Review: Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe by Shelley Coriell

I would like to extend my gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read an egalley

Genre

YA Contemporary

Publication Date

May 1st, 2012

Publisher

ABRAMS
~ Amulet Books ~

Available At

Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Formats 

Hardcover
Ebook

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.

Review
Rating: 5 out out of 5 Stars


What an amazingly fun yet deep story! There was a perfect blend of witty, light-heartedness and meaningful, deep issues that made Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe an irresistible, umputdownable read.


Chloe is a fabulous female protagonist. She is quirky, fun but also has to deal with issues that threaten to drag her down. She allows herself to have fun, finding or making fun when situations get to serious. A disposition that is rare and beautiful while also still allowing her to see the struggles of others and want to help. For me, I love everything about Chloe. From her love of vintage shoes to her fun, loving attitude that drew me in. She made the seriousness of each dire situation bearable, leaving a hopefulness that wouldn't have been there without her. She's not the only great character though, there are many. From Duncan, the sweet yet kind of shy boy, to the snarky Dragon, to Chloe's deteriorating but still completely amazing Grandma. The others are also just as great, each one bringing a new level and aspect to the story that makes each of them important and not just an afterthought.


Shelley Coriell braided mystery into this contemporary story. I wasn't always aware of what was happening, what each situation was caused from. It was fun trying to figure it out as the pieces slowly came together to allow us to see the whole story. Like I said before, there were many issues within this one story that were brought forth by different characters. They are all serious issues that many teens face within there own lives. It was a fun, sometimes laugh-out-loud, story but the issues were never ignored or pushed to the far edges. Shelley Coriell wasn't afraid to show us the ugly side of humanity, she just served it up in a way that was less painful to swallow it down whole. This I appreciated, because although I'm a huge fan of emotional reads, Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe allowed me to feel the suffering emotions, but also made me laugh through my tears. Have you ever done that? Had someone make you laugh while you are miserable? It's a natural high, the feelings of those two emotions combining to make you feel alive in that very moment. That is the effect of Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe. 


Also, another cool thing that I fell in love with is that Shelley Coriell added a piece of media-like material at the end of each chapter. A voicemail, an email, an add, a text, etc. It was a brilliantly fun way to add in important tidbits.


Powerful, unique, engaging. Those are the tree words I will use to describe not only the story, but Shelley Coriell's writing. Make sure to add Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe to your TBR pile. Now, go find your FUN for the day!