Spectral by Shannon Duffy [Book Review]
Convinced she’s a part of the witness protection program, sixteen-year-old Jewel Rose is shuffled around the globe with her family like a pack of traveling gypsies. After arriving at lucky home twenty-seven, she stumbles upon a mysterious boy with magical powers claiming to be her guardian . . . and warning of imminent danger. Despite the obvious sparks between them, Jewel discovers a relationship is forbidden, and the more she learns about dark, brooding Roman, she begins to question who she can even believe—the family who raised her, or the supposed sworn protector who claims they’ve been lying to her all along. As she struggles to uncover who her family has really been running from, she is forced to hide her birthmark that reveals who she is. With new realities surfacing, unexplained powers appearing, and two tempting boys vying for her heart, Jewel battles to learn who she can trust in an ever growing sea of lies, hoping she’ll make it through her seventeenth birthday alive.Novel: Spectral by Shannon DuffyPublished: Published April 10th 2012 by Tribute BooksStand Alone or Series: Not sure.How I Got it: I received a copy in e-book format from the publisher.Where can you get it? This book is available in all e-book formats. Get it at Amazon it's $2.99!What made me want to read it: I have to admit, when I first received the pitch to review this book I was shocked. Shocked because the premiss is very similar to the book I'm writing down to names, birthmarks, being lied too...etc. I knew immediately I wanted to read this novel because I figured Shannon Duffy had to be a brilliant and totally cool writer, I'd want to get to know. I was right, and you'll want to get to know Shannon Duffy's work too! This book was phenomenal (and nothing really like the one I'm writing *wipes brow*)!What I thought…Jewel is no slacker! I immediately liked her and wanted to get to know her more. Once she discovered the life long ruse her family kept, her world does go and get all topsy turvy, but Jewel managed to keep herself level headed and come out on top!Jewel has probably gone to a zillion different schools (growing up in Witness Protection could do that to a girl), and when she found herself at yet another new high school she wasn't expecting to be there for very long, or make any lasting friendships. She not only manages to make a good friend, but she also has two hot guys to give her butterflies. The love triangle is put to rest early on when Jewel realized which boy is the one for her but not before a little rescuing is done by both boys. Ultimately Jewel rescues herself and becomes the kick ass witch she was meant to become.Shannon Duffy wrote a thrilling story jam packed with intrigued and a few plot twists that will keep you up reading well into to the night. When I got to the end of my e-book I kept trying to turn the page, hoping there was some magic in my iPad that would make the story continue!