Published: May 1st, 2012

Synopsis: 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: Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe is one of those fun reads for when you’re wanting a book that isn’t heavy or depressing. It’s a fun, quirky type of book, which funnily enough talks a whole heaps about JISP’s, Dos Hernandos (a mexican food restaurant) and vintage shoes. Like I said.. quirky but fun.

At the start of the story Chloe is hit with a double whammy when her two best friends have decided they actually don’t want to be friends with her anymore. Chloe is dumbfounded as to what has happened and as she is trying to work this out, her new councellor A. Lungren advises Chloe that her JUnior Independant Study Program (JISP) wasn’t on a valid subject and she would need to re-do it - working at the school radio which no one listens to and she doesn’t feel particularly welcomed at.

Chloe, Queen Of The Universe
Chloe, our protagonist changes from someone we don’t particularly enjoy to start with. She is self centred, absolutely oblivious to how other people feel, and just in general has some really annoying nuances. That being said she is extremely optomistic even when facing dire circumstances. She has a pretty sunny disposition and has a larger-than-life personality. As the story progresses, not only does she become more tolerable, but I am going to say she was even likeable. Especially when she started realising what a terrible friend she was to everyone around her and started to pull her head in a bit. She names her radio show “Chloe Queen Of The Universe” which I think highlights her juvinille way of thinking, however it works out to be a huge sucess, and I found I soon got over the stupid radio show name!

Grandma
My favourite character would be Chloe’s grandmother. You understand where Chloe’s quirks come from! She lives in a trailer they dub The Tuna Can, she is in love with Brad Pitt (and his butt), she is a habitual car thief and almost reminds me of a 15 year old who just wants to be free of her nagging parents. In this case, it’s actually her DAUGHTER (Chloe’s mother) who is parenting and smothering her and pressuring her into moving into a home. I love the fight she puts up.. she is a fantastic character.

Duncan
Duncan and Chloe had this really cute romance. Granted it took them a while to get it together, and Chloe was probably more the “male” in the relationship, putting Duncan on the spot, but I think the fact that Chloe was there for Duncan when his mother was going through her issues, and the yarn incident (those who have read it will know what I mean), I think there was some really endearing parts of this relationship.

The book is in so many ways too much… but it embraces and celebrates the fact that it IS over the top. I liked this book a whole lot. I didn’t rate it a 5 because it wasn’t the most amazing book I’ve read this year. But I really did enjoy it. There are so many times when I want to just reach out and read a book that isn’t hard work. A book that doesn’t take itself too seriously but at the same time is really entertaining. And that’s exactly what This Is Chloe was.

Rating: 3 out of 5