Book Tour: Spectral by Shannon Duffy -Review

                                                         

Spectral

Shannon Duffy

e-book

ISBN: 9780983741879

ISBN: 9781476293585
Pages: 334
Release: April 10, 2012

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.

Author Bio:

Shannon Duffy writes young adult and middle grade fiction. She grew up on the beautiful east coast of Canada and now lives in Ontario, Canada. She is the mom of one boy, Gabriel, her angel. She loves writing, reading, working out, soccer, and the sport of champions-shopping. She is the author of the young adult paranormal romance, SPECTRAL. Her upcoming middle grade fantasy novel, GABRIEL STONE AND THE DIVINITY OF VALTA is scheduled for a January 2013 release.

Spectral web site:
http://spectralwitch.blogspot.com/
Shannon Duffy's Blog:
http://1fantasyfairy.blogspot.com/

Spectral GoodReads page:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13319632-spectral

Tribute Books website:
http://www.tribute-books.com

                                                 

Review:  A roller coaster ride filled with suspense and mystery around each turn.

I really liked this book. It was a different take on the paranormal YA genre. As you can see from the books synopsis it's about a sixteen year old girl, who's family is constantly moving and running. Running from whom, Jewel has no clue. All she knows is that her family is on their twenty-seventh move and she's holding her breath for number twenty-eight. 
Arriving in yet another town and school, Jewel starts to slowly make friends, though she always has to be on guard. She finds two boys in her new school, who she could easily crush on. The easy going, likable, Chase, and the dark, mysterious, Roman. 
Though, her attraction grows for Roman I had a hard time connecting them as a couple. You never knew which side Roman was truly on, so I guess my guard was always up in wondering if he was actually a good guy or a bad guy. 
The book starts to heat up with wondering exactly who, and what Jewel actually is. As she learns more about the secrets her family have been carrying for years, Jewel finds her world turned upside down and inside out. Everything about her past has been a lie. As she slowly finds out what she is and why her family has been chased for years. She learns the only person she can trust is herself and maybe Roman, though he has an agenda.
This book was laden with twist and turns(hence, the comparison to a roller coaster). When you finally think you have it figured out the author will throw a curve ball in your direction and you'll be shocked and surprised. The ending was a action packed filled with surprise, after surprise. 
Now, I'm not going to spoil the whole book for you just read it. There is so much more going on with this story, that you'll want to experience it without spoilers.
The author impressed me with her debut book, and I look forward to reading more from her.
4/5 stars