



I Kissed Shara Wheeler
A Novel
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4.4 • 156 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
*INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER*
*INSTANT #1 INDIE BESTSELLER*
*INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER*
From the New York Times bestselling author of One Last Stop and Red, White & Royal Blue comes a romantic comedy about chasing down what you want, only to find what you need...
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.
Fierce, funny, and frank, Casey McQuiston's I Kissed Shara Wheeler is about breaking the rules, getting messy, and finding love in unexpected places.
"An unfettered joy to read." - The New York Times
"McQuiston has done it again." - USA Today
"You won't want to miss." - Good Housekeeping
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Best-selling author Casey McQuiston’s first YA novel is equal parts mystery and LGBTQ+ rom-com—fresh, fascinating, and funny throughout. Chloe Green is a high school senior who describes herself as both “weird and queer in small-to-medium-town Alabama” and “a hot genius.” She lives to compete for valedictorian with Shara, the too-perfect queen of their conservative Christian school. When Shara disappears right before being crowned prom queen, Chloe commits to tracking her down, partly because she needs a rival and partly because Shara inexplicably kissed her not long ago. Hunky maverick Rory and Shara’s boyfriend, Smith, soon become unexpected partners in Chloe’s search, and it was endless fun seeing them navigate the complex chain of clues Shara set up for them to follow. Along the way, the trio discover more about each other than they ever expected. McQuiston arms Chloe with weapons-grade wit, keeping you grinning as you work to connect the dots between Shara’s strange chain of clues. It’s a great read even if high school is far in your past.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In her YA debut, McQuiston (One Last Stop, for adults) spins a multifaceted plot narrated by sardonic high school senior Chloe Green. In False Beach, Ala., bisexual Chloe, who has two moms and moved relatively recently from L.A., is the only out person at Willowgrove Christian Academy, a school that she attends for its AP program and theater budget. The action is set in motion when Shara Wheeler—the beautiful, universally beloved daughter of the overbearing principal, and Chloe's rival for valedictorian—suddenly kisses Chloe, then, during prom, disappears. The departure kicks off a scavenger hunt that embroils Chloe; Shara's boyfriend, quarterback Smith Parker; and Shara's neighbor, stoner Rory Heron, all of whom Shara kissed before splitting. Chloe spends the last weeks of high school ignoring her close-knit friend group and responsibilities to puzzle together the clues. Slowly, the teens' high school hierarchy–subverting alliance helps break down barriers created, in part, by the school's particular brand of shame culture and prejudice. In a novel brimming with classic YA plotlines, crisp writing, humorous asides, and fully fleshed characters and relationships—many queer—keep things fresh, leading to a genuinely hopeful ending that centers themes of authenticity and autonomy. Chloe and Shara are white; Smith has dark brown skin; Rory is biracial (Black and white). Ages 13–up.
Customer Reviews
AMAZING
not too corny, but is in the correct areas. funny. plot twists, but also not. just entertaining all around.
Brilliant bool
I absolutely loved this book. My favourite by the author so far by a very large margin. Really stayed with me, made me laugh, made me root against and then for the romance - just really well done. Wish I could read it again for the first time.
Lively and lovely
I devoured this book in two days. Interesting plot, cool characters, affirming message.