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mboyette252's review
4.0
There’s something about a murder mystery that just pulls me in. Shadow Vista creates a great dynamic in which you think you know who the killer is until you actually find out who it is. Great read and I enjoyed every page.
aaronlindsey's review
5.0
Colyott and Steensland make a great team. Together they write killer thriller chillers.
Shadow Vista is an upscale subdivision that was never completed because of over-budgeting. The only people who should be there are the folks from Tin Star Security. But others lurk in the shadows of the almost complete houses, including a mysterious killer.
This short novel is full of surprises and thrills.
I read Jimmy the Freak (and loved it) last year, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on Shadow Vista.
And I was not disappointed. Five Stars!
Shadow Vista is an upscale subdivision that was never completed because of over-budgeting. The only people who should be there are the folks from Tin Star Security. But others lurk in the shadows of the almost complete houses, including a mysterious killer.
This short novel is full of surprises and thrills.
I read Jimmy the Freak (and loved it) last year, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on Shadow Vista.
And I was not disappointed. Five Stars!
montemaq's review
5.0
Quick novella. Pretty predictable. Don’t read too much into it. Just a fun, silly, slasher-romp.
readingnookreviews's review
3.0
Shadow Vista is a short book (100 pages) but incredibly creepy and intense! There’s a ton of tropes/cliches in here but I still enjoyed the story and especially the terrifying concept of using an empty housing development as the killer’s burial ground. I think this was a fun addition to the “Fall for Murder” Night Worms package to prepare everyone for spooky season. Shadow Vista is an old-school slasher novella that provides a quick horror fix to readers!
enchantressreads's review
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Torture, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
Minor: Suicide and Abortion
meatwad112's review
4.0
I enjoyed this book! Spooky, graphic and surprising. The end was predictable but happy.
monty_reads's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
A misogynist bummer of a novella whose moral seems to be, “Hey! Hot girls can be killers, too!”
prettyinpapercuts's review
2.5
I didn't dislike this, but I found it predictable and a little boring around the middle
onetrackmind77's review
4.0
This book was a blast! It might not be the most original story, but it was still a lot of fun for a quick read. Loved the relationship between the two main characters, Zachary and Sam, and the banter between the two of them was priceless. Worth it for the "vajankle" phrase alone.
doomkittiekhan's review
2.0
So, despite being less than 100 pages, it took me nearly a month to finish 'Shadow Vista'. Why? Who knows. Probably because buddy reads and themed readalongs dominated my reading schedule this last month and punted individual titles further down my list. However, it could also be because this story was just ...meh.
'Shadow Vista' is a fun, end-of-summer slasher that takes place in the titular unfinished suburban neighborhood. The story is told primarily from the perspective of Zachary Frenkel who works as a part-time security officer monitoring the subdivision for a private company hired by the development's investors. 'Shadow Vista' is a compact story that has good pacing and lots of atmosphere. Colyott and Steensland know how to write a murder scene and they don't rush through the action which I really appreciated.
The book begins strongly, but as the characters begin to be fleshed out and the killer is revealed, the story felt too canned and tropey. I found Zachary to be an annoying narrator, Sam was a walking stereotype of the manic-pixie-dream-girl, Rebecca was the problematic bombshell, and Kyle was the douchey bro. It was just...typical. I could have forgiven the characters that fell flat if the arc of the killer had been more engaging. creative, and believable. Maybe explore something with the development company/investors about why they won't finish Shadow Vista? That could have been really interesting! I guess what I'm getting at is that I would have loved a full-on campy, novel length, version of 'Shadow Vista to enjoy.
'Shadow Vista' is the first publishing venture by the inimitable Night Worms crew and the level of writing quality for this imprint is promising. I'm really excited about what other indie authors Sadie and Ashley bring to our attention through their publishing efforts. Unfortunately, 'Shadow Vista' left me equally wanting more and relieved when it was finally over.
'Shadow Vista' is a fun, end-of-summer slasher that takes place in the titular unfinished suburban neighborhood. The story is told primarily from the perspective of Zachary Frenkel who works as a part-time security officer monitoring the subdivision for a private company hired by the development's investors. 'Shadow Vista' is a compact story that has good pacing and lots of atmosphere. Colyott and Steensland know how to write a murder scene and they don't rush through the action which I really appreciated.
The book begins strongly, but as the characters begin to be fleshed out and the killer is revealed, the story felt too canned and tropey. I found Zachary to be an annoying narrator, Sam was a walking stereotype of the manic-pixie-dream-girl, Rebecca was the problematic bombshell, and Kyle was the douchey bro. It was just...typical. I could have forgiven the characters that fell flat if the arc of the killer had been more engaging. creative, and believable. Maybe explore something with the development company/investors about why they won't finish Shadow Vista? That could have been really interesting! I guess what I'm getting at is that I would have loved a full-on campy, novel length, version of 'Shadow Vista to enjoy.
'Shadow Vista' is the first publishing venture by the inimitable Night Worms crew and the level of writing quality for this imprint is promising. I'm really excited about what other indie authors Sadie and Ashley bring to our attention through their publishing efforts. Unfortunately, 'Shadow Vista' left me equally wanting more and relieved when it was finally over.