#IKissedSharaWheeler:

“When I look at her, I feel like there might be another universe in her. I imagine her on a shelf too high for me to reach, or peeking out of someone else’s backpack, or waiting for me at the end of a long wait at the library. I know there are other books that are easier to get my hands on, but none are half as good as her”.

This is my favorite Casey McQuiston book. That’s the review. That’s it. I am giddy, I am happy, and I’m nostalgic. This is a book I want to hug.

First off, we start the book right off the bat with a disclaimer for Southern Baptist, and we’ll, The Killers. Let me go back to 16 year old Mellie hanging out at a Dunkin and live my high school days through. The portrayal of the Deep South was so accurate. It’s one of those #IYKYK because this was right on the money.

It kind of starts off with a bit of a mystery trying to figure out where TF is Shara! Then we get all the living your last days of high school feels and realizing we are bigger than our small town feels and it’s amazing. I feel like we had a Part 1: Find Shara, Part 2: Make it to graduation, but regardless, it flowed.

Audio, amazing. Natalie Naudus is the sole reader. Not a full cast, but they did a full cast job, okay?! So talented and had me living for the audio. Only reason I’d want the physical copy is for that naked book. 👀

This is a book that if I had a physical copy, I would have highlighted or tabbed so many quotes. I’ve heard so many people say it’s Papertowns x Glee, and yeah. I get it. And I love it. This is a true YA and it reads that way. If you’re looking for a NA or adult book, this ain’t the one. If you’re looking for a YA or a real freaking good coming of age story about some amazing humans, this is the one. The audio is amazing and it’s going to stay with me for a while. Thank you @libro and @macm for the gifted ALC. I Kissed Shara Wheeler is out 5/3/2022, and it’s a favorite of the year.

“The loudest Christians I’ve ever met were the worst ones. I don’t believe doing something in front of everybody makes it more meaningful, anyway. If anything, it makes it stop belonging to you”.

I've never read anything by Casey McQuiston but have heard good things, so I jumped at the chance to read an ARC of "I Kissed Shara Wheeler." I honestly felt transported back to the end of my senior year in high school - the ups, the downs, and ALL the feelings. While I enjoyed following Chloe, Rory, and Smith as they tried to find Shara, I found myself really drawn in at the last quarter of the book. I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it (cliched but true). Overall, I enjoyed the character development and the plot overall. I definitely see this becoming a popular book that gets a lot of buzz in the near future when it releases!

Okay, first, let me say that I do enjoy McQuiston's characters; I always feel like their personalities jump off the page and you can feel their internal struggles.

However, I feel like this story was a bit all over the place and just seemed a bit wild for high school. Like...if someone were missing like this...wouldn't more people be concerned? I feel like the author tried to explain this away with "oh, my parents know where I am" but still. It just seemed a bit unrealistic for a book that was meant to be realistic, YA fiction.

CW // religious bigotry, homophobia, bullying, racism

Angsty. Angsty. Angsty. Teenage. Drama.
I'm picturing Southern Glee. Scandals and best friend fights. Inside jokes and care-free-stressed-out in a way you only can be in high school.
This was such a fun read, as I have come to see that Casey McQuiston has a special talent for.
I loved reading this - you can put yourself in all of the characters' shoes and imagine the problems they're all dealing with as if you're struggling with them yourself.
Shara Wheeler kisses Chloe Green and then disappears. Shara, who Chloe hates. Shara, Chloe's rival and her biggest competition for valedictorian. Shara. Perfect Shara Wheeler who everyone loves but Chloe KNOWS is a bad person. She kisses Chloe and then disappears after prom. Leaving Chloe to follow cryptic clues to try and track her down.
This book just made me so happy and warm and fuzzy feeling. Even though this is LGBTQ set in conservative Alabama where it's "against the rules" to be anything but straight and Christian, these awesome kids find a way to be themselves and be happy and break the rules and make things better for themselves and hopefully those who come after them too. They are angry, happy, hopeful, anxious, dealing with high school and looming graduation and they are making the most of every single minute of it.

Thank you CM for another incredible book - I can't wait to see what's next!

I listened to the audiobook instead, so I have my review on that. But I loved this so much! Such an inspiring story and by an amazing author.

McQuiston is the successful American author of two previous romantic comedies, "Red, White and Royal Blue" and "One Last Stop". This new release is another romantic comedy, this one written for the YA audience. Chloe Green is a bisexual high school senior at a very Christian high school. She has been working hard to become the valedictorian and the only person that can get in her way is Shara Wheeler. It's a month before graduation and Shara Wheeler kisses her in an elevator and then disappears, leaving behind a series of clues in the form of notes on pink paper. Chloe joins forces with Smith, Shara's boyfriend, and Rory, another senior, to decipher the clues and find Shara. This is a fun story about a group of teens who have spent some considerable effort into fitting in their school's ideals, while hiding their true selves. It is a good recommendation for teens and adults alike who are looking for a lighter read, but one that also has some depth

4.5. Casey McQuiston does it again! This is an excellent, sensitive portrayal of being a queer teen in a small town (doesn't go full Schitt's Creek but doesn't exaggerate the prejudice either) as well as the process of exploring and defining one's own identity. YA readers will find plenty of references to love, especially during the mini-mystery within the plot, and the characters are solid--Chloe's intelligence and stubbornness hit eerily close to home, and I think it's for that reason that I occasionally wanted to shake her.

4.5 stars. Another wonderful novel by Casey McQuiston for her YA debut. This book had everything from mystery, to friendship, to humor. I also loved the slight "Footloose" undertones to the story. I cannot wait to see what Casey writes next.

Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3⭐️

Thank you to Wednesday Books for gifting me an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

When Shara Wheeler kisses Chloe, Rory, and Smith before completely disappearing, she sends the three teens reeling. Following a mystery scavenger hunt to find Shara, the unlikely trio uncovers secret things about the girl they thought they knew, but also uncover things they didn’t know about themselves along the way.

When I started this book it was giving me Pretty Little Liars/Gossip Girl vibes. The mystery scavenger hunt aspect was an interesting idea but the reason behind it was so unnecessary on Shara’s part.

I was annoyed with Chloe and how much she hated Shara. Every time she mentioned something she hated about the other girl, she also had to mention something about her she couldn’t stop thinking about. It’s got repetitive and annoying. I also really disliked how petty both girls were. They just wanted to win valedictorian and went to extreme levels to get into each other’s heads.

Rory and Smith were my favourite characters in this book. I just want to wrap Smith and all his flowers up in bubble wrap and protect with everything I have. He’s just so wholesome and pure. And Rory’s relationship with Smith was freaking adorable. There were a couple times I chuckled but nowhere near expected when reading a “rom-com”.

I felt like there was just too much going on this book. With the scavenger hunt before graduation and then the graduation ceremony itself it felt like two different storylines at the end of the novel. It also dragged on after Shara was found. Plus, despite everything Shara put everyone through, they all moved on from it pretty quickly to focus on hosting a rebellious graduation ceremony. The end felt rushed even though the story dragged on.

Overall, I don’t think I was the right audience for this book. It just wasn’t for me.

I have to start by saying - I adore this book! I feel that it has something for everyone… humor, exploration, identity, friendship, mystery, and LGBTQIA+ representation. I plan to read EVERYTHING Casey McQuiston! I hope she continues to write for the YA audience. Her work is enjoyable and funny, while remaining compassionate and sensitive.

All in all, read this book! You’ll be happy you did. And as always, a BIG thank you to NetGalley for providing an early copy of this amazing title!

After being forced to move from California to a Christian Academy in Alabama, Chloe Green is SO close to winning valedictorian in her class. Just one thing is in the way, her competition, Shara Wheeler, kissed her and then disappeared. Going on the hunt for clues with Shara's boyfriend and Shara's bad-boy next-door neighbor, they each discover little slivers of truths about themselves.

I really had a great time reading this book. It had a little mystery in it, feel-good romance, and funny stories with easily relatable characters. The premise of the story was a coming-of-age novel about LGBTQ students struggling with the judgment of a small, southern town. The writing style was fun and easy to follow. While it does have the typical YA "everything is tied up in a nice neat bow," I'm ok with that for this story.

I would HIGHLY recommend this read to anyone.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's press for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I am a huge fan of Casey McQuiston, however I did not know if "I Kissed Shara Wheeler" would be for me. I didn't know if I could enjoy a YA novel as much as I enjoyed "Red White and Royal Blue". I am so glad I took a chance on this book because Casey McQuiston does NOT disappoint.

A blend of Julie Murphy "Dumplin" trilogy, "Mean Girls", and "Gone Girl" I had so much fun with this book! The thrill of the mystery aspect kept me coming back to find out what happened, but once that was answered, the story of high school misfits kept me hooked!

Casey McQuiston is such a talented author and after reading all three of her books, she is now an official "auto-buy" for me!

Casey McQuiston does it again in their YA debut. Chloe Green wants to beat Shara Wheeler more than anything; the academic rivals at Willowgrove Christian Academy for the past four years, and Chloe is determined to win. But after they share a kiss, Shara disappears just before graduation. Chloe must enlist the help of two of Shara's friends to find Shara before they all graduate.

This novel does a great job of representing the world that teens live in right now. Casey McQuiston is an author that consistently delivers well-written queer stories with funny and believable queer ensemble casts, and this book is exactly that. LGBTQIA+ teens will love this book for the representation and the author's unique voice, but teens from all walks of life will enjoy the puzzle and the chase.

This is a fun read. Ever since moving to Alabama with her moms at the start of high school, Chloe Green has spent most of her time focused on winning valedictorian. Now in her senior year, she seems no the verge of achieving her objective. The only person standing in her way is Shara Wheeler, the prom queen and all-around perfect student who also happens to be the daughter of the principal. But a month before graduation, Shara kissed Chloe out of nowhere and then vanishes. She leaves behind a series of notes that seem to be clues to find her for Chloe and to two other people she had kissed recently, her boyfriend Smith, the football star, and her neighbor Rory, who had long had a crush on her. Chloe, Smith, and Rory team up to solve Shara's clues, forcing each of them to out of their comfort zones as they search for where Shara is and why she disappeared.

This is a very enjoyable story about confronting assumptions about each other and yourself, defying expectations, and finding love where you least expect it.

Highly recommended!

This was a fascinating and personal read. While the romance was engaging, the group of friends and the narrator's reconciliation with what she expects of a southern town as a queer person are what really shine here. Full of complex personalities, insights into teenage life as queer teen in the south, and lovely personal realizations, this book is more tender than one might originally expect. A beautiful, hopeful read.

I didn’t have high expectations for this book because the authors last book wasn’t my favorite. I liked the premise of the book a lot, but I found myself forcing myself to continue reading it at times though as it lost my attention. I did enjoy the ending! Overall it wasn’t terrible and I would recommend to people who enjoy the authors other books; however, if you weren’t a fan of the author’s previous books it may not be for you. ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and I loved it! It has all the goods. Coming of age, rivals to lovers, diversity, a little mystery. It is a fun ride. I was cheering for the characters as they each found some truth about themselves. I wish I had more.

3.5 stars.

I love this author and I couldn't wait to get to this book. There are some elements that I loved, especially the eclectic friend group. The queer representation was spot on and the highlight of the book for me. I especially appreciated Ash's conversation with Smith about what it means to be nonbinary and Smith's subsequent understanding and acceptance of their own nonbinary identity. So it pains me not to rate it higher, It wasn't a bad book, I just couldn't connect to the main characters. I especially did not like Shara Wheeler. She was so manipulative and mean. I think I was supposed to grow to like her as I learned more, but I never did. Chloe was fine, but she also did things I didn't love. She just wasn't as endearing as many of the secondary characters. The connection between the main characters and the romance also fell a bit flat for me.

Although I'm sad I didn't enjoy this more, I am in the minority and would recommend it for its representation of queer teens and their explorations of identity and sexuality.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the early review copy.

I received an arc of this book through NetGalley due to being a bookseller, and let me tell you, it was sooooo worth it. Casey McQuiston has their representation ON POINT. This was an adorable high school romance, which, as McQuiston literally describes it in their book, is Looking For Alaska or Paper Towns, but very very queer. Realizing these things about yourself, especially during high school, and in a religious town, is a super sensitive and important topic, and McQuiston took on the challenge with grace and beauty, and this book is relatable and funny and intense and a beautiful queer coming of age story. 5 stars, highly recommend, there was not one character I disliked, go read this book like yesterday

- I KISSED SHARA WHEELER is part mystery, part queer awakening, part coming of age. It takes a little bit to get going, but once it does it doesn't stop. And I loved that it didn't end where I thought it would, and took the story beyond where most YA novels would wrap things up.
- McQuiston's true talent lies not in quippy banter, but in creating tight, loving queer found families. I adored the central group in this book and would happily read full novels about any of them.
- I think this book will be wonderful for kids growing up in places where they feel like they might never be able to be their full selves. It shows that it will never be easy, but that your people are often there with you if you know where to look.