The Dark Divine

By Bree Despain

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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Jan 19, 2010
• ISBN: 9781606841174

Bree Despain

Bree Despain is the author of The Dark Divine trilogy and the Into the Dark trilogy. She currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with her husband and two sons. Visit her online at www.breedespain.com.

Reviews for The Dark Divine

[shahnareads · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

There are some religions undertones that are kind of annoying, but once you get past that its an okay story.

Werewolves. Mystery. Family Secrets. Runaway Brother. Kissing!

It was an alright story. I want to find the sequel and find out what happens next. She needs to find her brother! He's gone a little crazy. uh oh.

The book is filled with things like:
Follow your heart.
Fight for what you believe in.
Love conquers all.
Family important.

Not bad things for a book to have, and it's wrapped up in a nice fantasy bow.

[mrsdanaalbasha · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I am still reading the book and I think it is going OK, I really want to know what is going on, I have my suspicions that Daniel is a werewolf, but still I am not sure.
Reached chapter 14 and the book is gripping me into Gracie and Daniel's world even more. I am almost done, the last 10 chapters were very predictable, and I found this book a bit... Christian teaching book, it felt like a book for certain genre of people. Not for every individual. Not so much about werewolves as about the bible. Missionary is a word that comes to mind when one is done.

[cynical_ames · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Dark Divine is an engrossing and engaging story which keeps you guessing as to who the "monsters" are. I say "monsters" plural because it refers not just to the unknown criminal on the loose, the label also applies to those hiding the monster within behind nice-person façades, whether they can shift physically into one or not.

The goody-goody pastor's family falling apart was portrayed well. In fact, their demise was probably one reason why I could read this from start to finish. I'm not a fan of religion and tend to stay away from anything that even hints at it but even though there are some religious references they didn't bother me too much.

However, I did begin to cringe at Grace's words more and more as the story progressed. I loved her interactions with Daniel but she was so naive and optimistic at inappropriate moments, most likely due to her incredibly sheltered lifestyle. Her talk of heroes made me shudder, since when do we believe heroes exist outside of comic books and movies?

I did figure out who the monster was before Grace did but only because that person was conspicuously absent every time an incident occurred. The ending didn't particularly thrill me though the action was good so I'm unsure of whether I'll be reading the sequel.

[mirandalg14 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

3.5 stars. At first it seemed too Twilight-y to me, but it got a bit better. It did take a while to get to the point - almost 200 pages into it before the "real" stuff. The wrap-up was good, but a little predictable - when it got to a certain point you could see exactly where it was going.

[ceilidhann · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I felt that this was a book that did not need to be a paranormal romance. I thought the main topics of interest in the story came from the religious aspect and the idea of dark secrets in a family who are looked upon as truly divine. The love subplot and werewolf bits felt forced compared to the rest of the story, which wasn't brilliantly written, but certainly kept my interest for longer. The love plot was samey and nothing I've not read before in much better, more original books.

I was disappointed that the book's heroine fell into so many of the pothols associated with paranormal YA heroines - she had a lot of interesting traits, certainly more than many other heroines, but they all seemed to be shoved aside the moment the love story came into it. She was also prone to making daft decisions and jumping to stupid conclusions. Daniel was okay but as I said earlier, I was just much more interested in other characters, especially Jude. Take away the paranormal element and write the story as a struggle to be righteous when you're anything but and I think that story would be much more interesting.

[kewpie83 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The Dark Divine' was pitched to me as being fantastic. I don't think it ever read as 'fantastic' to me. The writing style never sucked me in, which is pretty much a pre-req for a book to be anything other than 'okay'. Maybe the problem is with me? Books that deal with creatures like the ones in 'The Dark Divine' never really have caught my interest...

[kaitnolan_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Slow starter but totally worth pushing through. Looking forward to the next one.

[irenereads · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Library Summary: "Grace Divine, almost seventeen, learns a dark secret when her childhood friend-- practically a brother-- returns, upsetting her pastor-father and the rest of her family, around the time strange things are happening in and near their small Minnesota town."I LOVED this book! There is so much romance and mystery. The two things that I want in a book! I like that Bree Despain didn't make Grace seem like a weak character. She didn't make her all whiney and one of those girls who always think "Why can't I be with the guy I love?". Sure Grace might be like that at some points in the book, but she wasn't like that too much. Bree made Grace become a strong protagonist who is able to figure things out for herself. I also like Daniel. Bree made him all mysterious at first. So that not only is Grace attracted to him through out the book, but the reader is as well. But once Grace figures out what Daniel is, he opens up more. Though that may ruin the character for some people, I found that I still liked him as much as I did before. Even though he wasn't as mysterious as in the beginning of the book. I recommend this to all those who liked the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy.

[leannesf_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

YA paranormal romance; Starts with the mystery of a best friend's (Daniel) disappearance with another boy (Jude) covered in blood and on the edge of death. Grace must reconcile her feelings for Daniel when he comes back into her life and her loyalty to her brother, Jude. Loved the tension and complexity of the relationships of the main characters. Recommended for fans of Shannon Delany.

[lms8esmith · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I initially read The Dark Divine when it was first released; a student let me borrow it. I quickly picked up the series for my Nook so that I could read about the fate of Grace, Daniel, and Jude. I enjoyed the twist on the werewolf tale, and as a glutton for first love, Grace and Daniel's relationship brought a smile to my face. Jude's character reminded me of my own brother and how we have grown in our relationship over the years. I'm excited to read the rest of the series. Thanks Bree Despain! :O)

[kresslya · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had my doubts about this book when I started reading it, but it quickly won me over and I got caught up in the plot. This YA book has intrigue, romance, strong emotions, and family secrets. I enjoyed this modern take on werewolves or the Hounds of Haven. They started as Gods army to fight monsters, but over the centuries something happened and that changed.

[bryndahlquis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

To properly show my thoughts about this book, I'd have to write a very long review, because I have some very mixed feelings. Grace, the main character, has her brilliant moments, and her incredibly -stupid- moments, so it's hard to like her. There is a nice twist ending, but the actual -ending- is...lackluster.I did like Bree Despain's take on werewolves, something I'd never seen before and found interesting.Like I said, I have so many thoughts on this book, I'm going to have to take a while to write a full-length review, but the bottom line is: it's worth a look. It's not everyday you find Christian and werewolves blending together so successfully.

[giuffridaa_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow! I just finished reading The Dark Divine and I couldn't wait to post my review. I actually read this book in less than two days, which although it isn't abnormal for me, it should just show how I couldn't put it down! I became vested in the story of Jude, Daniel and Grace right away. I love that there was some art intertwined into a story that was bloody and a bit mysterious at times. I also thought that Bree Despain used an interesting twist to the paranormal. She included characters that were moral and selfless. It showed that there is good out there, even when faced with evil, that will forgive and love. This is something that is missing in many stories today and I appreciated it.

[psteinke1122_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Grace Divine! How’s that for a name! And she’s a PK, a “Preacher’s Kid”. Grace always knew something awful happened between her brother Jude and his best friend Daniel (who she has loved for years)…but she never knew what. One night she and her younger siblings were sent to stay with her Grandmother for 3 weeks and when they came home Daniel was gone and no one ever spoke of “that night”It’s now several years later and Grace discovers a very different looking Daniel in her high school AP Art class holding some of her work. She is shocked! She mentions that Daniel is back and the whole world starts to cave in on itself. It’s a long journey to the truth of what happened…one no one will forget and some may never recover from.Couldn’t put this one down…just devoured it in one sitting. I had to know what happened between Daniel and Jude! Ohhh and it was big enough to carry all the mystery and suspense! I could deduce what the secret Daniel was hiding, but didn’t see the other big reveal coming until it hit me. That was a surprise!I could totally relate to Grace in regards to Daniel being her first love and all the emotional highs and lows that go with it…especially since everyone but Daniel seemed to know she was in love with him. Grace wanted, so much, to save Daniel…yet another aspect a lot of us women can relate to. I thought Daniel and Grace were really sweet together. Thankfully I have the second book all queued up on the Kindle ready to dive in. I hope it’s as good as The Dark Devine was!

[sensitivemuse · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked this book, it’s different, although a little slow moving. The plot does move slowly and gradually takes the reader along for the ride. Which is not too bad sometimes. I did like the writing style of the book. It is in some parts, a bit description heavy but I liked it because it gave the setting a rich detailed picture and gave the story more substance. The actual plot and the origins of Daniel is one of the most interesting I’ve read. Yes, these types of paranormal monsters are overdone, but the origins behind Daniel and his history is definitely different and worth reading about - plus it got me reading into that kind of mythology. I have not come across something like this so far, so reading about this is definitely something refreshing and new.There is a bit of budding chemistry between Daniel and Grace. It’s there but not quite as passionate or exciting as some of the other YA couples I have read in the past. Daniel does have a certain charm to him as a brooding bad boy and Grace being your typical smart good girl is a typical cliche romance and while yes, it’s been done before it’s not so overdone as their relationship starts to grow slowly - so it gives it a realistic feel to it. (No, they don’t fall in love overnight and declare their undying love a la Romeo and Juliet) (Which is good!)Grace as a character and main heroine is ok...I did not have much of an opinion of her. She does not really stand out as some of the other main girls I’ve read in the past but she’s certainly readable, it’s just she does not stand out as much from the rest of them. Jude on the other hand got me really angry, he was a selfish twit and when it’s all revealed in the end the urge to stomp on his face was pretty strong. Oh and Pete. Wow you’re a jerk. A pretty handsome charming one, but still a jerk - which makes you ugly all of a sudden.I’ll be picking up the next one because it’s got me all so curious about what’s going to happen next. This book is meant to be read slowly and to take things in slowly it’s worth a read through as although there are some things that are the same in every YA paranormal you see, there are some vast differences which puts this from the rest of the pack.

[hobbitsies · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Dark Divine was certainly original from anything I’ve ever read before. I wasn’t sure what to expect when going into it, but I knew based on other people that werewolves are involved. I’ve been trying to expand my werewolf horizon, so I decided to give it a shot.The storyline is certainly interesting and full of many twists that I did not see coming. Bree Despain, like any good author would, took a paranormal creature that’s been seen before and really made it her own. I was taken in by her werewolf lore, and the history behind it all. I loved the journal entries she included. They were a great way to instruct and educate the reader and the protagonist on her werewolves.The characters bothered me a little. I tend to run from anyone who tries to push religion/beliefs onto me, and Grace was a daughter of a pastor, which presented a few problems. But really – none of the problems were with Grace. She was a pastor’s daughter, but she was a teenager. She questioned everything she knew and believed in and trusted throughout the book, and I really related to that. Her dad was a great character as well. I just had a problem with Grace’s mother and brother. They both irritated me immensely.Another problem I had – Grace’s best friend. She was there in the beginning, but then she just disappeared completely. She was involved with a guy and I understand that, and there were mentions of her, but they basically never spoke again throughout the whole book after she started dating.Overall, the interesting and twisty storyline overcame my issues, and I certainly enjoyed reading The Dark Divine. I love the cover very much, as well as the cover of The Lost Saint, which I will be picking up a copy of soon.

[brendamcfarlane · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good read.

[katya0133 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Dark Divine has often been compared with Twilight, but the two books have little in common besides genre and some very basic plot elements. Instead, The Dark Divine has characters with a solid emotional foundation for their relationship, difficult decisions with actual consequences, and an unexpectedly deep exploration of the principles of grace and forgiveness.

[anonymousreads_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My rating: 3.8/5Honestly, I thought this book was going to be much worse than it was. I bought it a year ago, but I only picked it up recently, and when I did, I wasn't as excited for it. So when I actually read it, it exceeded my expectations. I was expecting a book filled with stereotypes, insta-love, and completely predictable. I'm happy to say I was wrong, though there was a bit of insta-love.Grace, the main character, gets thrown back into her past when she finds out that a boy from her childhood is back in town. Daniel's return sparks all kind of interest around town, but the worst is her family's, who warn her to stay away from him. I think my favorite part of the book was waiting and trying to figure out what happened in the past between Daniel and Grace's brother, Jude, that caused him to leave. And when I found out what it was, I was shocked and left needing more.The characters were okay. I was happy to see that Grace was more strong-willed than most female main characters these days, but I didn't always agree with her decisions. But still, I found her a likeable main character, and I loved that I could connect with her through her love of art. It was also fun to watch the side characters grow. I loved Grace's best friend. You could see her character developing throughout the book. And watching Daniel's character open up was fun too. And I loved a lot of the Grace & Daniel scenes. ;)The writing style was also okay. Nothing really stood out too much for me, but it definitely was not bad. The book flowed nicely and was not slow paced. I even had the story on my mind for a bit after finishing it. That said, no, the book was not completely mind blowingly amazing, but it exceeded my expectations and is definitely worth picking up. I can't wait to continue the story with The Lost Saint.

[mrsboswellbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Three years ago, Grace Divine's childhood love, Daniel Kalbi disappeared for reasons unknown to Grace. She suspects his disappearance has something to do with the night her brother - and Daniel's best friend - Jude came home covered in blood. No one in her family has mentioned that night or Daniel's name since then. Now Daniel is back. He's sporting an overly confident and abrasive attitude, but Grace knows better. She, Jude and Daniel spent their child hood playing together, forming an ever-so-tight bond. She knows how horrible and wretched his childhood was, with an abusive father. Now that Daniel has finally returned, Grace wants some answers.Jude makes her promise to stay away from Daniel, but the problem with promises is that once you make one, it's bound to be broken. Now Grace is torn between the promise that she so wants to keep - for Jude's sake - and her desire to help the boy she's always loved. Will Grace actually do what is right? And which choice is the right one?The cover is beautiful, and is what initially drew me to the book. I also thought I'd take another stab at werewolves, since I haven't read very many that focused on that subject. The werewolf mythology was quite interesting, between the Hounds of Heaven and the Dogs of Death. I was transfixed by Daniel's inner urges warring with his desire to protect Grace. The characters were very well developed. I was most intrigued by the underlying story: Daniel's story of neglect, abuse and rejection was heart-wrenching. Ms. Despain did a wonderful job telling Daniel's search for love and redemption. The raw love between Grace and Daniel made me feel as though they were made to love each other. A beautiful story that I highly enjoyed. Looking forward to reading Ms. Despain's second book in the series, The Lost Saint. Curious to read about how Grace handles the wolf.

[taleofnight · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. It had it's dark, mysterious moments and it had its cheesy, adorable moments.Grace is stuck between doing what her family thinks best, and what she thinks best; either stay loyal to her brother, Jude, and stay away from Daniel, or follow her heart and help Daniel. All the while, her family seems to be falling apart after events that spring up some rumors about her all too perfect family.Well, I must say, I loved Grace and Daniel. My heart really went out to Daniel and it made me so mad when Grace kept going back and forth between helping Daniel and listening to her brother, Jude. Jude just got on my nerves throughout the story, but I guess it does make sense why he acted the way he did, in the end.This is a great book. It brings a certain myth to life, which part of the myth I have never even heard about, so that really intrigued me and kept me flipping through the pages. This is definitely a book I would read again.

[mrsmich02 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An original take on the werewolf myth from a religious standpoint. Some of the real-life possibilities seem far fetched. Would it really be possible for a serial killer to operate in a small town without any type of police involvement? The mother in the story has definite issues of some sort which are not addressed. But, as the narrator poses, nothing is really addressed within her family. Regardless, I will look for the next novel in the series, The Lost Saint, to follow up her story.

[sithereandread · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

THE DARK DIVINE, by Bree Despain, left me utterly breathless. The mystery, suspense, and incredible romance portrayed in this book kept me from putting it down. This is one of those novels I wish I discovered when it first came out because it is now one of my favorites.When I started the book, I noted the heavy religious theme and I was a bit put off at first. But the religious aspect was kept as more of an undertone and it created a basis of the main characters actions and feelings throughout without being 'preachy'.The summary on the back cover was quite vague and I had no idea what to expect. The 'dark secret' between Jude and Daniel was not revealed right away which created great anticipation within myself to try and figure out what was going on. I enjoyed the fact that I started the book not knowing anything so I experienced all the new revelations as Grace did.Grace and Daniel were the most adorable couple. Grace, trying to live up to her family and friends expectations as the daughter of a pastor, believed the best in people until proven wrong. But her situation with Daniel was like no other since she did not know his secret from long ago and could not understand her brother's hatred for Daniel. Grace had to battle between her true feelings for Daniel and her brother's skewed view about him.Daniel as a character was enchanting. He had a rough childhood and all he wanted was a kind family, which he did have for a short time with the Divine's. The internal struggle to control his 'normal' side around Grace was heart-breaking and enchanting. Daniel wanted what he thought was best for Grace but she was not a typical 'Divine'. She fought to understand his lost soul to try and save him.One detail that I really liked was the visual timeline that was shown in each chapter. I felt like I was watching a movie, scene by scene. It increased the ease and flow of the book and I thought it was creative which made me love the book that much more.I loved the cover for this book. The woman looks mysterious and the colors are so vibrant they jump out and pull you right in.This book was phenomenal and I cannot wait to read the sequel!

[zibilee_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Grace Divine is a preacher’s kid with a loving family and a lot going for her until, out of nowhere, a face from her past comes barging back into her life. Daniel, a young man who once lived under the protection of her father and whom the family hasn’t seen for many years, is finally back, but his looks aren’t the only thing that have changed. Long ago, Grace had a crush on Daniel, and after seeing him again, she can’t deny that her interest is piqued by his strange return. But there are secrets swirling around Daniel’s reappearance in her life. For one thing, her brother Jude, usually a reticent and polite boy, has been acting strange and wants Grace to avoid Daniel at all costs, and for another, Daniel seems to have some incredible abilities that Grace can’t understand.Swirling over all of this is the fact that the town is being plagued by what some call the Markham Street Monster, a creature that has been attacking and killing both animals and people. Though Grace tries to piece everything together, no one will share any information with her, leading her to investigate these things on her own. Time is running out, and as her feelings for Daniel reach a fever pitch, she discovers just what happened to make Jude turn against him and why he may be as dangerous as everyone thinks he is. In this seductive and entrancing new paranormal fantasy series, many secrets and intrigues will be revealed, and it’s up to Grace Divine to put it all together and recreate the life she once knew and loved amid the shocking disruptions that have changed everythingMy summary of this book was rather vague, as there are some things about it which I think are best discovered by the reader. Suffice to say that this was the first paranormal YA book I’ve ever read, and now I’m itching to get my hands on more books of this genre. I found so much to love here, and despite my fears, there was almost no annoying teen angst. It was a spectacular read overall.Grace is your typical preacher's kid. An art student with a pretty active social life, Grace is a bit sheltered due to her upbringing and her mother’s over protection. When Daniel breezes back into her life, Grace has no idea what she’s getting into when she decides to welcome him back into the fold. Daniel has had a troubled past, and due to the abuse by his father, he at one time lived with the Divines as a sort of adopted child. During this time, Grace’s brother Jude and Daniel became inseparable. But everything changed one night, and although Grace doesn’t know what happened, Jude now considers Daniel to be a mortal enemy, a fact that bothers and confuses Grace immensely. Through her love for the forbidden Daniel, Grace comes to understand that there is something different and puzzling about him, and when his back is against the wall, she discovers that Daniel is not fully human anymore. Just what he is will take some discovering, but Grace isn’t willing to give him up, despite the danger that he may pose.Meanwhile, strange things are happening all over Grace’s small town. Animals are being mutilated and severely mauled dead bodies are being discovered. Most of the town is blaming the Markham Street Monster, but Jude seems to know more than he’s saying. As more and more disturbing things happen, suspicion is cast upon Daniel, and though Grace refuses to believe it, everything that Daniel is and has done begins to spread out in stark relief in her mind. But there’s something else lurking in the secret that Jude and Daniel are hiding, and this may mean that someone else is to blame for all the strange occurrences in the town. All of this ends up in a three-way showdown between Grace, Daniel, and Jude, and when it’s over, nothing will ever be the same.One of the best things about this book was the way that Despain was able to keep a tight rein on the suspense throughout the story. Through her clever twists and turns in the narrative, we see the plot unfold from various angles and perspectives. The story is mainly told through Grace’s eyes, and as more and more comes to light, we discover, right along with Grace, that those whom she thought she could trust may have been deceiving her, and that things are not always what they appear to be. The book ends on just the right note, and though there is closure, the book gives the perfect segue into the second installment. It’s a great feat of writing that Despain manages, keeping her readers asking pertinent questions and guessing all the way to that final paragraph.If you haven’t done yourself the favor of picking up these books yet, I strongly urge you to do it soon! There are two in the series as of now, but there are sure to be more, and they’re just the type of book an adrenaline junkie would love. Great characters, plot, and dialogue are just the beginning with this series. A great and intriguing read. Highly recommended.

[lyricaltwin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A lush start to the series, Dark Divine is a story with betrayal, twists, and werewolves. You gotta love it! Richly imagined with descriptive and clear writing, Dark Divine is great.

[bookswarm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'd read a ton of great reviews on this book but just didn't get around to reading it until recently. And I really liked it! It starts out as a kind of standard YA with the bad boy who reappears in a family's life, a dark secret, and a girl with a crush on the bad boy. A very bad boy, it seems, especially considering how much Bree's brother hates Daniel. There's so much tension in this book--between Bree and Daniel, Bree and her brother, her brother and Daniel--and it builds so slowly, so masterfully, you don't realize it until you're on the edge of your seat. Plus, everything's shrouded in mystery. What happened between the two guys? What's going on with Daniel? Where was he and why did he come back? What's going on with Bree? I can't wait to read the next one--and this time, I won't wait so long!

[angelicacraig · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

My thoughts: As soon as I saw this book in stores, I wanted to read it. I was waiting to get it from the library though, because I’d heard mixed reviews. My library never did get it though, so I waited until I had a gift card. Yay gift cards!There were so many things about this book I liked, but a couple that troubled me as well. I think I’ll make a list. I like lists.The good:1) The cover. Wow! That purple is so eye-catching! I was pulled in by the cover, like I am with so many of the fabulous YA covers out there today. It tells so much, but is really mysterious at the same time. I love that.2) Grace is a preacher’s daughter, but she’s not preachy. One of my very best friends growing up was a preacher’s kid. I hate how in lots of novels and tv shows, the kids are portrayed as these little angels who do no wrong. Umm…have you ever MET a preacher’s kid? Grace was just an average girl. She wasn’t overly rebellious, but she did struggle with the religion part of her life.3) Daniel. He was hot. I know that is so expected, but come on. Artistic, leather wearing bad boy? Yes please. (Okay, I’m not sure it said he wore leather, but in my mind he did.)4) It kept me intrigued and I really want to know more about the future of the characters.The not-great:1) Her brother Jude was a tool. I know I should have liked him, but I just didn’t. I won’t go into more, because I don’t want to spoil it. We can put her best friend on this list, too, while we’re at it.2) The character development was slightly lacking. This may just be a personal thing, but I love character-driven novels. I liked Despain’s characters and think she did a great job of visualizing them. I wanted to know more about some of them though. Kudos for creating believable characters in a fantasy world, though!3) Some of the fantasy aspects of this novel were too easy to guess. The big “secret” really isn’t much of a secret if you’ve read any other book like this. I guess it wasn’t a big problem for me though, because I keep reading them. I cna see how it would get old for some people, though.4) When Grace is looking at some of her father’s research, she is reading a text from a monastery. Despain included excerpts of it in the book. I love that, but I have one problem: the font was REALLY hard to read. I know it was supposed to look ancient and whatnot, but if I can’t read it, it’s really useless to me. This is more of a printing preference than a writing one, but still.Okay, I’m sure there’s more, but I’ll leave it at that for now. I’ve probably lost most of you by now. If you stuck with me through this whole thing, congrats to you!

[haleyeliseread · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

"You really are one of a kind. I mean, it's not every day my girlfriend offers to kill me" -Daniel KalbiThis book was amazing, I HATE book that give away everything in the beginning and this book definitely didn't let me down. i could not figure out what was going on! which only pushed me to have to find out and keep reading, this book has it all mystery, suspense, love, action, adventure, and even religion? it ends with an amazing twist that makes you CANT wait for the next book in the series.I love the characters in this book, and i know any one else that reads it will love it just as much as me(: Grace can't stay away from Daniel, and cant find out why. According to Jude her Brother Daniel left him there to die that night, and she promised Jude she would stay away from him. But even though Grace has Pete who seems like a perfect guy for her she can't stop thinking about Daniel, and she's going to find out why. no matter what the cost.

[kbpup903 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Bree Despain has written a wonderfully detailed tale of friendship, betrayals, and a love so true it can save even the most doomed of souls. It kept me reading late into the night and thinking about it long after I put it down.The Dark Divine is a story with a little bit of everything mixed in. Not only did it have a wide variety of characters but it had a wide variety of messages. Messages about forgiveness, friendship, and the true meaning of love. It was more than I ever expected to get out of the book.The characters in the book were really lovable. Grace was a just a confused teenage girl, torn between her love for her brother and her love for the boy from her childhood, the one Jude can never forgive. Jude was a little more complicated a character. He didn't know who he was anymore or how to fix what he'd done. Daniel was my favorite, of course. He looked at himself as a monster when really he was just a boy who had made some bad decisions that changed who he was. Grace was the only one who could help him, but doing so might cause her to lose herself.Of course, there were some other characters but they weren't as important. Well I guess they were all important to the story but those three were the most important to me. The other ones just didn't have as big an impact on me.Also, the mystery of what kind of monster Daniel was kept me flipping the pages. I kind of guessed at it early in the book but it wasn't confirmed until later. And it really wasn't what I expected. Bree Despain did a great job with this book. There wasn't anything predictable about it. I know it will keep you reading til you are done. And it will probably leave you wanting more. =]Overall, The Dark Divine is another great book of 2009. It's definitely worth the money, in my opinion. I can't wait for more from Bree Despain and if it happens to be a sequel, I wouldn't complain!

[4sarad_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

What is with this book? There were some good parts and there were also some parts that were laugh-out-loud ridiculously bad. Moonstone? Are you kidding me? And I couldn't stand how they continuously called James "Baby James." Annoying. And Don just dies suddenly out of nowhere? In NYC? The whole ending was just stupid. All of the dog and wolf imagery was overpowering, especially referring to the best friend. I know she doesn't exist, but I feel bad for her considering how often she was referred to as dog-like, heh. And why does the cover have 0% to do with the content of the book? I really disliked this book... but I do own the sequel so I might as well read it.