The Legend of Sunny Ville

by Nicole Milazzo

An eerie legend whispers
of a scarecrow known as
The Guardian of the Crops.

It is said that to ensure a
bountiful harvest, the scarecrow
demands a dark tribute:
a sacrifice of human blood.

For the sinister scarecrow,
vigilance demands a price that echoes
through the shadows of Sunny Ville.

Genres: Horror, Horror Thriller

118 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 13, 2025

Reviews

[Vicki Herbert - Vacation until Jan 2 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trick or Treat...

THE LEGEND OF SUNNY VILLE
by Nicole Milazzo

3 stars. On a crisp September morning, Ava loaded her car for an eight hour trip from Toronto to Sunny Ville, a quaint Ontario town...

Population four hundred...

To write her own novel, her dream. She had arrived during the town's advertised annual Fall Fair...

Ava had rented a small farmhouse in the middle of cornfields watched over by an ominous scarecrow named Sunny...

She quickly made friends with a group of young people her age, and they all did everything together...

While at a bonfire party...
High on weed and drunk with beer...

One of the guys told Ava the legend of Sunny, the scarecrow...

The gist: Sunny demands a blood sacrifice...

The group then goaded Ava into taking the hat off Sunny and wearing it on her own head...

Which was a big mistake...

This story rounded out my Halloween reading for this year. It was like watching a B slasher movie. If you just want a quick jump scare loaded with holes, this will do the trick or treat.

The story goes through the usual paces with its own version of a twist at the end, but really, nothing new.

And the ex-boyfriend? Who knows?

BTW, loved the cover!

[Carl Bluesy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poor Ava can not catch a break, once he goes to Sunny Valley to escape her old life her problems is when I get worse!

There’s something special about this book, if he’s familiar but it’s very much its own.

The atmosphere I want to be a great stand out with this book. it really pulled me in the story and made everything feels much more immersive.

What this being such a short read this is a great treat for the Halloween season!

[amy aburto · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a page turner, This book kept me on my toes and second-guessing if the FMC was crazy or what. I didn't know in what direction this was going to go but the ending was so good and the scenes were well-made. The author did an exceptional job because I had to double-check if my windows and doors were closed.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very twisted and creepy!

Ava has always wanted to be a writer, so she leaves her old life behind and rents an old cottage in the countryside to start. She settles into the routine quickly and even makes some friends.

However, one night she is told the legend of Sunny. Sunny is a local scarecrow who needs a sacrifice. As Ava’s world falls apart, she begins to wonder just how true the legend of Sunny’s really is.

[William Becker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was highly unique, but not in the way you might be expecting.

Highly character driven and with a somewhat campy, 1980s slasher charm, The Legend of Sunny Ville centers around a scarecrow and a world that’s easy to get lost in. You’ll get the most out of it when you really spend time in the world the author has created. The last 30 pages makes the journey really worth it. I’m excited to follow Milazzo’s career because for a debut, this was incredible.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This horror novel was an absolute page-turner from start to finish. The atmosphere was perfectly eerie, the pacing relentless, and the twists genuinely shocking. The characters felt real enough that I felt as if I was in the story with them.

[Mel Rivers · Rating 4 out of 5]

That ending made it all worth it!!!

This is a slow build horror. We follow Ava as she is leaving a verbally abusive relationship to pursue her dreams of becoming a writer.

When she reaches Sunny Ville all seems quaint and sweet in this lost little town, but as the nights lead on things around the farm may not be what they seem…

This is a tale of F*ck around and find out!

Nicole had me pulling in my feet underneath the covers, and double checking I locked my doors!!

[Tiana Wooley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story that kept my attention. I really enjoyed the ending to this book. I read it in bed and when I finished, I turned off my kindle light so it was DARK in my room minus the sliver of moonlight coming from between the blinds and I swore I saw a silhouette of sunny next to my bed!

[Jamie De · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ava leaves big city Toronto to move to the rural town of Sunny Ville to write her book. She feels right at home amidst the quaint town, sprawling corn fields, beautiful night sky, and the locals that become her friends. And then she hears the Legend of Sunny. Is that noise really someone at her window? Is her mind playing tricks on her? You will get goosebumps reading Ava’s story and the suspense will have you turning pages. You’ll never look at a scarecrow the same again.

[KellyM.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is absolutely fantastic for spooky season. It's spooky, suspenseful and it definitely has plot twists. It has all things Halloween and the atmosphere while reading is creepy which I'm here for. The ending was insane and I loved it.

[Abigail Root · Rating 4 out of 5]

How can I explain this book? Insane. I was not expecting the ending at all and how it ended is crafty. Only good authors would do that type of ending.

[Stacci Nutty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I classic horror tale that will leave you questioning yourself and others.
This book was a quick read that left a very unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach. I loved it!

[Tanya Pratt-Dubois · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a creepy little horror novella. Definitely didn’t see the twist coming! Perfect for a quick spooky read.

[Sylvia Hinojosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where to start, this book story was so good! It was creepy and the plot twist was Crazy!!!!
I felt so bad for the FMC Ava for a while but she in a twisted way got her revenge.
Must read!!!

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a 3.7 for me that I'm rouding up to a 4 for goodreads. I really enjoy the author's descriptive writing. Made it easy to visualize everything I was reading.

[L.Hollo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun short read! It does have a little bit of repetitive details and is somewhat of a slow burn, but very fun ending and worth the read! Wish GR had half stars because I would give this 3.5☆

[Samantha Barrier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fast paced novella perfect for spooky season!

Our fmc Ava moves to a new town after undergoing a break up, wanting to pursue her dream of writing a novel.

This new town is small, and there is a local legend that Sunny, (creepy town mascot/scarecrow) thirsts for blood, and that the governor of the town made a deal to provide him with human sacrifices every so often in exchange for an abundant harvest.

At first Ava doesn’t take these claims seriously, but then more and more unexplained circumstances occur in and around her secluded cabin, culminating in Sunny moving around and terrorizing her from right outside her window!

Is there a reasonable explanation? Are the local legends based in reality, or is something more sinister afoot?

The ending is completely out of left field, a delicious and mind blowing plot twist you will not see coming!

Definitely check this one out, and prepare to be terrorized, shocked, and satisfied in equal parts!

[Leah Downey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This horror novel was an absolute page-turner from start to finish. The atmosphere was perfectly eerie, the pacing relentless, and the twists genuinely shocking. The characters felt real enough that I found myself rooting for them—and dreading what might happen next. The author’s ability to blend psychological tension with outright terror made for a story that stayed with me long after I closed the book. Creepy, clever, and chilling in all the right ways.

[Rereader · Rating 1 out of 5]

Goodreads fucked up my first review, don't feel like writing another rage-fueled tangent, so here's the short version: "The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight" was scarier than this, read that instead.

[Themis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Horror Novella perfect to start spooky season, keep me up all night, the best part was the unhinged twist at the end.

[Tarah Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book held on far after I turned the last page. The psychological thrill this keeps you in is amazing! I never saw the twists coming but holy crow! What a ride!!