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Wrong #1
Wrong Locker
In a world where Kinsley's the odd one out in his sports-obsessed family, he finds solace in his art and his friendship with Isabella, a talented Latina tagger. When pressured by his parents to find a girlfriend, Kinsley takes a chance and delivers a letter to a girl he finds attractive, only to discover it ends up in the hands of the popular, yet lonely captain of the sports team. Despite his status, he hides behind his fake smile to disguise his sad home life. Having no one to talk to about anything real weighed in on him until one day he opened his locker and discovered a mysterious letter.
As they both navigate their own struggles, the mysterious letter becomes a catalyst for a connection neither of them expected. But what happens when they both discover that the other person on the side of the letter isn't a girl, but had been a boy all along?
As they both navigate their own struggles, the mysterious letter becomes a catalyst for a connection neither of them expected. But what happens when they both discover that the other person on the side of the letter isn't a girl, but had been a boy all along?
334 pages, Paperback
Published December 18, 2023
184 people are currently reading
931 people want to read
About the author
Mallory Grant
3 books64 followersMallory is a bit of an introvert, so most likely if you're ever trying to find her, she'll be holed up in her office fast at work, or hiding out at the little Korean cafe down the street with a boba tea and a laptop.
Ever since she was eleven-years-old, all Mallory has ever wanted was to share her stories with the world. Trapped in daydreams during the day and studying her dreams at night, Mallory started to plot before she even knew what plotting was. All she knew was she had so much to tell, and so much to share.
It has always been Mallory's dream to share pieces of her soul with the world. Mallory Grant writes a few different genres. Fantasy has always been her favorite, as a child and now as an adult, lost in worlds and series, hiding under rocks and leaping over chasms, with adventure and romance sub-genre every step of the way.
However, her debut novel, Wrong Locker, is a YA coming-of-age LGBT novel, the first of a series, and so far her most popular published book. With so much more to come, even a few dystopian books in the mix, she's the author to watch out for.
Ever since she was eleven-years-old, all Mallory has ever wanted was to share her stories with the world. Trapped in daydreams during the day and studying her dreams at night, Mallory started to plot before she even knew what plotting was. All she knew was she had so much to tell, and so much to share.
It has always been Mallory's dream to share pieces of her soul with the world. Mallory Grant writes a few different genres. Fantasy has always been her favorite, as a child and now as an adult, lost in worlds and series, hiding under rocks and leaping over chasms, with adventure and romance sub-genre every step of the way.
However, her debut novel, Wrong Locker, is a YA coming-of-age LGBT novel, the first of a series, and so far her most popular published book. With so much more to come, even a few dystopian books in the mix, she's the author to watch out for.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
January 3, 2024
✰ 2.5 stars ✰
“Someone real,’ he had called me.
‘In a sea of fakes, it was nice to know there was someone here that was real.”
Welcome to another addition of where Amina picks her next book to read based on the cover that appeals to her aesthetic mood, where Wrong Locker was the lucky winner last weekend. I mean, the stylus brush of the artwork just spoke to me, as did the blurb. I just wish the writing could have! 😣
“P.S. If we can’t think of a P.S., then it still counts. I’m sure there will always be something. I don’t know about you, but no matter what I write, I keep wanting to write more, and I hate writing.
But for you, I would write ten pages if I could.”
Is there something about me that makes me end up reading stories about tortured youths? Do I have this bullseye target that draws me to books that have broken and bullied characters? Is it not enough for me to have one warm and loving story where the characters are just happy to be in love? Is that too much to ask?
Y'know, next year, all I'm going to indulge in is happy go-lucky reads and silly frolicking in the bushes for all the wonderful couples who spend lives without pain or prejudice. 😤😤
Ah, who am I kidding? Seeing broken souls rise above their unhappy lives of bullying and damaged hearts is something I thrive on - to have them attain happiness is my happiness, too. 🥺
Since the blurb doesn't allude to any triggering content, please do be mindful of the trigger warnings at the start of the story - bullying, homophobia, domestic abuse, and suicide thoughts, just to name a few. Hence, my above prelude. 😞 The blurb, however, does set up the premise of one trope that I have always faced difficulty with - communicating with the unknown. 💌 Here was a nice retrospective step back where Kinsley, a young boy hoping to find a girlfriend simply to appease his parents' old-fashioned views of dating someone into sports - 'an concerned possible romance - a simple letter that was meant for a girl but slipped into the wrong locker', leaves a letter of admiration in a locker of a girl he's set his eyes on. As their correspondence picks up, so does Kinsley's desire to finally confront the person of the beautiful voice behind the pen - one whose words resonate deeply within his soul - only to find that it wasn't who he thought it was - in the first place. 😥
So, what went wrong here? 😮💨 Ah, well, let me at least share what did appeal to me.
“I felt like I was the holder of a great big secret, the biggest secret, the secret that was mine and mine alone, and as I slipped the letter into the locker, all I could do was laugh and press my hands to my mouth to try and contain my crazy.
It was hard to stop the happiness, despite the fact that this was venturing dangerously into the unknown.”
The concept of having a wrong locker to set off a relationship is much like texting a wrong number and prompting a memorable connection; for that, I do like that it was such an old-take on that. 'I was smitten with the letters - I felt drawn to them on a level I couldn’t even understand.' And the letters were very emotional - there is a lot of pain on both sides of the fence - Kinsley aka Sparrow, and Green have their fair share of heartbreak and hurt that allows them to connect with one another. 'To think such a small act became something that was so monumental to me.' ❤️🩹❤️🩹
Some very meaningful and deep comments that made me believe in the hopeful prospect that their relationship would work out. Kinsley and Green may be complete opposites in personalities and high school stereotypes, but both have good hearts and it shows in their behavior and shines in their words. It's a different feeling to resort to writing - something so much more intimate and personal than texting or emailing. ✍🏻 'As long as he was okay, as long as he was my friend, it was enough. It had to be enough because it was all I was ever going to have. Right?' Even without knowing each other, they came to care for one another with some very tender and understanding interactions that helped them both in times of need - either artworks of comfort or reassuring gestures that alleviated their heartache. 🫂
“I found myself willing to drown if it meant one more letter, one more conversation, one more peek at who Green really was, on the inside.
To be more than letters, more than friends. To be together, but not at the same time. It was more than we had started off with.”
Green, in particular, once the reveal does happen, is shouldering so much; bullied by his father and forced into the notion that he can only ever be attracted to girls is one of the main compelling traits of their relationship. As jarring as it was to see Green's reluctance to admit that he could ever show any attraction to Kinsley, it was painstakingly very convincingly well-portrayed. 'You’re an angel, Green. But I hope you know that no matter how dark the world is, there’s a light waiting to shine down on you.' 😢 It was also the one that severely rattled me; how people are forced and convinced to believe that they can only ever love someone who is of the opposite gender, or in Kinsley's case - he needs to be with someone who's into sports - simply because that's what his parents expect of him.
“It was terrifying to be something different from what was expected of you, terrifying that I could disappoint them more than I already had by being something they didn’t expect or want me to be.”
The parent-child dynamic was also shown in a very alarming light; again, how do I end up in these situations??? 😫 Can't I just have a story with a healthy parent-child relationship? For both Green and Kinsley are suffering their fair share of burdens - victims in their own ways of mental and physical abuse at the hands of their parents. Realistic and tragic, it weighs heavily on the heart to see them carry the weight of neglect and torture that no one should ever have to inflict on their child. I don't want an apology - I want retribution. 'We were told from a young age to aspire to be like our parents, but what was there for me to aspire for?' 💔💔 But, it's also a heavy reflection of nature vs nurture that led to Kinsley and Green's relationship. How Green pushes Kinsley away - simply because he's a boy and can't be attracted to him, he just can't - and Kinsley's own reasoning for attempting to talk to someone this way - was simply to please his parents' desires. It's such an interesting set-up, that it makes you appreciate how it plays out. 😟
So, again, I ask myself, what went wrong here? What was lacking? Oh, words of the heart, please help me be kind here - despite how much I highlighted important texts that were meaningful, something about the writing did not suit my palette. I know it is a debut novel, but the sheer number of times, one or another character snorted in response was a little grating on my soul. 🙍🏻♀️ There was something a bit uneven and uncertain in the writing style that bothered me - I was not vibing with it. And I really need that connection to the writing, in order for me to care about the characters - for me to really care for their emotional angst and trauma. But, I wasn't feeling it, and that really does upset me, because I really think the story could be a much more rewarding one for me, if I just could feel it. 😔
I also didn't like Isabella; it's not that Kinsley's friendship with her seemed to take precedence over his developing relationship with Green, but the constant need to show their classmate's reaction to their physical intimacy or their close bond felt unnecessary. She grated on me with her personality and her presence; she just wasn't a likable fit for me. 😐 Also growing up, I was very physically affectionate with the boys in my class; and, even as a Muslim, no one ever drew much attention or speculation to our friendship, the way the high school students in this story behaved in response to even the smallest of their intimacy or affection. I don't know if it was intentional - to show how people's values and views are so small-minded, but it did detract my overall liking of the story. In fact, if Isabella got much less screen-time in the next book, I would not complain. 😒
“I didn’t realize how much I needed someone to be there until I had it. To realize this just made me cry harder and I felt more scared than I’d ever been before.
Scared to have it, scared to lose it; scared of what it could mean.”
All things considered, this still promises to be an interesting example of a slow-burn and also of an awakening. While it will be hard for Green to shed these ideas that have been so ingrained into him, it will also be interesting to see how his feelings for Kinsley may change - if they do even change. And for that, I am willing to give the second book in the series a shot. 🙏🏻
“Someone real,’ he had called me.
‘In a sea of fakes, it was nice to know there was someone here that was real.”
Welcome to another addition of where Amina picks her next book to read based on the cover that appeals to her aesthetic mood, where Wrong Locker was the lucky winner last weekend. I mean, the stylus brush of the artwork just spoke to me, as did the blurb. I just wish the writing could have! 😣
“P.S. If we can’t think of a P.S., then it still counts. I’m sure there will always be something. I don’t know about you, but no matter what I write, I keep wanting to write more, and I hate writing.
But for you, I would write ten pages if I could.”
Is there something about me that makes me end up reading stories about tortured youths? Do I have this bullseye target that draws me to books that have broken and bullied characters? Is it not enough for me to have one warm and loving story where the characters are just happy to be in love? Is that too much to ask?
Y'know, next year, all I'm going to indulge in is happy go-lucky reads and silly frolicking in the bushes for all the wonderful couples who spend lives without pain or prejudice. 😤😤
Ah, who am I kidding? Seeing broken souls rise above their unhappy lives of bullying and damaged hearts is something I thrive on - to have them attain happiness is my happiness, too. 🥺
Since the blurb doesn't allude to any triggering content, please do be mindful of the trigger warnings at the start of the story - bullying, homophobia, domestic abuse, and suicide thoughts, just to name a few. Hence, my above prelude. 😞 The blurb, however, does set up the premise of one trope that I have always faced difficulty with - communicating with the unknown. 💌 Here was a nice retrospective step back where Kinsley, a young boy hoping to find a girlfriend simply to appease his parents' old-fashioned views of dating someone into sports - 'an concerned possible romance - a simple letter that was meant for a girl but slipped into the wrong locker', leaves a letter of admiration in a locker of a girl he's set his eyes on. As their correspondence picks up, so does Kinsley's desire to finally confront the person of the beautiful voice behind the pen - one whose words resonate deeply within his soul - only to find that it wasn't who he thought it was - in the first place. 😥
So, what went wrong here? 😮💨 Ah, well, let me at least share what did appeal to me.
“I felt like I was the holder of a great big secret, the biggest secret, the secret that was mine and mine alone, and as I slipped the letter into the locker, all I could do was laugh and press my hands to my mouth to try and contain my crazy.
It was hard to stop the happiness, despite the fact that this was venturing dangerously into the unknown.”
The concept of having a wrong locker to set off a relationship is much like texting a wrong number and prompting a memorable connection; for that, I do like that it was such an old-take on that. 'I was smitten with the letters - I felt drawn to them on a level I couldn’t even understand.' And the letters were very emotional - there is a lot of pain on both sides of the fence - Kinsley aka Sparrow, and Green have their fair share of heartbreak and hurt that allows them to connect with one another. 'To think such a small act became something that was so monumental to me.' ❤️🩹❤️🩹
Some very meaningful and deep comments that made me believe in the hopeful prospect that their relationship would work out. Kinsley and Green may be complete opposites in personalities and high school stereotypes, but both have good hearts and it shows in their behavior and shines in their words. It's a different feeling to resort to writing - something so much more intimate and personal than texting or emailing. ✍🏻 'As long as he was okay, as long as he was my friend, it was enough. It had to be enough because it was all I was ever going to have. Right?' Even without knowing each other, they came to care for one another with some very tender and understanding interactions that helped them both in times of need - either artworks of comfort or reassuring gestures that alleviated their heartache. 🫂
“I found myself willing to drown if it meant one more letter, one more conversation, one more peek at who Green really was, on the inside.
To be more than letters, more than friends. To be together, but not at the same time. It was more than we had started off with.”
Green, in particular, once the reveal does happen, is shouldering so much; bullied by his father and forced into the notion that he can only ever be attracted to girls is one of the main compelling traits of their relationship. As jarring as it was to see Green's reluctance to admit that he could ever show any attraction to Kinsley, it was painstakingly very convincingly well-portrayed. 'You’re an angel, Green. But I hope you know that no matter how dark the world is, there’s a light waiting to shine down on you.' 😢 It was also the one that severely rattled me; how people are forced and convinced to believe that they can only ever love someone who is of the opposite gender, or in Kinsley's case - he needs to be with someone who's into sports - simply because that's what his parents expect of him.
“It was terrifying to be something different from what was expected of you, terrifying that I could disappoint them more than I already had by being something they didn’t expect or want me to be.”
The parent-child dynamic was also shown in a very alarming light; again, how do I end up in these situations??? 😫 Can't I just have a story with a healthy parent-child relationship? For both Green and Kinsley are suffering their fair share of burdens - victims in their own ways of mental and physical abuse at the hands of their parents. Realistic and tragic, it weighs heavily on the heart to see them carry the weight of neglect and torture that no one should ever have to inflict on their child. I don't want an apology - I want retribution. 'We were told from a young age to aspire to be like our parents, but what was there for me to aspire for?' 💔💔 But, it's also a heavy reflection of nature vs nurture that led to Kinsley and Green's relationship. How Green pushes Kinsley away - simply because he's a boy and can't be attracted to him, he just can't - and Kinsley's own reasoning for attempting to talk to someone this way - was simply to please his parents' desires. It's such an interesting set-up, that it makes you appreciate how it plays out. 😟
So, again, I ask myself, what went wrong here? What was lacking? Oh, words of the heart, please help me be kind here - despite how much I highlighted important texts that were meaningful, something about the writing did not suit my palette. I know it is a debut novel, but the sheer number of times, one or another character snorted in response was a little grating on my soul. 🙍🏻♀️ There was something a bit uneven and uncertain in the writing style that bothered me - I was not vibing with it. And I really need that connection to the writing, in order for me to care about the characters - for me to really care for their emotional angst and trauma. But, I wasn't feeling it, and that really does upset me, because I really think the story could be a much more rewarding one for me, if I just could feel it. 😔
I also didn't like Isabella; it's not that Kinsley's friendship with her seemed to take precedence over his developing relationship with Green, but the constant need to show their classmate's reaction to their physical intimacy or their close bond felt unnecessary. She grated on me with her personality and her presence; she just wasn't a likable fit for me. 😐 Also growing up, I was very physically affectionate with the boys in my class; and, even as a Muslim, no one ever drew much attention or speculation to our friendship, the way the high school students in this story behaved in response to even the smallest of their intimacy or affection. I don't know if it was intentional - to show how people's values and views are so small-minded, but it did detract my overall liking of the story. In fact, if Isabella got much less screen-time in the next book, I would not complain. 😒
“I didn’t realize how much I needed someone to be there until I had it. To realize this just made me cry harder and I felt more scared than I’d ever been before.
Scared to have it, scared to lose it; scared of what it could mean.”
All things considered, this still promises to be an interesting example of a slow-burn and also of an awakening. While it will be hard for Green to shed these ideas that have been so ingrained into him, it will also be interesting to see how his feelings for Kinsley may change - if they do even change. And for that, I am willing to give the second book in the series a shot. 🙏🏻
March 24, 2024
Nice story, TERRIBLE writing.
June 12, 2024
This was beyond bad!
Every single side character is a cartoon version of a villain; there is the cartoony jock bully, the cartoony omiss parents and how could I forget, the cartoony deadbeat dad. They all suck on different levels and yet none of it feels real because they are so exaggerated. And let’s not talk about the worst school administration ever conceived; every single teacher is either awful at their jobs, visibly abuses students or just doesn’t care. I was a little bit offended.
Narratively it sucks as well. Pages and pages of internal monologue with no action whatsoever. There was a point where I was just reading every five pages and I still didn’t miss any major events.
Terrible. Terrible Terrible.
Every single side character is a cartoon version of a villain; there is the cartoony jock bully, the cartoony omiss parents and how could I forget, the cartoony deadbeat dad. They all suck on different levels and yet none of it feels real because they are so exaggerated. And let’s not talk about the worst school administration ever conceived; every single teacher is either awful at their jobs, visibly abuses students or just doesn’t care. I was a little bit offended.
Narratively it sucks as well. Pages and pages of internal monologue with no action whatsoever. There was a point where I was just reading every five pages and I still didn’t miss any major events.
Terrible. Terrible Terrible.
January 11, 2024
100 Stars.. I've been so emotional for the entire time and I still am.
This is a special story, one of those I won’t forget and it's definitely one of this year's favourites.
Excellent writing.
I felt their words through my soul.
I fell in love with this story from the first moment, I felt connected with the cover, then with the blurb, then I started playing the playlist on repeat and read.. and I was hooked and my heart was open, from the very first page.
I immediately felt so close to Kinsley, his personality, his mood, his vulnerability, but Green killed me, his words and his fears and his tears melted me and made me cry.
While it's an immediate emotional connection between them, it's a slow burn romance-wise and I've loved every second of it. The connection they have didn't really need labels to feel intense, special and real in their fake world.
It's like if Sparrow and Green are colored and almost everything and everyone else around them is in grayscale.
Their souls came out from their letters, I hadn’t felt so emotional and connected with two characters and their story for a long time, also because there's something about YA books that bring me back to those years and the intensity of those feelings. I hadn’t read a YA in a while and I feel glad and lucky that this is the one I came across.
I immediately knew that I need to read the next book and the whole series. Mallory has a new fan ❤️
*ARC review*
This is a special story, one of those I won’t forget and it's definitely one of this year's favourites.
Excellent writing.
I felt their words through my soul.
I fell in love with this story from the first moment, I felt connected with the cover, then with the blurb, then I started playing the playlist on repeat and read.. and I was hooked and my heart was open, from the very first page.
I immediately felt so close to Kinsley, his personality, his mood, his vulnerability, but Green killed me, his words and his fears and his tears melted me and made me cry.
While it's an immediate emotional connection between them, it's a slow burn romance-wise and I've loved every second of it. The connection they have didn't really need labels to feel intense, special and real in their fake world.
It's like if Sparrow and Green are colored and almost everything and everyone else around them is in grayscale.
Their souls came out from their letters, I hadn’t felt so emotional and connected with two characters and their story for a long time, also because there's something about YA books that bring me back to those years and the intensity of those feelings. I hadn’t read a YA in a while and I feel glad and lucky that this is the one I came across.
I immediately knew that I need to read the next book and the whole series. Mallory has a new fan ❤️
*ARC review*
December 24, 2023
What a roller coaster such a wonderfully written story of teenagers but more importantly humans. it reminds us that we need to be human I absolutely loved this read I thought it was going to be rather difficult to read but I was sucked in wanting to know what happens between green and sparrow and continually rooting for them. If you need a book with all the feels pick this up I couldn’t get enough of it
May 15, 2024
the SLOWEST , most DRAGGED OUT book i’ve ever read.. i understand wanting to flesh out the characters but it felt like the same internal monologue was repeated after every conversation.
the ending was not only unsatisfying, it was abrupt and with no warning. absolutely no closure on the biggest storylines. if this was done as an attempt of a “cliffhanger” and tempt me to read the second, it’s failed miserably. i’m DONE, and will not read another 500 pages of waffle.
the ending was not only unsatisfying, it was abrupt and with no warning. absolutely no closure on the biggest storylines. if this was done as an attempt of a “cliffhanger” and tempt me to read the second, it’s failed miserably. i’m DONE, and will not read another 500 pages of waffle.
Read
April 19, 2024This is a first novel . . . or the first half of a novel.
The cover sold me. Also, I am attracted to books that involve hidden identities.
This could have easily been half the length. But the cover sold me, and I really find it hard to resist books about mistaken identities.
Important to note: This novel continues as Wrong Timing. . . . which also has a great cover.
The end.
The cover sold me. Also, I am attracted to books that involve hidden identities.
This could have easily been half the length. But the cover sold me, and I really find it hard to resist books about mistaken identities.
Important to note: This novel continues as Wrong Timing. . . . which also has a great cover.
The end.
Read
May 8, 2024I have never been this conflicted about a book so I’m not going to rate it. I would never recommend this book to anyone but I would lie if I said I didn’t enjoy it at times. Yes it has really questionable writing and needed some serious editing. Yes it felt like a Wattpad fanfic trying to be edgy that I would have ate up as a teen. But I did like the concept of getting to know someone by letters and I did care about the characters and wanted them to be happy and in love. The book truly shines when the two main characters are interacting and bantering especially by the end even though the book ended so abruptly I had whiplash. I also really appreciated the demisexual representation. HOWEVER I have some deeper issues I needed to talk about because I haven’t seen a lot of reviews discussing them so here they are:
-I get that the author is condoning homophobia by having the mean characters say homophobic slurs but there were so many it started to make me actually uncomfortable and questioning her intent a little. The internalized homophobia was well done though I would give her that but it was painful to read.
-I thought the book was written by a man because every girl in this book is seen has too girly, too shallow, too easy, and only wanting boy’s attention. One of the guys writing the letter is actually surprised that a girl could be that deep and the other is shocked that he is actually liking a girl that is not trying to hard to have his attention when they were in fact talking to each other all along, proving their point. The only exception to that was the guy’s best friend who is so not like other girls and is portrayed like the stereotypical Latina who screams all the time in Spanish and scares the boys away.
-Speaking of bad representation wtf was that mental illness representation? It wasn’t even developed it was only there to justify the unbelievable amount of hurt the two main characters were going through. There was so much trauma and trigger warnings in this book it started to feel like it was there for shock value and it became unrealistic.
-All the characters were just cartoons characters at this point especially the parents. They were the worst parents ever in a way that became almost laughable if I wasn’t in shock at how casually the author would write the most horrible stuff they were doing to their kids.
After stating all of these problems, I am unfortunately on my way to read the second book because I NEED to know if they finally get together. Despite it all I ship them, they are so fucking cute and relatable. The book truly has no right to be this addicting.
-I get that the author is condoning homophobia by having the mean characters say homophobic slurs but there were so many it started to make me actually uncomfortable and questioning her intent a little. The internalized homophobia was well done though I would give her that but it was painful to read.
-I thought the book was written by a man because every girl in this book is seen has too girly, too shallow, too easy, and only wanting boy’s attention. One of the guys writing the letter is actually surprised that a girl could be that deep and the other is shocked that he is actually liking a girl that is not trying to hard to have his attention when they were in fact talking to each other all along, proving their point. The only exception to that was the guy’s best friend who is so not like other girls and is portrayed like the stereotypical Latina who screams all the time in Spanish and scares the boys away.
-Speaking of bad representation wtf was that mental illness representation? It wasn’t even developed it was only there to justify the unbelievable amount of hurt the two main characters were going through. There was so much trauma and trigger warnings in this book it started to feel like it was there for shock value and it became unrealistic.
-All the characters were just cartoons characters at this point especially the parents. They were the worst parents ever in a way that became almost laughable if I wasn’t in shock at how casually the author would write the most horrible stuff they were doing to their kids.
After stating all of these problems, I am unfortunately on my way to read the second book because I NEED to know if they finally get together. Despite it all I ship them, they are so fucking cute and relatable. The book truly has no right to be this addicting.
May 15, 2024
3.25⭐️
Kinsley is a loner who's bullied in school. Forced to date by his parents, he tries to befriend and eventually ask out a girl through a letter. The letter ends up in the wrong locker and he starts a pen pal relationship with another, unbeknownst to both of them. When their identities are revealed, they both have to come to terms with their feelings.
Kinsley is a typical emo artsy guy with his loud, fun friend, who's picked on by school bullies and has uncaring and emotionally distant parents. Luke is popular, but is in a really shitty home situation with a clinically depressed mom who's not in treatment and physically abusive father. They find comfort in each other at first through the letters, and then as friends. Luke needs a reason to break out of his own depression and spiraling thoughts, while Kinsley needs to know there could be someone out there who accepts and loves him as he is. They're friends who are still working through their feelings for one another, trying to find the bravery to be true to who they are.
I didn't mind the story. It's a cute premise, the characters are dramatic but they're also young, and it was interesting enough. The writing left a bit to be desired. It was just long, repetitive, and could've used another round or two of editing. Football isn't in the spring.
My least favorite part was the ending. At the end of the second book, the author states that she had written the entirety of the first and second book, with bonus content, and then broke it in half. It's very obvious. The ending is pretty abrupt, and there's not really a complete plot from beginning to end in the first book. It just kinda stops out of the blue.
I was invested enough that I did go ahead and read the next book - I had gotten it for free anyways. And with how it left off, I definitely needed at least a little bit of resolution!
Read if you like:
• slow burn
• secret identity/pen pals
• friends to lovers
•••••••••••••••••••••
Very oddly specific SPOILERY thoughts about the book:
This sentence was written: "My eyes wide as i thought it about my thoughts"
The parents weirdly involved with dating yet never around - not even when they were both in the hospital multiple times?
Kennedy only 12-14 and planning marriage? With her mom! Being alone with her boyfriend? That was a little creepy
Football season was written as being in the spring and I'm still not over it.
I've read the word "cerulean" more times in this book than I've ever even seen it in my life.
Kinsley is a loner who's bullied in school. Forced to date by his parents, he tries to befriend and eventually ask out a girl through a letter. The letter ends up in the wrong locker and he starts a pen pal relationship with another, unbeknownst to both of them. When their identities are revealed, they both have to come to terms with their feelings.
Kinsley is a typical emo artsy guy with his loud, fun friend, who's picked on by school bullies and has uncaring and emotionally distant parents. Luke is popular, but is in a really shitty home situation with a clinically depressed mom who's not in treatment and physically abusive father. They find comfort in each other at first through the letters, and then as friends. Luke needs a reason to break out of his own depression and spiraling thoughts, while Kinsley needs to know there could be someone out there who accepts and loves him as he is. They're friends who are still working through their feelings for one another, trying to find the bravery to be true to who they are.
I didn't mind the story. It's a cute premise, the characters are dramatic but they're also young, and it was interesting enough. The writing left a bit to be desired. It was just long, repetitive, and could've used another round or two of editing. Football isn't in the spring.
My least favorite part was the ending. At the end of the second book, the author states that she had written the entirety of the first and second book, with bonus content, and then broke it in half. It's very obvious. The ending is pretty abrupt, and there's not really a complete plot from beginning to end in the first book. It just kinda stops out of the blue.
I was invested enough that I did go ahead and read the next book - I had gotten it for free anyways. And with how it left off, I definitely needed at least a little bit of resolution!
Read if you like:
• slow burn
• secret identity/pen pals
• friends to lovers
•••••••••••••••••••••
Very oddly specific SPOILERY thoughts about the book:
This sentence was written: "My eyes wide as i thought it about my thoughts"
The parents weirdly involved with dating yet never around - not even when they were both in the hospital multiple times?
Kennedy only 12-14 and planning marriage? With her mom! Being alone with her boyfriend? That was a little creepy
Football season was written as being in the spring and I'm still not over it.
I've read the word "cerulean" more times in this book than I've ever even seen it in my life.
December 3, 2023
I couldn't put it down! It's an easy read with so much emotion and a few surprises. Great examples of friendship.
May 8, 2024
The cover is beautiful, but we all know that old age saying, “you can’t judge a book by its cover”. In this case it is very true, the writing and story are nowhere near as beautiful as the cover. Given the blurb I was hoping for another Tales From Foster High Series by John Goode, it most definitely is not.
The story is of 2 boys exchanging letters bearing their souls to what they both think is a girl, thus “Wrong Locker”. This book is a rip off twist of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (disclosure – I didn’t care for this book either). The book is written from the prospective of both characters. This method of writing to me seems to be used to double the word count of a story without really adding anything as you are reading the same thing twice, just with a different voice. Both the boys seem to be written like they are really girls. This might not be PC but none of the teenage boys I knew growing up acted like these two, including myself. I guess this may make sense if you consider that the author is a female.
I am also not a fan of books that just abruptly end. Another gimmick just to try and sell another book.
The story is of 2 boys exchanging letters bearing their souls to what they both think is a girl, thus “Wrong Locker”. This book is a rip off twist of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (disclosure – I didn’t care for this book either). The book is written from the prospective of both characters. This method of writing to me seems to be used to double the word count of a story without really adding anything as you are reading the same thing twice, just with a different voice. Both the boys seem to be written like they are really girls. This might not be PC but none of the teenage boys I knew growing up acted like these two, including myself. I guess this may make sense if you consider that the author is a female.
I am also not a fan of books that just abruptly end. Another gimmick just to try and sell another book.
December 11, 2023
I wish I could 5 star this about 5 times! At first I didn't think I would really enjoy this book! Boy, was I wrong! I finished reading it a few nights ago, and I can't stop thinking about it! I absolutely fell in love with this book! 😍 I don't even know where to begin! It started out a bit slow, but it held suspense. It's more of a YA read since it is based in a high-school setting, but it does have triggers! Mallory has said she is writing a second book. Thank the Lord! I want to know what happens between the 3 teenagers! I relate to Kinsley and Luke in many ways, which I think is one reason I love it the way I do. I have so many opinions over this! I will be angry and upset if there isn't a second book! I will for sure be getting my hands on a physical copy of this and future books in this series! The way the book ended, I can invsion many ways this could go. I 10/10 Recommend this book! It's incredible! You did a great job on it, Mallory! I want to know more about my babies!
December 14, 2024
This book pmo so bad but i fucking love it.
October 9, 2024
I absolutely loved Kinsley and Luke and there are some really lovely, deep moments but this book needs some serious editing. It would be great if so! Also the book just kind of stopped, didn't really wrap up which was annoying. Good thing the sequel was already out.
February 16, 2025
this was a rollercoaster of emotions 4,5⭐️
December 16, 2024
this is one of those stories where you want more and more with every chapter that you read.
The characters were really cute. can’t wait to read the next one.
The characters were really cute. can’t wait to read the next one.
February 17, 2025
Gillar karaktärerna, speciellt Isabella och storyn är okej. Boken tycker jag personligen är dåligt skriven och är svår att ta sig igenom men jag gör det pga karaktärerna. Författaren ändrar ibland layout på huset o lägger till / tar bort rum vilket är förvirrande och ändrar saker karaktärerna aldrig sagt som att de har sagt det vilket är riktigt irriterande men men.
Sista sidan kunde lika bra vara slutet av ett vanligt kapitel, riktigt besviken. Hoppas bok 2 är bättre
Sista sidan kunde lika bra vara slutet av ett vanligt kapitel, riktigt besviken. Hoppas bok 2 är bättre
March 12, 2025
Breathtaking that’s literally the word that comes to mind from this book. I have had this book and the second book in my kindle for years now and I had never got to it until now .
This is how a slow burn should beeee😭😭 there was yearning and angst and it also delved into a lot of hard topics in such a beautiful way and the fact that the romance didn’t even start in the book shows you how slow burn it really is.
And it wrote high schoolers so well, usually when people wrote about high schooler there gets to a point that they start not feeling and talking like actual high schoolers.
Also fuck every adult in this book except Isabella’s mom like how could you literally see a kid be bullied almost to death and just because of the stupid privilege that the bully had no one did anything ??!!! Nahhh FUCK THAT!!
Isabella I love you, you literally remind me of my own best friends always ready to fight for me no matter what.
Ouuu Luke I honestly feel so bad for you and how the world and your own parents did such a disservice to you and your brother , I can’t wait to read more about you in the second book and I hope you finally let your walls down and let Kinsley love you the way you are supposed to be loved .
Fuck my tbr literally diving into book 2 right nowwwwww
This is how a slow burn should beeee😭😭 there was yearning and angst and it also delved into a lot of hard topics in such a beautiful way and the fact that the romance didn’t even start in the book shows you how slow burn it really is.
And it wrote high schoolers so well, usually when people wrote about high schooler there gets to a point that they start not feeling and talking like actual high schoolers.
Also fuck every adult in this book except Isabella’s mom like how could you literally see a kid be bullied almost to death and just because of the stupid privilege that the bully had no one did anything ??!!! Nahhh FUCK THAT!!
Isabella I love you, you literally remind me of my own best friends always ready to fight for me no matter what.
Ouuu Luke I honestly feel so bad for you and how the world and your own parents did such a disservice to you and your brother , I can’t wait to read more about you in the second book and I hope you finally let your walls down and let Kinsley love you the way you are supposed to be loved .
Fuck my tbr literally diving into book 2 right nowwwwww
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2025
DNF 36%
September 5, 2024
While yes it is written like a 2012 wattpad romance, I was hooked. I cried, I laughed, I love the characters. Does it need a few rounds with some editors? Sure. Did the writing style bring me a little bit of comfort as if I was 14 again reading fanfic to pass the time? Sure did!
October 13, 2024
This book had me in actual shambles. It both shattered my heart and made me kick my feet like a schoolgirl with a silly crush. Can't wat for a next part because I absolutely adored it!
May 14, 2024
Horrible things happen. No one helps these kids. The writing is flat and goes on and on needlessly. Just a waste of a good cover.
September 28, 2024
3.5 stars (half a star deducted for the uneven writing style, but rounded up due to the enjoyment factor 😊)
The story was very compelling, and I immediately liked both main characters. I'm also a big fan of slow burn romances, and the idea of the hidden identity was intriguing. All of these things worked for me and were the reason I kept reading because, honestly, the writing was pretty rough and immature, especially at the beginning.
I almost put the book down during the first chapter. The story just didn't flow. There was no balance between the physical actions of the characters and their inner monologue.
But what bugged me the most were the many badly written sentences. Things like "I smelled the smell of dinner and it made my mouth water" could have easily been avoided. I don't think the author has an editor, but shouldn't she have noticed these obvious things herself?
Fortunately, it got better the further the story progressed - or maybe I just got used to it. 😉 What I can say is that the author had me invested in the characters and interested in how it would all turn out. Even the sometimes very melodramatic way the characters thought about things couldn't deter me. They were teenagers after all, and at that age everything feels very intense.
It matched the way their home lifes were described. Greens parents acted very plausible in their toxic behavior. But Kinsleys parents seemed odd to me, in particular his father. On the one hand, he doesn't seem to care what he does and almost forgets about his existence. But on the other hand, he lets him pee in a cup to make sure he doesn't take drugs? And how he gets that tested we never get told. 🤨
It's just one of several things in the book that don't make a lot of sense. Like how that Roan guy who severely bullies Kinsley never faces any consequences because his mother is chief of police in their town. Even when he assaults him and he ends in the hospital with broken ribs and a concussion?!
But on a more positive note, what really worked for me here was the way their slowly blossoming romance was described. The way they developed feelings for each other, first through their correspondence and then getting to know each other directly, was very relatable and felt organic.
I truly adore both characters and need to know what happens to them and thus will pick up the next book in the series.
Though I do hope the writing gets better, the further this series goes along. That ending here was awfully abrupt. It just stopped. No concluding thoughts or anything. At least the second installment is already out, and I can dive right in. 😀
The story was very compelling, and I immediately liked both main characters. I'm also a big fan of slow burn romances, and the idea of the hidden identity was intriguing. All of these things worked for me and were the reason I kept reading because, honestly, the writing was pretty rough and immature, especially at the beginning.
I almost put the book down during the first chapter. The story just didn't flow. There was no balance between the physical actions of the characters and their inner monologue.
But what bugged me the most were the many badly written sentences. Things like "I smelled the smell of dinner and it made my mouth water" could have easily been avoided. I don't think the author has an editor, but shouldn't she have noticed these obvious things herself?
Fortunately, it got better the further the story progressed - or maybe I just got used to it. 😉 What I can say is that the author had me invested in the characters and interested in how it would all turn out. Even the sometimes very melodramatic way the characters thought about things couldn't deter me. They were teenagers after all, and at that age everything feels very intense.
It matched the way their home lifes were described. Greens parents acted very plausible in their toxic behavior. But Kinsleys parents seemed odd to me, in particular his father. On the one hand, he doesn't seem to care what he does and almost forgets about his existence. But on the other hand, he lets him pee in a cup to make sure he doesn't take drugs? And how he gets that tested we never get told. 🤨
It's just one of several things in the book that don't make a lot of sense. Like how that Roan guy who severely bullies Kinsley never faces any consequences because his mother is chief of police in their town. Even when he assaults him and he ends in the hospital with broken ribs and a concussion?!
But on a more positive note, what really worked for me here was the way their slowly blossoming romance was described. The way they developed feelings for each other, first through their correspondence and then getting to know each other directly, was very relatable and felt organic.
I truly adore both characters and need to know what happens to them and thus will pick up the next book in the series.
Though I do hope the writing gets better, the further this series goes along. That ending here was awfully abrupt. It just stopped. No concluding thoughts or anything. At least the second installment is already out, and I can dive right in. 😀
June 23, 2025
Wrong Locker, by Mallory Grant, is the first in the two-book Wrong series. It’s about two high school students who, despite their differences, come together in a mysterious way when they both need it the most. One has a great best friend and the other has no one. One’s family treats him as though he isn’t even part of the family, simply an object of disappointment, while the other wishes for a moment’s peace within their family.
I have such mixed feelings about this book. I loved parts of it and disliked others. Let’s get the negative out of the way and end on a positive note, shall we? First, the dark parts are really dark, rife with bullying, abuse, and assault that goes on and on without punishment of any type. Years of abuse and assault, to the point of victims being hospitalized, and no one was ever held accountable, or even reported. Way too much for my liking. There’s also so much despair that I wondered if any happiness would fall upon the main characters. It does, in a way, just not as much as I would have liked to have seen.
Then there are the numerous grammar and punctuation errors, and misspelled words, enough to frustrate me and take me out of the story again and again. And while I do appreciate the way slow burns build a story, I felt this was too slow of a burn. Things were repeated again and again, as though too much “filler” was added, while some things just didn’t make any sense whatsoever.
Now for the good news. This story, and the “relationship” between the main characters is so sweet that it brought joy to my heart. I couldn’t help but feel for them, hoping that some good would come from all the pain. The character development was done so well that I feel like I know them. The writing made me want to reach out, hug them, protect them, and tell them to hang in there, that things will get better. Even the development of the antagonists was so well done that I truly wanted justice to step in and put them in their place. My emotions were all over the place; anger, joy, despair, hope, love. It was truly a roller coaster of emotions, one that held me captive, wanting me to read and read, to find out just how things turn out in the end.
Despite the negatives I’ve mentioned, I still think this is a great story, giving it a 4 out of 5, and looking forward to reading the sequel.
I have such mixed feelings about this book. I loved parts of it and disliked others. Let’s get the negative out of the way and end on a positive note, shall we? First, the dark parts are really dark, rife with bullying, abuse, and assault that goes on and on without punishment of any type. Years of abuse and assault, to the point of victims being hospitalized, and no one was ever held accountable, or even reported. Way too much for my liking. There’s also so much despair that I wondered if any happiness would fall upon the main characters. It does, in a way, just not as much as I would have liked to have seen.
Then there are the numerous grammar and punctuation errors, and misspelled words, enough to frustrate me and take me out of the story again and again. And while I do appreciate the way slow burns build a story, I felt this was too slow of a burn. Things were repeated again and again, as though too much “filler” was added, while some things just didn’t make any sense whatsoever.
Now for the good news. This story, and the “relationship” between the main characters is so sweet that it brought joy to my heart. I couldn’t help but feel for them, hoping that some good would come from all the pain. The character development was done so well that I feel like I know them. The writing made me want to reach out, hug them, protect them, and tell them to hang in there, that things will get better. Even the development of the antagonists was so well done that I truly wanted justice to step in and put them in their place. My emotions were all over the place; anger, joy, despair, hope, love. It was truly a roller coaster of emotions, one that held me captive, wanting me to read and read, to find out just how things turn out in the end.
Despite the negatives I’ve mentioned, I still think this is a great story, giving it a 4 out of 5, and looking forward to reading the sequel.
May 7, 2025
i rarely give bad reviews like almost all of the books ive rated 5 stars are like 4 but for me to give this a 2 is crazy. its a decent book. A slooooow burn. and noooothing got resolved. i get that there is a second book however i will not be reading that. nooothing got resolved in this book until the end. what happened to roan? What happened to Luke's mom or shawn? And if it is a slow burn they SHOULD eventually get together like. And the angst was just SOOOOOO much and soooo annoying like I GET IT BUT ALSO AS A READER LIKE READING ABOUT LUKE BEING INSECURE AND HAVING INTERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA DOOOES GET ANNOYING LIKE WEEE GET IT WE GET IT U DONT WANNA ADMIT UR FEELING WHATEVEEER. AND THE MENTION OF KINSLEYS EYES LIKE WE HOOOOOONESTLY GET IT. WE HOOOONESTLY DO. the 2 stars are for isabella and her mother like the humor they gave to the story was good even tho it kinda like got weird at times. THE STORY I CANT EVEN TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE THERE ISNT MUCH OF ANYTHING? ART CLUB PLOTLINE THROWN OUT. WHY IS LUKE SMOKING? JUST SOOOO RANDOM... AND THE CUTTING PLOTLINE WSSNT RESOLVED. LIKE WHAT AM I READING THIS FOR EXACTLY? AND THE FLUFF WASNT EVEN FLUFF???? actually ill stop writing because the book was long and IM GLAD THAT I READ IT AFTER HAVING IT ON MY LIST BUT TRUUUULY cannot recommend this. IT DID HAVE POSITIVE SIDES OFC BUT THE STORY AND SOMR OF THE CHARACTERS ARE JUST SOOOOO AND SOOO MUCH SHIT GOT REPEATEEED LIKE OKAAAAAY WE GOT ITTT
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2024
I went into this book thinking it sounded a lot like the Wattpad fanfics I read when I was younger, and it ended up being exactly that. I can’t even lie, the writing in this was pretty terrible. While I thought the plot was similar to those Wattpad stories, I didn’t expect the writing to be quite that juvenile, but it was. There were so many little inconsistencies that kept confusing me and it seriously needed a few more rounds of editing. However, this book really has a heart and the story itself was incredibly meaningful and captivating to me.
Do I think this is a work of genius? Definitely not, but I did find myself compelled to keep reading and I got really invested in the lives of the characters. I would say the characters absolutely carried this book and were the reason I stuck it out.
This book was exactly what I would’ve been reading in middle school, but that almost made it more special to me because it really transported me back to that time in my life and I was able to relate to what the characters were going through.
Despite the issues with this book, I did enjoy reading it and will absolutely be continuing the series because I’m dying to know what will happen with these characters.
Do I think this is a work of genius? Definitely not, but I did find myself compelled to keep reading and I got really invested in the lives of the characters. I would say the characters absolutely carried this book and were the reason I stuck it out.
This book was exactly what I would’ve been reading in middle school, but that almost made it more special to me because it really transported me back to that time in my life and I was able to relate to what the characters were going through.
Despite the issues with this book, I did enjoy reading it and will absolutely be continuing the series because I’m dying to know what will happen with these characters.
April 8, 2024
To start off, this is not a complete book. I don't mean this is the first in a series, I mean the narrative just abruptly stops in a seemingly-random moment, to be picked up in a further book.
I SHOULD have DNFed it, but more the fool me, I read the entire thing. I will definitely not be reading the follow-up book.
If you're going to build a romance around correspondence, that correspondence needs to be pretty spectacular. If you're going to do a slow burn, the rest of the novel needs to be interesting enough to keep me engaged. The correspondence was meh and the novel was super-heavily padded with extraneous details. The weird part of an unfinished story is that it was also way too long.
And oh god, the parents. The families in this book don't remotely pass the "actual human behavior" smell test. All the parents are cartoonishly awful in ways that don't feel authentic. The author tries to have the same set of parents be both neglectful and invasively controlling. Those things don't go together! This isn't just melodrama, it's just not well-thought-out.
This isn't worth your time.
I SHOULD have DNFed it, but more the fool me, I read the entire thing. I will definitely not be reading the follow-up book.
If you're going to build a romance around correspondence, that correspondence needs to be pretty spectacular. If you're going to do a slow burn, the rest of the novel needs to be interesting enough to keep me engaged. The correspondence was meh and the novel was super-heavily padded with extraneous details. The weird part of an unfinished story is that it was also way too long.
And oh god, the parents. The families in this book don't remotely pass the "actual human behavior" smell test. All the parents are cartoonishly awful in ways that don't feel authentic. The author tries to have the same set of parents be both neglectful and invasively controlling. Those things don't go together! This isn't just melodrama, it's just not well-thought-out.
This isn't worth your time.
June 8, 2024
I really enjoyed this because I loved Kinsley and Luke together and their personality! They were such broken boys, but they found solace in each other, and I think that’s so special.
There’s a lot of difficult topics in this book that make it hard to read sometimes.
I know they can’t get together right away, but the slow burn killed me! I just wanted them to be together, but if took forever for them to even meet in person. It really dragged for a while, but I loved them together and them separately so much that I had to keep reading. Even by the end I was so desperate for them to even kiss because the tension was insane!
A lot of words and phrases were repeated CONSTANTLY throughout the book, which could have been cut out. Sometimes the same thing was said more than once on the same page. That was something that I wasn’t a huge fan on.
It ended way too abruptly. It just ended on a random scene while it still felt like things could keep happening. It’s a good thing the second book is out already otherwise I would have been so mad.
I am excited to see how their relationship develops! I am so glad they have comfort in each other.
There’s a lot of difficult topics in this book that make it hard to read sometimes.
I know they can’t get together right away, but the slow burn killed me! I just wanted them to be together, but if took forever for them to even meet in person. It really dragged for a while, but I loved them together and them separately so much that I had to keep reading. Even by the end I was so desperate for them to even kiss because the tension was insane!
A lot of words and phrases were repeated CONSTANTLY throughout the book, which could have been cut out. Sometimes the same thing was said more than once on the same page. That was something that I wasn’t a huge fan on.
It ended way too abruptly. It just ended on a random scene while it still felt like things could keep happening. It’s a good thing the second book is out already otherwise I would have been so mad.
I am excited to see how their relationship develops! I am so glad they have comfort in each other.
December 25, 2023
I was drawn to this book by the cover and the blurb, and while I enjoyed the story I did find it a bit all over the place story wise and a little to wordy. I loved the characters and stuck with the story because of Kinsley and Luke, they were both such lovely boys struggling with horrible circumstances. The simplicity of the wrong locker is a beautiful base for the friendship that forms between Sparrow and Green and I feel the realness of the high school situation was well represented.
I would of given this book another star but the ending was so abrupt I thought I must of skipped a page (or a chapter) I understand this is the first book in a series but there was a very definite and sudden finish in the story which left me feeling a bit ripped off.
Also please be aware of possible trigger warming, these aren't mentioned at the start of the book, homophobia, domestic abuse, alcohol abuse/addiction, domestic violence against a child, bulling and abuse, self harm, mention of suicide attempt, suicidal ideation.
I would of given this book another star but the ending was so abrupt I thought I must of skipped a page (or a chapter) I understand this is the first book in a series but there was a very definite and sudden finish in the story which left me feeling a bit ripped off.
Also please be aware of possible trigger warming, these aren't mentioned at the start of the book, homophobia, domestic abuse, alcohol abuse/addiction, domestic violence against a child, bulling and abuse, self harm, mention of suicide attempt, suicidal ideation.
February 19, 2024
This book was emotional, moving, and beautiful. It was real in a way I think everyone can relate to. The struggles of a teen as they try to figure out who they are and where they fit in this world is something that I think everyone goes through and this book addresses some very real issues. I cried, I smiled, I laughed, and I felt like I got the chance to grow along with these boys as they struggled with the confusion of not quite fitting in, in a small town, in their school, in their families. Not feeling accepted, or able to be who they really are, or even really able to have a chance to find out who they might be. I think every teen should read something like this, whether they have the same struggles that Luke and Kinsley have or not, this book made me feel seen, and everyone should know that those feelings you have, that voice that might hold you back that no one else knows about- you aren’t the only one.
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