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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
GreenBeanTeenQueen Reviews, July 19, 2009
This review is from: Exclusively Chloe (Mass Market Paperback)
Ok, I admit it, I read the headlines on the magazines when I'm standing in line and I watch E! News. This book was a cute light read that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a look into Hollywood, so if you know the names of celebrities and their children, you'll probably enjoy this book. Chloe is relatable and even though she has a famous, expensive and fashionable lifestyle, she's nice and sweet and wasn't rich snotty girl, which I liked. I got annoyed that Chloe didn't seem to realize that Rachelle wasn't that great of a friend-she was the character that bugged me the most and she seemed to only want to be near Chloe because of her fame. Vicki and Jana on the other hand were great friends and I'm glad Chloe recognized their true friendship. This book really felt like it had two parts-it was about halfway into the book before Chloe actually got to her undcover make-under, which I had been looking forward to reading about. It really seemed like it was two books combined into one-Chloe the famous girl and Chloe the normal girl. Because it took so long to get to Chloe the normal girl, the romance wasn't as built up as I would have liked. Jack was still pretty adorable though, even with the short amount of book time he was given. The ending also felt a little rushed-I wish there could have been more in the second half dealing with Chloe's normal life. Since this was a pretty clean read-(Chloe does go out to a club, but she herself doesn't drink)-I'd give this one to younger teens or tweens looking for a book on the rich and fabulous. If you're looking for a light beach read that reads like a gossip magazine, I would pick up Exclusively Chloe.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic book, June 7, 2009
This review is from: Exclusively Chloe (Mass Market Paperback)
The Good: It was way better than I expected it to be. The story line has been used a lot before, but it had it's own quirky twist to it. There are some cliches in here and it's sometimes corny... but somehow, J.A. Yang pulls it off!
The characters are awesome. Regardless if they're main or supporting, I could differentiate between all of them and I loved (except a few who I just wanted to stab with a pencil) all oth them! And Chloe... unlike all the other normal person during during the day and celebrity by night main characters, I actually liked her. So, kudos to you, J.A.
The Bad: Chloe cries a lot. Maybe it's just me (since I'm such an ice queen), but I thought that was way dramatic and I thought it was a little... generic. You know when you're a newbie writer, you tend to pull the "she sobbed hysterically" and "it was the last thing I said/thought before I passed out" card. At least Chloe didn't "faint into the blackness", otherwise I might've just chucked the book out the window.
The epilogue... UGH. The only thing that comes to my mind when I think of it is, "What the EFF YOU CEE KAY?" It was totally unnecessary! It really had no purpose other than to show some fluff! So, I was a little dissapointed on how it ended.
Overall: Exclusively Chloe is a light and entertaining read that will charm reader with it spectacular style. It is an awesome debut and I strongly suggest you buy it (it's in paperback, too!) because it is FABULOUS.
Grade: A
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Thoroughly Entertaining Read With *Gasp* Ethics & Morals Subtly Weaved In, August 23, 2010
This review is from: Exclusively Chloe (Mass Market Paperback)
So it's been a while since I've delved into the sphere of teenagedom but with J.A. Yang's Exlusively Chloe, I immediately felt dialed in [numerous fun fashion references] but also educated, not only pop culture wise, but also morally. If I had a teenage daughter, I would buy this book for her knowing that she would be immediately connected to it via this day and age's obsession with faux-celebrities a la Kardashians, Hiltons but that she would also be smoothly presented with accessible moral dilemmas with relatable fixes. The book also provides a thoughtful commentary on the multi-cultural identity that's relevant to so many teenagers today.
The book is based on the experience of Chloe, a Chinese adoptee by Brangelina-esque parents who lives a gilded life and attends a celebrity-filled high school. It's a quasi-coming of age story where she finds herself despite the vacuousness of her extremely wealthy friends while not over-critizing that lifestyle and eschewing it entirely -- a very postmodern solution. Due to her parents' impending divorce and her desire to find her birth parents, Chloe goes undercover through a makeunder and transfers to a public high school in a different area. Her focus on inner values and realization of her birth parents' poverty provide the impetus to her emotional growth and the story ends happily.
I like the narrative because it's not preachy and doesn't engage in polemics when dissecting the materialism of our society, rather, it reaches a happy medium that's completely accessible for our teenagers, encouraging them to rethink their values outside of the Hollywood mainstream, to think for themselves, but not at the expense of completely alienating themselves from society and their families. Very workable...and engaging, I loved it!
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