I KISSED SHARA WHEELER by Casey McQuiston | ALC Review

I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston, read by Natalie Naudus

• Publisher: Macmillan Young Listeners, May 3rd 2022
• Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
• Format: Audiobook (ALC)
• Length: 9h 25m (320 pages)

Click on the cover for my review on Goodreads.

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AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

Chloe and Shara are both so terrible, and I love them dearly.

When Shara Wheeler disappeared after prom, her nemesis (kind of, they are fighting for valedictorian) Chloe Green (lesbian), boyfriend Smith Parker, and neighbor Rory Heron embark on a journey of tracking her down. What do they have in common? They all kissed Shara. In the small-town Christian high school run by Shara’s father, Chloe has to figure out this puzzle Shara left behind without being caught, and maybe she will find out more about Willowgrove, too.

As always, CMQ’s characters are vibrant and queer. Apart from the main four characters Chloe, Shara, Smith, and Rory, there are also several side and minor characters that helped shape this story and Willowgrove Christian Academy: Georgia (lesbian), Ash (nonbinary), Benjy, Ace, Summer, Brooklyn, April, etc. The best part is that Chloe has two mothers, and they are the most delightful parents.

A big chunk of the story is built upon manipulation, and at first, I wasn’t too invested in Chloe’s obsession for solving the Shara mystery. For the most part, I just wanted to sit back and enjoy the ride, reading for the drama and waiting to see them crash and burn. Sometimes, Chloe and Shara are so horrible I couldn’t help laughing (in a good way because I was entertained). But as the story continues to unravel, I found myself caring more about Chloe and her friends, and the way CMQ threads all the backstories and motivations together, I ended up loving all these high school kids. They really know how to create a story that gradually pieces together for the readers.

While it is partly being marketed as YA romcom, I personally don’t think it’s a romcom. Yes, there is love in the air at Willowgrove, but it is not necessarily a romance story. A contemporary YA for sure.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by the amazing Natalie Naudus. Pairing her with CMQ’s writing instantly brings me back to the time I first listened to One Last Stop (my review). And of course, Naudus’ performance is immaculate and definitely leveled up my reading experience of I Kissed Shara Wheeler. Her interpretation of the book at a sentence level really brought the story to life.

If you love contemporary YA with messy queer characters, this book is for you.

Also, do yourself a favor and listen to the audiobook to hear Natalie Naudus read key smash to you. Thank me later.

content warnings: manipulation, queerphobia, blackmailing

Semi–buddy read with Gabriella.

I received a advanced listener’s copy from Macmillan Young Listeners via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

before reading: excuse me as i go sob with happiness seeing that the narrator is NATALIE NAUDUS

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