This is the story my closeted 2000s emo teen heart didn't know it needed. This felt very nostalgic for me. And the play on punk song names as the chapter titles was super fun. Also, the basis of this story is Avril Lavigne's Sk8er Boi (which I listened to on repeat as a 9 year old,) but queer, which I absolutely love. I will say, the story slowed down a bit for me around the halfway point, and I found myself struggling at times to keep focus with the pacing. Overall, this is a great debut novel for Anthony Nerada. It's a story I didn't know needed to be told, but I'm so glad it was. The main character, Wes, is so great and layered. He has a lot of struggles and emotions, and it's great to see his journey through his own POV. I look forward to more from this author in the future.