Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

When I found an audio ARC of this book on NetGalley I got so excited, because while I do read e-ARCs sometimes, I struggle reading e-books, and really prefer audiobooks. There are so rarely audio ARCs (that I’m interested in) available though, especially ones actually narrated by a person, like this one is. Anyway, I’d heard so much about Skater Boy and it felt like it had been on my tbr forever, and it was queer and had a ballet dancer love interest?? I obviously had to read it, so I was really excited to find the audio ARC, requested it fully prepared not to get it, and then literally like half an hour later I got an email saying my request had been approved. WHAT. I might have freaked out just a little bit. But anyway.

I love Wes. The world hasn’t been kind to him and he’s angry at everything, but he’s trying his best. Teenagers are allowed to be messy; that’s part of growing up. And he grew so much in this book, as did his friends. It might be weird to say, but I’m so proud of all of them. They’re all such messy teenagers, and they make so many mistakes, and sometimes you get really annoyed at them, and sometimes you just want to give them a hug. They felt so real, and I just love the way the author wrote all of them. The ballet dancer love interest was also so sweet! I loved the way he was with Wes. Also, his parents were amazing.

Finally, we need to take a moment to talk about how amazing the audiobook is. Michael Crouch, the narrator, is absolutely perfect for this book. He’s definitely made to narrate emotional teenage boys. Wes has so much pain, and Crouch perfectly captures that in a way that goes straight into your heart. I was so emotional for the entire book! Like Wes would just be sitting in the cafeteria at school and I was here with tears in my eyes. I sat and listened, crying, at school, but at the same time I couldn’t stop listening (even though I was really supposed to be studying, and also did not want to cry at school), because I was so so deep in Wes’ emotions, and I had to get to a part where he was less miserable. I had to know there would be a good ending. And there was! I’m so happy with the ending.

Oh and I will never be able to listen to Sk8er Boi (the song) again without thinking about this book, which is great because I love things that remind me of books I love! Because I did love this book, if that wasn’t clear yet. I had such high expectations based on everything I’d heard about the book and how the description sounded like something I’d love, and I was scared it wouldn’t live up to them but it did! If anything it even exceeded them!

Rep: gay MC, gay love interest, gay SC, nonbinary SC, sapphic parents (not MC’s)

I can see what the author was trying to do here, and for me it just didn’t work.

I didn’t particularly like the MC, I didn’t buy the romance, and it just felt like everything came together into a nice happy ending too easily. Perhaps part of that is the fact it’s YA and I haven’t been reading as much YA lately. There is just this disconnect for me with a lot of YA these days, so it takes a lot more for me to enjoy YA than it probably used to.

So, basically, this book is written around the song Skater Boy by Avril Lavigne, but make it queer. It should have worked for me, but the MC was just too much of an asshole and also really inconsistent with certain things, that left me a bit confused. I understand he’s dealing with trauma, but he just treats everyone so badly that it’s really difficult to accept his redemption arc. I also didn’t like his group of friends, and again, they were terrible bullies, who also get a redemption arc, that I also didn’t believe. And the romance was very meh. It’s one of the few times when I’ve read a romance where I’m actually rooting for the couple to not end up together, because I don’t buy the romance and think they would be better off with other people.

So, overall, the story didn’t work for me this time.

Everything about this book had me excited to dive in. The summary, cover and narrator all piqued my interest and I was absolutely not disappointed! This book was really great!

I think Wes is a fantastic main character. Through his eyes we get to live a very real life for someone that could easily have been your own classmate or friend. Someone who has past trauma, current hurt and struggles with identity and their place in the world. Wes was someone you easily want the best for- you want him to learn, grow and improve. You want him to find happiness within himself and with those around him and this book delivers on all of that and more!

The side characters were all great. They were diverse and layered in their backgrounds and personalities which kept the story moving and entertaining.

Overall i really enjoyed this one a lot. I loved all the characters and their individual growth and the plot was paced just right from A to B to keep me hook and interested. Would definitely recommend this title to anyone looking for this type of story!

I was excited to try this queer YA skater boy debut but I think the narration by Michael Crouch (admittedly not one of my favorites) put me off the story. Very much a me thing or a wrong book, wrong time thing. In any case it was a DNF for me. Perhaps I will try it again later in print at another time. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to listen to an early audio copy!

This one got me right from the start. The narrator, Michael Crouch, is great. I know him from another audio book i listened to back in December. He really brought the character to life and made it feel like i was actually listening to a real person talking about their feelings and problems.
The story was just very sweet and beautiful and also emotional. My favourite thing was how at first you might think it’s stereotypical in the way an angry skater dude falls in love with a ballet dancer but it really isn’t. The characters aren’t one dimensional at all which made them feel more real. (Anthony Nerada’s preface really resonated with me. Yes you can be gay/queer/whatever and like My Chemical Romance and also broadway etc.) You might think Wesley (the MC) is unlikable which is understandable since he hasn’t been or isn’t the nicest person to others but still i found myself rooting for him and his changing and growth throughout the book.
Also i’m pretty sure i was THE target audience for the word play song title chapter titles. I’m a sucker for that kind of thing lmao so thank you for that!
And last but not least thank you rb media and NetGalley for the audio book!

First, the cover drew me in, then the summary. A troubled skater teen who falls for a ballet dancer? No spice and instead a heavy focus on hard topics (because we all need this kind of refresher)?

So Wes is the resident bad boy and he’s failing at…everything. His mom drags him to a ballet and there he sees Tristan. Something about the boy draws his attention and as they spend more time together, Wes feels a deep desire to leave his bad boy ways behind and “do better.”

The story itself is both heartbreaking and heartwarming at its core. It’s about a troubled, closeted teen who falls for a strait-laced dancer and struggles to balance his wants versus what people expect of him…which isn’t much. Wes goes through a lot and comes out so strong on the other side. This right here was a wonderful lesson for anyone.

BUT…

I also feel like the author tried to put every single prejudice, representation, and issue ranging from skin color to sexual orientation into this one singular book…and that really overshadowed the most important message in the book, which was acceptance of yourself and believing in yourself. It really took away from parts of the story. While it’s wonderful to include such topics, piling them all into your debut novel felt like a bit much.

As for the narrator? Clear and concise pronunciation but a lack of tone changes between characters. That was a first for me listening to an audiobook and that made it a bit difficult to distinguish characters at times.

A solid debut, but not so much my cup of tea in the end. But bravo on a complete novel and I’m sure this story will reach its mark.

Narrator: Michael Crouch
POV: 1st, Wes
𝘙𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘦: February 6, 2024
𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠. 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this audio.

I really enjoyed this book. I kept thinking “He was a skater Boy I said see you later Boy” the entire time but I really liked it. The characters are great and the story was fun. Reminded me of high school and having a close group of friends.

Honestly, I didn't have high hopes for this given how it's inspired by one of the more annoying earworms of my own young adulthood. But the narrator is one of my faves, so I gave it a go and I'm so glad I did. This was so excruciatingly vulnerable and earnest from an often dismissed or sidelined young adult stereotype, especially in queer YA stories. There's anxiety and trauma by the bucketloads, but also so much sweetness and care and a wonderful and tender journey towards trusting love and good faith. There's a lot of accountability and acknowledgement and compassion for flaws, in ways YA doesn't always afford. Overall, it was sweet but not saccharine, raw and honest without being bleak. Read it for the soft punks and artsy bad boys who also deserve to be wrapped in blankets of kindness.

Wow. Just…wow. This story is going to stay with me for a while. Wes is a mess, and you can’t help but to root for him. He’s bottled up so much trauma and self-repression that, at times, there feels like no hope.

Senior year of high school is a weird, transitional time for any kid. Throw in the PTSD, relationship troubles with everyone in his life, and continually frustrating attempts at self-acceptance, and you have Wes. His mom might be getting engaged, his tight-knit brotherhood of a friend group is on the verge of falling apart, he might fail his senior year, and on top of all that, his first potential relationship keeps hitting road bumps.

This debut novel from Anthony Nerada is a fantastic character study on what it means to overcome how you’ve been typecast, work through your past fuck ups, and start to be vulnerable enough to open yourself up to healing and to those in your life who truly care about you.

I was provided with an ARC of the audiobook on NetGalley and I didn’t want to stop listening. Narrator Michael Crouch truly embodied the character of Wes and all the internal angst and struggle he was going through.

Now I need to go sit in my feels and schedule another therapy appointment because this book got me.

"I was a punk. He did ballet..." 🎵
What more can I say?
Obviously inspired by some great emo anthems (even the chapter names play off song titles), this debut book about a closeted bad boy who falls for a ballet dancer is the story I didn't know I needed.
Wes has a reputation. And for good reason. He and his squad steal lunches, tag the skatepark, ditch school... basically, Wes has given up on the world because he was labeled a screwup years ago when he and his mom first moved to town.
But then Wes attends a local production of The Nutcracker, and he ends up crushing hard for the lead dancer, Tristan. Cue adorable grumpy/sunshine trope.
But this story is so much deeper than its tropes. Wes struggles with real anger issues and has to come to terms with his past and take ownership of his choices before he can feel worthy of a happily ever after. He messes up. Alot.
Wes, despite his mistakes and his anger, is a relatable and realistic teen who you root for every step of the way.
The audio book was expertly narrated by Michael Crouch, who brings a youthful and touching tone to the characters. I almost never listen to audios at their natural speed, but Crouch's pacing was rhythmic.

I received this audioARC from @netgalley and publisher RB Media in exchange for an honest review.

Skater Boy will be released February 6, 2024

Oh my gosh, what an unexpected gem this was! This book had just the right amount of angst, charm and one of the sweetest grand gestures I’ve read in a long time.

This was a great audio book. The narrator was wonderful at capturing the voice of the main character. This is an exceptional first book for Nerada. I thought this story about discovering yourself by breaking down and ignoring labels was a fresh angle for a YA story. It’s about ignoring the assumptions everyone has about you and just being your authentic self. The two main characters were highly likable and it was delightful to see their relationship grow through the ups and downs. Please read this. I loved it.

Thanks NetGalley for the audio arc!

Skater boy was so good. All of the characters were charming, and I had so much fun listening to it.
Westley is a wreck, he has anger issues, bully people, cannot deal with his emotions and he’s in the closet. The first ten% of skater boy were difficult to get through because we’re in his head and this poor boy was just so lost. I ended up crying because of him, multiple time too.
Can’t recommend this enough if you want to queer coming of age with a hero who’s not a typical good guy but you can’t help but care for him.
Loved it and will definitely buy it as soon as it’s out 🥰

Right away I was drawn into this. I liked Wes's voice, even if he wasn't a nice guy and not someone you'd root for. Sometimes it's okay to have a character you don't like right away and I appreciated the switch up.

Wes was up and down for the whole book. Afraid to tell his loved ones that he's gay, afraid people won't think he lives up to their expectations, and afraid to want something for himself. Because of his insecurities, Wes did things I didn't agree with and hurt his friends and family. There were times I was pretty frustrated, but I mostly felt sad for him.

This sped by and was a bit of emotional roller coaster. The audiobook is narrated by Michael Crouch and he does a great job with Wes's voice.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Soho Teen, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for the copy.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Kicking my feet and squealing in adoration of this book.

This book ticks every single box I look for in an honest coming-of-age and coming out story. Anthony Nerada transforms a misunderstood bully into a believable protagonist and grants this generation with a heartbreaking character arc that I was missing when I was growing up.

Wesley 'Big Mac' Mackenzie is a punk: skateboarding through his high school's halls, failing all his classes and always getting into trouble. That's all people see when they look at him. Inside, however, he is full of anxiety, and pent-up anger no one ever taught him to address makes him terrified he is turning into his father. People expect him to fall into a stereotype and so he does. And honestly, who can blame him?

But the story Nerada wrote is about defying stereotypes and creating your own narrative rather than falling into the one adults write for you. It was heart-wrenching to see Wes struggle with himself, unable to allow anyone entrance into the fortress he'd built to protect himself, agonising to read how he fully believed he was no better than his father (whom you'll have to learn about yourselves because it contains major spoilers).

'My own worst enemy is me.'

Wes is a teenager through and through, but he is also a senior in high school. With teachers and a guidance counsellor pestering him about grades and college, his first instinct is to ignore them all and close himself off. Gradually, he begins to realise that's not what he wants, which is followed by a convincing coming-of-age story including coming out.

There is romance, but it is not as central to the plot as Wes's story is. That isn't to say that I didn't love it because I certainly did. For me, it simply faded a little into the background compared to everything else Wes was dealing with.

In 'Skater Boy', Wes defies all stereotypes and I will love him forever for it.

'I was a punk, he did ballet.'

I have had Skater Boy on my 'Want To Read' list on Goodreads since I heard about it months ago, because who doesn't love a story about a queer punk boy who listens to all the bands I did growing up? When I was able to request the audio book and got it, I was BEYOND stoked and started reading it right away.

I started it on Monday and finished it on Wednesday.

I love this book. I love Wes, I love Tristan, and I love this whole play on the "story" of 'Sk8r Boi' by Avril Lavigne, really playing into the punk boy theme.

I found this story very relatable, enjoyable, and so easy and fun to listen to.

10/10 would read again, 10/10 going to get myself a hard copy of this book.

I was lucky enough to get a copy of this book from Netgalley and what a delightful experience. Anthony Nerada does a good job of creating characters that feel authentic and someone you know from your own life. Even with side characters, I wanted to learn more about them. I love the character development of Wes so much. My favorite easter egg of the book was the author's attention to detail in chapter names. I couldn’t wait to hear the next one. The book, aptly titled, provides a nostalgic perspective, narrated from the point of view of the skater boy from Avril Lavigne's song. While the storyline may not be groundbreaking, the execution and character development make it a standout romance. Skater Boy is a must-read for those who appreciate authentic characters and heartwarming relationships. The creative touches and charming narrative make this an enjoyable book in the LGBTQ+ romance genre.

I flew through this book and somehow listened to it all in one go. The pacing is quick and I it was so easy to keep going.

This book takes an interesting approach by making the main character the bully. I was apprehensive at first, but the character and his story swept me away. Wes proves that everyone deserves compassion and to be seen as a human being. He goes through a tough journey and learns a lot from it. He is deeply troubled (I hate that word but it's the best word I can come up with to describe him) and that carries throughout the entire story. Yes, I might hate him for a few things he does in this book, but I always understand him. That is most important. I could understand him and the struggles he is going through. It made him a deeply interesting character who was there to tell an important story.

This also carried to the other characters in this book. They did not feel empty. The book is short, so there is not a lot of time to get to know them that well, but I still enjoyed them and was interested in everything the story gave me.

The book deals masterfully with how boys are taught to not express any emotion other than anger. And the consequences of that. Wes struggles with anger and aggression. It is one of the main themes in the book. It is upsetting to see what kind of person society and its pressures shaped him into. He is a bully because of this. He ruins his relationships because of this. It impacts every part of his life and seeing him deal with that part of himself and starting to heal was so impactful. Wes still has a long road ahead of him, that much is clear, but he can get there.

Tristan is a wonderful love interest. The contrast of a ballet dancer to Wes's skater punk is delightful. They're beautifully awkward together and yet they fit so well. Can I say for sure that they will last? Maybe not. But they give each other so much. They have chemistry and make each other into better people, which is exactly what I want to see in a romance story.

This book is both a simple romance as well as an important analysis of Wes, what made him who he is and how he can grow. It finds the perfect balance between the two, making this an immensely enjoyable book!

I can’t even describe how much I loved this book. Wes was so easy to like because he is so relatable. Tristan and Wes were so cute together, their relationship is so a Avril Lavigne song. Wes isn’t perfect and he knows it, but the way he wants to be better for Tristan is so cute. Ps. I hate Tony and Brad

Thank you Netgalley and rb media for the free ALC. My opinions are my own. I loved this coming of age queer book. It was unique it was tender it was so well done. A bit of Romeo and Juliette vibes. The author was able to convey the feelings of being a teen when nothing makes sense. Your relationship with your parents friends partners and what that looks like if you are queer.