Spotlight on Spectral by Shannon Duffy

ebook 329 pages

Published April 10, 2012

Tribute Books

Find it on Amazon

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.

I love a good witch book, so I had to read this the second it was available, and I wasn't disappointed. Jewel is an amazing character. Her parents have been lying to her her entire life, and it leaves Jewel feeling disconnected from everyone, except her little brother. And she has good reason for feeling this way. I won't give spoilers, so you'll have to read it to find out what I mean, but let me just say that Duffy throws a twist in here that is truly awesome. Actually, she throws quite a few twists in the story by the end. And oh, the ending! Loved it!

Of course Jewel gets the attention of not one but two completely hot guys. Chase and Roman are both into Jewel, but there's something about Roman that's different--something Jewel is drawn to. The dynamic between the two is so well done, and there's plenty of conflict to go around.

Seriously, I don't want to spoil any of the twist and turns this book has, so go read it yourself and fall in love with Jewel and her friends.

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Miniview with Shannon Duffy

Team Roman or Team Chase?

That’s a tough one because they’re both hot in their own ways. Chase is the boy next door, all American athlete type, with a heart of gold, persistent as heck, and abs of steel. Roman is sexy, mysterious, guitar playing, Italian with a slight lyrical accent to boot. I’ve always been a sucker for an accent so maybe I’ll choose him. J

What's your favorite type of butterfly? (I loved the butterfly references in this book!)

Thanks, Kelly. I love butterflies and the story of the butterfly. I love all sorts of butterflies, really, but especially the really colorful ones like the one on the cover of Spectral. Here’s a picture of a Purple Spotted Swallowtail that’s a very rare type of butterfly. Isn’t it beautiful?

Where is your favorite place to write?

I mostly write in my office where a lot of my favorite things are.  Here are some pictures of my little space. I love lots of color for creativity. The balloon picture I bought from the same artist that did the cover for Spectral. I love the whimsical feel of it. I keep some of my favorite books handy and usually there’s a cup of coffee on that desk, or a diet coke depending on the time of day. Sounds like a lot of caffeine, but I swear I drink lots of water, too! J And Marilyn Monroe! Love her, so she surrounds this space quite a bit. Then the chair under the window is for my husband to sit in while I read my latest works. He’s my first critique. If something sounds off to him, I change it.