Thank you to Wednesday Books for sending me a copy of I Kissed Shara Wheeler for an honest review.
Synopsis
Chloe Green is so close to winning. After her moms moved her from SoCal to Alabama for high school, she’s spent the past four years dodging gossipy classmates and the puritanical administration of Willowgrove Christian Academy.
The thing that’s kept her going: winning valedictorian. Her only rival: prom queen Shara Wheeler, the principal’s perfect progeny.
But a month before graduation, Shara kisses Chloe and vanishes.
On a furious hunt for answers, Chloe discovers she’s not the only one Shara kissed. There’s also Smith, Shara’s longtime quarterback sweetheart, and Rory, Shara’s bad boy neighbor with a crush.
The three have nothing in common except Shara and the annoyingly cryptic notes she left behind, but together they must untangle Shara’s trail of clues and find her. It’ll be worth it, if Chloe can drag Shara back before graduation to beat her fair and square.
Thrown into an unlikely alliance, chasing a ghost through parties, break-ins, puzzles, and secrets revealed on monogrammed stationery, Chloe starts to suspect there might be more to this small town than she thought. And maybe — probably not, but maybe — more to Shara, too. (- from the publisher)
Quesadillas & silk scrunchies
Author Casey McQuiston has a signature style, that’s for sure. They love to write in third-person POV, present tense, which is not something you see a lot. That always takes me a little bit of time to get used to, but ultimately, I like it!
Like McQuistion’s other books, I Kissed Shara Wheeler pays an excessive amount of detail to seemingly mundane details and pop culture references. I got a kick out of how much Taco Bell these kids eat. It takes me back to high school.
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Southern hospitality
In a way, Chloe and I lived the opposite trajectory. I didn’t grow up in the American South, but I was born there. I was in Louisiana until the age of five, at which point I moved to California. Chloe lived in California until age 14, at which point she moved to the South.
Of course, I still have a strong familial connection to the region. So, I’m curious how I Kissed Shara Wheeler will resonate with people who aren’t as familiar with the South.
McQuiston does a great job balancing poking fun at and criticizing the genuine harm misusing religion can cause. However, they also show the other side of things. I’m particularly glad they pointed out that it’s OK not to want to leave your tiny, conservative town. If you do, how will it ever change?
Trading in stereotypes
Chloe isn’t exactly the most likable character, and that’s fine. That’s the point; it’s great. She has to learn not to judge a book by its cover (a lot of this novel takes place in a book shop).
Readers’ expectations are also subverted. No one is as they first seem. No one is just one thing. It’s a good lesson and something we all have to realize. However, I spent a great deal of time worrying about how the book deals with mental health. Let’s say my post-book headcanon is free therapy for everyone!
Building a mystery
I loved McQuiston’s Red White & Royal Blue so much that I preordered One Last Stop, which isn’t something I often do. And when I heard about I Kissed Shara Wheeler, I knew I wanted to review it. I wasn’t disappointed, but this book feels a little more paint-by-the-numbers than their first two. It’s McQuiston’s first foray into young adult fiction, and I suspect that’s why.
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The novel felt about 15 percent too long due to a lot of over-explaining. McQuiston made a pretty cool choice in revealing the actual mystery at just past the book’s halfway point, making it anti-climactic, which was the point. It worked for me.
I Kissed Shara Wheeler isn’t about the mystery. It’s about growing up. There’s an especially poignant moment at a graduation bonfire when Chloe realizes she’ll probably never see some of the people there again. It’s such a bittersweet recognition along the way to adulthood. Perfect.
Should you read it?
If you love Mean Girls, Southern queers and/or teenage angst, absolutely! It’s a fun summer read that’d probably be good for the beach or by the pool. Don’t expect I Kissed Shara Wheeler to become your next comfort read, à la McQuiston’s first two books.
Content warnings: abusive parents (emotional), bullying, religious trauma, outing, sexual harassment, queerphobia.
I Kissed Shara Wheeler is out May 3. Pick up a copy at your local indie bookstore or library. 📚
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