Skater Boy combines a premise we al.l understand from the jump but deftly adds depth and starts subverting it from the jump. We have our bad boy hero, Wesley or "Big Mac", who's being written off as nothing but trouble, but immediately, we understand he has layers and underneath that bad boy behavior is a softness that was a joy to watch unfold as the book moved along and Wes figures out how to heal, how to find direction, how to love and let someone in to love him. I thought his relationship with his mom was so tender! His acceptance of his own queerness and starting to find joy in what that meant for him was a painful journey, but paid off beautifully. I loved seeing Wes juxtaposed with Tristan, a character who is also forging his own path as a black ballerino. I laughed, I cried, I swooned, I wanted to scoop up this whole cast of characters and tell them things were going to be ok for them! If you liked The Long Run or you're a sucker for kids finding and following a dream, this is definitely for you!

Wesley ‘Big Mac’ Mackenzie is failing senior year no thanks to his bad boy reputation. He’s angry and would rather be skate boarding than attending class. But then his mom and her boyfriend take him to see the Nutcracker and he meets Tristan Monroe. They’re as opposite as can be, but Wes can’t stop thinking about Tristan.

I really loved this story and how Wes is portrayed through out. So often the mysterious bad boy is the cool one, but this felt like a much more realistic take where it’s not so fun and Wes’s life is actually a mess. But as we come to understand Wes, we realize his life was decided when a long ago teacher made an assumption and rather fight to prove them wrong, Wes just went with it. Now, he’s a little lost and trying to turn himself around while maintaining his friends, not disappointing his mom and impressing Tristan.
Oh, and he’s very much in the closet and it weighs on him a lot, especially given Tristan is out and proud.

Usually I find the characters of contemporary novels feel contrived and the plot is manufactured by the author. I did not feel this way about this book. It felt so realistic. Every thing that happens feels natural because the characters are so well written. Wes was messy but so were the other characters in a way that felt normal. The story has a great ending but not everything was tied up with a neat bow, and I liked it because that’s how life is. It left you with a sense that these characters went on to live their lives and we were given a glimpse of just a short moment.

My only negative was sometimes the scene staging and blocking was confusing.

Overall, this was my top contemporary YA read for 2023. I highly recommend if you’re looking for a good, realistic queer story. And if you're fan of that certain song from 2002 ;)

Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC of Skater Boy in exchange for an honest review!

Skater Boy sees angry punk main character Wes fall for ballet dancer Tristan, in a story that is both delightfully queer and earnest. Wes was such a brilliant main character, and one I really connected with. He's a bit of a gremlin but I really empathized with his pain and fear as he dealt with being closeted, his anger issues and repressed childhood trauma.

I think so many of us, whether as teenagers or adults, feel that once we're going down a certain path there's no going back or chance of change and that's something Skater Boy looks at so well. We see clearly how Wes has got to where he is and how he struggles to overcome his past while still staying true to himself.

My favourite aspect of this book was it's portrayal of the issues that teenage boys can face when they don't deal with their emotions in a society that still tells young men "Boys don't cry" and "Toughen up and be a man". Whether it's anger issues, substance abuse or sleeping around because of societal expectations, Wes and his friends deal with series issues but they were all wrote about with great compassion and empathy.

The relationship between Wes and Tristan was undoubtedly very cute, but I wasn't sure if they'd end up together in the end. The relationship's I enjoyed the most were actually the familial and platonic relationships. Whether it was Wes's relationship with his mum, his best friends The Tripod or the new friends he makes in the photography club, these were the bonds that felt the most real and authentic for me.

Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC

I thought this book was an absolutely adorable debut, and my Avril Lavigne loving heart went absolutely insane for the plot. You just can't beat a punk sk8er boi and a love interest that does ballet! The romance was sweet, and I appreciated the character growth throughout. Normally I am not a fan of a breakup near the end of the book - I much prefer a slow burn or a relationship evolution where they finally admit they have feelings for each other to a breakup and reconciliation - but I think they make so much more sense in YA than in adult romances. Everything the characters went through felt necessary to their character growth and the overall story. I am so glad I had the chance to read this one!

SKATER BOY by Anthony Nerada is a young adult contemporary novel about a closeted skater punk, Wes, who's grappling with his friends, family, and future. His falling for a ballet dancer, who sees through his facade, ignites the spark of change in him. The premise of the novel is fun and enticing, and it doesn't shy away from the difficult circumstances that brought its protagonist to the dark place from whence he begins the story. While the characters feel alive, some of the plot points and actions require a stretch of the imagination to buy into. And while I appreciate the difficulty and nuance required to craft a believable transformation for Wes, it ends up a bit clunky and hard to swallow. Still, the book is entertaining and heart-warming in many respects, and this debut author is off to a solid start.

Thank you to Netgalley for a chance to read this. I just couldnt get into the book. Not horrible its a nice idea for book but just not for me.

When I saw that the premise of this book was a queer YA take on the “he was a punk, she did ballet” from Avril Lavigne’s Sk8er Boi song I knew I had to read it. The author’s note in the beginning talks about how the author initially intended for the book to be a light-hearted romcom, but the final product ended up being a bit more serious. While there are definitely some fluffy, swoony moments between Wes and Tristan, there’s also a lot of exploration into why Wes is a “bad boy.” Where his anger stemmed from and how he’s afraid to come out to his friends and his mom.

Something that I really appreciated about the book was how much character development there is. Wes in the beginning of the book is very different from Wes at the end of the book, but it always felt like a natural progression. Sometimes it was tough to watch him on his journey because he doesn’t always say or do the right things, but that made it feel so authentic. In addition to the romance and the storylines with his friends and family, I also really enjoyed the plotline of him figuring out what he wants to do with his future after high school.

I do think that because there were so many different storylines with different groups of characters, some aspects of the end of the book felt a little bit rushed. But overall I had a great time reading this book. I definitely recommend checking it out if you’re a fan of queer YA contemporary books.

You can really tell that Anthony Nerada put his heart and soul into this book. I finished this one in a day, and it was just plain GOOD!

Wes is such a sh*t in the beginning of the book, so I immediately loved him. Give me characters that are messy and beautiful and capable of growth and development!! I loved his silly, strong personality and how he worked out issues in his brain. He grew throughout the whole book and even commented on him continuing to mess up but wanting to be a better person. I loved how he cared for his friends and the sweet romance with the boy he least expected was 🤌🏻.

The photoshoot setup on stage!! That first kiss and their talk in the snow!! The aftermath!! The back and forth!! The sweet gestures and infuriating teenage hormones and brains. Gotta love them. The epic grand gesture!!

Also the side characters in this book are great. Loved them all!

I’m so happy I preordered this one. Anthony is an author to watch and I’ll happily read his next book.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Favorite 2024 YA ✔️

🛹🛹🛹

When a fellow book lover reaches out and says “Read this” I immediately do! That was the case for this gem 💎! I feel so lucky to have meant these characters…from The Tripod, the parents as well as fellow classmates they stole my heart and I know many others will fall hard for them!

This is a debut that read like my BFFs diary… Anthony Nerada’s words felt very personal which had me a bit emotional at times…which I enjoy. A book about healing, juggling emotions of who you once were and discovering who you want to be. A coming of age that many can relate to. Even as an adult I appreciated all that was shared, an eye opener into a glimpse of adolescence.

The showstopper… The Characters. From bad boy Wes, the friendship dynamics of the tripod, Tristan’s encouragement toward Wes and passion for ballet….and bless it the Parents 🙌🏻 Also how serendipitous I started reading this at the start of Winter Break which is when the books starts. The altered song lyrics as title chapters were nostalgic and had my Spotify on my emo playlist! The few lines in the epilogue were epic!

A strong message that you can stay true to who you are, and still change for yourself.

A true delight to have in the world.

Thank you Soho Teen for the advanced copy!

This is a fun debut from a perspective that you don't often see in teen LGBTQ+ romances. The characters are well thought out and their stories are handled with sensitivity.

This book felt so real to me, the journey of self discovery through out was very powerful and even if I didn't agree with all of the main characters decisions in the end I saw how important it was that he face the choices and consequences he did. I really liked the focus on friendship and support systems explored as a major part of the plot. Not only did we see the main character learn and grow but this theme was also present in the lives of many other characters and that felt really powerful. This was an amazing debut and I look forward to reading more by this author.

4.1

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

Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada was a smashing debut that emphasized the importance of creating your own identity and not being afraid to break out of the boxes that society fits you in. The narration was funny and I enjoyed the concept being based on Avril Lavigne’s infamous song, beloved by punks and emos and everyone in between all around the world. I was reminded of two other books I read in the past: Donick Walsh and The Reset Button by Nathaniel Shea (for the reformed bully coming to terms with his sexuality trope) and Social Intercourse by Greg Howard (with the copious amounts of Golden Girls references). Skater Boy felt like a love child that reminded me of some amazing queer debut novels I’d read in the past, despite it releasing in 2024.

This book broke my heart in so many ways, yeah Big Mac/Wes wasn’t the best behaved high schooler, but sometimes when no one believes in you, you stop believing in yourself, how sad it is that because someone put the bad boy level he carried that for so long, and sadly his mom didn’t help much, and then how he tried to fit this image buy when someone showed him it was ok not to be someone different, maybe even better, he finally did, even if reluctantly at the beginning.
I really have a hard time reading books now, I normally prefer audiobooks this book is the first time in a long while that I stayed late to finish it I was so into it. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to the publishers for granting my wish for Skater Boy.

I enjoyed this book, it was easy to read and I liked the main character, Wes a lot. I got through it in one sitting. The friendship of The Tripod is what sold this book for me. While toxic to start with these three guys fought through so much to get to a place where they actually communicated with each other and gave each other the love and respect they each deserved. I would have happily read more about these boys.

The only negative I have, which is actually just more of a preference is that I wish there was more detail and more depth. I love a long book and delving deeper into Wes’s life would not have been a hardship for me.

My rating is 3.5 stars, rounded down.

Not a book for me. Firstly, it struck me as being at the lower age limit of YA interest. Then, perfectly readable as the novel is, it didn't strike any new notes. Particularly in the final scenes which read to me like the closing reel of a romantic movie. Nothing wrong with that necessarily, just not what holds my attention.

This affirmation of young, queer love, after the usual amount of grief and angst, may well be what you're after. If so, enjoy. If you're a young queer person living in unsympathetic surroundings, I can see this book's attractions. The messages of acceptance, tolerance, and the importance of giving everyone their chance ring true and need reinforcing in real life.

Anthony Nerada's debut is promising but for me, there's more individuality required.

I wanted to love this book so much, I truly did. It was one of my most anticipated for next year but I am truly getting too old to read about high school I think because I just dont connect anymore unless its a super special book and this just isnt

I really enjoyed getting to know Wes and Tristan, I thought they were a great overall character arc with them. I enjoyed the romance aspect overall and that each character felt like real people. It was a beautifully done story and thought Anthony Nerada wrote this perfectly.

Thank you to NetGalley as well as Anthony for sending me an ARC!

He was a punk.
He did ballet.

This was so frustratingly adorable. I felt so bad for Wes but also wanted to smack him upside the head. He was so mean and infuriating even though I’m so glad he was able to change. The end was so sweet and heartwarming. I loved everyone in this book. Not everyone is what they seem on the outside. There’s a lot of talk about trauma and getting help as well as being able to be yourself and not have to hide from the people you care about. Such a cute story that was a good quick read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Soho Teen for an advanced copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

This book was filled with so much emotion. There was just so much going on. Overall I really liked it and thought that it was successfully done. I think there were a few instances where Nerada could have killed his darlings because they didn't really add anything to the story, but I think we all expect that in a debut novel. Wes was a pretty interesting character with a deep emotional framework. A lot of writers try to achieve big swings in character arcs like this and fail, where Nerada succeeded with Wes. There were also a bunch of characters and I particularly liked the kids in the photography club. The friends in the Tripod were confusing at times, frustrating the hell out of me, but it all worked out in the end and I think it was realistic enough to work. Things aren't always pretty and perfect. Life gets messy and relationships are hard, even when they're a decade old.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

Skater Boy is a sweet coming of age novel (loosely based on the similarly titled Avril Lavigne song). It has a lot going on for it: an interesting main character, compelling supporting characters and a pretty great romance.

It actually has a little bit too much going on for it. The book can't quite resolve all of the issues it sets up, so some of them end up feeling a bit rushed. I can't help but feel that the book would be stronger if it focused on fewer aspects, but dug deeper into them.

Overall, though, it's a solid debut, and I recommend it!