Below is the complete list of Serena Valentino books in order. For each series, the chronological reading order is the same as the order of publication.
Publication Order of Disney Villains Books
Publication Order of GloomCookie Books
Publication Order of Nightmares & Fairy Tales Books
Publication Order of Standalone Books
Publication Order of Villains Graphic Novel Books
About Serena Valentino
Serena Valentino is an American bestselling author and comic book writer known for her dark fantasy, Gothic storytelling, and imaginative reinterpretations of familiar fairy tales. Best known for her Disney Villains series, she explores the hidden histories, emotional vulnerabilities, and complicated motivations of characters traditionally portrayed as evil. Her fiction combines supernatural horror, mythology, psychological drama, and tragic romance, frequently examining how betrayal, grief, and personal circumstances can transform individuals into feared antagonists.
Valentino began her literary career in independent comics, developing a distinctive approach to fantasy that combined elaborate visual storytelling with unsettling supernatural themes. Her early work established an interest in unconventional protagonists, haunted environments, and characters whose outward appearances conceal complicated emotional lives.
She created GloomCookie, a Gothic fantasy comic series that began publication in 1999. Set within an interconnected world of supernatural beings, dark romance, and mysterious rivalries, the series explores relationships between vampires, witches, and other extraordinary characters. Its mixture of Gothic aesthetics, horror, and emotional intrigue helped establish Valentino’s reputation within independent comics.
She subsequently created Nightmares & Fairy Tales, an illustrated horror anthology that reimagines familiar stories through darker and more disturbing perspectives. Beginning with Once Upon a Time (2004), the collected editions feature narratives involving supernatural threats, haunted places, and the unsettling consequences of wishes and desires.
These early comics helped define the storytelling approach that would become central to her later novels. Rather than treating monsters and villains as inherently evil, Valentino frequently examines the personal histories and emotional experiences that shape their behaviour.
Her breakthrough in prose fiction came with Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen (2009), the opening novel of her Disney Villains series. Inspired by the Evil Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the book explores the character’s earlier life, insecurities, and gradual transformation into the antagonist familiar from the animated film.
Valentino expanded the series with The Beast Within (2014), examining the troubled history of the prince from Beauty and the Beast. Poor Unfortunate Soul (2016) followed Ursula from The Little Mermaid, while Mistress of All Evil (2017) explored Maleficent’s experiences before the events of Sleeping Beauty.
A defining feature of the Villains novels is their interconnected mythology. Recurring characters, particularly the mysterious Odd Sisters, influence events across multiple stories. Their involvement allows Valentino to develop a larger fictional history linking otherwise separate Disney narratives.
Later instalments explore Mother Gothel, Cruella de Vil, Lady Tremaine, Captain Hook, and Hades. Kill the Beast (2024) examines Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, while Heartbroken (2025) focuses on the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland.
The series became a New York Times bestseller and established Valentino as an influential writer of villain-centred fairy-tale fiction. Her approach emphasises psychological complexity without necessarily excusing the characters’ destructive decisions.
Valentino has also adapted portions of the Villains series into graphic novels, including Evil Thing and Fairest of All. These editions combine her original storytelling with illustrated interpretations of the characters and their histories.
Outside Disney fiction, Valentino wrote Raising the Horseman (2022), a young adult Gothic novel inspired by Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The story follows Kat Van Tassel, a descendant of Katrina Van Tassel, as she confronts family expectations, romantic uncertainty, and supernatural mysteries connected to the legendary Headless Horseman.
Her bibliography also includes the humorous supernatural guides How to Be a Zombie and How to Be a Werewolf, reflecting her longstanding fascination with Gothic creatures and horror traditions.
Valentino’s writing is distinguished by its emphasis on atmosphere, emotional motivation, and the blurred boundaries between innocence and villainy. She frequently places familiar characters in unfamiliar psychological circumstances, revealing how personal loss, manipulation, and obsession contribute to their choices.
Across her comics, novels, and fairy-tale reinterpretations, Valentino has developed a recognisable literary identity rooted in dark fantasy. Her work explores the stories hidden behind monstrous reputations, questioning how villains are created and whether understanding their past can change the way their actions are perceived.