Your Heart Belongs to Me

by Dean Koontz

Hardcover, 2008

Status

Available

Call number

F Koo

Call number

F Koo

Barcode

3284

Publication

Bantam (2008), Edition: First Edition, 352 pages

Description

For thirty-four-year-old Ryan Perry, life is good a year after the heart transplant that had saved him from certain death, until he begins to receive strange messages united by the theme, "Your heart belongs to me," and discovers that he is being stalked by a mysterious woman who bears a striking resemblance to the donor of his heart.

Original publication date

2008

User reviews

LibraryThing member sallyawolf
Ryan heart has failed and at 34 he has found himself on a waiting list for a new one. Impatience for life gets the better of him and he searches for a new doctor. Dr. Hobbs finds him a heart in record time and the transplant is a success. A year later things begin to happen to him that make him
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wonder if it was all worth it. This is a book filled with love suspense, danger and a little Poe thrown in for good measure.


This is not my favorite Dean Koontz book but it is not bad either. I think that it was a little slow on the upstart but the ending was fast paced and well worth the reading of the rest of it. The subtext of this book is that you can't buy life you just have to live it and let it be as it should be. I would recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy, romance, horror, and drama. I bought this book from a used book store.
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LibraryThing member jbemrose
I like this book. It was a little differents then any other book I read of his but I liked it. I didn't know if Ryan was going crazy or someone was after him at first. Then he found out that he need a new heart.
LibraryThing member RBeffa
I think I am on firm ground when I say that "Your Heart Belongs To Me" is the worst Dean Koontz book I have ever read. If this were the first Koontz I picked up I suspect I'd be poisoned on him. The latter quarter of the book redeemed it just enough to keep from being a total failure for me. Even
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still I did not find the end satisfying, nor was I satisfied with just about anything in this book. A couple minor characters had more interest to me than any of the major characters or the plot. The writing I found pretty bad at times. Koontz goes way over the top on the florid prose, drowning parts of the story in superfluous details and describing all sorts of nonsense in nonsense ways that impeded the flow of the story considerably. My meager attempts to guess what was going on proved to be worthless by the time the end showed up. The first half, most of it anyway, of this book was an utter failure for me. Unlikeable characters, ridiculous plot development, and have I said boring yet? There. Unbelievable? There. Out of left field? There. I saw it through to see how it could be wrapped up, and most of it was indeed wrapped up in an untidy mess.
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LibraryThing member ofthehands.com
Until the last 40 pages or so, this felt like the Koontz book that might finally convince me to stop reading his new books. Then it was vaguely redeemed in the final pages. I do mean vaguely, though. The explanation of things is actually not very impressive, we find out that significant information
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was left out of the earlier story so that the reader can't too easily guess what was happening, and the wrap up is too tidy. The only reason I found it vaguely redeeming was the way it changed the story's overall portrayal of the main character. It took away some of my earlier annoyance.I suspect my compulsion to keep reading Koontz's new books will continue, though we'll see. The Odd books are the only ones that seem even somewhat inspired anymore. Perhaps not surprising when the books are coming out like clockwork, one every six months, with a writing style that seems to mimic R.L. Stine more all the time (it's noticeable, for instance, when a paragraph is longer than five lines or a chapter longer than six pages.)Why can't I break my addiction? Why can't Koontz go back to writing the somewhat less preachy and much more compelling, not so by-the-numbers books of his past? And yet, they're still just compelling enough for me to continue reading them. (Or maybe it's just the vague sense of accomplishment I get from pounding them out in a day or two, since they read so fast and easy.)Anyway, even if you're a fan of Koontz, if you don't have to read all his books, I'd recommend giving this one a pass. It's pretty mediocre and the overwriting borders on ridiculous at times, even for Koontz. And you'll very possibly find yourself wanting to strangle the main character throughout most of it. Don't bother.
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LibraryThing member Spiceca
Based on the book and a couple other newer Koontz books, it appears that he is leaving behind the thriller aspect which used to make his books chilling and creepy. I don't mind a book that isn't as creepy but it does at least need proper cohesion to keep it together for the sake of the story.

The
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characters were flighty in their personalities and would do turn-abouts quite frequently. Throw in several aspects of supernatural elements but completely ignore having any of them explained in any fashion, add a couple psychos that start out super sneaky then leave the job half done and that sums up this book. It closely resembles a half-hearted attempt at self-discovery but fails to deliver in any big way.

If you enjoyed Koontz "Darkest Evening" then you will probably like this one, especially how it ends.

If you prefer classic Koontz with a high percentage of horror and thriller aspects then leave this one alone.
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LibraryThing member croxas
I pretty much read this book in 2 sittings...I was that excited for some new Koontz. I thought it was great too. It's a great example of the new style of writing he has taken on in the past 5 years or so, yet totally unique in a sense that...I guess in a sense that he broke all the rules of classic
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storytelling. I literally turned page after page just wondering why he was taking the story where he was, and when it was all said and done I was sort of speechless. After finishing the book I felt like someone ought to after investing hours in a story. Read it.
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LibraryThing member kysmom02
Your Heart Belongs to Me is about a 34 year old internet entrepreneur, Ryan Perry. He learns of a terrible medical condition that limits his life to a year if he doesn't receive a new heart. The first thing Ryan does is begin to search for an answer about his condition. Years later, Ryan is visited
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by a woman claiming that she wants her heart back. And she's willing to use violence to get it.

I loved this book! It had romance, it had drama and mystery. Koontz's use of the English language is AMAZING! I listened to the unabridged version of this book and the reader was incredible as well. The beginning of the book is a little slow, but the relationship that is painted so vividly between Samantha and Ryan is interesting. Their conversations almost always got a laugh out of me! I loved the way that they spoke to each other, and the quick wit between them. This book was not at all what I expected and that is a great compliment. There are a few complexities in the book, so I think that if I read/listened to it again, I might gain even more from it.
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LibraryThing member zhoud2005
This book is horrible. I do not think I will pick up any Kootz's book any time soon.
The plot is ridiculous, characters are flat and not believable.

simply put a waste of time and money for anyone.
LibraryThing member mckait
This was a very good read. I always pick up a Koontz book thinking I wont like it.
I always do. Ryan Perry, self involved, wealthy and clueless. Sam, great girlfriend trying to prove she loves him not his money. Dire illness diagnosed and Ryan is in trouble. What happens next is filled with drama,
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spirits, essential evil, essential goodness and redemption. Of who, why or when you should really read for yourself. You won't regret it.
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LibraryThing member SonicQuack
Your Heart is interesting. It's not compulsive, it's not compelling and it's not full of cliffhangers and twists that surprise you every other chapter. In fact this book is almost mundane by Koontz's usual standard. That said, it is interesting. There's enough to keep you turning the pages; mostly
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as you attempt to work out where the story is leading. Koontz plays paranoia against high-tech against the supernatural. It's a Mexican stand-off of genres and the no aces are revealed until the very end. It's well crafted, light and dark at times, full of beautiful prose and most importantly, although this seems like a short story at times, there is enough to capture your interest. It's a slow burner for Koontz - not great, but not bad either.
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LibraryThing member wirtley
Very different approach to suspense. Very colorful writing. A rich young man needs a heart. He goes to the best doctor. He gets a transplant. However, someone is out to kill him, but who?
LibraryThing member INTPLibrarian
Disappointing. It had potential! I don't feel like I can really explain why it was such a disappointment without giving away spoilers... The plot that's described on the book jacket doesn't even begin until more than halfway through the book. There are threads that begin in the first half that are
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just dropped without any explanation.

If you're a Koontz fan, just skip it.
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LibraryThing member KevinJoseph
Few bestselling genre writers are willing to stray from their proven formula as much as Koontz, especially now with their publishers facing increasing financial pressure to stamp out novels from a familiar mold. Koontz, however, is a poetic genius trapped in a thriller writer's body, and I respect
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the tragic tack he takes in Your Heart Belongs to Me.

The core mystery/thriller elements are here, as Koontz hands a dotcom millionaire Ryan Perry a medical death sentence and keeps us wondering whether he's the victim of a conspiracy or his own paranoia. But unlike the heroes in some of his more traditional thrillers like The Good Guy and The Husband, Ryan faces a threat that arises as much from his own tragic flaw as from an independently-motivated villain. Laced with allusions to The Raven and other works by Poe, there's a suspenseful creepiness to this tale that goes well beyond what most medical mysteries can achieve. There's also a compelling love story between these covers, with an arc tracing Ryan's dark journey of self-discovery. And as Ryan discovers the evil wrought by his own tragic moral shortcomings, the stakes seem higher than life or death, as if his very soul hangs in the balance.

Despite this novel's many strengths, I found Ryan less developed and believable than most Koontz heroes, making some of his decisions toward the end of the story hard to fathom. I also felt that the supernatural element of the book detracted from its power (a rarity for a Koontz novel, to be sure), as this mystery could have been just as creepy, but more compelling, without resorting to the ghost device. Graded on a Koontz curve, I give this four stars, bearing in mind that it would probably merit five stars from most any other writer.
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LibraryThing member Ti99er
An internet mogul in his mid thirties; Ryan Perry has it all, a mansion with a live-in staff, antique cars, and a beautiful and intelligent girlfriend. The one downside to all of Ryan’s good fortune is that he has a bad ticker. For a person who is in such good shape as himself, Ryan wonders if
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his heart condition is genetic as his doctor suggests or is someone out to get him?
As Ryan is put on a waiting list for a new heart, he becomes suspicious of everyone and uses his power and influence to turn over every stone to unearth the truth to what is happening to him. Will what he discovers cause him to lose it all, including his life?
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LibraryThing member FlowerFairy
I've never been disappointed by a Dean Konntz book. That being said, while I was not really disappointed in this one, it was most certainly not my favorite. I thought the subtext was good, but I just didn't find the main character as engaging as I have other of Koontz's characters. It's definetly
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worth the read, just not his best.
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LibraryThing member JRlibrary
Sadly, this is probably the first Koontz book that I haven't been really, really crazy about. It just didn't flow the way I've come to expect from Koontz. It took too long to sort out who the actual enemy was, and then, when it was clear, too much of it was unexplained. It seemed like he wanted to
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write a spiritual book with some spooky, ghost like stuff happening, but then forgot that theme and went with just a plain psycho out for revenge for something he didn't even know about. I wish I hadn't wasted my money on the hard cover! For me, a big disappointment, and I'm usually one of his biggest fans!
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LibraryThing member jewelsanne
I used to read all of Dean Koontz' books, but this book had me thinking "strange". It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't up to the usual Dean Koontz standards. It is a different story, like nothing I have read so it's so odd at times, it really is strange. I especially think the end is strange. The
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boyfriend/girlfriend romance was weak, it would have been a better story if that relationship was better.
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LibraryThing member fgjohnson
A Dean Koontz book... Hmmmm... I hate the title but it's bound to be wackier than Stephen King. know what? Too much build up for too little result. All in all boring read!
LibraryThing member Heptonj
This is an absolutely riveting thriller with a touch of the supernatural. Ryan Perry has a heart transplant at the age of 34 and so his nightmare begins. Heart-shaped presents from someone who can penetrate his inner fortress. He stands to lose everything, including his fortune and his girlfriend -
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not to mention his life at the hands of a determined assasin. An excellent and unexpected ending. Unputdownable.
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LibraryThing member TwilightBlue
Took me forever to get through this book. I love Koontz, have every one of his books I could get my little hands on. My suggestion would be to skip the first 150 pages and start from there. I had to literally drag myself through the first half of this book. The second half was much better. But
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reading a book really shouldn't be that much work.
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LibraryThing member MaryWJ
it was okay - he did the general story better in Tick Tock and the end was told better in the Odd Thomas books, but...it was okay
LibraryThing member sallyawolf
Ryan heart has failed and at 34 he has found himself on a waiting list for a new one. Impatience for life gets the better of him and he searches for a new doctor. Dr. Hobbs finds him a heart in record time and the transplant is a success. A year later things begin to happen to him that make him
Show More
wonder if it was all worth it. This is a book filled with love suspense, danger and a little Poe thrown in for good measure.

This is not my favorite Dean Koontz book but it is not bad either. I think that it was a little slow on the upstart but the ending was fast paced and well worth the reading of the rest of it. The subtext of this book is that you can't buy life you just have to live it and let it be as it should be. I would recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy, romance, horror, and drama. I bought this book from a used book store.
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LibraryThing member SenoraG163
I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this book so much. I used to love Koontz but he kinda lost it there for awhile, at least in my opinion. Not sure if I would have enjoyed it as much if I read the book as opposed to listening to it. For me, some books are just better heard then read.
LibraryThing member ScribbleScribe
I'm really not sure why koontz had to add the happy ending after the climax of the novel where the protagonist (Ryan) is confronted by the woman wanting his heart. That part of the story had a fascinating twist which I did not see coming. It would've been a good ending had he stopped right there,
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but he didn't and he had to add golden retrievers frolicking in a field.
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LibraryThing member csweder
This is a pretty classic Koontz book. I was really engaged in the story, and attempting to solve the mystery before he did it for me.

There are a few things I think that short change the story: giving the main character practically unlimited wealth is convenient, but a bit lazy on the part of the
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author (the character can now do whatever he wants, whenever he wants because he doesn't have to work, and has enough money to charter planes, have extremely up to date security systems...etc). Second, I felt end was not as developed as it could have been. It was pretty close to 'happily ever after' that I've seen...

But for the most part, very engaging and enjoyable read!
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Rating

(329 ratings; 3.1)

Pages

337
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