ALA Booklist (Wed Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

In a tale that swings from dead funny to dead serious, four deceased teens steal a chance for an earthly do-over. Four years into an afterlife that's so like its predecessor that new residents retain their zits, Mitchell holds a nice gig in Hell's accounting department and hangs out with an ex-Viking, a victim of London's Great Fire, and Melissa, who fell off the Golden Gate Bridge in 1967. But when he learns that the stopwatch-like "Viciseometer" that his demonic boss keeps in storage is a time-travel device, Mitchell enlists his buddies in a scheme to prevent their deaths. Things go awry in no time because, as it turns out, all involved have secrets and counteragendas of their own. Along with setting up a series of headlong visits to various eras, Hosie incorporates uncommonly savvy thinking about the paradoxes and logical consequences of changing the past. Mitchell may not be the brightest bulb in the box, but he does show sufficient measures of decency and loyalty along the way to a well-deserved redemption.

School Library Journal Starred Review (Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

Gr 10 Up-Hosie has written a book that will not only entertain but maybe even enlighten. Seventeen-year-old Mitchell Johnson has spent the last four years in Hell, where he is the Devil's intern in the accounting office. With the number of new arrivals on the rise, Hell's finances are strained. Fortunately, the Devil has a plan to use his Viciseometer, a time-travel device, to limit the number of those destined for Hell. Mitchell sees it as an opportunity to change his fate and revisit the day he met his fate with a bus. After stealing the Viciseometer, he travels back to the past with three of his friends (a Viking prince, a 17th-century peasant, and a wild-haired gal from the 1960s) and attempts to alter history, only to learn that life and death are complicated and unpredictable. Interesting characters, nonstop adventure, and humor with a touch of heart will not disappoint teens looking for a dark comedy. Glimpses of the afterlife could also spark discussion among readers.— Karen Alexander, Lake Fenton High School, Linden, MI

Horn Book (Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

Seventeen-year-old Mitchell's days working in Hell's accounting department may finally be over when he steals a time-travel device to prevent his own death. Complications arise when his three best friends--Viking prince Alfarin, seventeenth-century-London peasant Elinor, and 1960s rebel Medusa--insist on traveling with him. Likable, complex characters; clever humor; and a well-plotted time-travel narrative combine for a unique, highly enjoyable read.