Name: My Dearest Darkest
ISBN: 9781728236414

Kayla Cottingham

Two girls, inexplicably linked. An ancient creature rising in the dark. And a town on the verge of being devoured. My Dearest Darkest is a sharp, feminist horror debut, about girls claiming their power, and the price we sometimes pay for wanting. Finch Chamberlain is the newest transfer student to the ultra-competitive Ulalume Academy... but she's also not what she seems. Months before school started, Finch and her parents got into an accident that should have left her dead at the bottom of the ocean. But something monstrous, and ancient, and terrifying, wouldn't let her drown. Finch doesn't know why she woke up after her heart stopped, but since dying she's felt a constant pull from the school and the surrounding town of Rainwater, like something on the island is calling to her. Selena St. Claire sees right through Finch, and she knows something is seriously wrong with her. But despite Selena's suspicion, she feels drawn to Finch and has a sinking feeling that from now on the two will be inexplicably linked to one another. One night Finch, Selena, and her friends accidentally summon a carnivorous creature of immense power in the depths of the school. It promises to grant every desire the girls have kept locked away in their insecure hearts--beauty, power,adoration--in exchange for a price: human body parts. But as the cost of their wanting becomes more deadly, Finch and Selena must learn to work together to stop the horror they unleashed, before it consumes the entire island.

My Dearest Darkest

grace richards

Carrington Kinslow

"While all towns have their ghosts, Rainwater's were special. The island had a habit of keeping things long after they were gone. And when Finch Chamberlin stepped foot into Rainwater, Maine... it decided to keep her." 

I have to admit, it took me a while to really get into "My Dearest Darkest." I didn't find the plot to be as clear it could have been, there seemed to be a lot of directions we were going in that never got elaborated on. I wasn't hooked until our two main characters, Finch and Selena, were acquainted with one another. This is when the plot really began moving and it got a little clearer where this was going.

There were several things that I assumed would be brought up at some point, but never were. I could overlook most of them, but one that seemed a bit glaring to me was the reveal of Finch's... current state? Trying not to be spoilery here. On one hand, I found it to be really predictable (didn't mind that though) but also a really huge deal that deserved more explanation and a sound ending. There are some other plots I thought got left underdeveloped as well, such as Kyra's interactions with Nerosi and Nerosi's past with former Ulalume Academy students. This didn't make me dislike the book by any means, but I think this book could have been much longer if these (several) loose ends had been tied up, and I would have gladly read all of it. I'm honestly wishing this had been about as long as "Plain Bad Heroines" (another great sapphic horror).

The strength of this book is definitely found in the characters. Finch and Selena are very well-written and they have amazing chemistry. I am also so happy they were not victims of an insta-love plot that I find to be plaguing the YA genre lately. I wouldn't go as far as calling them a slow-burn, but they had great development that I loved reading. The side characters are also wonderful, specifically Simon and Sumera. Sumera in particular is a character I wish we had actually gotten a little more from. 

I think that the cover of this book (and some of the marketing) presents "My Dearest Darkest" as more of a mystery/thriller, but this ended up being way more of a horror book. Horror books don't really ever have an impact on me, but I actually found this to be pretty creepy and unsettling. Though, I think that the horror of the final act got a little lost by being over-the-top. It seemed a little too ambitious for what the rest of the book had been. The horror elements were best when Cottingham took a more subtle approach, letting the eeriness creep up on you. 

Overall, I had a lot of fun with this, though it took me a bit to get there. And with that ending, I can see Cottingham choosing to turn this into a series! I would be thrilled to read more in this world, especially following these great characters to Boston and maybe finding some spooky stuff there? I'm feeling a dark academia horror! I highly recommend this to any mystery/thriller/horror readers, any sapphic lit. readers, or anyone wanting to dabble in paranormal fiction! This is a great one to start with. Also, great for any fans of "The Grimrose Girls." 

Kayla Cottingham is an author to watch!

Pros:
Sapphic yearning
Creepy
Great cast of characters

Cons:
Predictable
Underdeveloped/Loose ends
Underwhelming final act

"My Dearest Darkest" - 4/5 Stars

Jana Jenkinns 

This book was everything I wanted and more. I love Finch. I love Selena. I love Rainwater. I can't express how much I loved this book.


edit:
I'm not even exactly sure where to start with this review, other than saying this book was absolutely everything I wanted and needed all at once. Cottingham's debut has skyrocketed her to the top of my must watch authors list. I fell in love with Finch and Selena and the entire vibe of Rainwater. This book gave me all the life I had been missing from my recent reads. I couldn't put it down an found myself reading late at night, and unable to sleep with thoughts of what Finch and friends would do next in their quest to save Rainwater. It wasn't overly steeped in horror, but had all the perfect additions of creepy in all the perfect places that left me wanting more and more. I cannot wait to own a copy of this book, I cannot wait to follow Cottingham's career. Am deceased. Am obsessed. Cannot get enough of My Dearest Darkest. All of the stars for this amazing book.