Review: Spectral is a delightful novel that romanticizes the witchy and the wicked.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 1, 2012
- Itching for Books Reviews & MoreThis book is filled with spontaneity and danger that keeps your heart racing with curiosity.The story started out pretty good. So much began to unravel and I sort of eased my way into it.Jewel is constantly on the move with her parents and kid brother for something her father did in his past.  She never truly knew the reason why, just that her name was always changing, and her birthmark had to be kept covered and out of sight. It's the kind of life no one would wish for, especially if you're never in one place long enough to establish friendships or even fall in love. Yikes! I do not envy her. No wonder this teen is miserable.Underneath all the layers I was hopingto find an ordinary girl, with a normal life and a regular family. Not one on the run fromthe mob or whatever. I mean, it had to be the mob, right? Who else would want to kill us?I found quite a few admirable things about Jewel. For one, she's not some naive, girly girl character. She's quite fierce and determined. Also, her bond with her brother, Jayden, is one you'd classify as...rare. Siblings hardly get along so this healthy brother-sister relationship was quite wonderful to read about, especially since they've both come to the realization that all they have is each other. Jewel like myself is trying to piece things together in order to make sense of all that's taking place around her. Discovering that her parents are on the run because of her just adds to her confusion. Why would anyone be after her? What made her so special? You'd have to read to find out.Amidst all the frustration here comes Roman, a very strange and mysterious guy who attracts Jewel in ways that'll take an entire week to describe. I liked him and how surreal his character is. I was unsure of whether or not to trust his words, but his electrifying presence made it hard to turn away from him. Of course every love interest needs outside obstacles to challenge the growing emotions. Thus, the significance of Chase's character. This love triangle brought on a softer side to the story, whereas for the most part it had a lot to do with intense power.There were some other characters that either captured my heart or totally turned me off. Aunt Eva for one was like this first class bitch the moment she entered the pages. I couldn't for the love of all things good understand why someone's relative, an aunt, would be so unsympathetic and bitter. Eva's attitude was just too strange for me. And as the truth came out, I finally understood why she was the way she was.Jewel's mother was a bit off where her mothering skills were concerned (she wasn't as gentle from start as I'd expect her to be) but the dad was much cooler.Overall, it was a good read. Sure there were times I felt overwhelmed by the details, but otherwise it was well-written and I kept up with the pace. Shannon did a great job and I'm sure she has bigger and fantasy-er to come![...]