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

Title: Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe
Author: Shelley Coriell
Published: 1st May 2012
Publisher: Amulet Books
Source: eARC thanks to NetGalley and publisher

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. - From Goodreads

The cover of this book drew me in immediately. As I have said before I loved Pump Up the Volume when I was younger and always thought I might be quite good at hosting a radio talk show as I never stop talking!! Well the cover of this book made me think that it might relight my interest in broadcast radio (even if it did not seem that this was an underground radio show!).

After her friends turn their back on her, for something Chloe does not even know she has done, Chloe decides to throw herself into her independent study programme. Unfortunately the school counsellor does not like her topic of choice and instead signs her up to do promotions for the school's failing radio station. After some rocky starts Chloe finds her place in the group of "outsiders".

Chloe is a flake. She is one of those people that stabs you in the back, but without any idea that that's what she is doing, in fact she probably thinks she is helping. I did find her a little annoying and thought that her life would be so much easier if she was a little more humble. Saying this I do remember taking my friends for granted too at this age. I'm not saying that I disliked the character of Chloe, she was so upbeat it is hard not to like her and she also has a passion for vintage shoes, this scores major points in my book. All in all i did quite like Chloe, she made a good, but flawed, protagonist.

This story starts to play out exactly as you would expect from the cover, but as you delve a little deeper some of the threads running through the story start to get a little more gritty. We meet characters who are pregnant teens, children trying to deal with parental divorce and even someone trying to deal with a parent who is hooked on Meth. I thought these story lines added to the overall feel of the book, however they were glossed over slightly and I wanted them to be a little more gritty and real. I think if you are going to add in plot points like these you really have to commit to them.

I really liked this book. I thought the story could have been worked on a little more and felt it skimmed over some parts where I wanted more detail. I wanted to know more about the periods where Chloe felt alone after her friends, and most of the school, shunned her. To me she never really felt lonely or alone. All in all, this was a very entertaining and enjoyable read.

Review: Jane by April Linder

Title: Jane
Author: April Linder
Publisher: Poppy
Published: 23rd September 2010
Source: eBook

Forced to drop out of an esteemed East Coast college after the sudden death of her parents, Jane Moore takes a nanny job at Thornfield Park, the estate of Nico Rathburn, an iconic rock star on the brink of a huge comeback. Practical and independent, Jane reluctantly becomes entranced by her magnetic and brooding employer, and finds herself in the midst of a forbidden romance. But there's a mystery at Thornfield, and Jane's much-envied relationship with Nico is tested by a torturous secret from his past.
Part irresistible romance and part darkly engrossing mystery, this contemporary retelling of the beloved classic Jane Eyre promises to enchant a new generation of readers.

I LOVE Jane Eyre. It is the perfect novel to pick up on a cold day and I usually manage to read it start to finish curled up in my armchair in a couple of days. Bearing this in mind I was quite excited to jump into this book and see how it could be retold based in modern day. Jane Eyre the quiet and awkward governess becomes Jane Moore the collage student who takes a nanny job after the death of her parents makes her unable to continue her studies. Mr Rochester becomes Nico Rathburn rock god with a troubled past. I had a little difficulty with the Mr Rochester character. I the original book Rochester is a difficult and mean man with a teasing and charming side to him. In Jane Eyre it works and through the reading of the story you fall in love with his character but for me Nico Rathburn was difficult, mean and teased Jane but I found it impossible to find him charming.

This was not the only the only thing I had problems with in this novel. If you have not read Jane Eyre and know nothing about the story, this next paragraph my spoil part of the plot for you!!

One of my favorite things about the book is that it has something for everyone, an awkward romance, a crazy wife locked in the attic, a smattering of attempted bigamy, death and good old fashioned arson. This all worked for the time period it was set in. You could understand only 2 people knowing that Mr Rochester had a crazy wife locked in the attic. However I did not feel that this played so well in the present day, especially when the main character lives in the public eye and he was married to a beautiful woman. For me this was just too much of a jump that everyone forgot he was married before.

With all that out of my system I did not dislike this book. I thought that the rest of the story was well told for the present day. I especially enjoyed the period later on in the book where Jane was apart from Nico. I think this book would be a great introduction to Jane Eyre for anyone interested in the story. On the whole I enjoy reworkings of classic books, unfortunately I think this classic is just to close to my heart for me to be completely on board with all the modernisations.

Review: Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

Title: Going Too Far
Author: Jennifer Echols
Publisher: Pocket Books/MTV Books
Published: 17th march 2009
Source: Own eBook on my Kindle

All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far...and almost doesn't make it back.
John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge -- and over....

I finished reading this book about 5 minutes ago and even though I have a number of other books waiting for review I just couldn't wait to share my thoughts on Going Too Far. Without making you wait for my thoughts I absolutely loved this book. I devoured this from the very first page and I could not put it down. This was one of those books that even when I was not reading it I was thinking about it. If I thought I could get away with having spent the day working today on no sleep I would have pulled an all nighter last night to finish it. This is one of those books that I will be pushing on anyone I, even remotely, think might like it.

The main character is Meg. A feisty girl with bright blue hair and a habit of getting into trouble. The book begins with her trespassing on a railway bridge, drunk and stoned. After having to spend the night in jail, thanks to Officer After, Meg ends up with a unique punishment. Meg has to spend her Spring Break doing night shift ride along with Officer John After. Quickly Meg finds out that Officer After is only a few years older than herself and they begin to bond.

I really liked Meg as a character. She makes lots of mistakes and is flawed in that she has serious panic attacks whenever she feels trapped. This spills over into her feeling trapped in her own town and life leaving her eager to do whatever she can to get into Collage and out of her town. Meg never feels sorry for herself or complains about her situation and to me I thought that this was what made the book so enjoyable. You follow Meg through her story just hoping and praying that she wont say or do the worst.

Can I also just shout about the romance in this book. Fantastic!! The relationship which builds between Officer After and Meg through the whole book is brilliant. Quickly they are able to go from them wanting each other and then something is said or done and before you know it they are arguing, usually for one of them to save face. I found myself on a number of occasions wanting to shout at the characters and give them a good talking too. Then when the passion was building between them it was hot. I loved it.

I came late to this book, and more than a few young adult fans will probably have already read it, so all I can say is if you have not read this book go and get it now!! I loved it!!

Review: Twelve by Nick McDonell

Title: Twelve

Author: Nick McDonell
Publisher: Atlantic Books
Published: May 15th 2003
Source: Own Copy

Nick McDonell's electrifying novel tells the story of a fictional drug called Twelve and its devastating effects on the beautiful rich and desperate poor of New York City. A bleak Manhattan midwinter and a group of wealthy teenagers, left to their own devices by disregarding parents, delve into the excesses of drugs, sex and the most chilling acts of violence imaginable. Hunter ----- falsely accused of murder after a fight on the basketball courts; White Mike - a straight-A student who makes a fortune selling illegal substances; Laura - gorgeous but obsessed with a fabulous new designer drug called 'twelve'; and Claude - whose trips into the shadier corners of Chinatown have fuelled a macabre fascination with deadly weapons...From page one, this novel pulsates towards its apocalyptic climax.

I was drawn into picking up this book. A book written by an 17 year old about a 17 year old drug dealer. I mean I am a little jealous that Nick McDonell had the dedication to write his novel during one summer, I have been working on mine for 6 months and I have managed a chapter so far!! I also really enjoyed the film adaptation and wanted to read the book. Bearing all of this in mind I had high expectations.

I was surprised at how easy this was to read. The subject matter, 3 days in the life of White Mike, is not an easy one to make enjoyable and easy to read. I didn't particularly like White Mike, but I don't think you are supposed to like him. The majority of the characters in this book are deeply flawed, but you keep reading to see how all of the little plot lines tie together in an unforgettable ending. I think at some point in the future I will pick this up again and reread it and I know that I will definitely pick up any other Nick McDonell books which cross my path in the future.