The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain


Series: The Dark Divine, book #1
Next Book in Series: The Lost Saint
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Release Date: December 22, 2009
Hardcover: 328 Pages
Age Group: Young Adult 
Buy: Amazon
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Source: Library
Challenge: none
Rating: 5/5

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 really held. And when Daniel returns three years later, Grace can no longer deny her attraction to him, despite promising Jude she’ll stay away.       As Grace gets closer to Daniel, her actions stir the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind Jude and Daniel'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.

First Paragraph: "Grace! You have got to see the new guy." April bounded up to be in the junior hallway. Sometimes she reminded me of the cocker spaniel I used to own—she trembled in excitement over just about anything. 

I've seen this book around the blog-o-sphere a bit and have heard great things about it, so when I went to the library on Monday I saw it and had to get it. All the people who have said this book is great and a refreshing new take on werewolves were absolutely right. Despain had a brilliant way of throwing in mythology of the Loup Garou (and other forms of the werewolf) into our every day world without making it seem like it was mythology and fantasy. It had just the right amount of each in it to make it a wonderful and intriguing story. 


She also has the type of writing that you fly through the pages thinking you are not as far in as you think. Which I absolutely love in a novel! I don't get this feeling very often with a new series. Usually it only starts happening once I've read a series for a little while.


I loved Grace, the main character. She annoyed me at times, but she was a great character. I love how they made her family seem like the perfect family of a pastor, but then as you read on you see that they have the same troubles as any other family has. Grace was very selfless and tried to be what everyone would expect from a preacher's daughter, and more. But she still struggled with trying to be the person she wanted to be, and not what everyone expected from her.


This debut novel was fantastic and I can't wait to read the sequel. With the ending the way it was, I'd completely forgot there was a sequel just released last December. It didn't leave any cliff hangers and made you think it was the end of the story. Can't wait to read the Lost Saint!


I recommend this to all wolf and shifter lovers. 


Cover: I really love the cover. The purple is so pretty on the black cover! Cover and interior book design by JDRIFT DESIGN, cover photograph by Jose Torralba.