Review: The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Pub. Date: December 22, 2009

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Format: Hardcover, 384pp

Age Range: Young Adult

Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.

The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.

The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret...and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul.

Bree Despain weaves a mysterious tale around surprisingly impressive folklore to tell a captivating and spellbinding tale of Love, Danger & Forgiveness. I was thoroughly engrossed after the introduction of Daniel. There’s something so mysterious about him that just draws you in and dares you to uncover his secrets.

I didn’t know what to expect about that fateful night that left Jude and Daniel’s friendship destroyed. But let me tell you as the pages turned and the events unfolded, I was shocked and surprised because I was thinking something totally different about the mysteries surrounding Daniel. So, I can’t go into any more details without being too spoilery. You’ll have to find out for yourself.

I love all the characters in this book and that’s a feat considering it’s hard to find a book where you enjoyed reading about all of the characters. Grace is a pastor’s daughter and you know what they say about the pastor’s kids…. Anyway, I love the chemistry between Grace and Daniel and the immediate dangers that tied into their relationship and the fact that it kept me up late at night to finish the book.

Despain presented quite a few unexpected twists and turns in The Dark Divine that will have readers begging for more by the end of the book. So to say the least this was a DIVINE read indeed!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars