High achieving Chloe Green has hated the supposedly perfect Shara Wheeler ever since Chloe moved to False Beach, Alabama and started High School. They attend an incredibly conservative and Christian high school, where Chloe is the only out student. Shara disappears and leaves clues to her whereabouts that sends Chloe as well as Shara's boyfriend and her neighbor on a scavenger hunt to find Shara and decode all her clues.

I love Casey McQuiston's books and this really did not disappoint! It's definitely YA which is not my typical genre of choice, but I really did enjoy it. It does have some elements at YA that aren't my favorite - primarily the high school drama aspect, but the characters were written very well and were complex and nuanced. I found myself caring quite a bit more about the side character's journeys (particularly Rory and Smith, as well as Georgia) than Chloe and Shara's. I want a whole book on Smith tbh - I was ready for him to just be the throwaway jock character but wow did he surprise me!!

As someone who attended a Catholic high school though, the setting felt pretty darn authentic! In an environment like that, there's not a lot of space to be authentically you, something I think a good number of my own peers (as well as myself!) experienced. The suffocation of an environment like that truly is all encompassing, as really all the characters experience. The growth that the characters experience is something that was so heartwarming to see and the queer joy at the end of the book just bolstered my little heart.

This was a solid 4+ stars for me which is rare for a YA book. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Shara Wheeler is one of the smartest, most popular person at Willowgrove Christian Academy. When Shara goes missing after prom Chloe Green feels obligated to try and find her because Shara kissed her right before leaving. When searching Shara’s home for clues Chloe finds hints that Shara had left in a scavenger hunt fashion to find her. But Chloe isn’t the only one receiving hints. Smith (Shara’s boyfriend) and Rory (Shara’s neighbour) also receive clues that Shara’s left behind. This group of unlikely friends who have all kissed Shara recently have to team up to uncover where Shara went and why.

I went into this book with expectations to be as captivated by it as I was with Red White and Royal Blue but on a YA level. I was sadly mistaken. Usually with rival to lover romances what pulls me in the most is the banter between the 2 characters while the feeling grow between them. Because so much of the interactions between Shara and Chloe were told in the past and Chloe was completely oblivious to the way Shara felt, the banter was missing and felt very one sided and not organic. I also didn’t like the readiness of Shara’s boyfriend to be ok with the fact that Shara went around kissing other people while they were actively together. Moments after being told this Smith seemed OK with the idea of forming a group to find Shara. Though it is eventually explained it left me as the reader confused that no one else found it odd.

I also felt like this book wasn’t for me. It felt very YA in the sense that the language and mannerisms were targeted towards a YA audience. I’m a firm believer that any age can read YA but as a millennial with an unhealthy addition to TikTok I still found some of the terminology and slang foreign and hard to understand. Not to mentioned the number similes in this book. Everything was compared to something else (usually something in pop culture). Some I understood and some I didn’t. But the fact that there were SO MANY really took me out of the book once I noticed them. I wonder how many times the word “like” was written in the book.

Though I didn’t connect with the book I think young adults would really enjoy the reading it. The mystery of where Shara went and the elaborate scavenger hunt that Shara put together to find her was fun to read and follow along. It taught important lessons about being yourself and not conforming just because you’ve been told to by adults.

This is one of the best books I have read this year! It is incredible! Chloe hated the seemingly perfect Shara Wheeler since she moved to small-town Alabama from California and is forced into an incredibly conservative and homophobic Christian school. But when Shara kisses Chloe out of nowhere and then disappears, Chloe finds out she isn't the only one Shara suddenly kissed. So Chloe is forced to team up with Shara's boyfriend and next-door neighbor to solve the series of clues Shara left for them. Through this mystery, they explore their sexualities, biases, and feelings. I loved how this book addressed the sexualities of the characters and the harm that homophobia can have on a community in a way that doesn't overwhelm the reader or create an incredibly depressing atmosphere. The book also talks about the problems with small towns and ultra-conservative religious groups. But it doesn't only focus on the negative aspects. It also emphasizes that religion and small towns are not inherently bad, and being part of them can be beautiful. Casey McQuiston is a genius!

I love Casey McQuiston and this queer senior year of high school coming of age story gave me soooo many John Hughes movies vibes!

Full of great queer teen characters trying to reconcile their sexual identities while living in an extremely Christian, small town Alabama community. This story made me feel all the feels and root for those young queer teens trying to figure out their sexuality in a world that is not receptive to anything considered wrong or outside the "norm."

I loved everything about this book. From the scavenger hunt style search plot to the extremely talented narrator. This is an excellent book I would HIGHLY recommend to any teens getting told #nottosaygay !! The bi and queer representation in this book was amazing and the narration by Natalie Naudus was unparalled! Highly, highly, recommended!!

casey mcquiston has shown that they're not only capable of writing some of the best characters, stories and dialogue out there, but that they can do it for adults *and* teens. from chloe's narration to the sharp (and hilarious) banter, "i kissed shara wheeler" is the most enjoyable and fun book i've read so far this year. mcquiston should have a doctorate in writing core friend groups at this point: i am obsessed with the dynamics between chloe, shara, rory, and smith -- each of them are written with such care and love, it immediately transferred from the page to my heart. they are the perfect partners to go on this adventure with. the mystery of shara's disappearance is enthralling as mcquiston reveals each clue -- i felt like i was with chloe as she opened each one. full of southern culture, queer love and feelings every teenager can relate to, all tucked in a pink envelope, "i kissed shara wheeler" is sure to be devoured and then immediately handed to a friend.

Fans of Red, White and Royal Blue and One Last Stop are not going to want to miss this new book by Casey McQusiton.

Shara kissed Chloe and Rory (neither one being the person she’s dating), gets crowned prom queen, then disappears. WTH?! The whole school is reeling and trying to make sense about what happened. Sam (the boyfriend), Rory and Chloe are sent on a scavenger hunt by Shara to figure out where she is and why she ran.

I found the beginning of the book slow and confusing. I had no idea what was going on. I was thinking of stopping the book if was just going to be one giant hunt. But the story finally opened up and it became so much more.

There is LGBTQ+ representation all over this book, but there is also severe homophobia from students, staff and the town. Think modern age Footloose. Only this time…it won’t be tolerated. So much scandal is unearthed in this book and overall, I was happy with the books ending.

4 stars

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a joy to read. I loved how Chloe, Smith, and Rory grew together and came into themselves as they followed Shara’s clues. The scene-setting academic competitiveness between Chloe and Shara blended well with the darker themes of religious homophobia in their school. As a result, the book felt wholly realistic in the both the immaturity of high schoolers as well as the bravery of queer students exploring themselves and each other. This is a great YA debut.

3.5 rounded up!

First and foremost, I love McQuiston’s writing. For every book I’ve read, I’ve really felt the emotions and internal struggles each character has, whether I see myself the characters or not. This book was no different.

With that being said, this story is so different than RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE and ONE LAST STOP. Maybe it’s because it’s YA, but there was something different about it. I think the biggest thing I noticed is that this book seems to be in three parts. It’s not written like “Part 1 - 3,” but there were three clear plot points that didn’t weave together very seamlessly. In a way, the beginning plot was a little odd.

Although I found the first plot point to be odd, I think it built up the ending and what the true meaning of this book is. I think anyone, of any age, struggling to love themselves as who they are would benefit from this book.

Content warnings: religious bigotry, homophobia, bullying, emotional abuse, outing, racism

All of these characters are messy, but messy in the “teenage, high school” kind of messy. Every reader can relate to this no matter what high school experience you had. I adored the evolution these characters experience but low key loved the side characters more than Chloe and Shara.

Casey McQuiston's latest book is just as delightful as the last few, and a perfect entrance into Young Adult fiction. As always, their depictions of characters are one of the greatest strengths of the novel—each is so real, complex, and layered, and the ways they come together to uncover the mystery of Shara's disappearance are delightful. The romance at the center of the book is compelling, complex, and feels real to the classic "do I want to kiss her, kill her, or be her" dilemma. I can't wait to re-read!

Another amazing title from McQuiston. Once again, there is an amazing ensemble cast that you just want to hang out with. Because McQuiston's characters tend to feel so youthful, their writing style translates super well to YA fiction. If you have like their other work, you'll like this one too.

It's full of tender and hilarious moments, and know exactly when to add in a pop culture reference without it being overbearing.

Casey McQuiston has written another home run!
Within the first chapter I was drawn to the main character, Chloe, who like myself, moved from a liberal part of the country to rural Alabama. She is an overachiever vying for the coveted role of valedictorian at her high school against Shara Wheeler. When Shara goes missing, Chloe makes up part of an unlikely trio that are trying to find her through a series of clues that Shara has left.
The book does an excellent job of describing the pressures of high school and what it is like living in a small town where everyone knows your business. What really cemented the book as a five star read, however, is McQuiston's ear for dialogue. I am surrounded by high school and college students at work and the interactions between Chloe and her friends ring true. The relationships between friends and acquaintances evolves throughout the story as the characters learn to re-define themselves. "There are things out there for you that you haven't even thought of yet, that you don't even know how to think of yet."
This is a beautiful coming of age story, and I am so excited to share it with friends, family, and students.

*SLIGHT SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD!*

I liked this book. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about a YA by Casey McQuiston, but I thought it was really good.

So, the book starts with Shara Wheeler kissing 3 different people and then disappears, which leads them on a hunt to find her. She’s left clues and they have to decipher them. This was clever, it mostly kept me interested.

The reason I gave this 4 stars is because it felt like there was too much happening throughout the book. Like, the following the clues bit comes to a resolution, and then there is almost an entirely new plot line 3/4 of the way into the book.

I also didn’t like the MC, Chloe. She was kind of annoying and know-it-all-y (that was kind of the point, but still), and I just didn’t really care about her. Now, give me a book with Rory and Smith as the MCs and I would be all over that. Honestly, I would read about pretty much any of the other side characters, I just didn’t like Chloe or Shara. It feels kind of weird to say, but it felt like the side characters had more personality and depth than both Chloe and Shara. Like, their whole personalities were basically ‘we’re super smart and über academically competitive’ and that was it.

Something I really liked was that all of these kids are attending a super religious school in a rural Georgia town. Yet, despite it being extremely Christian and conservative, there were A TON of queer kids at the school! None of them were out (except for one), for fairly obvious reasons, but they were still there. In the face of all the terrible anti-LGBTQ legislation in the US right now, I loved that this book is kind of throwing that in their faces, like, see, even if you don’t talk about it or acknowledge it in any way, kids are still going to be queer!

I thoroughly enjoyed "I Kissed Shara Wheeler" - both for its diverse and life like characters and the humor in each term of phrase. There were times midway through the book when I worried that the friend-abandoned-in-the-face-of-a-quest trope was going to fade out without BFF Georgia being a character at all, but I was relieved to see that she and others had their own arcs yet to come. The book shows the desire for a change from within in a strict community where it turns out no one is actually alone in their struggle to fit in or hide and where there might finally be some chance for a change.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler was a cute, saccharine YA contemporary, set in the Bible Belt, with relatable friendships and a large and quirky ensemble cast and characters full of heart. This book is for all the queer kids in the Southern United States (or other conservative areas) who deserve their own happy endings.

Casey McQuiston’s foray into Young Adult was fine, none of my issues with this book stemmed from that at all. The characters did feel young at times, but understandably so.

If I had to describe this novel using other media, I’d call it Gone Girl meets Paper Towns. Unfortunately for IKSW, Shara Wheeler has all the unlikable qualities that Margo Roth also had. Both of these girls exist in the same whimsical, manic pixie dream girl/Mary Sue, on a different realm type. I will say — Shara Wheeler becomes more down to earth by the end of the novel, but for a decent chunk of it, she is a Mary Sue version of herself.

Unfortunately, Shara wasn’t the only unlikeable character for me. I found Chloe absolutely infuriating. So insufferable. I started out by just calling her “prickly,” and at that point she was tolerable. But we quickly took a nosedive for the worst. Every single choice she made was terrible and very self-centered. Chloe made bad choices, had consequences, and then got mad at the consequences — and truly never apologized to the friends that she hurt. There was very little character development on Chloe’s part. Georgia, sweetie, I’m so sorry, we’ll get you a better best friend.

It really was hard to root for Chloe and Shara when I literally could not care for either of them. (Although, I’m not even sure if I was supposed to root for Chloe and Shara?)

Another thing I did not love was the sheer amount of characters in this book. I could tell you very little about the background characters, as there were just so many (Chloe, Smith, and Rory all had like 3 friends/acquaintances each and then all of their classmates) and I lost track of them very quickly. I don’t think these characters got a chance to shine as much as they deserved, and I would have liked to see a little more from them.

The last thing I did not love — which is a personal issue with all of McQuiston’s writing and not just this novel — is all of the modern-day references. Off the top of my head, I know TikTok was mentioned a few times, Logan Paul was mentioned, there was a joke about one of the characters “going on the Bachelor” to live off of “Instagram sponcon” (sponsored content, for those not chronically online). It just feels very dating of a book to reference things that are products from the times. Like, if I go back to reread this book in a few years, will I be able to place it at early 2020s based on the context clues alone? I just don’t love references that date things, unfortunately.

I liked that this was coming of age and we got to experience the seniors’ journeys of self-discovery, especially getting to watch some of them blossom on page. I loved Smith so much, and I loved getting to see his journey on page.

One of the positives I had from this book was the fact that the last little bit (maybe 15-20%?) definitely picked up for me. I felt decently satisfied with the ending, which I appreciated. It was definitely tropey and predictable, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Overall, I’d likely still recommend this book to a friend, even though it wasn’t my favorite.

3.5 tentatively rounded down. Could very well be rounded up, I’m just bad with decisions. I do think that Smith as a whole deserved all the additional stars.

This was a super fun read. I really liked both of Casey McQuistons other two books so I was excited to get this ARC. I didn’t realize going in that this was a “true” YA (I think her others are considered “New Adult” so it wasn’t quite what I expected, but especially if you enjoy YA you’ll like this book. A little bit of an Albertalli vibe, but I especially like the mystery aspect in the first half of the book.

This was such a well written, YA novel that covers so many sensitive topics; such as identity crisis, religion, society, school and other youth problems, while representing the LGBTQ community so beautifully. ⁣
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This was a super cute, fun, unpredictable story of Chloe the valedictorian, on a paper trail to find Shara Wheeler, the class dream girl and her arch nemesis who goes missing right before graduation. ⁣
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She learns so much about herself, the jock and bad boy at school, who also is hiding their true selves; things about Shara she never knew. She found unexpected friends and a possible new love. She also learned some surprises about her best friend along the way. ⁣
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Overall this was such a great story, for adults and young adults, but I think it would be a great book for high school students aware to make them more aware they aren’t alone in the world and their feelings are valid.⁣
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
Thank you for an ARC for my honest review.

I was nostalgic for high school and I didn’t even like high school.

Shara Wheeler disappeared midway through prom and no one knows where she went. Before leaving, Shara kissed Chloe, and Chloe has no idea why, but she intends to find out and expose Shara for who she really is: a horrible and fake person. In I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston, Chloe Green and some unlikely accomplices follow a trail of notes with clues Shara has left for them in order to uncover where she’s gone.

This book had elements of Mean Girls and High School Musical, but with a wild easter egg hunt that includes wild parties, breaking into the principal’s office, and crawling through air ducts. I was all about it. I loved being in the dark as much as Chloe as she hunted for Shara. I loved how much McQuiston used the song Mr. Brightside. This story was so entertaining and kept me captivated the entire time.

What a great novel from Casey McQuiston. An interesting twist on the enemies to lovers trope. I loved all of the characters. I love the slight Gone Girl vibes. I love all the character growth and the burgeoning friendships.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me an ARC in return for my honest feedback.

Casey McQuiston's first YA foray is an absolute success. As I've grown older, I find a lot of contemporary YA really difficult to read. However, this YA novel was perfect. It echoed with mild John Green depth but a lot more queerness and a lot more fun.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler is a delightful puzzle-box of a book that kept me guessing almost to the end. When presumptive prom queen Shara Wheeler disappears suddenly, she leaves behind a trail of notes on perfect pink stationery - clues to why she left and where she might be hiding. Some of the notes are addressed to her perfect football player boyfriend. But the rest are for a disaffected delinquent and Shara's longtime rival for valectorian, Cassie, the school's resident out lesbian. Who also happens to be the person Shara kissed in an elevator right before she disappeared. As Cassie hunts down the trail of clues and marshals the football player and the delinquent into working with her to find the missing princess, she discovers a lot about Shara Wheeler, but also about all the things that get seen by the person everyone else is looking at. It seems like Shara knew everyone's secrets, but Cassie has a burning need to discover the secrets of Shara herself. Her quest is an addictive page turner all the way to the end, as Cassie searches for Shara and finds a lot more than she knew she was looking for.