Lucy Rose has won the reader-voted Nota Bene Prize for her feminist folk horror debut The Lamb, praised for its haunting storytelling and striking themes of courage, beauty and survival.
The 2026 Nota Bene Prize, decided by a public vote, celebrates influential fiction recommended by readers across the literary community. The prize focuses on thought-provoking, accessible and relatable reads that resonate long after the final page, highlighting titles that spark conversation and engagement.
Rather than being decided by traditional critical judging panels, the award is shaped by "notable readers"—influential voices within the reading community such as authors, booksellers and online creators. Their recommendations play a key role in shaping wider reading habits and guiding which books make it onto readers' TBR lists and into broader cultural discussion.
The Nota Bene Prize positions itself as a celebration of books that matter to readers beyond traditional review spaces, highlighting fiction that sparks conversation, emotional response and community recommendation. By focusing on notable readers rather than industry panels, the award reflects the growing influence of reader-led discovery across platforms such as BookTok, bookstagram and online reading communities.
In this context, Rose's win reflects the strong word-of-mouth momentum behind The Lamb, a feminist folk horror novel that blends gothic atmosphere with contemporary themes of identity, control and survival. Set in an isolated forest, the story follows Margot, a young girl living under the rule of her enigmatic mother, as the narrative unfolds through unsettling imagery and emotional intensity.
The novel has been praised for its ability to balance visceral horror with deeper thematic concerns, particularly around femininity and autonomy. Speaking about her inspiration, Rose said the book was rooted in the "campfire stories" and ghost tales she grew up with, alongside a personal journey back into reading after struggling with literacy in childhood.
"I really struggled with reading and literacy growing up," Rose explained in an interview with Nota Bene Prize. "It wasn't until I was kind of an adult that I was able to reconnect with reading and engage with it properly, and oral storytelling was a huge part of what filled that chasm."
Rose also emphasised that beneath the horror elements lies a more hopeful message about resistance and speaking out against injustice. "Despite the horror… sometimes in our houses—whether those are literal houses with four walls and a door or countries—sometimes we have to step a toe out of line to set things right," she said. "I really hope that it inspires courage and hope."
She also highlighted the way the novel challenges conventional ideas of beauty, pointing to her favourite sections as those describing characters through nature-inspired imagery rather than "rigid patriarchal beauty standards" shaped by capitalism.
Alongside Rose, the shortlist for this year's prize featured a wide range of thirteen titles. The shortlisted books include A Room Above a Shop by Anthony Shapland, Confessions by Catherine Airey, Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley, We Love You, Bunny by Mona Awad, When The Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzen, The Original by Nell Stevens, The Grapevine by Kate Kemp, Gunk by Saba Sams, Every One Still Here by Liadan Ni Chuinn, Disappoint Me by Nicola Dinan, Consider Yourself Kisses by Jessica Stanley, and A Splintering by Dur e Aziz Amna.
In awarding The Lamb, this year's result underlines a shift where visibility, recommendation and reader engagement play an increasingly important role in shaping which books rise to prominence.
