this was one of my most anticipated 2022 releases but unfortunately it wasn’t for me :( I loved this author’s other books but I think because this one was YA it fell flat. I find the high school stereotypes to be overdone and a bit cringy. I thought there was a lot of holes in the plot that led me to constantly be like WHAT? WHY? WHO. For instance, the “popular” kids were able to have these big beer blasts in such a strict, small town? Also, why weren’t Sharas parents more concerned with her whereabouts?! Things like that didn’t really make sense.

I'm not sure if the story just fell flat for me, or this narrator took me out of it. Not my favorite from McQuiston.

Listen, I wanted to love this one, but I just couldn’t. I thought the plot was good, but I just feel like I’ve read it before. I also didn’t like the main characters, Chloe and Shara. I was more invested in the secondary characters like Smith, Rory, and Georgia.
I felt for most of the book that we were building up to something, and then it was kind of anticlimactic. I definitely prefer McQuiston’s other books to this one, her YA debut. RWRB is my favorite, with her other books dropping a star with each.

Audiobook narration: fantastic!!

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for my ALC copy. I Kissed Shara Wheeler is out May 3rd!

Story…4 stars
Narration….5 stars.

Well, this story was unexpected. I knew when I saw that Casey McQuiston had a new book coming out, I was going to read it no matter what. I didn't read the blurb and knew very little about what to expect except that it was a YA book. How was McQuiston going to mix their quirky queer characters in a high school setting and make it fresh and new?

I Kissed Shara Wheeler is set during the last few weeks of senior year of high school. Shara Wheeler goes missing and Chloe Green is set on finding her. But not for the reasons you may think. While these were the two main characters and we were experiencing most of the story through Chloe's POV and through the letters Shara left, a couple other characters were involved in the search for Shara and became favorites of mine. Rory and Smith were 2 characters that also kissed Shara (along with Chloe) right before she went missing and they are all now wondering their connection to Shara and where she could be.

I really liked that Casey McQuiston turned this queer YA romance on it's head and made this story more into a high school mystery with queer characters. Characters that are discovering themselves and figuring out who they are, all while searching for Shara and coming to the end of their senior year with high expectations. None of the characters were perfect and they were all messy and flawed. Just like any 'normal' high school kid. But in the end, they all come to realize who they are in the most fabulous of ways.

Overall, this was an entertaining book that moved at a steady pace and had some pretty fun high school antics throughout. Sometimes it lulled and I wasn't always connecting with the characters, but the narration by Natalie Naudus always brought me right back in and invested with where the story was going to go. Shara wasn't my favorite character and actually kind of bothered me, but when she came clean and figured herself out, she grew on me. Chloe was a bit much, but I liked her competitiveness and how open with who she was. She wasn't always the best friend, but she was so singularly focused on one thing and that hindered her. But who won me over in the end was Smith. There's just something about a jock that turns out to be what you least expect. Coming of age stories are fun and Casey McQuiston gave us a fresh spin on it with the mystery tie in and all the other characters that shared 'the stage' with our main cast. Add in the fact that the audio narration was fantastic and we have another book by this author that represents the LGBTQ community in a positive light for people of all ages. Representation matters!

"Saved by God first and her god complex second"
AKA a diverse Looking for Alaska with a happy ending.
I cannot explain enough how much I love and adore Casey McQuiston's writing. They just *get it*. I've enjoyed both of Casey's New Adult books but they're also killing the game with YA. I LOVE the found family trope that Shara Wheeler has. Each of these characters felt like such real people and I wanted to give each of those goons a big ole hug.

I really appreciated the way that Casey approached religion in this book. I feel like oftentimes (in the past) authors have presented religion in a very negative or positive light whereas this book tackles different sides to Christianity. I felt seen in that Casey validated the fact that the Church can cause a lot of harm to many people, but there are also churches that are kind, caring, and supportive.

I genuinely cannot recommend this book enough. I was sending my book best friend texts of me spazzing out throughout listening to the audiobook (obviously without spoilers) and I am so excited for other people to be able to read it so I can talk about this book. Casey McQuiston knows how to write a coming-of-age story, specifically queer coming-of-age stories in ways that are so validating and loving while also making the characters well-rounded, flawed, and realistic.

Yes hello, here is another book that I am *screaming into the void* about because it was so good, I can’t possibly string together a coherent sentence about it.

This was the first book by Casey McQuiston that I read, and while I’ve heard amazing things about their previous work, I didn’t want to hype myself up too much but … THIS BOOK DESERVES ALL THE HYPE!!!

The story follows high school senior Chloe Green, the only openly queer student at her super religious, Conservative school in Alabama. She moved there four years ago with her moms, but has big dreams to attend NYU next year. She has the perfect grades, perfect plan, and just needs to be picked as class valedictorian. The only issue? Her rival, the perfect, Jesus-loving Southern sweetheart, Shara Wheeler. That is, until Shara kissed Chloe (!!!) and then disappears.

Finally, with Shara out of the way Chloe can focus on finishing school. That is, until she finds a note left by Shara that sends her on a scavenger hunt to figure out what the hell is going on. Soon enough, Chloe finds out that she wasn’t the only person Shara kissed before disappearing, and she’s also not the only queer kid at school.

Sure, they eventually find Shara, but while putting all the pieces together they also discover some shady secrets the school’s administration has been hiding. That, paired with all the homophobia and bullying, sets these students over the edge.

And what happens? The best Gay Reckoning™️ I’ve ever read.

Yes, there are a lot of deep, important, timely themes explored in this book, but the writing is also so FUN that it balances out nicely.

I absolutely loved this book. My only gripe was that on audio, there was one narrator for a cast of characters, which made it difficult to keep track of at times.

I can’t wait for more people to pick up this book and play along with Shara’s game and see how this group of teens takes over and shakes up their school, and their hometown’s way of thinking.

Thank you to Macmillian Audio for sending me an advance audiobook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you netgalley for a chance to read this for a honest review. I don’t know if I can’t get into YA lately or what but this was a lot like paper town which I wasn’t a huge fan of.

Okay, so this is difficult because teenage me would LOVE this book and honestly wish it was available to me as a kid. But adult me was so annoyed by these kids.

I think this is such a great book for teens, Casey knows how to make people feel seen in their books and kids needs to hear the words in this book. I will be buying this for my teenage queer sister in law. I think this is a book they need.

This book was really fun but I can’t help but think it would have been even more interesting as an adult and possibly darker novel.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler follows Chloe, a girl after the top spot in her graduating high school class at a super religious school. Chloe’s only real competition has always been Shara Wheeler, Miss Perfect herself. A month before graduation though, Shara kisses Chloe and then disappears, leaving a trail of clues for not only Chloe but two boys who she also kissed and ran out on.

This was a fun little mystery adventure romance with an interesting twist. As a lover of scavenger hunts, I was almost all in immediately on the plot. I loved the general concept and thought the plot moved along well with each revelation. It gets pretty cheesy and everything gets wrapped up in nice little happy bows by the end which seems to be a McQuiston trend. It kind of reads like how the world should be rather than how it might actually be. Even the homophobia and racism faced in the bible belt of a school feels muted and muffled. I don’t mind this because not everything has to be dark and horrible but there is always something telling you that it doesn’t quite feel real.

The characters were dynamic and fun. If you have read other McQuiston books you would probably recognize a cast of diverse and quirky side characters that fill up the story with humor. Chloe is a competitive obsessive and I can relate to that completely so I found her very likable. The only character that I wish I got more from was Shara herself, who I felt pretty distant from throughout the story due to the nature of the telling.

My big critique is that I just didn’t feel a lot of the tension between Shara and Chloe. It was supposed to be this big sexual tension filled cat and mouse game but I just didn’t really feel it. That’s where I think it being an adult novel could have worked better. Or having allowed Shara and Chloe to actually be a little more evil and dark. Instead, it softened the blows and made the edges less sharp to keep it YA and to keep Chloe and Shara from not being more terrible people (which could have been really fun).

But for what it was, it was a totally fun and engaging listen with lovable characters and a nice warm story.

This was narrated by Natalie Naudus who did an amazing job as usual (listening to another of hers RIGHT NOW) and is on my list of great narrators.

Thanks to Netgalley and MacMillan audio for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this YA romance! It was real, inclusive, and so funny. Casey McQuiston has such a crystal clear voice that I always enjoy. I’m very rarely commenting on twists in a romance but this one had them! It were surprising and entertaining. Another great read by a great author!

This is my first Casey McQuiston book and I really enjoyed it. I loved listening to our characters find themselves, pursue their interests, and find love in unexpected places. I didn't attend a religious school so couldn't relate to some of the concepts, but most were universal high school concepts. Natalie Naudus does a fantastic job voicing the variety of characters with individual voices that sound like she is a whole cast of people. Very well done narration and fantastic writing.

As someone who also read the hard copy, the audiobook allows for a well-rounded reading of the novel through the narrator's ability to give each character their own Voice. Each character was differentiated, the narrator was animated throughout, and I really enjoyed the pacing of it all.

I would wholeheartedly recommend the audiobook version of this book.

The plot follows a group of teens who try to locate Shara Wheeler (that they all kissed recently) through a series of clues left by Shara.

I appreciated the setting - Alabama, somewhat religious admin at a high school - and the development of queer teens throughout their time at high school. The first 2/3 made me think of As Simple As Snow by Gregory Galloway.

When Chloe, the main character, finds Shara, I almost put the book down. It was anticlimactic given the tension/mystery that was built up.

The last third, however, really came out of left field and was interesting. All in all, I love Casey McQuiston's work, but this wasn't my favorite. Give their other stuff a try, though!

Thank you so much, NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Macmillan Young Listeners, for the chance to listen to this audiobook in exchange of an honest review!

I kissed Shara Wheeler is one of my most anticipated reads in 2022 and I love everything Casey Mcquiston writes, so this book was so anticipated and I was over the moon when I got this chance!

TW; homomisia

Chloe Green is so close to win valedictorian, after moving from California with her moms in very conservative school in Alabama, at Willowgrove Christian Academy. Her only rival in winning valedictorian is the principal's daughter and prom queen: Shara Wheeler and when a month before graduation Shara kisses Chloe and disappear, Chloe is ready to do anything to get her back and win fair and square. While trying to getting answers, Chloe discovers Shara kissed two other people: her boyfriend Smith, the school quaterback and Rory, the bad boy neighbor with a crush for her. They have nothing in common but Shara's cryptic notes leading them from one place to another, revealing secrets, confessing things and dragging them in a chase around the city and Shara's and their places. Between clues, puzzles, break-ins and secrets revealed, Chloe starts to understand something more about the city she's living in and the people in her school, getting to know them better and to admit to herself maybe there's something more to all of them.

Natalie Naudus did an outstanding job in this audiobook expressing Chloe's and the others' feelings and thoughts, sometimes in a very hilarious way, others moving, conveying in a perfect way their sarcasm, fears, hopes, insecurities, affection, doubts and so many nuanced feelings.
The story is told by Chloe's POV, with her chapters, Shara's notes and clues and bits and pieces from The burnt pile, piecing together other characters' feelings and thoughts.
Chloe is a fantastic and amazing main character, complex in her thoughts, feelings and actions, truly relatable and hilarious, smart and sarcastic.
After living in a complete enviroment, with her family, surrounded by acceptance and queer love, living now in False Beach Chloe felt acutely different from everyone else and she reacted by provoking and becoming a problem on purpose with her act of rebellion, feeling angry and unwanted in the city.
She's a bit elitist and judgemental, confident, but hiding her pain and insecurities this way and Chloe feels like an outsider and having found her found family in Georgia, Ash and Benji, she stops trying to understand others and to let other people in.
In a brilliant and hilarious way, thanks to Shara's disappearance and with an unlikely alliance with Smith and Rory, Chloe Green embarks in a journey where she will learn to get over her prejudices, to see how people and places can be much more, getting to know and embrace people she never thought she would love, getting rid of her elitist thinking and discovering a bigger community around her.
Chloe's growth is a moving and intense journey throughout the whole book and I loved every single moment.

Thanks to Shara's disappearance, not only will Chloe understand and discover things about people and places, but also Smith and Rory will be able to recover their lost friendship and they will get over their misunderstandings, hurt feelings and disappointments. I kissed Shara Wheeler has a brilliant characterization and every single character, from the main one to the side ones are nuanced, complex and hugely relatable.
Smith and Rory with their insecurities, problems, passions, dreams and hopes, Georgia with her frustration, responsibilities and loves, Shara with her struggles and doubts...
Not only Chloe's personal journey is beautifully written, moving and intense, but Casey Mcquiston did, like always, an outstanding job in expressing the importance of all kind of love, romantic, familial, friendships and of finding one's place.
Even though Chloe is out and proud being herself, while many of her friends (if not all) are in the closet, she, too, is hurt by the administration, the hurtful gossips, the religion used to hurt queer people. While dealing with a puritanical place, homomisia and the struggles in being oneself in a place where everyone seems not to want you, Chloe and her friends fight to find their own community, expressing themselves through clothes, makeup, secret relationship and deep talking, music and theatre.

I loved so many moments in this book. The bond between Chloe and her friends, old and new, their banter and teasing, Taco Bell, conversations, memories, the slowing realization of being in love with someone, the rivalry between Chloe and Shara and, in the beginning, between Smith and Rory, Ace and his passion, I loved everything in I Kissed Shara Wheeler.
It was moving, hilarious, important and so skillfully and beautifully written!

4.75⭐️
💋💌Casey McQuiston has give us another great one!
I loved the mystery/scavenger hunt elements of the story and how all the main characters are all connected in some way that may or may not have to do with 💋Shara💋. I connected with their experiences in a strict Private school on a personal level. The only thing that seems a bit unrealistic is the wide range of representation that is present within the small group of main characters placed within such a small-town environment.
Casey McQuiston is now an auto-read author for me!
XOXO
KM 💌💋
Thanks to @netgalley @macmillan.audio @stmartinspress @wednesdaybooks for the Audio and E-book ARCs

Unfortunately, I have had to put this one to the side after reading approximately 75% of it.
I am a fan of Casey McQuiston's adult romance, but this YA book just was not my cup of tea.

From the get-go I was planning on comparing this to classic John Green books, with Shara very obviously fitting the archetype of the John Green girl. And THEN Chloe, the main character, compared her life to a John Green novel explicitly and then things got a bit silly. After that, I began to notice the absolutely ridiculous number of pop culture references. In the bit that I read, I noticed references to Phantom of the Opera, Star Wars, RIVERDALE, Timothee Chalamet, Lord of the Rings, Ocean's 8, Game of Thrones, Lana Del Rey and Nicki Minaj, and I am sure there are some I am missing. This felt... excessive.

Ultimately, I really wish I had been reading a book about the secondary characters Rory and Smith as opposed to Shara and Chloe who were both completely insufferable.

Loved this book. The subject of religious trauma was handled well and felt relatable. The characters were complex and I felt we saw them grow

An endearing debut into YA for Casey McQuiston! This book was an absolute delight. It felt very “Glee meets Paper Towns”, and managed to capture the essence of the many competing - and often overwhelming - feelings that the end of high school brings about.

The characters were all written in such a perfectly imperfect way - so flawed and so beautifully human. Diverse representation and even the side characters showed development and growth by the end of the novel. I worried this would feel too young (I’m 32), but McQuiston’s wry sense of humor and wit shined through, relatable for all ages.

I loved Red, White, and Royal Blue and thought One Last Stop was just okay. So I was very skeptical coming into this book especially since it was going to be the author's debut into YA. But I was pleasantly surprised! The audio quality from the app could of course be better, but that isn't the author's fault so I won't take that into consideration when rating.

Thank you NetGalley for this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I just want to preface this by saying that I’m not the biggest fan of YA books so that could very well be the reason why I wasn’t the biggest fan of this book. I have heard great things about this book so it’s most likely that this book and the format weren’t the right fit for me.

The audiobook narration intent was done well I just think that changing the voice for every character would have a better effect if there weren’t so many characters in the book. I found myself enjoying it for the first 60% of the book due to the mystery and the search for the letters but after it just felt like it lost it’s charm. I found myself not caring about the characters or even how the book ended. The pop culture references throughout the book became too much. It was funny and quirky in the beginning but then it just felt forced. It was also hard to relate as I read when the characters were all teenagers. In the beginning, I enjoyed Shara’s calculated and determined character. On the other hand, within 60-70% of the book, I do feel like she did turn to be a little obsessive.

However, despite all this, there were a couple of things that I really enjoyed. I enjoyed the dynamics between characters in this book and the friendships throughout the book. I liked the premise behind the book and the first half of the book absolutely had me enticed. There were a ton of great secondary characters and important topics covered, but I didn't particularly like or connect with Shara or Chloe. Again, maybe it was the format of the book that made it difficult?

It pains me not to rate it higher, because it it wasn't a bad book. It was just missing... something for me. The connection to the main characters? The romance? I'm not sure. There were some things I enjoyed, but other parts it just felt like something was lacking.

With all this being said, I would still recommend checking this book out when it comes out. It may not have been my favorite, but this might be a better fit for you:)