Celebrating the originality, imagination and extraordinary variety of fiction written for teenagers and young adults, the YA Book Prize has revealed its ten-book shortlist for 2026. From mythological romance and high-stakes fantasy to murder mysteries, historical love stories and funny contemporary adventures, this year’s selection offers something for almost every young reader.

What is the YA Book Prize?

Launched in 2014, the YA Book Prize celebrates outstanding fiction for teenagers and young adults, shining a spotlight on compelling stories, distinctive voices and bold publishing from the UK and Ireland.

The prize was founded to encourage more young people to read and to raise the profile of the authors creating exceptional books for them. It is organised by The Bookseller in partnership with the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

The ten-book shortlist is selected by a team at The Bookseller. The winning book is then chosen by a judging panel that brings together publishing and literary experts with teenage readers. Judges are asked to consider both the quality of the writing and whether they would enthusiastically recommend the book to young adults.

The winner of the YA Book Prize 2026 will be announced at a live ceremony during the Edinburgh International Book Festival on 27th August 2026. While we wait, meet the ten brilliant books in contention.

The Ten Books on the 2026 YA Book Prize Shortlist

A Beautiful Evil by Bea Fitzgerald

Inspired by Greek mythology, A Beautiful Evil reimagines the story of Pandora, the first human woman. Created by the gods to become the wife of the titan Epimatheos, Pandora expects to find love and purpose in her new life. Instead, she discovers that her intended husband wants nothing to do with her.

As Pandora and Matheos begin investigating the mysterious reasons behind her creation, their difficult relationship starts to change. Romance, mythology and questions of identity combine in a story about a young woman determined to discover who she is beyond the role chosen for her by the gods.

Mondays Are Murder by Ravena Guron

Kay reluctantly returns to the quiet hometown she left following the devastating death of her friend Ivy. She is already struggling with painful memories when an anonymous letter arrives, warning her that she will be murdered in exactly one week.

With the days rapidly disappearing, Kay must uncover who is threatening her and whether the danger is connected to Ivy’s death. Full of secrets, suspects and unsettling twists, Mondays Are Murder is a tense YA thriller with a deadly countdown at its heart.

Heartbreaker by Anika Hussain

When notorious heartbreaker Fahim hurts Saachi’s best friend, Saachi decides it is time to give him a taste of his own medicine. Her plan is simple: make Fahim fall hopelessly in love with her and then break his heart, just as he has broken the hearts of so many other girls.

Unfortunately, Operation Heartbreaker becomes far more complicated when Saachi begins to enjoy Fahim’s company and suspects there may be more to him than his reputation suggests. This funny and romantic story asks what happens when a carefully planned act of revenge leads to some very real feelings.

The Boy I Love by William Hussey

Set during the First World War, The Boy I Love follows Stephen as he returns, wounded and heartbroken, to the trenches. There he meets Private Danny McCormick, a clever and talented young soldier with whom he forms an immediate and powerful connection.

Their growing love is forbidden by both the army and the society in which they live. As the Battle of the Somme approaches, Stephen and Danny must confront the dangers of war as well as the terrible consequences they could face if their relationship were discovered. It is a moving historical love story about courage, survival and finding hope in the darkest circumstances.

Heir of Storms by Lauryn Hamilton Murray

Blaze has been feared and rejected since the day of her birth, when her arrival summoned a catastrophic storm that killed thousands of people. She has grown up believing that she is dangerous, unwanted and destined to remain an outsider.

Everything changes when Blaze and her twin brother, Flint, are chosen to enter a series of trials that will determine the empire’s next rulers. At the magnificent Golden Palace, Blaze encounters political intrigue, dangerous rivals, fierce competition and unexpected romance. To claim the crown, she must decide whether the power she has always feared might actually be her greatest strength.

Skipshock by Caroline O’Donoghue

Margo is travelling by train when she suddenly slips into another dimension and arrives in New Davia. It is a world shaped by rebellion, sealed borders and strict restrictions on travel, where time itself determines status and power.

Desperate to find her way home, Margo must navigate this strange society while facing the frightening discovery that her youth is gradually slipping away. Yet New Davia also holds someone she may not be ready to leave behind. Imaginative and romantic, Skipshock blends speculative fantasy with questions about time, belonging and what we are prepared to sacrifice for love.

The Five, edited by Elgan Rhys and translated by Mared Roberts

Created through a collaborative writing process, The Five follows a year in the interconnected lives of five very different teenagers attending a secondary school in north-west Wales.

Each young person has their own voice, experiences and challenges, but their lives gradually come together as they navigate school, identity, relationships and the pressures of growing up. Their differences sometimes test their new community, but also become its source of strength. This warm and thoughtful coming-of-age novel celebrates friendship, individuality and the importance of finding people who accept you as you are.

Traumaland by Josh Silver

As the anniversary of the car crash that nearly killed him approaches, Eli remains emotionally numb and unable to process what happened. His family and therapist want to help, but Eli is becoming increasingly desperate to feel something again.

That desperation leads him to Traumaland, a secret underground club where visitors experience terrifying virtual reality simulations in search of ever more extreme thrills. What initially appears to offer an escape soon reveals a much darker purpose, drawing Eli into a dangerous mystery. Traumaland is a gripping speculative thriller exploring trauma, emotional vulnerability and the risks people take to feel alive.

Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven

Evelyn remembers every one of her past lives. She also remembers that, in each of them, the same mysterious enemy has murdered her before she reaches her 18th birthday.

With her latest 18th birthday approaching, Evelyn must finally identify and defeat the person who has hunted her across centuries. But the relationship between them is far more complicated than simple hatred. In lifetime after lifetime, Evelyn has found herself drawn to the very person destined to kill her. Combining fantasy, mystery and romance, Our Infinite Fates is an epic story of love, fate and lives repeatedly cut short.

The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King by Harry Trevaldwyn

Patch has made an important decision: this will be the year he finally gets a boyfriend. His confidence is considerable, even if his romantic experience is not, and the arrival of two mysterious new boys at drama club appears to offer the perfect opportunity.

With the enthusiastic support of his best friend Jean, Patch throws himself into his mission with theatrical flair and very little concern for the possibility of embarrassment. Funny, joyful and packed with romantic mishaps, The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King is a warm-hearted story about friendship, first love and discovering that real life does not always follow the script.

The YA Book Prize 2026 shortlist demonstrates just how broad and exciting young adult fiction can be. These ten books transport readers from the trenches of the First World War and the palaces of fantasy empires to Welsh classrooms, dangerous virtual worlds and relationships unfolding across countless lifetimes.

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