This is a story about a girl gone away… or is she?

I loved everyone in this book almost immediately- except Shara. This book really spoke to me- the exploration of what identity means & the ways in which our own assumptions about ourselves can reinforce it- were beautifully done. This book had so many beautiful scenes, and the section about being a theater kid in particular stood out.. Over a decade later, I can still perfectly remember the beautiful, glittering chaos of being back stage on opening night. I also loved the John Green & Bleachers references- this book was delightful. @casey.mcquiston just doesn’t miss!

But I still don’t like Shara 🤣.

Thank you netgalley, Libro fm, Wednesday books & Macmillan audio for the e & audio arcs! I loved this book in all the formats.

Casey McQuiston writes a great LGBTQ+ romance novel! This one has some mystery and high school drama in the mix. Fun read!

<i>"She takes one last look out at the crowd, and she thinks that this can be what it means -- even only in part -- to be from Alabama.
It's her mom welcoming every one of her friends into their house without hesitation, Georgia hiking out to the cliffs to read a book from Belltower, Smith with flowers in his hair and Rory yanking down street signs, the stars above the lake and midnight drives, hand-painted signs and improvised spaces in parking lots. All the things that people can make False Beach into.
None of the people she loves in this town are separate from it."</i>
<i>Disclaimer: Added bonus quotes at the end of the review because I can't pick just one. My whole review would just be quotes I saved from the book.</i>

TL;DR: A love-letter to all your favorite 80s / 90s/ early 00s teen rom-coms, but make it queer.
Basically every YA and Rom-Com trope, but delivered in Casey McQuiston's zippy, zingy, pop-culture-laden-but-not-in-a-dated-way witty style, with a cast of characters that are ALL fully realized and individuated that you can't help but root for.
<b><i>I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.</b></i>

Vibes: A queer version of <i>The Breakfast Club</i> + the homoerotic subtext of Rory Gilmore & Paris Gellar's quest to be valedictorian of Chilton + a spoonful of the sugar that is <i>Mean Girls</i> that results in a reverse <i>10 Things I Hate About You</i> + Elle Wood's Valedictorian of Harvard speech from <i>Legally Blonde</i>

Genre: True YA, but honestly, if you love Casey McQuiston's other books, the line between YA and NA isn't even going to matter at all.
There's also a healthy dose of nostalgia if (a) you're a Xennial who grew up on those teen rom-coms; (b) you attended high school in the US, especially the South* 0r (c) you too were involved in a fiercely competitive battle for valedictorian which is why you gravitated toward Rory Gilmore in the first place.
*I didn't go to high school in the DEEP South -- the way Chloe goes to high school in Alabama -- but it was Southern enough for me, like Chloe, to see and judge religion by the <i>"judgmental, sanctimonious hypocrites hiding hate behind Bible verses"</i> I went to school with. And, also like Chloe, if I had seen a different side of it, I'd feel different too.

Romance Meter: 💗 💚 💗 💚 💗
It's all romance, and IDGAF. It was happy and queer and so joyful that I didn't even mind the love quadrilateral.

Character MVP: Smith Parker, the quarterback with the sunshine smile and <i>"victim of a tragic first-name last name, last-name first-name situation," who loves to wear flowers in his hair and gold glittery eyeliner and lavender lipstick. I LOVE HIM.
I love all of them.

Verdict: I saved this book to read for Pride Month (sorry, Netgalley) and it was 100% worth the wait.
Casey McQuiston is, and forever will be, an auto-buy author for me -- and the author I'd most like to know in real-life and be able to say, "I'm friends with <i>them</i>."

Her writing is just...perfection.
The way she crafts a story...
The way she captures detail, noting the little things like candy Shara has stashed on her boat...
The way she makes each and every secondary character stand out in a Dickensian way that you know who they are and remember their quirks...
The way she never fails to make me ugly-cry at the end of her books, in the best way, because I *feel* *all the things,* fully immersed in her narrative because she's tapped into real, raw emotions...

...it's magic.

Even though this is technically a YA book, it doesn't feel like a cookie-cutter YA book.
Yes, there's teenage protagonists.
Yes, those protagonists act like teenagers, doing impulsive teenager shit. (Although they're definitely, like, CW Teenagers in that they're more mature and articulate than your average high-schooler -- like they all have the souls of the mid-twenty-something actors who are playing them).
And, yes, the book is about distinctly teenage things -- self discovery & coming-of-age before graduation.

But it doesn't *feel* like the type of YA that people often snub their noses at. It feels timeless, the way <i>The Breakfast Club</i> is timeless -- the way that Elle Woods' Harvard Graduation speech is timeless -- the way that Kat's "I hate the way you..." speech to Patrick is timeless -- the way that Regina George throwing photocopied pages from The Burn Book as she slo-m0 walks down the hall in a fit of Machiavellian vindictive fury is timeless.

Read this book, then if you haven't, go and read [book:One Last Stop|54860443] and [book:Red, White & Royal Blue|41150487]. I don't think you'll regret it.

Favorite Pieces of Prose (excluding all the witty one-liners that literally made me giggle-snort aloud while reading):

<i>"It's not much -- Chloe knows this. It's just car windows rolled down, the blue-and-white glow of a Walmart in the distance, the smell of wet pavement under the tires, the hum of neon from a Dairy Queen, the same radio station as always blasting a rotation of the same fifteen songs. But she thinks she's starting to understand what it means to be from here, because she could swear the bright red burn of artificial cherry is the best thing she's ever tasted.
She leans out into the wind and tips her head back opening her eyes to the stars, and thinks maybe everything in the world really can fit inside the False Beach city limits."</i>

<i>"Chloe Green was born in California. Her mom's egg, her mama's body. California soil. She grew up in a house full of Obama coffee mugs and Tibetan singing bowls and unofficial aunts who played cello in their living room after dinner parties. Before they moved here, she never felt anything about Alabama, and she certainly never imagined it could make her feel anything about herself.
But Alabama is in her, no matter how much she pretends it's not." </i>

<i>"She told herself it didn't get to her. She knew who she was. Her moms love her, her friends love her, she *knows* who she *is,* and she's never bought into the bullshit notion that people like her are made wrong, not for a second. It's an unpleasant sting when a teacher tells her to stop trying to use Bible verses to prove that the love between her moms can't be wrong because it says right there that God is love and all love is of God, but -- no. No, as long as she can go home at the end of the day and see the two women who raised her sitting on either side of the kitchen table, she knows it's not true.
But that's not accounting for the time in between.</i>

<i>"Willowgrove is the first time she's been around Christianity, and so to her, that's what faith is: judgmental, sanctimonious hypocrites hiding hate behind Bible verses, twenty-four karat crucifix necklaces, and charismatic white pastors with all the horrible secrets that money can protect.
She's never been to a church cookout or met a practicing Christian who was also gay. She's never even stepped inside a church where she felt safe. Maybe if she had -- maybe if her mom hadnt' been burned so bad that she never brought Chloe near Jesus until she absolutely had to -- she'd feel different. At this point, she doesn't know if she ever will.
But she also knows that Alabama is more than Willowgrove. And if that's true, maybe faith can mean more than Willowgrove too."

"Shame is a way of life here. It's stocked in the vending machines, stuck like gum under the desks, spoken in the morning devotionals. She knows now that there's a bit of it in her. It was an easy choice not to go back in the closet when she got here, but if she'd grown up here, she might never have come out at all. She might be a completely different person. There's so much to it here, so much that nobody tells anyone about.
So, if she's the only one in the class of '22 who's really *out* for now, if her existence can provide cover for half her graduating class to stand up for something without saying things about themselves they can't yet say, that's enough. That's plenty."

Casey McQuiston is my favorite author so I had very high expectations for this book, yet somehow it exceeded my expectations?!!? I loved this book and I love Chloe, Rory (where do I send the adoption papers?), Smith and even Shara. I loved how packed full this book is with queer characters! And I love that the main characters are sometimes assholes (insult any one of them and I will take it personally), it made them seem more real and relatable and made me love them even more. I hope that many queer people are able to find themselves in this book like I did, with every Casey McQuiston book I read I learn more about myself

Chloe Green's sights are set on valedictorian. Her one obstacle: Shara Wheeler, daughter of her uber-religious high school's principal and the girl everyone in school idolizes. Then, a month before graduation, Shara unexpectedly kisses Chloe in an elevator and vanishes. Chloe goes on a search for answers, learning that she's not the only one Chloe kissed. Obviously there's her boyfriend, Smith, the high school quarterback, and then her neighbor, Rory, who has been crushing on Shara for years. The three learn Shara's left behind a bunch of clues via letters, forcing the unlikely trio to work together to track down Shara and perhaps learn more about themselves and each other in the process.

I wasn't quite sure how I felt about this one while reading it. Every McQuiston book is a special occasion and rare treat, but SHARA started off very slowly for me. It was hard to get lost in the story--mostly because I really didn't care much for Shara or Chloe at the beginning. Shara was missing, but honestly, she seemed like a jerk and I felt like telling Chloe, "good riddance." But even Chloe didn't always seem to show her best side, coming off a bit self-centered as she ditched her loyal friends in the quest to hunt down Shara... why?

But, this YA romance picks up as you read on, with a big thanks to its wonderfully diverse supporting cast. Smith and Rory truly made this book for me, which took me by surprise. They were unique and funny, but often tender and sweet characters, and I fell for them more quickly than the ladies! The theme of friendship runs stronger in SHARA than romance, which I really liked. It also tackles being queer in a religious atmosphere (Chloe attends a Christian high school) head on and with total passion, and you'll find yourself cheering in places. This is a wonderful book for queer kids looking for their place in the world and attempting to work out their identity.

Overall, this isn't my favorite McQuiston, but I enjoyed seeing her take on the YA world. It's powerful in places and sweet in others. 4 stars.

This was such a cute, funny, messy, campy, heart-squeezing, earnest, magical book. It’s a teen rom-com wrapped in a mystery and a love letter to found family and all the weird and wonderful things that encompass being a teenager, growing up, and learning who you are.

It captures that nostalgic school’s out feeling so well and while it at times felt like Paper Towns meets John Tucker Must Die, it’s a story wholly its own and the more I read it, the more I loved it.

This book was so much fun. Casey McQuiston has such a way with writing brilliant side characters and quirky main characters. Every single story I’ve read by them has been absolutely fantastic. Shara Wheeler was no exception.

It was okay. I did appreciate the warning at the beginning of the book so that I could be prepared and to make an informed decision on whether or not I wanted to read this book. The characters and the story itself all came across as trying little too hard to be. It also made me think too much of 13 Reasons Why, which was off-putting for me considering.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler, while my least favourite of Casey McQuiston's novels, was a strong YA debut overall. I loved the representation of a bisexual MC coupled with an entertaining mystery that engages you as the reader to try to solve clues alongside Chloe, Rory, and Smith. That being said, I found the romance aspect lacking in this one to an almost confusing degree. It's clear that Chloe and Shara are drawn together by their rivalry, but I feel like we could've gotten a little more depth in their characters both individually and then eventually as a couple. Despite this though, I do think for a YA debut, I do appreciate that these characters very much act like teenagers, making messy decisions and having complicated, big emotions that are hard to deal with. Ultimately I would still recommend this to younger readers looking for an entertaining YA contemporary, but would caution those who are quick to judge this based on the author's adult books.

SHARA. FREAKING. WHEELER.
IKSW is a layered, hilarious, biting, contemplative YA debut from Casey McQuiston. Fans of RWRB and OLS will not be disappointed as they traverse Shara Wheeler’s mysterious disappearance and her trail of kisses and clues.

Chloe is a child of California with a mama and a mom, and due to family obligations, has to move back to her mom’s native False Beach, Alabama and stays there for the entirety of high school. My favorite part of Chloe is her arc. She experiences tremendous growth and learns that her thorny disposition and carefully crafted affect have not really kept her safe in her private Christian school so much as they’ve prevented her from seeing and knowing her classmates intimately and clearly. She has a single story of religion and religious people, and I felt her mindset shift on the most personal level.

Shara Wheeler is Chloe’s academic rival and nothing will stop Chloe from beating Shara. Even Shara’s own disappearance. I found the way these girls circle each other like sharks to be immensely satisfying and the tension they create compulsory. I couldn’t get enough.

However, my absolute favorite bit of every McQuiston novel is the entourage. The supporting characters always shine with such vibrancy and nuance and secrets and layers. They’re so much more than character foils and plot points. McQuiston truly excels at crafting a viable, breathing, three-dimensional family out of her supporting characters. I’m partial to Smith, Rory, Ace, and Georgia in particular. Especially Smith! I hope we get to revisit them someday.

10/10, highly recommend!

Casey never disappoints and I'm in love with this book, as a teen myself, I absolutely adored this book. This book was a perfect combination of hilarious and adorable. I love how dynamic the characters were and absolutely adored the way Casey has written this book!!

This is what High School Musical could have been. I loved Chloe and her family. I would love to hang out with her moms and garden or something. I loved how this was a bit of a nod to John Green but also taking over and breaking manic pixie dream girl cliche.

From the author of Red, White, and Royal Blue and One Last Stop comes I Kissed Shara Wheeler, a YA thriller about a group of high schoolers grappling with sexuality, identity, and the future. I Kissed Shara Wheeler succeed where One Last Stop fails, portraying an eclectic group of people without anyone feeling like a token representative. As the story unfolds, things become a little predictable and boring, but overall the book is a quick, fun read worth picking up.

Oh, Casey McQuiston.

I wasn't the biggest fan of One Last Stop, but I adored Red, White, & Royal Blue. Luckily, I Kissed Shara Wheeler was a grand slam.

The story is sweet, yet complex. Fun, yet with real-life consequences.

This is the summer read of 2022 and I hope everyone gets to know Shara Wheeler.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler is full of humor. It's one of those books with such a unique narration style. One of the ones that feels like they're actively talking to you. A conversation with a friend. And Chloe's POV is full of active denial, a wry and sarcastic sense of humor, and just enough judgy-ness. All united by those who kissed Shara, I was hooked by the premise. But then when I saw how McQuiston explores their stories? I became obsessed. The ways that we can come out of our shell. Belong to an unlikely alliance and prove it's never too late to change.

I love Casey McQuinston's writing so obviously I had to read this one, but I think I'll be sticking to their adult books in the future. This was a fun cute book, but just not a great fit for the style of book I like to read. I can imagine I would have loved it even more if I read it while I was in high school, and I still think it's a good book.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler is a queer YA coming-of-age mystery romcom (really!) with a diverse group of smart, interesting, funny, damaged characters trying to make it through their super conservative Christian high school. There's love and comedy and drama and intrigue and some really poignant moments about acceptance and standing up for yourself and your friends. I will read anything Casey McQuiston ever writes, and she killed it with this one.

"I Kissed Shara Wheeler," best-selling author Casey McQuiston's YA debut, is equal parts queer coming of age story, romance and mystery. With it, McQuiston proves she's still the Queen of the found family, building delightful groups of friends that anyone would want to hang out with. In between heartwarming and funny moments, this book also examines the damage homophobic purity-obsessed churches can do to teens.

This funny and insightful book is part mystery, part quest, part queer romance. Chloe and Shara are academic rivals obsessed with beating each other. When Shara kisses Chloe in an elevator before disappearing from senior prom, Chloe joins forces with Shara's lovesick neighbor (also recently kissed) and her boyfriend to solve the puzzle she's left behind. This book features a cast of diverse characters, many of them queer, trying to navigate an unforgiving Christian high school.

Love anything Casey McQuiston writes! This book was unlike anything I had ever read before. I went into it not knowing it was a rom com (I know, I know) and was surprised by the inventiveness behind every part of the book. Plus, McQuiston is so talented in making everything sound so beautiful.