*Warning: This review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Release Date: December, 2009
Pages: 372
Source: Own
The Story:
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 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 boys' 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.
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Rating:
One-word Review: Mysterious
Reading Tune: Dance With the Devil by Breaking Benjamin
My Review:
I read The Dark Divine around the time it was just released and I loved it! LOVED it! To date it is probably my favorite werewolf story.
Tag Line:
A prodigal son
A dangerous love
A deadly secret
Opening Line:
"Grace! You have got to see the new guy."
Plot:
The premise of The Dark Divine was the life of a good-girl is turned upside down when she is drawn to a childhood friend who comes back from the "dead" and monstrous baggage with him. Family secrets are thrust into the light. A mortal budding love. A terrible curse.
The pacing of The Dark Divine was perfect. The buildup was mysterious and the timing was flawless. I was kept at the edge of my seat as I zipped through the story. Despain's style of writing was enthralling. I savored every morsel of words through the entire book.
All in all, I enjoyed Bree Despain's The Dark Divine. I highly recommend this story to anyone who loves YA paranormal romance. And have a particular soft-spot for furry supernatural monsters. When I finished I immediately bought the sequel, The Lost Saint, gobbled it up and anxiously awaited the third installment, The Savage Grace.
Character Breakdown:
The character dynamic in The Dark Divine was
Grace Divine - Perfect example of a pastor's daughter... Good-two-shoes who got her skirt raised by mysterious, bad boy, Daniel. Do not get me wrong, although her character stood well on the moral side, Grace's character did not annoy me.
Daniel - Mean and mysterious. . . Epitome of the swoon-worthy bad boy.
'Daniel leaned toward me until his warm breath lingered on my face again. "You know, some religious scholars believe that when faced with overwhelming temptation" — he reached out and brushed a tangled strand of hair off my neck — "you should commit a small sin, just to relieve the pressure a bit."'
Meet the Author:
Bree rediscovered her childhood love for creating stories when she took a semester off college to write and direct plays for at-risk, inner-city teens from Philadelphia and New York. She currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband, two young sons, and her beloved TiVo. THE DARK DIVINE is Bree's debut novel.
***Check out Bree Despain's website for more information about her and The Dark Divine: HERE
Happy Reading!