30 to Read Before 30 | Reading Goals

I cannot believe I’m making this list. Thirty always seemed so far away until, boom now it’s almost here. That fateful birthday is coming this October, so I have that long to try and read all of the books on this list. There are a couple of full series on this list, or series that I want to finish, and a good chunk of them are massive books (like over 700 pages massive) that I so desperately want to read. In theory, since I read around 100 books a year I should be able to read everything on this list (or, at the very least, attempt to), but…we’ll see how that goes.

Without further ado, here are the thirty books I want to read before I turn (gulp) thirty:

1. The Priory of the Orange Tree: Samantha Shannon

Ever since reading The Bone Season back in 2021 and loving my time reading the series since then, I want to read everything Samantha Shannon has written ASAP. The Priory of the Orange Tree is a chunky book (ringing in at about 800 pages), but I’ll allow it since it’s a standalone fantasy. If it’s anything like The Bone Season in terms of development of voice and world building, I’m going to love every page.

2. The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings: 2): J.R.R. Tolkien

3. The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings: 3): J.R.R. Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings is the epitome of classic fantasy literature, and I’ve been meaning to read it for ages. The biggest hinderance, I think, is because it took me months to get through Fellowship I’ve been hesitant to pick up the next volumes. I absolutely love the movies, so I have no doubt that I will enjoy the books. I just have to, you know, read them.

4 – 6. Mistborn Saga: First Era: Brandon Sanderson

This one is a long time coming. And after his massive (massive might be an understatement) Kickstarter with his secret novels I feel even more so propelled to dive into the Cosmere headfirst. I’ve been debating on where I should exactly start, and this seems to be the common consensus when asking others.

7. Kindred: Octavia E. Butler

Kindred is one of those books that I want to read before I die, but after starting (and hopefully soon finishing) Parable of the Sower it’s jumped to the very top of the list. I’ve never heard a negative thing about this book, and if I enjoy it even half as much as I am enjoying Parable, I’m going to love it.

8 – 10. The Broken Earth Trilogy: N.K. Jemisin

Another author that I’ve read only one book by, but I am now convinced I need to read their entire backlist. I read Jemisin’s The Killing Moon at the beginning of last year, and even though I only gave it a 3.5 rating, I loved the writing and I need to read more from her. The Broken Earth trilogy is her most popular and most critically acclaimed series, so if there is any series of hers that I’ll probably want to read all at once, it’s this one.

11. 1Q84: Haruki Murakami

I actually started 1Q84 a couple of years ago, and I’m not exactly sure what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t what I read. I know Murakami has a bunch of other titles, but this one has been calling my name for, probably, over a decade. This massive book (it’s over 1200 pages) may take me the whole year, but I at least want to give it a shot.

12. Battle Royale: Koushun Takami

So, I technically should’ve read this one already since it was one of the 22 books I wanted to read in 2022, but I didn’t get to it (and am actually going to put it on my 22 to read in 2023) so that is my justification for putting it on this list, too. Like 1Q84, Battle Royale is a book that I’ve wanted to read for probably a decade but I think I was just so burnt out on dystopian novels when I picked this up I just…didn’t. Now is the time to change that, and I cannot wait.

13. Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb: 1): Tamsyn Muir

If my coworker has to tell me one more time to read Gideon, she may throw the book at me so it’s way past time for me to read this. I mean, it’s about lesbian necromancers in space … need I say more?

14. House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City: 2): Sarah J. Maas

Okay, so this one is a definite but I had to give myself some easy ones (even thought this is another chunky book) on this list to complete. House of Earth and Blood absolutely destroyed me, and even though I haven’t heard the greatest things about this sequel I trust Maas’ storytelling abilities enough to know I’ll enjoy the ride regardless.

15. The Kingdom of Copper (The Daevabad Trilogy: 2): S.A. Chakraborty

16. The Empire of Gold (The Daevabad Trilogy: 3): S.A. Chakraborty

The fact that I haven’t finished this series is so sad to me. I’ve read The City of Brass twice now (loved it each time, obviously), but I still haven’t picked up The Kingdom of Copper yet despite putting it on several TBRs. But this is one of those series that I know I’m going to love, so I’ve been putting off the ending. But since Chakraborty is coming out with a new book in 2023 set in a different world, I really want to finish her first series before starting another.

17. Peter Pan: J.M. Barrie

It’s honestly a bit of a shock that I haven’t read Peter Pan since I love the Disney movie so much that my friends associate it with me instantly, but here we are. I know it’s very different from the movie, but I feel like I have to read the source material just to see.

18. The Shadow of the Wind (The Cemetery of Forgotten Books: 1): Carlos Ruiz Zafón

I’m not a big literary fiction reader (though I’ve been reading more and more as time goes on), especially historical literary fiction. However, I’ve heard nothing but fantastic things about The Shadow of the Wind, more than that even. Almost every person I’ve talked to about this book has told me it’s one of their all-time favorites. When the reviews are that unanimous, I definitely have to give it a shot.

19. Les Liasons Dangereuses: Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

You know those books that you just see in a bookstore and have a feeling that you’re going to love but haven’t heard a single thing about it before? Well, that’s me with this book. I spotted this one years ago on the shelf during one of my many bookstore shopping sprees and just felt this pull to read it. Do note that I said “years ago.” Though I had this feeling that I had to buy it, I still haven’t read it. But that’s going to change this year, and I’m going to finally see if my gut was right all those years ago.

20. To Sleep in a Sea of Stars: Christopher Paolini

I know I have 1Q84 on this list, but I think this book is the most intimidating to me. Over the past few years, I’ve been trying to read more and more sci-fi, and figure out what kind of sci-fi that I enjoy reading. I absolutely love watching all kinds of sci-fi movies and TV shows, but I’m not sure if hard, deep space sci-fi books are for me. But, I want to give To Sleep in a Sea of Stars a shot

21. The Marrow Thieves: Cherie Dimaline

I first heard about The Marrow Thieves years ago on booktube (I, unfortunately, cannot remember from whom), and it’s been on my mind ever since. When I stumbled upon a copy at a local bookstore, I knew I had to pick it up. My love for dystopian fiction has been rejuvenated over the last year or so, so I have a very good feeling about this one.

22. Invisible Man: Ralph Ellison

This book may be the book I’ve owned the longest but still haven’t read. I don’t know what about it has kept it on my shelves all these years without being read, but I’m hopeful that will change before my 30th. Ellison is one of those modern classic writers that I’ve also wanted to read, but classics have never been something I gravitated towards after I finished college. But now I miss reading that kind of literature, and it’s time to read some of those books that I didn’t get to read during school, but still are very interested in reading.

23. The Queens of Innis Lear: Tessa Gratton

One of my favorite type of retellings is Shakespearean retellings. However, I’m also hyper-critical of Shakespearean retellings because, more often than not, I adore the source material. However, King Lear is one of my least favorite plays so, honestly, Tessa Gratton can only improve on it in my point of view. I’ve only read a few short stories of Gratton’s previously, but I remember really enjoying the writing and character work, so I’m intrigued to see how those translate to a full length (and quite long) novel.

24. The Rage of Dragons (The Burning: 1): Evan Winters

I know I’m finishing a handful of series with this TBR, but I’ve been desperate to read The Rage of Dragons since it’s release. Give me a story about revenge with an interesting magic system, and I’m going to immediately add it to my TBR. I know the author hasn’t released the third book due to personal reasons, but I’m still very excited to pick this one up.

25 – 27. The Green Bone Saga: Fonda Lee

If someone asked me to tell them a recently hyped series, The Green Bone Saga would be one of the first ones that came to mind. Heavy political fantasy like this isn’t usually what I gravitate towards, but I’ve heard nothing but fantastic things about this whole series and its characters that I just have to give it a shot.

28. Circe: Madeline Miller

I keep collecting mythology retellings and not reading them, so it’s about time I do something to change that. Miller’s Circe has been on my TBR since it’s release  but the consistent hype around it has kept me from picking it up since I’m afraid that it won’t live up to my expectations. But, honestly, it’s time to just do the thing. I have started Miller’s Song of Achilles (no I haven’t finished it; I know), so I know I already enjoy her writing so let’s just hope I enjoy the story just as much.

29. The Unbroken (Magic of the Lost:1): C.L. Clark

30. The Jasmine Throne (Burning Kingdoms: 1): Tasha Suri

I put The Unbroken and The Jasmine Throne on this list for the same reason: they are both newer release fantasy series that I want to stay up to date on. I don’t know much about either of them, but I have a good feeling that they’re going to be new all time favorites. Don’t ask me why, but I’m going with the feeling. (The irony is that their covers for both the first book and their sequels have similar color pallets.)