Hi there! I’m here again to talk about an exciting YA release I got the chance to read a little early. **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**
Back in 2019, Casey McQuiston took the bookish sphere by storm when she released Red, White, and Royal Blue. Everyone, including me, fell in love with Alex and Henry and their story. Then in 2021, they struck again with One Last Stop, where August and Jane find themselves falling for each other on the New York City subway. I’ve loved following these love interests, and of course the side characters that may look harmless but will not hestitate to defend everyone they care about. When I heard McQuiston was releasing a YA novel, I was very interested to see where this next story would go, because their previous works have been clearly marked as adult (or new adult, in some spaces). Wednesday books as an imprint has been incredibly good to me when it comes to arc requests on NetGalley, but I was still surprised to see the email where it said I was approved to read I Kissed Shara Wheeler before its release. I am so incredibly grateful, and now I get to share all my thoughts here.
After being moved across the country from California to a small Alabaman town where one of her moms grew up, Chloe Green spent four years dodging gossipy classmates and a puritanical administration at Willowgrove Christian Academy. On her mission to obtain the top class spot, her only rival is the principal’s perfect progeny, Shara Wheeler. Then, one month before graduation, Shara kisses Chloe, and vanishes after prom night. When Chloe starts to investigate where Shara could have gone, she realizes she’s not the only one who’s been kissed – there’s also Smith and Rory, Shara’s quarterback sweetheart boyfriend and her bad boy neighbor respectively. Together, through all of their differences, the trio must begin to decipher the cryptic notes Shara left behind during the weeks before her disappearance. All the while, Chloe begins to realize just how much about this small town, and maybe even Shara, she doesn’t know.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when picking up this newest book from Casey McQuiston. Her previous novels have featured romance pretty heavily, and while there are certainly important discussions to be had, a lot of time is dedicated to the couple on-page. While Shara Wheeler’s name is in the book’s title, we get more time exploring her through the eyes of our other main characters and the letters she leaves them to discover. The characters and the dynamics they have with each other is, in my mind, where this book truly shines. Before the novel begins, the main trio – Chloe, Smith, and Rory – know of each other, but spend their high school days in very different spheres. But when Shara disappears, it brings them together and forces them to see things through the eyes of each other, at least when they’re trying to decipher her clues. Chloe starts to see just how focused she’s been on beating Shara for valedictorian, and how much Shara’s work ethic has forced her to be the best in everything she’s done. Smith realizes that just because society sees him in one particular way, it doesn’t mean he can’t stay true to his heart and deviate from their expectations. And Rory, sweet Rory (he’s probably one of my favorites of the book), comes to terms with his feelings and sees that at least some of them seem to be displaced. There are so many secondary characters that just add to the reality of a high school environment, especially a religious one, and seeing how the last month of their senior year played out made me wish I went to school with some of them.
What I also appreciated was the discussion around being queer in a small town rooted in the bible belt. When religious ideals about who you should be and what you should do with your life are pushed onto you for years, you start to question everything when things don’t seem to fit. And through Chloe’s point of view, as an outsider who has lived most of her life in a more liberal area and is confident and proud of who she is, we see just how difficult deviating from those ideals can be from those who have known nothing else their entire lives. Trying not to give anything away, I loved how the ending events brought together so many individuals who have just wanted to live their lives as their true authentic selves come together to spite the very institution that has tried to suppress them all along.
In conclusion, I Kissed Shara Wheeler is another fantastic book from Casey McQuiston, full of found family, flawed characters, interesting dynamics, and overall positivity and hopefulness powerful enough to overcome difficult themes that may be discussed. It’s easily readable and full of humor and heart. I didn’t know what to expect, but I’m glad to have read it all the same. I Kissed Shara Wheeler is set to be released on May 3rd, 2022 (the day this post goes live), so join me in wishing it a happy book birthday and consider picking up a copy if you’re interested. *Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Wednesday Books, for the early copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Where to find I Kissed Shara Wheeler:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Storygraph
Macmillan
Casey McQuiston’s site
Thoughts About Things 