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meggie82461's review against another edition
5.0
You ever read those books where you want to LIVE in them more than you want to read them? This is one of them. I didn’t want it to end!
Here’s the thing- I liked Red, White, and Royal Blue. It was above average. I really liked One Last Stop. But I LOVED this one. Casey McQuiston has steadily improved with each story she writes.
This is a must-read for a queer teenager. It DOES get better And I think it’s a must-read for the rest of us, too. To remember that high school is everything to these kids, and to not minimize their struggles. It’s real to them, and that’s all that matters.
Here’s the thing- I liked Red, White, and Royal Blue. It was above average. I really liked One Last Stop. But I LOVED this one. Casey McQuiston has steadily improved with each story she writes.
This is a must-read for a queer teenager. It DOES get better And I think it’s a must-read for the rest of us, too. To remember that high school is everything to these kids, and to not minimize their struggles. It’s real to them, and that’s all that matters.
thepetitepunk's review
3.0
December 28th, 2021
Thank you St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Although I often see Casey McQuiston's books lumped into the YA category (they are most definitely new adult!), I Kissed Shara Wheeler is McQuiston's first young adult novel. It is a contemporary high school mystery set in religious, academically competitive town. Chloe and golden girl Shara have been in a high-strung battle to win the valedictorian title--until Shara goes missing, with nothing but a series of clever clues left behind.
Casey McQuiston is fantastic at writing witty dialogue, distinct characters, and vivid scenes. Right from the beginning when the mystery is introduced, it's obvious that this was a carefully planned novel. Even though the beginning started out great--a mystery! with little clues! from the perfect, oh so beautiful Shara Wheeler! complete with a gang of lovable clue-hunting side characters! woo!--I was really struggling to stay interested in the mystery. I found myself devouring the beginning and end of the book, but unable to read more than a few chapters at a time of the middle without getting bored. Even though ideally books should hold your attention for the duration of the entire novel, eh, sometimes it happens. Sometimes you get a little bored. It's cool. It can happen often in realistic fiction contemporaries. However, for a mystery novel, I should be wanting to speed through the pages to solve the clues. I should be hypothesizing, gasping, and trying to solve the mystery along with the characters. Not wanting to quit in the middle of the book because I'm unsure why the characters are even invested in the clues in the first place.
And that was my other problem. The characters. Our main character Chloe and her rival Shara were unbearable. I hate calling female YA protagonists annoying, but they were repetitive and a bit selfish, with maybe only a few redeeming qualities towards the end that were not redeeming enough. This was a perfect example of a book where I cared very little about the main characters and very much wanted a story about the side characters. I was having a hard time understanding why the characters felt so compelled to follow the clues about Shara Wheeler's disappearance. Y'all!!! If I was in this book, I'd simply not care. I would say "oh no, I hope they find her!" and move on. I'm sorry.
I don't want to put spoilers in this review, so I'll be vague, but I also wasn't entirely a fan of the way things wrapped up, regarding the characters emotions and explanations. Nothing felt satisfying, convincing, or worth it.
Despite all my complaints, I didn't hate I Kissed Shara Wheeler. It was fine. Mediocre, yes, but fine. Just a typical YA contemporary. I would say go for it if you're interested in reading it, but don't expect anything groundbreaking.
***
December 6th, 2021
ahhhh i have an arc!!! she is mine!!! i am so excited :D
Thank you St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Although I often see Casey McQuiston's books lumped into the YA category (they are most definitely new adult!), I Kissed Shara Wheeler is McQuiston's first young adult novel. It is a contemporary high school mystery set in religious, academically competitive town. Chloe and golden girl Shara have been in a high-strung battle to win the valedictorian title--until Shara goes missing, with nothing but a series of clever clues left behind.
Casey McQuiston is fantastic at writing witty dialogue, distinct characters, and vivid scenes. Right from the beginning when the mystery is introduced, it's obvious that this was a carefully planned novel. Even though the beginning started out great--a mystery! with little clues! from the perfect, oh so beautiful Shara Wheeler! complete with a gang of lovable clue-hunting side characters! woo!--I was really struggling to stay interested in the mystery. I found myself devouring the beginning and end of the book, but unable to read more than a few chapters at a time of the middle without getting bored. Even though ideally books should hold your attention for the duration of the entire novel, eh, sometimes it happens. Sometimes you get a little bored. It's cool. It can happen often in realistic fiction contemporaries. However, for a mystery novel, I should be wanting to speed through the pages to solve the clues. I should be hypothesizing, gasping, and trying to solve the mystery along with the characters. Not wanting to quit in the middle of the book because I'm unsure why the characters are even invested in the clues in the first place.
And that was my other problem. The characters. Our main character Chloe and her rival Shara were unbearable. I hate calling female YA protagonists annoying, but they were repetitive and a bit selfish, with maybe only a few redeeming qualities towards the end that were not redeeming enough. This was a perfect example of a book where I cared very little about the main characters and very much wanted a story about the side characters. I was having a hard time understanding why the characters felt so compelled to follow the clues about Shara Wheeler's disappearance. Y'all!!! If I was in this book, I'd simply not care. I would say "oh no, I hope they find her!" and move on. I'm sorry.
I don't want to put spoilers in this review, so I'll be vague, but I also wasn't entirely a fan of the way things wrapped up, regarding the characters emotions and explanations. Nothing felt satisfying, convincing, or worth it.
Despite all my complaints, I didn't hate I Kissed Shara Wheeler. It was fine. Mediocre, yes, but fine. Just a typical YA contemporary. I would say go for it if you're interested in reading it, but don't expect anything groundbreaking.
***
December 6th, 2021
ahhhh i have an arc!!! she is mine!!! i am so excited :D
kaci422's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
heavyhearts's review
3.0
LOOK okay, i WANT to love it. you have NO idea how much i want to love it. its academic rival to lovers YA that 1) sets in a small town and has religious trauma as a theme, 2) written by an author who everyone sings praises for, and 3) its sapphic. its hard enough to find sapphic medias, let alone the one thats has all the reason for me to like it?
but it turns out... the academic rival slash enemies-to-lovers just dont make me feel connected as much? like it misses something, a stage where they at least become friends for a bit. and i cant seem to like the main character that much... too bad :/ rory and smith are cute and ash is such a great nonbinary representation though.
but it turns out... the academic rival slash enemies-to-lovers just dont make me feel connected as much? like it misses something, a stage where they at least become friends for a bit. and i cant seem to like the main character that much... too bad :/ rory and smith are cute and ash is such a great nonbinary representation though.
pinetree_reads's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
readintowonderland's review against another edition
3.0
This really truly just didn't hit with both Chloe and Shara. The other characters though were great.
A more in-depth review is coming when I process my thoughts.
A more in-depth review is coming when I process my thoughts.
beancape's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
heymickey123's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I instantly hated this book but I’m so glad I kept reading past the first 2 chapters because I ended up really enjoying it!
just_kidding's review
4.0
Some spoilers --
I thought the secondary plot lines were so tender, and so well thought out, that I read some of those passages out loud to my friend. I would do anything for Smith. Anything. If you had told me that he would be my favorite part whole book, I absolutely wouldn't have believed you. Smith, Rory, and Chloe's other friends are beautiful, funny, complicated, fleshed out characters and all the tears and screams I unleashed while reading this book are because of these amazing characters. For those plot lines alone I would give this book 5 stars easily.
The main plot line was more difficult for me. It had a big "13 Reasons Why" energy, which is not a plot device I have any interest in. Shara Wheeler was alive and fine, but it felt it was an uncomfortable move, especially how none of the adults seemed to be concerned at all, and her disappearance was more a source of gossip than a real crisis. I liked Shara's character much more at the end, but the road to getting there was a bit bumpy for me.
All in all I love Casey McQuiston's writing always, and Shara Wheeler aside this book was such a joy to read.
I thought the secondary plot lines were so tender, and so well thought out, that I read some of those passages out loud to my friend. I would do anything for Smith. Anything. If you had told me that he would be my favorite part whole book, I absolutely wouldn't have believed you. Smith, Rory, and Chloe's other friends are beautiful, funny, complicated, fleshed out characters and all the tears and screams I unleashed while reading this book are because of these amazing characters. For those plot lines alone I would give this book 5 stars easily.
The main plot line was more difficult for me. It had a big "13 Reasons Why" energy, which is not a plot device I have any interest in. Shara Wheeler was alive and fine, but it felt it was an uncomfortable move, especially how none of the adults seemed to be concerned at all, and her disappearance was more a source of gossip than a real crisis. I liked Shara's character much more at the end, but the road to getting there was a bit bumpy for me.
All in all I love Casey McQuiston's writing always, and Shara Wheeler aside this book was such a joy to read.