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Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt
7 hours, 30 minutes
"One of the most original, riveting, and moving books I’ve read in a long while." —Graeme Simsion, New York Times bestselling author of The Rosie Project
For fans of Fredrik Backman and Virginia Evans, an unforgettable and exquisitely moving novel about finding beauty, hope, and meaning in the brevity of life, as narrated by the one who knows it Death.
Travis is Death in the modern world. He wears jeans and a T-shirt and lives in a small, grey town. His job is to offer people comfort in their final hours of life. He’s stoic, gentle, and a little naive, despite everything he knows. He’s young and handsome, despite who he is. Each death he witnesses is meaningful to him; he listens, never judges, and most importantly, never tries to change anyone’s fate. He knows that every life must eventually end to maintain the balance of the universe and he respects the cycle.
Then he meets Dalia, a midwife, and her boisterous eight-year-old daughter Layla, who live across the hall. As Dalia and Layla come to embrace Travis, it becomes more difficult to maintain the detachment that’s allowed him to function for so long. Their time together teaches him what’s truly important in life—and what might be irrevocably lost in death.
Written with radiant warmth, wisdom, and compassion, Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt is a timeless story about appreciating life, accepting its end, and finding our place in the universe—especially when it feels most impossible—that will resonate with anyone who has ever loved and lost or worried at time’s passing.
"One of the most original, riveting, and moving books I’ve read in a long while." —Graeme Simsion, New York Times bestselling author of The Rosie Project
For fans of Fredrik Backman and Virginia Evans, an unforgettable and exquisitely moving novel about finding beauty, hope, and meaning in the brevity of life, as narrated by the one who knows it Death.
Travis is Death in the modern world. He wears jeans and a T-shirt and lives in a small, grey town. His job is to offer people comfort in their final hours of life. He’s stoic, gentle, and a little naive, despite everything he knows. He’s young and handsome, despite who he is. Each death he witnesses is meaningful to him; he listens, never judges, and most importantly, never tries to change anyone’s fate. He knows that every life must eventually end to maintain the balance of the universe and he respects the cycle.
Then he meets Dalia, a midwife, and her boisterous eight-year-old daughter Layla, who live across the hall. As Dalia and Layla come to embrace Travis, it becomes more difficult to maintain the detachment that’s allowed him to function for so long. Their time together teaches him what’s truly important in life—and what might be irrevocably lost in death.
Written with radiant warmth, wisdom, and compassion, Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt is a timeless story about appreciating life, accepting its end, and finding our place in the universe—especially when it feels most impossible—that will resonate with anyone who has ever loved and lost or worried at time’s passing.
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First published July 7, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,769 reviews
July 7, 2026
★ ★ ★1/2
It’s a weird thing to say, but I admired this more than I loved it. That’s because, while I appreciate the story, I had quite a few issues with its execution.
First of all, the title. For me, it feels like a beautiful promise. It's memorable not only because it's borrowed from Slaughterhouse-Five, but because it sounds almost impossible: the impossible wish that life could be full of beauty without any pain. Of course, the novel reminds us that the two are inseparable, and that perhaps beauty matters precisely because hurt is inevitable.
I went into this hoping to find another unforgettable story of Death as a storyteller, and while it didn’t dethrone The Book Thief, it still gave me a lot to appreciate.
Reeves’ Death wears baggy jeans and jumpers. He goes by the name Travis and lives in a small grey English town with his cat. He isn’t portrayed as a powerful, all-knowing force in the traditional sense. He’s a being who has spent so long observing human lives that he has become fascinated by them. He witnesses love, loss, memories, and ordinary moments, but he is always outside of them. He is gentle, lonely, curious, and almost envious of human experiences.
The irony of this characterisation is that Travis isn’t completely detached. On the contrary, he forms connections with the people he encounters, and there is a sense that he's searching for something through these interactions. Like he's trying to understand why people continue to love and live despite knowing that none of us will make it out of this hellhole alive.
Like most people, I have a complicated relationship with the passage of time. How do you come terms with the fact that people and moments slowly become memories, and that one day there may be no one left to remember them at all? This book captures that fear beautifully. The story is essentially a collection of Death’s chronicles: the souls he encounters and the people he comes to collect when their time is up. He relates their stories, as he witnesses their final moments.
The writing is both beautiful and lyrical.
𓇢𓆸 The mayflies, sweeping as one through the air, testing out their loops and dives, they realize this is it. This is what it was building to, this whole time. This one day. These few hours. We are here to dance, to meet, and then we’re gone. We have no mouths from which to eat – we were never meant to last. We are here for this one sacred moment. That’s all it ever was. 𓇢𓆸
I loved the prose, which is no surprise. While it does get heavy from time to time, I also think that the poetic, reflective writing goes really well with the tone of the book and the story that it’s trying to tell.
The narration choices, however, was where things became a little strange and kind of… interesting. The shifts in perspective reflect Travis’s unusual relationship with time and identity.
I get that he isn’t a normal narrator because he exists outside the human experience, but the constant shifts between third person and first person narration within the same paragraph or scene really bugged me for a while. The transitions didn’t feel seamless. There is one particular scene where an elderly woman is trying to boil water for tea. The scene begins in third person, as Death describes the scene to us though he isn't there with her. When he arrives at her home and she opens the door for him, it suddenly shifts into first person. I found myself having to pause and remind myself that Death is meant to be an omnipresent and omniscient narrator, able to move between perspectives.
Later, there are also moments where the narration shifts into second person, particularly when Death refers to Dahlia. I think for me, the technique created more distance rather than intimacy, because 1) I couldn’t always understand whose perspective I was actually following. The second person narrative made me wonder if I should be seeing things through Travis’s eyes or become Dahlia myself 2) I felt more than ever that Travis remains an observer rather than a participant - which I guess is kind of the point. It just didn’t work for me. It was distracting.
I also felt like I missed out on a lot of the development behind Travis and Dahlia’s relationship. Out of all the people he encounters, she and Layla are supposed to be his most significant connections. Yet, it felt as though a lot of their history and emotional connection existed off the page. By the time I was introduced to them, I felt like I was missing some important pieces that would have helped me become more invested in their relationship and understand why they meant something to Travis.
The stories in here are poignant. I loved all of them, but the pacing was kind of off. The plot moved at a gallop, sometimes too quickly for me to fully absorb the emotional weight of certain scenes. There were moments that really touched me, but I rarely had enough time to sit with those emotions before the story moved on to the next event. I wanted more space to process the characters, their losses, and the meaning behind certain things.
I know it sounds like I didn’t like the book because I have some complaints, but that’s not the case. I appreciated what the book was trying to do, which is why I said I admired it more than I adored it.
Updates while reading ༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･
One of my most anticipated reads of the year! I LOVE Death as a narrator and the Slaughter-house Five reference, so I'm so bloody excited right now. I know it'll tear my heart out, but I'm ready. Let the chaos begin
It’s a weird thing to say, but I admired this more than I loved it. That’s because, while I appreciate the story, I had quite a few issues with its execution.
First of all, the title. For me, it feels like a beautiful promise. It's memorable not only because it's borrowed from Slaughterhouse-Five, but because it sounds almost impossible: the impossible wish that life could be full of beauty without any pain. Of course, the novel reminds us that the two are inseparable, and that perhaps beauty matters precisely because hurt is inevitable.
I went into this hoping to find another unforgettable story of Death as a storyteller, and while it didn’t dethrone The Book Thief, it still gave me a lot to appreciate.
Reeves’ Death wears baggy jeans and jumpers. He goes by the name Travis and lives in a small grey English town with his cat. He isn’t portrayed as a powerful, all-knowing force in the traditional sense. He’s a being who has spent so long observing human lives that he has become fascinated by them. He witnesses love, loss, memories, and ordinary moments, but he is always outside of them. He is gentle, lonely, curious, and almost envious of human experiences.
The irony of this characterisation is that Travis isn’t completely detached. On the contrary, he forms connections with the people he encounters, and there is a sense that he's searching for something through these interactions. Like he's trying to understand why people continue to love and live despite knowing that none of us will make it out of this hellhole alive.
Like most people, I have a complicated relationship with the passage of time. How do you come terms with the fact that people and moments slowly become memories, and that one day there may be no one left to remember them at all? This book captures that fear beautifully. The story is essentially a collection of Death’s chronicles: the souls he encounters and the people he comes to collect when their time is up. He relates their stories, as he witnesses their final moments.
The writing is both beautiful and lyrical.
𓇢𓆸 The mayflies, sweeping as one through the air, testing out their loops and dives, they realize this is it. This is what it was building to, this whole time. This one day. These few hours. We are here to dance, to meet, and then we’re gone. We have no mouths from which to eat – we were never meant to last. We are here for this one sacred moment. That’s all it ever was. 𓇢𓆸
I loved the prose, which is no surprise. While it does get heavy from time to time, I also think that the poetic, reflective writing goes really well with the tone of the book and the story that it’s trying to tell.
The narration choices, however, was where things became a little strange and kind of… interesting. The shifts in perspective reflect Travis’s unusual relationship with time and identity.
I get that he isn’t a normal narrator because he exists outside the human experience, but the constant shifts between third person and first person narration within the same paragraph or scene really bugged me for a while. The transitions didn’t feel seamless. There is one particular scene where an elderly woman is trying to boil water for tea. The scene begins in third person, as Death describes the scene to us though he isn't there with her. When he arrives at her home and she opens the door for him, it suddenly shifts into first person. I found myself having to pause and remind myself that Death is meant to be an omnipresent and omniscient narrator, able to move between perspectives.
Later, there are also moments where the narration shifts into second person, particularly when Death refers to Dahlia. I think for me, the technique created more distance rather than intimacy, because 1) I couldn’t always understand whose perspective I was actually following. The second person narrative made me wonder if I should be seeing things through Travis’s eyes or become Dahlia myself 2) I felt more than ever that Travis remains an observer rather than a participant - which I guess is kind of the point. It just didn’t work for me. It was distracting.
I also felt like I missed out on a lot of the development behind Travis and Dahlia’s relationship. Out of all the people he encounters, she and Layla are supposed to be his most significant connections. Yet, it felt as though a lot of their history and emotional connection existed off the page. By the time I was introduced to them, I felt like I was missing some important pieces that would have helped me become more invested in their relationship and understand why they meant something to Travis.
The stories in here are poignant. I loved all of them, but the pacing was kind of off. The plot moved at a gallop, sometimes too quickly for me to fully absorb the emotional weight of certain scenes. There were moments that really touched me, but I rarely had enough time to sit with those emotions before the story moved on to the next event. I wanted more space to process the characters, their losses, and the meaning behind certain things.
I know it sounds like I didn’t like the book because I have some complaints, but that’s not the case. I appreciated what the book was trying to do, which is why I said I admired it more than I adored it.
Updates while reading ༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･
One of my most anticipated reads of the year! I LOVE Death as a narrator and the Slaughter-house Five reference, so I'm so bloody excited right now. I know it'll tear my heart out, but I'm ready. Let the chaos begin
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️ 5 ⭐️ My father used to say 'We are not meant to be on Earth forever. We are transient beings; we come and we go. It's a never ending cycle in which time teaches us the importance of life'. I always appreciated his wisdom and outlook on life and death, especially in the last moments of his life. This book reminded me a lot about him and his desire to live to the fullest extent. I miss him dearly.
In this beautifully written novel, you are going to watch Death fall in love with life. This is a real tearjerker whose power lays in portrayal of fleeting moments. It's in these moments that the book explores hope and human connection despite life's impermanence.
Told from perspective of Death (Travis), Travis quietly visits those in their final moments of their life. Death doesn't change their fates, he simply walks alongside them, holding their hand and guiding them through their final moments. Unexpectedly, Death forms a bond with the next door neighbors, Dalia and her sweet, eight year old daughter Layla. Through that relationship, he learns what it means to live.
Love makes life more richer while also making loss more painful. But death should not be looked at as an enemy but rather a natural part of our existence. In death we learn what it's like to live and beauty of life comes not despite its ending but because of it.
I sobbed for majority of this book. It spoke to my soul and I highly urge you to read this masterpiece.
This beautiful book is featured on BOTM for July! Grab your first copy just for $5 using this link: https://www.mybotm.com/bgnrjn6qk0o
Super easy to sign up & easy to cancel.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Avid Reader Press and the author, Ben Reeves for an early eARC.
Publication date: July 7, 2025
In this beautifully written novel, you are going to watch Death fall in love with life. This is a real tearjerker whose power lays in portrayal of fleeting moments. It's in these moments that the book explores hope and human connection despite life's impermanence.
Told from perspective of Death (Travis), Travis quietly visits those in their final moments of their life. Death doesn't change their fates, he simply walks alongside them, holding their hand and guiding them through their final moments. Unexpectedly, Death forms a bond with the next door neighbors, Dalia and her sweet, eight year old daughter Layla. Through that relationship, he learns what it means to live.
Love makes life more richer while also making loss more painful. But death should not be looked at as an enemy but rather a natural part of our existence. In death we learn what it's like to live and beauty of life comes not despite its ending but because of it.
I sobbed for majority of this book. It spoke to my soul and I highly urge you to read this masterpiece.
This beautiful book is featured on BOTM for July! Grab your first copy just for $5 using this link: https://www.mybotm.com/bgnrjn6qk0o
Super easy to sign up & easy to cancel.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Avid Reader Press and the author, Ben Reeves for an early eARC.
Publication date: July 7, 2025
July 28, 2026
4.25
This was quite literally a stream of consciousness... written in the most beautiful way. And when I say beautiful, I mean BEAUTIFUL! Have not read a book written this gorgeously in a long time, probably since Shark Heart.
We had such an interesting portrayal of Death in this book. I kept finding myself thinking how interesting it was seeing the different ways people perceived him. Those that weren't ready for death saw him as just a regular guy, but those who were closer to it immediately knew who he was. But he wasn't glorified as this all-powerful Death God type character... people mostly reacted to him the way they'd react to any other person, maybe even a friend.
This is one of those books that doesn't have a very full plot, but the character and thematic exploration is what keeps you in. The idea of the life cycle, and how life vs death, happiness vs sadness all happens simultaneously around us was a full VIBE and feeling throughout - and it was sad and heavy to read about, but also inspiring.
Such a beautiful reminder to live your life in the moment, and to choose to keep going.
This was quite literally a stream of consciousness... written in the most beautiful way. And when I say beautiful, I mean BEAUTIFUL! Have not read a book written this gorgeously in a long time, probably since Shark Heart.
We had such an interesting portrayal of Death in this book. I kept finding myself thinking how interesting it was seeing the different ways people perceived him. Those that weren't ready for death saw him as just a regular guy, but those who were closer to it immediately knew who he was. But he wasn't glorified as this all-powerful Death God type character... people mostly reacted to him the way they'd react to any other person, maybe even a friend.
This is one of those books that doesn't have a very full plot, but the character and thematic exploration is what keeps you in. The idea of the life cycle, and how life vs death, happiness vs sadness all happens simultaneously around us was a full VIBE and feeling throughout - and it was sad and heavy to read about, but also inspiring.
Such a beautiful reminder to live your life in the moment, and to choose to keep going.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I just want to hit my head against a wall for waiting so long to pick up this book because it turned out to be one of the year's hidden gems. This is the kind of novel that leaves you with teary eyes, an aching chest, and that scream-crying emotional exhaustion that only the most powerful stories can deliver. It feels like someone is gently pressing shards of glass against your heart while simultaneously reminding you how precious and fragile life truly is. Despite centering around death, this story is really about living. It asks difficult questions about how we spend our time, how often we postpone our happiness, and whether we are truly honoring the one extraordinary life we've been given.
The magical realism element is beautifully woven into the narrative, creating something both dreamlike and deeply human. The novel introduces a wide range of characters whose lives briefly intersect with the central story, and every one of them leaves a mark. Some of those smaller stories affected me just as much as the main plot. In particular, the secret lovers' storyline absolutely shattered me. It was tender, bittersweet, and one of the most memorable parts of the entire book.
I do want to offer a gentle warning. This book is gorgeous, poetic, thoughtful, and heartbreakingly emotional, but it may not be the right read for everyone at every moment. If you've recently lost someone, parts of it may feel incredibly healing. Other sections, however, may hit so close to home that you'll find yourself crying unexpectedly, staring at the page in silence, and revisiting memories you weren't prepared to confront. There were moments that resonated so deeply with my own experiences that they felt less like fiction and more like a personal conversation.
The central character, Travis, is one of the most fascinating portrayals of Death I've ever encountered. He isn't a terrifying Grim Reaper wielding a scythe. Instead, he feels more like a compassionate death doula, a ferryman helping souls navigate their final moments before crossing over. He carries the weight of countless lives and losses on his shoulders. He lives a lonely, isolated existence, burdened by the grief and pain of everyone he encounters. Ironically, although Travis is the one who arrives at the end of people's lives, he became the character I felt the most protective of. His sadness is quiet but overwhelming, and his emotional journey is impossible not to feel deeply.
Everything begins to change when Travis meets Dalia, a midwife who lives on the same floor of his apartment building. Dalia is raising her baby, Neda, and her eight-year-old daughter, Layla, on her own. At first, Travis keeps his distance. He believes that distance is safer for everyone involved. But Layla has other plans. Her curiosity, warmth, and determination slowly chip away at his carefully constructed walls. Through birthday invitations, unexpected conversations, gardening projects, and countless small moments, Travis gradually becomes part of their lives. Watching this unconventional family form was one of the most rewarding aspects of the novel. Their relationship develops naturally and beautifully, making every emotional moment hit even harder.
Without giving away major spoilers, I will say that the second half becomes significantly heavier. There were moments when I genuinely considered putting the book down because I wasn't sure my heart could take any more. Yet I also needed to know how these characters' stories would unfold. I needed to know whether healing was possible and whether the heartbreak would ultimately mean something. I'm so glad I kept going. The ending isn't wrapped up with a neat, perfect bow, but it offers a bittersweet sense of peace that felt honest and deeply earned.
Overall, this is the kind of literary fiction that reminds you why books matter. It's a moving meditation on mortality, love, grief, family, connection, and the extraordinary beauty hidden within ordinary lives. The author demonstrates remarkable control of language, crafting prose that is elegant without ever feeling pretentious. Every chapter feels purposeful, every character meaningful, and every emotional beat carefully earned. This is a powerful, unforgettable novel that deserves far more attention than it's receiving. It's a story that lingers long after the final page and quietly changes the way you look at life.
A very special thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for providing me with a digital review copy of this profoundly moving and unforgettable novel in exchange for my honest opinions. It was truly a privilege to experience this remarkable story.
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The magical realism element is beautifully woven into the narrative, creating something both dreamlike and deeply human. The novel introduces a wide range of characters whose lives briefly intersect with the central story, and every one of them leaves a mark. Some of those smaller stories affected me just as much as the main plot. In particular, the secret lovers' storyline absolutely shattered me. It was tender, bittersweet, and one of the most memorable parts of the entire book.
I do want to offer a gentle warning. This book is gorgeous, poetic, thoughtful, and heartbreakingly emotional, but it may not be the right read for everyone at every moment. If you've recently lost someone, parts of it may feel incredibly healing. Other sections, however, may hit so close to home that you'll find yourself crying unexpectedly, staring at the page in silence, and revisiting memories you weren't prepared to confront. There were moments that resonated so deeply with my own experiences that they felt less like fiction and more like a personal conversation.
The central character, Travis, is one of the most fascinating portrayals of Death I've ever encountered. He isn't a terrifying Grim Reaper wielding a scythe. Instead, he feels more like a compassionate death doula, a ferryman helping souls navigate their final moments before crossing over. He carries the weight of countless lives and losses on his shoulders. He lives a lonely, isolated existence, burdened by the grief and pain of everyone he encounters. Ironically, although Travis is the one who arrives at the end of people's lives, he became the character I felt the most protective of. His sadness is quiet but overwhelming, and his emotional journey is impossible not to feel deeply.
Everything begins to change when Travis meets Dalia, a midwife who lives on the same floor of his apartment building. Dalia is raising her baby, Neda, and her eight-year-old daughter, Layla, on her own. At first, Travis keeps his distance. He believes that distance is safer for everyone involved. But Layla has other plans. Her curiosity, warmth, and determination slowly chip away at his carefully constructed walls. Through birthday invitations, unexpected conversations, gardening projects, and countless small moments, Travis gradually becomes part of their lives. Watching this unconventional family form was one of the most rewarding aspects of the novel. Their relationship develops naturally and beautifully, making every emotional moment hit even harder.
Without giving away major spoilers, I will say that the second half becomes significantly heavier. There were moments when I genuinely considered putting the book down because I wasn't sure my heart could take any more. Yet I also needed to know how these characters' stories would unfold. I needed to know whether healing was possible and whether the heartbreak would ultimately mean something. I'm so glad I kept going. The ending isn't wrapped up with a neat, perfect bow, but it offers a bittersweet sense of peace that felt honest and deeply earned.
Overall, this is the kind of literary fiction that reminds you why books matter. It's a moving meditation on mortality, love, grief, family, connection, and the extraordinary beauty hidden within ordinary lives. The author demonstrates remarkable control of language, crafting prose that is elegant without ever feeling pretentious. Every chapter feels purposeful, every character meaningful, and every emotional beat carefully earned. This is a powerful, unforgettable novel that deserves far more attention than it's receiving. It's a story that lingers long after the final page and quietly changes the way you look at life.
A very special thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for providing me with a digital review copy of this profoundly moving and unforgettable novel in exchange for my honest opinions. It was truly a privilege to experience this remarkable story.
medium blog
April 9, 2026
Simon and Schuster putting me on this morning with this one. ARC provided for honest review.
In a quiet grey town, Travis moves through life like any ordinary guy -jeans, T-shirt, a stray cat for company. But his quiet presence brings unexpected peace to those facing their final moments.
When his warm, life-affirming neighbor Dalia and her spirited young daughter enter his world, long-held boundaries start to soften, stirring feelings he never expected to know.
A gentle, luminous story about the fragile beauty of being human, the weight of endings, and the quiet pull of connection.
Okay! 😭😭
You know that feeling you get early on in a story when you just KNOW it’s going to be a 5 star read so you just settle in for the hours and hours of pure enjoyment ahead?
Yeah. Got that at 19% in this book. By 30% I preordered my hard copy and before I was even finished with it, I was working on parts of my review for IG. I was so excited- I was literally bursting to get my thoughts out lol.
This book has me in a chokehold! Omgggg I loved it so much!
Honestly, I was so annoyed I couldn’t get my eyeballs to move faster and my brain to process faster lol. I wanted to embed myself within the pages of this story and squeeze the characters!
The writing? Lmao. No, the art that Ben Reeves has blessed us with? Be still my heart. It’s so lyrical and so poetic that there’s a rhythm to it, and I kid you not, that rhythm makes it impossible to set the book down.
Talk about dry eyes 😅 — until they weren’t 😭🥁
(Sobbing is likely)
I’m completely captivated and in love with Travis. Never ever did I imagine Death coming across so inviting, so comforting.
The beauty in which he drifts in and out of time and space… it’s something else. It’s so hard to extrapolate quotes from this book because I feel like you wouldn’t understand the context …it’s so much, it’s all of it. I could highlight the entire book.
Layla, the very old woman, and Dahlia 🤌🏻 — mint characters. Every single one of them felt so real and so deeply lovable in their own ways.
This is the kind of story that wraps itself around your heart and doesn’t let go. It’s tender, wise, and achingly beautiful. Ben Reeves has written something truly special here. A book that makes you feel everything all at once.
If you love stories that celebrate life while gently holding space for its end, this one is going to stay with you long after you close the final page.
For Fans of Sarah Damoff
For Fans of The Correspondent
For fans of Theo of Golden.
For Fans of Fredrik Backman
Exp pub date - July 7th, 2026
I’ll update with a little mini blurb shortly. Yeee I’m so excited to start this one.
I just started this one this morning- it’s so good so far! I can’t put it down- if you enjoy any of the authors below, I strongly urge you to add this one to your TBR!
I’m not going to shut up about this one for a long time. Omg wow. I loved this book so much! 😭
Full review shortly. Lemme collect myself 😅
✴︎a˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
In a quiet grey town, Travis moves through life like any ordinary guy -jeans, T-shirt, a stray cat for company. But his quiet presence brings unexpected peace to those facing their final moments.
When his warm, life-affirming neighbor Dalia and her spirited young daughter enter his world, long-held boundaries start to soften, stirring feelings he never expected to know.
A gentle, luminous story about the fragile beauty of being human, the weight of endings, and the quiet pull of connection.
Okay! 😭😭
You know that feeling you get early on in a story when you just KNOW it’s going to be a 5 star read so you just settle in for the hours and hours of pure enjoyment ahead?
Yeah. Got that at 19% in this book. By 30% I preordered my hard copy and before I was even finished with it, I was working on parts of my review for IG. I was so excited- I was literally bursting to get my thoughts out lol.
This book has me in a chokehold! Omgggg I loved it so much!
Honestly, I was so annoyed I couldn’t get my eyeballs to move faster and my brain to process faster lol. I wanted to embed myself within the pages of this story and squeeze the characters!
The writing? Lmao. No, the art that Ben Reeves has blessed us with? Be still my heart. It’s so lyrical and so poetic that there’s a rhythm to it, and I kid you not, that rhythm makes it impossible to set the book down.
Talk about dry eyes 😅 — until they weren’t 😭🥁
(Sobbing is likely)
I’m completely captivated and in love with Travis. Never ever did I imagine Death coming across so inviting, so comforting.
The beauty in which he drifts in and out of time and space… it’s something else. It’s so hard to extrapolate quotes from this book because I feel like you wouldn’t understand the context …it’s so much, it’s all of it. I could highlight the entire book.
Layla, the very old woman, and Dahlia 🤌🏻 — mint characters. Every single one of them felt so real and so deeply lovable in their own ways.
This is the kind of story that wraps itself around your heart and doesn’t let go. It’s tender, wise, and achingly beautiful. Ben Reeves has written something truly special here. A book that makes you feel everything all at once.
If you love stories that celebrate life while gently holding space for its end, this one is going to stay with you long after you close the final page.
For Fans of Sarah Damoff
For Fans of The Correspondent
For fans of Theo of Golden.
For Fans of Fredrik Backman
Exp pub date - July 7th, 2026
I’ll update with a little mini blurb shortly. Yeee I’m so excited to start this one.
I just started this one this morning- it’s so good so far! I can’t put it down- if you enjoy any of the authors below, I strongly urge you to add this one to your TBR!
I’m not going to shut up about this one for a long time. Omg wow. I loved this book so much! 😭
Full review shortly. Lemme collect myself 😅
✴︎a˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
August 22, 2026
A story about death and a travelling reaper who goes by the name Travis. He is a facilitator of death. He appears when someone is nearing their hour and provides comfort.
But his world becomes unbalanced when he meets his neighbours Layla and her mother, Dalia, who is a midwife. She brings in life. He brings about death. Their worlds collide.
Honestly, this just didn’t work for me. It’s dark, it’s dreary and often very smelly. Magical realism can be a hit and miss for me...I know others have loved this one, so do take a look at their reviews.
There is a message here when death realizes that life has some merit.
Life and death. Both inevitable. It happens to the good people, the bad, the young and the old.
3.5 ⭐️
And life goes on; as does death. 🤷♀️
But his world becomes unbalanced when he meets his neighbours Layla and her mother, Dalia, who is a midwife. She brings in life. He brings about death. Their worlds collide.
Honestly, this just didn’t work for me. It’s dark, it’s dreary and often very smelly. Magical realism can be a hit and miss for me...I know others have loved this one, so do take a look at their reviews.
There is a message here when death realizes that life has some merit.
Life and death. Both inevitable. It happens to the good people, the bad, the young and the old.
3.5 ⭐️
And life goes on; as does death. 🤷♀️
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
my number one favorite read of 2025🩵
this was one of the best books i had read in 2025, absolutely one of my top five reads of that year, and perhaps of all time. i cannot speak to anyone about this book without getting emotional, and i quite literally think about this book almost every day — i cannot express how deeply this book has altered my outlook on life.
it was such an honor to meet ben reeves, and to chat with him regarding his writing process for everything was beautiful and nothing hurt.
if only we all had twenty more minutes...
this was one of the best books i had read in 2025, absolutely one of my top five reads of that year, and perhaps of all time. i cannot speak to anyone about this book without getting emotional, and i quite literally think about this book almost every day — i cannot express how deeply this book has altered my outlook on life.
it was such an honor to meet ben reeves, and to chat with him regarding his writing process for everything was beautiful and nothing hurt.
if only we all had twenty more minutes...
September 2, 2026
“Then she smiles, as though she’s thought of something. As if everything is beautiful and nothing hurts, and she closes her eyes. She is peaceful.”
Where do I begin?
This library book came in one day and was read that same day.
And yet, for a book I read so quickly, it left me with so much to think about. To feel. To wonder. To contemplate.
About the preciousness, imperfectness, thoughtfulness, and fragility of life.
What would we do if we had just twenty minutes?
The author shares that it was an honor to give this book the title he did because the line came from “Slaughterhouse-Five” by Kurt Vonnegut, an author he admired for his infectious, passionate writing. He also acknowledges the irony of the interpretation because, as he says, “everything was not beautiful, and some things surely hurt.”
And yet, perhaps, there is still room for a defiant kind of hope. The hope to keep going, despite whatever circumstances we may face.
His final words in the acknowledgments stayed with me, too: If someone is struggling, don’t suffer in silence. See the beauty in life. Reach out to others. And recognize that we can all be good listeners.
Is it possible to receive that message—and truly appreciate the listeners who are there for us?
This book made me consider that question.
The character Travis Smith has a very unlikely profession. He spends time with people on their last day of living because Travis is, simply, Death.
Is he a servant?
A force of nature?
Someone who holds immense power?
Perhaps he is all of these things. Perhaps none.
Even when Travis interacts with someone before their final day, we, as readers, can’t help but observe the simplicity of his presence. He knows his purpose.
“His eyes are wide because he knows who I am and why I’ve come. Everyone knows, at the end.”
We don’t always understand what Travis’s role is, even when he does. The various characters he encounters are left to wait, to ponder, to understand—and eventually to know what it truly means to have him there.
Because by the end, it is clear.
There is a softness to Travis.
As readers, we know something is going to happen when he enters a room, but we aren’t always certain why—or even when.
“There is only this. A short story, without an arc or a resolution.”
Here one day.
Gone the next.
How do we want to be remembered?
This book is touching. Thoughtful. Heartfelt.
Readers should anticipate tears. Anticipate moments of reflection. Anticipate looking inward.
And as I turned the pages quickly, I found myself holding my breath—each time, with each person in Travis’s sphere—wondering what would happen next.
As a reader, I was truly in each moment.
All those many moments.
Appreciating the author’s artful descriptions. Recognizing that not all of life is perfect. But it is still, always, our life to live.
Until it isn’t.
🌟🌟🌟🌟.5 Stars
Where do I begin?
This library book came in one day and was read that same day.
And yet, for a book I read so quickly, it left me with so much to think about. To feel. To wonder. To contemplate.
About the preciousness, imperfectness, thoughtfulness, and fragility of life.
What would we do if we had just twenty minutes?
The author shares that it was an honor to give this book the title he did because the line came from “Slaughterhouse-Five” by Kurt Vonnegut, an author he admired for his infectious, passionate writing. He also acknowledges the irony of the interpretation because, as he says, “everything was not beautiful, and some things surely hurt.”
And yet, perhaps, there is still room for a defiant kind of hope. The hope to keep going, despite whatever circumstances we may face.
His final words in the acknowledgments stayed with me, too: If someone is struggling, don’t suffer in silence. See the beauty in life. Reach out to others. And recognize that we can all be good listeners.
Is it possible to receive that message—and truly appreciate the listeners who are there for us?
This book made me consider that question.
The character Travis Smith has a very unlikely profession. He spends time with people on their last day of living because Travis is, simply, Death.
Is he a servant?
A force of nature?
Someone who holds immense power?
Perhaps he is all of these things. Perhaps none.
Even when Travis interacts with someone before their final day, we, as readers, can’t help but observe the simplicity of his presence. He knows his purpose.
“His eyes are wide because he knows who I am and why I’ve come. Everyone knows, at the end.”
We don’t always understand what Travis’s role is, even when he does. The various characters he encounters are left to wait, to ponder, to understand—and eventually to know what it truly means to have him there.
Because by the end, it is clear.
There is a softness to Travis.
As readers, we know something is going to happen when he enters a room, but we aren’t always certain why—or even when.
“There is only this. A short story, without an arc or a resolution.”
Here one day.
Gone the next.
How do we want to be remembered?
This book is touching. Thoughtful. Heartfelt.
Readers should anticipate tears. Anticipate moments of reflection. Anticipate looking inward.
And as I turned the pages quickly, I found myself holding my breath—each time, with each person in Travis’s sphere—wondering what would happen next.
As a reader, I was truly in each moment.
All those many moments.
Appreciating the author’s artful descriptions. Recognizing that not all of life is perfect. But it is still, always, our life to live.
Until it isn’t.
🌟🌟🌟🌟.5 Stars
August 10, 2026
I knew I was going to love this book as soon as I picked it up. For me, the title sold this book (and the author explains how he came up with the title in the acknowledgments). Everything about this book was absolutely beautiful, even if I did need my tissues more than once. 😭
In this story we meet, Travis. Travis is known as “Mister Death”, as he offers comfort to those in their final moments of life. He knows everything about everyone, and he never tries to change anyone’s fate.
Travis lives as a loner, until eight year old Layla, from across the hall befriends him. He then finds himself becoming almost a “family” with Layla’s mother, Dalia and her other daughter, Neda.
We then get snippets into Travis’ daily life and the people he has his final moments with. We also learn about Dalia, and her life as a single mother.
There were so many emotions throughout this story. This was heartbreaking 💔, but it was beautiful. Was I prepared for this book? Maybe. All I know is it’s going to be tough to try and beat this book, as it’s probably my top read of 2026.
I definitely recommend reading this book- but please have your tissues handy! Don’t say I didn’t warn you- because, yes it will hurt like hell!! ❤️🩹
This was my July, 2026 BOTM pick! 📚
In this story we meet, Travis. Travis is known as “Mister Death”, as he offers comfort to those in their final moments of life. He knows everything about everyone, and he never tries to change anyone’s fate.
Travis lives as a loner, until eight year old Layla, from across the hall befriends him. He then finds himself becoming almost a “family” with Layla’s mother, Dalia and her other daughter, Neda.
We then get snippets into Travis’ daily life and the people he has his final moments with. We also learn about Dalia, and her life as a single mother.
There were so many emotions throughout this story. This was heartbreaking 💔, but it was beautiful. Was I prepared for this book? Maybe. All I know is it’s going to be tough to try and beat this book, as it’s probably my top read of 2026.
I definitely recommend reading this book- but please have your tissues handy! Don’t say I didn’t warn you- because, yes it will hurt like hell!! ❤️🩹
This was my July, 2026 BOTM pick! 📚
September 10, 2026
In a Nutshell: A literary fiction work focusing on life and death and all in between. Everything in the book is beautiful, but also hurts. Interesting variety of characters, plenty of wisdom and quotable quotes, lyrical writing. The shifts in grammatical voice can get disconcerting at times. But the mellow, introspective narrative is great for the right mood. A commendable debut. Definitely recommended!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
I can rarely resist books with Death as the central character. Most books with this trope have worked well for me. Here’s the latest addition to the memorable entries of the Death-As-Narrator stack.
Bookish Yays:
⚱ The title. Such an alluring one!
⚱ Travis. Not “Death” in the typical sense. He is more of a background presence than one who smites a human or guides them to the next world or whatever. It’s the most unusual portrayal of Death I have read, being more human than fantastical.
⚱ Layla – a sweetheart in every way. She brought life to this book on Death. I liked her entire family, but Layla was a special favourite.
⚱ The sensitive portrayal of many types of death, varied in age group or the person’s background or character. I love how there’s no judgement. A reminder that no matter who or what or where we are, the same end awaits us.
⚱ The sections written in the third-person perspective of the humans who are dying. I love how the book offers us a chance to get to know them before they die. Excellently handled!
⚱ The writing – so lyrical and vivid! I could actually feel the atmosphere of combined sadness and acceptance. The emotions are especially well-written.
⚱ The realism of the relationships. Despite what feels like a potential romantic set-up, there is no romance in the book. I loved the relationship between Death and Dalia all the more because it felt true-to-life, not mushy/romantic.
⚱ Many thought-provoking, quotable quotes.
⚱ The ending. Apt in every way!
Bookish Yays-For-Me-Might-Be-Okays-For-Others:
💀 The character-focussed writing. Might not for those who want a clear or fast-paced plot, but to those who don’t mind slow and steady plot progression, the book ought to click.
💀 The few second-person interludes in between. I love the second-person voice, so I didn’t mind these sections, but the sudden jump in voice can get disorienting, especially when there are already first-person and third-person perspectives.
💀 Despite the presence of Death, this isn't a fantasy. There’s no magic, nothing paranormal, nothing religious. If you expect any of these, you will be disappointed. I did expect more fantastical elements at the beginning, but after the first few pages, I changed my expectations and wasn’t disappointed.
Bookish Okays:
☠ Travis is Death. That’s all we know. We don’t know his divine background or how he has been doing this work since centuries or how he changes his appearance or how he works across time and space on Earth or how old he is or whom he reports to… There are no questions answered. You just need to accept his role and go with the flow.
☠ Em dashes instead of quotation marks – Sheesh! Then again, this is better than having no quotation marks at all. 🤷🏻♀️
Overall, this book delivered almost exactly what it promised. With its varied characters, multiple perspectives, vivid writing, introspective quotes, and sensitive depiction of death, it offered me just what I hoped for. The pacing is on the slower side, but that is common with character-oriented narratives, so I didn’t mind it. In fact, the gradual development of the main story kept my mind engrossed even more when the narration changed to that of the dying. Be mindful of triggers though. Nothing is brutal, but some deaths might stir up sad memories.
Rarely does a book with philosophical undertones work this well for me. Perhaps it also has something to do with the timing. I am battling an illness oft associated with negative outcomes (I’m doing quite well in my recovery, don’t worry!), so reading a narrative where Death isn't shown as a divine punishment or a painful finish was good for my head.
I am basically impressed with this book, all the more as it is a debut novel. I am on board to see what comes next from the pen (or keyboard) of author Ben Reeves.
Definitely recommended to readers who enjoy introspective literary fiction. Not for those looking for a light read or a fantasy.
4.5 stars, rounding up because great debut works need to be celebrated.
My thanks to Avid Reader Press for providing the DRC of “Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I follow the Goodreads rating policy:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Lifelong favourite!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I loved the book.
⭐⭐⭐ - I liked the book.
⭐⭐ - I found the book average.
⭐ - I hated the book.
The decimals indicate the degree of the in-between feelings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Death’s current identity is ‘Travis’. He lives as a modern young man in a small town, and does his job well: the job of offering some solace to the dying in their final hours on Earth. He always stays detached from the living humans around him so that he can do his job without being affected. But when his next-door neighbours – midwife Dalia and her daughters eight-year-old Layla and infant Neda – become more frequent in his *life*, Travis gets a taste of the bond that humans feel with their loved ones. But can such bonds really last in the face of Travis’ duty?
The story comes to us in Travis’s first-person narrative, with several interludes in third-person from the perspective of a few (metaphorically or literally) dying humans. There are also minor segments using the second-person voice.
I can rarely resist books with Death as the central character. Most books with this trope have worked well for me. Here’s the latest addition to the memorable entries of the Death-As-Narrator stack.
Bookish Yays:
⚱ The title. Such an alluring one!
⚱ Travis. Not “Death” in the typical sense. He is more of a background presence than one who smites a human or guides them to the next world or whatever. It’s the most unusual portrayal of Death I have read, being more human than fantastical.
⚱ Layla – a sweetheart in every way. She brought life to this book on Death. I liked her entire family, but Layla was a special favourite.
⚱ The sensitive portrayal of many types of death, varied in age group or the person’s background or character. I love how there’s no judgement. A reminder that no matter who or what or where we are, the same end awaits us.
⚱ The sections written in the third-person perspective of the humans who are dying. I love how the book offers us a chance to get to know them before they die. Excellently handled!
⚱ The writing – so lyrical and vivid! I could actually feel the atmosphere of combined sadness and acceptance. The emotions are especially well-written.
⚱ The realism of the relationships. Despite what feels like a potential romantic set-up, there is no romance in the book. I loved the relationship between Death and Dalia all the more because it felt true-to-life, not mushy/romantic.
⚱ Many thought-provoking, quotable quotes.
⚱ The ending. Apt in every way!
Bookish Yays-For-Me-Might-Be-Okays-For-Others:
💀 The character-focussed writing. Might not for those who want a clear or fast-paced plot, but to those who don’t mind slow and steady plot progression, the book ought to click.
💀 The few second-person interludes in between. I love the second-person voice, so I didn’t mind these sections, but the sudden jump in voice can get disorienting, especially when there are already first-person and third-person perspectives.
💀 Despite the presence of Death, this isn't a fantasy. There’s no magic, nothing paranormal, nothing religious. If you expect any of these, you will be disappointed. I did expect more fantastical elements at the beginning, but after the first few pages, I changed my expectations and wasn’t disappointed.
Bookish Okays:
☠ Travis is Death. That’s all we know. We don’t know his divine background or how he has been doing this work since centuries or how he changes his appearance or how he works across time and space on Earth or how old he is or whom he reports to… There are no questions answered. You just need to accept his role and go with the flow.
☠ Em dashes instead of quotation marks – Sheesh! Then again, this is better than having no quotation marks at all. 🤷🏻♀️
Overall, this book delivered almost exactly what it promised. With its varied characters, multiple perspectives, vivid writing, introspective quotes, and sensitive depiction of death, it offered me just what I hoped for. The pacing is on the slower side, but that is common with character-oriented narratives, so I didn’t mind it. In fact, the gradual development of the main story kept my mind engrossed even more when the narration changed to that of the dying. Be mindful of triggers though. Nothing is brutal, but some deaths might stir up sad memories.
Rarely does a book with philosophical undertones work this well for me. Perhaps it also has something to do with the timing. I am battling an illness oft associated with negative outcomes (I’m doing quite well in my recovery, don’t worry!), so reading a narrative where Death isn't shown as a divine punishment or a painful finish was good for my head.
I am basically impressed with this book, all the more as it is a debut novel. I am on board to see what comes next from the pen (or keyboard) of author Ben Reeves.
Definitely recommended to readers who enjoy introspective literary fiction. Not for those looking for a light read or a fantasy.
4.5 stars, rounding up because great debut works need to be celebrated.
My thanks to Avid Reader Press for providing the DRC of “Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I follow the Goodreads rating policy:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Lifelong favourite!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I loved the book.
⭐⭐⭐ - I liked the book.
⭐⭐ - I found the book average.
⭐ - I hated the book.
The decimals indicate the degree of the in-between feelings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
June 3, 2026
ARC review | ⭐️⭐️| General Fiction
Release date: July 7th, 2026
Publisher: Avid Reader Press | Simon & Schuster
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Welp — this one just pissed me off.
First and foremost this book was a lesson in contradictions (derogatory). I felt absolutely no connection to Dalia or Travis as characters. There was zero explanation of how Travis’s work/magic/power worked which left a lot of unnecessary questions.
Reeves meanders in overly flowery prose that attempts profundity and instead just leaves you floating and bereft. Really unsure what about this resonated so deeply with others. There’s no real commentary to be had here and a “celebration of life” was nowhere to be found.
At seemingly impactful moments the author will mention a “coil of shit” or a “tiny cock” and manage to rip you right out of the story. There’s also an insidious undercurrent of misogyny throughout that I found distasteful and unchecked.
I can see this having landed across some man’s desk and he thought “wow he’s really done it” — but all that’s been done here is another masturbatory attempt at relevance by having a deep take that’s so shallow you couldn’t drown in it.
Yawn. Boring. Tired. Skip it and save yourself the trouble.
Release date: July 7th, 2026
Publisher: Avid Reader Press | Simon & Schuster
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Welp — this one just pissed me off.
First and foremost this book was a lesson in contradictions (derogatory). I felt absolutely no connection to Dalia or Travis as characters. There was zero explanation of how Travis’s work/magic/power worked which left a lot of unnecessary questions.
Reeves meanders in overly flowery prose that attempts profundity and instead just leaves you floating and bereft. Really unsure what about this resonated so deeply with others. There’s no real commentary to be had here and a “celebration of life” was nowhere to be found.
At seemingly impactful moments the author will mention a “coil of shit” or a “tiny cock” and manage to rip you right out of the story. There’s also an insidious undercurrent of misogyny throughout that I found distasteful and unchecked.
I can see this having landed across some man’s desk and he thought “wow he’s really done it” — but all that’s been done here is another masturbatory attempt at relevance by having a deep take that’s so shallow you couldn’t drown in it.
Yawn. Boring. Tired. Skip it and save yourself the trouble.
July 10, 2026
4.25 I picked this up quite a while ago and have just finished it. I absolutely loved the title, had heard great things, and was eager to dive in.
Early on, I hit a section that I found particularly challenging to read through, which prompted a two-week hiatus where I didn't touch the book. Even after picking it back up, there were a few other moments where I thought, "Nope, can't do this, not okay."
Needless to say, this book completely ripped me apart, yet managed to thoroughly charm me during other portions. Life is tricky and messy, filled with both beautiful highs and devastating lows, and this story takes you through every single one of those points.
Did I mention that Death is the narrator?
While it is an incredibly heavy read, there is a deep, thought-provoking beauty woven into it. It's a story that stays with you long after the final page.
*ARC (Thank you, Avid Reader Press | Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster/ NetGalley)
Early on, I hit a section that I found particularly challenging to read through, which prompted a two-week hiatus where I didn't touch the book. Even after picking it back up, there were a few other moments where I thought, "Nope, can't do this, not okay."
Needless to say, this book completely ripped me apart, yet managed to thoroughly charm me during other portions. Life is tricky and messy, filled with both beautiful highs and devastating lows, and this story takes you through every single one of those points.
Did I mention that Death is the narrator?
While it is an incredibly heavy read, there is a deep, thought-provoking beauty woven into it. It's a story that stays with you long after the final page.
*ARC (Thank you, Avid Reader Press | Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster/ NetGalley)
July 11, 2026
This was sad and depressing. It should have been titled “Nothing Was Beautiful and Everything Hurt”.
July 26, 2026
"Travis is Death in the modern world. He wears jeans and a T-shirt and lives in a small, grey town. His job is to offer people comfort in their final hours of life. He’s stoic, gentle, and a little naive, despite everything he knows. He’s young and handsome, despite who he is. Each death he witnesses is meaningful to him; he listens, never judges, and most importantly, never tries to change anyone’s fate. He knows that every life must eventually end to maintain the balance of the universe and he respects the cycle."
"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" 1 Cor 15:55-57
This book brings wisdom and compassion through the eyes of Travis. He witnesses death but listens with no judgement. He challenges the living to appreciate your life, accept the ending while finding your place in society. The plea you can hear from the dying brought tears to my eyes as each one of us will face no escape, but I hope you live with no regrets. A gorgeous reminder of what really matters.
Thank you NetGalley and Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" 1 Cor 15:55-57
This book brings wisdom and compassion through the eyes of Travis. He witnesses death but listens with no judgement. He challenges the living to appreciate your life, accept the ending while finding your place in society. The plea you can hear from the dying brought tears to my eyes as each one of us will face no escape, but I hope you live with no regrets. A gorgeous reminder of what really matters.
Thank you NetGalley and Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 4, 2026
“Then she smiles, as though she's thought of something. As if everything is beautiful and nothing hurts, and she closes her eyes.”
It’s been a minute since a book has made me have a proper ugly cry, and apparently I was overdue for one.
I tend to avoid books that I think are going to make me cry. I don’t really know why, because whenever I actually read one, I always end up feeling better for it. And this one definitely got me.
Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt is such a beautiful, unusual book. It’s about Death, but really it’s about life, love, the people we meet and all the little things that make life worth living.
The writing was honestly unlike anything I’ve read before. It was beautiful without feeling overdone, and there were so many little moments that stayed with me. I loved the way the story slowly unfolded and how Travis starts to see life differently through the people he meets.
I went into this thinking I’d get something quirky and a little different, but I didn’t expect it to make me quite so emotional.
So yes, I cried, and, as usual, I came out the other side feeling like it was exactly the cry I needed.
Sometimes you just need a book to break your heart a little and then gently put it back together.
Beautiful. Strange. Sad. And absolutely worth the tears.
I highly recommend.
4.5
It’s been a minute since a book has made me have a proper ugly cry, and apparently I was overdue for one.
I tend to avoid books that I think are going to make me cry. I don’t really know why, because whenever I actually read one, I always end up feeling better for it. And this one definitely got me.
Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt is such a beautiful, unusual book. It’s about Death, but really it’s about life, love, the people we meet and all the little things that make life worth living.
The writing was honestly unlike anything I’ve read before. It was beautiful without feeling overdone, and there were so many little moments that stayed with me. I loved the way the story slowly unfolded and how Travis starts to see life differently through the people he meets.
I went into this thinking I’d get something quirky and a little different, but I didn’t expect it to make me quite so emotional.
So yes, I cried, and, as usual, I came out the other side feeling like it was exactly the cry I needed.
Sometimes you just need a book to break your heart a little and then gently put it back together.
Beautiful. Strange. Sad. And absolutely worth the tears.
I highly recommend.
4.5
January 11, 2026
This book will leave a forever impact on me. It made me look at life differently. This book is about death and the narrator is death itself. This book may be a tough topic to read, if you or a loved one is going through or have gone through something traumatic recently or right now. The main character (also known as death) is named Travis Smith and he also has a kitty companion. Travis begins to unravel, due to certain circumstances. The themes in this book are death and mortality, love and grief, life and death conversations, and ethics. It is a very heavy, yet powerful novel.
This is heartfelt in a way that it touched on the reason to love. It has strong character growth and lovable characters. It is very well written and thought provoking. Be sure to read the trigger warnings before reading the book itself, it does deal with heavy topics. If you want to skip the trigger warnings, that’s okay too. This gave me the movie “A Ghost Story” and the movie “Meet Joe Black” vibes! I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars rating!
Thank you yo NetGalley, author Ben Reeves, Avid Reader Press and Simon & Schuster for providing me with this eARC, in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is set to be released on July 7, 2026!
This is heartfelt in a way that it touched on the reason to love. It has strong character growth and lovable characters. It is very well written and thought provoking. Be sure to read the trigger warnings before reading the book itself, it does deal with heavy topics. If you want to skip the trigger warnings, that’s okay too. This gave me the movie “A Ghost Story” and the movie “Meet Joe Black” vibes! I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars rating!
Thank you yo NetGalley, author Ben Reeves, Avid Reader Press and Simon & Schuster for providing me with this eARC, in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is set to be released on July 7, 2026!
July 9, 2026
Unpopular opinion, bu this just wasn’t for me. The prose felt rambling and meandering, and the story jumped through short snippets that were often too brief and out of context for me to fully appreciate. I also found Travis to be a fairly uninteresting main character, which made it difficult to stay invested. Overall, I finished feeling more confused than captivated. The premise was interesting but I got a bit lost along the way.
August 2, 2026
4.5 Stars:
EVERYTHING WAS BEAUTIFUL AND NOTHING HURT by Ben Reeves is a quietly profound novel that asks readers to consider the most important question of all: How are you spending the precious currency of your life, and to what end?
Travis Smith is Reeves's unforgettable protagonist--an unassuming, seemingly ordinary man who, through the quiet magic of Reeves's prose, is gradually revealed to be Death in human form. Travis accompanies the dying, standing witness to their final moments. When people nearing death see him, they instinctively recognize him as the gentle conduit between life and whatever comes next. Reeves's interpretation of Death is neither frightening nor judgmental. Instead, Travis is compassionate, patient, and quietly reassuring, a comforting presence during life's final transition.
Through Travis's work, Reeves offers intimate glimpses into the lives of those at the end of their journeys. These beautifully crafted vignettes reveal what people cherished, what they sacrificed, what remained unresolved, and the moments that ultimately defined them. Some meet death with peace; others cling desperately to the lives they are leaving behind. Together, these stories become a moving meditation on what truly matters.
The novel takes an unexpected turn when Travis befriends a single mother and her young daughter. As he begins to experience the messy, complicated emotions of human connection, the narrative delicately balances his extraordinary calling with the ordinary beauty of everyday life. Watching someone who exists outside humanity slowly understand love, attachment, and loss becomes one of the novel's greatest emotional achievements.
Ironically, this novel about death is, at its heart, a celebration of living. Travis sees people without pretense, ego, or emotional baggage. He recognizes what is essential long before the rest of us do. By the final pages, Reeves reminds us that our greatest regrets are rarely about accomplishments, they're about the moments we failed to fully inhabit. The ending is deeply moving; don't be surprised if your eyes begin to sting.
One passage perfectly captures the novel's central message:
"Imagine for one moment that you're in the future. Your future. These are your last moments before death... You're allowed to go back. Just for 20 minutes... You can't change your life in 20 minutes, so don't try. Do the thing that you'll wish on your deathbed you could have done one last time. Something precious. Kiss your partner. Play with your children. Wander in the world. You have 19 minutes remaining."
That passage lingers long after the book is finished. It transforms the novel from a story about dying into a powerful reminder to live intentionally while we still have the chance. Reeves has written a thoughtful, compassionate, and unexpectedly uplifting novel that encourages readers to examine not how long they will live, but how well.
EVERYTHING WAS BEAUTIFUL AND NOTHING HURT by Ben Reeves is a quietly profound novel that asks readers to consider the most important question of all: How are you spending the precious currency of your life, and to what end?
Travis Smith is Reeves's unforgettable protagonist--an unassuming, seemingly ordinary man who, through the quiet magic of Reeves's prose, is gradually revealed to be Death in human form. Travis accompanies the dying, standing witness to their final moments. When people nearing death see him, they instinctively recognize him as the gentle conduit between life and whatever comes next. Reeves's interpretation of Death is neither frightening nor judgmental. Instead, Travis is compassionate, patient, and quietly reassuring, a comforting presence during life's final transition.
Through Travis's work, Reeves offers intimate glimpses into the lives of those at the end of their journeys. These beautifully crafted vignettes reveal what people cherished, what they sacrificed, what remained unresolved, and the moments that ultimately defined them. Some meet death with peace; others cling desperately to the lives they are leaving behind. Together, these stories become a moving meditation on what truly matters.
The novel takes an unexpected turn when Travis befriends a single mother and her young daughter. As he begins to experience the messy, complicated emotions of human connection, the narrative delicately balances his extraordinary calling with the ordinary beauty of everyday life. Watching someone who exists outside humanity slowly understand love, attachment, and loss becomes one of the novel's greatest emotional achievements.
Ironically, this novel about death is, at its heart, a celebration of living. Travis sees people without pretense, ego, or emotional baggage. He recognizes what is essential long before the rest of us do. By the final pages, Reeves reminds us that our greatest regrets are rarely about accomplishments, they're about the moments we failed to fully inhabit. The ending is deeply moving; don't be surprised if your eyes begin to sting.
One passage perfectly captures the novel's central message:
"Imagine for one moment that you're in the future. Your future. These are your last moments before death... You're allowed to go back. Just for 20 minutes... You can't change your life in 20 minutes, so don't try. Do the thing that you'll wish on your deathbed you could have done one last time. Something precious. Kiss your partner. Play with your children. Wander in the world. You have 19 minutes remaining."
That passage lingers long after the book is finished. It transforms the novel from a story about dying into a powerful reminder to live intentionally while we still have the chance. Reeves has written a thoughtful, compassionate, and unexpectedly uplifting novel that encourages readers to examine not how long they will live, but how well.
August 11, 2026
The author Sarah Damoff posted in her Instagram stories about this book last year.
I requested it and got the ARC, but then just never picked it up.
It’s been getting rave reviews by my Goodreads friends, so of course it was time to read it!
It’s such a unique story… the narrator being death… and the narrator is a man named Travis.
He comes in and spends some time with each person before they pass on.
It is beautifully written.
It’s about compassion, connection, and friendship.
Sad yet comforting.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for the free ebook in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It’s funny how book themes seem to come in waves. I’ve read several books lately on forced sterilization in the south. Now, here’s the second book in two months with Death as the main character.
Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt takes a serious approach. Death, aka Travis, is a young man living in a small town. He visits both those who are dying and don’t want to be and those who aren’t but wish they would. He comes as a witness, as a companion. He’s powerless to change what is about to happen. As you would expect, he’s detached from life. That is, until he meets Dalia, a young midwife and her 8 year old daughter, Layla.
The book flows in a sort of run on style, one scene to the next. The perspective changes from first person to second person to third person, often on the same page. While I could acknowledge the beautiful writing, I just struggled to engage with the story. Travis was just sort of a blah personality. I felt for Dalia and Layla, but they weren’t as big a part of the story as I would have wanted. And all the others, those poor souls that Travis shepherds through to the other side. That just got old. Instead of making an impact on me, I found myself zoning out. Until the end, which totally caught me off guard. But it wasn’t enough to make up for the rest of the book. It’s an obvious message - don’t take life for granted. If you’re going to tackle this subject matter, have something new to say.
I’m an outlier but this one was a miss for me.
My thanks to Netgalley and Avid Reader Press for an advance copy of this book.
Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt takes a serious approach. Death, aka Travis, is a young man living in a small town. He visits both those who are dying and don’t want to be and those who aren’t but wish they would. He comes as a witness, as a companion. He’s powerless to change what is about to happen. As you would expect, he’s detached from life. That is, until he meets Dalia, a young midwife and her 8 year old daughter, Layla.
The book flows in a sort of run on style, one scene to the next. The perspective changes from first person to second person to third person, often on the same page. While I could acknowledge the beautiful writing, I just struggled to engage with the story. Travis was just sort of a blah personality. I felt for Dalia and Layla, but they weren’t as big a part of the story as I would have wanted. And all the others, those poor souls that Travis shepherds through to the other side. That just got old. Instead of making an impact on me, I found myself zoning out. Until the end, which totally caught me off guard. But it wasn’t enough to make up for the rest of the book. It’s an obvious message - don’t take life for granted. If you’re going to tackle this subject matter, have something new to say.
I’m an outlier but this one was a miss for me.
My thanks to Netgalley and Avid Reader Press for an advance copy of this book.
July 13, 2026
A beautiful written story about how death falls in love with life and the living that forever changed his perspective on them.
Emotional, heartbreaking, very hard to read at times, having to stop and close my Kobo because I was sobbing so hard I couldn't see what I was reading anymore!
Everything unfolds from the perspective of Travis Smith (Death).
He's kind, compassionate, doesn't judge, doesn't interfere, doesn't tries to change their fates, he simply holds their hands, makes them a cup of tea, hears them, talks to them, helps them in their final moments, so they'll continue their journey to whatever that might be!
And he mourns ever single one he takes!
He restores old photos because, of course, he already knows many of them and will in the future meet the rest.
He remembers everyone and it's like the photos were just developed.
But due to a purring white cat that keeps coming back through his window, Travis crosses the hall and meets Dalia, a midwife, her daughters, Layla, who invites him to her 8th birthday because she thinks he's lonely, and the one years-old baby Neda.
And the small, common moments, just like watching TV, learning a video game, talking of everyday life occurrences, Dalia resting her head in his shoulder, day by day, this little family takes roots in his heart until he can't hide it anymore!
He has fallen for them!
They are little more than strangers but it feels like they're sharing a life, his own family!
He sees how amazing people can be, how they deal with grief, with pain, what is really important in life and how many wonderful things are lost when they die!
Of course I was sobbing throughout the lovely, twisty and surprising ending!!!
Emotional, heartbreaking, very hard to read at times, having to stop and close my Kobo because I was sobbing so hard I couldn't see what I was reading anymore!
Everything unfolds from the perspective of Travis Smith (Death).
He's kind, compassionate, doesn't judge, doesn't interfere, doesn't tries to change their fates, he simply holds their hands, makes them a cup of tea, hears them, talks to them, helps them in their final moments, so they'll continue their journey to whatever that might be!
And he mourns ever single one he takes!
He restores old photos because, of course, he already knows many of them and will in the future meet the rest.
He remembers everyone and it's like the photos were just developed.
But due to a purring white cat that keeps coming back through his window, Travis crosses the hall and meets Dalia, a midwife, her daughters, Layla, who invites him to her 8th birthday because she thinks he's lonely, and the one years-old baby Neda.
And the small, common moments, just like watching TV, learning a video game, talking of everyday life occurrences, Dalia resting her head in his shoulder, day by day, this little family takes roots in his heart until he can't hide it anymore!
He has fallen for them!
They are little more than strangers but it feels like they're sharing a life, his own family!
He sees how amazing people can be, how they deal with grief, with pain, what is really important in life and how many wonderful things are lost when they die!
Of course I was sobbing throughout the lovely, twisty and surprising ending!!!
July 19, 2026
Wow what a profoundly beautiful story!! I loved it! It really pulls at your heartstrings 😭
September 29, 2026
3.5 ⭐️ on paper, this is the kinda book i usually devour. but i spent so much of it feeling like i should be loving it… and trying to convince myself that i was 🫣 the concept is beautiful and there were moments that got me, but this is just… so! relentlessly! sad! it starts out depressing and simply never lets up.
i found travis really hard to connect with as a narrator. because he’s the lens for everything, i almost felt like my emotional journey was happening in reverse from his? early on, he’s detached while i’m devastated by all these little snippets of death, but i think that almost desensitized me. by the time he starts warming up to dalia and layla, i found myself resisting getting attached because i knew the book was just going to hurt me again 🤺
the stream of consciousness writing and fragmented narrative sometimes worked for me and sometimes made me feel completely zoomed out. occasionally the philosophical moments even gave me the same feeling as when a grown man brings up some really deep thought, but it’s the kinda conversation you had at a girls’ sleepover when you were 12… do you know what i mean? 😭 i know that’s harsh but once my brain made the connection i could not unsee it.
i think my biggest issue is that it felt heavy on concept and light on plot. i could see this working beautifully as a short story, but eventually it felt like we were circling the same ideas over and over.
STILL! i did enjoy parts of this and can absolutely see it working for someone else. it might’ve just been right book, wrong time! if you like poetic, philosophical, grief-heavy books in the claire keegan / sarah damoff realm, this could really connect for you. it was well done, but was just a bit too sad for my taste!
i found travis really hard to connect with as a narrator. because he’s the lens for everything, i almost felt like my emotional journey was happening in reverse from his? early on, he’s detached while i’m devastated by all these little snippets of death, but i think that almost desensitized me. by the time he starts warming up to dalia and layla, i found myself resisting getting attached because i knew the book was just going to hurt me again 🤺
the stream of consciousness writing and fragmented narrative sometimes worked for me and sometimes made me feel completely zoomed out. occasionally the philosophical moments even gave me the same feeling as when a grown man brings up some really deep thought, but it’s the kinda conversation you had at a girls’ sleepover when you were 12… do you know what i mean? 😭 i know that’s harsh but once my brain made the connection i could not unsee it.
i think my biggest issue is that it felt heavy on concept and light on plot. i could see this working beautifully as a short story, but eventually it felt like we were circling the same ideas over and over.
STILL! i did enjoy parts of this and can absolutely see it working for someone else. it might’ve just been right book, wrong time! if you like poetic, philosophical, grief-heavy books in the claire keegan / sarah damoff realm, this could really connect for you. it was well done, but was just a bit too sad for my taste!
July 7, 2026
Trigger! *su1c1de, “compassionate death”
Me on This Book in Eight Ironic English Words: Everyone begging for Death, but only getting “Travis.”
Rating: ⭐.5
“A town’s quietness is heavier. Not simply a lack of sound, but a thing to be noticed and appreciated. The world is switched off, on standby, but I can smell the before-world—the grease from the takeaways, the sick in the doorway, the perfume and cigarettes. A cold scent of dew from unseen grass, the lingering exhaust fumes of a bus. From the smells alone, someone might think the town is in the full throes of an afternoon.” p. 41
In Short: My favorite part was the very last page! No, I’m not being a smartass. I really liked it. The rest of the book I found sort of meandering and pointless, I’m sorry to say.
And also, nearly every human character “Travis” encounters begs him to kill them.
At some point, I stopped asking why they wanted to die and started asking why the novel wanted them to. Why does everyone think this is beautiful?
This book is heavy on concept and very light on plot. So if you like “Travis,” the anthropomorphized and personalized grim reaper in this story, maybe you’ll like this. If you can’t forget that Travis is a harbinger of death—the end of all one’s days? Well, it just doesn’t hit quite the same.
Especially if you’re disabled or on familiar terms with death, like I am, this book might strike you as downright silly: all these people waiting around so impatiently to breathe their last.
This will be a good one for fans of Claire Keegan and readers who like dark ideas told through a nostalgic lens.
Preread: I’m worried this one is pretty but too sentimental about the one thing no one really wants to do, which is die. Romanticizing death goes awry awfully fast in fiction and in real life.
That concern held.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! 📚
Content Warnings:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
death, dying, romanticized death, romanticized suicide, pathologizing suffering and normal life processes, “compassionate death”/eugenics
Me on This Book in Eight Ironic English Words: Everyone begging for Death, but only getting “Travis.”
Rating: ⭐.5
“A town’s quietness is heavier. Not simply a lack of sound, but a thing to be noticed and appreciated. The world is switched off, on standby, but I can smell the before-world—the grease from the takeaways, the sick in the doorway, the perfume and cigarettes. A cold scent of dew from unseen grass, the lingering exhaust fumes of a bus. From the smells alone, someone might think the town is in the full throes of an afternoon.” p. 41
In Short: My favorite part was the very last page! No, I’m not being a smartass. I really liked it. The rest of the book I found sort of meandering and pointless, I’m sorry to say.
And also, nearly every human character “Travis” encounters begs him to kill them.
At some point, I stopped asking why they wanted to die and started asking why the novel wanted them to. Why does everyone think this is beautiful?
This book is heavy on concept and very light on plot. So if you like “Travis,” the anthropomorphized and personalized grim reaper in this story, maybe you’ll like this. If you can’t forget that Travis is a harbinger of death—the end of all one’s days? Well, it just doesn’t hit quite the same.
Especially if you’re disabled or on familiar terms with death, like I am, this book might strike you as downright silly: all these people waiting around so impatiently to breathe their last.
This will be a good one for fans of Claire Keegan and readers who like dark ideas told through a nostalgic lens.
Preread: I’m worried this one is pretty but too sentimental about the one thing no one really wants to do, which is die. Romanticizing death goes awry awfully fast in fiction and in real life.
That concern held.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! 📚
Content Warnings:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
death, dying, romanticized death, romanticized suicide, pathologizing suffering and normal life processes, “compassionate death”/eugenics
July 14, 2026
BOTM selection that should have been marked as an “offset” selection. The nontraditional writing style made it confusing to read, vacillating between fragments, run-ons and poetic musings. At times I felt like I was reading a creative writing assignment versus a novel. Not my speed and I was actually disappointed because the summary sounded promising.
July 9, 2026
Forgive me while I swoon about this hauntingly beautiful story! Lyrical, tender, and life-affirming, Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt made me feel all of the feels. You see, it was a devastatingly thought-provoking novel that required a full box of tissues to be on hand as I raced through the pages in one single go. Celebrating life while taking a close look at death, this debut novel explored mortality, grief, loneliness, and the beauty of everyday life with nuance, care, and emotional depth that few authors can pull off. In fact, I couldn’t help but think of how much this book reminded me of both Sarah Damoff and Fredrik Backman as it wove in a very Under the Whispering Door feel. With a quiet intensity, poignant observations, and a dash of bittersweet humor, Reeves blew me away on his very first dive into writing. I mean, how could it not when it had me questioning my own life by the time I flipping the last introspective page?
So what was my favorite part of this timeless literary fiction-slash-magical realism novel? Well, that would definitely have to be the profoundly moving side to the character-driven storyline. A deeply human story that changed how I looked at life, I’m having a hard time putting into words how special this quick, heartfelt read really was. After all, I was spellbound from beginning to end as I lost myself in the poetic prose. I do have to warn you, however, that this is one book that definitely needed a trigger warning. Examining death closely, it could be gut-wrenching for anyone who has recently lost someone they love. That being said, I also strongly feel that it’s an absolute must-read. Sure to hit every reader differently due to their own life experiences, it will have you reevaluating everything by the end. So go on. Order it now. Both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time, you need to read this book ASAP. Rating of 5+ stars.
Read if you love:
- Thought-provoking reads
- Literary fiction
- Books that make you cry
- Character-driven plots
- A found-family vibe
- Bittersweet love stories
- Emotional depth
- Hauntingly lyrical prose
- Evocative metaphors
- Books under 250 pages
- Memorable narrators
- Magical realism
- Sarah Damoff-like reads
SYNOPSIS:
Travis is Death in the modern world. He lives with his cat in a small, gray town. His job is to offer people comfort in their final hours of life, which he does without complaint or judgement. He’s stoic, gentle, and a little naive, despite who he is, but he never tries to change anyone’s fate. He is responsible for maintaining the balance of nature, and every life must eventually end.
Then Travis meets Dalia, a midwife, and her boisterous eight-year-old daughter Layla, who live across the hall, and despite his best attempts to keep his distance, he finds himself wholeheartedly embraced by other people for the first time. So it is with this seemingly unremarkable family that Travis begins to understand what it means to be truly alive—and what might be irrevocably lost in death.
Thank you Ben Reeves and Avid Reader Press for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: July 7, 2026
Content warning: child death, death, grief, death of a parent, suicide, suicidal ideation, car accident, terminal illness, drug use/abuse, blood, chronic illness, alcoholism, animal death, cancer, pregnancy, child abuse, violence, miscarriage, gore, medical content/trauma, mention of: eating disorder, domestic abuse, sexual assault, pedophilia
So what was my favorite part of this timeless literary fiction-slash-magical realism novel? Well, that would definitely have to be the profoundly moving side to the character-driven storyline. A deeply human story that changed how I looked at life, I’m having a hard time putting into words how special this quick, heartfelt read really was. After all, I was spellbound from beginning to end as I lost myself in the poetic prose. I do have to warn you, however, that this is one book that definitely needed a trigger warning. Examining death closely, it could be gut-wrenching for anyone who has recently lost someone they love. That being said, I also strongly feel that it’s an absolute must-read. Sure to hit every reader differently due to their own life experiences, it will have you reevaluating everything by the end. So go on. Order it now. Both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time, you need to read this book ASAP. Rating of 5+ stars.
Read if you love:
- Thought-provoking reads
- Literary fiction
- Books that make you cry
- Character-driven plots
- A found-family vibe
- Bittersweet love stories
- Emotional depth
- Hauntingly lyrical prose
- Evocative metaphors
- Books under 250 pages
- Memorable narrators
- Magical realism
- Sarah Damoff-like reads
SYNOPSIS:
Travis is Death in the modern world. He lives with his cat in a small, gray town. His job is to offer people comfort in their final hours of life, which he does without complaint or judgement. He’s stoic, gentle, and a little naive, despite who he is, but he never tries to change anyone’s fate. He is responsible for maintaining the balance of nature, and every life must eventually end.
Then Travis meets Dalia, a midwife, and her boisterous eight-year-old daughter Layla, who live across the hall, and despite his best attempts to keep his distance, he finds himself wholeheartedly embraced by other people for the first time. So it is with this seemingly unremarkable family that Travis begins to understand what it means to be truly alive—and what might be irrevocably lost in death.
Thank you Ben Reeves and Avid Reader Press for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: July 7, 2026
Content warning: child death, death, grief, death of a parent, suicide, suicidal ideation, car accident, terminal illness, drug use/abuse, blood, chronic illness, alcoholism, animal death, cancer, pregnancy, child abuse, violence, miscarriage, gore, medical content/trauma, mention of: eating disorder, domestic abuse, sexual assault, pedophilia
August 24, 2026
THE AMATEUR book tour has me way behind in my reviews. My bad. Ben Reeves has given us a fascinating personification of death -- that serene, geeky young man who lives alone but is clearly very earnest and sweet. What made this novel a real treasure are the ways Reeves upends the expected tropes and is willing to break your heart as a reader by allowing death to take pretty much anyone. And spare pretty much anyone, even when they don't want to be spared. It's also a love story, and even though you know the lovers have no chance -- Who really takes Death to bed and gets away with it? -- the story is told so deftly that I gave myself reason to hope. You will, too.
Want to Read
June 17, 2026⬜🎀🎀🎀⬜⬜⬜🎀🎀🎀⬜
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⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜🎀⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜This is a timeless story about appreciating life, accepting it's end, and finding our place in the universe!!!!!!!!
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⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜🎀⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜This is a timeless story about appreciating life, accepting it's end, and finding our place in the universe!!!!!!!!
July 27, 2026
"Then she smiles, as though she's thought of something. As if everything is beautiful and nothing hurts, and she closes her eyes. She is peaceful."
Death as a character. It gives you the impression that it has been done before, but I can't really think about a novel where Death is actually the protagonist and not only just a moment from the book. (I didn't read The Book Thief.) The best I can think of is the movie Meeting Joe Black, which is a flawed movie at best.
Actually, this book is also a flawed book, and that is because once it establishes that Travis, Death itself, is passive in his job, it does very little to change its atmosphere, which is close to something like The Midnight Library. Every chapter starts with Death meeting new people with a new life lesson to learn, which continues to show the undiscriminating nature of its job. For Travis it doesn't matter if the people he visits are good or bad, old or young. So it is easy to expect that this book is about the way this pattern is gonna be broken.
When Travis starts to get close to his neighbours, a mother with two girls, the book followed my expectation, until it didn't.
'Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt' has two good twists that push those depressive feelings that you would also expect from the rest of the novel, but that aren't really there because of the numbness of the protagonist.
"You deserve to be lonely. You make people lonely, Travis."
I think that when Travis decides to act, the impact is less powerful than it should have been. And the book barely asks this great character the tough questions. It wants us just to accept it as it is, and I just couldn't. This remains a correct book about being old and lonely, and maybe the gift or the burden of getting old, but it should have done more with such a character.
Death as a character. It gives you the impression that it has been done before, but I can't really think about a novel where Death is actually the protagonist and not only just a moment from the book. (I didn't read The Book Thief.) The best I can think of is the movie Meeting Joe Black, which is a flawed movie at best.
Actually, this book is also a flawed book, and that is because once it establishes that Travis, Death itself, is passive in his job, it does very little to change its atmosphere, which is close to something like The Midnight Library. Every chapter starts with Death meeting new people with a new life lesson to learn, which continues to show the undiscriminating nature of its job. For Travis it doesn't matter if the people he visits are good or bad, old or young. So it is easy to expect that this book is about the way this pattern is gonna be broken.
When Travis starts to get close to his neighbours, a mother with two girls, the book followed my expectation, until it didn't.
'Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt' has two good twists that push those depressive feelings that you would also expect from the rest of the novel, but that aren't really there because of the numbness of the protagonist.
"You deserve to be lonely. You make people lonely, Travis."
I think that when Travis decides to act, the impact is less powerful than it should have been. And the book barely asks this great character the tough questions. It wants us just to accept it as it is, and I just couldn't. This remains a correct book about being old and lonely, and maybe the gift or the burden of getting old, but it should have done more with such a character.
July 15, 2026
i’m finally back with my review! i don’t think there’s a single redeeming quality about this book. not only was it a masterclass in pretentious writing (which made no sense and read in the stupidest way possible) with no character development or world building but it also exposed some of the author’s weird fucking prejudices? i’m not sure if he’s even aware of it but it was so weirdddd
ok first off, the technical things: the book was not cohesive or organized at all. the structure was super repetitive; the book just shows different people dying and they are pretty much never in any way relevant to the plot or even all that interesting? i felt like i was in an endless time loop of random characters im not invested in dying, and death just doing whatever (not really much characterization to him either)
the main character being death is also just not explained at all. they never really go into whether he’s a real person (he interacts with real people even when he’s not about to reap a soul or smth, and has an apartment) or whether he exists in multiple places at once or anything else. everything is shrugged away with a “it’s hard to explain” attitude that i thought was just pure laziness. i would love to see the author even just attempt worldbuilding cmon
overall, the writing just felt very try-hard but it was not very good. i felt completely distant from the characters and i was not emotionally invested in any of them. there’s one death in the book that is pretty significant and i didn’t even shed a tear (keep in mind i cry very easily. i’m a pisces moon). everything felt underdeveloped and shallow ‼️
however, even putting that all to the side… my main gripe is how fatphobic and ableist/ageist this book is. literally almost every old character in this book is begging to die bc they no longer have full control over their bodies (weird ableism). which like, is an interesting concept to explore but it was multiple characters and did not feel nuanced at all??? but the fatphobia was by far the weirdest. ok spoilers ahead technically but lowkey irrelevant to the main plot (since there is kinda none). death is supposed to be an impartial guy, no judgement no nothing. we literally see this when he is there for the death of a child abuser and this is what the interaction reads as:
“- So that's it, is it? You think I deserve to die, so that's why you're here?
- I'm here because it's your time.
- So you don't care?
- That's right.
- Horse shit. I bet you've reserved a special place in Hell for people like me.
- Mike, I'm not here to decide what you do or don't deserve.”
//
“— I wish you would judge me. Shout at me. Tell me I'm going to Hell, or no-where, or tell me what you really think. You're supposed to scorn me. You can't just sit there like I'm a normal person.
But I do sit and look at him, and I don't say a word.”
okay so we get it! he’s supposed to be impartial to everyone no matter how horrible. but then this just makes the one interaction where he breaks character so weird:
“I watch him, this grisly creature on his grisly sofa. I've always prided myself on my impartiality. Even with the worst of people - people far more nefarious than Barry Lightfoot - it has never been my place to judge or inter-fere. But sitting here now, a part of me is sick. I'm trembling as I watch him.”
what has inspired this?? what is he looking at that is so atrocious, you ask? … literally just a fat guy eating a kebab after having a heart attack. and then here’s their conversation:
“- You didn't look after yourself.
- I just let things slip. I got myself into a rut.
- You're a waste. You're disgusting.
- No, I'm a good person, I just need to sort myself out.
- You're a pathetic creature. You deserve nothing.”
i thought he wasn’t here to decide what anyone deserves?? what is so atrocious about this one guy not taking care of his health (hurting no one but himself btw) esp when compared to a guy that abused his fucking daughters ⁉️⁉️ like genuinely weird ass violent fatphobic rhetoric
also a side note he was kinda weird about lesbians too. there’s like only one lesbian couple and they die after being together for a long time but the author makes a point of repeating how they never had sex because they’re from a time when that was taboo? my dude, i don’t think that was really stopping people from having sex. do you think lesbian sex was invented in this century? but like, even if it’s just a quirky thing about these two characters specifically, the way he writes about it feels so weird and uncomfortable:
“But I watch them now, these two old ladies, these best friends, these virgins, these car boot veterans.”
why is their virginity relevant 😭 idk this just gave me such iffy vibes. ngl this book pissed me off so much i blocked the author on instagram just so i never have to see anything about this ever again. absolutely terrible.
—
[original review below]
genuinely one of the worst books i have read all year. review to come. i need to rant.
ok first off, the technical things: the book was not cohesive or organized at all. the structure was super repetitive; the book just shows different people dying and they are pretty much never in any way relevant to the plot or even all that interesting? i felt like i was in an endless time loop of random characters im not invested in dying, and death just doing whatever (not really much characterization to him either)
the main character being death is also just not explained at all. they never really go into whether he’s a real person (he interacts with real people even when he’s not about to reap a soul or smth, and has an apartment) or whether he exists in multiple places at once or anything else. everything is shrugged away with a “it’s hard to explain” attitude that i thought was just pure laziness. i would love to see the author even just attempt worldbuilding cmon
overall, the writing just felt very try-hard but it was not very good. i felt completely distant from the characters and i was not emotionally invested in any of them. there’s one death in the book that is pretty significant and i didn’t even shed a tear (keep in mind i cry very easily. i’m a pisces moon). everything felt underdeveloped and shallow ‼️
however, even putting that all to the side… my main gripe is how fatphobic and ableist/ageist this book is. literally almost every old character in this book is begging to die bc they no longer have full control over their bodies (weird ableism). which like, is an interesting concept to explore but it was multiple characters and did not feel nuanced at all??? but the fatphobia was by far the weirdest. ok spoilers ahead technically but lowkey irrelevant to the main plot (since there is kinda none). death is supposed to be an impartial guy, no judgement no nothing. we literally see this when he is there for the death of a child abuser and this is what the interaction reads as:
“- So that's it, is it? You think I deserve to die, so that's why you're here?
- I'm here because it's your time.
- So you don't care?
- That's right.
- Horse shit. I bet you've reserved a special place in Hell for people like me.
- Mike, I'm not here to decide what you do or don't deserve.”
//
“— I wish you would judge me. Shout at me. Tell me I'm going to Hell, or no-where, or tell me what you really think. You're supposed to scorn me. You can't just sit there like I'm a normal person.
But I do sit and look at him, and I don't say a word.”
okay so we get it! he’s supposed to be impartial to everyone no matter how horrible. but then this just makes the one interaction where he breaks character so weird:
“I watch him, this grisly creature on his grisly sofa. I've always prided myself on my impartiality. Even with the worst of people - people far more nefarious than Barry Lightfoot - it has never been my place to judge or inter-fere. But sitting here now, a part of me is sick. I'm trembling as I watch him.”
what has inspired this?? what is he looking at that is so atrocious, you ask? … literally just a fat guy eating a kebab after having a heart attack. and then here’s their conversation:
“- You didn't look after yourself.
- I just let things slip. I got myself into a rut.
- You're a waste. You're disgusting.
- No, I'm a good person, I just need to sort myself out.
- You're a pathetic creature. You deserve nothing.”
i thought he wasn’t here to decide what anyone deserves?? what is so atrocious about this one guy not taking care of his health (hurting no one but himself btw) esp when compared to a guy that abused his fucking daughters ⁉️⁉️ like genuinely weird ass violent fatphobic rhetoric
also a side note he was kinda weird about lesbians too. there’s like only one lesbian couple and they die after being together for a long time but the author makes a point of repeating how they never had sex because they’re from a time when that was taboo? my dude, i don’t think that was really stopping people from having sex. do you think lesbian sex was invented in this century? but like, even if it’s just a quirky thing about these two characters specifically, the way he writes about it feels so weird and uncomfortable:
“But I watch them now, these two old ladies, these best friends, these virgins, these car boot veterans.”
why is their virginity relevant 😭 idk this just gave me such iffy vibes. ngl this book pissed me off so much i blocked the author on instagram just so i never have to see anything about this ever again. absolutely terrible.
—
[original review below]
genuinely one of the worst books i have read all year. review to come. i need to rant.
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