"THE DARK DIVINE," Bree Despain, Egmont, 384 pages, $17.99 (young adult)
The story of prodigal son is one of the most well-known parables. It's hard not to relate to it on a personal level.
In "The Dark Divine," Utah author and BYU graduate Bree Despain builds on the parable's themes of forgiveness and redemption while giving it a paranormal twist.
The story centers on Grace Divine, a pastor's daughter who's always had a crush on her brother Jude's friend Daniel. Daniel's smart and funny and cute, and as far as anyone is concerned, practically family.
But that all changes the night Daniel disappears and Jude comes home covered in his own blood. Following that fateful event, Daniel becomes as good as dead to the Divines.
Now, three years later, Daniel is back and he's changed. And though her family has warned her to stay away from her former friend, Grace feels inexplicably drawn to him.
As her relationship with Daniel strengthens, she learns the truth of that fateful night and of the danger facing the ones she loves.
The mark of a good writer is the ability to hook readers right from the beginning and to keep them interested throughout the story. It's a skill that Despain has in spades. Like the synopsis in the book's cover, Despain gives nothing away. Instead, she allows the story to develop naturally at an even and inviting pace.
"The Dark Divine" doesn't read like a debut novel, but rather a piece from a seasoned author. Religious aspects are insightful and carefully thought out without being heavy-handed. And Despain's treatment of fantastical elements never feel forced or contrived.
Part adventure and part mystery with a bit of paranormal romance thrown in for good measure, "The Dark Divine" is an engaging novel that readers won't want to put down.