Out with the old year….

2017 has been a wonderful year for books, I’ve been truly spoiled with some excellent reads and some exciting moments.  I’ve had some quotes used for publicity materials and even had a quote featured in a book!  I was also touched and honoured to have been mentioned in the acknowledgements at the back of a book, these things are so immensely amazing and I still get a giddy feeling when I think about them.
I’ve also been so very lucky that authors have sent me some beautiful signed copies of their books to cherish.  For me, this is one of the greatest honours of being a book blogger, each signed copy takes up a special place in my heart as well as on my bookshelf (away from sticky wee fingers) and is lovingly adored.  Another blogging highlight this year was my nomination in the Annual Bloggers Bash Awards, and subsequent award as a “Hidden Gem” alongside two amazing bloggers, I can’t think two better blogs to be ranked behind than Gordon at http://grabthisbook.net/ and Jo at https://mychestnutreadingtree.wordpress.com/.

This has also been a fantastic year for friendships.  Through the wonderful community of bloggers I have found some exceptionally special friends who never fail to brighten my day with silly gifs, heart warming comments and giggles in abundance.  They have also been an invaluable source of advice and inspiration as well as leading me to find some of the best books I’ve read this year!  I shan’t name names here but those who have been supportive and brilliant know who they are and I am forever grateful for their friendship.

So, what will 2018 bring for The Quiet Knitter?  Well going forward I’ve decided to shake things up a little.  From now on, I would like to focus more in indie books, I’ve discovered so many wonderful books through my Friday feature Celebrating Indie Publishing and I would love to be able to continue this next year, so if you have a book coming out next year from an independent press or you’re self publishing then please get in touch!  I won’t be ignoring books from other sources, I still love my mainstream fiction and will still be buying more books that I can store in my home and will still be excitedly following my favourite authors.

2018 will also see some exciting new books and reviews coming from my place on the review panel for First Monday Crime so watch this space for updates!

So….that leads me to round off 2017 by saying thank you to all who have supported The Quiet Knitter this year, thank you for sharing reviews, commenting on reviews and generally being the wee smashers that you all are!  (You are all wee smashers in my eyes, even the grumpy, argumentative ones amongst you that will swear blind that you’re not….I know who you are.)
Most bloggers have been so good at listing their top books this year, highlighting which ones were their favourites and which were worthy of mention, and when I started this post I really did think that I might be able to do that, but on reflection I think it’s fair to point out here that most of the books that I’ve read this year were read because I wanted to read them, so in a way they are all brilliant….they are all worthy of accolades and love because they stood out enough for me to pick them up in the first place……you’re not buying this are you?  You’re not falling for my cop out….right ok, so…..here goes I guess…some of my favourite reads from 2017 (in no particular order and in no way does this mean that I didn’t love ALL THE BOOKS):

The Sewing Machine by Natalie Fergie

The Walls Came Down by Ewa Dodd

Christmas in St Ives by Miranda Dickinson

The Red Ribbon by Lucy Adlington

The Things We Learn When We’re Dead by Charlie Laidlaw

Punch by Barbara Henderson

Now We Are Dead by Stuart MacBride

The Unquiet Dead by Ausma Zehanat Khan

Race to the Kill by Helen Cadbury

Little White Lies and Butterflies by Suzie Tullett

The Cabinet of Linguistic Curiosities by Paul Anthony Jones

How to Stop Time by Matt Haig

Deadly Alibi by Leigh Russell

Death of A Devil by Derek Farrell

Sealskin by Su Bristow

37 Hours by J.F. Kirwan

In Deep Water by Sam Blake

Fir For Luck by Barbara Henderson

Mussolini’s Island by Sarah Day

Electric Souk by Rose McGinty

Hitler’s Forgotten Children by Ingrid Von Oelhafen and Tim Tate

Treacherous Strand by Andrea Carter

The Constant Soldier by William Ryan

Last Breath by Robert Bryndza

Long Shot by Jack Steele

Girl Zero by A.A. Dhand

Sleeper by J.D. Fennell

A Boy Made of Snow by Chloe Mayer

Freefall by Adam Hamdy

The Little Theatre by The Sea by Rosanna Ley

Finding Alison by Deirdre Eustace

The Beast on The Broch by John K. Fulton

Blood Tide by Claire McGowan

Summary Justice by John Fairfax

Exquisite by Sarah Stovell

Block 46 by Johana Gustawsson

A Dark So Deadly by Stuart MacBride

Blue Gold by David Barker

Angels in the Moonlight by Caimh McDonnell

The Restless Dead by Simon Beckett

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