I KISSED SHARA WHEELER

Natalie Naudus brings a sardonic tone as high school senior Chloe Green. Queer Chloe, who moved from California to Alabama with her moms, chafes against the repressive rules at Willowgrove Christian Academy even as she competes for valedictorian against her nemesis, "golden girl" Shara Wheeler. When Shara kisses Chloe and then disappears just a few weeks before graduation, Chloe becomes obsessed with unraveling the cryptic clues Shara leaves behind, and her friends and schoolwork take a backseat to solving the mystery. Some of Naudus's voices sound more like caricatures than real people, but she distinguishes the many characters and excels in scenes with groups of chatty teens. All of the pieces of this twisty audiobook come together in the last couple of hours, leading to an uplifting conclusion and an optimistic message about finding belonging. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2022]