I’m going to start off saying I absolutely love Casey McQuiston. I devoured both Red, White & Royal Blue and One Last Stop in one sitting and was super excited to read I Kissed Shara Wheeler.

Maybe it’s because it’s YA that I just really struggled to get even 1/3 through this one but I just couldn’t do it. The main character Chloe just wasn’t even remotely likable and I had no love for the others either,

Really sad to finally give up on this one because I’m sure it has fans but I just can’t.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Casey McQuiston's first Young Adult book felt as good as their two other novels. This deliciously queer tale set in a small, religious town is different from anything else I've ever read. The plot is as enigmatic as the titular character, so thrilling and exhilarating. This book takes John Green's successful book "Paper Towns" and makes it a million times better and gayer.

"I Kissed Shara Wheeler" was nothing like I was expecting. Every character arc and every interpersonal dynamic surprised me. Casey McQuiston has done it again, but this time they've tried a new genre and turned it around completely. I highly recommend this book to everyone who thinks they're tired of reading YA and high school stories like me. I'm so glad I gave it a chance!

As much as I loved RWRB, I just…wasn’t as big of a fan of this one? Don’t get me wrong, it was fine. But, the intro really reminded me of Paper Towns by John Green. It was good though!

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. The beginning of this novel drops you into the life of Chloe Green who is attending a high school in Alabama where she doesn't feel like she fits in. It's senior year and she's so close to becoming valedictorian but her competition Shara Wheeler has gone missing. She's on a quest to find out where Shara is so she can achieve her valedictory status fair and square. The read was easy and the mystery makes it a bit of a page turner but I found that I didn't really connect or empathize with any of the characters until much later in the book. All of the high school characters are keeping secrets only revealed very late in the book to survive in the very superficial world of high school and the rigid expectations of a conservative Christian high school. I really enjoyed the author's other books but this one didn't work for me.

Sadly disappointing in the face of McQuiston’s other books— a fun and enjoyable read for sure, but my expectations were quite high.

I will be including this book in my personal classroom library, but I am not in love with it. While I’m actually a huge fan of both of McQuiston’s other works, this one was not it for me. It was boring and I couldn’t feel invested and while McQuiston does make reference to it, the whole beginning feels like a less interesting and compelling rip off of John Green’s Paper Towns. The only thing better about this book is that it’s queer.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

McQuiston has done it again! They write about the queer community in a way that is unashamedly for us. Being set in high school, this one comes with the bonus of highlighting the process of self-discovery. Very Paper Towns meets 13 Little Blue Envelopes but gay, which is exactly the niche I've been waiting to have filled.

I wanted to like this book more than I did, which makes me sad considering I love all of McQuiston's other books. But this one didn't do it for me.
Firstly, I found Chloe to be an unlikable character. She wasn't horrible, she just wasn't that great either. Sure, I guess she grows a bit by the end, but I didn't buy it.
Secondly, the mystery felt contrived and pretty anti-climactic.
Thirdly, Shara was THE WORST.
Finally, Chloe and her love interest should have NEVER gotten together. They're going to be such a toxic couple.

Also, I found the sheer number of queer kids in this Alabama Christian private school to be absolutely unrealistic. Write the world you wish you had, I suppose, but it felt disingenuous to the reality of queer people as well as to Chloe's character.

I love Casey McQuinston so it's no surprise that I loved this book. The characters in this story feel so fleshed out that it feels like they're real people. This is funny, charming, and full of heart. Definitely recommend it for any YA reader.

I so wanted to love this book and don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed it and am recommending it to all my friends but it just didn’t hit the same as Red White and Royal Blue or One Last Stop. The entire time I kept thinking Paper Towns and I know it was somewhat marketed that way but it was difficult to feel a draw/investment to keep reading. The characters are really the ones who made the story for me. McQuiston has always been a pro with characters and that makes up why they are one of my favorite authors. The work and dedication they put into thinking of every aspect of their characters life is incredible and drew me in more than the plot.

One month before graduation, Shara kisses Chloe and vanishes. On a furious hunt for answers, Chloe discovers she’s not the only one Shara kissed. There’s also Smith, Shara’s longtime quarterback sweetheart, and Rory, Shara’s bad boy neighbor with a crush. The three have nothing in common except Shara and the annoyingly cryptic notes she left behind, but together they must untangle Shara’s trail of clues and find her.

This was ridiculous and unbelievable, but I liked it fine. It's not my favorite Casey McQuiston book, but I think I've just grown out of YA books. The audiobook narrator was great!

Great story! Definitely more YA than her other books. If you liked them, then you will also like this one. It also has Karen McManus vibes. I think damson hers would enjoy as well.

This had everything I am looking for in a YA contemporary romance, and all the things I love about Casey Mcqueston's writing. This was a super cute romance, but more importantly, a really great coming-of-age story about being yourself, even when it's easier to conform to what's expected of you. I really enjoyed the entire cast of characters, their distinct voices and characteristics, and the journies that went on throughout the book. I also really loved the writing style. It had the perfect mix of humor and serious moments that kept me engaged, laughing, and rooting for the characters.

Unfortunately, I was not able to finish reading this book. The character actions felt forced and awkward.
I'm so sorry.
One Last Stop is great though!

This was amazing. I loved this book. I loved the characters. i thought that they were well developed and the story had great pacing. I was completely intrigued the whole time. this is one of those books where you finish it and have to take a breath and then hug the book. I love this author and love love love her other stories. she just writes in a way where you fall in love with the characters and you only want good things to happen and when something not so good happens you are just so crushed for them. Not many people can write like that and its just so fun to be in books that make you feel so many feels.

Highly recommend.

I love an academic rivals story line and couldn't wait to read one from Casey McQuiston, having loved her adult romances. Unfortunately, this one wasn't my favourite. It wasn't bad, and had a lot of important discussions, but I think maybe I expected something and it went in other directions I didn't particularly care about. It was also really hard to care about the relationship when I actively disliked Shara, and they seemed really toxic together.

Thank you to the publisher for approving me to read I KISSED SHARA WHEELER! I'm not typically one for YA but I absolutely loved this. It gripped me from the first page and kept me hooked throughout. I especially enjoyed the focus on queer joy in towns where stereotypically you might not expect to see it. We're everywhere. I loved this.

After being unexpectedly kissed by her seemingly straight rival for valedictorian, Shara Wheeler, Chloe Green becomes obsesses with finding out where Shara disappeared to. The only clues are cryptic notes that Shara left behind. Fortunately she gains two companions in Rory, Shara's next door neighbor, and Smith, Shara's boyfriend, who were also kissed by Shara before she disappeared.

While I understand the general appeal of this book and Casey’s writing, I think my expectations were too high for this book and I ultimately felt let down. I understand it’s a YA, but it felt even more young and immature than I expect from YA books. Queer YA books are so vitally important and I think this book was good, but just wasn’t a favourite for me.