A review by lilyn_g
The Boogeyman's Intern by Matt Betts

3.0

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author for review consideration.

I knew when I accepted The Boogeyman’s Intern that there was a strong chance I wouldn’t end up liking the book. I even told the author up front that I was concerned because it was the type of book that sounded very hit or miss for me. Luckily, that wasn’t the case, and I actually did like the book. However, that doesn’t mean the read went without problems.

The first half of The Boogeyman’s Intern went swiftly. It was charmingly weird, definitely unique, and I enjoyed seeing how things were being laid out. Matt Betts created an interesting world, and the effort he put into the story was obvious. I couldn’t wait to finish it….and then, suddenly, I could. Over the course of the next ten percent of the book, I lost the desire to continue reading it. That was, needless to say, a bit strange.

Part of the issue is I do feel like the book drags a bit in the third quarter. For a while Abe is kind of spinning his wheels, and while it’s realistic, it just doesn’t make for exciting reading. It was also a bit too obvious who the bad guy was and at least some of what was going on with Abe. However, I’m going to say that some of my lack of desire to continue the read was probably due to the fact that I just wasn’t in the right mood for it.

However, though, the last fifteen percent or so of The Boogeyman’s Intern re-ignited my interest. Things start coming together, bad guys are revealed, secrets are aired. All the good stuff I love to read.

Overall, it was an entertaining read, even if I wasn’t exactly the type of reader it was made for. While the pacing seems a bit wobbly, the characters were fun, and the dialogue was fitting. The sheer oddity of the setting and how that world interacts with our world was awesome. There were also some thoughtful remarks about how fear (and society) is evolving. If weird fantasy fiction is your thing, definitely check it out.Initial thoughts: A very unique premise, mostly solid writing, and a somewhat expected but still nice ending.