Night People

by J.L. Aarne

Wyatt Sinclair has been afraid of the dark his whole life because he sees monsters in the shadows. Labeled as crazy, his fear has isolated him from the rest of the world. He lives alone with two cats, works 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at a 24-hour diner, and his best and only friend is his sister.

Stranded and in trouble one night, Wyatt encounters Silas Delano, and the carefully crafted world he has been hiding in falls apart. Silas is brave and strong and he’s not afraid of the things that live in the dark; they are afraid of him.

Wyatt doesn’t know how to be like Silas, but a terrible, ancient monster is rising, and it threatens everything and everyone he loves. He can’t run away and hide this time. Can he overcome his fears and embrace who he truly is before it’s too late?

Genres: Thriller, Horror

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 11, 2018

About the author

J.L. Aarne currently lives in the Northwest United States. She was born in Washington, but she has moved around a lot and lived in many other places. She has two cats, Jack and Wally, and she is a compulsive collector of notebooks and coffee mugs, which she drinks tea out of. Aarne studied English and literature at the University of New Orleans. Her favorite fictional characters always seem to be the villains.

Reviews

[Kazza · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was not what I was expecting going in. It's a pretty interesting UF story. Wyatt is a cook at a truck stop in a Seattle town, and he (thinks he) sees things that go bump in the night, although he isn't sure. No one believes him. He always has some form of light with him, mostly torches. At the beginning of the story he's scared witless of being late off his shift because either things lurk out there or he's as unstable as they think he is - they being his family and his psychiatrist. Either way life is not easy for Wyatt. He never goes out anywhere, other than work. He has no friends. His family care but they get exhausted with his behaviour. He lives in an apartment with two cats, Benson and Hedges (love their names), all of which he inherited from his aunt.

One night he's late off his shift and the worst thing happens, his car breaks down on a detour to home. He's stuck in the dark on the edge of a forest, panicking. His sister, Kat, is out of town and over having to worry about her brother and his 'moments'. Suddenly a guy wielding a sword comes out of the darkness and a whole new world opens up to Wyatt. Can he accept it, or is it just a further tumbling down the rabbit hole of anxiety, phobias, delusions?

Wyatt is a tad annoying in the beginning, he can be a bit whiny but he develops as a character over the course of the book. I'm not sure how old he is but maybe late teens/early twenties. Mr Sword wielder, aka Silas, is older, in his late thirties, and one tough and enigmatic man. He has no doubts that what he sees is real and he faces it head on.

This world can be gory at sometimes. Reader advisory. If you love cats/pets then this could be problematic as Benson and Hedges are killed. I didn't like that as I'm not good at all with animals dying in anything I read or watch and I didn't expect it either.

There are two worlds in this book, one contemporary and one set in the early 1600s. Wyatt has a journal written by a man named John Bledsoe his aunt gave him - Aunt Tallulah is a professor writing unusual anthropology papers. The things that are happening now are reflecting events in the book around the timeframe of 1600-1610 and the dreams Wyatt is increasingly having.

The world building in this book is good. It really has to be the start of more because of the slow general build and the slower development of Wyatt, the primary character and narrator. Then there was my confusion around whether Silas returns Wyatt's feelings, and more I can't discuss because it will spoil the book. And the ending, it's either meant to be abstract or there is more coming. I'm voting for more because there are some great characters who need extra page time. - especially Thorn, the literal monster under the bed, who is so lovely and anything but monstrous. Thorn is definitely at the top of the list. Then there's gnomes Carl and Louie, Amarok the wolf and Herschel the minotaur, plus the vanguard.

J. L. Aarne is a good writer for people who want something a bit darker and a bit different and on the queer side. Night People is good UF writing for anyone who's looking.

[Veronica Strachan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everybody loves an unlikely and reluctant hero and Wyatt Sinclair is one of the best.
You're dumped straight into the action and drawn immediately into his bizarre life. I had to read this in one sitting. I loved it. J.L. Aarne has a beautiful light touch with her characters and setting that combines in a perfect story telling blend. Add to that some brilliant imagery which turns terrifying as Wyatt gets no rest from the things that live in the dark, and a plot that zips you through the pages to find out what happens next. I loved Wyatt's stumbling arc towards his ultimate showdown and his tentative and misplaced attempts at romance. And I want a Thorn under my bed.
Night People is a great story and it won't be the last J.L. Aarne that I read.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was not what I would call a typical Aarne book for the first third or so of the book - it was almost comical in places, and Wyatt seemed to lack the inner steel that I’ve come to expect. So maybe 3 stars for the start. BUT then it got going and it was pure Aarne - great complex characters who have to reflect and redefine their identity, difficult positions with impossible choices, additional characters that make you rethink what it means to have a friend and be lonely... absolutely loved it. 5 stars for the rest of the book, 4 overall.

[Noelle Brighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptionally well written and a fascinating story. I could not put it down! The main character was extremely well written. The author is very skilled in creating characters that are genuine and engaging as well as creating a story you can't help but be drawn into and feel invested in the outcome. Highly recommend!

[Deviant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aarne's characterization never ceases to enthrall and enchant. Each personality on the page is vivid, unique and enchanting. Aarne's books are a joy to read from the first page until the very last, and this author remains one of my instant purchases.

The latest novel deals with Wyatt, who is a night owl yet suffers from nyctophobia that is less a fear of the darkness than it is a deep, abiding fear of all the things that lurk in the shadows. Because Wyatt can see them. And the abyss has stared back at him all his life.

While the original premise is intriguing, Aarne takes it a step further by exploring what it is to be a hero, and what is considered monstrous. Throughout the novel, it is the sense of sympathy of compassion from the monsters that outshines human compassion, and the novel evolves into a legitimate investigation of what it means to be human, and what it means when we fall short of that humanity.

The plot twist at the end was a truly wonderful addition, and is in keeping with Aarne's works where the reader is kept guessing.

This is a fantastic addition to Aarne's oeuvre and I sincerely hope it's the first in a new series. A thought-provoking read indeed!

[Bradley Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thrilling, relatable, and perfect for a dark, rainy night!

The things that go bump in the night are real...and Wyatt can see every single one of them.
Some are kind. Some are cute. Many are terrifying.
With the help of vanguard Silas, he’ll have to overcome his biggest fears if humanity stands a chance of making it through to next week.

This was the first book I’ve read of J.L. Aarne’s, and I’m hooked. With a dark streak of humor, her characters come to life on the page. Horror fans will dig this book.
I was left wanting more, and I hope we get another Wyatt tale soon!

[Jaimee Ghost · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this book was strange. I am left feeling like I went on an excellent adventure, albeit a weird and unsatisfying one. This book is just as strange as the author’s other work which makes me believe it is definitely her style (I Hear They Burn for Murder, anyone?) but there was no romance. So be warned of that. There were no heart tingly moments that made my stomach clench due to their cuteness. Just a very.....fascinating friendship.

This book is weird as all hell and I still don’t think I understand the actual story (a talking rock?) but I enjoyed myself nonetheless.

[Laurie Durbin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cheering for both.

I loved the book. It pulled you in and kept you interested the whole way thru it. I'm not even sure at what point I realized that I was not only cheering for some of the humans but for some of the monsters as well.

[DeviantRA9 · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible book from start to finish. It’s original and intelligent. I couldn’t put the book down until I finished it and even then I wanted more. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

[Tionne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed

It started off strong so I had high expectations but it turned out to be very disappointing. There wasnt even any romance........at all.