Odd Thomas: You Are Destined to Be Together Forever (Short Story)


Book Description

The singular journey of Odd Thomas is approaching its unforgettable conclusion in Saint Odd. But before Odd’s destiny is revealed, this exclusive eBook short story looks back—way back—to where it all began for Odd Thomas and Stormy Llewellyn, two souls who are destined to be together forever. Amid the dizzying rides, tantalizing games of chance, and fanciful attractions of a state fair, two teenage sweethearts on the cusp of life and love’s pleasures find their way to a shadowy carnival tent brimming with curiosities. There, from the bizarre and enthralling Gypsy Mummy, a mechanized merchant of dreams and prognosticator of tomorrows, the young couple learns what fate promises for them. But fate, for Odd Thomas and Stormy Llewellyn, is something altogether different: full of dark corners, sharp edges, and things no seer or soothsayer could ever anticipate. And for Odd Thomas, a gallant fry cook from a sleepy California desert town, the future beckons—to listen to unquiet spirits, pursue unsettling mysteries, and learn shocking truths . . . for a purpose far greater than himself. Acclaim for Dean Koontz and his Odd Thomas novels “This is Koontz working at his pinnacle, providing terrific entertainment that deals seriously with some of the deepest themes of human existence: the nature of evil, the grip of fate and the power of love.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) “The nice young fry cook with the occult powers is Koontz’s most likable creation . . . candid, upright, amusing and sometimes withering.”—The New York Times “One would be hard-pressed to find a more satisfying read. . . . Not since Watchers has Dean Koontz created such an endearing and enduring character as Odd Thomas. . . . A superb story from one of our contemporary masters.”—San Antonio Express-News “An inventive . . . mix of suspense, whimsy and uplift.”—The Washington Post “Heartfelt and provocative . . . a wonderfully rich and entertaining story.”—Chicago Sun-Times “Suspense, tension, and surprising plot twists . . . Characters and the search for meaning, exquisitely crafted, are the soul of his work. . . . One of the master storytellers of this or any age.”—The Tampa Tribune




Tell the Wolves I'm Home


Book Description

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A heartfelt story of love, grief, and renewal about two unlikely friends who discover that sometimes you don’t know you’ve lost someone until you’ve found them “A dazzling debut novel.”—O: The Oprah Magazine “Tremendously moving.”—The Wall Street Journal “Touching and ultimately hopeful.”—People 1987. The only person who has ever truly understood fourteen-year-old June Elbus is her uncle, the renowned painter Finn Weiss. Shy at school and distant from her older sister, June can be herself only in Finn’s company; he is her godfather, confidant, and best friend. So when he dies, far too young, of a mysterious illness her mother can barely speak about, June’s world is turned upside down. But Finn’s death brings a surprise acquaintance into June’s life. At the funeral, June notices a strange man lingering just beyond the crowd. A few days later, she receives a package in the mail containing a beautiful teapot she recognizes from Finn’s apartment, and a note from Toby, the stranger, asking for an opportunity to meet. As the two begin to spend time together, June realizes she’s not the only one who misses Finn, and that this unexpected friend just might be the one she needs the most. WINNER OF THE ALEX AWARD • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Wall Street Journal • O: The Oprah Magazine • BookPage • Kirkus Reviews • Booklist • School Library Journal




Destined for You (Ladies of the Lake)


Book Description

Can she withstand the storms of life that blow her way? Gloriana Womack's family is much smaller since scarlet fever killed her mother and two of her siblings. She's dedicated her modest life in Duluth, Minnesota, to holding the remains of her fractured family together, caring for her father and younger brother. But it is hard not to be overrun by worry when her father is often gone on long fishing trips, their livelihood coming from the waters of the temperamental and sometimes deadly Lake Superior. Luke Carson has come to Duluth to help shepherd the arrival of the railroad to the city's port, and he's eager to be reunited with his brother and sister-in-law, who recently moved there and are expecting their first child. Competition for the railroad is fierce, with the neighboring city of Superior, Wisconsin, fighting for the tracks to come through their town instead. But the real danger lies in a man who has followed Luke across the country with revenge on his mind. When tragedy brings Gloriana and Luke together, they help each other through their grief and soon find their lives inextricably linked. If they survive the trials ahead, could it be possible they've been destined for each other all along? "Peterson delivers a touching tale of love built out of shared grief in this enjoyable first installment of the Ladies of the Lake series. . . . Peterson creates a memorable romance between Luke and Gloriana that's rooted in mutual hardship and renewed faith. This series is off to a strong start."--Publishers Weekly




Tormentor Mine (Tormentor Mine #1)


Book Description

"Darkly addictive and hauntingly beautiful, Peter and Sara's story will stay with you long after you read the final words." —Julia Sykes, USA Today bestselling author He came to me in the night, a cruel, darkly handsome stranger from the most dangerous corners of Russia. He tormented me and destroyed me, ripping apart my world in his quest for vengeance. Now he's back, but he’s no longer after my secrets. The man who stars in my nightmares wants me.




Destined


Book Description

Laurel faces the fight of her life to save everything , and everyone, she loves. This is the final part of the extraordinary faerie tale which began in the bestselling novel WINGS described by Stephenie Meyer as 'a remarkable debut'.




My (Part-Time) Paris Life


Book Description

Poignant, touching, and lively, this memoir of a woman who loses her mother and creates a new life for herself in Paris will speak to anyone who has lost a parent or reinvented themselves. Lisa Anselmo wrapped her entire life around her mother, a strong woman who was a defining force in her daughter’s life—maybe too defining. When her mother dies from breast cancer, Lisa realizes she hadn’t built a life of her own, and struggles to find her purpose. Who is she without her mother—and her mother’s expectations? Desperate for answers, she reaches for a lifeline in the form of an apartment in Paris, refusing to play it safe for the first time. What starts out as a lurching act of survival sets Lisa on a course that reshapes her life in ways she never could have imagined. But how can you imagine a life bigger than anything you’ve ever known? In the vein of Eat, Pray, Love and Wild, My (Part-time) Paris Life a story is for anyone who’s ever felt lost or hopeless, but still holds out hope of something more. This candid memoir explores one woman’s search for peace and meaning, and how the ups and downs of expat life in Paris taught her to let go of fear, find self-worth, and create real, lasting happiness.




Destined to Fall


Book Description

There are parts of our lives which are predestined, and no matter how hard we try, we can't change what will happen - what must happen. Andrew Manners understood that better than most, but it didn't change how he felt about his past or his desire to change it. Even angels have regrets, and after living two mortal lifetimes in his angelic form, and with countless other years ahead, he would give it all up to be with the man he'd loved and lost for just one short lifetime together. "Everything has a price. Every journey has an end." The price Andrew paid when his journey ended was immortality. A gift, some would say. A curse, others would whisper. He's walked the earth for almost one hundred years, putting aside all selfish needs while caring and offering comfort to others. When he finds a dying man on the streets of London, he's unprepared for how it will change his life. "I never knew how my life could change in such a short space of time, or how one decision would affect the outcome in such a monumental way." Josh is inconsolable after losing his partner, and as Andrew guides the grief stricken man through his pain, he's forced to recall his own mortal life and the lover he left behind. Looking back allows him to see what he could find with Josh, but such a strong bond shouldn't exist between a mortal and an angel, and Andrew struggles with the demands of his angelic duties and what his heart needs. "I found out it was possible to love, and be loved in return, only to face losing it all." Knowing a relationship can only bring them both heartache, and unable to explain his angelic form, Andrew believes he will spend an eternity mourning what could have been. "The true measure of love is what you're willing to give up for it." With the terrifying prospect of living forever without the man he loves weighing heavily on his soul, Andrew seeks out a different path, one which could lead him into the hands of the demonic creatures which now hide in the shadows around him, or lead him into the arms of his soulmate. The risks are great. Andrew's very soul is in danger. But what good is a soul without its mate? Falling in love was easy. Falling for love would be the hard part.




Alpha


Book Description

Seventeen-year-old Scarlett Hayes is living her life by her own rules. Losing her parents at a young age has made her strong and fiercely independent. She knows exactly who she is and nothing is going to change that. Everything starts to change for her when she moves to a new town. She meets Cade Presley. He is domineering and arrogant which makes her detest him at first sight. She learns a secret that will unravel her perfect life and lead her into a world she never knew existed. Embracing her new life is difficult when it pulls her closer to Cade. Finding out you are destined to be with someone forever is hard to handle especially when you want to throttle them every time you see them. The attraction she feels for him is undeniable and there is no fighting destiny.




Saint Odd


Book Description

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY SUSPENSE MAGAZINE • Includes Dean Koontz’s short story “You Are Destined to Be Together Forever” From “one of the master storytellers of this or any age” (The Tampa Tribune) comes the stunning final adventure of “one of the most remarkable and appealing characters in current fiction”(The Virginian-Pilot)—as Dean Koontz brings the unforgettable odyssey of Odd Thomas to its dazzling conclusion. Odd Thomas is back where it all started . . . because the time has come to finish it. Since he left his simple life in the small town of Pico Mundo, California, his journey has taken him to places strange and wonderful, mysterious and terrifying. Across the land, in the company of mortals and spirits alike, he has known kindness and cruelty, felt love and loss, saved lives and taken them—as he’s borne witness to humanity’s greatest good and darkest evil. Again and again, he has gone where he must and done what he had to do—for better or worse—with his courage and devotion sorely tested, and his soul forever changed. Every triumph has been hard won. Each sacrifice has taken its toll. Now, whatever destiny drives him has finally steered his steps home, where those he cares for most surround him, the memory of his tragically lost true love haunts him, and one last challenge—vast and dreadful—awaits him. For Odd Thomas, born to serve a purpose far greater than himself, the wandering is done. Only the reckoning remains. Praise for Saint Odd “Equal parts supernatural thriller, cultural satire, character study, bildungsroman, offbeat love story, road trip, spiritual meditation, and apocalyptic adventure, the Odd Thomas books . . . are more than irresistible page-turners. They are intimate, haunting, often heartrending, exhilarating, and beautifully composed.”—Biography.com “Odd Thomas is such an endearing and likable character and, more than anything else, has been the reason for the success of the series. . . . For readers who have been with Odd all along, Saint Odd will satisfy.”—Bookreporter Acclaim for Dean Koontz and his Odd Thomas novels “Odd’s strange gifts, coupled with his intelligence and self-effacing humor, make him one of the most quietly authoritative characters in recent popular fiction.”—Publishers Weekly “Koontz gives his character wit, good humor, a familiarity with the dark side of humanity—and moral outrage.”—USA Today “The ultimate Everyman . . . an avatar of hope and honor and courage for all of us—the linchpin of a rollicking good tale . . . Odd evokes the homespun wisdom of Forrest Gump amid the mind-spinning adventures of a Jack Bauer.”—BookPage “There’s never anything predictable about an Odd Thomas adventure.”—Booklist “The nice young fry cook with the occult powers is [Koontz’s] most likable creation . . . candid, upright, amusing and sometimes withering.”—The New York Times “An inventive . . . mix of suspense, whimsy and uplift.”—The Washington Post “Heartfelt and provocative . . . a wonderfully rich and entertaining story.”—Chicago Sun-Times




Destined to Last


Book Description

Accident-prone beauty Lady Kate Cole catches the eye of wealthy and adventurous Andrew Hunter who, vowing that no other woman will do for his wife, will stop at nothing to prove that they are destined to be together forever. Original.