Everything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt

by Ben Reeves

Travis Smith is Death in the modern world. He lives with his cat in a grey English town. He offers people comfort in their final days and hours of life. He's stoic, gentle, a little naive, despite what he knows. He's handsome, he seems young, despite what he is. Each death has a meaning to him, and he never tries to change anyone's fate. He listens and never judges, and ultimately escorts each of them to rest.

Travis is desperately lonely, and when he crosses paths with young single midwife called Dalia who lives across the way and her boisterous eight-year-old daughter Layla, he can't help but be drawn to them. Dalia is beautiful and overwhelmed, and Layla seems to have a never-ending trove of small treasures to show Travis, and he's never felt the importance of making every moment count so clearly. Because he knows what's to come, and he can't make himself look away. As he learns what it means to really experience death, he's torn between his nature and his newfound understanding of the important things about being alive.

Genres: Fiction, Magical Realism, Contemporary, Literary Fiction, Grief, Adult, Fantasy

Kindle Edition

Expected publication July 7, 2026

About the author

@authorbenreeves

Reviews

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (Semi-Hiatus-attempting return) · Rating 5 out of 5]

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★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

[DianaRose]

my number one favorite read of 2025🩵

full rtc closer to pub day, but absolutely one of my top five reads of this year, and perhaps of all time. if only we all had twenty more minutes...

[TheConnieFox · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

You would think a book about death, narrated by Death would be depressing. The opposite is true which makes Ben Reeves’s debut novel, EVERYTHING WAS BEAUTIFUL AND NOTHING HURT, all the more extraordinary. This is an uplifting, gorgeously human story.

Let’s first talk about the writing style. Lyrical, flowing, verse-like at times; there was a soothing rhythm to his prose. I felt buoyed by it; almost as if it was ethereal. Reeves’s use of phrasing, structure, and descriptive language added to the experience. And this book is just that—an experience.

His depiction of Death as an ordinary man you might pass on the street without a second glance is brilliant. It drives home the point that death does not discriminate. It comes for us all regardless of our circumstances. Death cannot be bargained with or swayed. It is inevitable.

The takeaway for me from this thought provoking book is that how and when we die matters far less than how we live and the legacy we leave. This struck a very personal note for me as I faced my own mortality a few years ago. That experience brought about a fundamental change in the way I live my life and the things I prioritize.

The book was recommended by the talented Sarah Damoff whose books both left me a sobbing mess with a heart pieced back together with hope. EVERYTHING WAS BEAUTIFUL AND NOTHING HURT had the same effect. Brilliance recognizes brilliance.

This is a book about death (occurring at all ages), so some may be sensitive to the content.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

[Susan's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Death comes a-calling... sometimes he's just visiting - unless it is your time to go!



I truly enjoyed this often poetical and highly vivid excursion into the life and times of Death's minion, Travis.



We come to realize that many of the people that Travis spends time with will, in the very near future, "pass on." Some are impatient for this passing, having lived too long. Others are dismayed: that opening scene was so heart-rendingly touching! The exploration of the final moments of earth's creatures was not limited to humans. (I found the passage about the deer riveting.) The writing was beautifully lyrical and in some places downright entrancing.



I enjoyed spending time with all of the characters in this story. I had a few premonitions here and there as to where the plot was going (and drat it, I was right!)



I won't go into any more details for fear of spoilers. You need to go into this one blind. I suspect that you will find it just as impossible, as I did, to put this book down! Totally heartwarming, despite Travis being the harbinger of Death....



My thanks to the author, Ben Reeves, his publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Five out of 5 glowing and well-satisfied stars. Highly, highly recommended!

[cyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. This book was really thought provoking and gave a lot of interesting commentary towards death. I think oftentimes media that is told from the perspective of death can be kind of gauche and tacky but this one was really heartwarming. It starts out a bit slow and disjointed but at the halfway mark things take kind of a turn and get really interesting and kind of intense. The last page will definitely stick with me. I recommend this is you want kind of a philosophical book but there isn’t much tangible plot so be wary if that is something that will turn you off.

[Liana Gold]

Death is the narrator in this book!


Many thanks to NetGalley, Avid Reader Press and the author, Ben Reeves for an early eARC.

Publication date: July 7, 2025

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Avid Reader Press for the free ARC! All opinions are my own.

Wow, what a book.

What if Death personified was a guy named Travis? That’s the protagonist here. He’s not a super creepy grim reaper type, just a person who visits others and keeps them company in their last moments. He doesn’t judge, and he’s not there to change their fate. He accompanies them in their journeys out of the physical world.

The book combines vignettes of the people Travis visits at the end with a storyline following his relationships with the single mom and daughters who live across the hall from him. Can he actually make emotional connections in the world, or is that off limits to him? And even if he can, should he?

The prose in this book is lyrical and poetic. I also loved author Ben Reeves’s imagery. It’s a short read, but a deeply reflective and emotional one too. It’s one of those books that breaks your heart but brings you some hope toward the end. And above all, it’s life-affirming, covering the beautiful and heartbreaking parts of our journeys all at once. Please do check trigger warnings as needed. Glad to discuss in DMs on Instagram.

I highly recommend this debut novel to readers looking to feel a wide range of emotions while they read - which I know is many of us!

[danie 🏹 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt is a slow-moving literary fiction novel narrated by Death. In this story, Death is an adult man named Travis, a reserved, casual, and normal man who visits characters throughout the story to guide them into their deaths.

I would've enjoyed more background on Travis and his role as Death. It's left up to the reader to fill in the gaps of how exactly he meets with everyone, everywhere who is dying, and what happens after Travis initially meets each character. Throughout the novel Travis visits several people just before their deaths; they have a conversation, drink tea, reflect on their lives, but Travis doesn't really serve a purpose other than to be there. While it was interesting, I found it frustrating at times when I was left wondering why Travis, of all people, was Death.

A large portion of this book shows Travis' connection and interest in a family of three: Dalia and her two young daughters. I found this to be the most compelling narrative, and I wish that it focused solely on this instead of being interspersed with new characters whose lives took up a page or two in between Travis visiting Dalia. At times it felt that there was too much going on, and the addition of these characters made the novel feel less personal than when it featured Travis' relationship with Dalia.

It's meant to be a sad book, but I wasn't moved the entire time--it had its compelling parts, and the writing is beautiful. It presents death so that it can speak about humanity and life. It doesn't shy away from any tragedy, but again, it doesn't present it in a tragic way. The book really picked up and felt the most compelling in the last fifty pages, which is when I felt it move from a three-star to a four-star read.

[Neiley Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley, Ben Reeves, and Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster, for allowing me to read the ARC of Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt. I know that very few books will top this one in 2026. It is incredibly well-written, thought-provoking, and perspective-shifting. This is art and originality at its finest. We get to take a walk in Death’s shoes and see the ugly and beautiful truths of life. I have never read anything like it, nor have I gained so much perspective in one read.

For me, the sunshine feels a little brighter and the small moments feel a little sweeter, a little softer, because life is truly too short.

Amazing book!

[Blayne Curnel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for approving me for early access to this book and for allowing me to provide my honest review!

This is one of those books that makes your chest ache after you finish reading, for the tragedy of it. This book felt original, and it felt like the author's heart was truly in it. I could try to give a description of the book and how Death wanders around the world in the form of a human, and a bond is formed between him and a single mother and her two children, but that just won't do it justice. This book is poetic and thoughtful. The author has created something heartrending with his words, his way of writing, and the thoughts he has put to page. I really loved this book. It was beautiful.

[Abigail Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first glance, you’d think this book is about death but I’d argue it’s more about life. Travis is essentially an angel of death who sits with people before they die. Not to change the outcome, but just to offer comfort in their final moments. As he starts to develop a relationship with the woman across the hall and her two daughters, he feels what it’s like to feel embraced and alive for the first time. The writing of this book was so beautiful, it reminded me a lot of Fredrik Backman. Humans are resilient and capable of enduring so much and that’s exactly what this book captured. It was very emotional and sad, and I would recommend waiting to pick it up if you are in a season of deep deep grief.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I've read that's narrated by death, who, while going about his job, becomes affected and entranced by a human (the other is Marcus Zusak's The Book Thief). This is not a sci-fi book, so the logistics of how someone can be everywhere at once is not explored. With a story like this, you either surrender to its conceit or it doesn't work for you. Reeves is a talented writer, and I believe he earns our suspension of disbelief.

While this book is touching and affecting, beware that it is very very sad. It really is incredible what people can endure and keep on living.

SPOILERS AHEAD

No one who has experienced the death of a child should read this book. It will tear you in two.

[Jen W · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about death and those few moments before it happens. The narrator is Death and he is just your average guy named Travis. No grim reaper to fear. Just an average guy who tries to offer comfort in those final moments.

The story also follows the Family across the hall at the apartment complex that Travis lives in. You see how he tries to navigate everyday life and the unusual friendship with that family.

This was a 5 star read for me. I think it will resonate differently for everyone based on their own life experiences. I took care of my Mom as she was dying with cancer. As her caregiver, I hope in those final moments she wasn't scared. Maybe she even had a Travis by her side.

This book is not really written in chapters. More like segments. Some segments are written more like a poem, others are individual's stories.

To me, this was a beautiful story about providing some peace to those getting ready to pass. It gave me all the feels and reminded me how much I loved my mom and how thankful I am that I was there in her final days.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book for my honest review.

[Liva · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be the best piece of literature I have ever read.

First of all, I would like to thank NetGalley and the author Ben Reeves for the digital ARC and the opportunity to read and review this book.

I think everyone, when finished with this book, looks at their blank wall and thinks to themselves - man, I wish I wrote this.

I didn’t really know anything about this book before I got the ARC, other than I had read the premise and it was recommended to readers of Fredrik Backman. And I honestly think I am the biggest Fredrik fan (you bet I have read all his books). So already my hopes were VERY high. Now I have read the book, and I don’t think it should be compared to Fredrik Backman’s work or anything else for that matter, because this book is in a league of its own. And don’t get me wrong Fredrik Backman’s books are the definition of perfect, but I think his books are very different from Everything was beautiful and nothing hurts. So, it’s no hate to Fredrik because his books are also in a league of their own. But Everything was beautiful and nothing hurts is completely incomparable to anything. I don’t even have the words to describe just how beautiful this masterpiece is. The way the book portrays life and grief- I just have no words. Well, maybe a few, so I’ll try ;)

THE CHARACTERS:
The main characters, Travis, Delila, and of course Layla, were all so beautifully written. I personally really enjoy depth of the characters and their worst sides, and you really get to see that in this book. Because the book is about life, and nobody who walks this earth is perfect, and the book really showcases this through the blame that is put on Delila. You don’t think it’s her fault, yet it is so understandable how Nick feels and why he blames her. The characters’ emotions feel so humane, so real, and so raw - and you rarely see books that do it so, so well, and to think this is Ben’s debut novel. HOLY SHIT. The characters also acted through their emotions, and it was just really well done. Bravo.

TRAVIS:
Travis was such an interesting character, because he was so full of everything and yet so incredibly empty. Especially in the beginning, where he is this shadow of a person. And I know he is death- but if he is death, he must also be life, because there is no life without death. And then he meets the little family. And I love that the author stays true to the character- so it’s not this dramatic 360° switch-up, but in the little moments where Travis learns what life is and that what we put into it matters, even the little things.

“Here we are, doing small things, nothing really, just talking, watching television. And yet in the nothingness there is a life more real than any wedding or christening or birthday party. In these tiny moments, when the spectacle is stripped away, when there is no reason for the day, what’s left appears to be something true, something fundamental to being a person.”

DELILA:
A mother losing her child is a pain that can’t be described with words. A scene I found very well written was the scene with the car, when it breaks down and they have to walk in the rain, and Layla asks her questions, but Delila is so overstimulated and she just snaps and yells at Layla- and the regret hits half a second later, and she apologizes and breaks a bit on the inside, because she just made this little creature that she loves with everything in her body cry. I think this is something most parents can relate to- a situation we all have, in some way or another, been in, that we accidentally hurt someone we love- and that is just life.

LAYLA:
Layla was my favorite character. Such an interesting little soul. Layla was so naïve and fragile, which most children are because they rely on everything from their parents, and yet they are so strong. Layla shows this huge bravery even in her last moments. I don’t think I will ever recover from reading her last moments. First, a hatred towards Travis, because she feels so deeply betrayed again because of the trust, she has toward him - and then the pleading, which broke my heart. And then the hardest part - the realization. The way she lists everything up, “tell Neda that I love her and I am sorry I was mean to her,” was just utterly heartbreaking, because it shows defeat. She deep down knows that she is out of time. And I don’t know why, but even during the last moments I expected she would live, and even after her death I expected Travis would bring her home, because it couldn’t end like this, could it? No, because that is not fair. That’s not how it should be. But that is exactly what life is, and we often plan so much ahead, but no matter how hard we try, we don’t always get our way with things.
THE LITTLE STORIES (THAT DO NOT INVOLVE HUMANS):
Sometimes, as humans, we can’t help but think we are the sole and only centrum of the earth and, for that matter, also the universe. So it was almost refreshing that we get these stories about animals - both the mother and the baby deer, but also, in the end, with the dance of the mayflies. The story with the deer was extremely horrible, and don’t get me wrong, it was not bad, but it was so shocking and so utterly sad, and I freaking ugly cried all over the place. And I am so thankful that I was not in public, but just sitting on my sofa. I think it is because deer are just such pure creatures, so that story just hit a nerve. And then the story with the mayflies - an animal we often don’t care about and more likely find very disgusting - and then their story is about enjoying life to the fullest, which was unexpected, but I freaking loved it. From now on, I am going to live like a mayfly and live this short life we are granted to the fucking fullest.

THE PLOT:
The plot twist is just crazy. When I read the last chapter with the very old woman, I dropped my phone and started bawling. I don’t think anyone expected that, but it was just the story needed. It tied everything together with a nice little bow.

Moral of the story:
Live life to the fullest while you are alive, and love as much and as hard as you can while you can

PLAYLIST:
Yes, okay, after I finished reading this book, I made a playlist. Call me dedicated, I guess, or crazy — up to you really 🤷‍♀️
• Haunted — Dillistone
• Fourth of July — Sufjan Stevens
• Sparks — Coldplay
• White Ferrari — Frank Ocean
• Hand Me Downs — Mac Miller
• Slow Dance — Clairo
• What Love Is — Zimmer90
• I’m Not in Love — 10cc
• Sins of the Father — Daniel Caesar
• Not a Lot, Just Forever — Adrianne Lenker
• The View Between Villages — Noah Kahan
• Head in a Jar — Khamari
• Heavy — The Marías
• Sienna — The Marías
• Wash — Bon Iver
• Darling — Montell Fish
• Fine Line — Harry Styles
• Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby — Cigarettes After Sex
• Meet You at the Graveyard — Cleffy
• Two Ghosts — Harry Styles
• Cry — Cigarettes After Sex
• Every Breath You Take — The Police

[Emily Poche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Avid Reader Press and Simon & Shuster for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Everything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by Ben Reeves is a highly evocative and beautifully artful story of Travis, who is the human personification of death. Confined to a mundane and deeply isolated existence, Travis witnesses the deaths of the people in an unnamed and otherwise unremarkable town. His across the hall neighbor, a child named Layla, wrenches Travis from his exile and thrusts him into her family, where he finds himself falling for her mother. This new proximity allows him to consider life in a new way.

To start, I think that there is something very special about Reeves ability to create moments in time. Interspersed throughout the story are paragraphs that are just a collection of sentences describing different things happening at the same time all over the town. It is gorgeous how the author can create lush, layered images of a mundane place that is brimming with electricity. Truly, some of my favorite parts of this book are the scene setting. His vivid imagery is so rich and detailed that it paints a really stunning image, even when describing things as mundane as a tire floating in a river.

The book presents two different sets of stories; the plot with Travis, Layla, Ned’s, and Dalia, and the vignettes of the dying people. I really thought that the short vignettes were spectacular. It was amazing how much the author was able to do in a short amount of time to create detailed and dynamic characters. I could have read an entire book comprised of just these brief but absolutely fascinating stories.

The main plot was less inspiring to me. I think that while the plucky little kid who pulls loner from his shell is very frequently revisited as a story trope. And while we definitely see through Travis’ eyes, I don’t think that his character is played as so stoic and isolated that the relationship feels very bizarre. They seem to embrace him completely, immediately, and without any reservations at all. He, in turn, seems to become a central family figure after only a few cursory attempts to turn Layla away. I suppose it’s just the lack of balance that seems to keep me from enjoying this storyline completely. They seem so deeply invested in him, and it seems the only thing he provides is his physical presence. I just kept thinking that this newfound family was great, but what do they see in him, besides a mildly attractive adult man?

Overall, I did enjoy this book quite a bit. I thought the literary style and high descriptive way of creating a setting was really well done. The vignettes are vivid and interesting, and those three things are worth reading the book for, even if the main plot wasn’t particularly uncharted territory. I’ll be scoring this a 4/5.

[MrsHarvieReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by Ben Reeves is a profoundly moving, thought provoking, and ultimately inspiring novel. It is a short book, but it packed such an emotional punch that I needed to pace myself.

The novel’s simple message to embrace life is written in a beautiful, lyrical style that kept me hooked from start to finish. It is told from the perspective of Travis, who is a modern day Grim Reaper. Travis is able to walk unnoticed amongst people until it is their time. It is striking to see how some people greet him fondly and others try to bargain him away, but death is always inevitable. Travis remains somewhat detached until he forms a unique bond with his neighbor, Dalia, and her 8 year old daughter, Layla. Their bond complicates his thoughts on life and death.

Having faced my own mortality after a cancer diagnosis, this story resonated with me on a deeply personal level. That experience changed my perspective on life, my priorities, and how I want to be remembered. I hope readers will also embrace the importance of living life to its fullest.

I reserve my 5⭐️ reviews for books that stop me in my tracks and make me FEEL. I may not have been left a sobbing mess in the end, but there were times when this book took my breath away. And it left me with a serious book hangover. Congratulations to the author on his debut novel! 5/5⭐️
(anticipated release 7/7/2026)

Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for an advanced reader copy of Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Faith J · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Death as a poetic empath; feeling everything, all at once, all the time, which equates to nothing at all. Travis/Death speaks in first person POV as himself, narrates other people's stories in 3rd person POV, and speaks directly in 2nd person POV. The shifts in and out of POVs were exquisitely written. I found the writing style and tone of the book refreshingly wonderful and the prose was lyrical and poetically descriptive. This is a book that makes you experience everything as the author delves into constant new emotions and feelings underwent by characters.
Truly an original and unforgettable story that leaves you appreciating life while simultaneously accepting the inevitability of death. Death is showcased in many forms from tragic to expected, but just as death is met each time, life is radiating through their conversations. It is incredible how this book encapsulates the breadth of the human experience and the infinite possibilities of ways a life can be lived and ended.
It is a short book but I would recommend not rushing through it. Because it teeters on poetry at times: slow down, grab a cup of tea, and savor it.
In the end, it wasn't death that made me choked, it was new life.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for my ARC.

Meet Travis, who you might know as Death. The one and only. Travis is just like you and me, living in our world, walking out streets. You might spot him sporting jeans and a t-shirt, but then again, he's so average, he tends to blend into the background. He's everywhere and nowhere, all the time. Watching, waiting. A neutral witness that arrives at the time of your death. He listens and watches, but he never intervenes. He never judges. But Travis meets Dalia and her daughter Layla, and eventually his detachment becomes a little harder to maintain. He begins to feel, both the life around him, and the loss he leaves with each death.

This was a special novel to me. It was quiet and heartbreaking as Travis floated from one person to the next, witnessing the end to every life, no matter how old and no matter how new. Unsurprisingly, this story was heavy, with loss on what felt like every single page--but there was life between those pages too, and it was a wonder to watch Travis slowly discover how to feel, how to care, and how to bear all of that despite knowing the end would always come. I don't think this story will be easily forgotten.

[Abigail E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book completely took my breath away. The writing was brilliant and beautiful, the story was thought-provoking and heart-wrenching, and the whole reading experience felt as if I was living alongside the characters.

We accompany our narrator, Death (he goes by Travis) as he meets people in their final moments - some welcome him with open arms as a friend, others try to negotiate their way out of what is to come. His across-the-hall neighbors, Dalia and eight-year-old Layla, welcome him into their orbit and his job as Death suddenly takes on a new and different meaning to him, causing him to consider what is important in life.

While a difficult subject, this book explores life and death and grief with exceptional love and care. Definitely a heavy topic (especially as it explores death of people of all ages) so make sure you’re ready for it before reading this beautiful, beautiful book. I will absolutely be purchasing a physical copy of this one when it comes out, as I know it will be worthwhile to revisit.

[Carol Scheherazade · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful book, though a difficult one to review, because I believe it will resonate differently with every reader. Having worked in palliative care, and being older, I approached it from the perspective of someone who has witnessed death closely and repeatedly. The protagonist is gentle and deeply human, yet ultimately powerless; the accumulation of loss weighs heavily on him, and he struggles under its burden.

The book is filled with moments of profound humanity—so many, in fact, that I found myself crying more than once. It touched me deeply. The writing is lyrical and poetic, carrying both tenderness and grief with great care. I very much look forward to reading more from this author.

[Courtney Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘩𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥. 𝘐𝘵 𝘦𝘣𝘣𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘵."

💭 THOUGHTS:
𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗮𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝘂𝗿𝘁 is a heartachingly poignant reflection on life and death that will resonate with everyone who's ever experienced the loss of a loved one or pondered their own immortality.

For a character who is essentially the Grim Reaper, Travis (aka Death) feels deeply human. He leads a quiet ordinary existence and spends his days visiting people to provide them company in their final moments; he offers comfort and kindness and no judgement.

There are vignettes laced throughout the story that highlight the inevitability of death for everyone. But the true beating heart lies in the relationship Travis forms with Dalia and her daughters, who live across the hall. I appreciated the juxtaposition between Dalia who, as a midwife, ushers life into the world and Travis who, as Death, accompanies those on their way out of it. Though Travis's job forces him to remain carefully detached to people, this little family wedges their way into his existence. Everything leads to a culmination that feels life-affirming and fittingly full circle.

Lyrical and moving, 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗮𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝘂𝗿𝘁 packs an emotional punch in it's pages. It isn't a long read, but it is one that you will savor and one that will linger for a long time afterwards.


✨ Thank you to Avid Reader Press and Net Galley for this eARC! [Pub date: 7•7•2026]

[Peter Albertelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolutely beautifully written book. Everything is so perfectly described…without being overly descriptive (if that makes sense!). The story, the love and most of all the deaths….i felt like i was floating above the pages and reading poetry. Even with this book about death, it had great hope! Please remember to take the “20 minute Gift” at the end, you’ll be doing yourself a favor….

[Hannah Huston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt is a deeply moving, gorgeously written debut that I know will stay with me long after I finished reading. Upon finishing the book I simply laid in bed crying, thinking about my life and everyone I love.

This is a novel about death in all its forms — sudden and expected, young and old, quiet and devastating — but more than that, it is a book about humanity, connection, and what it means to live alongside loss.

Ben Reeves’s prose is lyrical and poetic, often reading like verse. At its best, the writing is tender, thoughtful, and emotionally resonant. There were many moments that left me openly sobbing, and I know I will be thinking about this story for a long, long time. The novel treats its subject matter with care and empathy, allowing space for grief without ever feeling cold or clinical.

That said, the poetic style occasionally felt a bit overworked for me. At times, the language leaned so heavily into lyricism that I found myself skimming passages to return to the characters themselves, who were consistently the strongest part of the book. Reeves has a very distinct narrative voice, and while I admired it overall, it may not work for every reader.

This is also a book that warrants attention to content warnings. It explores death at all ages and stages, from many different causes, and while handled with sensitivity, it may be emotionally difficult for some readers.

Ultimately, Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt is a heartfelt, ambitious debut that grapples with mortality in a deeply human way. Readers who appreciate poetic prose, reflective storytelling, and emotionally immersive novels will find a great deal to admire here.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reading copy.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by Ben Reeves is both beautiful and devastatingly poignant.

The novel follows Travis as he witnesses the final moments of those nearing death. He narrates the story himself, a quiet personification of death. What resonates most is how Reeves shapes Travis as a symbolic presence, exploring the many ways people relate to death itself. There is a universality here, expressed in prose that feels poetic yet accessible. Travis, as death, is rendered human: ordinary, familiar, even faintly comforting. Given that death touches everyone, this choice feels both fitting and deeply affecting.

Ultimately, the narrative traces the evolving connection between Travis and his neighbour, Dalia. Their relationship is handled with wonderful sensitivity. I found myself moved to tears more than once. The characterisation is hauntingly vivid and beautifully realised.

The shifts between intimate, individual episodes and the broader narrative are handled with ease, giving the novel a fluid, engaging structure. Quietly powerful and deeply affecting, it stands as one of my favourite reads of 2026 so far.

[CarrieLynn S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never read anything like this. It’s heartbreaking and beautiful. It’s poetry. It’s art. This book has changed me. I’ll never look at death, or life or even a brick the same ever again. I’m completely gutted, I cried multiple times. If I could give it ten stars, I would.

Travis is Death. He lives across the hall from Dalia and her two daughters, Layla and Neda, and slowly becomes entwined in the rhythms of their everyday lives.

I’m not sure whether this is poetry or prose. The language is pure poetry, lyrical, elegant , and breathtaking. The formatting feels poetic too, with dialogue and structure unfolding more like stanzas than traditional chapters. And yet, the story itself is prose, with traditional narrative and characters. I’ve never experienced a book that blends the two so seamlessly.

Read this book.
Read this book.
Read this book.
Thank you NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for this digital ARC. This might be the best book I’ve ever read and I’ve already preordered a physical copy.

[ROLLAND Florence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Travis is Death, a la Pratchett. He aspires to a quiet life, wears blue jeans, and tends to his allotment. He is polite and friendly to his neighbours.

Travis keeps to himself. His job is difficult and he tries to remain detached. Emotions would get in the way, and it is not about him... It is about the people who die, and those who survive. The death of a mother. The death of a baby. The death of a criminal. The death of a homeless man. All those deaths overlap. Travis tends to everyone, because death is the great equaliser. Nobody deserves to die alone, unless they want to.

In an unlikely turn of events, Travis becomes friends with his neighbour. She is a midwife with young children, one of them is still a baby. He gets attached to them and starts to dream of a normal life. When tragedy hits the family, Travis gets hit, too. He starts to question his role, even if he cannot change when people die. What ensues is a beautiful novel about overcoming grief and doing the right thing. Sometimes, the ultimate act of courage is just to stay alive.

Thank you to NetGalley, to the publisher Simon & Schuster, and to the author Ben Reeves. This is a delightful novel, talking about hard topics with respect and decency. I would love to read anything from Ben Reeves in the future... This novel was a solid 5 stars for me. Thank you.

[Colleen Maclennan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about the journey of dying . It follows individuals who welcome death while others especially the young girl Layala who are not as accepting . Death will happen to all and this book tells the story of a few. It can be a time of thanksgiving to some while others are not ready for the passage. Travis tries to make their journey meaningful and for the most part he does. His connection with a mother and daughter has moments of joy and deep suffering . To live a full life and have the privilege of seeing your future generations makes this book about death a more compelling read.

[Jo B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a beautiful gut punch that lives somewhere between poetry and prose. It’s a book that is going to linger with me for a long time.
It’s lyrical and somehow nostalgic but also surprising.
Read this book and revel in how deeply moving and painful and beautiful it is to be alive, to be anything at all.

Thank you to Avid Reader Press/Simon&Schuster and NetGalley for this eARC.

[Tyler Atwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking, life-affirming. It felt emotionally reminiscent of Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, with some of the grief-saturated strangeness of Max Porter’s Grief Is the Thing with Feathers.

Excited for others to read this! Dare you not to cry.