I enjoyed this one. It had a real Pretty Little Liars feel to it, but was not anywhere near as complex. It was fun and easy to follow. I love Natalie Naudus as a narrator, everything she does is fantastic.

Wow wow wow! I read this one in 2 days I was so excited! It had mystery and a love story and I couldn’t get enough! Just when you think it’s over it’s not and I never wanted it to end

Shara Wheeler suddenly disappears, leaving behind a string of clues for the last 3 people she kissed to solve: her boyfriend, Smith, her neighbor, Rory, and her valedictorian rival, Chloe.

I didn't love One Last Stop but enjoyed Red White & Royal Blue so was hoping this YA debut would swing me back in favor of McQuiston but it was a miss for me. The first half is a goose chase trying to find and piece together the clues Shara left behind, and it's not until about 2/3 of the way through that we start to see the motive behind her actions. 

The characters weren't likeable and the romance was nonexistent. I appreciate the book setting as these teens navigate their identity at a religious high school in Alabama, but the execution just didn't work. It had potential but this was disappointing.

This book tackles religious trauma, growing up LGBTQ+ in the bible belt, and just being a teenager - all with a creative mystery and delightful look at friendship and love and the dynamics of high school. It was absolutely masterful. The narrator was absolutely perfect. She excellently conveyed the emotions and vocal differentials of each character. One of the best YA performances I have heard in a long time.

While I didn’t love I Kissed Shara Wheeler as much as I’d hoped, I enjoyed this more than One Last Stop, because I didn’t like the magical realism element in OLS. However, I think the romance was stronger in OLS. This was a fun look at what happens when Shara Wheeler suddenly disappears, leaving behind a string of clues for the last three people she kissed: her boyfriend, Smith, the boy next door, Rory, and her competition for valedictorian, Chloe. The whole story was a bit overly dramatic for my tastes, but I enjoyed it enough to want to listen through to the end. The narrator was excellent, so I would recommend the audiobook.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this alc.

This is McQuiston’s third novel and it is very different from her two previous ones, on that I Kissed Shara Wheeler is a YA novel. First, I am not the target audience for this book but I was once a teenager and I know well how it feels to be one. I can see clearly how this book can captivate many young adults.

Here we have Chloe Green — a high school senior at a private Christian school in Alabama — who is not Christian and openly talks about her queerness working really hard to be valedictorian against the schools popular girl, daughter of the principal, prom queen, Shara Wheeler. But Shara kisses Chloe unexpectedly and then disappears after prom night.

Chloe thinks her disappearance is more like a scheme for attention as it turns out Shara also kissed her next door neighbor Rory, while dating a boy named Smith, just before disappearing. So Chloe, Rory and Shara’s boyfriend Smith team up to solve a trail of clues that Shara left behind in order to find out what happened to her. And it becomes obvious that Shara is messing with them in some kind of complicated game.

It bothered me a bit with their persistence to find out what happened to Shara, who seems to be a weasel, and that narrative seemed a bit forced. I disliked how these teenagers put so much effort to find someone who did not care about them and was not worried about their feelings.

But I loved how the story was about being queer in a small town with a very strict white Christian heteronormative culture, how difficult it is to feel stuck hiding your true self or feeling like they need to pretend to be someone else to be accepted and loved. On top of that, the story also depicts the pressure of academic competition and how your worth is based on your academic performance.

I listened to the audiobook which is narrated by Natalie Naudus who does a great job interpreting different characters. I think this will be a great book for high school students and for those who had trouble disclosing their sexual orientation or their gender identity in their teenage years.

4.25 stars
I Kissed Shara Wheeler has a ton of tropes and elements that I don't typically love (such as a mystery plot line, an idealized 'it girl' character, and a love triangle involving bisexual characters - nothing wrong with that I am just very wary of books playing into biphobic stereotypes). In spite of all that, I absolutely loved this book. I truly believe Casey McQuiston's writing has advanced in the last few years. Despite this being her first YA book, I think it's her most maturely written. The characters felt really authentic (especially in the way they talked and referenced pop culture casually) and the conversations around queer identity and religion were really strong. Overall this was super enjoyable but also insightful. I highly recommend!

This book was not exactly what I was expecting but I still loved it. I think I was expecting something a bit more soft and cute like McQuiston's first novel. This novel was still great and the romances and relationships in this book were great and really complex. I was genuinely surprised by how deep this book went with its subject.
I think for me at least the best way to sum up this book is that it's everything Paper Town could have been. It had an actual "manic pixie dream girl," a solid mystery element, and great relationships besides the main one. This is definitely a solid read i am so excited to see what else McQuiston has in store for us.
Ps. This is one of the first books I have ever read where the manic pixie dream girl was actually problematic and it was made obvious to not only the reader but the characters.

This reads a bit as a mystery or scavenger hunt. Shara Wheeler ran away at prom and left behind notes with clues for Chloe, Rory, and Smith, the three people she kissed before she left. Their search brings Chloe, Rory, and Smith together, an unlikely group who never would have hung out. And as they search for Shara, they learn about themselves.

This was an interesting story. I really enjoyed the unique concept and perspective with the focus especially on Chloe. I didn't always like Chloe or her choices, but I found her fascinating.

The story is set in Alabama, and there are illusions to racism along with homophobia. I would have liked to see the exploration of racism go deeper, as it felt a bit of a side note.

The story felt a bit longer than necessary, dragging in the middle. And I wasn't particularly sold by the romance. But I really enjoyed the friendships and examination of who people are and what they feel they can show of themselves publicly in high school.

The narration by Natalie Naudus is absolutely fabulous. She made me feel the angst and extreme emotions that only come with high school drama. Her voicing was so intense.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced listener copy. These opinions are my own.

CW from the author: religious trauma and homophobia (included at the start of the book)

This was everything I wanted from a new, Sapphic, Casey McQuiston novel. The plot never felt overwhelming yet it was still fun to watch Chloe put the pieces together with so many people involved (or in the way!) I also cannot stress how much I love Natalie Naudus as a narrator - her voice is equal parts soothing and electric. I can't say I love Shara Wheeler, but I am a total fan of this novel. Please give this one a chance, read it, pre-order it, gift it to anyone and everyone.

-Thank you to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for an ARC of the audiobook for I Kissed Shara Wheeler, you made my year!-

“i kissed shara wheeler” is like a “riverdale” and “nancy drew” crossover. i was hooked by shara’s clues and the clever messages that chloe figured out. it kept me on edge and i had the hardest time figuring out if i was on team shara or not. this novel touches so many important themes: friendships, young love, lgbtq+ communities, high school stress and looming graduation, and self-discovery. i thought all of these were beautifully written without any one of them overshadowing the others.

i listened to the audiobook version of “I kissed shara wheeler” and I was impressed at how the narrator could keep up with so many characters! with that being said, i had a hard time envisioning the voices of some of the students, they sounded less mature for the actions that they were pulling off. there are definitely a lot of students at willowgrove christian academy all of them are struggling to get through their senior year and find their freedom once in college. j felt that a lot of the characters were in the same boat as they worked towards finding their place in this big world. to me, their storylines merged together and I struggled to keep up with their names and backstories. i think this would make a really cool movie and i’d definitely be in the theaters to watch it

Casey McQuiston did it again! This book was so good and well written, I felt back in high school. I loved the setting being in a small southern town filled with religious bigots and the struggles any minority, especially LGBT would have in that environment. Chloe is extremely selfish and annoying at times and I had to remind myself she’s the “only” queer kid and also a teenager so she had a reason to behave that way, but she had a great character arc and I honestly have no complaints about this book by the end of it. As always my favorite characters are the side characters though, Smith stole the show!

Navigating high school is challenging but navigating while you’re queer and attending a religious school? Formidable. Arduous. Inspiring.  
  
What happens when the beautiful popular girl kisses her boyfriend, the boy nextdoor, and her rival and then vanishes? Little pink envelopes, the taste of her kiss lingering on their lips, and the inescapable drama of high school.  
  
Casey McQuiston delves into the celebration of queerness and what it truly means to find yourself. With a perfectly blended cast of characters, McQuiston creates a book that relates to many (both the likeable and unlikeable character traits). This story is so important as it touches on homophobia and religious trauma but is done so in such a manner that the reader feels safe.  
  
Rivals to lovers? Yes. But tack on a mystery and a riddle of clues that hooks you from the start and you have a perfectly crafted debut YA novel.

4.5/5 - I got the same feeling reading this book as I do when I blast Hayley Kiyoko's music driving through my conservative hometown.

This book was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, so a huge thank-you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the audiobook.

I had some pretty high expectations for this book. I loved Casey McQuiston's first two novels, and I expected nothing less from her YA debut. For the first 25-30% of the book, I had little hope that it would live up to these expectations. I didn't really care about any of the characters, didn't see why I should care about Shara's mystery, and couldn't really tell where the book was going.

I'm not sure at what point my opinions started to change. The thing about McQuiston is, they're really good at making you accidently fall in love with a character, and in this case they were phenomenal in making the reader see the world through Chloe's eyes. As her outlook shifted, so did mine. And as the side characters were explored more I could finally see what this book was about.

This isn't just a "Gone Girl" style mystery about a girl trying to find her academic rival; to me, that is one of the least interesting things about this book. This is a book about community---about what it means to grow up different in a religious small town. It's about not running away from your problems, but sticking around to make positive change. So often, queer books make small towns to be the villain, but in this case it became a hero of sorts.

I absolutely adored the side characters and the friendships Chloe formed with them. There's so much more to each character than it originally seems, and the character development for every one of them was so fun to witness. I love that McQuiston always writes about queer friend groups.

I also really liked the narrator for this book. Natalie Naudus narrated "One Last Stop" as well, which I really enjoyed, so I'd like to start a petition to get her on every sapphic audiobook out there.

There are a lot of elements in this book that I've seen before, (I'd describe it as John Green's "Paper Towns" meets Ciara Smyth's "Not My Problem"), but it still holds up really well on its own and I think it'll be a stand-out novel this year. If you're a fan of McQuiston's other work, you'll love this one as well.

This is definitely VERY YA. However, the story itself was such a great message that I loved it anyway!

Chloe - a bi girl living in a small, southern, very christian town. She's kissed by the it girl, Sharla Wheeler, who then disappears. Sharla also has kissed her boyfriend, obvoiusly, and her neighbor, Rory. Now she sends them on a wild goose chase of a scavanger hunt trying to find her. And along the way, they find out so much about themselves.

The author really hit home with how she portrayed young people struggling - with identities, school, religtion, parents & other adults in their life, finding their place, pressure to be succesful and just life in general! They are flawed and vulnerable. Definitely some character growth, but would have loved more of that! All in all a great book!

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan for an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an early copy of this book! All opinions are my own!

I love how unique this book was and the way that it was impossible to put down because you just needed to know what was going to happen. The mystery was so fun to watch unfold, and I enjoyed trying to think 2 steps ahead of Shara (even though I was bad at it). Even after the mystery ended, it still felt like I was on the edge of my seat wanting to know what was going to happen.

I also really loved the talk about Southern heritage. As someone born and raised in the South, it's so easy for people to only see the horrible parts of it. But what's hard for people to see is all the things that make us who we are. All the wonderful and beautiful parts that went into raising us.

I really found myself watching these characters navigate the same world that I grew up in. Watching them find themselves and grow in ways they didn't think was possible was really special. I really saw myself and my friends in them, and that was dear to my heart.

I did think that some parts of it were a little unrealistic, and a few parts about the South were over-exaggerated or overly stereotypical. But overall, I really loved the book and found myself flying through it!

Casey McQuiston does it again, y'all!

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.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler is Casey McQuiston’s first YA comedy romance. Unfortunately I did not enjoy this book like their adult work. I felt very detached from the characters, I just didn’t care about their story. I enjoyed that the characters are going through the stages of accepting themselves and their sexuality. However, that’s all I really enjoyed about these teenagers.

Spoiler
I couldn’t stand Shara Wheeler, I honestly didn’t want her character to become close to Chloe Green. I didn’t like her actions and wanted Chloe to truly separate herself from Shara.

Overall, I think if this was somehow and adult novel I would of enjoyed it more than how I did.

(3.5) This one is really hard for me to rate. I really loved the LGBTQIA+ representation and the diverse characters. I think this would be a great read for all ages that may be questioning themselves and their identity or who know who they are and looking for a book with great representation. My issues with this book have nothing to do with that. My issue is with the overall main plot idea involving our FMC Shara. I don't want to give anything away so I'll keep it brief, but I found it ridiculous and not believable so it was hard to even want to push past the 60% mark. The remaining bit does have a lot of character growth and a cozy feel-good vibe, which I did really like. The last half really had me reminiscing on my high school days and what it felt like to be 17 and questioning everything. So you see, this is where I struggle. I loved the lessons, the growth, the characters finding who they are and who they want to be, but I struggle to look past the glaring issue with the plot.

All this being said, I do think this book has great representation and I wish teenage me would have had this book! And I really loved the use of notes, texts, etc., it was a really neat addition to the story.

Chloe Green has moved from California to the middle of Alabama to attend Willowgrove Christian Academy, a school where being different is not easily accepted. She sets her focus on her small group of friends, pushing back subtly, and winning valedictorian. The only thing standing in the way of her title is the perfect Shara Wheeler. But on prom night, Shara kisses Chloe and vanishes without a word to anyone. When Chloe finds a letter left behind by Shara she soon finds herself in an alliance with two classmates she never thought she would be partnered with. Together they hunt down the clues left behind by the girl tying them all together. Through their discoveries, Chloe starts to learn more about herself, her community, and the kids she has come to get to know. She was quick to write this place and these people off and get the heck out of dodge, but it may just be that Shara will help to open her eyes to see things for how they really are.

I loved the narrator and thought she did an excellent job!

Thank you to Netgalley & Wednesday Books for the #gifted copy!

I like McQuiston a lot and had high hopes for this book. While I enjoyed the story, I did find it very predictable at times, which made it a little boring at points. I still enjoyed it and would recommend it, though!