Title: The Dark DivineAuthor: Bree Despain
Publisher: Egmont USA
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.
My Review:
Ok I may be the only one that didn't love, love, love, love this book. I did NOT hate it at all. I just didn't love it crazy like many others have. Here's my rationale why I didn't love it. Since August I have read Shiver, Hush Hush, Fallen and now The Dark Divine. Honestly they were all starting to mush together in my mind. There was even cross over in some of the names! When the story first started I felt like I had already read the plot a few other times. Girl finds boy. Boy is mean to girl. She won't give up. Big news shared. Boy and girl have a "connection" they can't fight. For the first half of the book I was disappointed.
WHY I DIDN'T HATE IT - just when I thought I knew how the whole book was going to go - it took some twists and turns I didn't expect! What I had anticapated happening and was feeling blah about got flipped off its feets with a loud HA as if to say "you don't know anything"! And I didn't. The second half of the story reminded me that I cannot make assumptions about how a story is going to play out just because I've read similar books. Thankfully Bree Dispain knew how to keep the plot alive and fresh.
Final thought: In the end I did like the book. I think if I hadn't read the other 3 books I would've liked it a lot more. The slow start was very much made up for with a strong ending.
Best stick-with-you image: Daniel and Grace running.
Best for ages: 13+
The points you make seem completely fair. I guess it would be better to read this a good while later after reading the books you mentioned. It is good to know that the plot is unpredictable. I will definitely read this but I'll leave it for a few months. Great review!
ReplyDeleteGreat review. I havent read the other books, so this one would be a great one to start with. :)
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way. I was dying to read this and when I finally did It felt like I've read the story before. Pretty much during the whole book I my mind would wander and I'd get bored and have to pull myself back in. The ending was great but I feel that couldn't even make up for the rest. This is actually the first review I've read that didn't say it was amazing. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI'm really enjoying this one, but I have read a lot of paranormal this year-more that I normally would, and they tend to run together.
ReplyDeleteI received this one for Christmas, along with the others you mentioned! I'll be sure to space them out so I hopefully wont run into the same problem of them all meshing together. =) Good review!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the honesty. I'm still on the fence about whether I'm going to read this one. All the YA paranormal is starting to blend together in my mind, too.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read this but I like NN appreciate your honesty. Thanks for the awesome review.
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