Found the part of my heart that won't take no for an answer: I KISSED SHARA WHEELER.

I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston


Chloe Green's sights are set on valedictorian. Her one obstacle: Shara Wheeler, daughter of her uber-religious high school's principal and the girl everyone in school idolizes. Then, a month before graduation, Shara unexpectedly kisses Chloe in an elevator and vanishes. Chloe goes on a search for answers, learning that she's not the only one Chloe kissed. Obviously there's her boyfriend, Smith, the high school quarterback, and then her neighbor, Rory, who has been crushing on Shara for years. The three learn Shara's left behind a bunch of clues via letters, forcing the unlikely trio to work together to track down Shara and perhaps learn more about themselves and each other in the process.

I wasn't quite sure how I felt about this one while reading it. Every McQuiston book is a special occasion and rare treat, but SHARA started off very slowly for me. It was hard to get lost in the story--mostly because I really didn't care much for Shara or Chloe at the beginning. Shara was missing, but honestly, she seemed like a jerk and I felt like telling Chloe, "good riddance." But even Chloe didn't always seem to show her best side, coming off a bit self-centered as she ditched her loyal friends in the quest to hunt down Shara... why?

But, this YA romance picks up as you read on, with a big thanks to its wonderfully diverse supporting cast. Smith and Rory truly made this book for me, which took me by surprise. They were unique and funny, but often tender and sweet characters, and I fell for them more quickly than the ladies! The theme of friendship runs stronger in SHARA than romance, which I really liked. It also tackles being queer in a religious atmosphere (Chloe attends a Christian high school) head on and with total passion, and you'll find yourself cheering in places. This is a wonderful book for queer kids looking for their place in the world and attempting to work out their identity.

Overall, this isn't my favorite McQuiston, but I enjoyed seeing her take on the YA world. It's powerful in places and sweet in others. 4 stars.

I received a copy of this book from St. Martin's Press / Wednesday Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.

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