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Tales from Foster High #5
Taking Chances
Fearing the backlash of living as a gay man in Foster, Texas, Matt Wallace runs away to California, only to find it isn’t the Promised Land he’d hoped for. Christmas sees him returning to Foster, where he bumps into his old high school crush, jock Tyler Parker.
It's love at second sight—for Matt *and* Tyler. The problem is neither knows what to do next. Between running from the past and running from each other, Matt and Tyler need to do some reverse engineering to spur their relationship forward, or they’ll never get their love off the ground.
It's love at second sight—for Matt *and* Tyler. The problem is neither knows what to do next. Between running from the past and running from each other, Matt and Tyler need to do some reverse engineering to spur their relationship forward, or they’ll never get their love off the ground.
202 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 6, 2013
10 people are currently reading
387 people want to read
About the author
John Goode
35 books668 followersJohn Goode is a member of the class of '88 from Hogwarts school of wizardry, specializing in incantations and spoken spells. At the age of 14 he proudly represented District 13 in the 65th Panem games where he was disqualified for crying uncontrollably before the competition began. After that he moved to Forks, Washington where, against all odds, dated the hot, incredibly approachable werewolf instead of the stuck up jerk of a vampire but was crushed when he found out the werewolf was actually gayer than he was. After that he turned down the mandatory operation everyone must receive at 16 to become pretty citing that everyone pretty were just too stupid to live before moving away for greener pastures. After falling down an oddly large rabbit hole he became huge when his love for cakes combined with his inability to resist what sparsely worded notes commanded and was finally kicked out when he began playing solitaire with the Red Queen's 4th armored division. By 18 he had found the land in the back of his wardrobe but decided that thinly veiled religious allegories where not the neighbors he desired. When last seen he had become obsessed with growing a pair of wings after becoming obsessed with Fang's blog and hasn't been seen since.
Or he is this guy who lives in this place and writes stuff he hopes you read.
Or he is this guy who lives in this place and writes stuff he hopes you read.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
June 14, 2016
Bitter Disappointment!
All series have their highs and lows. Taking Chances was definitely a low. The series so far has followed Kyle and Brad as they battled their way through high school as first gay students then a gay couple. In Taking Chances, we learn the details of a brief side story told in book 4 - End of the Innocence about Tyler Parker who runs the local sporting goods store.
Over Christmas break and old crush of Tyler’s (Matt) comes to town. Long story short they met, talk, kiss, talk,,, so the story goes.
I only gave this book two stars because I seriously can’t believe adult (under 30) gay men can be this clueless when it comes to dating and relationships. Granted I’m only 21, I met my boyfriend, now husband, in high school so I don’t have much experience having to date but really? The two main gay characters Tyler and Matt came across as weak and indecisive. Matt has a “girlfriend” whose shit I wouldn’t have put up with for more than two seconds. The fact Matt puts up with it and in some cases encourages it makes him look even weaker. The term “whipped” comes to mind.
I found the more I read the more and more angry I got at how the characters were behaving. This can’t be how gay men really behave!
Not an enjoyable read.
February 18, 2024
✰ 2.75 stars ✰
“Sometimes a moment in life comes when you have to make a choice you know is going to change everything.”
I don't think anyone knows how true that statement means more than Matt and Tyler. They are no strangers to Tales from Foster High, but Taking Chances is something that they'll have to learn to do again. ❤️🩹 They've both made their share of mistakes in the past, but life is too short not to leap at the opportunity when it presents itself and for something like this - a moment in time that may never come again, it may just be the second chance at life and love they've both been waiting for. 🙏🏻
“You can say nothing and let the moment pass, letting the chance pass by, leaving your life as it always was. Or you take the hit, daring that is what you need and the results don’t destroy your hand.”
Matt and Tyler are two characters that I'll probably never quite warm up to, but no one is undeserving of another shot at happiness. I know they've been hurt - the pain of the past will never quite go away, nor will that crippling guilt of avoidance. It does make for a frustrating read, if not a lonesome one to know that they'll still continue to make mistakes; but being brave enough to take a chance at a missed opportunity of rekindling a flame that never really extinguished is enough to drive anyone to hope - it is such a good feeling, isn't it? 🥹 They're both flawed characters - far from perfect, but if the attraction is there and their hearts are in it, then would it hurt to take a chance at love with each other? 'We were both afraid and hiding in our own skins.' It's never too late to make something of what could have been then; true, it may be no confirmation that it's a guarantee of a happily ever after, but it's a risk worth taking. 💌
And after being hurt and burned for so long, there is some joy and comfort in knowing there is a shoulder for you to lean on, when the chips are down. So, it felt very natural for the two of them to fit so seamlessly and effortlessly into each other's lives and arms. 🫂 That if fate had not so cruelly intervened so many years ago, they could have been an actual couple much before then where they were at this stage in their lives. 🫶🏻🫶🏻 'Over ten years of dreaming and desire reached fruition in one instant.' It was nice to see so many of their loved ones were invested in their happiness - who wanted them both to get off their miserably lonesome behinds and embrace living again - to have someone worth waking up to or being someone's go-to. 💞 Their meet-ups and friendship was a tentative build-up, but when they both had the courage to face what was happening and not fight it - to not deny the fact that they could learn to love themselves and someone else in the process - it was nicely done. 👍🏻
“That’s what love does, Tyler. It makes you realize how meaningless life can be alone. It just walks in and reorganizes everything the way it wants, and you sit there wondering how you ever got along before. Love has no ego, it has no limits, and it should never make you feel smaller.”
John Goode's writing is always very direct; his characters speak to you in the literal sense, as if these words are coming directly from their thoughts, actions, and hearts. He doesn't offer any false pretenses and he really wants you to feel every guilty pleasure or lingering embarrassment or vulnerable realization to the point that it feels like it's your own; it gives such an added depth to them that I could believe they were a real-life couple he may have known. 🥺 'Because I’m tired of being alone,” I admitted. “I was hoping we could be alone together.' There was plenty of humor and learning on both their family sides and it was an interesting build-up to their tentative future. It was messy and believable, but also at times, sadly a bit flat and rather slow, not really enough to light a spark in me. 🙁
I think it also has to do with Tyler's involvement with such a painful tragedy that makes it harder for me to connect with him; despite the harsh and hard-earned change of heart he's had to endure with the respective persons. 😢 Still, it was a worthwhile break from the hallways of Foster High - taking a step back at showing an older side of Foster, one that has lived the homophobia and heartbreak and learned from it. It gives hope that even though you've been broken once, doesn't mean you can't be put back together again. ✨
“Sometimes a moment in life comes when you have to make a choice you know is going to change everything.”
I don't think anyone knows how true that statement means more than Matt and Tyler. They are no strangers to Tales from Foster High, but Taking Chances is something that they'll have to learn to do again. ❤️🩹 They've both made their share of mistakes in the past, but life is too short not to leap at the opportunity when it presents itself and for something like this - a moment in time that may never come again, it may just be the second chance at life and love they've both been waiting for. 🙏🏻
“You can say nothing and let the moment pass, letting the chance pass by, leaving your life as it always was. Or you take the hit, daring that is what you need and the results don’t destroy your hand.”
Matt and Tyler are two characters that I'll probably never quite warm up to, but no one is undeserving of another shot at happiness. I know they've been hurt - the pain of the past will never quite go away, nor will that crippling guilt of avoidance. It does make for a frustrating read, if not a lonesome one to know that they'll still continue to make mistakes; but being brave enough to take a chance at a missed opportunity of rekindling a flame that never really extinguished is enough to drive anyone to hope - it is such a good feeling, isn't it? 🥹 They're both flawed characters - far from perfect, but if the attraction is there and their hearts are in it, then would it hurt to take a chance at love with each other? 'We were both afraid and hiding in our own skins.' It's never too late to make something of what could have been then; true, it may be no confirmation that it's a guarantee of a happily ever after, but it's a risk worth taking. 💌
And after being hurt and burned for so long, there is some joy and comfort in knowing there is a shoulder for you to lean on, when the chips are down. So, it felt very natural for the two of them to fit so seamlessly and effortlessly into each other's lives and arms. 🫂 That if fate had not so cruelly intervened so many years ago, they could have been an actual couple much before then where they were at this stage in their lives. 🫶🏻🫶🏻 'Over ten years of dreaming and desire reached fruition in one instant.' It was nice to see so many of their loved ones were invested in their happiness - who wanted them both to get off their miserably lonesome behinds and embrace living again - to have someone worth waking up to or being someone's go-to. 💞 Their meet-ups and friendship was a tentative build-up, but when they both had the courage to face what was happening and not fight it - to not deny the fact that they could learn to love themselves and someone else in the process - it was nicely done. 👍🏻
“That’s what love does, Tyler. It makes you realize how meaningless life can be alone. It just walks in and reorganizes everything the way it wants, and you sit there wondering how you ever got along before. Love has no ego, it has no limits, and it should never make you feel smaller.”
John Goode's writing is always very direct; his characters speak to you in the literal sense, as if these words are coming directly from their thoughts, actions, and hearts. He doesn't offer any false pretenses and he really wants you to feel every guilty pleasure or lingering embarrassment or vulnerable realization to the point that it feels like it's your own; it gives such an added depth to them that I could believe they were a real-life couple he may have known. 🥺 'Because I’m tired of being alone,” I admitted. “I was hoping we could be alone together.' There was plenty of humor and learning on both their family sides and it was an interesting build-up to their tentative future. It was messy and believable, but also at times, sadly a bit flat and rather slow, not really enough to light a spark in me. 🙁
I think it also has to do with Tyler's involvement with such a painful tragedy that makes it harder for me to connect with him; despite the harsh and hard-earned change of heart he's had to endure with the respective persons. 😢 Still, it was a worthwhile break from the hallways of Foster High - taking a step back at showing an older side of Foster, one that has lived the homophobia and heartbreak and learned from it. It gives hope that even though you've been broken once, doesn't mean you can't be put back together again. ✨
August 1, 2013
I've always liked Mr. Parker. I never understood Robbie's problem with him. In this book, I find out and now understand. It's painful.
This is definitely Mr. Parker's story. Brad and Kyle still show up (and cause/solve problems), but it's all about Tyler Parker and Matt Wallace. Friends help (and hinder) their desire to be happy. To finally know what it's like to not be lonely anymore. To step into the light and show you're not afraid of who you are.
There are some harsh moments in this book (the flashback to why Robbie hates Tyler) and what happens near the end (if you haven't read End of the Innocence, you should do so before starting this book as the stories are intertwined) had me in tears.
John Goode is an amazing storyteller. Don't go looking for hot sex in this book because you won't find it. Do go looking for a wonderful story with great characters, because that's what he writes.
This is definitely Mr. Parker's story. Brad and Kyle still show up (and cause/solve problems), but it's all about Tyler Parker and Matt Wallace. Friends help (and hinder) their desire to be happy. To finally know what it's like to not be lonely anymore. To step into the light and show you're not afraid of who you are.
There are some harsh moments in this book (the flashback to why Robbie hates Tyler) and what happens near the end (if you haven't read End of the Innocence, you should do so before starting this book as the stories are intertwined) had me in tears.
John Goode is an amazing storyteller. Don't go looking for hot sex in this book because you won't find it. Do go looking for a wonderful story with great characters, because that's what he writes.
August 23, 2014
**** 3 stars + 1 star for foreword and postscript equals --> 4 stars ****
Buddy Read with Marco review, Mel review and Cory review.
Ah, Mel my friend. I could just copy-paste your whole review here! :D
You have put my thoughts into words. So please click and read Mel's review.
That being said, I had a few issues with the story which made me rate it 3 stars.
I'm sorry to say I didn't like Taking Chances as much as the Tales from Foster High series. However, the foreword and postscript is worth an additional star, making a total of 4 stars. :)
The first half of the book I enjoyed very much, with the flashbacks and everything.
The adult Matt and Tyler however, was not very likable. I found both their behavior almost childish in a way. By that I mean the running away and "hiding"/sulking instead of facing each other. A whole lot of their problems would have solved themselves if they had just opened their mouths and talked. (That's kind of universal, isn't it? AND easier said than done, I know.) And don't get me started on Tyler .
At the same time, I understand that the whole point was that they had issues because they grew up hiding who they really were and being terrified of someone finding out, and of course that had an impact of who they became.
BUT, I cannot help comparing Matt and Tyler to Brad and Kyle from the Tales From Foster High series. Brad and Kyle acts much more mature even though they are "just" teenagers! One of the reason I like the series so much is that even though they have problems, they talk. Especially Kyle, who stood up for himself again and again even being terrified while doing it. Sigh, I love Kyle and the way he is. Brad is great too, but I don't think he would be that great if Kyle hadn't been such an amazing character. But I digress...
New Year's Eve... .
I also didn't like
However! The end though.
Tyler made the biggest of statements. :D
In heartbreaking circumstances. (*sniff*)
*********************
"They are our kids, and shouldn't that be enough for us to let them be who they want to be? (...)
They get it from us. We are the ones with the problem and we pass it along to them. If there is going to be a solution, it needs to come from us. How many more kids needs to before we realize that something needs to change around here?"
**********************
So, so true! Foster definitely needs a Wind of Change (or hurricane or tornado or something)
Thanks for the Buddy Read guys, I finished in the end too! :P
Buddy Read with Marco review, Mel review and Cory review.
Ah, Mel my friend. I could just copy-paste your whole review here! :D
You have put my thoughts into words. So please click and read Mel's review.
That being said, I had a few issues with the story which made me rate it 3 stars.
I'm sorry to say I didn't like Taking Chances as much as the Tales from Foster High series. However, the foreword and postscript is worth an additional star, making a total of 4 stars. :)
The first half of the book I enjoyed very much, with the flashbacks and everything.
The adult Matt and Tyler however, was not very likable. I found both their behavior almost childish in a way. By that I mean the running away and "hiding"/sulking instead of facing each other. A whole lot of their problems would have solved themselves if they had just opened their mouths and talked. (That's kind of universal, isn't it? AND easier said than done, I know.) And don't get me started on Tyler .
At the same time, I understand that the whole point was that they had issues because they grew up hiding who they really were and being terrified of someone finding out, and of course that had an impact of who they became.
BUT, I cannot help comparing Matt and Tyler to Brad and Kyle from the Tales From Foster High series. Brad and Kyle acts much more mature even though they are "just" teenagers! One of the reason I like the series so much is that even though they have problems, they talk. Especially Kyle, who stood up for himself again and again even being terrified while doing it. Sigh, I love Kyle and the way he is. Brad is great too, but I don't think he would be that great if Kyle hadn't been such an amazing character. But I digress...
New Year's Eve... .
I also didn't like
However! The end though.
Tyler made the biggest of statements. :D
In heartbreaking circumstances. (*sniff*)
*********************
"They are our kids, and shouldn't that be enough for us to let them be who they want to be? (...)
They get it from us. We are the ones with the problem and we pass it along to them. If there is going to be a solution, it needs to come from us. How many more kids needs to before we realize that something needs to change around here?"
**********************
So, so true! Foster definitely needs a Wind of Change (or hurricane or tornado or something)
Thanks for the Buddy Read guys, I finished in the end too! :P
August 11, 2013
2.5 stars
I have a hard time rating this. John Goode is one of my favorite authors and I love his Foster High series. So I want to love this one. I mean, John's writing is as great as previous books. I love his Foreword about Hope (Hope is the belief that you being here is not a random occurrence, that you are here because there was a shocking lack of you in the universe before you were born and now, it is filled). I love his Postscript too. And I like the idea of the 'break' chapters that were written from perspective of Linda (Kyle's Mom, Tyler's best friend), Marvin (Matt's father), and Kyle.
... unfortunately, when it comes down to that question, do I like this book? Can I say that this one is okay? Well, I can't. I can't say that this one is okay. I don't like this book. So I'm sorry, John, but I have to say that this is my least favorite of your Foster High series. My main problem is because I don't feel that both Tyler and Matt have redeemed themselves enough in the end.
-- the following opinion will be spoiler-y and rather rant-y. you've been warned --
This book has Matt and Tyler's chapter. Just a note, the first four chapters of Matt are also available as short story The Boy Behind Red Door (no need to read that one if you buy this). John said that he expanded the Matt's chapters but I don't really do comparison to know how much. I mainly skim those first chapters of Matt and concentrate on Tyler's chapters.
I LOVE The Boy Behind Red Door. I love Matt there. Maybe because I think that FINALLY, Matt finds the boy of his dream... but here, it is all just "meh". Matt says something that freaks Tyler out (by the way, the scene where Matt is supposedly say those two words is not present. I check. And double-check. But it's not there. It happens off page. And I don't like that) and so Matt tracks back and goes back to San Francisco.
Then when Tyler appears, after chasing him thousand of miles, Matt just lets his fag hag (gah, I hate that term!) friend shreds Tyler to pieces. On another note, URGHGHGH!!!! Another female 'best friend' who is bitchy and pushy ... and I just want to slap her. Maybe her character is meant to be annoying, so Matt could understand how miserable his life is. But I have enough of bitchy female like this!!
And then, there is Tyler. He just comes as very whiny to me here. Not to mention that thing in the past, the HORRIBLE thing in the past, which finally makes me understand why Robbie (from The End Of The Innocence) seems to hate Tyler so much. I don't see Tyler trying to make amends here. And that just sucks :(. That is one thing that has yet resolved. Just admitting that he's gay in Kelly's funeral is not enough of a redeemable action for me, in case of what Tyler has done to Robbie in time of needs.
I see that I'm the first giving this non-positive review. Well, I am sure that I will be the minority. Besides, one less stellar reviews won't mean I give up on John Goode. He's still a great author -- this one just doesn't work for me *shrugs*. I'm still following this series, though and can't wait for the next Foster High book.
I have a hard time rating this. John Goode is one of my favorite authors and I love his Foster High series. So I want to love this one. I mean, John's writing is as great as previous books. I love his Foreword about Hope (Hope is the belief that you being here is not a random occurrence, that you are here because there was a shocking lack of you in the universe before you were born and now, it is filled). I love his Postscript too. And I like the idea of the 'break' chapters that were written from perspective of Linda (Kyle's Mom, Tyler's best friend), Marvin (Matt's father), and Kyle.
... unfortunately, when it comes down to that question, do I like this book? Can I say that this one is okay? Well, I can't. I can't say that this one is okay. I don't like this book. So I'm sorry, John, but I have to say that this is my least favorite of your Foster High series. My main problem is because I don't feel that both Tyler and Matt have redeemed themselves enough in the end.
-- the following opinion will be spoiler-y and rather rant-y. you've been warned --
This book has Matt and Tyler's chapter. Just a note, the first four chapters of Matt are also available as short story The Boy Behind Red Door (no need to read that one if you buy this). John said that he expanded the Matt's chapters but I don't really do comparison to know how much. I mainly skim those first chapters of Matt and concentrate on Tyler's chapters.
I LOVE The Boy Behind Red Door. I love Matt there. Maybe because I think that FINALLY, Matt finds the boy of his dream... but here, it is all just "meh". Matt says something that freaks Tyler out (by the way, the scene where Matt is supposedly say those two words is not present. I check. And double-check. But it's not there. It happens off page. And I don't like that) and so Matt tracks back and goes back to San Francisco.
Then when Tyler appears, after chasing him thousand of miles, Matt just lets his fag hag (gah, I hate that term!) friend shreds Tyler to pieces. On another note, URGHGHGH!!!! Another female 'best friend' who is bitchy and pushy ... and I just want to slap her. Maybe her character is meant to be annoying, so Matt could understand how miserable his life is. But I have enough of bitchy female like this!!
And then, there is Tyler. He just comes as very whiny to me here. Not to mention that thing in the past, the HORRIBLE thing in the past, which finally makes me understand why Robbie (from The End Of The Innocence) seems to hate Tyler so much. I don't see Tyler trying to make amends here. And that just sucks :(. That is one thing that has yet resolved. Just admitting that he's gay in Kelly's funeral is not enough of a redeemable action for me, in case of what Tyler has done to Robbie in time of needs.
I see that I'm the first giving this non-positive review. Well, I am sure that I will be the minority. Besides, one less stellar reviews won't mean I give up on John Goode. He's still a great author -- this one just doesn't work for me *shrugs*. I'm still following this series, though and can't wait for the next Foster High book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2018
I don't know...I liked it but I had higher hopes, I guess. I just couldn't connect with the characters, nor did I understand the way they acted. Things moved a bit too fast after that lack of communication. And that "fag-hag" subplot cast a gloom over the whole story. Sorry:(
August 20, 2014
I would love to read more about Tyler and Matt! Another great look into the lives of the folks living in Foster, Texas....oh, and a former resident now in San Francisco.
This series is so 'relateable' (pretty sure that's not a word) to me as I grew up in a very small town in the midwest. I had the same fears as Kelly, Brad, Kyle, Matt, and Tyler. As I'm reading there are times when I feel myself nodding because it's just so 'real' to me in how they feel. The fear of being 'found out' and isolated from everything that you know. It's a very real fear, and unfortunately, it makes people do and act in ways they wouldn't normally just to hide their secret. But there is a huge difference between being gay and dating girls to keep your secret vs. . We all make mistakes, but that one was pretty unforgivable.
Tyler and Matt are very similar regarding their issues with being gay, alone, and miserable. They each have a friend to give them advice, although Sophia (Matt's friend) is a complete and total bitch. I think when they initially got together it was more out of convenience as they didn't really know each other. Although I do feel that they like each other, but they need to explore getting to know one another.
Here is a quick run down on my character synopsis....
Linda - I think she was a great friend to Tyler, but a wishy washy mother to Kyle. I mean, let's get serious, if Kyle was your son wouldn't you want to spend a lot of time with him? He is very likeable. I think there is a huge problem when a parent is trying to promise their kid to 'be good' and not get drunk and high on drugs. She has come through for him in some critical times, but who wants to live with someone like that? I'm on the fence about her as I find myself chuckling at things she said when drinking with Tyler, but was less impressed in reading about some other activities that she was partaking in at home.
Matt parents - I felt sorry for his mom and I loved his dad (especially the part where he was . His mom was just trying to do anything to make him happy and Matt wasn't keen on them knowing he wasn't happy which is why he was always snapping at them. His dad seemed to help him put things into perspective and I really liked the couple of moments where it was just between Matt and his dad as his dad seemed to really hit home with Matt.
Patricia and Robbie - These two cracked me up. I had loved Robbie from previous books, but thought Patricia was just as fierce. When she told Tyler I was literally laughing out loud. These two are fearless. I think anyone who is scared to come out of the closet needs a little of Patricia and Robbie in them to help them out.
John Goode is an awesome writer and this book was no exception. I loved when Tyler and Matt were 'done' and Linda took over the narration for awhile (as well as Matt's dad). I thought that was excellent. I love a good book that can make me laugh as well as be pissed and this definitely did both. I can't wait to read the next one.
Thanks to Marco for recommending this series! Also thanks to Marco, Mel, and Marte for the buddy read. This was a great one! :)
This series is so 'relateable' (pretty sure that's not a word) to me as I grew up in a very small town in the midwest. I had the same fears as Kelly, Brad, Kyle, Matt, and Tyler. As I'm reading there are times when I feel myself nodding because it's just so 'real' to me in how they feel. The fear of being 'found out' and isolated from everything that you know. It's a very real fear, and unfortunately, it makes people do and act in ways they wouldn't normally just to hide their secret. But there is a huge difference between being gay and dating girls to keep your secret vs. . We all make mistakes, but that one was pretty unforgivable.
Tyler and Matt are very similar regarding their issues with being gay, alone, and miserable. They each have a friend to give them advice, although Sophia (Matt's friend) is a complete and total bitch. I think when they initially got together it was more out of convenience as they didn't really know each other. Although I do feel that they like each other, but they need to explore getting to know one another.
Here is a quick run down on my character synopsis....
Linda - I think she was a great friend to Tyler, but a wishy washy mother to Kyle. I mean, let's get serious, if Kyle was your son wouldn't you want to spend a lot of time with him? He is very likeable. I think there is a huge problem when a parent is trying to promise their kid to 'be good' and not get drunk and high on drugs. She has come through for him in some critical times, but who wants to live with someone like that? I'm on the fence about her as I find myself chuckling at things she said when drinking with Tyler, but was less impressed in reading about some other activities that she was partaking in at home.
Matt parents - I felt sorry for his mom and I loved his dad (especially the part where he was . His mom was just trying to do anything to make him happy and Matt wasn't keen on them knowing he wasn't happy which is why he was always snapping at them. His dad seemed to help him put things into perspective and I really liked the couple of moments where it was just between Matt and his dad as his dad seemed to really hit home with Matt.
Patricia and Robbie - These two cracked me up. I had loved Robbie from previous books, but thought Patricia was just as fierce. When she told Tyler I was literally laughing out loud. These two are fearless. I think anyone who is scared to come out of the closet needs a little of Patricia and Robbie in them to help them out.
John Goode is an awesome writer and this book was no exception. I loved when Tyler and Matt were 'done' and Linda took over the narration for awhile (as well as Matt's dad). I thought that was excellent. I love a good book that can make me laugh as well as be pissed and this definitely did both. I can't wait to read the next one.
Thanks to Marco for recommending this series! Also thanks to Marco, Mel, and Marte for the buddy read. This was a great one! :)
August 20, 2014
I am a huge fan of the Foster High series. I have read all the other books, and now, we have Tyler's story. I can honestly say that I am happy that we had Tyler's story because there were things... Well, there was one mystery that ended up being answered. The whole Tyler/Robbie feud is something that was never formally addressed. It was something that made me curious, but I never did figure out what it was about. To be honest, I had envisioned something different.
The story like the others are told in two POV's. Matt's and Tylers. And like previous books, both men have a somewhat similar outlook and experiences. Saying that, they also have a fresh feeling. Neither man is completely out, or they are not comfortable at least. To summarise: Imagine Kyle and Brad had they waited and never gotten together. That was Tyler and Matt. It's the case for a lot of people who just won't take the chance.
Both characters were great and had their own demons. Although I can't say who's was worse. I can say that Matt had someone in his life who brought him down, dragging him back into the closet in a sense. While Tyler, alone, was bringing himself back into the past. And for those who want to know, yes, it has everything to do with the feud with Robbie. In fact, I would say that almost everything had to do with that. Some will take sides. Others, like me, will just say that they could kind of see both sides. I could. Maybe when I re-read this my opinion will change. But I am not mad at Tyler.
The romance in this, though both characters are older, was still PG. I liked that. I read the series because it's YA. Not because I wanted hot, steamy erotica. I wanted the series. So you don't get sex, sex, and more sex. You get a slow building journey and a couple who just need to find their way together. It takes a long time, and a lot of issues. But it does have a happy ending. But as we know, there is always more. And this is not a HEA. It's more a HFN, with promise.
You could... maybe... read this as a standalone. I mean, the information about other characters is there. But I liked knowing the things. It's just so much easier, not to mention better, when you know the characters and want to read about them. Like, I wanted to know about Tyler. He was the "gay adult" of the series for me. And when I heard about his story, I was intrigued. John Goode brought his story to us and I couldn't be happier. I loved the book. It was everything I wanted it to be. And I can't wait for the next book in the series. It will be interesting to see Kyle and Brad again, as well as maybe a few glimpses at Tyler and Matt.
The story like the others are told in two POV's. Matt's and Tylers. And like previous books, both men have a somewhat similar outlook and experiences. Saying that, they also have a fresh feeling. Neither man is completely out, or they are not comfortable at least. To summarise: Imagine Kyle and Brad had they waited and never gotten together. That was Tyler and Matt. It's the case for a lot of people who just won't take the chance.
Both characters were great and had their own demons. Although I can't say who's was worse. I can say that Matt had someone in his life who brought him down, dragging him back into the closet in a sense. While Tyler, alone, was bringing himself back into the past. And for those who want to know, yes, it has everything to do with the feud with Robbie. In fact, I would say that almost everything had to do with that. Some will take sides. Others, like me, will just say that they could kind of see both sides. I could. Maybe when I re-read this my opinion will change. But I am not mad at Tyler.
The romance in this, though both characters are older, was still PG. I liked that. I read the series because it's YA. Not because I wanted hot, steamy erotica. I wanted the series. So you don't get sex, sex, and more sex. You get a slow building journey and a couple who just need to find their way together. It takes a long time, and a lot of issues. But it does have a happy ending. But as we know, there is always more. And this is not a HEA. It's more a HFN, with promise.
You could... maybe... read this as a standalone. I mean, the information about other characters is there. But I liked knowing the things. It's just so much easier, not to mention better, when you know the characters and want to read about them. Like, I wanted to know about Tyler. He was the "gay adult" of the series for me. And when I heard about his story, I was intrigued. John Goode brought his story to us and I couldn't be happier. I loved the book. It was everything I wanted it to be. And I can't wait for the next book in the series. It will be interesting to see Kyle and Brad again, as well as maybe a few glimpses at Tyler and Matt.
May 27, 2015
I don’t know what to say…
Was Taking Chances an amazing book? Yes!
Was Taking Chances a likeable book? Not so much!
Now that sounds all kind of crazy, but let me try to explain.
Taking Chances is amazing, but not likeable, because the characters and world are painted so real it hurts. There is no sugar-coating. Life and love, as opposing to fairy-tales, is hard, and often sucks. And to quote John, gay love is even harder.
It is fascinating how John can write a story with broken characters, that are all kinds of messed up and behave like total douches, with real life struggles and tragedies, without writing a book that drifts into being depressive. Because there is always HOPE, and there is humour, often very subtle but there.
I think it is very important to read Taking Chances, no matter if you’re gay, straight, or whatnot, because there is much wisdom here.
If you’re a closeted gay, you will find a role model that might inspire you. If you’re out and proud, you might learn something about happiness. And if you’re straight, like me, you’ll understand even more how hard and different being gay can be, because we straights take so much in life for granted, we don’t even have a clue about half of it.
Okay, moving on from the heavy stuff…
John’s writing is superb. There are so many things I love about it.
The alternating first persons POV pulled me right into the characters with all their thoughts and, very important here, limitations. This is the first time, I felt like limitations were an improvement.
Also, each character is his own and different from the other.
When things get really ugly in the middle of the book, John just swept me off my feet and I nearly laughed tears, because of his brilliant idea. No, read for yourself, I won’t say more.
There is always a joke around the corner, and if it isn’t a joke, it’s some insight that makes me wonder and agree in amazement.
Nothing to do with the writing, but there is Kyle. I adore him!!!
You don’t have to read ‘Tales from Foster High’ to understand Taking Chances, but I think it will heighten your enjoyment if you know the rest of what is going on in Foster.
Pervy me has one complaint, though. Since Tyler and Matt are adults, I would have loved to see some adult content. There was just this one little tiny microscopic hint, that was far from satisfying. Okay, I agree, it wouldn’t have fit the story…
Does anyone have an idea how many stars I should give? What kind of review is this? Ok, I know it’s not 1, 2, or 3 stars. But is it 4 or is it 5…? If you know it, I will hear your reasoning. But until then I’ll settle on 4.5
--
Thanks for the great Buddy Read, Marte, Marco, Cory (and John - yeah, I know you didn't read it with us, but you were there :-))
Was Taking Chances an amazing book? Yes!
Was Taking Chances a likeable book? Not so much!
Now that sounds all kind of crazy, but let me try to explain.
Taking Chances is amazing, but not likeable, because the characters and world are painted so real it hurts. There is no sugar-coating. Life and love, as opposing to fairy-tales, is hard, and often sucks. And to quote John, gay love is even harder.
It is fascinating how John can write a story with broken characters, that are all kinds of messed up and behave like total douches, with real life struggles and tragedies, without writing a book that drifts into being depressive. Because there is always HOPE, and there is humour, often very subtle but there.
I think it is very important to read Taking Chances, no matter if you’re gay, straight, or whatnot, because there is much wisdom here.
If you’re a closeted gay, you will find a role model that might inspire you. If you’re out and proud, you might learn something about happiness. And if you’re straight, like me, you’ll understand even more how hard and different being gay can be, because we straights take so much in life for granted, we don’t even have a clue about half of it.
Okay, moving on from the heavy stuff…
John’s writing is superb. There are so many things I love about it.
The alternating first persons POV pulled me right into the characters with all their thoughts and, very important here, limitations. This is the first time, I felt like limitations were an improvement.
Also, each character is his own and different from the other.
When things get really ugly in the middle of the book, John just swept me off my feet and I nearly laughed tears, because of his brilliant idea. No, read for yourself, I won’t say more.
There is always a joke around the corner, and if it isn’t a joke, it’s some insight that makes me wonder and agree in amazement.
Nothing to do with the writing, but there is Kyle. I adore him!!!
You don’t have to read ‘Tales from Foster High’ to understand Taking Chances, but I think it will heighten your enjoyment if you know the rest of what is going on in Foster.
Does anyone have an idea how many stars I should give? What kind of review is this? Ok, I know it’s not 1, 2, or 3 stars. But is it 4 or is it 5…? If you know it, I will hear your reasoning. But until then I’ll settle on 4.5
--
Thanks for the great Buddy Read, Marte, Marco, Cory (and John - yeah, I know you didn't read it with us, but you were there :-))
September 11, 2017
This latest story verges from our main characters Kyle and Brad and focuses on Mr. Tyler Parker and his background. He's made aware that childhood acquaintance Matt Wallace is gay and coming home for the holidays, and he considers it an opportunity to get to know him. This had quite a bit of humor as these two circle one another, but it also doesn't shirk on the poignancy and tragedy as it runs coincidentally with the events of End of the Innocence.
This once again brings home the fact that there is a real fear out there of being different, being seen as weak, being seen as wrong, just because of who you're attracted to. One feels the need to hide their true selves for fear of losing friends & family, of being ostracized based on who you love. Because of that, ultimately there's fear of taking that vital step towards being happy.
This is also about regret or really the future of a shitload of regrets. When does one cry uncle?? When do you realize how much you've lost in terms of opportunities to explore, have fun, fall in love, fall out of love, to make friends, to be yourself, to be happy? When do you throw in the towel?
Both Tyler and Matt are miserable, each with roadblocks of their own making. Goode continues to show the very real struggles that a lot of LGBT people go through. Other reviewers have said it better; how the majority of us take for granted the simple ability to connect with a person that we're attracted to. Boy meets girl, they fall in love, they marry and have 2.5 kids, and live happily ever after. But what if the people you're attracted to is a limited pool to select from? And are equally scared, equally making an effort to hide?
Though idealistically one shouldn't need the courage to come out of the closet because said closet shouldn't even factor in. One shouldn't have to make a grand gesture of proclaiming who they are because it shouldn't matter. Again books like these encourage awareness and a sense of support as they give hope that when girl meets girl, or boy meets boy, it won't even cause a ripple or a second thought/glance, but one of celebration.
This once again brings home the fact that there is a real fear out there of being different, being seen as weak, being seen as wrong, just because of who you're attracted to. One feels the need to hide their true selves for fear of losing friends & family, of being ostracized based on who you love. Because of that, ultimately there's fear of taking that vital step towards being happy.
This is also about regret or really the future of a shitload of regrets. When does one cry uncle?? When do you realize how much you've lost in terms of opportunities to explore, have fun, fall in love, fall out of love, to make friends, to be yourself, to be happy? When do you throw in the towel?
Both Tyler and Matt are miserable, each with roadblocks of their own making. Goode continues to show the very real struggles that a lot of LGBT people go through. Other reviewers have said it better; how the majority of us take for granted the simple ability to connect with a person that we're attracted to. Boy meets girl, they fall in love, they marry and have 2.5 kids, and live happily ever after. But what if the people you're attracted to is a limited pool to select from? And are equally scared, equally making an effort to hide?
Though idealistically one shouldn't need the courage to come out of the closet because said closet shouldn't even factor in. One shouldn't have to make a grand gesture of proclaiming who they are because it shouldn't matter. Again books like these encourage awareness and a sense of support as they give hope that when girl meets girl, or boy meets boy, it won't even cause a ripple or a second thought/glance, but one of celebration.
November 20, 2014
Short but sweet:) Loved watching Matt and Tyler's journey in overcoming their fears and falling in love.. It wasn't perfect, not wrapped up in a neat little bow.. but it was beautiful. (A couple of times I did want to knock their heads together though)
That 'friend' of Matt's, Sophia... oooh! I wanted to smack her so many times, unpleasant woman *glares* Don't know how Matt put up with her.
The speech Tyler gave:
I was proud of him :)
We learn more in gradual flashbacks about what happened with Robbie and Riley, so heartbreaking :( Even though we got part of the story in the previous book, I still was hoping for a different outcome. I don't blame Robbie for being angry at Tyler really.
Word of warning, read 'end of the innocence' before this as it does take place during the events of that one.
Really really hope Matt and Tyler work out in the end, they are so wonderful together <3
September 27, 2016
4 Stars
In this story, Kyle and Brad finally get a break from narration. Instead, we get to delve deeper into Tyler Parker’s character (who I became increasingly interested in during previous stories) and the newly introduced Matt Wallace.
The events in this story run parallel to the events which occurred in End of the Innocence. I must admit, I love when this happens. I enjoy rereading events through different perspectives; gaining more information and understanding about all characters involved. The overlaps in storytelling were handled well here.
I absolutely loathed Matt’s so-called bestie, Sophia. She was so oppressively awful that she drained a fair bit of my previous joy away from the final 20% of the story. I was raging at her behaviour, and quite frankly, I lost a hell of a lot of respect for Matt for allowing it to go on as long as it did.
You know who I didn’t hate?... Matt and Tyler’s parents, particularly their fathers. The father/son moments got me right in the feels, and Matt’s father’s chapter of narration (which occurred because Matt and Tyler were so distraught that they could no longer narrate the story--so very original) was my favourite, most moving part of the whole story.
I have two points of contention with events (or lack thereof) within this story:
1) I was super confused by the sudden and seemingly unwarranted “falling out” between Matt and Tyler.
2) Although, I absolutely loved the revelations surrounding Tyler’s past with Robbie and Riley (which were gut wrenchingly traumatic and possibly unforgivable), I was extremely disappointed we didn’t get to see some sort of on page (present time) interaction between Tyler and Robbie.
Since beginning my (epic) binge of the Tales From Foster High books, my respect and admiration for what John Goode has created here continues to grow. To say I’m overwhelmed by his writing skills and even more overwhelmed by the subject matter explored within, would be a major understatement. Without trying to sound melodramatic, I should say that, regardless of the countless m/m themed books I’ve read since my inception to the genre a year ago (I’m still quite a newbie by those standards), this is the first series that has really impacted me, in terms of the depth of awareness that I’ve gained, regarding many of the serious struggles countless individuals face when coming to terms with their sexual identities. I’m not saying I was previously ignorant to all of this, but the situations and matters explored within these books have really brought me to a whole new level of cognizance. So, much respect and praise to John Goode for opening my eyes even more (while thoroughly entertaining me and emotionally draining me--often simultaneously).
The author’s notes, forewords, postscripts etc, should be read. I know a lot of people skip reading these types of things, but here, the words being said are just as important (if not more important) than the words being said within the story. So, please, be sure to read these.
In this story, Kyle and Brad finally get a break from narration. Instead, we get to delve deeper into Tyler Parker’s character (who I became increasingly interested in during previous stories) and the newly introduced Matt Wallace.
The events in this story run parallel to the events which occurred in End of the Innocence. I must admit, I love when this happens. I enjoy rereading events through different perspectives; gaining more information and understanding about all characters involved. The overlaps in storytelling were handled well here.
I absolutely loathed Matt’s so-called bestie, Sophia. She was so oppressively awful that she drained a fair bit of my previous joy away from the final 20% of the story. I was raging at her behaviour, and quite frankly, I lost a hell of a lot of respect for Matt for allowing it to go on as long as it did.
You know who I didn’t hate?... Matt and Tyler’s parents, particularly their fathers. The father/son moments got me right in the feels, and Matt’s father’s chapter of narration (which occurred because Matt and Tyler were so distraught that they could no longer narrate the story--so very original) was my favourite, most moving part of the whole story.
I have two points of contention with events (or lack thereof) within this story:
1) I was super confused by the sudden and seemingly unwarranted “falling out” between Matt and Tyler.
2) Although, I absolutely loved the revelations surrounding Tyler’s past with Robbie and Riley (which were gut wrenchingly traumatic and possibly unforgivable), I was extremely disappointed we didn’t get to see some sort of on page (present time) interaction between Tyler and Robbie.
Since beginning my (epic) binge of the Tales From Foster High books, my respect and admiration for what John Goode has created here continues to grow. To say I’m overwhelmed by his writing skills and even more overwhelmed by the subject matter explored within, would be a major understatement. Without trying to sound melodramatic, I should say that, regardless of the countless m/m themed books I’ve read since my inception to the genre a year ago (I’m still quite a newbie by those standards), this is the first series that has really impacted me, in terms of the depth of awareness that I’ve gained, regarding many of the serious struggles countless individuals face when coming to terms with their sexual identities. I’m not saying I was previously ignorant to all of this, but the situations and matters explored within these books have really brought me to a whole new level of cognizance. So, much respect and praise to John Goode for opening my eyes even more (while thoroughly entertaining me and emotionally draining me--often simultaneously).
The author’s notes, forewords, postscripts etc, should be read. I know a lot of people skip reading these types of things, but here, the words being said are just as important (if not more important) than the words being said within the story. So, please, be sure to read these.
January 6, 2015
-BR, August 22th with Julie and Susan.review Julie
review Susan
Okay, I’m making an official announcement…. John Goode, I’m going to hunt down your wall finding out what more you have written!!! Every book I’ve read of yours…. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster.. And I loved it..
”Hope is life”
”Hope is everything, even if you don’t believe it, because it believes in you”
Although already knowing what was going to happen in this book. I found it fascinating to read about the journey Tyler and Matt made in their life to find the courage to be together.
It all started with this:
Tyler
”He was leaning up against the door …. He had taken his shoes off and for some reason, seeing him barefoot was akin in my mind to catching him nude. He was so undeniably beautiful that the image was burned into my mind for the rest of my life.”
Matt
”It wasn’t an explosion or a burst of fireworks; it was something slower and far more powerful. As we sat there waiting for the parking lot to empty, I could feel the continental plates that made up my life begin to shift under me. And it hit me….
This was the moment my life truly began. This was the day I stopped running from being happy and just let it happen.
And for the first time in my life, that wasn’t a bad thing.”
N O T - T H E - E N D
I’m so looking forward to Robbie’s story!
And we got Kyle again!! Yay…
I LOVED the Postscript!!! ❤❤❤❤❤
”Gay men are a lot like people who have been starved for most of their lives, forced to watch other people eat whenever they want.”
Obviously not being gay, I never really fully understood it; going through life and loving another person. We straight people are so accustomed to the concept “falling in love”. Boy meets Girl and Boem! Gay love, I understand now is so much harder!!
my other reviews of the series
===========================================
Yes... Looking forward to this all week!!
March 20, 2019
It's not that one didn't like it, it just didn't give me that magic spark, you know? There were some serious ups and downs in Tyler and Matt's relationship, and not all of them good. There is also a seriously sad ending for one of the teen characters .
Overall this was good. 3 stars.
Overall this was good. 3 stars.
August 18, 2013
I could quote so many passages from this book. I could fill the page with them and none would really make the impact they have when read intact inside this incredible novel. When your heart is impacted, your thinking challenged and your imagination delighted, you look down at the novel in your hands and realize what you have just been given to read--a gift. A gift that resonated way beyond the words on the page and right into your corner of reality. Yes, this was a novel about what love is and, in fact, what the author feels it is not. But there was more here, there was the courage to say that "love is hard", and if you are up to throwing all your muscle behind the effort, love can be rewarding and, hopefully, lasting. I liked this story not because it was a sweet love story but because it challenged me, it made me laugh, it made me cry, and it clamored around in my head long after the last page turned.
Tyler Parker had experience glorious moments on the football field, riding a scholarship to play college ball and finally hoping that he could open the closet door just a bit and finally breathe, until a knee injury shot him right back to Foster, Texas and the closet that held him trapped all through high school. As Tyler moves into his thirties, he remains steadfastly alone and hiding. Although he has come out to his parents, he does not flaunt that he is gay, instead, he allows the town he grew up in, that worshiped him as their local football god to remain in the dark about his sexuality.
Living a mere shadow of a life, he allows his friends and mother to "fix him up" only to realize that something is always lacking...it is almost too late when he realizes the thing lacking is himself, his courage to admit who he is and how he wants to live.
Home for Christmas, Matt Wallace, grits his teeth to endure yet another family get together. Its not that his family objects to his being gay or makes him feel bad in any way, its that Matt is his own worst enemy, seeking to be happy with life yet never being happy with himself. He wants to blame Foster, his past, maybe even his family, anything and anyone but himself. Surely he was not the problem, surely he was unhappy because of others.
These two men collide and the story that unfolds casts a blinding light on what it means to grown up in a town that hides those that are different like a dirty shameful secret. But the story doesn't stop there, no this author also forces his characters to look inward and painfully see, for the first time, how they themselves lived as "ghosts", allowing a town to force them to hide or flee but never come out and live honestly.
When I tell you that this story is multi-layered, that there is more here than meets the eye, I am not exaggerating. While on the surface, Taking Chances may seem like a sweet love story with a potential happy ever after, but to relegate it to that simple a label would be to do a grave injustice to what lies at the very core of this remarkable novel. In many ways, this novel is a window into that moment in a person's life where they must make the decision to either continue living a half existence, unhappy and hidden, or step forward, run into the scathingly harsh light that is a small town's consciousness and stand up for themselves, realizing that they will be seen for who they are for the very first time. This story is risky, messy, and, along the way, alternately heartbreaking and laugh out loud funny.
But, in the end, the reward for that act of courage? Well, perhaps, just perhaps it is love, acceptance, and being able to breath for the very first time. Not always...the story warns us of that in a very clear way but sometimes, it all works out. Love is hard...never really neat, always disruptive, but oh so stunning when it finally takes root in our hearts. I believe this is the real story behind Taking Chances by John Goode, that when we can finally be honest about who we are and realize that what others think cannot be the reason for our own happiness, why, then, even in the darkest of times, we have found true happiness inside ourselves.
I highly recommend Taking Chances by John Goode to you. While its roots lie in his young adult series, Foster High, it is an adult m/m story that can stand alone and be enjoyed without reading the series.
Tyler Parker had experience glorious moments on the football field, riding a scholarship to play college ball and finally hoping that he could open the closet door just a bit and finally breathe, until a knee injury shot him right back to Foster, Texas and the closet that held him trapped all through high school. As Tyler moves into his thirties, he remains steadfastly alone and hiding. Although he has come out to his parents, he does not flaunt that he is gay, instead, he allows the town he grew up in, that worshiped him as their local football god to remain in the dark about his sexuality.
Living a mere shadow of a life, he allows his friends and mother to "fix him up" only to realize that something is always lacking...it is almost too late when he realizes the thing lacking is himself, his courage to admit who he is and how he wants to live.
Home for Christmas, Matt Wallace, grits his teeth to endure yet another family get together. Its not that his family objects to his being gay or makes him feel bad in any way, its that Matt is his own worst enemy, seeking to be happy with life yet never being happy with himself. He wants to blame Foster, his past, maybe even his family, anything and anyone but himself. Surely he was not the problem, surely he was unhappy because of others.
These two men collide and the story that unfolds casts a blinding light on what it means to grown up in a town that hides those that are different like a dirty shameful secret. But the story doesn't stop there, no this author also forces his characters to look inward and painfully see, for the first time, how they themselves lived as "ghosts", allowing a town to force them to hide or flee but never come out and live honestly.
When I tell you that this story is multi-layered, that there is more here than meets the eye, I am not exaggerating. While on the surface, Taking Chances may seem like a sweet love story with a potential happy ever after, but to relegate it to that simple a label would be to do a grave injustice to what lies at the very core of this remarkable novel. In many ways, this novel is a window into that moment in a person's life where they must make the decision to either continue living a half existence, unhappy and hidden, or step forward, run into the scathingly harsh light that is a small town's consciousness and stand up for themselves, realizing that they will be seen for who they are for the very first time. This story is risky, messy, and, along the way, alternately heartbreaking and laugh out loud funny.
But, in the end, the reward for that act of courage? Well, perhaps, just perhaps it is love, acceptance, and being able to breath for the very first time. Not always...the story warns us of that in a very clear way but sometimes, it all works out. Love is hard...never really neat, always disruptive, but oh so stunning when it finally takes root in our hearts. I believe this is the real story behind Taking Chances by John Goode, that when we can finally be honest about who we are and realize that what others think cannot be the reason for our own happiness, why, then, even in the darkest of times, we have found true happiness inside ourselves.
I highly recommend Taking Chances by John Goode to you. While its roots lie in his young adult series, Foster High, it is an adult m/m story that can stand alone and be enjoyed without reading the series.
August 28, 2016
Este es el que menos me ha gustado de la serie, con diferencia, no es que me haya decepcionado, me sigue gustando mucho cómo escribe el autor, y no es que no me gusten los protagonistas, Tyler y Matt me gustan aunque no sean Brad y Kyle. Pero, su historia no me ha llegado, ha tenido cierto tono de insta-love y precipitación que no me ha convencido, y un conflicto con el que en ocasiones me ha costado empatizar, entiendo que se puede deber al momento vital en el que se encuentran los personajes, pero no me ha terminado de convencer.
Aun así, algún libro de descanso y empiezo con ilusión el sexto.
Aun así, algún libro de descanso y empiezo con ilusión el sexto.
September 18, 2015
Tyler and Matt were both raised in Foster, Texas. Both grew up with the fear of people discovering the real them. Both left at the first opportunity. They were both still unhappy. But regardless of the time- of the years that went by they realized it's never too late to dream. To hope. To be happy. To take chances.
"At any given moment you have the power to say:
This is not how the story is going to end."
-Christine Mason Miller
"At any given moment you have the power to say:
This is not how the story is going to end."
-Christine Mason Miller
August 10, 2013
3.5 - 4
A sweet story about two lonely guys that are searching for happiness.
I started this story in the morning before work and then was frustrated I had to wait the whole working day before I could get my mitts on it again and read, read, read. I haven’t read any of the other books (save one short story) in the Tales from Foster High series, so I’m reviewing this as a stand-alone—and it is enjoyable without having prior knowledge of the ‘Foster’ world.
Things that worked for me:
• The Forward & Postscript – I liked the discussion of hope and love and thought it added a nice touch to the story. It gave the whole story a more . . . polished, professional feel to it.
• The ‘About the Author’ page at the end was creative and clever, and I had a very good chuckle while reading it.
• The writing itself is good and the author really gets into the characters heads, so we get their thoughts, responses and emotions. This was particularly well done in the first chapters with Matt.
• The flashbacks of the boy behind the red door really drew me in to the story and set up the romantic tension.
• I really enjoyed how stylistic the author was with the narrative. Some chapters are told from the perspective of other characters in the book, and it fit, because it emphasized the need Matt and Tyler had for space. At that point they were both so upset, they just couldn’t go on. Very clever writing device.
Thing that didn’t work for me:
The biggest issue for me was that the pacing of the story felt off.
It has a great initial lead in, but as soon as Matt and Tyler meet at Christmas the splendid pacing hits a snag as the two guys fall for each other immediately without much conflict. The insta-love at this point just didn’t flow well for me. I can understand that both the men are lonely, and maybe that would make them quick to jump into something, but as a reader, I love to have the emotional/and or physical connection drawn out a bit more.
As well as the two getting together too quickly, they suddenly fall apart after a week, and the reasons didn’t feel very mature (especially for characters that are in their thirties). The guys seemed super sensitive, and I never really got what Tyler did that was so wrong that he had to put up with so much crap from Matt and his awful fag-hag toward the end of the book. So he freaked out? Good, I say. It shows some human emotion—this needed to be worked through and not run away from.
I guess from the moment the main characters kiss, the books speeds toward an end with so much happening too quickly. But, to be fair, the blurb does tell the reader what to expect.
It feels like maybe I’m placing a lot of emphasis on what didn’t work for me in this story, but I guess I feel passionate about it because the writing was awesome, and I was/am greedy and just wanted more.
I enjoyed the read and am certainly interested in the other stories set in Foster. Definitely an author to try again!!!
***written for mm good book reviews***
A sweet story about two lonely guys that are searching for happiness.
I started this story in the morning before work and then was frustrated I had to wait the whole working day before I could get my mitts on it again and read, read, read. I haven’t read any of the other books (save one short story) in the Tales from Foster High series, so I’m reviewing this as a stand-alone—and it is enjoyable without having prior knowledge of the ‘Foster’ world.
Things that worked for me:
• The Forward & Postscript – I liked the discussion of hope and love and thought it added a nice touch to the story. It gave the whole story a more . . . polished, professional feel to it.
• The ‘About the Author’ page at the end was creative and clever, and I had a very good chuckle while reading it.
• The writing itself is good and the author really gets into the characters heads, so we get their thoughts, responses and emotions. This was particularly well done in the first chapters with Matt.
• The flashbacks of the boy behind the red door really drew me in to the story and set up the romantic tension.
• I really enjoyed how stylistic the author was with the narrative. Some chapters are told from the perspective of other characters in the book, and it fit, because it emphasized the need Matt and Tyler had for space. At that point they were both so upset, they just couldn’t go on. Very clever writing device.
Thing that didn’t work for me:
The biggest issue for me was that the pacing of the story felt off.
It has a great initial lead in, but as soon as Matt and Tyler meet at Christmas the splendid pacing hits a snag as the two guys fall for each other immediately without much conflict. The insta-love at this point just didn’t flow well for me. I can understand that both the men are lonely, and maybe that would make them quick to jump into something, but as a reader, I love to have the emotional/and or physical connection drawn out a bit more.
As well as the two getting together too quickly, they suddenly fall apart after a week, and the reasons didn’t feel very mature (especially for characters that are in their thirties). The guys seemed super sensitive, and I never really got what Tyler did that was so wrong that he had to put up with so much crap from Matt and his awful fag-hag toward the end of the book. So he freaked out? Good, I say. It shows some human emotion—this needed to be worked through and not run away from.
I guess from the moment the main characters kiss, the books speeds toward an end with so much happening too quickly. But, to be fair, the blurb does tell the reader what to expect.
It feels like maybe I’m placing a lot of emphasis on what didn’t work for me in this story, but I guess I feel passionate about it because the writing was awesome, and I was/am greedy and just wanted more.
I enjoyed the read and am certainly interested in the other stories set in Foster. Definitely an author to try again!!!
***written for mm good book reviews***
June 22, 2015
But what do you say to taking chances,
What do you say to jumping off the edge?
Never knowing if there's solid ground below
Or hand to hold, or hell to pay,
What do you say,
What do you say?
"Taking Chances" by Celine Dion/Glee Cast(Lea Michele)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v68Py...
The book was just okay for me because things between Matt & Tyler were happening too fast. And then there where parts that are quite boring.
But, there were fine moments in the book: Tyler's side of the Robbie & Riley story. That part when the MCs refused to narrate. Lol! It was brilliant and it made me smile. And lastly, how the story was done. It was not your typical love story that everything is solved after chasing your beau out of the state. Also, I loved how the book ended. Yay! :D
In regards to your postscript Mr. Goode, I agree and resonate to everything you've said. (I also agree with the slut factor. Lol! Thanks for pointing it out that it's not only me who's feeling that way.) A lot of people don't realize how hard is it for us to find love or even just a good companion.
I just ended up my relationship a few weeks back. But I think I'm happy. I should feel miserable. I'm jobless, heartbroken, lives off with my mom...I'm a loser. But somehow I feel that there is no other way for me but UP. And I'm hopeful for things to come. Also when you think about it, not everyone gets to have a really nice person twice in their lives. So I guess I'm happy, hopeful, and moving on. :)
Looking forward for more Foster tales! :D
3 STARS.
MY OTHER REVIEWS FROM THE FOSTER HIGH UNIVERSE:
Maybe with a Chance of Certainty
End of the Beginning
Raise Your Glass
End of Innocence
August 9, 2016
When I started this I realised it sounded familiar and a quick check proved it. This is a much waited for full story of a Christmas short I read a few years ago, and I loved finally getting the depth I felt missing from the short.
Watching Matt and Tyler get to the beginning of their journey, ( that will make sense if you read the book lol ), was filled with highs and lows. But I felt a keen insight into how they both felt, and while I might not understand them I certainly felt for them.
I really loved how the parents were portrayed in this one too. Very realistic. Unfortunately I hated Sophia. There was nothing about her I liked. Brash, crude and ultimately selfish.
Overall this was a fairly sweet read with just a touch of drama towards the end. This one was definitely about the feelings.
ETA I still love watching these guys come together, but I also get puzzled as to why they acted the way they did at times.
Watching Matt and Tyler get to the beginning of their journey, ( that will make sense if you read the book lol ), was filled with highs and lows. But I felt a keen insight into how they both felt, and while I might not understand them I certainly felt for them.
I really loved how the parents were portrayed in this one too. Very realistic. Unfortunately I hated Sophia. There was nothing about her I liked. Brash, crude and ultimately selfish.
Overall this was a fairly sweet read with just a touch of drama towards the end. This one was definitely about the feelings.
ETA I still love watching these guys come together, but I also get puzzled as to why they acted the way they did at times.
August 18, 2013
Wow. I'm not sure what to say about this book. It wasn't what I expected I guess and there were a number of things I didn't like about it. That being said, John Goode is an amazing author and I look forward to reading his next Foster High book. This book was well written but I just didn't enjoy it very much. I think I know what he was trying to do with this story, but I just have to say that I found most of the characters in this book pretty unlikable and the ending did not fix that.
It's probably not a good sign that the characters I liked the best in this book were the parents. These parents are really what parents should be and are so well written. I loved both moms and both dads in this one.
Sophia is the most unlikable character (Matt's mom nailed it in ONE with her assessment) in the book. OK - so the fag hag is a bitch. It could happen - it does happen. I'm reminded of Coco Chanel's famous advice - “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.” That's how I felt about the character of Sophia - just one too many.
We finally get the story of the hostility of Robbie towards Tyler. Didn't make my like Tyler any more since he still seems to be dealing with it by drinking and not pulling his head out of his ass. Or saying a word to Robbie. I get that we are supposed to understand Tyler being a bit of a coward. Still doesn't make me root for him.
The other character I really liked in this book was Kyle. He is still my favorite character in this series. He's got that old soul wisdom that some people just seem to be born with. I can't wait to see what happens with him in the next book. I was glad to see that Tyler was at least smart enough to listen to the much wiser teenager in this instance.
I'm still on the fence about Matt. I cannot for the life of me figure out why he would be friends with Sophia. What is the redeeming quality of that woman? Makes me question his sanity and WTF? If he's so damn unhappy, why doesn't he talk to somebody about it? I get it in Foster - at least a little bit since he hightailed it out of there at 18. But I mean 10 years of denial while living in CA is pretty strange in my experience. Therapy is a rite of passage.
Honestly, I really just wanted to get out the yellow pages and find a good therapist for these people. Hey, I grew up in a small town in the Midwest too. And I moved back here. And we have therapists here and people use them when they need them. And we have gay people too. And in 2013, hardly anybody gives a flying fuck. And if they did, the rest of the people would give 'em what's for. And whether that's because gay people are more visible now or because of TV or whatever, it's a good thing.
All in all, I just didn't find this story very enjoyable. It took me a couple of days to read it and that's pretty telling because usually I just start and read until I'm finished with John's books. Others probably will like it, but it just didn't work for me :( Your mileage may vary ;)
It's probably not a good sign that the characters I liked the best in this book were the parents. These parents are really what parents should be and are so well written. I loved both moms and both dads in this one.
Sophia is the most unlikable character (Matt's mom nailed it in ONE with her assessment) in the book. OK - so the fag hag is a bitch. It could happen - it does happen. I'm reminded of Coco Chanel's famous advice - “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.” That's how I felt about the character of Sophia - just one too many.
We finally get the story of the hostility of Robbie towards Tyler. Didn't make my like Tyler any more since he still seems to be dealing with it by drinking and not pulling his head out of his ass. Or saying a word to Robbie. I get that we are supposed to understand Tyler being a bit of a coward. Still doesn't make me root for him.
The other character I really liked in this book was Kyle. He is still my favorite character in this series. He's got that old soul wisdom that some people just seem to be born with. I can't wait to see what happens with him in the next book. I was glad to see that Tyler was at least smart enough to listen to the much wiser teenager in this instance.
I'm still on the fence about Matt. I cannot for the life of me figure out why he would be friends with Sophia. What is the redeeming quality of that woman? Makes me question his sanity and WTF? If he's so damn unhappy, why doesn't he talk to somebody about it? I get it in Foster - at least a little bit since he hightailed it out of there at 18. But I mean 10 years of denial while living in CA is pretty strange in my experience. Therapy is a rite of passage.
Honestly, I really just wanted to get out the yellow pages and find a good therapist for these people. Hey, I grew up in a small town in the Midwest too. And I moved back here. And we have therapists here and people use them when they need them. And we have gay people too. And in 2013, hardly anybody gives a flying fuck. And if they did, the rest of the people would give 'em what's for. And whether that's because gay people are more visible now or because of TV or whatever, it's a good thing.
All in all, I just didn't find this story very enjoyable. It took me a couple of days to read it and that's pretty telling because usually I just start and read until I'm finished with John's books. Others probably will like it, but it just didn't work for me :( Your mileage may vary ;)
August 8, 2013
John Goode has written an exceptional story of two men that are broken for very different reasons.
Tyler grew up in Foster hiding his sexuality. When he left to pursue his dream he was devastated by an injury that cost him everything. After coming home and just existing day to day he finds friends that drag his protesting ass out to start living. Then, when tragedy strikes in a truly evil act Tyler reacts in a way that he can't forgive himself for.
I feel like I should offer Robbie an apology. I didn't really like him in the previous books and now I truly understand the pain and rage that he refuses to let go.
Then there is Matt. He lives a life that is making him miserable. He left Foster to start a life in San Francisco, thinking that living openly in a safer environment would solve his problems. It doesn't and he can't understand that the problem is not with the outside world. It is his own lack of self awareness that holds him back.......And the fag hag from hell doesn't help either.
When they reconnect in Foster they each see the other as the answer for making them happy. Then their relationship implodes in way that I found very understandable. Tyler tries to make a grand gesture to Matt to fix things, but the fag hag from hell is around to ruin the day. And Matt lets her! I wanted to strangle him at this point.
What I found to be the best part of the book is that love doesn't fix all. It motivated each character to come to terms with his own problems and solve them on his own. Then they were ready to start a relationship and work for the happiness that they wanted.
P.S. I would really love to read Robbies book now. And more Brad and Kyle of course.
Tyler grew up in Foster hiding his sexuality. When he left to pursue his dream he was devastated by an injury that cost him everything. After coming home and just existing day to day he finds friends that drag his protesting ass out to start living. Then, when tragedy strikes in a truly evil act Tyler reacts in a way that he can't forgive himself for.
I feel like I should offer Robbie an apology. I didn't really like him in the previous books and now I truly understand the pain and rage that he refuses to let go.
Then there is Matt. He lives a life that is making him miserable. He left Foster to start a life in San Francisco, thinking that living openly in a safer environment would solve his problems. It doesn't and he can't understand that the problem is not with the outside world. It is his own lack of self awareness that holds him back.......And the fag hag from hell doesn't help either.
When they reconnect in Foster they each see the other as the answer for making them happy. Then their relationship implodes in way that I found very understandable. Tyler tries to make a grand gesture to Matt to fix things, but the fag hag from hell is around to ruin the day. And Matt lets her! I wanted to strangle him at this point.
What I found to be the best part of the book is that love doesn't fix all. It motivated each character to come to terms with his own problems and solve them on his own. Then they were ready to start a relationship and work for the happiness that they wanted.
P.S. I would really love to read Robbies book now. And more Brad and Kyle of course.
August 13, 2013
In the end, my reaction to this story tips toward the "I liked it" side of the scale, mostly on the strength of the writing. (Kyle's chapter in particular is a delight.) I can't quite put my finger on why I didn't love it, though. The original story, The Boy Behind the Red Door, was a five-star read for me, a perfect little slice of romance and possibility. This extended version has a feeling of bitterness to it that is intensely uncomfortable. (And yes, some of that is because the characters themselves are bitter.) After finishing the book, I realized that Matt and Tyler don't spend a lot of time together on-page, and when they are together, their interactions are fraught with awkwardness and miscommunication. Maybe I just needed something to counterbalance it.
June 3, 2015
I loved it as usual with John's books!
It's everybody's fantasy.. to win the boy's (or girl's) next door heart! I remember my boy next door! He was dreamy! He was my first kiss! This books just brought those memories back and made me feel so, so good!
That is until "The incident" (you'll know when you'll read it). I kept hopping John will change the outcome! I was heartbroken! HEARTBROKEN I tell you!
Still is was a lovely read and I recommended it wholeheartedly!
Again, John's note at the end made my day! I love those notes John! They make my day!
Hugs!
It's everybody's fantasy.. to win the boy's (or girl's) next door heart! I remember my boy next door! He was dreamy! He was my first kiss! This books just brought those memories back and made me feel so, so good!
That is until "The incident" (you'll know when you'll read it). I kept hopping John will change the outcome! I was heartbroken! HEARTBROKEN I tell you!
Still is was a lovely read and I recommended it wholeheartedly!
Again, John's note at the end made my day! I love those notes John! They make my day!
Hugs!
August 27, 2013
I've read all of the Tales From Foster High and loved each of them dearly. This series has touched my heart in ways I never imagined a book could. I really feel for these characters and the story feels so real one can really relate to the feelings of the characters. There are a lot of heart breaking moments which were powerful enough to bring tears to my eyes as well as scenes where I found myself smiling uncontrollably to myself because of how sweet and adorable it was. The series is very inspirational and motivating and I just love John Goode's writing style.
Man, yet another roller coaster ride!! This volume in the series was just as amazing as the others. I read straight through, only stopping for food breaks and such because I was glued to the story. There was no way I could have put this book down because it would have been too torturous waiting to find out what happens next. I really loved the fact that aside from the two main characters POV's telling the story, there were other characters POV's that were really unexpected but really brought the story together nicely. IT was great to see how Kyle's mom regretted breaking her promise to change because it connects the last book with this one and continues into Tyler's story. When Matt and Tyler are both upset after Matt says he's leaving, the way the chapter ended with Tyler addressing the reader as if he were speaking to us personally and didn't want to talk about his problems anymore at the moment and the following "chapter" by Matt who didn't want to be bothered either and then a note where we had to wait for them to find someone else to narrate, that was a brilliant and very cool idea. It really draws you in more because you feel like you're a part of the story. I kind of looked at it like a form of comic relief, not that there was anything funny about the situation at all but it was a nice break from heavy atmosphere because it was cute and silly that neither character wanted to narrate at the time.
I was so glad to finally find out what happened between Tyler and Robbie. I thought their interactions in the memory scenes were entertaining. Robbie could be pretty blunt at times but that's why I love him. He doesn't hold anything back and it's better to hear the truth instead of lies to make you feel better. Deep down he actually cares and does want to help Tyler (and Kyle even those two butt heads at times as well). Just when they were finally starting to get along, such a horrible thing happens to Riley. Robbie and Riley were just so cute together, so it was a heartbreaking moment. Riley was Tyler's friend so it can be argued that he should have helped instead of running away. But I don't think it's so black and white. If someone had witnessed a death of a friend in such a gruesome matter, they would freeze up and go into shock. Their mind would be running 1000 miles and hour not sure what you should or could do. Tyler had a lot on his plate already and was terrified of what would happen if people found out he was gay. And now, one of his 2 gay friends was killed right before his eyes. Riley and Robbie were trying to help him get out into the world and be comfortable with himself and he was still struggling at this moment and now he had lost one of his supporters and friends to death and another by betrayal. Each person reacts differently to each situation and in my opinion it can't be right or wrong because of how unexpected a horrible death of a friend happens suddenly. You have the air knocked out of you and can't believe it's really happening right before your eyes and your body reacts on it''s own even if your mind knows what the right thing to do is. Tyler clearly regrets running away. It haunts him and I really just feel so bad for him and want to give him a hug.
Kelly's death was also tragic especially because Kyle tried so hard to help him become comfortable with himself. But with only one person supporting you when all of your friends and even your family turn on you it's really difficult. I was so angry that Kelly's dad wouldn't let Kyle and Brad into the funeral and I've always wondered how it turned out and what Kelly's parents thought of him. I hated his father with a passion but his mother started to see she was wrong. When Tyler stood up and spoke, my heart skipped a beat. It was lovely and I was so glad he was standing up for himself and Kelly.
“And if he was,” I said to him from behind the podium, “there would have been nothing wrong with that.” I looked to the crowd, who was captivated by the real life drama in front of them. “I am Tyler Parker; and I am gay. I have always been gay and just too terrified to admit it. The entire time you have known me, I liked guys. I am the exact same person who was born and raised in this town and who you all cheered for when I went off to college.” I pointed to myself. “I am the same guy you rooted for in the bleachers, and I am the same guy you buy your kid’s uniforms from. I am a gay man, and not one of you had a problem with me the entire time I lived here.” I took a deep breath and asked them, “So why would you now?”
I really loved this part!!! I can't stand it when family members or friends start treating someone differently once they find out the person is gay. They are the same exact person as before!! Don't start treating them differently. But if someone is going to treat you differently because of who you love then they're not worth your time anyway. You deserve better. I never understood why people have an issue with who someone loves, it doesn't effect anyone but the ones involved. Tyler's speech says it all and it makes so much sense and I just wish it wasn't so hard for people to understand. If they don't then the least they can do is at least leave them alone instead of treating others harshly for being different.
I couldn't wait for another Foster High release because I really wanted to see how Brad and Kyle's story continues but I'm so happy this book came out to give an extended version of Tyler and Matt's story and answer some of my questions about them as well as answering questions for parts of Brad and Kyle's story. Matt and Tyler's story was much more complicated than I originally thought after reading The Boy Behind The Red Door but they worked so hard to become happy and the HFN ending was a great ending because then I can expect to read more about these two and see how they continue their journey together. It feels more realistic this way as opposed to a HEA where one assumes everything turns out good because it's not always like that in reality. I'm sure they will struggle some more and I want to join them on their journey and cheer them on. I really look forward to the next volume in this series.
Man, yet another roller coaster ride!! This volume in the series was just as amazing as the others. I read straight through, only stopping for food breaks and such because I was glued to the story. There was no way I could have put this book down because it would have been too torturous waiting to find out what happens next. I really loved the fact that aside from the two main characters POV's telling the story, there were other characters POV's that were really unexpected but really brought the story together nicely. IT was great to see how Kyle's mom regretted breaking her promise to change because it connects the last book with this one and continues into Tyler's story. When Matt and Tyler are both upset after Matt says he's leaving, the way the chapter ended with Tyler addressing the reader as if he were speaking to us personally and didn't want to talk about his problems anymore at the moment and the following "chapter" by Matt who didn't want to be bothered either and then a note where we had to wait for them to find someone else to narrate, that was a brilliant and very cool idea. It really draws you in more because you feel like you're a part of the story. I kind of looked at it like a form of comic relief, not that there was anything funny about the situation at all but it was a nice break from heavy atmosphere because it was cute and silly that neither character wanted to narrate at the time.
I was so glad to finally find out what happened between Tyler and Robbie. I thought their interactions in the memory scenes were entertaining. Robbie could be pretty blunt at times but that's why I love him. He doesn't hold anything back and it's better to hear the truth instead of lies to make you feel better. Deep down he actually cares and does want to help Tyler (and Kyle even those two butt heads at times as well). Just when they were finally starting to get along, such a horrible thing happens to Riley. Robbie and Riley were just so cute together, so it was a heartbreaking moment. Riley was Tyler's friend so it can be argued that he should have helped instead of running away. But I don't think it's so black and white. If someone had witnessed a death of a friend in such a gruesome matter, they would freeze up and go into shock. Their mind would be running 1000 miles and hour not sure what you should or could do. Tyler had a lot on his plate already and was terrified of what would happen if people found out he was gay. And now, one of his 2 gay friends was killed right before his eyes. Riley and Robbie were trying to help him get out into the world and be comfortable with himself and he was still struggling at this moment and now he had lost one of his supporters and friends to death and another by betrayal. Each person reacts differently to each situation and in my opinion it can't be right or wrong because of how unexpected a horrible death of a friend happens suddenly. You have the air knocked out of you and can't believe it's really happening right before your eyes and your body reacts on it''s own even if your mind knows what the right thing to do is. Tyler clearly regrets running away. It haunts him and I really just feel so bad for him and want to give him a hug.
Kelly's death was also tragic especially because Kyle tried so hard to help him become comfortable with himself. But with only one person supporting you when all of your friends and even your family turn on you it's really difficult. I was so angry that Kelly's dad wouldn't let Kyle and Brad into the funeral and I've always wondered how it turned out and what Kelly's parents thought of him. I hated his father with a passion but his mother started to see she was wrong. When Tyler stood up and spoke, my heart skipped a beat. It was lovely and I was so glad he was standing up for himself and Kelly.
“And if he was,” I said to him from behind the podium, “there would have been nothing wrong with that.” I looked to the crowd, who was captivated by the real life drama in front of them. “I am Tyler Parker; and I am gay. I have always been gay and just too terrified to admit it. The entire time you have known me, I liked guys. I am the exact same person who was born and raised in this town and who you all cheered for when I went off to college.” I pointed to myself. “I am the same guy you rooted for in the bleachers, and I am the same guy you buy your kid’s uniforms from. I am a gay man, and not one of you had a problem with me the entire time I lived here.” I took a deep breath and asked them, “So why would you now?”
I really loved this part!!! I can't stand it when family members or friends start treating someone differently once they find out the person is gay. They are the same exact person as before!! Don't start treating them differently. But if someone is going to treat you differently because of who you love then they're not worth your time anyway. You deserve better. I never understood why people have an issue with who someone loves, it doesn't effect anyone but the ones involved. Tyler's speech says it all and it makes so much sense and I just wish it wasn't so hard for people to understand. If they don't then the least they can do is at least leave them alone instead of treating others harshly for being different.
I couldn't wait for another Foster High release because I really wanted to see how Brad and Kyle's story continues but I'm so happy this book came out to give an extended version of Tyler and Matt's story and answer some of my questions about them as well as answering questions for parts of Brad and Kyle's story. Matt and Tyler's story was much more complicated than I originally thought after reading The Boy Behind The Red Door but they worked so hard to become happy and the HFN ending was a great ending because then I can expect to read more about these two and see how they continue their journey together. It feels more realistic this way as opposed to a HEA where one assumes everything turns out good because it's not always like that in reality. I'm sure they will struggle some more and I want to join them on their journey and cheer them on. I really look forward to the next volume in this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2013
What I loved:
- How much Matt and Tyler struggled to overcome past guilt and self-loathing before admitting their feelings for one another. Given their pasts, it would have been unrealistic for them to fall in love and have everything be sunshine and roses.
- The fathers' talks with their sons. So touching.
- Matchmaking moms. :-)
- The date from hell (and Tyler's parting speech). It was hard to read because it was so awful for the characters, but I enjoyed hating every moment of it.
- The Wallace brothers and how, growing up, they were always together and turning heads. I loved that imagery.
- The (non)ending.
What I hated:
- Matt's bitchy friend. But I think we were supposed to hate her, so that's okay.
- I sometimes got confused about whose point-of-view I was reading. My brain always wanted to default to Tyler (probably because I knew him from previous books). I don't know if that's because Matt's voice wasn't different enough, or just because I have terrible short-term memory.
- How much Matt and Tyler struggled to overcome past guilt and self-loathing before admitting their feelings for one another. Given their pasts, it would have been unrealistic for them to fall in love and have everything be sunshine and roses.
- The fathers' talks with their sons. So touching.
- Matchmaking moms. :-)
- The date from hell (and Tyler's parting speech). It was hard to read because it was so awful for the characters, but I enjoyed hating every moment of it.
- The Wallace brothers and how, growing up, they were always together and turning heads. I loved that imagery.
- The (non)ending.
What I hated:
- Matt's bitchy friend. But I think we were supposed to hate her, so that's okay.
- I sometimes got confused about whose point-of-view I was reading. My brain always wanted to default to Tyler (probably because I knew him from previous books). I don't know if that's because Matt's voice wasn't different enough, or just because I have terrible short-term memory.
July 22, 2015
I adore Kyle and Brad. Book 5, though, is about Matt and Tyler and I'll be honest, this fell a little flat to me. I couldn't warm up to either of them. The inconsistencies with the other books in the series also threw me out of the story a few times.
Okay, let's get back to Kyle and Brad now!
Okay, let's get back to Kyle and Brad now!
July 25, 2019
Dnf 66%.
Just profoundly boring and low energy. I did not connect with anyone in the book. I didn’t dislike anyone it it either. Maybe they were all actually zombies? Very boring ones.
Just profoundly boring and low energy. I did not connect with anyone in the book. I didn’t dislike anyone it it either. Maybe they were all actually zombies? Very boring ones.
October 25, 2013
Review posted on World of Diversity Fiction Reviews
I had a bit of trouble trying to decide what rating I wanted to give Taking Chances. There were times I absolutely loved this story and times I wondered how it could go so off the rails for me. I thought writing a pros and cons list would help me figure this one out.
The Pros...95% of the time I loved Tyler and Matt, they had such great chemistry and I love that they had this thing for each other in High School but didn’t realize it. They made me laugh and cry, sometimes they made me want to scream (that is a pro for how strongly I wanted to do that). Most of the time they were good people, the type I would be happy to call my friends.
The Cons...What the hell was wrong with these two??? If there ever was a couple that needed to learn the meaning of communication it was these two. This was one part of the story I wasn’t happy with, there were just too many misunderstandings and rush to judgements. No matter how much I grew to love Tyler he does do something that I can never forgive but saying what that something is would be a HUGE spoiler and I think it’s important to read that without outside influence but I will say for anyone that hates cheating storylines this isn’t one of them. At times I found both Tyler and Matt whiny and selfish and Matt’s friend Sophie, I just have nothing nice to say about her. She did give the story some, let’s say, interesting scenes and if you hate the bitchy female you are going to really hate her. I have to say as much as I’m not a fan of the bitchy character in stories I actually didn’t hate Sophie until the last conversation she had with Matt. She annoyed the hell out of me but I have to give props to John Goode, Sophie is a well written bitchy, evil female character that did exactly what she was supposed to do and that was get a rise out of me and boy did she.
I have strong feelings about my cons but then I have just as strong feelings about my pros and that is why I struggled with rating this book. After I finished reading Taking Chances I sat back and thought about it for a while and realized all the pros and cons in this book are what made this a really good read for me.
This is my first John Goode novel and I can’t wait to read more! One last thing, this is book #4 in the Tales from Foster High Series and while I’m sure reading all of them in order would be a good thing this one can definitely be read as a standalone.
Side note....I loved the forward and the postscript both are a must read!
August 3, 2017
The Boy Behind the Red Door was one of the best books I've read in the past year. I was left with wanting more. So I just had to take to Twitter and ask Mr. John Goode if there will be a sequel. He confirmed that there will be a full length story for the book. Since then I've been waiting anxiously for Taking Chances or "Tyler's Story" as he always referred to it.
To say that this book moved me would be a terrible understatement. Mr. Goode’s writing just never fails to impress me. This is the 10th book I have read of his and easily my 2nd favorite (the first being End of the Innocence, of course). And by the time I was done reading, I was exhausted and speechless with overwhelming emotions. I couldn’t help but read it again.
My favorite part of the book was when Tyler and Matt were too heartbroken to continue the story and refused to narrate. I actually laughed when Kyle’s mom took over the narration because I sort of had a feeling it was going to be her. I’ve never been much of a fan of Linda Stilleno in the previous books but it was great to see that she did feel guilty about letting Kyle down. She’s weak, but she does love her son. It was obvious when she admitted that she always prayed Kyle was okay when the phone starts to ring.
This book also helped me get to know the character of Robbie a little better. I liked Robbie in End of the Innocence. He was hilarious, but I never really understood all his anger towards Tyler. Now that the story is told, I can’t say I blame him for telling Kyle not to trust Tyler. I would have probably done the same thing. But Tyler is not a bad person, he’s just… flawed.
One of the hardest thing about this book was having to go over the murder (it was murder! They killed him!) of Kelly Aimes once again. It’s devastating to see this happen practically every day in our lives. I was incredibly proud of Tyler for finally standing up and speaking out. His speech was powerful and he killed the coward in him with it. I hope Kelly’s ignorant scumbag of a father learns something from it.
Thank you, Mr. Goode, for taking me through this rollercoaster of love, regret, guilt and redemption. It’s been a sweet ride. I can hardly wait for 151 Days, super excited to see Batman heal Foster.
I love you and your books. Please. Never. Stop. Writing.
To say that this book moved me would be a terrible understatement. Mr. Goode’s writing just never fails to impress me. This is the 10th book I have read of his and easily my 2nd favorite (the first being End of the Innocence, of course). And by the time I was done reading, I was exhausted and speechless with overwhelming emotions. I couldn’t help but read it again.
My favorite part of the book was when Tyler and Matt were too heartbroken to continue the story and refused to narrate. I actually laughed when Kyle’s mom took over the narration because I sort of had a feeling it was going to be her. I’ve never been much of a fan of Linda Stilleno in the previous books but it was great to see that she did feel guilty about letting Kyle down. She’s weak, but she does love her son. It was obvious when she admitted that she always prayed Kyle was okay when the phone starts to ring.
This book also helped me get to know the character of Robbie a little better. I liked Robbie in End of the Innocence. He was hilarious, but I never really understood all his anger towards Tyler. Now that the story is told, I can’t say I blame him for telling Kyle not to trust Tyler. I would have probably done the same thing. But Tyler is not a bad person, he’s just… flawed.
One of the hardest thing about this book was having to go over the murder (it was murder! They killed him!) of Kelly Aimes once again. It’s devastating to see this happen practically every day in our lives. I was incredibly proud of Tyler for finally standing up and speaking out. His speech was powerful and he killed the coward in him with it. I hope Kelly’s ignorant scumbag of a father learns something from it.
Thank you, Mr. Goode, for taking me through this rollercoaster of love, regret, guilt and redemption. It’s been a sweet ride. I can hardly wait for 151 Days, super excited to see Batman heal Foster.
I love you and your books. Please. Never. Stop. Writing.
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