I Kissed Shara Wheeler is the latest from Casey McQuiston and their first foray into YA! Red, White, and Royal Blue is one of my fav romances or all time so I was extremely excited to read this. I Kissed Shara Wheeler is described as a rom com about chasing down what you want, only to find what you need...

Chloe Green is so close to being done - she moved to Alabama for high school and she's spent the last 4 years trying to come out on top, as Valedictorian of her class. Her rival, Shara Wheeler, is gorgeous, popular, and neck and neck with Chloe for Valedictorian. A month before graduation, Shara kisses Chloe and disappears. But as Chloe starts to investigate where Shara is and what that kiss meant, she realizes that she isn't the only one who Shara kissed. Not only that, but she left behind a bunch of cryptic notes that take them on a scavenger hunt to find out what happened and where she is.

This is a wonderful coming of age story that takes all of the angst and feeling of being a teenager and turns it into something beautiful. I love the way that Casey writes about queerness and queer relationships, and this book continues to deliver there.

The audio is narrated by Natalie Naudus who seamlessly navigates the ever-changing time and location. Would highly recommend this version of the book!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC - I Kissed Shara Wheeler is out now!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an ARC of I Kissed Shara Wheeler in exchange for an honest review.

High school is crazy enough for most people. Now imagine being gay at a southern Christian academy. Chloe Green was on track to finish her senior year and get the heck out of dodge, err, Alabama. That was until Shara Wheeler, the it girl and poster child for christian values of Willow Grove, kissed her and then disappeared. Chloe spends the next several weeks with Smith (Shara's boyfriend) and Rory (Shara's boy next door) trying to figure out where Shara went from the scavenger hunt of cards and clues left behind. 

I Kissed Shara Wheeler had a lot of great highlights. I got a lot of Looking for Alaska vibes! I am a sucker for enemies to lovers so watching the story of two academic nemeses was chefs kiss. I loved the self discovery in this book. To watch the characters grow into themselves and challenge social norms was great to be a part of from start to finish.

I am glad this book was written. I'm glad it takes place in the South. It is important. There is visibility and acceptance. As someone who lives in the South, went to a few private Christian schools, and was greatly traumatized by the church, this book is hopeful. The deep thought of a modern generation's view on traditional religious values is refreshing. However, I only gave it 4 stars because of the pacing. I thought some of the chapters could have been consolidated to move the story on a little faster. I also never fell in love with Shara Wheeler. Understood her by the end? Maybe. But I didn't have a moment where I went from being annoyed by her actions to accepting them. 

While this wasn't my favorite Casey McQuiston book (that is reserved for Red, White, & Royal Blue), I definitely enjoyed this story and its characters. I think it was a great YA debut for the author and cannot wait to read more of her work in the future! 

TW: racism, cheating, bullying, outing someone, homophobia, religious shaming

💌I Kissed Shara Wheeler is marketed as a YA book, but still deals with some heavy topics. I loved the inclusivity of this book! I went in expecting a romcom, which it definitely was. But it also had a little bit of mystery mixed in too!

💌Here’s a summary of the plot:👇
Shara Wheeler has it all: looks, brains, money, a hot quarterback boyfriend. One day she kisses Chloe Green and then vanishes. Chloe finds a note from Shara with a clue about where she is hiding out. But Chloe isn’t the only person Shara kissed before she vanished. Chloe must work together with the other people Shara kissed to connect the clues and find Shara before it’s too late.

💌I really liked most of the characters in this book (Chloe, Smith, Rory, Ash, etc.)! However, I didn’t find Shara’s character to be particularly likeable. I didn’t really care about her or her storyline, which is a huge part of the book. I liked reading about the other characters’ adventures to find the clues that would lead to where Shara was. But I could not have cared less about the actual finding her part. Overall, I have conflicting thoughts. I think this book is a quick, cute, inclusive read. But I found one of the main characters to be pretty unlikeable. I think if you’re wanting a quick YA read, this one is still worth checking out!

Chloe Green is vexed. The only other student who can keep up with her academically has up and left, just weeks before graduation. And right before she did, she kissed her! That simply will not do. Where in hell is Shara Wheeler and what is she plotting?

This was second read of this book and I actually listened to it thanks to Netgalley. I really liked the audiobook. The narrator was great and I felt like she really embodied the characters.
Now, onto the story. Well, I loved it the first time and once again the second time. Knowing what was going to happen didn't lessen my enjoyment, on the contrary, I think it captivated me even more. I fell for this cast of characters all over again. I felt what they felt, especially Chloe and I saw myself in her even more.
This book is truly a delight. I loved its plot, its romance, its pacing and like I just said, its characters. They were all so layered and well thought out, it made me want to hang out with them. I also really enjoyed the mystery element of the book and seeing the characters evolve and grow.
Casey Mcquiston just wrote another favorite of mine.

Chloe Green has spent four years at her strict Christian Academy avoiding drama and vying for valedictorian. But there’s one person also trying to get the role: the principal’s daughter, Shara Wheeler. But a month before graduation, Shara kisses Chloe and then disappears. Chloe finds out Shara kissed two other people, and the three of them end up on a scavenger hunt looking for Shara based on clues she left them in various notes.

A cute cover, a phenomenal author, and my favorite narrator, Natalie Naudus? When I saw this audiobook I knew I needed it immediately and it did not disappoint. This is the type of book I devoured in high school/college. A little bit of mystery, unexpected alliances, and a hint of romance along with characters finding themselves. Actually, it gave me Paper Towns by John Greene vibes in many ways (which I ADORED when I was younger). I loved the message about self-acceptance and seeing each of the characters band together and also find themselves in the process. This book has incredibly diverse characters and great queer representation. I also thought the way religion was woven throughout was really interesting (especially after spending a few years in my early 20s living in a small southerns town that is very religious).

As for the audiobook, Natalie Naudus killed it per usual, and if you haven’t given her books a listen, you need to.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the advanced audiobook!

I wasn't exactly sure what I was getting into with this read, but I love Casey McQuiston and knew I had to dive in. I was not disappointed in this YA treasure hunt. I loved experiencing the feelings of being a teenager again and the humor that was laced throughout was entertaining. I loved the topics of identity crises, youth issues, and LGBTQ+ representation. The entire plot of following a lost student's clues left behind was almost like a treasure hunt that kept the reader turning the pages. The mystery of Shara's disappearance and the clues she left behind was what kept me reading..

This was another well-written book by McQuiston. Thank you, NetGalley for the eARC for my honest review.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler was a great read by Casey McQuiston. Chloe Green’s mom moved her to Alabama and started attending Willowgrove Christian Academy. She is focused on winning valedictorian and her only rival is prom queen, Shara Wheeler. Who also happens to be the principal’s perfect progeny. A month before graduation, Shara kisses Chloe and then vanishes. Chloe is looking for answers and realizes that she isn’t the only person who Shara kissed. There’s Smith, her longtime quarterback boyfriend, as well as Rory, her bad boy neighbor with a crush. The only thing the three have in common is Shara and the cryptic notes that she left behind. The must untangle her trail of clues to find her. I really enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait to read more by the author.

I just freaking love Casey McQuiston. And this book was another hit.

Chloe Green is a senior in high school, and she is good at the academic side of things. She is in the running for Valedictorian and looking forward to NYU in the fall. But her school is a deeply Christian, very conservative private school in Alabama, so being bisexual, having two moms, and liking dark nail polish gives Chloe some issues. The biggest pain in Chloe’s ass, however, is Shara Wheeler. She’s Chloe’s biggest competition for valedictorian, daughter of the principal, and all-around golden child. And shortly before she disappeared from senior prom, she kissed Chloe. She didn’t only kiss Chloe, though, she also kissed her neighbor, Rory, as well as her boyfriend, Smith. But Shara is gone, leaving behind only pink envelopes with cryptic notes and a very frustrated Chloe Green.

This book cracked me up. Chloe was such a fun narrator, if unreliable at times, and she had a strong personality that kept this book… spicy. It was clear from the beginning that she had a lot of growth to do as a character, and she definitely did it. Her friendships all had strong foundations and I consistently enjoyed her interactions with the people that she thought she knew so well.

Every character in this book was unique, well developed, and felt like an essential part of the story. Smith was definitely a standout and a scene stealer every time, and I love him with my entire heart. Protect Smith at all costs. Rory just cracked me up. He was somehow very intelligent and absolutely brilliant yet so goofy and lighthearted in any situation. Shara herself frustrated the crap out of me at times, but in a really interesting way. She was stubborn and clever, and her character development over the second half of the book was both unexpected and completely necessary. Every person introduced, from Chloe’s moms to the jocks to the teachers at Willowgrove, brought something new to the table.

I listened to this as an audiobook, and although I enjoy audiobooks, I’ve had a hard time making it through some of them. This one, however, was pleasant! The voice of the narrator was easy to listen to, and the pacing of the story didn’t feel slowed down by the format. I’m no expert on audiobooks, but this was a good one.

I’ve read every book by Casey McQuiston, and every one has been five stars. They have become an auto-buy author for me, and this book just added to the excitement that I feel when I consider them releasing more.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and to Macmillan Audio for sending me an advance copy of this
audiobook for review!

**4.5-stars rounded up**

After being unexpectedly kissed by her only rival for valedictorian, Alabama High School Senior, Chloe Green's life begins to unravel. Shara Wheeler, the kissing bandit, then disappears, leaving nothing but a series of cryptic clues in her wake.

Chloe isn't the only student being dragged along on this unconventional scavenger hunt. She's also not the only person Shara Wheeler kissed. Joining Chloe on this misadventure are Shara's long-time boyfriend, hunky football player, Smith, as well as Shara's bad boy neighbor, Rory, who has been crushing on the girl next door for years.

After the trio discovers the game includes them all, they put whatever petty grudges they may hold aside and begin to work together. It's a wild ride. Shara must have been planning this for months. It's intricate and over-the-top.

In fact, Chloe becomes so obsessed with getting to the truth that she ends up neglecting her other relationships; her best friends that have been there for her all throughout high school. Will Chloe be able to mend those fences by graduation?

This novel is Casey McQuiston's first foray into the YA space. Obviously, not a challenge for her; absolutely seamless. She kept her signature, lovable, heart-warming, sweet, sentimental, funny style all whilst keeping it relatable and applicable to a younger audience. As for me, I'm all for snarky, funny, chaotic self-discovery, so I Kissed Shara Wheeler was a great fit for my tastes!!

I loved getting to know all of these characters. They were each well developed and had their own challenges that they were working through. Throughout it all, watching their interactions unfold was a lot of fun. Chloe grows and learns so much about herself just through the process of trying to figure out Shara's game. Chloe starts to recognize some blind spots she may have had over the course of her high school tenure.

Overall, this was a delightful read. It's fun, smart and explores some important topics. It's clear McQuiston delivers no matter what age group she is writing for.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me copies to read and review. I am already highly anticipating whatever McQuiston comes up with next!!

Hesitant to post this because I feel so bad.

I'm so bummed that I disliked this so much. So disappointed. I'm so bummed that I
disliked this so much. So disappointed. McQuiston wrote Red, White & Royal blue.
That book was so great. Go read that one instead.

The good:
Great representation across the board and that'll be beneficial for younger readers
who are figuring out there identities and sexuality.

The bad:
Everything else.

The two main girls were obnoxiously bad people and there's no reason to root for
them.

We're given no reason to care about Shara missing or why she left. She's the popular
nice girl who is actually super shitty to everyone and then disappears. Her own boyfriend is barely bothered it. Her parents don't care. She's a minor who disappears for a MONTH and we're supposed to buy that her family, boyfriend and
friend group don't really bother to look for her for more than a few days? Why are
readers supposed to care about this person? Why are we supposed to understand
why Chloe is obsessed with finding her?

The "mystery" at the center of the first half of the book was poorly executed.

If you want a "romance" that ends in a super toxic relationship that will do nothing but drag a bunch of people down over time, this one is for you! "Forgive this shitty person because you think she's hot!" - actual advice given in the book.

It's a sapphic and somehow more toxic version of Paper Towns and we're supposed to believe that just about every character with dialogue at this high school in Alabama is some part of the LGBTQIA+ community. All of them. Even if everyone was, theyre not all coming out close to graduation at 17/18 at a Christian high school in ALABAMA ruled by strict religious requirements.

My Review: AMAZING!
Rep: LGBTQIA+

Why is it that the best books are the hardest to review? To say I loved this book would be an understatement! I simply could not stop listening to this story, it was just so riveting!

From the get-go, readers are introduced to the fierce and intelligent Chloe Green. I loved that the story was entirely from her perspective because we really get to see her become vulnerable with time. Chloe is by no means perfect, but it is her flaws that make her so relatable!

The story has a pretty good pace and kept me entertained throughout. I was smiling and engrossed from page 1.

There are some genuinely heartwarming moments in this story that made me truly happy!

Shoutout to the narrator for capturing the sass of the characters PERFECTLY!

Every character is so well-developed and seeing their relationships and interactions with each other grow was such a joy for me.

A major theme is what it’s like to live in an insulated town that is not very progressive and I think the author handled this with the appropriate sensitivity.

The queer positivity was amazing and I am HERE FOR IT!!

This was my first Casey McQuiston book but I can fully understand why people love her work so much! I am definitely a fan and cannot wait to read more novels by this author!

When I saw that there was another book by Casey McQuiston I was a little skeptical… I wasn’t a fan of her second book, so I went into this with an open mind. But I needn’t have worried. In the time of COVID-19, this book was weird, but it was good.

After all these years, Chloe is going to finally win something over her prom queen rival: valedictorian, the title that really matters. But all of a sudden when she least expects it, her rival, Shara, kisses Chloe and then disappears. When Chloe is on her way to confront her, she realizes she wasn’t the only one to be kissed by Shara. Intrigue or jealousy or anger (she’s not sure which) is the driving force for Chloe to find out why Shara did what she did. So she follows the clues that Shara left behind for Chloe and the others to find. Will they find Shara at the end and get an explanation? Or will there just be more secrets?

Ok so as you can see from my second paragraph overall recap, the reason I say this is weird in the time of COVID-19 is the plot is based on the random kissing of multiple people. I know this was probably written before all this (or maybe the idea was) but Idk I just feel a weird way about it. Another thing that I thought was weird about this was the consent. Like she just randomly kissed her in the elevator she said. Maybe pair this with something on consent. Especially in a book for teens? You might think they would know better than doing something like that anyway, but we had a whole Gorilla Glue incident with an adult, so there’s that.

The characters were amazing tho. Everyone had their own voice and I was glad to see that everyone’s voice was extremely different as well. With multiple POVs its sometimes difficult to make them all different, but with this book because they kept it as one POV, but put it as third person, it was even easier to decipher. (If there is someone point me to it)

And of course I liked the writing style. McQuiston’s style has always been good, but this one for some reason sucked me in. Maybe it was because of the narrator? Idk. But I remember listening to it as much as I could. And this one is also pretty cool because it’s done with an epistolary style, meaning it’s done in the form of letters or diary entries, etc. And this one has these interesting tidbits in the “From the Burn Pile,” parts. I just think that all epistolary books are cool lol

The reason I couldn’t give this 5 stars tho is it felt like there was so much going on. These characters on this side had a relationship develop, but so did these people over here, and then there was the ending (which I feel gipped from because it didn’t really go into like it could have. Maybe they were trying to focus mainly on the main characters and not the villain of the story, but I would have liked to see them go down. Especially since it was worthy enough to be mentioned.) And then there were other people that were finding themselves. (Although this was my favorite part of the story, I DO wish they had gotten their own like, THING.) It just had a lot of different stories happening that deserved to be their own tale. And because they weren’t, it seemed a bit rushed sometimes.

The narration was done really well. To add to it, I just recently followed the narrator on TikTok and she mentioned she was doing this book in one of her videos. It’s always cool to connect to the author, but I never thought about trying to connect to the narrator too. I LOVED her ability to change her voice for the different characters, without sounding like she was trying too hard. I also loved her ability to be able to show the emotion in the book. Because trust me, there was anger, jealousy, swooning, and so much more. (Also, I didn’t realize that I had listened to that many books narrated by her or that she had so many. I only started listening to them really in the last couple years, and recognizing the narrator isn’t something I did in the very beginning. It was narrators like Natalie that made me start to pay attention.

This book was so different than anything I’ve ever read. The plot was unique (albeit weird), but the characters were great, and so was the narration. Basically it had all the makings of a great one. It’s no wonder I enjoyed it as much as I did.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance audio version of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Chloe Green, bisexual daughter of two lesbian mothers, has been finding her own way at Willowgrove Christian Academy in Alabama, after spending most of her life in Southern California.

An academic star, the only student between her and her goal of being valedictorian is the school’s golden girl, Shara Wheeler.

But a month before graduation, Shara kisses Chloe and then disappears.

I loved this book, and I fear that I won’t be able to I won’t be able to both do it justice and avoid spoilers, so…

Here are things I loved about this book:

The characters! They are diverse, and they are real. No one is perfect—if they are, they’re probably hiding something. They love, they get frustrated, they get angry with each other, they stand up for each other.

The setting—Okay, that doesn’t mean I loved a school that tries really hard to maintain the status quo and keep their queer youth in the closet. But I loved that this book shed light on schools like that, as well as on how queer youth within them are handling the situation.

The parents! How can you not love two lesbian moms, one who grew up in the town where the book takes place and is a legend/cautionary tale in the school? Those queer kids need their role models!

The narrator! I’m trying to figure out whether this was the first book I ever listened to that was narrated by Natalie Naudus—not sure, but feel like she deserves a special shout out for making it sound as though the story was performed by a full cast!

The story gave me all the feels—from romance to mystery, with a full helping of teenage angst, watching the characters figure out who they were and how to be okay with that, given their surroundings…it was quite a ride!

Highly recommend!

Ugh. I'm in the minority here, but I didn't love this book in audiobook form.

The narration grated on me.

But even then, I didn't love unrealistic storyline.

There was an odd manipulation/ betrayal between frenimies that was just wrapped up too nicely and forgiven.

The ending... the speech?...it just felt too over-the-top.

Oh. And it burns me to see the lack of parenting.

Again, I know I'm in the minority.

The redeeming factor? Casey McQuiston is still a badass author. She will go on to sell a bazillion books because she has a loyal following. And we need more LGBTQ+ books, especially in YA.

If you're a super-fan, grab the book. Just maybe skip the audio?

Thanks to the MacMillan for a copy of the audiobook via Netgalley. I'm grateful for the advanced copy.

I think this was my least favorite book by the author. Probably because the narrator did not do it for me. I rarely wanted to pick the book up, all the voices sounded the same to me, and I just didn't care about anyone.
I really had to push myself to finish this one

Wow!!! Y’all!!! This book was a fantastic ride. It was so satisfying to see each character in this small town receive exactly what they deserve. I feel this book gives hope and even fire to many lgbtqia+ folks who exist in small towns and feel the endless fear and scrutiny that the author describes. Lastly, I appreciate Casey McQuiston’s structure of the story line. The resolution is about the last 30-35% of the book so it doesn’t feel like everything is being hurriedly wrapped up in the last chapter, as is the case in many books. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I am now a Casey McQuiston fan. I understand the hype and anticipation for this book!

McQuiston had me gripped after Red, White, & Royal Blue's success. She lost me in the second half of One Last Stop, but I was willing to give her another chance. Sadly, I could hardly get through the first chapter of this book without cringing. The writing style is uncomfortable at best. Although I personally related to the character's plights, I couldn't care less about them. The religious struggle and homophobia was scarily accurate, but was not enough to have me convinced that this was enjoyable.

I did not love it as much as Red, White and Royal Blue. However, as Casey McQuinton’s first YA book she did well! This book is perfect for high school students and/or for those who had trouble disclosing their sexual orientation or their gender identity in their teenage years. Casey did very well covering being queer in a small town with a very strict Christian high school causing them to feel the need to hide their true self and/or feel to pretend to be someone their are not in order to feel accepted. The story also depicts the pressure of academic competition and how your worth is based on your academic performance.

Special thanks to NetGalley and publisher for a copy of the audiobook in exchange my pure honesty.

Okay. So. Lot of thoughts on this one and not sure how to rate this!

On one hand, I really enjoyed this book. It's cute, has light suspense, is flirty, has many adorable characters, and lots of cute little romances.

On the other hand, it is pretty much an exact copy of a John Green book (looking at you, Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns) but gay. While I am all for taking inspiration, it was just a little too similar for my taste.

I do recommend this book and think many teens will die for it.

For now, ⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!)

I received an advance review copy of this audiobook for free from MacMillian Audio and NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily as a courtesy.

Chloe Green is focused on one thing, and one thing only: winning the title of valedictorian at Willowgrove Christian Academy and beating her biggest nemesis Shara Wheeler. But then, Shara kisses Chloe and throws her whole world into a tailspin! Full of twists and turns, Chloe, Shara, and their gang of diverse friends guide us on a journey we will never forget with so many fabulous surprises along the way!

Casey McQuiston takes us on a delightful romp through the trials and tribulations of being a non-conforming teenager in a southern Christian high school where conforming is expected and required. Was this the queer coming of age rom-com I've been needing all my life? Yes. Am I going to rush out to get McQuiston's other novels and read them post-haste? Also, yes! I loved the cast of annoyingly endearing characters who find themselves on the fringe of popular Christian school culture, many of whom reminded me of myself and some of my band/theater/all the other groups of friends I had in my own southern high school. Chloe's sarcastic and snarky narration had me laughing throughout the book, and crying a couple of times too. The writing is fresh, modern, queer, and gives young adult readers a chance to experience a story with diverse representation.

I had the additional delight of listening to the audiobook narrated by the phenomenally talented Natalie Naudus. Not only was Chloe's voice spot on with its slightly whiny, sarcastic, and grinding quality, the other characters came to life with Naudus' variety of voices. The cadence and pacing were perfect, and the separations between chapters were excellently conveyed with pauses and a verbal indication of the chapter number. I had not had the privilege of hearing Naudus narrate before, but will most definitely seek out more books of theirs in the future!

Recommendations?? READ THIS BOOK!!!! YOU WON'T REGRET IT!