Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe [Hardcover]

Shelley Coriell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2012

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.

Praise for Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe
Spring 2012 Indie Next List Children Selection

"Debut novelist Coriell shows sparkling wit and great skill in creating complex characters with memorable personalities. Chloe’s emotional growth is believable, and her attraction to a quiet, mysterious boy at the radio station adds spice and tension to the story."
—Publishers Weekly

“This debut novel is more than it seems. Tough issues are addressed here, and the information is ladled out deftly.”

—VOYA

“This is fun, lighthearted chick-lit that touches on drug abuse and tough family issues. Romance, personal growth, and friendships are central to the story line. A quick, enjoyable read.”

—School Library Journal

“Looking for a fun, inspiring read? Then check out Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe. Entertaining and full of heartrending moments, and the author has created interesting and unique characters. Even though this is more of a sparkling and humorous read, Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe delves into some tough topics such as drug addiction and bullying. 5 stars”

—North Valley Magazine

“It’s kinda like Mean Girls but with more shoes.”

—Ashbury Park Sunday Press

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A professional journalist, Shelley Coriell has worked as a newspaper reporter, an award-winning magazine editor, and an association executive. She is a six-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Prize. This is her first novel. She lives in Tempe, Arizona. Visit her online at www.shelleycoriell.com.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Amulet Books (May 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1419701916
• ISBN-13: 978-1419701917
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1.3 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,313,546 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Young adult author Shelley Coriell writes stories about teens on the edge of love, life-changing moments, and a little bit of crazy. Her debut, Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe, was a 2012 Indie Next Pick, and Publisher's Weekly praised Coriell for her "...sparkling wit and great skill in creating complex characters with memorable personalities." Her next novel for teens, Goodbye, Rebel Blue, release October 2013 from Amulet Books/Abrams. You can find Shelley at www.shelleycoriell.com and on Twitter @ShelleyCoriell.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars A fun, light-hearted read April 29, 2012

By ODell @ Book Twirps

Format:Hardcover

Okay, I'm not gonna lie -- when I started this book I didn't care much for Chloe. She came across as this "Hey, look at me, I'm cute and nothing bothers me and boy am I quirky, dontcha love quirky?" girl and it grated my nerves. In a way, she kind of reminded me of a Zooey Deschanel and while I do like Zooey, I can only take her in small doses. She, like Chloe, seem to be forcibly quirky rather than genuinely quirky if that makes sense.

The plot is fairly simple: Chloe finds herself suddenly ditched by her friends for some unknown reason, (and honestly, in the beginning of the book I would have ditched her, too) then, her school counselor makes her change her junior independent study project and she is forced to work at the school's struggling radio station to help boost ratings. It is here that she is asked to host a call-in show titled "Chloe, Queen of the Universe", which she is obviously not.

While she bothered me in the beginning, I eventually found myself looking past Chloe's "quirks" and "life is so grand" attitude as the book progressed. The writing was fresh and the storyline unique and enjoyable enough to keep me reading. There are a host of fun and interesting characters along the way, my favorite of which was Clementine. Maybe I liked her because she was a hard-ass, but she was the main character that I connected with. She also helped balance out all of Chloe's eternal optimism. Duncan, the romantic prospect, adds his own sense of balance to the book through his troubled back story.

By the end of the book I actually found that I liked Chloe -- somewhere along the way she'd managed to grow on me. Even though she is a little too peppy, I kind of started to view it as a coping mechanism. She is dealing with a lot: Her Gran is slipping further into dementia thanks to Parkinson's, her BFF's have shunned her, she had to change her school project at the last-minute (among other things). All of this would be a little much for some people to handle, but not Chloe. Somehow, she manages to turn the situation into something good -- something she can learn from. I think maybe we could all learn a little something from Chloe.

If you're looking for a fun, light read full of sunshine and puppies, real teen issues, and a surprisingly well-rounded cast, then check this one out.

(Review based on an Advanced Reader's Copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley)

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful contemporary debut May 11, 2012

By The Book Muncher VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Chloe Camden is just a girl with a big personality and a big heart. So what if she likes to talk a lot? Better to express herself than keep it all bottled inside. And so what if she sometimes pays more attention to vintage shoes than the sucky parts of her life? Every girl needs a pick-me-up once in a while. Chloe's just living her life the only way she knows when everything starts to fall apart: one of her best friends trashes her reputation, her new school counselor rejects her previously approved junior independent study project, and the fights between her mother and Grams are only escalating. And that leaves Chloe basically friendless and in hostile territory--both old and new. In addition to struggling to keep the peace at home, Chloe finds herself doing promotional work at her school's radio station, with people who can't seem to stand her very existence. But no matter how hard things get, Chloe won't give up on anything--on her Grams, on the radio station, or on being herself.

Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe is a wonderful and utterly sweet story. I was drawn to this book because I've always been a fan of stories where the protagonist is forced into a different social sphere, because these stories always so perfectly capture the awkward painfulness and simultaneous bittersweet joy of high school. I am pleased to say that this novel met and quite exceeded my expectations. Chloe is one of those girls whose natural exuberance for life is a little overwhelming in real life, but her unique voice and personality is sure to capture the attention of readers and win them over. Coriell's development of Chloe's character felt very natural so that Chloe feels completely realistic throughout the whole story. There is a lot going on in this story, from friendship spats and nasty rumors to Parkinson's disease and drug abuse. Chloe is really the glue that holds it all together and makes it work so smoothly because, well, this is her story, and life sometimes really is that messy. I found this debut novel to be completely enjoyable; Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe is really a perfectly cute and fun contemporary read.

Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe will be enjoyed by fans of Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern, The ABCs of Kissing Boys by Tina Ferraro, and Same Difference by Siobhan Vivian.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Welcome Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriell August 20, 2012

By Kailia Sage

Format:Hardcover

I hadn't heard a lot about this book before I decided to get it off NetGalley. Like I said, I wasn't expecting much from it; just something light and fun to read. Surprisingly, Welcome Caller, This is Chloe turned out to be much better than I had anticipated. Shelley Coriell's Chloe is a wonderful protagonist who is good at heart and lives life to it's fullest.

Chloe is funny and smart and has a good head on her shoulder. She's kind of like me: usually happy and very nice and sometimes a little over hyper. But she loves vintage shoes and her grandmother and her friends and this aspect of her character made her so lovable. When her best friend turns everyone against her, Chloe doesn't let it get to her too much and she moves on. She's a strong girl and admits to not knowing everything in life, but she's not a total loss either. Even though she's angry at having to work at the station, she slowly overcomes her anger and even befriends her fellow station students.

My biggest issue with this book turned out to be something...I'd seen before. Maybe not at the magnitude and maybe the situation was over-dramatic, the reasoning behind why Chloe's friend dumped her. I've seen petty arguments like this happen in school but nothing as bad as everyone hating a girl.

Duncan Monroe was...sigh. I liked this kid a lot. He's brooding and quiet but he isn't rude or a jerk. He's nice and helps Chloe and he's the only friendly person to her at the station at first. Though he keeps people at arms length, Chloe and Duncan's relationship progresses slowly, becoming friends first and then something more. It was a well done romance and I liked that. They both got to know each other and saw parts of their life that weren't perfect and their respect for each other was strong.

Shelley Coriell's writing and plotting was well done as well. Maybe not as advanced or lyrical, it was still enjoyable. Some aspects of the plot were a bit of a surprise and some made me a little sad. Her supporting cast of characters as just as wonderful and dynamic as Chloe herself.

Overall, I really enjoyed Welcome Caller, This is Chloe. Though it's a light, fun read, there are more serious issues that are discussed that don't bog down on the enjoyment of the novel. Chloe is funny, smart, and a very lovable person and I think anyone will enjoy her story!