The Devil’s Intern

I get super excited when someone I know writes or has written a book. Part of it is being really proud of them for their hard work and immense achievement, and part of it is that it makes the possibility that someday I might write a book and have it published seem like a much more attainable goal. So when my new friend Donna Hosie told me that she is the author of a book called”The Devil’s Intern” this year, I was  delighted. I was even more delighted when she signed a copy of her book for me.

“The Devil’s Intern” is young adult fiction about time travel. Main character Mitchell Johnson is dead, and he’s not happy about it. Hell is hot and crowded, and all of the annoying things you had to worry about while being alive like working a job and paying bills are still very much a reality. Mitchell managed to score himself a prestigious job as intern for the Devil himself and has made a nice group of friends. However, when Mitchell overhears that the Devil has a time travelling device, he becomes obsessed with stealing it so he can travel back in time and prevent his own death from ever happening.

First and foremost, from someone who doesn’t read much young adult fiction, this was a really fun book to read. The premise is incredibly unique and you can just feel the heat and the crowds and the stuffiness of Hell. Mitchell is a great character with plenty of complexity including sensitivity, moral ambiguity, short-sightedness and a generous dose of pigheadedness which makes him both relatable and believable. Hosie has a humorous and acerbic style of writing that suits the subject matter to a T.

This is a great read for people who are after something a little more adult than teen, and a little more teen than adult. I’m really looking forward to checking out the rest of the series.