Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town initially drew me in because of the title. There’s something so… melancholic but also just matter-of-fact, depending on how you read it about the title, and I absolutely LOVED it. I like the way it can feel like an overarching theme about how, not just in a town but in your own life, you feel “famous,” like you’re the main character, like you’re important. And in many ways, each person IS important in a special way, because no one person is without their stories. And boy is this book full of them! This novel is a collection of interconnected short stories set in small towns all across the United States. The stories are distinct and vastly different (sometimes disorientingly so) yet intertwined, painting a vivid picture of the struggles, secrets, and resilience of people living in these remote areas.

I love it when short stories all come together to tell this other, bigger story. They kind of tie in together but also don't, and that's sort of how life is too! You're also able to explore different themes (like grief) through different stories and perspectives. The stories handle difficult topics such as loss, trauma, perseverance with nuance, really hitting the reader hard emotionally. Hithcock not only does a great job setting up distinct characters, but each setting feels just as different, real, and important as the perspectives we’re following. Each small town may be a small town, but that doesn’t mean they’re the same by any means (though in some ways they are too).

That being said, despite the stories coming together and telling a bigger story, the narrative sometimes feels a bit fragmented. I know this is in part just the nature of short stories, but it was so easy to lose my flow as I was reading. I’d get into a story, kind of start to get into it or fall into the setting and the message, only to be pulled out and restarting the process with the next story. Because of the many stories, there’s also a lack of depth that I would have liked to have seen with the characters. There’s not as much development or nuance with each character because there isn’t any time for it. And while most stories were great, the pacing for some felt really off and so overall the book felt a little unbalanced. Again, I realize this is in part just the nature of short story collections but it left me a little disoriented. Some stories were less gripping than others and others I wanted more of but had to move on too quickly. As such, I was sometimes intrigued and other times bored and ready for the next story.

Overall though, this book is poignant and beautifully written. It was really satisfying seeing how all the stories fit together like puzzle pieces to a bigger picture, especially because some of the stories really felt like that one random blue puzzle piece that could go anywhere, but also could be for a different puzzle altogether. The idea was great, some stories were really fantastic, and I’d still highly recommend.

This is a totally sensational novel. I could not put it down, and read it in a single sitting. I wish more people were talking about this one! I loved it's depth and the characters were all so fully developed and I fell in love with them.

Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town is a collection of inter-connected short stories. Taking place in Alaska, Montana and Colorado, a character from one story connects to another story. Typically I am not a fan of short stories (unless it is an introduction to a series on longer novel) as I finish reading wanting more - from the characters and their personal stories. Although the thread of Poppy's story was felt in almost every story, whether in the forefront or background, I wanted more about what happened from her perspective, because she was either a secondary or tertiary character in the stories that directly related to her lived experience. In a way this a prime example of what happens in life, we hear bits and pieces and never find out the whole until years later, or ever and this is what this felt like, the reader was just an observer on a small bit of the characters' lives. I would love a follow-up full-length novel - we have witnessed the aftermath, but what led up to it? I would recommend this to anyone who likes well-written, evocative books that have open-ended or incomplete endings.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to read this early. Review has been posted on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this one. I was a little confused in the first story because it started in the middle and there was no real context. But the context came and as the stories built on each other, everything made sense.

I enjoyed how each story picked up where the previous story left off, but in a different place and from a different character’s perspective. Usually the character was linked to the character who narrated the previous story, but sometimes it was someone linked to another character. But ultimately they were all linked.

Character development and backstories are my favorite part of a story, usually. So this was very different for me. But ultimately I did enjoy the uniqueness of this book and the way the stories fit together like pieces of a puzzle, with each new piece clicking into place to show the entire picture.

Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book through Net Galley on behalf of the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for giving me an advanced copy of this book to read and review.

The short stories in this were so sweet. I love the way that they all connected to create this bigger narrative, I haven't read The Smell of Other People's Houses, but after reading this, I will definitely be picking it up!

This was a fast, easy read that really manages to draw you in and pull at your heartstrings. Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock successfully weaved a series of characters, stories, and events together to tell a story of people from a small town. They are linked together by proximity, relationships, and even strangers, and I found the way she told this story through the eyes of so many unique, individual people to be quite profound.

Hitchcock truly captured a snapshot of what it means to be human. How our choices enact consequences, how we don't truly know what the person sitting next to us at church, school, work, on the bus or train is going through. How we each have our own special story to tell, all of them difficult and magical in their own way.

<i>Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town</i> is composed of a series of short, character-driven stories that take place in different small towns across Alaska and the American west. Each story is unique, the character's dealing with various different issues and life experiences, but they all connect and intersect in interesting ways, showing how interconnected we all are and how our actions can reverberate and effect the lives of so many others.

I originally picked up this book because I loved Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock's previous release, <i>The Smell of Other People's Houses</i>. That book was similar in that it looked at the lives of four different characters, not related on the surface, who's stories all intertwined in an interesting way. It took me by surprise, I loved it a lot more than I expected to. Unfortunately, this book did not leave as much of an impact.

While this book is very well-written, and each story had interesting/important elements, I found it quite boring and unmemorable. Don't get me wrong, I really did appreciate how the stories intersected - Hitchcock is a very clever, creative, and talented author. I also thought there were a lot of important issues addressed in a way that didn't feel preachy or reaching. But, likely because it was so fragmented, I had a lot of difficulty connecting to the book. I also think because of the sheer number of stories and characters presented in such a short book, nothing was truly developed, only exasperating the issue and forget-ability of the book overall.

This book wasn't as good as I wanted to be. At the end of the day, it was forgettable. Although, it does showcase Hitchcock's writing ability and I would still be willing to check out her next release.

I did not finish this book. It did not suit my taste and I did not enjoy what I read. 5 star thank you.

“In a small town, you are forever defined by the worst thing that ever happened to you.”

This is a collection of short stories that all center around the same theme: living in a small town. The characters in this collection overlap, at times, but most of the stories can stand on their own and be appreciated for what they are in their independent-ness. I haven't read anything else by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock but I have heard a lot about The Smell of Other People's Houses. In this collection I was taken by the strong characters that immediately got in my head and stayed there for awhile. As with all anthologies, I found some characters were easier to connect with than others. I also found some characters to be more loveable than others. I enjoyed this collection while I was listening to it and I think readers who enjoy character-driven anthologies will enjoy this collection.

While this collection is marketed as young adult, I would definitely recommend this for high school readers. Some of these stories contain mature themes that might make some middle school readers uncomfortable.

TW: pedophilia, child sexual assault, grief, car accident, drug use, addiction, murder, fire, cheating, kidnapping

**Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's for the advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the early copy. At first I didn't realize this was a book of short stories. I enjoyed how they all intertwined together much how they would in a real small town, everyone's life has some impact. I do feel there were too many characters at points and things got confusing sometimes. There are some trigger warnings people should be aware of going in.

Didn't capture my attention and engagement. Interested in trying it again though and hopefully it will take.

This is a cute book that makes the reader think about the interconnectedness of our lives. So many things that seem to be unrelated all come together in the end.

2.5 Stars

This story felt so disjointed and clunky. I never really connected with any of the characters and kind of struggled to get through this. Bonnie Sue Hitchcock can definitely write atmosphere, and even with it just being short stories, you could still feel the cold northern settings and small Alaskan town.
If you're a fan of short stories, I think you would enjoy this, but it wasn't my cup of tea.

Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town is a beautifully written short story collection set in small-town Alaska, I loved this book so much. The characters were all so beautifully unique, interesting, and quirky. The reading experience was a little slow but so worth it in the end.

I found this to be an enjoyable read, keeping me on my toes throughout. The storyline was written well and flowed seamlessly. I look forward to reading more by this author!

i’ve been made aware of the problematic,fatphobic content of this book, which means i am no longer interested in reading it. however, i feel like it is important for the publisher to recognize this, which is why i’m still providing feedback.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it was a great collection of stories. This was a beautifully written story and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Loved the concept of this book, but I expected the stories to be a bit more interesting - I struggled with this one. I love short stories and stories where characters are connected, but this was really boring and I gave up towards the end.