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Shadowshift
Chet is a shape-shifter who uses his abilities to burglarize homes…
Hannah is a young girl with strange influences over inanimate objects…
Father and daughter, these supernatural misfits are bound by blood, their unfolding stories separated by time. While Chet follows a grim path, Hannah stands on the fragile precipice of hope: her mother’s faltering happiness with a kind man…the chance at a new family and a stable household…and the promise of freedom from the shadows cast by her father’s misdeeds.
But past and present are ready to collide, ushering hell home.
Hannah is a young girl with strange influences over inanimate objects…
Father and daughter, these supernatural misfits are bound by blood, their unfolding stories separated by time. While Chet follows a grim path, Hannah stands on the fragile precipice of hope: her mother’s faltering happiness with a kind man…the chance at a new family and a stable household…and the promise of freedom from the shadows cast by her father’s misdeeds.
But past and present are ready to collide, ushering hell home.
171 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 2, 2015
39 people want to read
About the author
Peter Giglio
30 books75 followersAn active member of the Horror Writers Association and the International Thriller Writers, Peter Giglio is the author of five novels, four novellas, and his short fiction can be found in several books, including two comprehensive genre anthologies edited by New York Times Bestselling author John Skipp. With co-writer Scott Bradley, Peter is actively shopping a feature-length screen adaptation of Joe R. Lansdale's "The Night They Missed the Horror Show," and Sunfall Manor, one of Giglio's novellas, is currently under option with a screenwriting team based in Los Angeles. Giglio lives on the Georgia coast with his fiancé and frequent collaborator, Shannon Michaels, and he always has time for readers at www.petergiglio.com.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
June 26, 2015
Chet is a shifter, we first meet him at his day job in a store, scoping customers out with the intention of robbing them. He checks their ID when they buy cigarettes, then engages in a bit of stalking until opportunity knocks and well, he doesn't knock so to speak, he turns into a cockroach and limbos under the door.
'He closed his eyes and cockroaches invaded his mind’s eye; hundreds of them, crawling over each other. Antennae twitching. Jagged legs scurrying.'
He then turns back and robs the place, now my only issue with this was when he changes back he's exactly as he was, there's no pile of clothes outside, no he's inside, fully clothed with his tools still in his pocket, such as his torch. Little things like this do sometimes irritate me to the point of losing interest, I've got visions of a cockroach strutting his stuff in jeans and muscle top with an Uzi 9mm. Luckily this was the only thing that narked me and Chet does just deserve getting a size 16 bowling ball dropped on his head from a great height as we see his family and how he treats his wife and daughter.
We then take a significant leap forward in time as Tina and young Hannah are suddenly moving in with another man, Chet has disappeared it seems. The story then jumps back and forth as we learn what's happened to our shifter and what's going on with Tina, her new fella and Hannah, who it seems has some of her father's abilities. Until past meets present with a sickening crunch.
The story is told from all three of our families viewpoints, the characters are well portrayed and certainly not one dimensional. There's an intriguing hidden realm element in the shifters makeup and for the most part I enjoyed the writing. It's just one of those books that I felt was ok but I wasn't desperate to get back to it.
I received Shadowshift from Darkfuse & Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and that’s what you’ve got.
Also posted at http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
'He closed his eyes and cockroaches invaded his mind’s eye; hundreds of them, crawling over each other. Antennae twitching. Jagged legs scurrying.'
He then turns back and robs the place, now my only issue with this was when he changes back he's exactly as he was, there's no pile of clothes outside, no he's inside, fully clothed with his tools still in his pocket, such as his torch. Little things like this do sometimes irritate me to the point of losing interest, I've got visions of a cockroach strutting his stuff in jeans and muscle top with an Uzi 9mm. Luckily this was the only thing that narked me and Chet does just deserve getting a size 16 bowling ball dropped on his head from a great height as we see his family and how he treats his wife and daughter.
We then take a significant leap forward in time as Tina and young Hannah are suddenly moving in with another man, Chet has disappeared it seems. The story then jumps back and forth as we learn what's happened to our shifter and what's going on with Tina, her new fella and Hannah, who it seems has some of her father's abilities. Until past meets present with a sickening crunch.
The story is told from all three of our families viewpoints, the characters are well portrayed and certainly not one dimensional. There's an intriguing hidden realm element in the shifters makeup and for the most part I enjoyed the writing. It's just one of those books that I felt was ok but I wasn't desperate to get back to it.
I received Shadowshift from Darkfuse & Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and that’s what you’ve got.
Also posted at http://paulnelson.booklikes.com/post/...
August 10, 2016
Chet is a cockroach that works the register at the local Circle K. His daughter Hannah has gifts that she is just beginning to understand. After things go sour during home burglary, Chet mysteriously disappears and finds himself trapped in the Theater of the Lost. If he can find his way out, Hannah and her new family are going to be in grave danger.
I must admit that after I read the synopsis for this one I was a little worried it would be all Twilight shape-shifter lame. It was not. It took a while to get rolling, but once it clicked for me, I really enjoyed it. The characters were fleshed out well in this short format and it didn’t get to “out there” in the theater, which would have been easy to do. An easy, fast paced and entertaining read.
Beware! Major SpoilerAlert:
I must admit that after I read the synopsis for this one I was a little worried it would be all Twilight shape-shifter lame. It was not. It took a while to get rolling, but once it clicked for me, I really enjoyed it. The characters were fleshed out well in this short format and it didn’t get to “out there” in the theater, which would have been easy to do. An easy, fast paced and entertaining read.
Beware! Major SpoilerAlert:
May 19, 2015
SHADOWSHIFT begins with an riveting prologue that raises many questions. After this, we jump right into the heart of the story. Giglio takes us from past, to present--alternating between the viewpoints of Chet (a thief able to shape-shift into small creatures/objects), and his daughter, Hannah (who has her own ability to manipulate inanimate objects with her mind). Along with them is Chet's mentally abused wife, Tina--who wants nothing more than to be free of Chet and to find happiness for herself and Hannah.
I found that this story stood out to me on many levels. First was the characterization--it would have been easy to typecast Hannah, Tina, and Chet into stereotypical roles, yet Giglio manages to give them each individual depth, their voices equally strong in the telling of this novel. Even Kevin, Tina's new boyfriend, has an identifiable personality that draws the reader to him, and WANT for him to be able to succeed in making this new family. Secondly, the "other" dimension that is created was full of surprises, and not at all what I was expecting to find in this story. The origin of Chet and Hannah's talents was likewise unexpected, and put a nice overall twist to the novel.
The only slight complaint I had was a scene towards the end that came off as just "too convenient" in my personal opinion. Other than that, I felt that this was a strong novel with a fairly unique premise.
Recommended!
*I received an advance copy of this novel through NegGalley/DarkFuse in exchange for an honest review.*
I found that this story stood out to me on many levels. First was the characterization--it would have been easy to typecast Hannah, Tina, and Chet into stereotypical roles, yet Giglio manages to give them each individual depth, their voices equally strong in the telling of this novel. Even Kevin, Tina's new boyfriend, has an identifiable personality that draws the reader to him, and WANT for him to be able to succeed in making this new family. Secondly, the "other" dimension that is created was full of surprises, and not at all what I was expecting to find in this story. The origin of Chet and Hannah's talents was likewise unexpected, and put a nice overall twist to the novel.
The only slight complaint I had was a scene towards the end that came off as just "too convenient" in my personal opinion. Other than that, I felt that this was a strong novel with a fairly unique premise.
Recommended!
*I received an advance copy of this novel through NegGalley/DarkFuse in exchange for an honest review.*
July 12, 2015
This was the third book by Peter I have read. The story starts out when a man named Saul Chaplain gives this boy to Ray and Molly Mitchell. Tells them rule one this is not an adoption. Then tells them the boy was always yours and gives them the documents to prove it. The boy is six years old and hasn't spoken in months. Then he says final rule I was never here. Now the story goes to a man named Chet who works at the store Circle K. He has a wife named Tina and a daughter named Hannah. At the store Chet cards this guy named Philip Wise and finds out where he lives. Then we find out that Chet is a shifter when he turns himself into a cockroach to get into this man's house. He changes back then finds a ammo case with money and old baseball cards in it under the bed. Then the story shifts to another time where Tina and Hannah are living with a man named Kevin. This is when we find out that Hannah has a special power. Will stop here don't want to say too much. The story was a good supernatural story. The story had a good flow and a good cast of characters. I enjoyed reading this book a lot but I still have to say When We Fall is still my favorite book by Peter. I gave Shadowshift 4 stars.
I received an e-arc of this book from DarkFuse/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I received an e-arc of this book from DarkFuse/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
December 13, 2015
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Chet is a shifter and low life thief, Hannah is his daughter and has inherited some of his supernatural ability. Hannah's mother, Tina, dreams of escaping the abusive marriage she finds herself in wanting to protect Hannah from Chet as he becomes more volatile.
When a job goes wrong, Chet finds himself trapped by Hannah in another dimension where he learns more about his past and how his life could have turned out. Tina takes the opportunity to start a new life with Hannah, thinking that Chet has abandoned them.
The story then jumps forward several years to where Tina is a semi-successful author and is in a happy relationship with Kevin who adores not only her but Hannah. The past catches up with the present with devastating effects.
I enjoyed this read a lot more than I expected to, whilst the story itself was a little far fetched I thought the strong characterisation made it more believable and engaging. The story is told through Chet, Hannah, Tina and Kevin and each perspective gives us something new in the story. Whilst Chet was thoroughly dislikeable I thought the author made him more sympathetic as he delved into his past. This was done whilst Chet was confined to the Theatre of the Lost, it would have been great to have had more back story to this other world as time spent there was relatively short.
Lesser Creatures remains my favourite from this authors Darkfuse work but this was highly enjoyable and had me hooked after a few chapters. Recommended for those that love the supernatural.
Chet is a shifter and low life thief, Hannah is his daughter and has inherited some of his supernatural ability. Hannah's mother, Tina, dreams of escaping the abusive marriage she finds herself in wanting to protect Hannah from Chet as he becomes more volatile.
When a job goes wrong, Chet finds himself trapped by Hannah in another dimension where he learns more about his past and how his life could have turned out. Tina takes the opportunity to start a new life with Hannah, thinking that Chet has abandoned them.
The story then jumps forward several years to where Tina is a semi-successful author and is in a happy relationship with Kevin who adores not only her but Hannah. The past catches up with the present with devastating effects.
I enjoyed this read a lot more than I expected to, whilst the story itself was a little far fetched I thought the strong characterisation made it more believable and engaging. The story is told through Chet, Hannah, Tina and Kevin and each perspective gives us something new in the story. Whilst Chet was thoroughly dislikeable I thought the author made him more sympathetic as he delved into his past. This was done whilst Chet was confined to the Theatre of the Lost, it would have been great to have had more back story to this other world as time spent there was relatively short.
Lesser Creatures remains my favourite from this authors Darkfuse work but this was highly enjoyable and had me hooked after a few chapters. Recommended for those that love the supernatural.
June 28, 2015
Shadowshift is a solid read from an author who had me at When We Fall. I'm not typically a fan of the shapeshifting/fantasy genre but this one was not too over the top or overwhelmingly fantastical.
The story starts out with the rather cliche story line of a baby being dropped at a doorstep...but that is where the predictability ends. Like When We Fall, the characters are well fleshed-out and despite their special abilities -- very human. Peter Giglio has a very keen understanding of the human soul and it shows in all of the books I have read by him.
Although I have to agree with those who have said that some parts of the story line are a little too convenient in the progression of the story, it was a good read nonetheless and worth the read.
I received this e-ARC from DarkFuse/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story starts out with the rather cliche story line of a baby being dropped at a doorstep...but that is where the predictability ends. Like When We Fall, the characters are well fleshed-out and despite their special abilities -- very human. Peter Giglio has a very keen understanding of the human soul and it shows in all of the books I have read by him.
Although I have to agree with those who have said that some parts of the story line are a little too convenient in the progression of the story, it was a good read nonetheless and worth the read.
I received this e-ARC from DarkFuse/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 6, 2015
Review copy
Peter Giglio is a name I've been familiar with for some time, most likely from his work as Executive Editor of Evil Jester Press and his presence on Facebook, but for some reason, I've just never gotten around to reading any of his work. After reading Shadowshift, I'm going to have to keep an eye out for more from this talented writer.
In this tale, Peter has proven himself to be an accomplished storyteller with particular skill in delivering real conversation from his characters, particularly the pre-teen girls. He also has quite the imagination. I was drawn into the story immediately with an atmosphere of mystery and intrigue and although the tale required a willing suspension of disbelief, it was none the less enjoyable.
Shadowshift is filled with little touches throughout that just brought everything down to earth. Example, one of the lead character's in the book is a horror novelist and her literary agent has three beagles named, Larry, Moe, and Curly. That just made me stop and smile. Another character plops into his easy chair, channel surfing, and lands on Pawn Stars (who doesn't do that)?
One other nice touch was the recurring theme of Lou Reed's Perfect Day throughout the story. Loved it.
Shadowshift itself is really dark and twisted and if I have any complaint at all it's that the book is just too darn short, coming in at a mere 171 pages.
Available now, from Darkfuse, as an e-book through Amazon.com, Shadowshift can be read at no additional charge through Kindle Unlimited and if you subscribe to Amazon Prime you can read it for FREE as your monthly selection through the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
Recommended.
Peter Giglio is a name I've been familiar with for some time, most likely from his work as Executive Editor of Evil Jester Press and his presence on Facebook, but for some reason, I've just never gotten around to reading any of his work. After reading Shadowshift, I'm going to have to keep an eye out for more from this talented writer.
In this tale, Peter has proven himself to be an accomplished storyteller with particular skill in delivering real conversation from his characters, particularly the pre-teen girls. He also has quite the imagination. I was drawn into the story immediately with an atmosphere of mystery and intrigue and although the tale required a willing suspension of disbelief, it was none the less enjoyable.
Shadowshift is filled with little touches throughout that just brought everything down to earth. Example, one of the lead character's in the book is a horror novelist and her literary agent has three beagles named, Larry, Moe, and Curly. That just made me stop and smile. Another character plops into his easy chair, channel surfing, and lands on Pawn Stars (who doesn't do that)?
One other nice touch was the recurring theme of Lou Reed's Perfect Day throughout the story. Loved it.
Shadowshift itself is really dark and twisted and if I have any complaint at all it's that the book is just too darn short, coming in at a mere 171 pages.
Available now, from Darkfuse, as an e-book through Amazon.com, Shadowshift can be read at no additional charge through Kindle Unlimited and if you subscribe to Amazon Prime you can read it for FREE as your monthly selection through the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
Recommended.
June 24, 2015
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/features...
In Shadowshift, an unsavory figure drops off a child in the home of a couple who are forced to pretend the child is their son. This prologue immediately conjures up several questions. Fast-forward several years to Chet, a cashier who spends his nights robbing hopes by transforming into a cockroach. He has a family, a wife who he likes to beat around and a daughter who suffers a lot from her father abusing her mother.
Hannah, aforementioned daughter, figured out her uncanny abaility to influence inanimate objects some time ago. When she discovers her father has similar powers, she realizes all the signs point toward her following in his footsteps. But that is the last thing Hannah wants to do…
Let me start straight out by saying this book isn’t scary. Not at all. However, it does manage to give the reader an eerie sense of foreboding throughout, and despite Chet not being all that terrifying when reading about him, I’m sure I’d be terrified if I saw him in real life.
The premise, of beings who can shift into other creatures, isn’t all that original, but the way it’s executed here is intriuging enough not to worry about originality. Instantly, the reader feels a connection to most of the characters, including Chet. Despite him being a wicked person and not having much respect for his wife, he does feel some kind of love for his daughter, which humanizes him.
It’s a compelling read and the author has an impressive talent for storytelling.
In Shadowshift, an unsavory figure drops off a child in the home of a couple who are forced to pretend the child is their son. This prologue immediately conjures up several questions. Fast-forward several years to Chet, a cashier who spends his nights robbing hopes by transforming into a cockroach. He has a family, a wife who he likes to beat around and a daughter who suffers a lot from her father abusing her mother.
Hannah, aforementioned daughter, figured out her uncanny abaility to influence inanimate objects some time ago. When she discovers her father has similar powers, she realizes all the signs point toward her following in his footsteps. But that is the last thing Hannah wants to do…
Let me start straight out by saying this book isn’t scary. Not at all. However, it does manage to give the reader an eerie sense of foreboding throughout, and despite Chet not being all that terrifying when reading about him, I’m sure I’d be terrified if I saw him in real life.
The premise, of beings who can shift into other creatures, isn’t all that original, but the way it’s executed here is intriuging enough not to worry about originality. Instantly, the reader feels a connection to most of the characters, including Chet. Despite him being a wicked person and not having much respect for his wife, he does feel some kind of love for his daughter, which humanizes him.
It’s a compelling read and the author has an impressive talent for storytelling.
September 7, 2015
I received an advance copy of Shadowshift from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is said review. This book is published by DarkFuse. Need I say anymore?
I have only ever read one other thing by Peter Giglio, Sunfall Manor. Now that I think of it, I don’t know why I haven’t read more. I loved it. So when Shadowshift came up on NetGalley I couldn’t refuse.
I’m glad I didn’t refuse.
Chet is a shape shifter. He can change into nearly any bug or small rodent. His weapon of choice when he is breaking into other people’s homes is a cockroach. Easy access, steal what you want, leave. This is fine until one of his victim’s figures out it was him and sets him up. Things go drastically wrong for Chet from here and his life is going to get a bit boring for a while.
Hannah is Chet’s daughter. She also has a gift. She can manipulate things with her mind. She is only twelve so still developing her skills.
Tina is Chet’s wife. She wishes she never had been. He was never good to her.
When he disappears after the setup, Tina has only one goal in life, protect Hannah. She has no idea her daughter has a gift.
What comes next is a story following two different timelines, Chet’s life in the past and Tina and Hannah’s life in the future. No one knows yet but both timelines are going to clash very soon, with disastrous results.
I absolutely bloody loved this book. This is without doubt one of the easiest reads I have had this year. By “easy” I mean to read. From the very first page this story just flows and flows and flows. There are twists and turns galore. Some you see coming and some you don’t. Perfect.
The end.
Nah, I’ll give you some more.
Characters – there are a few but the main people to look out for in this are obviously Chet, Tina and Hannah. Chet is, how can I put it, vile? Yes vile. This is a man who has been using his gift for years and couldn’t care less who it affects or what damage he does. He’s just out for himself. He is horrible to Tina but sweet to Hannah. The only reason for that is because he thinks she has a gift too. Tina I could take or leave. She had a real bad time with Chet and she does grow as the story progresses but was prone to moments that would have driven me mad being around her. Hannah was my favourite. Twelve years old with a maturity of a thirty year old. Aware of her gift but still experimenting with it and to some degree scared of it.
The story sort of divides itself into two parts. It flips between the old life when Chet and Tina were still together and Hannah was just a young child. This section basically shows you what an ahole Chet was when he was practising to see what he could do and treating his wife like something he stepped on. To be fair his childhood wasn’t great but no excuse. At the same time Tina is struggling to keep things together, blissfully unaware of what Chet is doing and also unaware of what Hannah can do. The new life features on Tina building a new life with her new man, Kevin, and Hannah, This is about 6 years after Chet has disappeared. As time goes on with both parts, you can see exactly where they are going, you just can’t tell how they are going to get there.
Now on what you have read so far you wouldn’t think this was a horror would you? Well it bloody well is. It’s a different kind of horror though. The type I hate writing reviews about because I can never put it into words how it affected me. I’ll have a go though.
You have shape shifters. That’s scary like scary monsters. You have a girl that can manipulate things with her mind. That’s scary like paranormal scary. You have bizarre worlds were these shifters can go. That’s scary like fantasy scary. You have a secret government organisation who know they exist and are trying to wipe them from the face of the planet. That’s scary like Men in Black scary. Well, maybe not but do you get what I mean? Horror is wonderful like that at times because there are more varieties of it than Heinz have. The thing is that you don’t often get a load of them in one story. That’s what makes Shadowshift so interesting and so damn entertaining.
Peter Giglio has moved himself up my list of authors to look out for and try and grab a lot more of his back catalogue. If all his stuff is like this then I want to read it all. His writing just flows perfectly. Perfectly paced. Perfectly articulate. Perfect at getting you totally absorbed in the story.
To summarise: a scary story with shape shifters and people who do weird stuff with their minds with two converging stories that are going to end in disaster. Secrets being kept from people. Maybe if they knew the secrets things wouldn’t go so badly wrong.
Before I go I just remembered another thing. I got to a point in the story where it read like it was ending. I was reading the last paragraph thinking “please don’t be over!”….turned the page to another chapter! This happened about three times. Talk about keeping you in suspense? Naughty Mr Giglio!
General rating:
★★★★★ Excellent. Highly recommended.
Horror rating:
★★★ I would have liked it even more scary.
I have only ever read one other thing by Peter Giglio, Sunfall Manor. Now that I think of it, I don’t know why I haven’t read more. I loved it. So when Shadowshift came up on NetGalley I couldn’t refuse.
I’m glad I didn’t refuse.
Chet is a shape shifter. He can change into nearly any bug or small rodent. His weapon of choice when he is breaking into other people’s homes is a cockroach. Easy access, steal what you want, leave. This is fine until one of his victim’s figures out it was him and sets him up. Things go drastically wrong for Chet from here and his life is going to get a bit boring for a while.
Hannah is Chet’s daughter. She also has a gift. She can manipulate things with her mind. She is only twelve so still developing her skills.
Tina is Chet’s wife. She wishes she never had been. He was never good to her.
When he disappears after the setup, Tina has only one goal in life, protect Hannah. She has no idea her daughter has a gift.
What comes next is a story following two different timelines, Chet’s life in the past and Tina and Hannah’s life in the future. No one knows yet but both timelines are going to clash very soon, with disastrous results.
I absolutely bloody loved this book. This is without doubt one of the easiest reads I have had this year. By “easy” I mean to read. From the very first page this story just flows and flows and flows. There are twists and turns galore. Some you see coming and some you don’t. Perfect.
The end.
Nah, I’ll give you some more.
Characters – there are a few but the main people to look out for in this are obviously Chet, Tina and Hannah. Chet is, how can I put it, vile? Yes vile. This is a man who has been using his gift for years and couldn’t care less who it affects or what damage he does. He’s just out for himself. He is horrible to Tina but sweet to Hannah. The only reason for that is because he thinks she has a gift too. Tina I could take or leave. She had a real bad time with Chet and she does grow as the story progresses but was prone to moments that would have driven me mad being around her. Hannah was my favourite. Twelve years old with a maturity of a thirty year old. Aware of her gift but still experimenting with it and to some degree scared of it.
The story sort of divides itself into two parts. It flips between the old life when Chet and Tina were still together and Hannah was just a young child. This section basically shows you what an ahole Chet was when he was practising to see what he could do and treating his wife like something he stepped on. To be fair his childhood wasn’t great but no excuse. At the same time Tina is struggling to keep things together, blissfully unaware of what Chet is doing and also unaware of what Hannah can do. The new life features on Tina building a new life with her new man, Kevin, and Hannah, This is about 6 years after Chet has disappeared. As time goes on with both parts, you can see exactly where they are going, you just can’t tell how they are going to get there.
Now on what you have read so far you wouldn’t think this was a horror would you? Well it bloody well is. It’s a different kind of horror though. The type I hate writing reviews about because I can never put it into words how it affected me. I’ll have a go though.
You have shape shifters. That’s scary like scary monsters. You have a girl that can manipulate things with her mind. That’s scary like paranormal scary. You have bizarre worlds were these shifters can go. That’s scary like fantasy scary. You have a secret government organisation who know they exist and are trying to wipe them from the face of the planet. That’s scary like Men in Black scary. Well, maybe not but do you get what I mean? Horror is wonderful like that at times because there are more varieties of it than Heinz have. The thing is that you don’t often get a load of them in one story. That’s what makes Shadowshift so interesting and so damn entertaining.
Peter Giglio has moved himself up my list of authors to look out for and try and grab a lot more of his back catalogue. If all his stuff is like this then I want to read it all. His writing just flows perfectly. Perfectly paced. Perfectly articulate. Perfect at getting you totally absorbed in the story.
To summarise: a scary story with shape shifters and people who do weird stuff with their minds with two converging stories that are going to end in disaster. Secrets being kept from people. Maybe if they knew the secrets things wouldn’t go so badly wrong.
Before I go I just remembered another thing. I got to a point in the story where it read like it was ending. I was reading the last paragraph thinking “please don’t be over!”….turned the page to another chapter! This happened about three times. Talk about keeping you in suspense? Naughty Mr Giglio!
General rating:
★★★★★ Excellent. Highly recommended.
Horror rating:
★★★ I would have liked it even more scary.
November 30, 2015
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
And to be honest, I thought this book was going to be crap. I liked the sound of it from the synopsis but I'd never heard of the book or the author before. But I was pleasantly surprised.
The book starts off with two odd men giving a 6 year old child to a couple and telling them to keep him safe. We know he has supernatural powers and he has lost his family. I thought it was a fantastic start to the book and I really wanted to know what had happened to the kids family and who these two guys were. Then the story advances 20 years or so to the kid all grown up. And he's a bit of a dick. He has a wife and a child and he doesn't treat them right. He gets in to trouble using his powers to steal from people. He then disappears. The focus of the story shifts between Chet, the shifter guy who turns in to a cockroach (so don't read this book if you don't like roaches!), and his daughter Hannah who seems to have inherited his powers.
I liked that Chet turned in to a cockroach. In most fantasy books which have shifters, they always turn in to an animal which is magnificent, cute and cuddly, sexy etc. but there is nothing cute or sexy about a guy who can turn in to a cockroach (and on occasions a rat).
Giglio has created some very interesting characters and boy do they have some stories to tell! I would love to find out more about Chet, his real family, what happened to them,and why he turned bad. I'd also like to know more about their race and more about the powers they hold. I'd also like to know about those two creepy guys at the beginning and why they were involved and what their cause was. So I was left wanting more after I read this book. The premise for this book is great and it has so much scope. Personally, I think it would have made a much better longer novel. More detail, more action, more backstory for the characters. What there was in the 190 pages of this book were great but I wanted more!
The end battle between good and evil could have been fleshed out more too. I felt it was over and done with so quickly that I didn't really feel scared for the main characters. But overall, it was a fitting ending.
And to be honest, I thought this book was going to be crap. I liked the sound of it from the synopsis but I'd never heard of the book or the author before. But I was pleasantly surprised.
The book starts off with two odd men giving a 6 year old child to a couple and telling them to keep him safe. We know he has supernatural powers and he has lost his family. I thought it was a fantastic start to the book and I really wanted to know what had happened to the kids family and who these two guys were. Then the story advances 20 years or so to the kid all grown up. And he's a bit of a dick. He has a wife and a child and he doesn't treat them right. He gets in to trouble using his powers to steal from people. He then disappears. The focus of the story shifts between Chet, the shifter guy who turns in to a cockroach (so don't read this book if you don't like roaches!), and his daughter Hannah who seems to have inherited his powers.
I liked that Chet turned in to a cockroach. In most fantasy books which have shifters, they always turn in to an animal which is magnificent, cute and cuddly, sexy etc. but there is nothing cute or sexy about a guy who can turn in to a cockroach (and on occasions a rat).
Giglio has created some very interesting characters and boy do they have some stories to tell! I would love to find out more about Chet, his real family, what happened to them,and why he turned bad. I'd also like to know more about their race and more about the powers they hold. I'd also like to know about those two creepy guys at the beginning and why they were involved and what their cause was. So I was left wanting more after I read this book. The premise for this book is great and it has so much scope. Personally, I think it would have made a much better longer novel. More detail, more action, more backstory for the characters. What there was in the 190 pages of this book were great but I wanted more!
The end battle between good and evil could have been fleshed out more too. I felt it was over and done with so quickly that I didn't really feel scared for the main characters. But overall, it was a fitting ending.
June 25, 2015
I tend to avoid stories with shapeshifter's in the lead, mostly because I tend to find that particular horror subgenre to be a bit lackluster, with contrived machinations and easy outs. However, I'm a big fan of the DarkFuse imprint and trust its editors and authors a great deal. Ultimately, I'm pretty darn happy that I gave SHADOWSHIFT a read!
Peter Giglio crafts a might fine narrative here that is well-grounded in its characters, particularly that of teenager Hannah, her mother Tina, estranged father Chet, and Tina's new love, Kevin. The family dynamic between Tina, Chet, and their daughter is marked with strife, heartache, secrets, and abuse. Tina discovers her talents for writing and is often overcome with depression-driven self-recriminations, which is something I could relate to all too easily and I appreciate that Giglio handled this aspect with care and honesty. Hannah is a smart and mature teen, who has inherited a slightly different skill-set than her shape-shifting, criminal father (Chet most often transforms into a cockroach, and I can't help but mentally refer to him as Papa Roach as a result), and is learning to come into her own in the world and working to help her family rebuild.
The writing is crisp and solid, and the author works up a very comfortable narrative flow that keeps the pages turning. If not for the daily rigors of life itself, I probably would have stayed glued to my Kindle and finished this one in a single sitting. SHADOWSHIFT has a lot of elements that help make it a winner - there's crime, along with a slight paranormal aspect that never feels disruptive nor does it ever overshadow the most important ingredient to this work, which are the characters themselves, each of whom possess a lot of depth and heart (or heartlessness, as needed). This book is also a great introduction to Peter Giglio, who is a new-to-me author, and I'll be browsing his backlist of titles shortly!
Peter Giglio crafts a might fine narrative here that is well-grounded in its characters, particularly that of teenager Hannah, her mother Tina, estranged father Chet, and Tina's new love, Kevin. The family dynamic between Tina, Chet, and their daughter is marked with strife, heartache, secrets, and abuse. Tina discovers her talents for writing and is often overcome with depression-driven self-recriminations, which is something I could relate to all too easily and I appreciate that Giglio handled this aspect with care and honesty. Hannah is a smart and mature teen, who has inherited a slightly different skill-set than her shape-shifting, criminal father (Chet most often transforms into a cockroach, and I can't help but mentally refer to him as Papa Roach as a result), and is learning to come into her own in the world and working to help her family rebuild.
The writing is crisp and solid, and the author works up a very comfortable narrative flow that keeps the pages turning. If not for the daily rigors of life itself, I probably would have stayed glued to my Kindle and finished this one in a single sitting. SHADOWSHIFT has a lot of elements that help make it a winner - there's crime, along with a slight paranormal aspect that never feels disruptive nor does it ever overshadow the most important ingredient to this work, which are the characters themselves, each of whom possess a lot of depth and heart (or heartlessness, as needed). This book is also a great introduction to Peter Giglio, who is a new-to-me author, and I'll be browsing his backlist of titles shortly!
April 20, 2015
'Shadowshift' is not long in terms of a novel. But where other books contain expletives or linger with sideshows, this story is just the opposite. Crammed full with events and action, not wasting a single word on meaninglessness. Sometimes I even wished the author would have cut me some slack to get a breathe in between.
The plot combines many interesting facets (shape shifting, telepathy, aliens?!, common crime, coming-of-age into a very complex whole, making 'Shadowshift' a fascinating yet disturbing read. Mixing horror, sci-fi, thriller and coming-of-age, it delivers a perfect blend to satisfy a wide range of readers, making it easy to recommend this one to everyone who enjoys a different original story that stands out from the crowd.
There was only one small scene which was too cliché and obvious for my taste, where Kevin's mother confesses why she reacted so strongly to Tina's book.
I'm still a little indecisive about the happy end, because while I wanted Hannah and her mother to finally find some peace in their life, the outcome seemed too easy and convenient.
Apart from those negligible flaws, I couldn't put the book down and was intrigued with the originality of the plot which continually managed to surprise me. To me, 'Shadowshift' was an amazing first contact with the author's work and I will definitely watch out for his other past and future projects.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
The plot combines many interesting facets (shape shifting, telepathy, aliens?!, common crime, coming-of-age into a very complex whole, making 'Shadowshift' a fascinating yet disturbing read. Mixing horror, sci-fi, thriller and coming-of-age, it delivers a perfect blend to satisfy a wide range of readers, making it easy to recommend this one to everyone who enjoys a different original story that stands out from the crowd.
There was only one small scene which was too cliché and obvious for my taste, where Kevin's mother confesses why she reacted so strongly to Tina's book.
I'm still a little indecisive about the happy end, because while I wanted Hannah and her mother to finally find some peace in their life, the outcome seemed too easy and convenient.
Apart from those negligible flaws, I couldn't put the book down and was intrigued with the originality of the plot which continually managed to surprise me. To me, 'Shadowshift' was an amazing first contact with the author's work and I will definitely watch out for his other past and future projects.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
July 15, 2015
Wow, I loved how in this story, there were actually two stories which really made the whole book so interesting. One story is about a couple who are involved in a life of crime, domestic abuse, sad story, upsetting at times but this has its own suspense.
The other story being told is about a father and daughter, dad is a shapeshifter and the daughter is gifted with the ability to control electronics using her mind. Whilst dad turns into a cockroach (yeah I know kinda weird choice), and crawls under doors etc to gain access to properties with the sole purpose of committing burglary, with that ability of shapeshifting he could have committed far bigger robberies than steal on a small scale which would have been more in line with his greedy nature. However, his daughter is just trying to get along with her life and make it a little more bearable.
Shadowshift is an excellent story of suspense, it is dark and twisted, with the additional twist of the supernatural which is thrilling to say the least. I do prefer much longer thrillers than this was, but it still was a terrific story.
The other story being told is about a father and daughter, dad is a shapeshifter and the daughter is gifted with the ability to control electronics using her mind. Whilst dad turns into a cockroach (yeah I know kinda weird choice), and crawls under doors etc to gain access to properties with the sole purpose of committing burglary, with that ability of shapeshifting he could have committed far bigger robberies than steal on a small scale which would have been more in line with his greedy nature. However, his daughter is just trying to get along with her life and make it a little more bearable.
Shadowshift is an excellent story of suspense, it is dark and twisted, with the additional twist of the supernatural which is thrilling to say the least. I do prefer much longer thrillers than this was, but it still was a terrific story.
July 3, 2015
Shadowshift is a very entertaining story about a race of beings with various special powers, including the ability to shift into various creatures, among other things. The premise was fairly original, and the execution was well-done. I felt like the characters were well-realized, but I did feel like at times they acted in a way that was convenient to advance the plot, but that seemed inconsistent with previous behavior. It was more than could be explained by the characters being complex, IMO.
That was really my only issue, and honestly, it was fairly minor. The story moved at a good pace, and kept me guessing. I enjoyed Peter's novella "When We Fall" more than this one, but this was still quite good, and I definitely plan to continue reading his work.
That was really my only issue, and honestly, it was fairly minor. The story moved at a good pace, and kept me guessing. I enjoyed Peter's novella "When We Fall" more than this one, but this was still quite good, and I definitely plan to continue reading his work.
July 26, 2015
Shadowshift by Peter Giglio is a dark and, at times, brutal horror novel. It follows the Mitchell family as they deal with supernatural powers that they don’t fully understand or appreciate. Chet, the family patriarch, is a down and out petty criminal who uses his ability to support himself in lieu of working harder. How his child, Hannah, and her mother Tina deal with the choices Chet makes form the backbone of the story.
The first half of the novel is told through parallel narratives. The scenes shift from, what is is safe to assume is, the present with Hannah at age twelve and her mother Tina in Springfield, Missouri and Hannah at age six with Tina and Chet living together in Savannah, Georgia. As the reader learns what drove mother and daughter to a different state without Chet, they learn what happens to them in their new life six years on. This isn’t always effective as one story is often more interesting than the other, but Giglio does an admirable job of keeping everything flowing forward at a brisk clip.
The characters are the book’s strongest point, and it’s the investment in them emotionally that makes the book as good as it is. Chet is a great antagonist, at times frighteningly real and at other times detestably frightening. Even when immersed in the supernatural he comes off with a genuine realism. A great coming of age story is told through Hannah, as she grown from six to twelve years old. She’s faced with problems many can relate to, a broken family, lack of friends and coming to terms with adolescent changes. Her changes just happen to be considerable more dramatic that the average preteen. Tina, Hannah’s mother, has a satisfying character arc, as do smaller characters like Kevin, his mother and father and Hannah’s new friend Chelsea.
The only real weakness in the novel is when the story veers away from the family dynamic of Chet, Hannah and Tina. The prologue, part of the final chapter and a brief interlude in the middle of the book take Chet away from the main story, to his childhood and to a mysterious plane called the Theater of the Lost. These asides try to make some sense of the supernatural roots of the story, something that was probably better left unexplained. Luckily, these passages are brief and the reader won’t know they’ve dropped out of the main narrative until after the book draws them back in to it.
Well worth checking out, Shadowshift draws the reader in with a combination of appealing and abominable characters and a well executed plot that is as real as it is dark and bizarre.
The first half of the novel is told through parallel narratives. The scenes shift from, what is is safe to assume is, the present with Hannah at age twelve and her mother Tina in Springfield, Missouri and Hannah at age six with Tina and Chet living together in Savannah, Georgia. As the reader learns what drove mother and daughter to a different state without Chet, they learn what happens to them in their new life six years on. This isn’t always effective as one story is often more interesting than the other, but Giglio does an admirable job of keeping everything flowing forward at a brisk clip.
The characters are the book’s strongest point, and it’s the investment in them emotionally that makes the book as good as it is. Chet is a great antagonist, at times frighteningly real and at other times detestably frightening. Even when immersed in the supernatural he comes off with a genuine realism. A great coming of age story is told through Hannah, as she grown from six to twelve years old. She’s faced with problems many can relate to, a broken family, lack of friends and coming to terms with adolescent changes. Her changes just happen to be considerable more dramatic that the average preteen. Tina, Hannah’s mother, has a satisfying character arc, as do smaller characters like Kevin, his mother and father and Hannah’s new friend Chelsea.
The only real weakness in the novel is when the story veers away from the family dynamic of Chet, Hannah and Tina. The prologue, part of the final chapter and a brief interlude in the middle of the book take Chet away from the main story, to his childhood and to a mysterious plane called the Theater of the Lost. These asides try to make some sense of the supernatural roots of the story, something that was probably better left unexplained. Luckily, these passages are brief and the reader won’t know they’ve dropped out of the main narrative until after the book draws them back in to it.
Well worth checking out, Shadowshift draws the reader in with a combination of appealing and abominable characters and a well executed plot that is as real as it is dark and bizarre.
April 17, 2015
Shadowshift is on the surface a story of supernatural beings struggling to live in the world of normals. These plot points are almost incidental to the overall themes of trust, family relationships, and the life of an artist.
Peter Giglio has a gift for creating empathy with his characters, even the villains. I particularly enjoyed the family drama concerning Tina and Hannah, a single mother and her daughter, moving in with new boyfriend Kevin. Kevin is just the kind of man that Tina is looking for, but the baggage of her past that has made her a successful writer is preventing her from committing to the new relationship.
Don't despair, the novel isn't all about hearts and feelings. The plot moves along on two different timelines and provides plenty of thrills as well. Just be aware that there is a deeper emotional level here that will touch some readers beyond the surface appearance of a supernatural thriller.
I can't recommend Shadowshift enough. Not only is it a compelling read, it actually means something. 5 stars.
Peter Giglio has a gift for creating empathy with his characters, even the villains. I particularly enjoyed the family drama concerning Tina and Hannah, a single mother and her daughter, moving in with new boyfriend Kevin. Kevin is just the kind of man that Tina is looking for, but the baggage of her past that has made her a successful writer is preventing her from committing to the new relationship.
Don't despair, the novel isn't all about hearts and feelings. The plot moves along on two different timelines and provides plenty of thrills as well. Just be aware that there is a deeper emotional level here that will touch some readers beyond the surface appearance of a supernatural thriller.
I can't recommend Shadowshift enough. Not only is it a compelling read, it actually means something. 5 stars.
May 3, 2015
This was an interesting book for me and I enjoyed it very much. This author has a gift at writing I believe. I enjoyed his characters and the family drama in the book. The plot moves along on two different timelines and provides thrills. If you like supernatural thrillers book you need to pick this one up. This book was easy to read and very entertaining. * I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
May 12, 2015
I really enjoyed this book . Although the concept of shape shifting is not a new concept shifting into a cockroach is! Different and original Giglio is a fresh voice in the horror genre. I liked his other book Lesser Creatures as well. Shadowshift contains engaging complex characters and a suspenseful horrific story. What more can you ask for?
May 11, 2015
Very cool story
May 17, 2015
A good horror novel
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/shadow... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/shadow... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
June 6, 2015
Another original novel/premise from a wonderful DarkFuse author. I need to know more about these characters and their fascinating history. A sequel and prequel would do nicely.
September 3, 2022
Shadowshift is a novel that opens with an ominous, ambiguous sort of scene, one in which a shadowy figure delivers a young child to a grateful couple. It could be a back-alley type adoption, a rescue situation, or a child trafficking sort of scenario. The fact that we don't know what's going on serves to immediately unsettle the reader, causing us to question everything that comes after . . . and for good reason.
From there, the story leaps ahead, introducing two separate plot-lines that are separated by a few years. It takes a while for them to converge and overlap, but it's an effective way to tell the story. It allows Peter Giglio to show his characters at their best and their worst, to introduce something of an early cliffhanger, and then to string us along for a while, making us wonder how it was resolved. We see Chet and Tina unhappy and poor, and then Tina and Hannah happy and comfortable, with the questions of how and what happened to Chet looming large between the two plot-lines. It's a narrative framework that creates some real tension and suspense, and which does so naturally.
Along with the two plot-lines there are really two very different stories being told here. One is a rather standard story of a long-suffering couple, a life of crime, an escalating pattern of domestic abuse, and an inability to trust in happiness when it does come along. It's a sad, tragic kind of story, at is a little heavy-handed at times, but it really serves to establish the human element to the novel. It carries a suspense all of its own, especially as it causes us to question and doubt Tina's new-found happiness and wonder whether it's too good to be true.
The other story being told here is one of supernatural talents and shadowy conspiracies. Chet is a man with the ability to shapeshift into a cockroach, while his daughter has the ability to control electronics with her mind. Dad likes to scurry beneath locked doors as the perfect thief, while his daughter just tries to make her difficult life a little more tolerable. It's definitely the coolest part of the novel, but it carries with it a deeper, darker suspense of its own. As we discover, their talents are in their blood, and that shadowy figure from the opening chapter is part of an organization dedicated to eradicating that bloodline from the world.
Overall, Shadowshift is a strong, well-crafted novel that manages to build and maintain the suspense throughout. The characters are well-developed, and as cool as the supernatural element is, it's never allowed to overwhelm the human story. There were a few things that nagged at me - like why a greedy man like Chet didn't use his talent for bigger scores, and why a lonely young girl like Hannah was so reserved with hers - and I felt there were a few too many epilogues, when the story could have ended more powerfully without being to tidy, but that didn't keep me from turning pages late into the night.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
From there, the story leaps ahead, introducing two separate plot-lines that are separated by a few years. It takes a while for them to converge and overlap, but it's an effective way to tell the story. It allows Peter Giglio to show his characters at their best and their worst, to introduce something of an early cliffhanger, and then to string us along for a while, making us wonder how it was resolved. We see Chet and Tina unhappy and poor, and then Tina and Hannah happy and comfortable, with the questions of how and what happened to Chet looming large between the two plot-lines. It's a narrative framework that creates some real tension and suspense, and which does so naturally.
Along with the two plot-lines there are really two very different stories being told here. One is a rather standard story of a long-suffering couple, a life of crime, an escalating pattern of domestic abuse, and an inability to trust in happiness when it does come along. It's a sad, tragic kind of story, at is a little heavy-handed at times, but it really serves to establish the human element to the novel. It carries a suspense all of its own, especially as it causes us to question and doubt Tina's new-found happiness and wonder whether it's too good to be true.
The other story being told here is one of supernatural talents and shadowy conspiracies. Chet is a man with the ability to shapeshift into a cockroach, while his daughter has the ability to control electronics with her mind. Dad likes to scurry beneath locked doors as the perfect thief, while his daughter just tries to make her difficult life a little more tolerable. It's definitely the coolest part of the novel, but it carries with it a deeper, darker suspense of its own. As we discover, their talents are in their blood, and that shadowy figure from the opening chapter is part of an organization dedicated to eradicating that bloodline from the world.
Overall, Shadowshift is a strong, well-crafted novel that manages to build and maintain the suspense throughout. The characters are well-developed, and as cool as the supernatural element is, it's never allowed to overwhelm the human story. There were a few things that nagged at me - like why a greedy man like Chet didn't use his talent for bigger scores, and why a lonely young girl like Hannah was so reserved with hers - and I felt there were a few too many epilogues, when the story could have ended more powerfully without being to tidy, but that didn't keep me from turning pages late into the night.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
July 16, 2017
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
Chet is a shape-shifter who uses his abilities to burglarize homes…
Hannah is a young girl with strange influences over inanimate objects…
Father and daughter, these supernatural misfits are bound by blood, their unfolding stories separated by time. While Chet follows a grim path, Hannah stands on the fragile precipice of hope: her mother’s faltering happiness with a kind man…the chance at a new family and a stable household…and the promise of freedom from the shadows cast by her father’s misdeeds.
But past and present are ready to collide, ushering hell home.
Stories of this length (about 170 pages) are hard to get right - especially when delving into the supernatural/paranormal worlds of shape-shifters and other mystical beings. However, the author just about nails every aspect of this story for me.
With a superbly written cast, each having their own unique voice and story to tell, to a world created that draws you in and makes you want to spend time there, the author has created a very unique and fresh vision in this genre.
An author to watch, for sure!
Paul
ARH
Chet is a shape-shifter who uses his abilities to burglarize homes…
Hannah is a young girl with strange influences over inanimate objects…
Father and daughter, these supernatural misfits are bound by blood, their unfolding stories separated by time. While Chet follows a grim path, Hannah stands on the fragile precipice of hope: her mother’s faltering happiness with a kind man…the chance at a new family and a stable household…and the promise of freedom from the shadows cast by her father’s misdeeds.
But past and present are ready to collide, ushering hell home.
Stories of this length (about 170 pages) are hard to get right - especially when delving into the supernatural/paranormal worlds of shape-shifters and other mystical beings. However, the author just about nails every aspect of this story for me.
With a superbly written cast, each having their own unique voice and story to tell, to a world created that draws you in and makes you want to spend time there, the author has created a very unique and fresh vision in this genre.
An author to watch, for sure!
Paul
ARH
January 19, 2016
I decided to read this book based on good things I had heard about Peter Giglio previously. I am so glad I did and I definitely wasn't disappointed!
Chet can shapeshift and Hannah can manipulate things with her mind, this alone gives the story a good starting point and it almost felt like two books in one. I found both characters to be equally interesting although completely different, Chet is a criminal with a dark past and Hannah is just a young girl who wants to be normal whilst Chet wants to manipulate her for his own greed and selfishness.
This story is dark, intense and gripping and will keep readers drawn in right until the end! Peter tells the two stories as one and has a wonderful knack for keeping the plot and characters flowing effortlessly throughout the story.
Chet can shapeshift and Hannah can manipulate things with her mind, this alone gives the story a good starting point and it almost felt like two books in one. I found both characters to be equally interesting although completely different, Chet is a criminal with a dark past and Hannah is just a young girl who wants to be normal whilst Chet wants to manipulate her for his own greed and selfishness.
This story is dark, intense and gripping and will keep readers drawn in right until the end! Peter tells the two stories as one and has a wonderful knack for keeping the plot and characters flowing effortlessly throughout the story.
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