Casey McQuiston does it again! This YA novel is the perfect read - funny, moving, insightful and full of three dimensional characters. I felt like I was the heart-eye emoji the entire time I was reading it. I laughed out loud, I cried, it was perfect. I can't wait to see a film adaptation someday.

Of all of Casey McQuiston's books, this one is my favorite so far because it was not as predictable. A great, easy read with an interesting enough storyline. But some of the characters were so problematic that it grated on me while reading. Chloe's hyper fixation to problem solve the issue that was Shara Wheeler to the point that she abandons her friends who has been there since she moved to Alabama was hard to read. And then Shara Wheeler's manipulation of everyone around her. The ending with "graduation" seemed rushed in my opinion and I would have loved to have dug into other side characters, like the "not gay" theater teacher. But overall this was another easy read about queer youth. Though the idea that there is an evangelical high school in Alabama full of gay secrets doesn't seem too far off TBH. In the end I was picturing evangelical Breakfast Club - cliche? maybe, but not a terrible thing.

casey mcquiston’s stories have this ability to destroy you in all the best ways. this is gonna be a little sentimental and soppy but it needs to be said: i think there’s a little chamber in all our hearts (especially queer readers) that only casey has the key to open. you can open any of their books and it’s this nostalgic and welcoming feeling that says, it’s okay and you can stay.

I KISSED SHARA WHEELER is like that. you can read the first sentence and then the first page and by the time you reach the end of the first chapter, you’re completely and utterly in love with the pov character.

coming from someone who is seventeen and is soon gonna be out of high school, this book means so much to me. and that fact that so many other teenagers will get to read this is amazing.

I KISSED SHARA WHEELER is premised upon the romance between a girl chasing a fair fight to valedictorian and a girl who left clues after disappearing: two academic rivals dead set on destroying each other. and along the way, secrets are unlocked, unexpected relationships form, and rules are broken. this book felt like finding a place to exist even when it felt like you couldn’t. it’s long nights with the windows rolled down and bleachers playing in the background all the while being surrounded by people you love and would fight for.

chloe green-she’s the definition of an Annoying girl. she’s stubborn at times and she makes mistakes, but buried beneath it all is a honest heart. i seriously love her so much.

smith parker. SMITH PARKER. quarterback with the softest heart. i seriously love him so much and he the fact that he listens to frank ocean… wow. he’s just a guy who loves his friends. if henry exists in his universe, i think he definitely would look up to him.

rory-of course. he’s the bad boy next door with a heart of gold. i loved every scene with him. he’s just this guy who secretly likes writing poetry about a certain someone without spoiling. (he also doesn’t like people looking at his search history. that should be noted.)

last but not least is shara wheeler. there’s so much to her and with every page; you fall in love with her more and more because you just can’t help it.

this book perfectly captures the experience and feeling of being queer and young and hesitant of the world, but it also captures the feeling of falling in love for the first time.

thank you @wednesdaybooks for a copy!

I LOVE this book.

A twisty, turny romcom mystery with a flawed main character, a flawed love interest, and an unlikely friend group that have each other's backs in the end.

It's a journey of self-discovery: the characters are still learning who they are and where they fit in, and you'll cheer for them every step of the way, through every mistake and realization.

I'm not sure I can even put into words how much I loved reading this. It's honest, it's funny, and it's ultimately uplifting. I think it's going to mean a lot to so many readers, especially to LGBTQ+ teens who are trying to find their way in communities where they don't feel accepted. This book is full of hope and reassurance.

Put it on your to-read list for 2022!

*Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advance reader copy*

I'll be honest in that I picked this book up solely because of the author and not because of the description. YA can be very hit or miss for me - and this one was absolutely perfect. The story hits the ground running with an intriguing premise, and you get launched into a small town in Alabama with a whole lot of queerness that is absolutely incredible to see. It's one of those fill-your-heart kind of books, with a lot of thoughtful introspection and reflection on how religiosity can impact queer kids. I Kissed Shara Wheeler is a story with a lot of big-hearted kids who thought they were so different from each other, but are brought together by their queerness and general love in the most endearing ways. The characters are flawed, but they all do their best. I'm so glad this is the YA content that exists today - and I'm so jealous I didn't have this growing up.

The dialogue was a lot of fun - lots of witty banter from clever teenagers that I feel is very accurate to how snarky folks that age can be. There were so many laugh-out-loud moments mixed with the conflict, and it was incredible to watch all these kids start to find themselves. I loved the little snippets at the end of each chapter that allow the reader to see in the minds of each character. Something I love to see in books are strong, fully formed, three dimensional characters, and McQuiston certainly delivers on that front.

I would wholeheartedly recommend this book. In fact, I think we need more books like this. I loved it so much. I'm so excited to see what Casey McQuiston has in store for us next.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler follows three characters: Chloe, Rory, and Smith. They are forced to work together when Shara Wheeler, the golden girl of their private Christian school, pulls a Gone Girl on all three of them. Well, maybe with less blood and murder, but she does disappear leaving only cryptic clues in her wake. Before she left, she kissed both Chloe and Rory, leaving them both to wonder what exactly Shara has planned. She also left behind her boyfriend, Smith, who is a little reluctant to work with the two people his girlfriend kissed. I LOVED THIS BOOK. It was so fun! It made me laugh, it hooked me from the first few pages. You reference Labyrinth and Phantom of the Opera once in a book and I’ve already teleported to the bookstore to purchase it. There are so many quotes in this book I wish I could bottle up and keep on a shelf forever because they make me feel truly seen. Chloe and I feel the same way about the Phantom. (Or Erik, if you know you know.)

I finished this book in a day and I would absolutely read it again and again until I’ve memorized every page. Absolutely pick up this book. Especially if you’re a former Glee fan. Especially if you were a Glee fan in high school and it shaped much of your high school experience. Even if you weren’t, definitely read this book. YOU’LL LOVE IT.

I received this book complimentary from NetGalley and all opinions are my own.

This was very cute and well done, as usual for McQuiston. Chloe, Shara, Rory, Smith, Georgia, Summer: all excellently written, unique, interesting, fun characters with well-plotted storylines and arcs. Highly a fan as usual of McQuiston’s work.

Casey McQuiston has done it again — I Kissed Shara Wheeler is a triumphant YA debut from the author of Red, White & Royal Blue and One Last Stop.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler is full of the things we have all come to expect from McQuiston, including clever banter, characters who subvert expectation, and a fierce community of queer folks who will make you wish you were their friend.

McQuiston’s style translates beautifully to a younger audience — I Kissed Shara Wheeler is missing the explicit sex scenes of RWRB and One Last Stop, but it never feels childish or immature. The characters feel like real high school students, full of feelings and drama that make them do things that make you wince, while also being people on the cusp of adulthood, making big decisions with real consequences. Mostly, these characters will make you want to reach into the pages and give them each a big hug and tell them it is all going to be okay.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

THE CATHARSIS!

I went to Southern Baptist high school with the founding members of my found family (and I went to Baptist college), and wow I'm so glad teens have books like these now when I didn't.

OK wow, I know that every single one of my Casey McQuiston book reviews is extremely dramatic, but if I could go back in time and make my others less dramatic just to emphasize the drama of this review I would.

This book was amazing. Really.

I got an arc of this through NetGalley and let me tell you my heart stopped when I got the email about it.

The book did not disappoint one bit. I read it in one sitting and could not stop, I started it planning on only reading the first chapter today.

This book is just absolutely insane. I didn't predict anything about the main mystery, I was just hooked and my eyes were glued to the pages. I just loved all of these characters so much, even though god do they some fucked up shit, I love them so much.

This book to me has the perfect combinations of both RWRB and OLS's best parts.

Clever, fresh, engrossing—every character was interesting and entertaining and surprising. Lots to love, thrilled but unsurprised to read another wonderful, dimensional book from this author!

When Casey McQuiston's debut YA novel, I Kissed Shara Wheeler, was announced I was obviously excited. Like queer academic rivals to lovers PLUS a mystery!? Sign me up! But I think I underestimated my own excitement for this book because as soon as I started reading it, I just couldn't put it down. This book was (and still is) all I could think about.

This queer YA contemporary set at a Christian school in Alabama packs a huge punch. Despite writing for a new age group McQuiston keeps their classic writing style that is funny, witty & full of feeling, all while creating a cast of characters who are just perfectly human. It was the characters that really made this book special for me. While the mystery of where Shara went was compelling, it was watching Chloe, Smith & Rory try to solve it, and seeing how they all grow along the way that really hooked me.

The characters in this book are flawed — I mean, they're high school seniors so what do you expect? Nobody's perfect and especially not at that age. McQuiston captured the kindness, jealousy, love, ruthlessness & fear of the unknown that we all felt as teens just perfectly in my opinion. While I felt frustration when characters made certain decisions, I continued to root for them because I just felt such a connection with them.

While this was a really character driven story, it also examined the impact the community we grow up in has on us. Like being from a place like Alabama and attending a Christian school, and how that environment can encourage certain people and stifle others. I thought it was written with such care and was a really important depiction of the young queer experience.

All in all I just really loved this book and I'm already itching to read it again.

Thank you Wednesday Books for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Rep: bi MC, queer & nonbinary SCs, Black & Black mixed race SCs
TWs: homophobia (including internal & institutional), religious trauma, manipulative/controlling parents, some drinking & marijuana use

I got this arc off of NetGalley and these opinions are my own. This book was so good! Chloe Green was kissed by Shara Wheeler, the girl everyone loves, everyone except Chloe Green. So when Shara disappears not long after Chloe decides she’ll find her, if for no other reason then to win Valedictorian fair and square. But along the way, with the clues Shara left, Chloe learns that she wasn’t the only one Shara kissed. Now with the help of Rory, Shara’s next door neighbor, and Smith, Shara’s boyfriend, Chloe will set out to prove she’s better once and for all. She’ll prove Shara’s not the girl everyone thinks she is. Along the way they learn things about Shara no one knew. Will Chloe find Shara and how does this new information impact how she sees her? I loved that both Chloe and Shara were so driven that in and of itself was enough to make them very interesting! I also really enjoyed reading from the perspective of an openly bisexual student at a very conservative/religious school and how that shaped a lot of Chloe’s views. The character growth and exploration in this book was fantastic. I’m a big fan of Casey McQuiston’s work and have been so excited for this one! As always Casey doesn’t disappoint! This book also touched on a personal note for me when Ash is relating why being non-binary fits for them and they talk about how they don’t like it when people automatically shove them in the girl category, this is something that I’ve been dealing with myself. When I realized I was non-binary I wanted to use all pronouns because that is what felt right for me but it’s been a struggle because I think people are so quick to put me in the boy category because that’s what is easiest for them… and I don’t want to be identified by what is easiest for other people. I love when your reading a book and the experience of the characters is so relatable to what’s happening to you or how you feel. It’s also why representation is so important in literature! This book was amazing and I can’t what to read it again when it comes out, 10 out of 10 recommendation!

Listen: expectations were HIGH for this one, as Casey McQuiston's first two novels (both considered New Adult romances) are stellar. I'll admit, I was nervous to see if writing in a YA register affected their tone or softened their bite, but I shouldn't have worried -- McQuiston has done it again, folks. I Kissed Shara Wheeler is not to be missed -- a funny, surprising, thoughtful examination of rural queer life with unforgettable characters and a voice that'll have you at turns in stitches and in tears. The opening gambit of the novel (Christian teen princess Shara Wheeler kissed three people--her boyfriend Smith, her next-door neighbor Rory, and her academic rival Chloe--before disappearing on prom night, leaving behind some confused teenagers and a mysterious trail of pink envelopes) is exciting, if a bit familiar (McQuiston almost definitely read John Green & Maureen Johnson as a teen), but the novel makes several swerves into more-uncharted territory, developing into a truly tender love letter to queer teens, to the South, and to anyone who has ever felt excluded from their own home. There are multiple plot points where a lesser novel would've ended, but McQuiston uses these as opportunities for the narrative to unfold in new and exciting ways. I can already tell that we'll have a hard time keeping this one on the shelf!

This book was so much fun! It felt like an 80s movie like the Breakfast Club but better because it’s queer. The characters were great and I loved learning more about them throughout the story. The wholesome and accepting nature of the book is still very much needed and I’m excited that i am seeing more queer books being published.

I wasn’t sure how much I would like this book because it seemed a little close to paper towns, which I wasn’t really a fan of. I should’ve known never to doubt Casey McQuiston though because “I Kissed Shara Wheeler” was amazing!!! The mystery kept me wanting to read more, but what I really stayed for was the cast of characters. Casey knows how to write side characters that are just as interesting and developed as the main characters. I love how there are so many people in this book who are complex and flawed, but also still so easy to love. This book was superb and I’m so excited for its release.

I had a lot of (unwarranted) fears about Casey McQuiston's young adult debut. Would this book be as good as her others? Would their writing still work for teen protagonists, when I'd only heard the voices of confused twenty-somethings finding themselves? And, more personally, could a book inspired by one of my favorites from my childhood, Paper Towns, live up to the hype that instantly placed on the book for me?

I'm happy to report that my fears were entirely unfounded. I Kissed Shara Wheeler is everything you love about Casey McQuiston, but in a setting and story that will reassure teens and comfort the wounded teen in adults that's been longing to hear the messages Casey writes here. Knowing a little about Casey's background from articles over the years, I suspect this book is also deeply personal to them, and it shows. There is love and passion folded into the pages that evoke a bittersweet nostalgia in readers. This book is a reminder that your home is what you make it, that there is community hidden even in the most oppressive environment. It is a reminder that all is never what it seems on the surface, and it is a promise that there is so much more in the world after high school that young teens can't even begin to fathom.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler is a whirlwind story, and is heavily inspired by John Green's Paper Towns. Shara Wheeler disappears during prom, before ever being crowned prom queen. No one knows where she is, but her disappearance brings three students - Smith, Shara's boyfriend; Rory, Smith's ex-best friend, and Chloe Green, Shara's academic rival - together with one common denominator. The day before she left, she kissed all three of them. Quickly, the trio discover Shara (unlike Paper Town's Margo) has orchestrated her disappearance, leaving behind pink envelopes with calculated riddles for them to solve. As they work together and through their differences to find out where Shara went, they discover they had more in common than they dreamed despite the boxes their religious school demands they fit themselves into.

There was a lot I enjoyed about this book. Casey's writing is, as always, phenomenal. You can tell why their work continues to sit atop so many bestsellers lists. I was really relieved to find myself sucked into her specific, narrative tone and it carried me through at least half of the book when I wasn't sure if I fully loved what I was reading. For me, this book was a bit of a struggle. I'm a character reader, and while the plot is fun and interesting, I found it difficult to enjoy the story due to the way Chloe and Shara's characters reveal themselves to readers. They are both two girls with parts of themselves under lock and key, and it made it difficult for me to care about either of them fully until they begin to open up to each other - which is over halfway through the book.

But among the things I loved were the background cast of characters, who I found more interesting than Chloe or Shara (more on that below); the clue-filled journey, with wacky mysteries and our first look into the complexities of Shara Wheeler, and the overall character arc that works so well against the backdrop of senior year. Especially given the conservative, oppressive town and school settings, Casey does a really fantastic job quietly revealing the intricacies of kids boxed in by the roles they play. I most deeply adored Smith, and I would read an entire book about him even though I don't think he needs one. I loved seeing these friendships form through the barriers of their roles, despite the tenuous nature of them forming at the end of all they've ever known. It's a bittersweet nostalgia!

I will say that I didn't feel able to really process this book until I reached the end. The message comes through loud and clear, but only in the last quarter of the novel. It takes time to really see what this journey unlocks for our characters, and especially our main characters. To be frank, Chloe and Shara are why I am giving this book four stars. I don't fully love Chloe or Shara's characters. By societal standards, I'm not supposed to love them. Casey does a good job of enforcing that while these characters have traits often negatively viewed in female characters, they're still just two kids doing their best. Chloe and Shara are both driven and lost, repressing their identities under the weight of their conservative town, and both deeply afraid. This causes both to lash out (in different ways) and makes them angry and sharp. They are self-proclaimed "monster" girls, and they're hard to relate to at times. I like reading about "difficult" female characters; I always do! But I felt that Chloe and Shara both lost the aspects of their character I deeply enjoyed when they switched from rivals to lovers. It doesn't help that we get access into their perspectives so late in the novel. By the time I begin to understand them, I'm already attached to side characters and the ideas we get about both Chloe and Shara earlier on. Honestly, I found their friends - Smith and Rory, for sure, but also Georgia and Summer and Ace and Ash - more captivating than Shara and Chloe. I am loving that Casey is sinking more energy into side characters I remember, but this is the first time I've felt that they were better than the protagonists, so I'm feeling very conflicted.

I also just... don't fully believe the relationship storyline for Chloe and Shara. There's a moment where you think Shara isn't lying about not feeling things for Chloe, that she really just wanted to fuck with her academic standing, and that moment made her the most interesting she'd been for the entire book. And when that is revealed to be a lie, I was... disappointed? I can't quite articulate why. I think it made it too easy, and it made it unrealistic for me at that moment. For example, later in the novel, when Chloe is still looking for reasons to hate Shara (and ignoring her feelings), all of Shara's friends point out the only problem they had with her was that she wouldn't open up. Not that she was terrible, or calculated, or evil. That moment weakened the entire point of the plot for me. By uncomplicating Shara Wheeler, the intrigue dropped tenfold.

It just doesn't make sense that this relationship ended romantically. They were obsessed with each other, but that doesn't always translate to a healthy romance or make them good partners (spoiler alert: I don't think, long-term, they have a chance in hell of working out). I would have enjoyed seeing their relationship play out into an unsteady truce, some kind of understanding where they went their separate ways but maybe would have found each other later in life, if romance was still the goal. I really like the idea of them learning from each other rather than becoming a couple. Ironically, an ambiguous ending would have been more logical for these two characters who are both trying to figure themselves and their lives out. Ultimately, ChloeandShara were less interesting than Chloe and Shara, which is pretty much the only reason this was a four-star read for me.

That being said, I understand that this novel is for teens and Casey wanted to give hope to young readers. I'm finding it a bit difficult to review the first YA title from an author who's written some of my favorite adult books, especially books that really give a platform to twenty-somethings figuring themselves and shit out. This story overlaps in tone and theme a lot with those older stories, which I really enjoy, but which also lends itself to comparison to her other titles much easier as a result.

I do really appreciate, as always, that these are not just messy teens but teens who are given on-page room to grow and open up! It's becoming more and more common, but it's still new enough that I get overjoyed seeing "real" teens in these pages who are exploring and questioning and learning more about themselves, especially like these teens on the cusp of going out into the big wide world outside of high school. I also appreciate that Casey continues to write a multitude of side characters who are diverse and reflect many different identities, with so much depth in them to be loved as much as I loved them by the end of this novel.

While I do have some mixed feelings for this story personally, overall I am deeply impressed by Casey's young adult debut. Once again, readers will find themselves largely rewarded by characters who are complicated and messy and interesting, and they will see themselves in their journeys. While I couldn't personally relate to the religious trauma explored in this book, I can still see that Casey handles it like a pro, and I know this book is going to hit home for so many readers who need this book. And I'm very grateful that it will be in the hands of those readers next year, helping heal the teens inside adults who needed these words, and emboldening today's teens who only need to be reminded that there is an entire world waiting for them outside of the places that oppress them and their identities.

Takes the high school rival's "why are you so obsessed with me" to its logical queer conclusion by way of obscenely complicated puzzles and lots of denial and excuses from all. Mix in coming of age, finding yourself and your people in a town that doesn't want you, and friendships that might be tested, but come out stronger for it, and you've got this perfect cataclysm of a book.

3.5 stars - it would probably be higher if my expectations weren't so high, but still, it's got quite a bit of what made Casey McQuiston's first two novels great, this time in a true YA story. As I've come to expect, it's got a well developed protagonist and love interest, and side characters that while not quite as well developed, fill out the story's universe well. The mystery element is intriguing and fun, though it wraps up a little too early in the book to be completely satisfying.

I think many readers will love the romance here, but I found the chemistry to be lacking. It leans so far into enemies-to-lovers (which worked really well in RWRB) that when the couple finally gets together, they still seem ill-suited.

As far as sapphic YA goes, I would consider this fantastic if it were written by any author. But coming from McQuiston, I expected just a little more.

i kissed shara wheeler follows chloe green, a bisexual senior who has attended willowgrove christian academy after moving from california four years ago. she teams up with two unlikely forces to figure out where shara went after she disappeared from prom.

this book is so much more than that, though. i saw so much of myself in chloe and she has so much character development, it’s impossible not to be rooting for her. the chemistry and chaos between all of the friends made this story incredible.

mcquiston’s side characters always include the most lovable misfits. the side stories of finding and accepting yourself, dealing with emotional baggage from the past, and dealing with southern small-town homophobia made this book so hard to put down.

this book had queer characters at almost every stage of self discovery which was so beyond important. the rep was amazing and this novel definitely lived up to my most anticipated read of 2022.