NOVEMBER 6TH, 2026
YA BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHRISTMAS 2026
I love buying books as Christmas presents, but the challenge for me is finding a novel that suits the recipient's taste and that he or she hasn’t already read. So I researched the latest YA titles for my Christmas shopping list.
Hopefully, this will help with your gift selection for YA fantasy, horror, sci-fi, or dystopian fiction fans in your life.
Fantasy
Traitors’ Nest by Frances Hardinge features a 15-year-old protagonist, Burr, living in a 12th-century feudal world where castles can be physically moved by higher powers. When a castle is moved into Burr’s village and takes the village’s resources, Burr’s father leads an uprising with dire consequences. This fantasy novel gets great reviews.
The Knave and the Moon by Rachel Gillig, book 2 in the Stonewater Kingdom series, is a gothic romantasy set in a fictional medieval world. It features a dark magic system and religious lore, with plenty of unexpected plot twists. There is also witty banter between the characters, especially the talking gargoyle, Bartholomew.
To check out our review of another Rachel Gillig book, the highly acclaimed One Dark Window, read 3 Mind-Blowing YA Fantasy Books That Will Hook You From Page One.
Twelve Dark Hours by Amber Hamilton, a dark academia romantasy, inspired by Cinderella, ideal for fans of Powerless and The Cruel Prince. The novel follows the students at the Gossemort School of Magic as they spend 12 hours completing three increasingly deadly trials before morning.
The Last King of Faerie by Cassandra Clare, the first book in a new trilogy, The Wicked Powers, set within the Shadowhunters Chronicles universe. It builds on past relationships and events. As a fan of these books, this is a must-read for me!
Shadow Reaper by Lynette Noni: A deadly black mist kills anything it touches, and reapers roam the streets, stealing magic and life force from children. 17-year-old Viri is a trained reaper hunter who seeks vengeance against the Reaper who murdered her parents. Lynette Noni is one of our favourites.
For more about Lynette Noni, read the Fiction Rebellion article Read These 3 Books If You Love YA Fantasy With Massive Betrayals and Plot Twists
The Siren by Tomi Adeyemi spans several genres, including dark academia, thriller and supernatural fantasy. When Emery joins Dartmouth College, she meets the “sirens”, an elite group of girls who were once outcasts. Part of the charm of this paranormal thriller is its unlikeable characters.
Fantasy Graphic Novel
Marionetta by Miriam Bonastre Tru, a dark fantasy manga-style graphic novel, adapted from a viral Webtoon series. Two teenagers visit a travelling circus, but when one of them disappears, the other is forced to make a life-or-death decision to survive and find her friend.
The Teller of Tall Tales by Liz Hyder is a fantasy-horror graphic novel about a boy reconnecting with his estranged grandmother, Oma. This novel would be well-suited to any book club because of its psychological depth and will appeal to fans of the classic A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness.
Horror
And Then We Screamed by Holly Bourne is a psychological thriller with horror elements. When the head cheerleader at Clover’s high school starts screaming uncontrollably during an exam, people assume she’s having a breakdown. As other girls begin to have screaming fits, Clover and her crush, Brody, investigate for the school newspaper. This is a very worthwhile book that tackles misogyny.
Lights! Camera! Frendo! by Adam Cesare, a slasher-body-horror novel, is the fourth instalment in the award-winning Clown in a Cornfield series. A Hollywood film crew arrives in Kettle Springs to make a film based on the massacre from the first book. As filming begins, the lead actress senses that something is badly wrong. The book can be read as a standalone, with a catch-up guide before chapter 1 and a plot that makes sense without reading the earlier books.
To learn more about Book 1 of the Clown in a Cornfield series, see the Fiction Rebellion article "3 Mind-Blowing YA Horror Books That Will Hook You From Page 1."
Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls by Cynthia Murphy is a murder mystery that Holly Jackson fans will love. A teenage investigative journalist discovers a long-lost portrait, part of a series of five paintings. She realises a serial killer is placing the dead victims in the same poses as the young women in the paintings.
Local Gods by Melinda Salisbury is a folk horror novel set in a cursed town, where a popular teenage girl becomes an outcast after her father’s fraud. When a dying local God warns her of an impending disaster in the woods, she must decide whether to save the town that shuns her.
Dystopian/Sci-fi
Flarestorm by Moira Buffini, the third book in The Torch Trilogy, is set in a post-apocalyptic world where telepathic people known as Torches are hunted and killed.
The first book in the series, Skipshock, won the 2025 YA Book Prize. For a detailed review, read the Fiction Rebellion article “3 Irish Dystopian Writers With Unique Voices.”
The Sixth Faction by Veronica Roth is an alternate universe of the Divergent story, in which a tragedy at the Choosing Ceremony changes Beatrice Prior’s path. This book is an emotional rollercoaster with lots of political scheming, romance, plot twists and complex characters. You don’t have to have read the Divergent books to enjoy it.
Rising Thunder by Neal Shusterman isn’t out until 1 December 2026 but is a must-read for fans of the acclaimed Scythe series. This book is a prequel set just before humanity achieved the medical breakthrough that created immortality.
Deadlock by Chloe Gong isn’t out until 27 November 2026 and is the second book in the StrangeLoom series, in which people live in a virtual world to escape a deteriorating real one. The main character, Nia, works as a double agent against NileCorp.
General YA books that I have to recommend
Kitty & Mary by Julia Gray is set six months after Pride and Prejudice. It focuses on Mary and Kitty Bennett.
Taipei Story by R. F. Kuang is a coming-of-age literary novel for new adult and adult readers (ages 16 plus).19-year-old Lily Chen has just finished her first year at Yale and travels to Taipei, Taiwan, for the summer to learn Mandarin.
Final Thoughts
Books make great presents, and they have the added bonus of not needing batteries or user guides like some gifts! As these novels are recent releases, fingers crossed they won’t have been read yet. Hint, hint, maybe someone will buy me a few of these books too.
Good luck with the Christmas present buying and happy reading!
- Chris
Fiction Rebellion Heroine