Nicholas Sparks Archives - The Litertarian

I have to say I never expected to see Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan on the same book cover. Like, ever. But here we are, with their new co-authored supernatural thriller, Remain. My early 2000s millennial heart was pumped for this.

What an interesting story!

Remain by Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan Book Cover

Tate came to town to help an old friend from college design his house. He’s an award-winning architect, and he’s just coming back to work after an extended leave due to health related issues. He’d stay with his friends if they didn’t have a million kids and a cramped space, so instead, his friend rented out an old house in town.

The house has a history, and so does Tate.

While he’s staying there, he strikes up an acquaintanceship with one of the other lodgers, who fascinates him. Not only her personality and strange beauty, but the fact that when he mentions her to his friend, he is skeptical. There’s no one else staying at the house. He rented out the whole thing.

While this story didn’t necessarily feel ground-breakingly original (something I think we’ve all come to expect from M. Night Shyamalan), it was almost preternaturally compelling. As a storyteller, it fascinates me how I was propelled through the story so well when there wasn’t necessarily groundbreaking conflict pulling us through. There’s a mystery, yes, but it wasn’t necessarily a frantic thing. The next time I read this, it will be with a closer eye for the storytelling elements employed to make this work so well! I think it was a combination of M. Night Shyamalan’s careful revelations, and Nicholas Sparks’ powerhouse skill of weaving a compelling narrative out of occasionally mundane events.

It’s a really good book to pick up if you’re a fan of character driven stories, supernatural elements, or murder mysteries. There are some somewhat dark moments, but this is not a horror novel. I really enjoyed it!

Let me also mention here that if you have not seen M. Night Syamalan’s movie Signs with Mel Gibson, Juaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, and Abigail Breslin — go watch it. It is required watching. My husband and I recently watched it, me for the first time in years, him for the very first time, and it HELD UP. Talk about powerful storytelling!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Remain
Author:: Nicholas Sparks & M. Night Shyamalan
Genre:: Supernatural Thriller
Publisher:: Random House
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 8h 55m
Audiobook Narrator:: Ari Fliakos, Julia Whelan, & Nicholas Sparks
Published:: October 7th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

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Every Moment Since | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
The Truth About the Devlins | Lisa Scottoline

Do you believe everything happens for a reason? Jasper did, once. Now, after an insurmountable tragedy he’s convinced God has abandoned him. He hasn’t lost his faith entirely though, because when a white deer shows up in the forest surrounding his property, he takes it for the symbol it is: a harbinger of change.

Counting Miracles Nicholas Sparks Book Cover | Old man and his dog walking away into the North Carolina autumnal forest

A veteran named Tanner is on the search for his father-a man he’s never known, nor known anything about until his grandmother’s deathbed confession, when she left a note with his name & the town he lived in. He’s a drifter, never staying in one place too long or committing to anything but his job. On his first day in Asheboro North Carolina his brand-new sports car is backed into by a teenaged driver and changes the trajectory of his trip. He’ll be in town far longer than anticipated, and the young girl’s mother is one of the more interesting women Tanner’s ever met. Kaitlyn is her name, and her young son is friendly with Jasper, the old man living nearby who teaches him to whittle.

This tale weaves these characters together in interesting and emotional ways. The narrative bounces between Tanner, Kaitlyn, and Jasper’s voices. There is mystery, tragedy, hope, parenting struggles, romance, and a whole lot of facing reality thrown in too. There are real family relationships, and a religious throughline that is, if not convincing, at least something to make you ponder.

For most of the book the prose felt quite calming to read. It has a nice steady rhythm that kind of lulls you as you read into this serene sort of interest. I haven’t read many characters like Tanner. He’s a middle-aged bachelor who is just cruising through life to whatever the next opportunity may be. He doesn’t seem to have a destination in mind, just enjoys the ride along the way. And Jasper, sweet Jasper. His only companion is his beloved dog and Mitch, Kaitlyn’s son. He lives in a cabin built by his father’s hands living out his days in as much peace as he can manage. Until that dang deer shows up.

For Kaitlyn, who is divorced, the romantic fling that begins to develop with Tanner is a risk. He’s just visiting, and she has a lot to lose. I really enjoyed reading this romance from her perspective.

I’ve never read a Nicholas Sparks book before, though I’ve seen a few movies based on his writing (The Notebook, obviously). While I wasn’t blown away by its brilliance, the experience of reading it was really nice, and I’ll certainly read more of his backlist! Do you have any recommendations on which I should read (there are so many!).

This is an arc review & my honest opinions.

Details

Title:: Counting Miracles
Author:: Nicholas Sparks
Genre:: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher:: Random House
Length:: 368 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 45m
Audiobook Narrator:: Holter Graham & Nicholas Sparks
Audiobook Publisher:: Random House Audio
Published:: September 24th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars