The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Synopsis: 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:
I really loved this book! It had all the elements I think a great Paranormal YA book should have. Good pacing, great character development, an engaging and suspenseful plot, and romance. It had great characters in general with different personalities and a voice of their own. I loved the relationship between Grace and Daniel and it I liked that they knew each other in the past but had to rediscover old feelings and their friendship. I love it when that happens in real life. Something feels familiar but there is something new and mysterious about it-like smelling something well-known but you can’t quite place it.

I did not expect the spiritual aspect to it which was an interesting twist and not something you find in many YA Paranormal books. It impressed me that the author included that element knowing it is something that could be considered controversial but it is still something that is an aspect Christians and other faiths deal with-questions of life, death, and morality. It added depth to the story and to the complexities of the characters. It is one of the best books I have read this year and I will for sure be reading the next one!