This was such a fun ride. It's kind of a John Green meets Gilmore Girls in the South kind of vibe, but everyone is gay! I loved how much heart was in this book--reconciling where you come from and who you are and how those two things work together is rendered so lovingly and carefully here. At times this hit too close to home and I cried, shocker. McQuiston's characters are always so full of life and these are no exception. The enemies to lovers trope isn't traditionally one of my favorites and for a while I felt less invested in the romance than I did everything else (which just speaks about how much there is to love about this book, really!), but god, by the end I was basically sold! I can't wait to recommend this book to teens who are looking for high school stories with a strong ensemble cast, romances that unfold in ways that are anything but straightforward, and explorations of queerness, identity, and acceptance without drifting into the cliche. I always feel almost taken care of by McQuiston's writing, and I know I would have needed a book like this in high school.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my <i> God. </i> I knew I would love I Kissed Shara Wheeler because I adore everything that Casey McQuiston writes but I'm always so shocked by just how perfect it is and this was no exception. This book was everything I could've wanted, it had pining and drama and denial and RIVALS TO LOVERS. As someone who has dealt with a lot of less than accepting people in the South (though not as badly as this) it was so nice to have Chloe and everyone else realize that they weren't quite as alone as they seemed to be too. Casey McQuiston books just make me Feel Things™ everytime, regardless of which one I read. 

I loved every character in this book so so so much. Chloe was fun and determined and flawed, while still being someone I rooted for the whole time. I wasn't sure how I was going to like Smith and Rory at first but that changed FAST. I love absolute clowns and those two and Ace just about killed me. And then of course, there's Shara Wheeler herself, who might have ended up being my favorite character out of all of them.

I'm not really going to say much more than this because I feel like the less you know going into this the more fun it is, but please, do yourself a favor and pick this book up.

A missing girl, three people she kissed, and a scavenger hunt to find her. Shara Wheeler is the girl. Daughter of the principal, prom queen, beautiful, and everyone loves her... and she is the only thing standing in the way of Chloe Green being Valedictorian. Chloe Green is freshly moved from SoCal to Alabama for high school, with her moms and herself being part of the LGBTQ community she definitely does not fit into the Willogrove Christian Academy. A month before graduation Shara kisses Chloe and then vanishes. Chloe and Shara have been stuck together since the beginning of high school, competing for roles, for academic recognition, and playing games against each other, but this new game that Shara has created for Chloe will definitely test here in ways she never knew. Demanding answers Chloe sneaks into Shara’s room where she runs into Shara’s hot bad boy neighbor Rory who has always had a crush on Shara and they discover a clue, and thus begins the scavenger hunt. Along for the journey is Shara’s football player boyfriend Smith, who surprisingly has history with Rory. Soon Smith, Rory, and Chloe all begin searching for clues as to where Shara is and why she has sent them on this scavenger hunt, and maybe just maybe all becoming friends as well. Soon all three of them find themselves sneaking into school offices, parties, and creating chaos as they try and solve Shara’s mystery as well as uncovering secrets about themselves as well. But when Chloe finally discovers the meaning behind everything she’ll have to decide whether she wants to continue to play games with Shara or if she’s had enough. This was an adorable and hilarious story about friendship, romance, acceptance, and how far you will go to get what you want. The friendships in this book was just absolutely amazing, I loved getting to know the side characters as well as seeing all the romance subplots unfold. AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT SHARA AND CHLOE?!?!?! I LOVE IT, I LOVE THEM, I LOVE THIS ENTIRE STORY. So yes, please pick up this amazing book about two people who are rivals in everything. who want to play games, and who, without knowing it are playing the biggest game of all, the game of love.

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Casey McQuiston has done it again! This book was a DELIGHT (& of course it was, this is Casey McQuiston we're talking about!). I tried to read only a little of this book and accidentally stayed up all night to finish it, and I think this is the third time that's happened out of three books, so you'd think I would learn not to start their books at 10pm, but HERE WE ARE.

I loved this sweet, funny, emotionally profound story as much as the first two books. There were warring valedictorians, there was Phantom of the Opera beef, there were crazy hijinks in the third act and there was a lot (like, a LOT) of Taco Bell. To me, the book was much more compelling than its cognate, "Paper Towns," in part because this is a much fuller portrait of what it's like to be a teen girl that other people can't see clearly because of what they've projected onto her.

As always in a McQuiston book, I like that each bit part was given the depth & humanity of a primary character, which strikes me as very respectful and humane storytelling—no one is ever a caricature. I also love the way McQuiston's protagonists are consistently so well-loved and understood by their friends, which I think is especially important in the YA genre where protagonists are often depicted as misunderstood loners.

5 out of 5 enthusiastic stars. Thank you so much to St. Martin's and Netgalley for the ARC!

Wow wow wow, another lovely read from Casey McQuiston! Their previous book, 'One Last Stop' is what started and got me hooked on romcoms and they have once again fashioned an exciting book for any reader who loves a good genre blend and spectacular character writing.
The book reads as a young adult romantic comedy with a mystery plotline- the mystery is obviously very exciting: Where is Shara Wheeler? WHO is Shara Wheeler? WHY is Shara Wheeler? The pretty girl disappears and our heroine has just got to know why she's gone and why in the hell she kissed her before going adios! The excitement really comes from following our young hero, with her young adult mind, determined heart, and fiery soul as she faces the world as herself. Her confidence is beautiful and refreshing, and we see our ensemble cast grow into her as she grows into them.
Casey McQuiston has always created spectacular ensembles, with a diverse variety of beautiful characters with their own unique depths- you are never lost with these characters, but rather find yourself lost in them and their relationships/ bonds with one another. This book has solidified them as a must-read writer, as I am now confident anytime I pick up a Casey McQuiston book I will finish it with the happy feeling this book brought out within me.

I just couldn’t get in to this book as hard as I tried. I sadly did not finish this book. I give this book 2/5 stars simply because I enjoyed the protagonist on the parts I read.

Casey McQuiston’s novels are never about just one thing. They’re about love and relationships, sure. But they’re also about the mysteries of a city you’ve never been to and one you’ve lived in for years. They’re about reconciling who you want to be with who you’re supposed to. They’re about fighting for your right to decide where you fall in that range.
This one was about being a messy bisexual teen. It was about the struggles and excitements of going to high school in the south when you don’t fit into the mold (and at the end of the day, does anyone fit into it?). It was also, in a similar vein as McQuiston’s other novels, about the love between friends and family members.
I Kissed Shara Wheeler is a novel for anyone who grew up in the south, anyone who identifies as queer no matter your geographical location, anyone who enjoys a bit of mystery and heist, and for teens and adults.
I am forever grateful to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this novel and I will definitely be re-reading it when my preordered copy comes in May. I loved this story that much.

I liked this! I loved RWARB and found One Last Stop unsatisfying so I was a little anxious to read this, but it worked for me! I liked the high school setting and found the interpersonal dynamics interesting and enjoyed watching Chloe slowly figure out her feelings about Shara and her schoolmates.

Truly one of my the cutest books I’ve read in awhile. I was not expecting such a mystery going into this, but was very surprised at how much I loved the outcome! Also it’s basically an all LGBTQ+ high school, does it really get better than that? I feel truly lucky that I got to read this now, and will be raving about it when it comes out!

I absolutely adored this book. It was the perfect amount of angst and romance to keep it interesting. The middle got a little slow, but I know it was building up to the end. I loved how everything came together in its own time. One of my favorite books of the year so far!

Having read McQuiston's two adult novels and falling in love with both of them, I found myself excited about this new release. I Kissed Shara Wheeler is a contemporary YA that lacked an original plot line and had under developed characters. I was expecting more from this novel, but will continue to read McQuiston's books in the future.

ARC from NetGalley - This is the second Casey McQuiston novel that I've read. I enjoy her writing, and I think her voice is engaging and driven by plot and character development. Definitely worth a read!

I want to start out by saying, I wish I had these kinds of books as a queer teenager and I'm so glad this exists for today's teens.

Chloe Green and Shara Wheeler are academic rivals, gunning for valedictorian. The problem is that Shara goes missing. But she left clues for three people she kissed? This story leads to unlikely friendships and romances, all told from a teen trying to understand the world. It's especially confusing being a gay teenager in a Christian high school.

This story dealt with identity and religion in such nuanced and enjoyable ways. It speaks to the time of life when nothing is certain and anything is possible. I think this is an essential book to have for any library.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc!

4.5

When I first read what the plot was of I Kissed Shara Wheeler, I was very skeptical, because it's small-town, conservative, Christian based setting, which is exactly my life.

This book exceeded my expectations, the plot was so addictive, the mystery of Shara kept me on the edge of my seat for a huge chunk of the book, and don't even get me started on the side characters! I Kissed Shara Wheeler is definitely Casey Mcquiston's best work yet, and I hope that they continue to write more YA books, this was a lot of fun!

This book was a balm to my queer southern experience. The chaos and unlike-ability of all the main characters and the gradual warming up that occurs over the course of the book is quintessential Casey McQuiston. They have a way of making characters' experiences feel personal no matter how different they are from the reader and that's what I think makes their books so addicting and loveable.
Shara's ballistic behaviour, Chloe's obsession with victory, Smith's jock turned sweetheart demeanor, and Rory's sadboy appeal were all so well crafted and compelling. I enjoyed reading about all of them so much and it made me incredibly happy to see that all the queer characters in the book were able to receive a relatively happy ending in a rather conservative town.
This book encompasses the erratic and emotional journey of coming of age in high school, the chaotic highs and lows of duking it out with friends and enemies, and the eventual resolution that life beyond a small town high school holds so much more than ever expected.
What a book!

Shara Wheeler is missing, but before she left she kissed Chloe, her academic rival; Rory, her bad-boy neighbor, and Smith, her boyfriend. Now the three are working together to figure out the clues Shara left and where she is. This book was a fantastic LGBTQ romance set in Alabama, which happens to be where I live. I think it accurately captured the environment of the South as a diverse place with some unacceptable pockets of intolerance. I think the author handled the characters that grew up in this stifling setting deftly, even if the main character takes some time to learn how to deal with the way her friends handle their individual situations with empathy. I would absolutely recommend this book.

At this point, saying "Casey McQuiston has done it again" feels redundant because I don't think there will ever be a time or a book where they don't "do it."

This book is academic rivals to lovers and honestly?? It was written just for me. It was everything I love about queer YA - it made me laugh, made me weepy and it made me (as a sheltered midwestern native) feel seen in ways I didn't expect about my high school experience. The religious trauma/the homophobia both casual and blatant felt so real. It made me sad for the high school kid I was and hopeful for the generations of kids who will have stories like this to see themselves in. I didn't get the luxury of being out in high school, but I loved how Chloe grappled with her sexuality and her decisions to be out throughout the story.

It also made me feel nostalgic for high school in a way not many stories can. This book is all the best parts of a John Green novel and I'm thoroughly obsessed. I'm going to be screaming about this book to everyone for the next few months and I truly can't wait for it to be on shelves.

absolutely adored this book! LOVE the setting and how it comes full circle with chloe at the end. every single character had something that made them unique and made the reader root for them! casey has done it once again, i’m obsessed

The following published on GoodReads: Nobody writes queer love like McQuiston. I CRIED A LOT DON’T @ ME

McQuiston's I Kissed Shara Wheeler lived up to the hype--it was beautifully crafted, had a fantastic range of characters, and stands out among queer YA. Chloe was kissed by Shara Wheeler, perfect Shara who everyone loves (except Chloe), and then she disappears. Soon, Chloe is on a wild goose chase with two people she's never hung out with before trying to find Shara. Chloe and Shara have been in constant competition during Chloe's four years at religious Alabama high school and all she wants is valedictorian--but she refuses to win by default. The entire cast of significant characters has their own arc and development, giving every reader someone to connect with. Chloe might be the main character, but this is the Shara Wheeler show and everyone impacted by Shara matters.