Books Beginning with the Letter N – A to Z Reading Challenge
- Alis Page
- 4 hours ago
- 8 min read
As part of my ongoing A to Z Reading Challenge, I’ve been gathering together books I’ve read under each letter of the alphabet. This time, we’re on to books beginning with the letter N. Honestly, I’m a little surprised I haven’t read more under this letter—it seems like such a popular starting point for titles! But the ones I have read are a really interesting mix, and I’m excited to share them with you.
📚 New Dreams at Polkerran Point by Cass Grafton
This is a gentle and heart warming read, set on the beautiful Cornish coast. Cass Grafton creates a wonderful sense of place, filled with community spirit, romance, and the promise of fresh beginnings. If you’re in the mood for a feel-good story with characters you can really root for, this is a lovely choice.
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Title: New Dreams at Polkerran Point Â
Author: Cass Grafton
Genre: Romance
Series: The Little Cornish Cove series
Publisher: Canelo Romance
Date Published: 2023
Book Length: 320
Star Rating: 5***** I loved it and highly recommend
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About Book: A surprise inheritance will open the doors to her future, and also the past…
When Aunt Meg leaves her cottage to Anna Redding in her will, Anna immediately packs up and heads to Polkerran, the Cornish fishing village where she was so happy as a child.
With ambitions to turn the cottage into a B&B, a job working for the enigmatic historian, Oliver Seymour, and the return of her childhood crush, Alex Tremayne, it seems the stars have all aligned for Anna.
But Aunt Meg left behind a mystery for her to solve, and a shock discovery reveals she may be living a dream that isn’t really hers to hold. Can Anna rescue the new life she’s made for herself? Who in Polkerran can she really count on in her time of need?
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My Thoughts: New Dreams at Polkerran Point by Cass Grafton is a romance book and not my normal genre to read, this is also the first book I have read by Cass Grafton, and I don’t think it will be the last either. The book is an easy read, the prose flows like a gentle river, and you get to know and love the characters.
This book also has mystery and intrigue with some people not being who they seem. Grafton’s way with words made me not want to put the book down.
I loved the quotes at the beginning of each chapter – a great touch.
I also loved Anna’s character she was realistic and relatable, and I found myself routing for her to find happiness and true love.
In conclusion, an easy book that was so much more than just a romance book with mystery and intrigue and I thoroughly recommend.
📚 Nowhere Man by Deborah Stone
This one is a gripping mystery with a dark edge. Deborah Stone weaves together an emotional and suspenseful tale that keeps you guessing as you peel back the layers of her characters. It’s an intriguing book that lingers with you long after you’ve finished it.
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Title: Nowhere Man
Author: Deborah Stone
Genre: Psychological thriller
Date Published: 2024
Book Length: 379
Format: E Book provided by Love Books Tours in return for an honest review
Star Rating: 5***** I loved it and highly recommend
About Book: When Diana arrives home one evening to find her husband Patrick dead, her world shatters. His mysterious death leaves behind so many unanswered questions. Meanwhile, miles away, Angie’s husband, Ray, vanishes without a trace, abandoning her and their troubled teenage son. As both women dig deeper into their husbands’ pasts, they stumble upon a chilling web of lies, deceit, and long-buried secrets. Their separate searches soon collide and dark, twisted revelations force them to face a terrifying truth that threatens everything they hold dear. Nowhere Man is a heart-pounding psychological thriller that will keep you on edge until the final, shocking twist. In a world of lies, can you ever really trust the ones you love?
My Thoughts: Nowhere Man by Deborah Stone was a psychological thriller that hooked me right from the start. The chapters were told from different characters’ perspectives, and their short length added to the tension, keeping me on edge. As the story unfolded, it explored the complex lives of these characters, and though their connections weren’t immediately clear, I knew they had to intertwine eventually.
Stone’s easy, engaging writing style kept me fully invested—I finished the book in two sittings because I simply couldn’t put it down. The twists and turns had me glued to the very end.
In conclusion, Nowhere Man was a nail-biting thriller that kept me hooked from the first page to the last. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good psychological thriller!
📚 The Night Counsellor by LK Pang
An engrossing story that combines psychology, tension, and drama. LK Pang delves into the complexities of the mind and the darker side of human behaviour. It’s one of those reads that makes you think as well as keeps you turning the pages.
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Title: The Night Counsellor
Author: LK Pang
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Publisher: Chronos Publishing
Date Published: 2024
Book Length: 369
Format: Paperback supplied by Love Books Tours in return for an honest review
Star Rating: 5***** I loved it and highly recommend
About Book: In the shadowy corridors of The Beaumont, a mental hospital haunted by its dark history as an asylum, a disturbing mystery unfolds when in 1953, a woman is found mute, naked, and drenched in blood on the outskirts of West Yorkshire. With no memory of her past and no one to claim her, she is dubbed Patient A and placed under the care of the institution's staff.
Counsellor Jane Galloway, is drawn to Patient A's case with a resolve to restore her ability to speak, no matter how unorthodox her methods appear to be. However, her efforts to penetrate the silence meet with stark opposition from the hospital's rigid hierarchy. The situation takes a spine-chilling turn when whispers in the night link Patient A to a recently discovered corpse.
As Jane edges closer to unravelling the eerie connection between her patient and the mysterious death, she must challenge a web of institutional resistance and hidden agendas. With time running against them, Jane's quest to help Patient A reclaim her voice grows desperate. But in the harrowing halls of The Beaumont, speaking up can be deadly.
Will Patient A find her voice before the shadows of her past come to silence her forever?
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My Thoughts: The Night Counsellor by LK Pang was an intriguing psychological thriller set in the 1950s. The story unfolded at a medium pace, but it was deeply emotive from the very start. The use of multiple perspectives in each chapter gave me a deeper understanding of the characters and their motives, which I found to be very effective.
The setting and themes of the novel—such as forbidden love, prejudice, and fear—felt authentic to the time period. What really stood out to me was how unorthodox methods were used to treat people, and this added a chilling layer to the story. The main character was incredibly believable, and I found myself rooting for her throughout the book, hoping she’d find a way through the challenges she faced.
One thing that really got under my skin was the silence of so many characters. It was frustrating to watch them stand by, knowing full well what was happening but choosing not to speak up. Despite my frustration, it made the story feel all the more real, as it reflected how fear and societal norms can often keep people quiet, especially in that era.
In conclusion, The Night Counsellor was a captivating, chilling thriller that kept me hooked. The combination of rich character development, historical setting, and tense emotional undercurrents made this book an unforgettable read. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers with depth and emotional complexity.
📚 The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
This has to be one of the most powerful historical novels I’ve ever read. Kristin Hannah brings World War II France to life through the story of two sisters and their incredible courage. It’s moving, heart breaking, and beautifully written—a book that truly deserves all the praise it’s received.
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Title: The Nightingale                Â
Author: Kristin Hannah
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: PanMacmillan
Published Date: 2022
Book Length: 480
Format Read: Paperback
Star Rating: 5***** I loved it and highly recommend
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About Book: I always thought it was what I wanted: to be loved and admired. Now I think perhaps I’d like to be known 'This story is about what it was like to be a woman during World War II, when women’s stories were all too often forgotten or overlooked . . . Vianne and Isabelle Mauriac are two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals and passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path towards survival, love and freedom in war-torn France. It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime.
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My Thoughts: Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale is often labelled as a historical romance, but it is so much more than that. Set during World War II, it tells the story of two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, whose lives take drastically different paths in Nazi-occupied France. From the very first page, the novel is impactful, evoking deep emotions that stayed with me until the very last word.
The story moves at a fairly fast pace at times, with the two main protagonists standing in stark contrast to each other—just as real sisters often do. Their character traits shine through as they both fight for what they believe in, shaped by their different ages, responsibilities, and past experiences. The dialogue between them is raw yet exquisite, capturing the complexity of their bond and the struggles that keep them worlds apart.
The Nightingale is filled with fear and anger, yet there remains a glimmer of hope, one that slowly erodes as the story progresses. Hannah’s writing is incredibly vivid, bringing events to life with powerful descriptions and immersing the reader in the sisters’ plight, as well as that of those around them.
This book is an emotional rollercoaster, filled with heart-wrenching moments and deeply moving experiences. The way the characters navigate their hardships kept me hooked, and the ending was nothing short of brilliant. I’m not afraid to admit that I cried. The Nightingale is a story of resilience, love, and sacrifice, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a novel that will truly stay with them.
In the end, The Nightingale is more than just a historical novel—it’s a testament to the strength of women, the power of love, and the unbreakable bond of family. It’s the kind of book that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the final page, making you appreciate the quiet acts of heroism that often go unnoticed. If you haven’t read it yet, do yourself a favour and pick it up—you won’t regret it.
So, there you have it—my collection so far of books beginning with the letter N. It’s not a long list yet, but I’ll be adding to it as I read more. That’s part of the fun of this A to Z Challenge—it grows as I go along! Have you read any unforgettable books beginning with N?
I’d love to hear your suggestions.
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Love Alis x
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