★★★★★ A land where one’s blood color determines their race is the setting while a secret sect try to infiltrate to infiltrate the government

Happy New Year! It’s time once again for what has become an annual tradition, my Books of the Year list. 2022 was a busy year of reading, but one that lacked some of the excellence of prior years. Despite the lack of as many stellar contributions, the average quality was high -- think a bunch of "4-4.5 stars" but not many "5 stars". Before we get to those that succeeded, I’ll first caution you against the following popular books that are better left on the shelf… The Naughty

★★★★☆ A thief with a wry sense of humor is reluctantly paired up with a badass female knight on a quest to save the knight's queen.

★★★★☆ When Lore Perseous makes a deal with the goddess Athena, she is thrust into the middle of a once-every-seven-years event.

★★★★★ Part Seabiscuit, part palace politics, part commentary on societal boundaries and castes -- this novel was great on multiple levels.

★★★★★ A private investigator in 1860s London looks into the disappearance of a young girl who may have special (and dangerous) powers.

2019 was a solid year of reading with some true standouts that created some amazing literary experiences.