David Odell – författare

The moment poison touched her lips, Penelope was destined to fall. But rather than the warm embrace of death she expected, what meets her is a cold limbo. With Penelope unable to awake, the love interests find themselves divided—some accusatory, some protective, and a certain crown prince hell-bent on finding the one who did this to the duke’s daughter and making them pay. Little do the inhabitants of the ducal manor know, the enemy lies among them...As Ivonne continues to spin her web of lies, more and more become victim to her brainwashing, bringing her ever closer to her goal. But will Ivonne's true nature be revealed before it’s too late?

Painstaking efforts, near-death experiences, unrequitable feelings—everything Penelope has worked for comes crashing down in an instant upon the return of Ivonne, the “true” daughter of House Eckhart. The one to blame? Eckles, the very man Penelope was betting her survival and escape on. But when she goes to confront him for his betrayal, not only is she hit by a shocking revelation about her relationship with him, but about Ivonne too...And as the clock strikes midnight on the day of Penelope’s coming-of-age ceremony, and thus, the end of Hard Mode, she’s forced to face the music.

“I don’t want to live like this either, only ever being despised.”Life in hard mode for “villain” Penelope Eckhart means with every step forward, she’s shoved five steps back. Just when things seem to be stabilizing between her and the brothers, she finds herself coming to blows with Reynold, who insists on dredging up the past—an affront Penelope refuses to take lying down. To make matters worse, she’s forced to attend the hunting tournament hosted by the crown prince…and Callisto + weapons = a recipe for DANGER!

Penelope’s fate is looking grim, but she’s got a plan: sneak out, rescue Eckles, and secure herself a one-way ticket out of death. The problem with making the seemingly docile boy her “all-in” love interest? He’s a lot more dangerous than she expected! A single bad hand means she’ll go bust, and Penelope quickly realizes she needs a backup plan—that is, a backup man! Winter appears to be the obvious choice, but there’s more to the enigmatic sorcerer than meets the eye…With the odds stacked against her, will Penelope be able to play her cards right?

Playing Daughter of the Duke’s Super Love Project as the easy mode heroine, Ivonne, makes charming the male characters a breeze. But once you switch to hard mode and step into the shoes of Penelope, the misunderstood villain, it’s nearly impossible to even stay alive! So imagine the shock of suddenly waking up in Penelope’s body—you know right away that your life is on the line. With love interests who will kill you if their affection meters drop too low and the inability to speak without choosing from pre-selected dialogue, it quickly becomes clear that Penelope’s chances have been rigged from the start—and this villain might just be destined to die!

Villains Are Destined to Die is a fantasy romance that stands out as one of the top series on the webcomic app Tapas.

Every obstacle, every enemy, every life-threatening experience has led to this—Beatrice vs. Raeliana, the final showdown. Beatrice, who usurped another’s fate in search of a happy ever after; Raeliana, who takes her future into her own hands and rewrites the story. Find out how it ends in the conclusion to Raeliana and Noah’s star-crossed romance!

Eunha Park thought she was getting another chance at life when she awoke in the world of a novel. The only problem? Raeliana McMillan, the character she was reborn as, is fated to be killed by her fiancé! For the sake of her survival, she comes upwith an idea—get into a fake marriage with a man more powerful than her groom-to-be. But when that protection comes in the form of Noah Wynknight, the duke with a warm smile and cold heart, Raeliana realizes she might be a bit in over her head…She’s going to regret this plan, isn’t she?

Raeliana McMillan thought she was escaping death through her fake engagement to Duke Noah Wynknight…only to realize that he’s a whole different kind of danger! Thoughtful and flirty one moment, cold and calculating the next, Noah is quickly blurring the line between obligation and volition. On top of that, her resentful ex and Noah’s jealous admirers all seem to be plotting against her—as if she didn’t have enough to worry about. And with the heroine Noah is fated to fall for missing, Raeliana’s starting to wonder just how much her actions are changing the story…

“IF BEATRICE DOES SHOW UP…WILL HE KEEP LOVING ME?” Raeliana is being held hostage! Well, sort of. After being summoned to the palace by Noah’s half brother, King Siathrich, she’s forced to stay there—and to confront the future of her relationship with Noah. Considering the kiss he planted on her while she was sick, it’s obvious there are feelings involved, but the ever-present weight of Beatrice’s existence complicates things. Still, Raeliana doesn’t intend to sit around waiting for her Duke Charming Noah to come save her, and she’s got a plan…Little does she know, the universe has something else in store!

A PLACE TO RETURN— NOT FOR THE RAELIANA McMILLAN WHO WAS…BUT FOR ME. Raeliana is putting on her detective cap! Set on unraveling the secrets behind her strange reincarnation, she starts digging into original-Raeliana’s past—which happens to entail an extended leave from the duke’s mansion. In light of her recent rejection of Noah’s advances and Justin Shamal’s persistent flirtations, this investigation may be just what she needs. Little does she know, the fated meeting between Beatrice and the duke has finally come to pass! With plot point after plot point from the novel playing out, will Noah’s heart join in following destiny’s script…?

Just when all hope to unearth Raeliana’s memories seems lost...Enter Iosa Ben! This “dark priestess” holds truths long since buried—and Raeliana is damned if she doesn’t finally get answers. And what better place to start than the “goddess” herself, the being who brought Raeliana’s soul to this world? But with Iosa declaring the goddess to be little else than a “two-bit playwright,” it turns out there may be more—or, well, less —to the goddess than meets the eye...

“IF SHE APPEARS BEFORE YOU…WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME THE SAME?” As the first snow of the year descends in luscious flurries on Chamus, so too follows a romantic legend: Couples whose ties bind under such a sky shall live happily ever after. Noah, swept up by the romantic tale, vows his love once more to Raeliana, offering her a ring anew—only this time, it’s not a contractual farce. Forced to confront her feelings and just how her actions have changed the plot, Raeliana is still none the wiser to how twisted things have become. Enter Beatrice, the original heroine…now turned villain! She’ll do anything to see Raeliana dead—and Noah may very well end up as collateral damage…

“THE ONLY ONE WHO MAKES MY HEART RACE EVER SO IS YOU.”Raeliana is off to save Noah from the terrorists’ trap, gun in hand and ready for action! But when the ominous sounds of explosions reverberate, she is horribly unprepared to find Noah gravely injured. Overwhelmed by guilt, Raeliana finally lets her big, body-jumping secret come tumbling from her mouth…and in the heat of the moment, so too follows a confession of love! With all laid bare between them, the couple should finally be on the path to their happily ever after, right? But the book this world takes place in is called Beatrice, not Raeliana, and the true heroine is fed up with waiting to take her rightful place. She’ll kill Raeliana with her own hands if she has to!

David O''Dell was one of the earliest supporters of the Chinese punk rock scene that started taking shape in 1995 in Beijing. The book is a rich and uniquely personal collection of stories, over one hundred previously unreleased photos and translated song lyrics from the earliest Chinese punk bands and the dizzying development of the scene - it is unlike anything you have ever read, or ever will read, about China.

Dakota Walker Randell had lived in the valley all his younger years with no plan to leave. His friends were all there, most importantly Linda Martin, who was his girlfriendeven if he did not know it at first. Still they spent a great deal of time together horseback riding in the valley. Linda lived in the biggest house in the valley, while Dakota lived in a small house in a ghost town. Lindas family had money, while Dakotas father was the former pastor of the valley church. Now he was the valley drunk, and all he had was his horse and his dog.In Dakotas senior year of high school, he was sick of caring for his father. He wanted a life of his own, maybe with Linda. You think you have nothing, then you have it all, and then she is gone. What happened after that makes a new life as well as a story of a man in search of answers.This is also a story of a girl searching for answers, as well as what they find in a truck stop one morning, sixteen year later.

“MY ONLY CRIME WAS LOVING YOU…” Aristia la Monique was the child of prophecy, raised to be the companion of the future emperor-until she wasn’t. When the actual child of prophecy appears on the palace grounds, Aristia is immediately cast aside by both fiancé and country and forced to watch as Jieun is handed the love, future, and throne that was supposed to be hers. Her only reward for a lifetime of obedience is death…or rather, a second chance at life! When she unexpectedly wakes up in her ten-year-old body, Aristia resolves to escape the shackles of prophecy no matter the odds. This time, she’ll take fate into her own hands!

“TO CARRY FORTH OUR HOUSE AND NAME.” In an attempt to cut ties with the Imperial family, Aristia la Monique decides to strengthen her bonds to her own. But being named the official heir of family Monique means first becoming a knight worthy of leading the Second Order -- no easy feat for someone born with such a delicate constitution. And when unrest in the borderlands takes her father and mentors away, she’s left without a teacher to oversee her training. With time quickly running out and all the cards stacked against her, will Aristia succeed in this desperate scramble to escape her fate?

“WHAT IF I’M ABANDONED YET AGAIN?” Thanks to the boisterous Carsein and her new imperial bodyguards, Aristia is able to put her desperation aside and find her smile again. But when the dreaded invitation to the crown prince’s coming-of-age ceremony arrives before her father can return from the border regions, she’s overwhelmed with the daunting prospect of announcing her plans for the future to the emperor all by herself. If only there were just one person, one friend she could trust, to whom she could tell her story…

Out of sight should mean out of mind, but Aristia’s absence only makes Allendis, Carsein, and even Ruveliss think of her more and more! Though she’s far out in the countryside enjoying peaceful days, fate seems determined to bring them together. But there’s something else Tia can’t get away from no matter how far she travels--a shadow of the past that threatens to become her future...

It’s off to the temple for the torch-lighting ceremony! But what should be a mundane ritual is turned on its head when the legendary priest Heika Demint takes a liking to Raeliana…and demands Noah break up with her?! Meanwhile, Vivian Shamal is determined to have the duke for herself—and desperate times call for desperate (and deadly) measures. As the day of Beatrice and Noah’s fated first encounter approaches and the terms of Raeliana and Noah’s engagement draw to a close, it seems inevitable for the couple to go their separate ways… So why does Noah insist he still needs his fake fiancée?!

“I HOPE SHE, AT LEAST, WILL BE FREE.” As the newly appointed assistant officer to the commander of the First Order of Knights, Aristia is one step closer to becoming the heir of House Monique. But fighting against destiny is never easy, and a run-in with Ruveliss on the anniversary of her mother’s death makes it clear that the bonds that tie them together run deeper than Tia ever knew. And though her path to knighthood is finally secure, Tia must now face another battle field: high society!

“HE DID ALL THAT...FOR ME?” The empire is in full festival mode. But for Aristia, the ballroom is yet another battlefield and every dance step a desperate riposte. Princesses from neighboring kingdoms are here, and they have one goal--to take her place by Ruveliss’s side! To that end, they are willing to use every dirty trick in the book to humiliate Tia and turn the prince against her. But as she begins to falter under constant pressure, unexpected allies come to her aid...

“IT WAS THE SOUND OF THE GODS SCOFFING AT ME.” Thanks to Ruveliss’s decisive actions, the foreign princesses’ schemes are thwarted, but this was merely a prelude to the oncoming turmoil. With the emperor’s health waning, political machinations at the court intensify…and at the center of it all stands Aristia. To make matters worse, Carsein suffers a grave injury while protecting her from mysterious assassins, and the shadow inside Allendis’s heart continues to grow. With crisis after crisis erupting all around her, Tia finds herself relying more and more on Ruveliss for support. …All the while, the cogs of fate spin ever forward, indifferent to the struggles of mortals--until the gears click into place at the destined hour…Jieun has arrived.

“DID YOU ENJOY YOUR TIME IN THIS WORLD WITHOUT ME?”The moment Aristia was dreading is finally here--Jieun has arrived! As politics pit the two against each other yet again, she soon realizes that this Jieun is very different from the one she remembers . In order to protect herself and those dear to her, Tia hardens her resolve to walk the path of heir to House Monique …until long-kept secrets are brought to light , calling her legitimacy as crown princess candidate into question! While the noble faction plans their next move with an openly hostile Jieun as their new pawn, Tia is reminded that within the palace, there is no room for mercy.