Kayla Cottingham Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

About Kayla Cottingham

An American Young Adult author of largely fantasy and horror fiction, Kayla Cottingham has fast become an international success. Using her imagination, she has a real creative sense of scope and scale when it comes to telling stories that are unique and different, yet say something universal. Taking her readers on a journey, she provides a sense of excitement and escapism, while also offering a clear message of her own through it all. As a bestselling novelist, her work has reached readers from all over the world, as audiences far and wide can easily relate to her writing.

Continually pushing the boundaries of what the genre can do, Cottingham understands perfectly what it is that she wants from her fiction. Writing in a confident and articulate manner, she takes her writing in fresh new and unique directions that the reader would never expect. This idiosyncratic approach has seen her become a firm favorite for many, finding her place on the bookshelves of countless readers from all over. Letting her work essentially speak for itself, she’s become a household name, with critics and the general public alike singing her many praises.

The characters that Cottingham creates are another key element of her work, as they really do feel alive upon the page. Many of the people that populate her stories feel wholly real, as she carefully crafts three-dimensional personalities that seem to speak to her audience. Making an impression, they remain with the reader long after they’ve put the book down, while making sure they keep coming back for more. With lots more still set to come in the near future, she doesn’t appear to be putting her pen away any time soon, as she continues both upwards and onwards.

Early and Personal Life

Born in Salt Lake City in Utah, in the United State, Kayla Cottingham was born and raised there with a love of literature from an early age. She would become keenly interesting in reading and writing, developing her talent for storytelling from early on, becoming an articulate an intelligent writer. Continuing to refine and hone her voice, she would nurture it, establishing herself as an author with something clear to say.

Moving to Boston she often goes on hikes through the woods there, constantly looking for her next big idea to inspire her. Often playing RPGs as well, she takes a lot of her inspiration from the world around her, using many of her own experiences to draw from. Currently living in Boston to this very day, she continues to write regularly and consistently, all while working as a librarian as well,

Writing Career

The first novel that Kayla Cottingham would publish was titled ‘My Dearest Darkest,’ and it was released in 2022. This would be a stand-alone horror novel aimed primarily at a Young Adult audience, as it would go on to fully establish her as an author to watch. Reaching the top of the New York Times as well as the Publisher’s Weekly bestseller lists, it would fast become a popular publishing sensation.

Not focusing on any series as such, Cottingham would mainly write self-contained stand-alone stories over the course of her career. Following on from her first book with another horror in 2023, she would go on to publish her next Young Adult book called ‘This Delicious Death.’ Maintaining a presence online as well, she regularly communicates with her fans, keeping them continually updated on a regular basis.

My Dearest Darkest

First released through the ‘Sourcebooks Fire’ publishing imprint in 2022 on the 29th of March, this would come out to much anticipation. A stand-alone Young Adult novel, this would be the literary debut of Kayla Cottingham as an author, introducing her to the reading public at large for the first time. Her work would prove to be hugely successful, fast becoming a bestseller for many readers both nationally and internationally, as it was easy to pick up, yet harder to put down.

Transferring to the highly competitive Ulalume Academy, Finch Chamberlin is the newest student there, but there’s more to her than meets the eye. Prior to starting the school she fell into a lake while on a boat with her mother, and she should of drowned, but, despite being dead for a while, she was brought back from the deep. Now in the town of Rainwater she constantly feels the pull of the island where she almost drowned, and creatures from beyond threaten to emerge. Will Selena St. Clair discover Finch’s secrets, how will they fare against the monster they summon, and what will become of them as they both proclaim ‘my dearest darkest?’

This paranormal horror story was extremely entertaining to read, as it grips its audience from the very first page to the last. Each of the characters were extremely well crafted, as they felt genuine and real, as the reader could really relate to Finch and Selena. There’s some genuinely creepy moments, and the ambiance is expertly crafted, making this a hugely compelling story on every level.

This Delicious Death

Coming out through the ‘Sourcebooks Fire’ publishing house once again, this first arrived in 2023 on the 25th of April. Also a stand-alone Young Adult horror title, this was a stand-alone story too, with its own entirely self-contained narrative. Straightforward and accessible, it’s an easy book to get into, with interesting characters and plenty of humor at the heart of it as well.

Known to many as The Hollowing, a small but considerable percentage of society has undergone a transformation following the release of a pathogen into the atmosphere from a melting arctic permafrost. This event happened three years ago, and those that were effected would have an insatiable appetite for human flesh, going feral if they weren’t able to get it. Now with synthetic flesh as a solution, Celeste, Valeria, and Zoey are three ‘ghouls’ who live off the SynFlesh product, and they head to a desert music festival. But where has Val gone feral too, and who is on the rampage at the festival, is someone actually drugging the ghouls, and why would they want to cause this delicious death?

As an interesting take on the zombie genre, this provides something quite different, making for a fresh and unique story. With something intelligent to say underneath it all as well, it’s got a powerful message at the heart of it, making for a more than engaging novel. It’s written in an entertaining manner too, as it’s a must for both fans of the author and of the horror genre as a whole.