Scan barcode
vagaybond's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Car accident, Child abuse, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Bullying, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, Drug use, Sexual harassment, and Physical abuse
Minor: Racism and Classism
The protagonist's abusive father (who was/is a cop) chased the protagonist and his mother in a car, bumping the fender multiple times and driving the two of them off a cliff. The protagonist was 7 and was disabled by it, both with a leg issue and with PTSD triggered once in the book, by driving at night.imstephtacular's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol and Alcoholism
Moderate: Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Cursing, Violence, Homophobia, Bullying, Drug use, Domestic abuse, and Classism
Minor: Grief, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Outing, Racism, Medical content, and Deadnaming
fanboyriot's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
♡ 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, Addiction, Racism, Car accident, Child abuse, and Homophobia
dearhaleynicole's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was SUCH an enjoyable read from start to finish for me! And sooo quick too. At least I zoomed through the audiobook (probably because the narration was fantastic – but we'll get to that). I pretty much immediately fell in love with Wes as our main character. He's giving "we must protect the misunderstood, angry boy at all costs" energy for me. Which I already gravitate naturally to characters like his, but Wes just had some different sort of magic to his makeup that I immediately said I need to give him a hug and just tell him everything's going to be okay, 'ya know? I really went into this book thinking it was going to be a light, queer YA romance read but boy, could I have been more wrong. It was still a wonderful ya romance, but it also did more than that. It handled some pretty heavy topics in a very approachable way that didn't lighten the gravity of said topics but also didn't bog the story down in any way that affected the pacing or storyline. Everything felt like it had it's purpose in the story and I could tell the heart Anthony put into the writing through his handling of particularly significant character events. And Wes wasn't the only lovable/relatable character to me, I felt a little for each of his friends' various experiences, which only made the story feel more genuine and well-rounded as. whole. Wes, especially, went through some pretty significant growth over the course of the book and I found myself feeling so proud of him and his journey by the book's conclusion. I also thought the romance was great and very age-appropriate to the character, which I'm just personally a big fan of in high-school setting YA. That's not to say I didn't get frustrated a few times with the "Tripod," the endearing, self-proclaimed name of Wes' tight-knight friend group. I wanted to definitely shake some sense into them a few times, but alas I'm only the reader and had to watch as they all majorly fumbled some miscommunication situations in the book.
Also, I would be SO remiss if I didn't mention that I specifically listened to this in audiobook format and WOW! The writing was already great (Go Anthony Nerada!) but then Michael Crouch (the audiobook narrator) just brought Wes' character to life for me! His voice acting in this role probably accounts for a strong portion of why I love Wes so much in this book. He felt so genuine and real to me.
Overall, I'm really happy that this book exists out in the universe and had a great time reading would highly recommend to anyone in the market for a fresh MM YA romance read set in high school or maybe just something to satisfy that urge to go back to an emo version of yourself from high school (if this applies to your experience ofc).
P.S. I believe others have said it in previous reviews, but I couldn't get enough of the chapter titles! They were fantastic and something I looked forward at the start of each chapter 🥹
Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for graciously sending me the audiobook to review in exchange for an honest review!
Also, I would be SO remiss if I didn't mention that I specifically listened to this in audiobook format and WOW! The writing was already great (Go Anthony Nerada!) but then Michael Crouch (the audiobook narrator) just brought Wes' character to life for me! His voice acting in this role probably accounts for a strong portion of why I love Wes so much in this book. He felt so genuine and real to me.
Overall, I'm really happy that this book exists out in the universe and had a great time reading would highly recommend to anyone in the market for a fresh MM YA romance read set in high school or maybe just something to satisfy that urge to go back to an emo version of yourself from high school (if this applies to your experience ofc).
P.S. I believe others have said it in previous reviews, but I couldn't get enough of the chapter titles! They were fantastic and something I looked forward at the start of each chapter 🥹
Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for graciously sending me the audiobook to review in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Child abuse, Car accident, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Panic attacks/disorders
kimschouwenaar's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
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).
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Alcohol
Moderate: Homophobia, Bullying, Drug use, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Car accident and Injury/Injury detail
nthnrgb's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The queer punk in me REQUIRED this book and it didnt disappoint
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Addiction
Minor: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Car accident, Child abuse, Racism, and Injury/Injury detail
dododenise's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thank you Netgalley for the arc!
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 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!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Alcohol, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Bullying, Violence, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Racism
More...