Review: The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Title: The Dark Divine
Author: Bree Despain
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Date: December 22, 2009
Pages: 372
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Series: The Dark Divine #1
Source: Hardcover

Goodreads Summary:

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.

Review:

I have always loved paranormal books, and I love it when there is a new twist on the myth.  I really enjoyed this book.  I think the story was original and I was intrigued from the beginning.   This book is full of mystery. I think this is what kept me turning page after page. I needed to know more. The book seems to give you hints and little snippets of what might be happening throughout the book, and it was fun to try to figure it out.  I did figure a little something about Daniel but I was only slightly on track.

It’s hard not to like Grace. She is from a family of good morals, and she always does what she can to help everyone else out. She is very determined and does not give up on Daniel. I really like these characteristics in a heroine. She may seem weak at the beginning, but she does grow stronger throughout the book and learns from her mistakes along the way. The sacrifice she knows that she needs to make to save Daniel is huge. Grace struggles over this and even as it seems  that any choice she makes will not be the right one, she knows she does have to make a choice.

Daniel is a bad boy and has a past, a hidden past. He was gone for a long time and Grace does not know what he did or where he was for the years he was missing.  I felt a strong connection to Daniel right away. I wanted more Daniel with every page. I knew he was struggling and hurting and I needed to know why.

Mystery upon mystery…. Where was Daniel all these years… Why is there so much love lost between Jude and Daniel….  Who or what is murdering in this town…. Even the end will keep you guessing and then you will find yourself saying…. Wait What?!!

I enjoyed this book and it will be a keeper of mine. I will continue with the series.

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