

CALLING ALL POP PUNK EMOS FROM THE 2000’s! This one’s for you! From the cover, to the title, to the chapter headings, to Wes being a queer kid uncomfy in his predetermined role as TROUBLE, I knew Skater Boy was made for readers like me. Readers who grew up scream singing Fall Out Boy, Taking Back Sunday, Blink 182, Panic! At the Disco, My Chemical Romance… the list goes on.

I especially loved the absolute punk rock aspect of not fitting in. Wes is punk, he gets in trouble, he skateboards, he cuts class, but all of that behavior belies greater issues and trauma, and as an educator, I can’t help but fixate on the role educators had in forming Wes’s negative opinion of himself. From that initial grade school teacher calling out Wes from his hair to the other adults who immediately write him off, I see the cracks and problems in our education system. Wes is also as “gay as it gets” but doesn’t feel like he belongs to any part of the community because he’s not effeminate enough. AH THERE is just SO MUCH to dig into here! There’s issues of class, race, abuse, substance abuse disorders, life after high school, being an outsider, found family…

All that to say, Skater Boy is 100% worth the read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

As soon as I saw Anthony announce that Soho Teen had plans to publish this book, I KNEW I had to follow along so I could read this. And oh my god, it was WORTH THE WAIT!

I've read other reviews from people who didn't like Wes, and I think that it was intentional we weren't supposed to like him at first. I mean, if you take into account this book is inspired by the song Skater Boy by Avril Lavigne, it's clear who is the punk. Of course he's going to act like a dick. But the whole point of the story, in my opinion, is for Wes to *grow* as a person and realize "oh I don't have to act like a dick. I can act like myself and still be worthy of love."

Also, Wes just felt like a real teenager going through emotions and growing as a human being. Not every person is going to be nice their whole life. Some people need to grow before they turn out to have empathy. Wes was messy, but in the end, he grew as a person. That's what growing up is supposed to be! Not all sunshine and butterflies all the time!

I loved this book! And the nonbinary side character was a great surprise! I didn't expect it and I loved it.

I have waited so long by for this book and it lived up to every expectation.
I adored Wes’ journey and devoured every second of it.