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Spectral
Synopsis
Skye is more than the cold, seemingly-emotionless young woman everyone sees. She is the living, breathing manifestation of the Void, a timeless entity that has always been. She has unknowingly experienced thousands of lives, one of which has left her riddled with trauma and nightmares, self-loathing and fear.
When she meets Vale, the lover from her past, they are plummeted through a series of memories, strewn across dimensions and eventually come to meet their previous selves in the flesh. Together, the four of them strive to piece together their shattered memories while battling the cause of Skye’s suffering: a cold, heartless enemy that has followed her from beyond space and time.
Skye is more than the cold, seemingly-emotionless young woman everyone sees. She is the living, breathing manifestation of the Void, a timeless entity that has always been. She has unknowingly experienced thousands of lives, one of which has left her riddled with trauma and nightmares, self-loathing and fear.
When she meets Vale, the lover from her past, they are plummeted through a series of memories, strewn across dimensions and eventually come to meet their previous selves in the flesh. Together, the four of them strive to piece together their shattered memories while battling the cause of Skye’s suffering: a cold, heartless enemy that has followed her from beyond space and time.
552 pages, Paperback
Published March 10, 2016
24 people are currently reading
168 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 26, 2021
Something had magnetized inside of them, beyond their bodies. Something Skye could swear she’d felt before, something that stretched out to reach her as if through the void of space and time. It flit between them, drew them together, begged for Skye to see, to remember.
I initially started this book all the way back in August of 2019. Spectral started out strong for me, and I can honestly say the beginning read like a 5 star book. The main heroine, Skye, is down-to-earth and likable. Her love interest, Vale, is like a dream girl. I want a Vale in my life. Vale isn't just cool (Vale is a video game playing, tattoo artist), but also confident, compassionate, and kind. This was Skye's first relationship, and I enjoyed seeing Skye grow into herself & become more confident. Vale was just what she needed. The author captured so many aspects of what it's like to be young and entering a relationship for the first time - jitters when first meeting someone, the captivation, the chemistry. The connection between Skye & Vale felt very real to me. The beginning basically reads like a simple story of two girls meeting and falling in love. It was done well and I loved reading it.
Oh, and the sex was hot. Seriously, some of the best ff sex I've read. It had everything I want when reading erotica. Sensual, but intense. The chemistry between these two leapt off the pages.
On top of all of this I find romances centering on past lives & reincarnation ultra romantic. I don't personally believe in it, but the idea of two souls destined to be together and struggling to connect through dimensions of space and time is an appealing concept to me in fiction.
All of the above were 5 star elements of this book to me.
I thought I'd love the surrealism, and the other dimension stuff. I knew what I was getting into from the reviews. I tried. I tried hard. As soon as Luka came onto the scene (And don't get me wrong, I liked Luka) I stopped connecting as much to the story. Later when Luka recalls the story of the Faceless and the Seekers? God, it seemed so cool. I wish I had been more into it. Around 70% I decided to give up and skimmed to the end. Something about the storytelling, how Luka, and all this other dimension stuff was introduced didn't quite jive with me. I think this could be helped if the writing was tighter. Each scene was so fully-developed, little things like characters going to the kitchen, eating, going to the bathroom, etc...I think some stuff could have been cut out and it wouldn't have impacted the overall narrative. I like the concept of the scifi element, but I almost wish there had been more of it? When Skye would travel to this place I almost felt like she knew more about it than me to the end. I think maybe if I had felt more immersed in this part of the story, and it was more clear how it was connecting to the plot I might have stayed more engaged.
With that said, I'm amazed this is the author's debut book. The fact that these characters have stayed in my head despite dnfing this forever ago says a lot to this author's ability to craft memorable characters that feel real. The connection between Skye & Vale was strong, and I'd love to read more romances by this author. I hope she starts publishing again.
I initially started this book all the way back in August of 2019. Spectral started out strong for me, and I can honestly say the beginning read like a 5 star book. The main heroine, Skye, is down-to-earth and likable. Her love interest, Vale, is like a dream girl. I want a Vale in my life. Vale isn't just cool (Vale is a video game playing, tattoo artist), but also confident, compassionate, and kind. This was Skye's first relationship, and I enjoyed seeing Skye grow into herself & become more confident. Vale was just what she needed. The author captured so many aspects of what it's like to be young and entering a relationship for the first time - jitters when first meeting someone, the captivation, the chemistry. The connection between Skye & Vale felt very real to me. The beginning basically reads like a simple story of two girls meeting and falling in love. It was done well and I loved reading it.
Oh, and the sex was hot. Seriously, some of the best ff sex I've read. It had everything I want when reading erotica. Sensual, but intense. The chemistry between these two leapt off the pages.
On top of all of this I find romances centering on past lives & reincarnation ultra romantic. I don't personally believe in it, but the idea of two souls destined to be together and struggling to connect through dimensions of space and time is an appealing concept to me in fiction.
All of the above were 5 star elements of this book to me.
I thought I'd love the surrealism, and the other dimension stuff. I knew what I was getting into from the reviews. I tried. I tried hard. As soon as Luka came onto the scene (And don't get me wrong, I liked Luka) I stopped connecting as much to the story. Later when Luka recalls the story of the Faceless and the Seekers? God, it seemed so cool. I wish I had been more into it. Around 70% I decided to give up and skimmed to the end. Something about the storytelling, how Luka, and all this other dimension stuff was introduced didn't quite jive with me. I think this could be helped if the writing was tighter. Each scene was so fully-developed, little things like characters going to the kitchen, eating, going to the bathroom, etc...I think some stuff could have been cut out and it wouldn't have impacted the overall narrative. I like the concept of the scifi element, but I almost wish there had been more of it? When Skye would travel to this place I almost felt like she knew more about it than me to the end. I think maybe if I had felt more immersed in this part of the story, and it was more clear how it was connecting to the plot I might have stayed more engaged.
With that said, I'm amazed this is the author's debut book. The fact that these characters have stayed in my head despite dnfing this forever ago says a lot to this author's ability to craft memorable characters that feel real. The connection between Skye & Vale was strong, and I'd love to read more romances by this author. I hope she starts publishing again.
February 13, 2017
I'm not exactly sure where to rate this. I hovered around a 4 for most of the book and wavered between a 3.5 to 4.125, so 4 stars it is.
This is an indie f/f sci-fi novel with a sort of non-denominational spiritual bent. Personally, I'm a big fan of indie as long as the book is solidly written (ie, typos minimal, formatting correct, strong story, etc) and this book does fit that criteria. It's clear that the author put a lot of care and effort into 'Spectral' and that earns my respect.
Skye and Vale are both intriguing characters and the book starts out seemingly normal, rooted in reality, but the sci-fi elements slowly leak in until they consume the whole book. In other words, it feels as if we're in a typical f/f love story until weird stuff starts happening.
The science behind the sci-fi aspect isn't really explained, but time, multiple dimensions, echoes of oneself are the focus. I thought the author was clever in how she weaved the strange into the normal.
The main and surrounding cast of characters are well done and, at the very least, are quite distinguishable from each other. As the story gets stranger, the main character Skye, is someone the reader can latch onto...and, for me, I definitely needed that.
The story is original and held my interest but, quite frankly dipped into the downright bizarre around the 70/80% mark and I had to really focus to keep up. At that point, all aspects of normality were completely obliterated and everything was new so I couldn't help but be in a state of 'wtf'? The author did bring me back to Earth in the last chapter, though, redeeming any misgivings and ending on a high note...so, yeah, overall I liked it.
The book is a weird mix of romance, darkness, erotica, anguish, family, normality, bizarre, and...alien. It's just very alien. lol
I think this is worth a read, especially as a kindle unlimited, but I will say I don't think this is a book for everyone.
There's a lot of explicit sex right from the beginning of the book and continues to the end. For me that was fine and I thought it served the plot and/or the development of the characters. There is insta-love, as well, but the sci-fi aspect explains that piece so I forgave it. The author was skilled enough to not make the insta-love empty and there was enough nuance and a foundation in place for it to feel intimate.
Profanity is dropped throughout, as well. It went with the characters and wasn't out of place in the dialogue...but, yeah it's prolific.
The sci-fi aspect also makes some of the characters futanari. Again, not an issue for me but if it's not your thing, you've been warned...
The only things I didn't care for was the word "sidelong" being used so often, *sometimes* having a hard time picturing the action, and a small drug scene which did serve the plot so okay, forgiven. There's also a feel of meandering plot or unnecessary characters in some areas but, looking back, all scenes did tie in to reveal something about Skye or Vale's character or ultimately informed the story so it's something that a reader needs to just ride with through the journey.
The cover is, amazingly, the author's own art. And, there's also a sequel in the works.
Overall, I recommend the read especially for f/f sci-fi lovers. I'm also happy to promote a talented indie author.
This is an indie f/f sci-fi novel with a sort of non-denominational spiritual bent. Personally, I'm a big fan of indie as long as the book is solidly written (ie, typos minimal, formatting correct, strong story, etc) and this book does fit that criteria. It's clear that the author put a lot of care and effort into 'Spectral' and that earns my respect.
Skye and Vale are both intriguing characters and the book starts out seemingly normal, rooted in reality, but the sci-fi elements slowly leak in until they consume the whole book. In other words, it feels as if we're in a typical f/f love story until weird stuff starts happening.
The science behind the sci-fi aspect isn't really explained, but time, multiple dimensions, echoes of oneself are the focus. I thought the author was clever in how she weaved the strange into the normal.
The main and surrounding cast of characters are well done and, at the very least, are quite distinguishable from each other. As the story gets stranger, the main character Skye, is someone the reader can latch onto...and, for me, I definitely needed that.
The story is original and held my interest but, quite frankly dipped into the downright bizarre around the 70/80% mark and I had to really focus to keep up. At that point, all aspects of normality were completely obliterated and everything was new so I couldn't help but be in a state of 'wtf'? The author did bring me back to Earth in the last chapter, though, redeeming any misgivings and ending on a high note...so, yeah, overall I liked it.
The book is a weird mix of romance, darkness, erotica, anguish, family, normality, bizarre, and...alien. It's just very alien. lol
I think this is worth a read, especially as a kindle unlimited, but I will say I don't think this is a book for everyone.
There's a lot of explicit sex right from the beginning of the book and continues to the end. For me that was fine and I thought it served the plot and/or the development of the characters. There is insta-love, as well, but the sci-fi aspect explains that piece so I forgave it. The author was skilled enough to not make the insta-love empty and there was enough nuance and a foundation in place for it to feel intimate.
Profanity is dropped throughout, as well. It went with the characters and wasn't out of place in the dialogue...but, yeah it's prolific.
The sci-fi aspect also makes some of the characters futanari. Again, not an issue for me but if it's not your thing, you've been warned...
The only things I didn't care for was the word "sidelong" being used so often, *sometimes* having a hard time picturing the action, and a small drug scene which did serve the plot so okay, forgiven. There's also a feel of meandering plot or unnecessary characters in some areas but, looking back, all scenes did tie in to reveal something about Skye or Vale's character or ultimately informed the story so it's something that a reader needs to just ride with through the journey.
The cover is, amazingly, the author's own art. And, there's also a sequel in the works.
Overall, I recommend the read especially for f/f sci-fi lovers. I'm also happy to promote a talented indie author.
July 6, 2022
This was free, and I kept persisting, but wish I hadn't bothered. It wasn't worth the effort or time spent on it.
It's an interesting premise, sure - but there no real clear plot and the entirety of the characterizations between our protagonists can be described as lust-filled. It's hyper-sexualized, and not in sexy ways. In my mind, anyway.
I'm giving it a 2, only because at least there was nothing truly offensive here.
It's an interesting premise, sure - but there no real clear plot and the entirety of the characterizations between our protagonists can be described as lust-filled. It's hyper-sexualized, and not in sexy ways. In my mind, anyway.
I'm giving it a 2, only because at least there was nothing truly offensive here.
January 29, 2016
Very sexy and creepy (in the best ways and also separately because we don't go for sexy creepshows here lol). Characterization is very nice- I feel like I know the characters or want to know them in real life (I love Shane and his relationship with Anya; they're so adorable).
As for the bad guy lurking in the background of this story- she creeps me right the hell out and I actually love it. That kind of scary while watching a horror movie and get the thrills.
I had the privilege of beta-reading this when it was finished and not yet available for purchase, and it was awesome!
As for the bad guy lurking in the background of this story- she creeps me right the hell out and I actually love it. That kind of scary while watching a horror movie and get the thrills.
I had the privilege of beta-reading this when it was finished and not yet available for purchase, and it was awesome!
February 5, 2016
Had the privilege of being a beta reader for this book, watching this story grow and evolve has been a wonderful thing. The story is captivating and I'm itching to know more about the past lives of these characters. A definite page-turner.
May 23, 2017
I love this book so much. Skye and Vale are my favorite, their characterization is so on point. Even though the whole book is on soulmates and different universes and aliens, the way the dialogue and the characters are written is so realistic. I love Anya and River and Shane. And of course Sky and Vale's counterparts Skai/Luka and Aija.
June 19, 2016
I really wanted to enjoy this but I just didn't understand most of what was happening while reading the book.
October 1, 2016
I loved it. It's definitely one of my favourite books. It's got everything you could ever want in a book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 6, 2020
This book, wow this book. I've read this three times now. To me, thats significant. I have an eidetic memory and so rereading books becomes somewhat boring, when the details remain too...well...detailed. This book just pulls you into an entirely different world! Literally! Its romantic, beautiful, mysterious, extraterrestrial! Its a book that has no barrior on gender, love, species or universal boundaries. In some ways, this book feels and makes more sense than reality. Sometimes we come across people in our lives that we feel like we already know inside and out. People we feel a connection to with no explanation. People we feel drawn to, a tether keeping you linked. This book presents a unique perspective on what those connections may be and goes past the simplicity of "just a past life". Yes, its a story about love and fiction, but it also makes you think and consider those "What if's?".; This will forever be a story I will remember and continue to go back to.
November 13, 2020
Second Reading Review: I was going to hold off on this second reading since Duen has said she's revising a lot of it to be more of a book 2 to go with Astral, but I loved the book so dang much I caved and dove into it again. I'm honestly glad I did though. Things that I didn't notice the first time jumped off that page at me this time. Like the scars on the guy that attacked Skye and Vale for example. I never realized who that creep was the first time, but having his identity actually be revealed makes him retrospectively even more terrifying. I also noticed a lot of the little things that call back to earlier moments that I didn't pick up on the first time. If anyone reads this and likes it I can definitely recommend coming back to it after a couple months with fresh eyes but still enough memory of it. Everything about Skye and Vale's relationship is just as hot, thrilling, and envious as I remembered the first time if not more so. I'm even more excited now for Astral now. I'm trying not to be seduced by the chapters Duen has posted online, and I'm especially excited for the Spectral revisit to see what's changed. I still fell into the problem of "just one more chapter." And by problem I mean jeez this book really can sink its hooks into me.
First Reading Review: I was hooked! I couldn't put it down and was plagued with "just one more chapter" through the whole amazing journey. Reincarnated love is a fun concept and this Lesfic takes it to amazing leaps and limits! Very imaginative with its alien races and their language. This book does not shy away from the sex nor should it. It's well written and hot, dammit! I cannot wait for Astral, Duen's sister novel to this one to come out.
First Reading Review: I was hooked! I couldn't put it down and was plagued with "just one more chapter" through the whole amazing journey. Reincarnated love is a fun concept and this Lesfic takes it to amazing leaps and limits! Very imaginative with its alien races and their language. This book does not shy away from the sex nor should it. It's well written and hot, dammit! I cannot wait for Astral, Duen's sister novel to this one to come out.
February 8, 2025
Equal parts sex and H.R. Geiger influenced dimensional magic horror (?), the story focuses on two women who are reincarnated lovers. The more plot aspects don’t really come into play until halfway through, and are a little nonsensically cryptic at times, but fairly enjoyable nonetheless. But seriously, the book really feels like “here are the sex scenes and here is the plot” because both are given equal attention. The romance works well despite the instant jump to love, as the protagonists do have fairly good chemistry. Warnings for mental illness, unreality, violence at times, body horror, and a traumatic sexual assault scene. The beginning has some really blatant references to games and media but they taper off over time.
July 25, 2023
DNF @ page 199
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews