Publisher: Amulet (Abrams and Chronicle Book)
First published: May 1st, 2012
Source: Received from publisher
Format: ARC
Pages: 299
Goodreads Summary:Big-hearted Chloe Camden is the queen of her universe until her best friend shreds her reputation and her school counselor axes her junior independent study project. Chloe is forced to take on a meaningful project in order to pass, and so she joins her school’s struggling radio station, where the other students don’t find her too queenly. Ostracized by her former BFs and struggling with her beloved Grams’s mental deterioration, lonely Chloe ends up hosting a call-in show that gets the station much-needed publicity and, in the end, trouble. She also befriends radio techie and loner Duncan Moore, a quiet soul with a romantic heart. On and off the air, Chloe faces her loneliness and helps others find the fun and joy in everyday life. Readers will fall in love with Chloe as she falls in love with the radio station and the misfits who call it home.
My Rating: 4.0 / 5
First thoughts:
With pretty vintage shoes and the inclination to talk a little bit more than necessary, Chloe Camden won my heart and made it impossible for me set her story aside. It's a story of finding out who you really are, what you want and that sometimes the people surrounding you are more important. After initial difficulties I fell in love with Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe and cannot wait to read more books by Shelley Coriell.
When I read the first chapters of Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe I had a few problems getting into the story. While it might have been enjoyable, it wasn't love at first sight and I had trouble connecting with Chloe, who's completely different from most of the usual YA heroines. But in the end, this fact was what made me love the book so much.
Despite her life being an absolute mess, Chloe picks herself up and doesn't stop trying to have fun even during the most depressing situations. Laughter is her medicine and she rarely fails to make others smile - especially me as a reader. While her attitude seems to be too carefree in the beginning, she develops a lot throughout the story and realizes that there are moments when she has to think of how others want, or even need, her to react.
The other characters we encounter in Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe are colorful and add different flavours to the story. We get mean girls, who aren't necessarily mean but just insecure. We get the cute guy, who has the weight of the world on his shoulders because he cares too much and serious communication issues. We get the most hilarious grandmother, whom I just wanted to hug all the time. To put it briefly, the secondary characters are awesome.
Why didn't I rate it even higher then? Sadly, I'm not really sure and I'm very sorry about that. I think this is one of the books that are easy and very enjoyable to read and that you'd recommend without hesitating, but at the same time it's easy to put behind and pick up the next book afterwards.
Nonetheless Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe is a fantastic YA contemporary. If you're having a bad day and are looking for a pick-me-up to make you smile again, this should be one of your first choices. Even though it deals with some serious topics, it never loses its lightheartedness and will make sure that you're going to have fun reading Chloe's story.
YA Contemporary Challenge 2012
Debut Author Challenge 2012
Excerpt
The following excerpt is from Chapter 2. You can read the first chapter here.
