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Made 4 You
Becky Lawrence lives in a small Indiana town where nothing much ever happens. Padding her college applications with good grades and volunteer work ― while also managing the boys’ basketball team and playing in the school band ― is her main focus, so when her guidance counsellor asks her to show a new student around, she agrees. It’ll be great fodder for a reference letter.
But there’s something very different about the new student, Gene Newman. He’s been homeschooled his entire life and he’s as brilliant academically as he is socially awkward, uninformed, and unaware. Gene also proves to be a gifted saxophone player and makes the school band, and his rapidly developed basketball skills allow him to play for the school team. Embarrassingly, Becky suspected he’d never played the sax or basketball before, and just wanted to spend more time with her. But nobody could possibly learn new things that quickly … Right?
With Becky’s help, Gene also quickly develops his social skills and learns to fit in. He’s certainly different from anybody Becky has ever known. In fact, Gene is like nobody else. As they become closer, Gene confides in Becky that he has a secret. More than that, he is a secret. And, apparently, it’s a secret worth killing for.
But there’s something very different about the new student, Gene Newman. He’s been homeschooled his entire life and he’s as brilliant academically as he is socially awkward, uninformed, and unaware. Gene also proves to be a gifted saxophone player and makes the school band, and his rapidly developed basketball skills allow him to play for the school team. Embarrassingly, Becky suspected he’d never played the sax or basketball before, and just wanted to spend more time with her. But nobody could possibly learn new things that quickly … Right?
With Becky’s help, Gene also quickly develops his social skills and learns to fit in. He’s certainly different from anybody Becky has ever known. In fact, Gene is like nobody else. As they become closer, Gene confides in Becky that he has a secret. More than that, he is a secret. And, apparently, it’s a secret worth killing for.
281 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2022
4 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Eric Walters
158 books910 followersEric was born in Toronto in 1957, which makes him "real old". But, as Eric says, "Just because I have to grow old doesn't mean that I have to grow up!" In his many roles as parent, teacher, social worker, youth sports coach and writer he is in constant contact with children and young adults. He draws from these experiences and feels that this helps him to capture the realistic interaction between young people—the conflicts, tensions, stresses and interests that make up their lives.
Eric began his writing as a teacher. He taught in classes from kindergarten up and his stories often reflect the curriculum that he was teaching. He always read stories—picture books and novels—to his students and this helped him to understand what children liked, responded to, and were inspired by. He enjoys the enthusiasm of his students and often looks at them to provide him with the inspiration to pursue a particular topic in both the classroom and in his writing.
Eric tries to write every day. When he has a story idea he starts with research. This could involve reading books, watching a documentary, or trying to experience the things that his characters are going to go through. This could include rock climbing or riding white water (for Stars), spending time in a wheelchair (Rebound), playing and walking with tigers (Tiger by the Tail), hanging around a tough biker bar (Diamonds in the Rough), standing out in his backyard in a blizzard wearing a T-shirt and shorts (Trapped in Ice), or traveling to Africa (Alexandria of Africa).
"The most important thing anybody ever told me about writing was to write what you know . . . and the only way to get to know things is to do your homework and research before you write," Eric stated.
Once the writing begins the story is always playing around in his head. He takes any opportunity, even if it's just a few minutes between presentations, to put things down, either with pen and paper or on his laptop.
Prior to entering teaching and writing Eric was a social worker (B.S.W., M.S.W., B.A.Hons—specialized major psychology). He worked in a variety of settings including child welfare, private practice, a mental health centre, and, for twenty years on a part-time basis as a Crisis Social Worker in an emergency department. He stopped teaching 4 years ago and left the ER only last year.
The majority of Eric's time is spent in the company of his wife, children and dogs (Lola a big standard poodle and a little white dog named Winnie the Poodle).
Eric began his writing as a teacher. He taught in classes from kindergarten up and his stories often reflect the curriculum that he was teaching. He always read stories—picture books and novels—to his students and this helped him to understand what children liked, responded to, and were inspired by. He enjoys the enthusiasm of his students and often looks at them to provide him with the inspiration to pursue a particular topic in both the classroom and in his writing.
Eric tries to write every day. When he has a story idea he starts with research. This could involve reading books, watching a documentary, or trying to experience the things that his characters are going to go through. This could include rock climbing or riding white water (for Stars), spending time in a wheelchair (Rebound), playing and walking with tigers (Tiger by the Tail), hanging around a tough biker bar (Diamonds in the Rough), standing out in his backyard in a blizzard wearing a T-shirt and shorts (Trapped in Ice), or traveling to Africa (Alexandria of Africa).
"The most important thing anybody ever told me about writing was to write what you know . . . and the only way to get to know things is to do your homework and research before you write," Eric stated.
Once the writing begins the story is always playing around in his head. He takes any opportunity, even if it's just a few minutes between presentations, to put things down, either with pen and paper or on his laptop.
Prior to entering teaching and writing Eric was a social worker (B.S.W., M.S.W., B.A.Hons—specialized major psychology). He worked in a variety of settings including child welfare, private practice, a mental health centre, and, for twenty years on a part-time basis as a Crisis Social Worker in an emergency department. He stopped teaching 4 years ago and left the ER only last year.
The majority of Eric's time is spent in the company of his wife, children and dogs (Lola a big standard poodle and a little white dog named Winnie the Poodle).
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 14, 2022
Grade 12 student Becky is asked by the school counsellor to buddy up with Gene, a new student who was homeschooled and has never had classmates (or even friends) before. Gene begins the year very awkwardly, wearing suits and speaking in formal language, but adapts quickly to assimilate into teen culture. Without giving too much away, suffice it to say that Gene is not any ordinary kid, and what ensues is like Stranger Things meets Terminator, as Becky and Gene go on the run from Bad Guys.
While I thought the book was a little too trope-ridden for my (adult) taste, young readers may enjoy the non-stop thrilling action of the second half of the book...provided that they have the reading stamina to slog through the first 150 pages of set-up. Not Walters' best, but also not his worst (though I might argue that it has the worst, and corniest, title).
June 27, 2024
I’m not great at reviews so I’ll keep it short and sweet. I loved this book! I was previously in a book slump and this worked great to get me out of it. I finished it in around two days and it was both a great mix of suspense/action aswell as an emotional aspect (romance). I felt the story did well to solely focus on one storyline and keep consistent throughout. The book did not feel rushed but also not ongoing either. Overall I have little complaints, I do however wish the ending was a tad longer and cleared up a bit more; it was still a good ending that was satisfying - I just feel like if anything there should be a second book after to explain how they settled after all the events they experienced throughout 😊
October 17, 2022
The concept here is solid and interesting, but the first half of the book drags a little too much for my liking, nothing really happens until the back half and even that is all solved pretty easily. Characters were decent enough, Gene and Becky both felt like they had enough time for their relationship to feel solid and it didn't feel like the typical "jumping into a relationship" kind of thing with a lot of these books where most development happens off-screen. Some chapters felt like they were moving things along quickly, though, and the action feels like it comes in way too late to keep attention well.
December 19, 2023
A happy gene splicing romance anyone? Eric Walters once again manages to craft a teen novel into something much more than meets the eye. Is this just another novel about a teen male who is good at athletics and catches the eye of unlikely girl? He is awkward, yet learns things with ease and a glitchy grace. Read on... A slightly sci-fi story premise lies beneath.
Maybe young people really will change the world?
Don't you love books that make you question the status quo?
Nudge your mind into broader thinking?
Popular and focused scholar Becky is chosen to help orient and welcome the new, rather awkward, student Gene.
What could possibly go wrong?
Maybe young people really will change the world?
Don't you love books that make you question the status quo?
Nudge your mind into broader thinking?
Popular and focused scholar Becky is chosen to help orient and welcome the new, rather awkward, student Gene.
What could possibly go wrong?
December 27, 2023
“I have great quantities of information, but information isn't necessarily knowledge, and knowledge isn't wisdom.“
Becky is a high-achieving senior who has been tasked with helping Gene, the new kid, get settled into school. A few hiccups though. Gene has been homeschooled his whole life, is insanely smart, and has secrets people are willing to kill for.
I atarted binging the book right away, then hit a lull and was undecided, but I saw reviews that it picks up again. Very glad I stuck with it.
The ending almost felt abrupt. I wanted an epilogue or a sequel to see how it all came together once the dust settles.
Becky is a high-achieving senior who has been tasked with helping Gene, the new kid, get settled into school. A few hiccups though. Gene has been homeschooled his whole life, is insanely smart, and has secrets people are willing to kill for.
I atarted binging the book right away, then hit a lull and was undecided, but I saw reviews that it picks up again. Very glad I stuck with it.
The ending almost felt abrupt. I wanted an epilogue or a sequel to see how it all came together once the dust settles.
November 15, 2025
This story follows Becky and Gene as they get to know each other and develop feelings for each other. But Gene has a big secret and he’s not allowed to tell anyone, especially Becky, but the more Becky gets to know Gene the more she knows there’s something he’s hiding. Will Becky figure out what Gene can’t tell her?
I’m a fan of Eric Walters books, but this one wasn’t my favourite. This novel combines romance, mystery and sci-fi and the concept was pretty cool, but I felt like it was missing something I can’t put my finger on.
Who will like it?
✅ Fans of mysteries
✅ Fans of romance stories
✅ Fan of science fiction stories
I’m a fan of Eric Walters books, but this one wasn’t my favourite. This novel combines romance, mystery and sci-fi and the concept was pretty cool, but I felt like it was missing something I can’t put my finger on.
Who will like it?
✅ Fans of mysteries
✅ Fans of romance stories
✅ Fan of science fiction stories
November 20, 2022
I am a big fan of Eric Walters, but this book would not make my favourites list. Much of it read like a science lesson. Only the action parts were good. The ending was satisfying, but it is a YA book after all.
August 11, 2023
The concept of this book is well thought out and exciting. It’s slow to get started but once you hit the action, it doesn’t stop! The turn the story took was unexpected and thrilling.
This was a solid, easy read from an author with an impeccable imagination.
This was a solid, easy read from an author with an impeccable imagination.
December 8, 2022
Not terrible, I finished it, it was readable. Just felt very flat and two dimensional to me.
January 6, 2023
had me in the first half.
August 13, 2023
Does anybody remember the movie D.A.R.Y.L. from the 80s? I actually liked that movie.
This book got to the halfway point, and did a complete 180 from how it was progressing.
This book got to the halfway point, and did a complete 180 from how it was progressing.
September 22, 2023
2-3 I'm not the target audience, so some things seemed incredulous to me, but may not be to others. There is room for a continuation, but it also could end here.
September 15, 2023
Made 4 You by Eric Walters
0/5
~
This book is genuinely the worst I have ever read. I was gifted a copy of this book by my school, and the author signed it personally for me. He then proceeded to talk about his skills and experiences as a writer. At no point in the hour-long session of him talking did he ever do anything much more than bragging about his accomplishments. He said that he knows how to write gay people, women, and people of colour, however, this book shows no proof of these statements being true.
Made 4 You is told from the perspective of a teenage girl who acts and talks like a 45 year old man. She has no discernible personality test, and although she is present in every single scene, she does not pass the Bechdel test. She does not at any point talk to another girl about anything other than the real main character, Gene. Gene is an autism stereotype to the very maximum. It is addressed that he could be neurodivergent in the book, but his peers continue to mock him relentlessly, even the “good guys” of the book.
The plot, however, is even worse. In the first half of the book, nothing interesting happens. Gene passes a test and everyone claps (literally, what?) and then Gene plays the saxophone and everyone claps (AGAIN?). Nevermind the fact that the book is fiction, everything within its pages has no basis in reality, even though it really tries to make the science sound plausible. I don’t even want to get too far into the plot because it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Even the title doesn’t make sense. “Made 4 You” is a sentence that is said once, at the very end of the book. It is not properly tied into any of the plot, but is implied to be important, considering that it’s the title.
Oh, and he says he can write POC and other minorities, right? Yeah, this book had no diversity at all. Not a single person of colour was included, not a single LGBTQ+ person, nothing.
Overall, Made 4 You really is THE worst book I have ever read, and the author was an asshole as well.
0/5
~
This book is genuinely the worst I have ever read. I was gifted a copy of this book by my school, and the author signed it personally for me. He then proceeded to talk about his skills and experiences as a writer. At no point in the hour-long session of him talking did he ever do anything much more than bragging about his accomplishments. He said that he knows how to write gay people, women, and people of colour, however, this book shows no proof of these statements being true.
Made 4 You is told from the perspective of a teenage girl who acts and talks like a 45 year old man. She has no discernible personality test, and although she is present in every single scene, she does not pass the Bechdel test. She does not at any point talk to another girl about anything other than the real main character, Gene. Gene is an autism stereotype to the very maximum. It is addressed that he could be neurodivergent in the book, but his peers continue to mock him relentlessly, even the “good guys” of the book.
The plot, however, is even worse. In the first half of the book, nothing interesting happens. Gene passes a test and everyone claps (literally, what?) and then Gene plays the saxophone and everyone claps (AGAIN?). Nevermind the fact that the book is fiction, everything within its pages has no basis in reality, even though it really tries to make the science sound plausible. I don’t even want to get too far into the plot because it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Even the title doesn’t make sense. “Made 4 You” is a sentence that is said once, at the very end of the book. It is not properly tied into any of the plot, but is implied to be important, considering that it’s the title.
Oh, and he says he can write POC and other minorities, right? Yeah, this book had no diversity at all. Not a single person of colour was included, not a single LGBTQ+ person, nothing.
Overall, Made 4 You really is THE worst book I have ever read, and the author was an asshole as well.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews