Me at the beginning of this book: “okay but what’s the point in running away, I don’t even care where Shara went”

also me: *compulsively reads chapter after chapter and finishes the book in one day*

I wasn’t expecting to like this book as much as I did and there were so many times in the beginning where I wondered if I even cared about where and why Shara left. And yet, I kept reading. Largely in part because McQuiston is a fantastic writer and their characters are hilarious.

This book made me feel a lot of complicated feelings. I hated Shara, yet was intrigued by her. I understood Chloe’s drive, yet didn’t get her. And in the end, I don’t know if I thought the romance had too much antagonism at the root of it, or if it was the perfect way to frame a high school enemies to lovers trope.

There were moments that were so deliciously campy, and heart achingly real, and I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would.

So, just in case I needed more proof that Casey McQuiston’s books are always a win, this book was a win. A campy, diverse, queer, musical loving win.

*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley

Casey McQuiston's first foray into YA was a huge success for me, giving us sapphic enemies to lovers set against the backdrop of the deep south. It's messy and funny and so incredibly heartfelt.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler finds Chloe Green, an Alabama transplant from California who's desperate to get out of the south and the stifling oppression she and other queer students face from all sides - a Christian-based school, a small-minded town, and a student body that thrives on gossip. Key to her success: beating out all around Queen bee and town darling Shara Wheeler for valedictorian. When Shara decides to kiss Chloe and run, leaving notes behind for her and two others she kissed a ditched (boyfriend Smith and friend Rory), Chloe is determined to solve the mystery to make sure her status as 'better-than-Shara' is kept safe.

There's something Casey McQuiston does so well in all of their books so far, and that's combining emotion and funny banter into this special mix of stories that always leaves me attached to the characters. This book is no different. Chloe is an absolute mess of pride in her queerness and the need to remain absolutely perfect in her image as top of the class, better than you, rule breaker. When the notes start to appear and the I Kissed Shara Wheeler group text starts with Smith and Rory, Chloe is absolutely consumed. What follows is a hilarious and sometimes emotional scavenger hunt to find the girl she hates.

The thing that I really loved about this book is the character growth of every single character. There's a really great array of identities here. Chloe, bisexual, surrounds herself with a group of queer friends that just get it. There's a lesbian character, a non-binary character, a gay character - and on top of this, there are characters that get to explore what their identities are for the first time. Smith especially has a gorgeous storyline full of wonder at someone being able to proudly be who they want to be. I'd love a book of just Smith, honestly! Each of these characters adds something important to this story.

Chloe's own growth and coming to terms with the fact that Alabama may not be the actual worst is one of my favorite parts of this whole book. I'm from the deep south. Alabama is a second home. People forget sometimes that for all the negative out there about Southern states we actually have the second most diverse population in the country, both racially and sexual orientation-wise. Chloe learns to recognize that not everyone is taking the same journey as her. Some people get here slower, especially in an environment that's hostile towards the queer community. I really felt it in my gut when she takes a moment to reflect on how other kids like her might navigate things when they feel like there's no other choice but to be what people expect them to be. This is the sort of book I wish I'd had in high school. One that's affirming and recognizes both the parts of the South that rightly give us that bad name, but also the good parts that take root in us regardless of how we feel about it.

Overall, I really loved this book. Casey McQuiston does it again!

I LOVED this book. And I LOVE Casey McQuiston. Her YA debut was filled with so many things that made the queer teen in me swoon. Can't believe how wonderful of a read this was.

This book was so fun! It was a combination of mystery, humor and queer romance all wrapped up in one fast-paced book. I loved all of the LGBTQIA+ representation most of all. It is important to have a book that easily showcases the power of having acceptance in your life and the weight of religious repression that hang on queer individuals, particularly in more conservative communities. The friendships were really incredible too. Chloe's friendship with Georgia, though put to the test, was lovely from start to finish, but I especially loved how through Shara's plotting and contrived scavenger hunt, Chloe was forced to get to know Smith and Rory and discover how little she knew about them and how cool they really were. I think Smith was actually my favorite character in the book. His spirit is uncrushable.

There was a tiny lull in the middle of the book, when the mystery of where Shara went was over, but before some of the conflict between Chloe and Shara, and Chloe and Georgia, and Principal Wheeler and everyone started to happen. But then all of those dramatic relationships started to revive the plot and make it quite a bit more emotional, which was fantastic.

My students will be clamoring for this book since they already love Casey McQuiston and it will be easy to recommend.

As Casey McQuiston's first YA title, I Kissed Shara Wheeler carries all of McQuiston's usual charm through a high school coming of age story. Chloe Green is enraged when her rival, Shara Wheeler, vanishes on prom night. But when she finds the first in a trail of clues encased in pretty pink envelopes, she's even more incensed. Chloe is determined to find the clues, find the girl, and beat Shara at her own game. She teams up with Shara's boyfriend Smith, and neighbor Rory. The only thing all three have in common? They've kissed Shara Wheeler.

I will happily read anything McQuiston puts in front of me. Not only do I love their wit and writing style, but being from the south, McQuiston always manages to tie in that difficult relationship that comes with being queer down here. And Shara Wheeler tackles this head on. The setting here is a Christian private school in Alabama, and the dynamics within will be familiar to a lot of readers.
And of course, this novel hosts a charming cast of queer and BIPOC characters.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler is the book I would have loved to have had as a queer teenager growing up in the Bible belt. The way that McQuiston describes the experience of being queer in high school, and especially in a high school that doesn’t recognize queerness as a valid option, hit home.

Their characters are layered and interesting and the dynamics of high school cliques and how they can impact a person’s identity are well written.

It’s a fun fast paced romp of a novel that doesn’t shy away from the real hard hitting issues of being a teenager.

I loved it.

This book about high school rivals possibly falling in love is set in a Christian high school in Alabama. The set up was all a bit much for me and it felt like McQuiston was trying too hard to write for a teen audience but I think teens might enjoy it/be drawn to it. The book definitely does a great job of covering a variety of sexualities and gender identities.

This was a fun, interesting read! Not my usual kind of setting or storyline. But I did find it easy to read and amusing. I think it’s definitely for more of a YA, younger audience. But I enjoyed it.

I have lots of feelings about this book and the roller coaster of emotion I just stepped off of.

McQuiston has become famous for her new adult LGBTQIA titles, but I was a little bit nervous to see how she would translate her style to sit firmly in teen fiction. Would she go a bit more to the fantasy side like she did in "One Last Stop"? Would another enemies to lovers title lead to comparison to "Red, White, & Royal Blue"? What we received instead was something that felt a bit more personal. A teen growing up in the bible belt, where no one else at your school is openly out and you're convinced the rest hate you just for being queer. As always with McQuiston, her characters are complex and you get to watch the protagonist grow as the book progresses. We get to see Chloe realize that she is not the "token queer girl" at her school, and that the people she has purposefully ignored or hated for her high school career have more in common with her than she might think. I will not lie and say that this book sucked me in immediately. The first few chapthers did not drag me in the way I'm sure they were intended to. At first I wasn't sure I would get invested in these characters. I can't say where page or what clue changed that for me, but I will say, if you are struggling to get into this book, give it a bit more time. The ending is well worth it.

This coming of age story is snarky, smart and fun. The teens chase down clues on pink stationery in a scavenger hunt that also becomes a journey of self discovery for all of them.

When Shara Wheeler, the daughter of Willowgrove Christian Academy’s principal stages a disappearing act during prom the only ones who seem to be looking for her are Smith, Rory and Chloe who happen to be the last three people Shara kissed.

“…well, it’s not that Chloe forgets how to think about anything other than Shara Wheeler. But nothing else seems half as interesting, which isn’t her fault. Honestly, maybe other things should try harder.”

I loved everything about this engaging and entertaining story. It was everything I want in a YA romance.
-5 Stars!-

Shara Wheeler has disappeared. This shouldn’t be an issue for Willowgrove Christian Academy student Chloe Green, except for the fact that Shara unexpectedly kissed her before leaving. When Chloe begins to investigate Shara’s disappearance by slipping into her house and room, she finds Rory, the boy next door, and Smith, Shara’s boyfriend, who have also snuck in to get to the bottom of the situation. Why? Because they've both been kissed by Shara too. While searching her room for clues, they come across a note, which quickly turns into a puzzle. Chloe is not happy that her fight with Shara for valedictorian is co-opted by her obsession to solve Shara’s scavenger hunt and bring her back to False Beach in time for finals so she can beat her fair and square. After all, Chloe’s race to find out Shara’s location has a time limit: there are only 42 days until graduation.

This is my first experience with Casey McQuiston, but I can tell you it won’t be my last. I Kissed Shara Wheeler was delightful and features all the ways that high schoolers can be messy, confident, and questioning of their situation and identity. Take Chloe Green, the protagonist. After her grandmother became ill, her mothers moved her from California to False Beach Alabama. Already out and defined as queer, Chloe does not remove this part of her identity upon relocating. Instead, she finds ways to shield herself from the challenges of high school, causing many of her classmates to see her as mean and intimidating. The lovely part about Chloe is that initially she seems stagnant and one-note, but she changes the way she views the world and the students around her due to Shara’s puzzle. Shrouded in anger, she slowly begins to peel back layers of the high school strata around her only to find that perhaps things aren’t always how they seem on the surface.

Characters surrounding Chloe were also offered their own journey, specifically Shara, Rory, and Smith. Even minor characters, like Chloe’s friends Ash, Georgia, and Benjy, were provided with opportunities to grow and shine. These fully fleshed out characters also came with their own definitions and ways of seeing themselves, which for many included identifying with the LGBTQIA2S+ community. McQuiston’s choice to set these identities against the deeply conservative town of False Beach and Willowgrove Christian Academy offered characters the ability to buck standard definitions. Some of the characters come to recognize that even a town, with residents that seem so similar in their thinking, have varied ways of viewing the world, particularly when it comes to examining religion and values.

This is also a very timely novel. Willowgrove’s standards policy reminded me a great deal of several laws that have been passed or proposed that limit the freedoms of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, essentially trying to overturn established precedent and make activities that are seen by some, like Principal Wheeler in the novel, as immoral and illegal. Though not the main point of the novel, McQuiston also briefly touches on intersectionality since not all of the characters are white and there are large economic gaps between some of the students. Finally, the corruption, buying, and bribing by parents for grades, dummy test takers, and test scores felt very fitting indeed.

Overall, I very much enjoyed I Kissed Shara Wheeler. Highly recommend!

No surprise here I didn’t read the synopsis for this one so I was pleasantly surprised to find out this was a mystery with a touch of romance.

First and foremost, Smith and Rory were beautiful and I loved their journeys. I loved the way that Casey McQuiston created a diverse group of queer characters and showcased the way that they were all at different places in their journey to self acceptance. I enjoyed the academic rivals to lovers but felt as though this story wasn’t about Shara. It was more about Smith, Rory, and Chloe. Chloe who was learning how to be herself in a world trying to make her feel bad about it.

CW: religious trauma, queerphobia, discussions of racism and misogyny

Chloe Green grew up in southern California. She knows sushi and Boba tea and open-mindedness. That is where she lived with her two moms. But then her grandmother got sick and needed help, and her mothers decide to move to Alabama (back to Alabama for one of them) to care for her. And that’s how Chloe came to be enrolled in Willowgrove Christian Academy.

Willowgrove is the best school in the area. It’s a stepping stone to the SEC for athletes and to the Ivy League for the academically ambitious. And Chloe is ambitious. She had her eye on that valedictorian spot since she walked in the door as a freshman. But Willowgrove is looking for a particular kind of student, and Chloe doesn’t quite fit the bill. The school’s rules are puritanical and more than a little judgmental, and Chloe likes to push against the rules form time to time.

But then Shara Wheeler kissed her.

Shara Wheeler is the quintessential Willowgrove student. She is smart (she’s Chloe’s top competition for valedictorian). She is beautiful. She is dating the quarterback, Smith Parker. And she’s the daughter of the principal. Everyone loves Shara. Except for Chloe.

But then Shara kissed her. Shara kissed Chloe, and then Shara disappeared.

It was the prom, and Shara was about to be crowned the queen, and then she just left. No one knew where she went. But Chloe knew that something was up with her, so the next morning, she broke into the Wheeler’s house and went to Shara’s bedroom to try to find her or find some clue as to where she’s gone. And she does find something—Rory. Rory is literally the boy next door, and he tells Chloe that Shara had kissed him too. And then they find the note.

Shara had left a note in a pink envelope. It was addressed to Rory, but it’s a clue for Chloe, Smith, and Rory. They will have to work together to figure out where she’s gone, and why. Chloe assumes that they won’t want to help her, but they will to find Shara. But as she spends time with Smith and Rory, Chloe realizes that they’re not who she thought they were. And maybe Shara wasn’t who she thought either. And if Shara isn’t the perfect Christian student, and she kissed Chloe, what does that really mean to her?

I Kissed Shara Wheeler is a fun romp, teenagers sent on a scavenger hunt by a young woman who is smarter than anyone expected. But it’s also a look at the areas of our culture that judge those who are different and teach fear and shame around that. Bestselling author Casey McQuiston once again takes what could be a simple love story and turns it into so much more. I Kissed Shara Wheeler is a study of community, of acceptance, and of finding your true self in the culture of control.

I thought I Kissed Shara Wheeler was sublime. I loved every part of this story, from the hunt for the missing prom queen to the way the kids came together, finding their own voices as their senior year winded down. I do know how confining that Christian school culture can be, and I was so happy to see the students finding ways to express their individuality within it. And the ending was amazing, but you’re going to have to read this yourself to find out any more than that. Just know that it’s worth the trip. I Kissed Shara Wheeler is the high school story that today’s world needs, and I hope everyone who needs this book finds it and loves it. This is the kind of book that could find a lonely teenager and help turn their life around, just because someone sees them and understands.

Egalleys for I Kissed Shara Wheeler were provided by Wednesday Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

I’m in awe that McQuiston was able to keep her characteristic voice as an author while writing YA. This is a book that all southern queer people need especially right now. Add in a bit of a mystery plot and this book is. It only a bit of hope in a difficult evangelical Christian south but also just a joy to read.

I am the leader of the Casey McQuiston defense squad. They can do no wrong in my eyes.

After Chloe Green moves from SoCal to Alabama life isn't ideal. The main thing keeping her afloat is winning valedictorian. The only person standing in her way? Shara Wheeler, Prom Queen. Right before school ends Shara kisses Chloe and then disappears. On a quest for answers, Chloe goes out looking for Shara, but to find out Chloe might not have been the only one Shara kissed before leaving. This is a story of unusual friendships, growth, and pink envelops.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler is a coming-of-age, queer anthem. Casey has a way of making a story all consuming and having the audience waiting on bated breath. My initial thought was this was going to just be a Paper Towns/13 Reason Why remake, but was I wrong. Casey finds a way to make this storyline their own, and creates a unique experience for all readers.

I applaud Casey for always being a light in the queer community. I wish them nothing but success in life, and I'm already itching for their next read!

Thank you to NetGalley for an audiobook ARC of I Kissed Shara Wheeler. So, first I have to say that I love Casey McQuiston. I have loved all of her books -- and this one is no exception. I Kissed Shara Wheeler is funny and tender and chaotic and sweet and real in all the best ways. The cast of characters is great - and just maybe the cast around the main characters steals the show a little bit. I don't want to go into detail and spoil anything, but it is so good. The LGBTQIA+ rep is front and center and there are so many diverse characters. This is a story that explores friendship, shame, love of all kinds, exploring and deciding who you are -- all against the backdrop of a Christian Academy in Alabama. I recognized the place and the people and felt those moments of being 17 and unable to voice so many of the big things in my life and my heart at the time. As always with McQuiston, I laughed and I teared up and I was annoyed and I was touched all in the course of the narrative. I always love the roller coaster that Casey takes her readers on. The audiobook, narrated by Natalie Naudus, is perfection. Her voices, her character nuances are stellar. I highly suggest the audiobook for this one - BUT, I also cannot wait for my print copy so I can see the "burn pile" the way McQuiston intended on the page. If you know high school-aged teens (either because you were one, or have one, or work with them every day), this book rings so true. The open secrets that no one really knows who they are or can be perfect are explored so perfectly in I Kissed Shara Wheeler.

This book is delightful! There is so much going on in this book but I'll start with the classic enemies to lovers, high-school style. Shara and Chloe have been vying for valedictorian for years until Shara suddenly disappears. Chloe is determined to find her before graduation so she can rightfully win in a fair fight. Her journey matches her up with Rory and Smith as all three find out that Shara Wheeler has kissed them all and left them with nothing but a bunch of pink envelopes.

Casey McQuiston is doing such important work in this book. It is a book I want all of my students to read, as well as my own two children. It captures so perfectly that teenage, high school experience with prom and parties and drinking and chapstick and football games. The academic rivalries and pressures feel so true to heart. I think my favorite part may be that these characters are experiencing all of this through the LGBTQIA perspective while living in a traditional, religious southern town. We need stories like this for people to see themselves in and for others to glimpse through these characters a tidbit of what it must be like to fight against so many closed-minded ideas and beliefs. I cheered so hard for Chloe, Rory and Smith and also wanted to hug them and fight along with them. I loved the adventure mystery aspect to the book. The pages turned way too late into the night. I could not get enough. It just made me laugh and smile and want to know more with every chapter.

I have read all three of McQuiston's books so far. All read so differently as they are all different stories but the voice, the joy, the hope are all there in each of these books. I couldn't love them more and are so happy to have this one added to my shelves along the first two. A resounding five stars!

This was actually my first McQuiston novel, and I enjoyed it so much that I'm going to add her other books to my tbr. This one reminded me quite a bit of Paper Towns (which I do think highly of), but the three folks we spend time with are more charming and so funny. Add in the Christianity in a Small Town subplot, and self-acceptance/discovery, and you've got a really solid coming-of-age tale. I loved it, and am excited to recommend it.

What I Liked: It appears Casey McQuiston can’t miss. This is her third release in as many years (although this is her first for young adults) and each one has been unique, complex, and entertaining. While I am not the intended audience for this book, the emotions in the story are universal and will appeal to anyone, especially those that are questioning their identity or their place in the world. I don’t know if this is a trend, or I happen to have picked up a few of these stores in a row but I am HERE for books featuring mean girls (or are they?) and showing different sides of their personalities. And showing that they deserve love too! Perfect protagonists are getting old, and McQuiston has created intriguing, realistic, imperfect characters. Like her previous books, one of the best aspects of this story is the theme of found family and the relationship between Chloe, Smith, and Rory is such a beautiful part of this book. Honestly, the main story could have been about anything and I would have read it as long as their relationship stayed the same.

What I Didn’t Like: All of McQuiston’s books seem to drop the reader right into the action, which can sometimes feel disorientating. It took me some time to familiarize myself with what was going on and who the characters were and who they were to each other. I also found the mystery itself to be a bit confusing and not in a good way. I didn’t see the point behind Shara’s letters because I didn’t understand the connections between the characters until further into the story.

Who Should Read It: Any teen or young adult will find something to like about this book, but adults will enjoy this one as well. Fans of McQuiston’s previous books will not be disappointed.

Review Wrap Up: I had high expectations for this one based on McQuiston’s previous books, and I was not let down. This story isn’t just about identity, it’s about ambition, internalized hate, and religious trauma. It’s a story about finding love in unexpected places and opening your heart to someone even though it can be scary. It’s a story about how people can let you down and how people can surprise you. It’s a story about being unapologetically yourself. This book filled my heart with joy and I love that these are the kinds of stories teens and young adults are reading and having access to.

Favorite Quote: "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 passing 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 False Beach city limits. Shara has that effect."

I LOVE CASEY MCQUISTON.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler is McQuiston's YA debut, and they absolutely nail it. Theycaptured what it feels like to be different in a conservative Christian community perfectly. I didn't grow up identifying any particular way, but I always felt out of step with what I would now call the "Christian culture."

Part mystery, part scavenger hunt, and completely fun, the book follows Chloe, Smith and Rory as they search for answers following Shara's sudden and mysterious disappearance.

This one reads like a fun teen rom-com, with a bit of seriousness for balance, and I finished reading with a smile on my face.

I grew up surrounded by Christians who believed that LGBTQ people were unrepentant sinners, destined for hell, and this book provides a glimpse into a southern Christian community that rejects that and finds a better way. It provides hope. Love wins.