Roadtrips to Hell

About I Hope This Email Finds You in Hell

A debut slow-burn work-nemesis romance set in a world where cryptids and monsters are a part of life . . . and someone has to do the paperwork.

Working in human resources was not what Alexys had in mind when she joined Entity, the private company that categorizes and manages the world’s cryptids. But after her dad was killed on the job as a Warden in the Appalachian Mountains, she was filled with noble ideas of carrying on his legacy . . . from the safety of a desk. Alexys dreams of climbing the corporate ladder while managing the Appalachian Wardens and sparring with Nic, the frustrating (and annoyingly attractive) Director of Research and Cataloguing.

When one of Alexys’ new Wardens goes missing after inquiring about a mysterious and highly dangerous monster, her chances of promotion disappear along with him. Determined to save her career—and to shield the Warden’s family from the trauma she experienced after losing her father on the job—she marches off into the monster-infested wilderness to find him herself.

Meanwhile, Nic, with ambitions of becoming the youngest Entity employee to discover a new monster, follows Alexys on her hunt. But the work nemeses are about to discover why the Appalachian Mountains are the last place you want to find yourself after dark. Among mountains older than bones, the jackalopes and ghouls are the least of their worries . . .

I Hope This Email Finds You In Hell

With a title like that, how could you not pick up this book? I couldn’t resist and I am glad I didn’t. Mackenzie Reed’s adult debut is hilarious, heartfelt, and a joy to read.

We start off with an email to Debra in accounting and it just gets worse from there. The main character, Brie, is a bit odd. She only has one friend in the office and is dedicated to getting her work done. Unlike me, who has been known to play Stardew Valley during work hours. She is swept up into an adventure to hell itself to save that one and only friend and maybe make another one (or something more) on the way.

Listen, this book is great. It is Supernatural with less angst. It is the road trip to hell that you might remember if you have ever had to drive more than 5 hours in a car with multiple siblings. It is the comfort movie you watch when you’ve had a bad day. It’s the book you pick up when you want adventure, but know what it is like to work in an office, have only one friend, and feel like Debra from accounting needs an exorcism because she cannot be that b*tchy without being possessed by something.