The Dark Divine by Bree Despain is a fast-paced YA paranormal thriller with just the right touch of romance and mystery. In this gripping read, Grace Divine’s childhood friend returns after a years-long disappearance—and with him comes a dangerous secret that could tear her family apart.
This one just recently hit my TBR List, but I’m glad I moved it up in the queue. Here’s my original The Dark Divine TBR Post.
Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (3.9/5)
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Bookish Essentials
Genre: Young Adult / Paranormal Romance / Thriller
Series: Book 1 of The Dark Divine Series (3 books)
Reading Age: 14+
Published: 2009
Pages: 315
Reading Order: 1) The Dark Divine, 2) The Lost Saint, 3) The Savage Grace
Read The Dark Divine Now or Eventually?
Read Bree Despain’s The Dark Divine now if you’re looking for a page-turner. It’s a quick and easy read, and you’ll really like this book if you enjoy plot-driven stories with little to no fluff. The Dark Divine hooked me immediately, and I really enjoyed unraveling the mystery of Daniel’s disappearance and return.
Readers who loved the forbidden-supernatural vibes of The Twilight Saga but want a more suspense-driven and atmospheric story, will find a great match in The Dark Divine. For something closer in tone and pacing, try Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater.
From the Jacket of 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.
Always Eventually Review
I really enjoyed Bree Despain’s The Dark Divine! It’s a quick read with an engaging plot that hooked me right away. Grace Divine is the daughter of a pastor and the kind of character who tries to do the right thing—even when it costs her. When Daniel Kalbi, her brother’s former best friend, suddenly returns after a mysterious disappearance, Grace is pulled into a mystery involving bloodlines, betrayal, and a curse that may explain what really happened to Daniel.
The romance between Grace and Daniel worked for me. There’s real tension between what Grace wants and what she believes she should do—especially with her brother warning her to stay away. Daniel isn’t just the mysterious, brooding type; there’s genuine depth to his guilt and grief, and that emotional weight gives their connection more substance. Their relationship builds gradually, and it feels earned. Not just attraction for attraction’s sake, but something that’s rooted in who they used to be and who they’re both trying to become. That said, Grace’s deep need to fix Daniel—and honestly, to fix everything—did bother me at times. It skirts the edge of toxic self-sacrifice, and I’m curious to see how Despain handles that thread in the sequel, The Lost Saint.
Though it seems pretty obvious in hindsight, I was completely surprised by the twist. Despain handled the setup skillfully. The reveal didn’t come out of nowhere—it made total sense—but the clues were subtle and well-placed. I found it satisfying and honestly just really fun to read. There’s something extra rewarding about realizing the answers were there all along.
I do need to include a trigger warning here. I usually avoid trigger warnings on this site because YA and fantasy often deal with heavy topics, and what triggers one person can be very different from another. I don’t want readers to expect trigger warnings as a rule—I’d rather not accidentally suggest something is safe when it’s not. That said, I’d be remiss not to mention this one. The Dark Divine includes a brief scene of sexual assault involving non-consensual kissing and physical contact, where one of the antagonists forcibly presses himself against Grace in a violent and unwanted way. The book also contains other potentially triggering content, including but not limited to substance abuse and abuse in various forms.
Overall, I thought The Dark Divine was really good. If you like plot-driven stories or you’re looking for a quick, easy read without any extra fluff, this one will definitely hit the spot.
If You Liked The Dark Divine, Try
- Forgotten Cove, by T.G. Elsher
- The Forest King’s Daughter, by Elly Blake
- These Witches Don’t Burn, by Isabell Sterling
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