Wednesday, January 12, 2011

The Lost Saint by Bree Despain


This review first appeared in the Jan 11, 2010 issue of The Syracuse Islander Newspaper

Click here to read my interview with Bree.

Are you looking for a good series to get lost in during the winter months ahead? I recommend The Dark Divine series written by Bree Despain.

Despain says that she uses the paranormal as a metaphor for themes in her book that are hard to express. “The Dark Divine is a modern young adult exploration of The Prodigal Son with a paranormal romance twist,” she says.

When I attended the launch event of The Lost Saint in December, I wasn’t surprised to see a mix of teens and adults in line to have her sign their copies. In the gap left by the conclusion of the popular Twilight series, readers have latched onto this paranormal romance that began with The Dark Divine in 2009.

The trilogy when Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, re-discovers Daniel Kalbi—the one person that she never thought to see again. The night that Daniel disappeared from her life, Grace found her brother Jude covered in his own blood. She must decide where her loyalty lies, to the mysterious Daniel and the attraction to him that she cannot deny, or to her brother, who is hiding secrets of his own. Grace’s decision could cause her to lose something of even greater importance than those she loves; it could cost her the price of her soul.

In The Lost Saint Grace has to deal with new issues. Her decisions in the first book have unforeseen repercussions. With Jude missing and Daniel trying to protect Grace from herself, the romance and the action that readers loved in The Dark Divine escalate. Talbot is a new character that Despain describes as Clark Kent with a dangerous side. She says, “He looks like a dimple-cheeked farm boy, but underneath his vast collection of flannel shirts is a guy with a pretty intense past and some secret abilities.” Talbot offers to help Grace when Daniel seems to want only to hold her back from reaching her potential. Will she be able to break free of the inner struggles that plague her long enough to get Jude back and prove that she truly does love Daniel?

What to Expect:

Teens will relate to the struggles Grace has with her family, her relationships and her humanity. The books have crossover appeal and parents will enjoy reading them in tandem with their teens.

The Lost Saint is a clean romance with situations that will appeal to teens but are handled with a finesse that most parents will approve of. There is a small amount of profanity and a moderate amount of violence in the novel that are tied to the battle that Grace has with the “wolf” inside of her.

The ending glues all of the missing pieces of the novel together, and then shatters it into pieces in preparation for the final book—just how I like a middle book to end. The conclusion of the Dark Divine Series is expected to release in December of 2011.


Publisher: EgmontUSA, Published December 28th 2010,

Hardcover, 416 pages

33 comments:

  1. This series sounds like my kind of reading!

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  2. +JMJ+

    Lots of new series seem to be trying to fill the void left by Twilight. Would you say Bree Despain's is the best one?

    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  3. I'm not sure this is the best one to fill the 'void' of Twilight, but it's certainly interesting

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  4. I just read The Dark Divine and can't wait to read The Lost Saint! It sounds even better! Though I am a bit worried about the shattering into pieces in the end of the book :P

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  5. I haven't read it yet, but I soooo want to! Great review!

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  6. Thank you for the review! At least now I know what to expect! I loved the dark divine and I cant wait to read this!

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  7. I was worried thst the second book wouldn't be as interesting as the first, but you made it sound great. Thanks for the review.

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  8. Hi =)
    Thanks for the giveaway and the review =) I liked it. I've already known The Dark Divine, but I haven't got a chance to read the second book, because as I know it still wasn't released in my country. But I hope it will soon =)
    mikki-mano at hotmail dot com

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  9. It's sounds like an amazing book !

    Thank you for the giveaway !

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  10. Thanks for the giveaway! Great review btw, I wish mine appeared on newspaper!

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  11. Amazing contest, I have enter for this book many times in different amazing blogs. But no luck. Hope I win LOL. love you Blog template by the way.

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  12. The Lost Saint has been on my wish list for some time. I hope I win it this time! Thanks for your in-depth review!

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  13. I really want to read the sequel. TDD is great and I love the review you write abut it. Nice interview too, it looks like you gave a few insights on the book =)

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  14. this book seems to have received good reviews, yours too!

    :DD

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  15. I loved the first book and can't wait to read this one! Thanks for the great review!

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  16. Thanks for the giveaway! I have heard a lot of great things about this series and I have been looking for something to fill in the "gap" with the ending of the Twilight series. I think I'll be checkin' this series out!

    BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

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  17. Thanks for the great gioveaway! Congrats on being in the paper!

    sarah.setar@gmail.com

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  18. It makes me happy to have a teen read out there that remains morally clean. I am really looking forward to TLS. Thanks for sharing your opinion and book.
    kjovus
    kjovus(at)gmail(dot)com

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  19. Great review, can't wait to read this. I've recently started reading YA. Steered clear for awhile and finally picked one up. Love the clean romance even though I thought I wouldn't. Brings me back to a point in my life where I led with my emotions and was full of innocence. It's nice to relate to that

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  20. loved the review and can't wait to read this next installment! Bree is AMAZING!
    Thanks for the giveaway!

    bchild5 at aol dot com

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  21. Great review. I cannot wait to read this sequel. I really enjoyed TDD.

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  22. Thank you for the giveaway! You were in the paper! pretty cool :D

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  23. I've just starting reading YA books after many years (read them all the time as a teen). I always love learning about new ones.



    Giveawaymommy at yahoo dot com

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  24. This series sounds like one I should add to my list. I like that it's a retelling of the Prodigal Son. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  25. Thank you so much for the chance to win this book (especially because it's also for international readers :D) this review sounds really promising :)

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  26. wow this is very cool and you were in the paper

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  27. I've already known The Dark Divine, but I haven't got a chance to read the books.I hope soon!
    Great review! Thanks for the giveaway!

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  28. Great review! The series sounds awesome. thanks
    marlenebreakfield(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  29. It's so cool that you actually get to have your reviews appear in a newspaper.

    I have The Dark Divine waiting for me. The series looks so good. Can't wait to finally read it when I have time.

    Thanks for the awesome contest.

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  30. Thanks for the giveaway! Great review! I'm a new followe. :

    rabidreads[at]gmail[dot]com

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  31. Great review. It sounds like a good book. Thanks for the chance to win.

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Leave me a comment-I'd love to hear what you think!