The journey to reading every amazing book ever written is endless. But you get to enjoy amazing novels on this journey. That is why we will be looking at the 30 best books of the last years. Keep reading to find out what books made this list.

While scrolling on the internet, we came across a list of the 30 best fiction books and after reading the list, we knew we had to share it with our readers. No list is ever going to get it right but that isn’t always important. More than anything else, we want to come across new books to add to our reading list.

And what better way to do that than reading a list of the 30 best books of the past 30 years! These lists always provide newer books that we may have overlooked or never gotten around to read. You can check out the full list below!

30 Must-Read Books From the Last 30 Years That Everyone Should Read

A Great List

All the Light We Cannot See

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr historical novel World War 2
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

If you love historical fiction novels, then you need to read All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. It is a beautifully written novel about World War II and it will make you cry. I can see why it is on so many lists of the best books that you have to read.

All the Light We Cannot See tell the story about two young adults during World War II. Werneris is a German orphan whose talent for radios leads him joining the Nazi’s. Marie-Laure is a blind French girl who flees Nazi-occupied Paris with her father. 

As the war rages on, their paths are destined to cross. Both of them have to make choices that will define not only them but the war that has upended their lives. 

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games book cover
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins book review

Whenever you mention dystopian novels, you have to talk about The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Without this incredible novel, the genre wouldn’t have been as popular as it was in the late 2000s. Once upon a time, all you would see in bookstores was dystopian novels. 

As the trend came and went, this novel stood the test of time and the series is still going strong today with prequels. Collins is an incredible storyteller and that is ultimately why this series saw the success that it did. 

16-year-old Katniss Everdeen can’t stand by and watch her younger sister be chosen for the latest Hunger Games to represent District 12. Instead, she volunteers in her place in the life-and-death games for the sole purpose of entertaining for the aristocrats. 

Katniss isn’t the only one from District 12 participating in the games. Peeta Mellark is also selected for the games and in the press conference. 

In the games, Katniss has to face other teenagers of Panem in a contained setting. Only one person can win the games but the rules are changed here and there to make things interesting.

As Katniss tries to survive the games, she realizes that she and everyone else are pawns. But she won’t go along with their games without striking back.

Demon Copperhead

Pulitzer Prize winner
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

One of the first historical fiction books I read in 2025 was Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. It was the winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize along with Trust by Hernan Diaz and also won the Women’s Prize for Fiction. With these two prestigious accolades, I knew I had to read this novel sooner than later.

The story follows Damon Fields, better known as Demon, and his single mother. They live in a trailer home in Lee, County, located in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia. Demon’s life is difficult takes a turn for the worse when his mom starts dating a guy who abuses Demon. 

Things go from bad to worse and Demon tries to make the best of his situation as he tries to survive and overcome his situation. The novel is a retelling of David Copperfield by Charles Dickens in the 21st century and is a must read for anyone that enjoyed the classic novel.

The Sympathizer

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and ended up being named of the 30 best books of the year by The New York Times. The Vietnam War is one that is often ignored and forgotten but it has shaped the lives of millions of people. And they have story to tell. 

The novel is set in 1975 and the following years and takes place in Vietnam and Los Angeles. The protagonist is unnamed and is a half-Vietnamese, half-French undercover communist agent. He was sent to the United States as a kid to be educated and has a firm understanding of both American and Vietnamese values. 

Throughout the book, the unnamed protagonist tells us his story and being a double agent, trying to survive in the U.S in the 1970’s. His job requires him to be close to the General and report to his bosses even after the fall of Saigon. It is a story about identity, love, survival, and what it means to live thousands of miles away from home follows and is a breath of fresh air as written by Viet Thanh Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American professor. Novels like these are why the Pulitzer Prize Award was created and why I love reading the winners and nominations

The Goldfinch

The Goldfinch novel
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt book review

I loved seeing The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt on this list. It is a long but beautiful novel that hits many different themes. The novel won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and is a novel unlike any other you will read. Tartt is known for writing one novel a decade but those novels are always worth the wait. 

Theodore Decker is a thirteen-year-old who is visiting The Metropolitan Museum or Art in New York City with his mother. During the visit, he gets separated from his mother and soon after, a bomb goes off, killing his mother and numerous other people.

Soon after the explosion, Theo meets a dying old man who tells him to take the painting The Goldfinch by Carel Fabritius. In a panicked state, Theo grabs the painting and stumbles out of the museum. 

Theo is taken in by the family of his best friend. During school, he befriends Boris, a trouble making kid. Eight years later, Theo is working for Hobie at his antique shop, making furniture. Boris shows up in his life again and reveals a shocking truth related to the painting Theo has hidden away for all those years.

Now, Theo has to right a lot of wrongs that he has done. But it won’t be easy as he gets involved in the underground world of art. He also has to make it up to Hobie for what he has done and come to terms with his mother’s death, something that he hasn’t come to terms with after all these years. 

Even If you don’t care much for art and paintings, you will love this beautiful novel. There is a lot of commentary about love and loss and what effect trauma can have one someone, even years later. 

James

James by Percival Everett historical fiction books
James by Percival Everett

With so many incredible books released in the past 30 years, I am glad that James by Percival Everett made the list. This novel is perfect and deserved to win the National Book Award for Fiction, and the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

While there was some controversy surrounding the Pulitzer Prize award, I am glad that it did end up winning it. After seeing this novel everywhere, I knew I had to read it no matter what. And still it surpassed all of my expectations. If this novel didn’t make the list, then I would have been furious. 

James is a retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain and gives James the voice he always deserved. Everett tells us of James’ story and from his point of view and it is an amazing and well written novel.

James is a slave in Hannibal, Missouri and tries to take care of all the slaves at the plantation. But one day, James discovers that he is going to be sold soon and separated from his family. He has no plans to go along with this and instead runs away. But he is discovered by Huckleberry Finn who is also planning to run away.

If you had to read one book that was released in 2024, then this is the one I recommend. There are a bunch of others I would recommend after but James is just that good for me to put it anywhere but first on my list.

Conclusion

Don’t let that stop you from finding amazing novels to read from this list by the Los Angeles Times. This lists will always keep you updated with must read novels and you’ll always have multiple books to choose.

What books from this list have you read or plan to read? What other books would you have added to this list?? Let us know in the comments below. Until next time, happy reading!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook! 

Discover more from Books of Brilliance

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.