Kindle formatting needs some works the story was enjoyable its just not something i would have personally picked up.

Big Mac is a school punk. Big Mac's real name is Wes.... and Wes is also gay.
Because of his childhood trauma, it's very difficult to come out to his loved ones.... until he meets Tristan, a ballet dancer, very proud of being gay. These two start a sort of friendship and a lot of things happen.
Please read this book to know more of it. Their story is beautiful and I think can help a lot of kids with the same fears and doubts.

Real rating 4.5/5 rounded down.



Was this an ARC on my list of things to read? Well, yes. Was it an ARC that I NEEDED to read right now? No(yes), but I literally dropped everything to read this. If you know me, you know this was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 and it pretty much lived up to the hype for me and I enjoyed reading every page. This book based on the infamous song that we all know had a good message, that while we can be flawed, we should love ourselves, be the person we want to be and not hide and conform to the label's society puts on us.


There had pretty diverse characters and representation (trans/nonbinary) etc. There were lots of important topics covered bullying, homophobia, racism, mental health, physical disabilities, abuse, and substance abuse. I think while this was fun, lighthearted and a fast read the topics were covered and discussed with care for the most part in this book which I was happy about.


While there were some plotlines, I think that could've been fleshed out more, I wanted to see more interactions with some of the side characters, some of the dialogue was a little cringe and the whole "bad boy persona" while important to the plot sometimes came across as a little cringe too, I enjoyed this book, and I loved Wes and Tristian so much.



Thank you to Soho Teen and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[4.75 stars rounded up]

My brain chemistry is forever altered by this book.

TW: alcoholism, bullying, childhood trauma.

Skater Boy follows the life of Wesley Mackenzie, or 'Big Mac' as he's better known. Wes is your typical bad boy - has anger issues, steals lunch money, and skips class - but he didn't want to be labeled that in the first place. He loves skateboarding, taking pictures and cares deeply for the ones closest to him. Then his mom drags him to see the Nutcracker, and Wes becomes enthralled with Tristan Monroe, who plays Mr. Nutcracker. Wes and Tristan start off awkwardly, but as days pass, Wes' feelings for him grow. Skater Boy is a book about destroying the labels society gives us, learning to be vulnerable with yourself and others, risking everything for the ones you love, and of course, skating and ballet.

Okay, where do I start? To be honest I have never heard of Sk8er Boi by Avril Lavigne (shocker! I'm sorry) but I did listen to it somewhere around the 2/3 mark of the book and holy shit! This is so Wes and Tristan! Also, the chapter titles are modified pop-punk song titles! How cool is that?? I audibly gasped when I saw 'I write sins, not essays' and 'Who I am hates everything I've been' and 'Dear photographer count me out' (among many other great chapter titles)!!

Wes' voice in this book is just so raw and so believable. He's incredibly written and he got my sympathy in the first few pages, where he was bullying some kid in the hallway but you can clearly tell that he's only doing that because it's expected of him and he's just as weak as the kid. (I know this sounds questionable, but trust me, you'll warm up to Wes) His actions with his friend group (the Tripod) did make me grimace and I didn't like ALL of them at first, but the relationship between Wes, Brad and Tony is so tightly woven and strong that I did warm up to them when they were just being goofy friends. I felt the pain Wes went through when his only family (other than his mother) fell apart. I love that Brad got professional help with his drinking problem too!

I SO love Wes and Tristan's relationship, despite them having a rocky start. Tristan is rich, loud and proud, and a perfectionist - which makes him a total opposite of Wes, but he makes it work. Wes teaches Tristan how to skate, and Tristan shares his love for ballet with Wes. Also, I love Tristan's fashion sense! What an icon. And I love how they're just casually touching!? Tristan is aware of Wes' flaws, and I like how he still loves him anyway! The dialogue and interactions between them are just so cute! AHH!

Also, did I mention I'm a skater??! Skateboarding is the main thing that drew me to this book, and I'm so happy how Wes and his friends are so into skating too! I thought I'd never see actual tricks like varial heelflips, nosegrinds, and pop shuvits in this book. And Pro Skater!! oh, how I wish to play that with my friends.

There are many real-life issues addressed in this book, like childhood trauma, racism (on Tristan's part), homophobia, classism, and alcoholism. I think they were written well and for some of them, doesn't feel too heavy as the book doesn't focus too much on those.

Other than skating, Wes likes photography too, and after some pushing from Tristan, he joins the photography club in school. There, he meets the kids he bullied before, and despite that, they still accept him as their own. Wes is truly humbled, and he does apologize to the ones he'd hurt, and I'm just- OUGHH! Found family and so many talented photographers!!

The main theme in Skater Boy is recognizing your flaws and trying to become a better person. I think this was written very well as Wes is growing as a person on every page and when things go south, he tries his best to fix his problems rather than just running away from them. The character development is just so good that I stared blankly at the wall after reading to process it.

I think the only problem I have with this book is that with the focus solely on Wes and his life, some of the secondary characters felt flat to me. Brad and Tony felt more fleshed out than Tristan, the love interest, which is such a shame because I wanted to connect with Tristan too. And everyone is so mean to Wes! I get that he's not a nice person in general but please just give him a break! And the pacing: I think some things happened too quickly or some happenings of the book were skimmed over and condensed into a few paragraphs.

There were many awkward moments, times I felt like throwing up from all the tension and things going wrong, and moments that made me sit up straight in shock. This is a book I'm sure to remember when I skate, visit NYC, or even see a ballet production. I still haven't recovered from this book, and I think it shows in my (somewhat) disjointed review.

Thank you NetGalley and Soho Press for this ARC, my opinion is my own.

I really enjoyed this story, but mainly for the wrong reasons I think!
I must say loved Wes so much right from the beginning and the connection between him and his friends even more. The tripod might be my absolute highlight in this book and moved my to tears in more than one
chapter.
I am almost sorry to say, but Wes and Tristans love story came right behind that!
But to me it was such a moving story about friendship, evolving and discovering your true self despite a
harshly judging society. A story about finding happiness, love and somehow being at peace with oneself.

4/5 stars


I absolutely enjoyed Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada. It was a beautiful coming of age story with emo nostalgia that left me feeling warm and fuzzy at the end. If you like books like Unexpecting by Jen Bailey, Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzales, or Felix Ever After by Kacen Callendar I think you will absolutely enjoy this book.


Our story starts with meeting Wes "Big Mac" and we are introduced to him as he is getting in trouble for harassing another student for turning him in for some teenage trouble making. Immediately, I felt drawn to Wes' character and his experience of having teachers and people in positions of power put him into very specific boxes. His struggle with being cast this way is evident in how his internal monologue rebels against that he feels very stuck in the role others have casted him in. '


Wes meets Tristian (the ballerina to his skater boy) and struggles with what it may mean for him. This book delicately balances romance, self-healing, developing compassion for yourself and others, all while being a poignant coming to age story. I loved it so much I read it in one sitting. I love the way Nerada didn't have his characters shy away from difficult conversations, and when they did avoid them eventually they circled back and communicated.


If you love contemporary romance with some solid character growth and LGBTQIA+ reads this book if definitely one I would recommend you pick up. An added bonus I loved was the chapter titles. It made the emo kid in me smile! Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A heartfelt coming-of-age in which readers follow reluctant 'punk' Wes discover more about himself and his friends, and his past. We get to watch him figure out how to make space for himself in the world, and how to express himself.

The opposite of all the books that make rebelliousness and troublesome teenage years sound romantic. Wes is suffering under his reputation, but keeps making decisions to let everything stay the way it is.
The author did a great job making Wes's choices feel logical. He skips class because he doesn't think someone like him will ever achieve anything. He sneers as his stepfather to be because that is easier than owning up to the fact that he may not be all bad. On the surface, adults tell him to 'just change his life, make better decisions' but the book never made it feel that simple. Because it isn't simple.

My only complaint would be about how quickly the romance went from meeting to being in love. Wes sees Tristan once and gets a huge crush.

I have a soft spot for realistic, complicated, difficult teen narrators, and Wes absolutely fits the bill. A music-loving, skateboarding "punk", Wes is trying desperately to juggle his worries for his mother, his relationships with his friends, his uncertainty about the future, his failing grades, his anxiety about his identity, AND a serious crush on a male ballet dancer. He's rendered in nuanced detail, both externally and internally: it's so easy to picture how other characters view him, but his interiority is so sympathetic and so at odds with his image. This is a book that will connect with and move all types of readers, especially those who have struggled with a sense of being perceived differently than how they see themselves.

✰ 4 stars ✰>

“I’m so tired of being someone I’m not.”

At the heart of it, Anthony Nerada's debut novel Skater Boy is a deeply honest and vivid look about self-discovery, self-healing and self-learning on how we can choose to be better people, without losing the part of ourselves that defines who we are. It is a reflective look at how we perceive ourselves and in what light we want others to also view us.

Wes was a believable and very relatable character; he has the makings of a bad boy - a bully at times with violent displaced rage, chilling away time by either skateboarding or smoking joints with his close friends - no plans for himself for the future. 🛹 He does start off with some questionable behavior and action with his close group of friends that definitely raises eyebrows., and makes him quite unlikeable! But underneath that dark cloud of personality, he is hiding so much more of himself. And meeting Tristan at The Nutcracker performance opened the doors to him that there there is a possibility that he has more to offer than what he thought he had. 🥺🥺

Tristan and Wes were very cute together; there was a slow and slightly upheaval journey to them becoming an actual couple, but it was realistically portrayed. And while I did enjoy their romantic moments, I appreciated it even more that there was a healthy communication about what they DID NOT expect from the other. And though at times, that often tested their relationship and put them at faults with one another, I was glad that the ending rounded itself up nicely to show that they were still able to find a way to be together, despite how much they were different from each other. 🫶🏻 🫶🏻 It was tough seeing Wes juggle both sides of his friendships - it hurt that he had to give up one for the other. But, through learning to be be better than who he was, Wes also sees people in a clearer frame of mind - and that was really important for him to experience; because, that, too, helped him be a better person.

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

“My sweet, sweet boy, you have to learn to love you for you. Faults and all. No one else is going to do that for you.”

As more of Wes' past is revealed, we learn why he is so angry and frustrated all the time - what has led him to have this conviction that he simply has to act this way just to live up to appearances. And that was a heartbreaking moment - it was so vividly captured and helped us better understand what has led him to act out the way that he does. ❤️‍🩹 ❤️‍🩹

He had shut off his own potential for so long, that when he finally gave himself a chance, he became a better person - less judgmental, less volatile, more receptive and agreeable to his own family and peers. I especially loved his relationship with his Ma; it was one of the most beautiful and heart-felt ones, and I was so happy that the two of them got the happiness they both deserved. 🥲🥲

What Anthony Nerada successfully portrayed is that no one has to change themselves for the sake of others; we can stay true to who we are, and can still change - for ourselves. That may not make a lot of sense, but that is the take-away that I took. Wes doesn't abandon the things that makes him comfortable, but he allows himself to embrace new ideas and friendships that make him feel more present and alive. I loved how the realization of his previous inappropriate actions dawned on him - in a harsh light, but well-handled manner.

The writing was very solid and direct; at times, it felt like it was more of a personal narrative of the author's rather than Wes' own story, which I think highlighted the emotional aspects of the stories even more. I loved that the chapter titles were actual song lyrics - but slightly altered to fit the emo vibe Wes was feeling. It brought back so many nostalgic memories of these timeless classics and how, even now they capture the essence of what it means to be a teenager so perfectly well.

“You know, I never thought I’d live to see the day, but you’re a good guy, Wes.”

“I’m trying to be.”

It was certainly an impressive debut - if you keep in mind that this story is not only about the romance, but about the journey to finding your place in the world and connecting with who you are. If so, then I think it did a wonderful job of capturing those feelings perfectly. 👍🏻👍🏻

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

If the AUTHOR'S NOTE has me tearing up, I know I'm in for a ride, okay. Skater Boy did not disappoint.

I can't lie, the beginning of this book had me worried I wouldn't connect with Wes because some of the choices he makes? Teenagers suck, man. But he's just so sad and hurt that it broke my heart and I couldn't help to root for him.

Packed with all the angst, anger, and unpredictable mood swings of youth, Skater Boy takes its reader through Wes' journey of acceptance. On the outside he's angry and violent, but on the inside he's terrified and hurting and I don't know one teenager, queer or not, that's can't relate to that.

There were so many great moments of seeing Wes trying to keep up this front of what he thought a hard "punk" should be and realizing that that's not what *he* is. I loved following along on his journey of self acceptance, of letting go of the things we have no control over, and falling for a cute boy that does ballet.

Also- the chapter titles are absolutely GENIUS and I may or may not have gotten emotional over a Relient K reference. It's fine.

After a rocky opening page or two where I worried I would despise Wes, I pretty much immediately loved <i>Skater Boy</i>. In my experience, it's rare to find a "bad boy" or "teenage rebel" whose voice is actually tolerable to read, but Wes is deeply nuanced, thoughtful and caustic, and the author handles his journey to redemption so well. On the surface, Wes looks like the typical school bully on the edge of dropping out - picking on anyone who stands out from the crowd and basically spending his time riding his skateboard; smoking joints with his brutish friends; and being a dick to his soon-to-be stepfather. But pretty much immediately, you understand there's much more to Wes than might first appear. I found his loyalty to his Ma and kindness to his little stepsister honestly so touching, and his voice was so well developed that I found myself flung back to upper school and those exquisitely miserable teenage years stuck somewhere you don't want to be, confused about who you are and your place in the world.

<b>rep:</b> gay MC; Black gay MC; FF parents; Achillean secondary character.
<b>cw:</b> past domestic violence, child abuse, attempted murder; internalised homophobia.

Early on in the story, deeply closeted Wes is unwillingly dragged to a production of The Nutcracker by his family, where he meets Tristan, who is basically Wes' polar opposite - at least on the outside. It's difficult to discuss without spoilers, but something I loved about this book was how it demonstrates that the armour we put on to protect us from the world often shields the many similarities our true personalities share. But by trying to come to terms with his true self and pulling himself together in so many different ways (all of which are done so well, especially the author's exploration of how Wes' drive to protect his mother is unintentionally limiting his own life chances), Wes draws the ire of his best friends, who somehow manage to endearing even in their frustrating behaviour. I thought the author managed the characterisation of all the characters in the book in such an impressive way. I also thought the origins of Wes' anger, and his difficulties controlling his behaviour, were also handled with nuance and understanding, while never detracting from Wes' authentic voice.

An excellent debut, I'll be looking out for more novels by Anthony Nerada. Small touches such as the Christmastime setting; nods to 00s song titles for the chapters; and the author's note concerning changing the pronouns of song lyrics to fit your little closeted teen's hopes and dreams just added to the general sense of love I have for this book.

<i>I am grateful to have received a copy of this book from Soho Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>