Lissette E. Manning

For the past sixteen years, Jewel Rose has spent her entire life running. Her parents have convinced her that she’s a part of the witness protection program and that her safety is of the utmost importance. Yet Jewel can’t deny that something about the entire situation feels wrong.

Her parents have droned it into her that she needs to keep the crescent-shaped birthmark she bears hidden. They never answer her questions and most of the time they’ll just ignore the situation at hand. Jewel is tired of running. She doesn’t understand why it’s a necessity and fervently wishes her parents would just lay everything on the table. Deep inside, she just wants them to be honest with her, once and for all.

Arriving at their new location, Jewel promises she’ll do as her parents have asked of her. She’ll behave, even if the idea of doing so is appalling, at times. When an unexpected boy shows up at school, she begins to question whether she saw him in the first place. She soon knows he’s real when he makes his appearance the next day.

Drawn to Roman, Jewel begins to question everything she knows. His sudden appearance has thrown her for a loop and she begins to realize that it’s not a coincidence. Roman is there for a reason, one he doesn’t seem inclined to share with her, just yet. Despite this fact, everything inside of her clamors for her to trust him, even if he has a tendency to lie, here and there.

Digging into the secrets of her past, Jewel soon uncovers a plot that’s been underfoot ever since she was born. She is the supposed Spectral, a witch who will inherit the powers of her own coven and any others she comes across upon her seventeenth birthday. Unfortunately, there are those who wish to prevent that from happening and want to see her dead. Not to mention that there are quite a few covens competing against each other to make her theirs. Nevertheless, she’s determined to get to the bottom of things in hopes of making sense of all the secrets that have been kept from her for so long.

With Roman’s help, she’s able to understand what’s driving those who seek to do her harm. When her friend’s are inadvertently caught in the crossfire, Jewel has no other option but to protect herself from outside forces. As the battle rages on around her, Jewel knows she must comply and complete her quickening before anyone else is hurt. To do that, she must place her trust into the hands of a family she’s never truly known. One who will do anything to protect her, at all costs.

This was such a delightful read. I enjoyed every minute of it. Once you start reading, it’s hard to stop. The pacing of the book was fast and very easy to get immersed in. Full of an intriguing cast of characters, it’s quite lovely to envision the world Shannon has created. To see things through their eyes. I look forward to reading more of Shannon’s work in the future.

Available for purchase via the following retailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Tribute Books, Smashwords.

Synopsis:

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.

About The Author:

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.

Connect With Her Online:

Spectral Website: http://spectralwitch.blogspot.com
Spectral Twitter Hashtag: #Spectral
Spectral GoodReads Page: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13319632-spectral
Author’s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001969007586
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ShannonDuffyLit
Website: http://www.shannonduffylit.com
Blog: http://1fantasyfairy.blogspot.com
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3873156.Shannon_Duffy