While I'm in my fifties, I think 7 and up would find something in this book. It presents some difficult topics, such as xenophobia, in a light way so that you don't feel beaten down with sadness or despair. I liked the variety of non-human characters. I felt that the backstory could have been fleshed out some more. I also found the story very, very predictable.

Got my copy from Overdrive courtesy of my public library.

Apparently, I liked the blurb so much I also requested and received a copy from Netgalley.

I absolutely loved this book. TJ Klune's "The House in the Cerulean Sea" is a five-star enchantment, seamlessly blending fantasy, humor, and poignant human connections. Following the meticulous case worker Linus Baker on an unexpected assignment to investigate a magical orphanage on Marsyas Island, the novel unfolds a tale of love, acceptance, and self-discovery. Klune's masterful storytelling introduces a cast of endearing characters whose quirks and vulnerabilities make them feel like cherished companions. The novel's heart lies in its exploration of diversity and the celebration of individuality, with a subtle yet impactful message. Set against the vivid backdrop of the Cerulean Sea, the story effortlessly weaves magical elements into the every day, creating a world that is both fantastical and relatable.

What a wonderful book! Such fabulous characters. So original, completely refreshing. I look forward to more by this fine author. It really inspired me.

this book is like a shot of magical happiness, and I loved every single minute of it. The characters and world were magical, I couldn’t get enough of it. I laughed and cried, and can’t wait to pick up another book by this author.

I have heard so much about this book and am glad that I finally got the chance to read it. The characters are very intriguing and I loved seeing the growth of Linus as his time at the orphanage goes on. He learns a lot more about himself as well as others around him.

I have gifted this book to many young ones. I am very pleased to have gotten an early copy. Thank you for sharing the book. I did review online, I just forgot to post here. Sorry!

Late review, but basically TJ Klune can do NO WRONG in my eyes.

The House in the Cerulean Sea is just beautiful. The characters are beautifully written, the relationships are gentle and sweet and magical. There is (of course, its TJ Klune!) a beautiful diversity of characters.

This is a YA fantasy, but there are so many contemporary themes, prejudices, morals and lessons for us all within its pages..

Just stunning!

All the stars ✨✨✨✨✨ .

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an early copy.

Ich fand dieses Buch mit den Themen Found Family, ältere queere Beziehungen und die Schönheit am Anderssein eine erfrischende Abwechslung!

The best word to describe this book is charming. Cerulean Sea had everything I could ask for in a book – it was an enjoyable read, with depth to the story and depth to the characters. Speaking of the characters, I loved them all (but Lucy was my favorite). There were so many layers of lessons to learn in this book, from not judging others who look different from you, to loving yourself for exactly who you are to the importance of getting out of your comfort zone and so much more. Mixed in with the depth was a lot of humor and many, many quotable passages and one liners. I loved this book and hope that everyone will read it

Linus Baker is middle-aged, content with his position as a caseworker with DICOMY (Department in Charge of Magical Youth), and has no real ambition to make any changes to his routine. That is until Extremely Upper Management sends him to the Marsyas Island Orphanage to check on the well-being of the magical residents and assess the man in charge, Arthur Parnassus. Spending time with the “dangerous” children and their caretaker, Linus is forced to take a good hard look at the rules and regulations of DICOMY and Extremely Upper Management, and his own role in the department. In the end, Linus has some difficult decisions to make, which could have some major repercussions, and not just for him.

This is the first book of T.J. Klune’s that I’ve ever read. One of my favorite authors had repeatedly sung the book’s praises, so I knew I needed to read it. And I’m so glad that I did. It reminds me a little bit of Ransom Riggs’ Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, but more lighthearted and whimsical. The residents of the orphanage may be considered “monsters” to some, but they are really just children, who may look a little different, searching for somewhere to belong. And where they belong is on Marsyas Island with Arthur. The kids are subject to a lot of prejudice by some of the humans on the mainland, which is heartbreaking. Thankfully, there are a few kind souls that step up to help Arthur give the children a sense of normalcy, including Linus.

This is hands-down my favorite book of 2020, and I would go so far as to say it is quite sincerely the most beautiful book I have ever read. It is a warm hug in book form, enveloping you in and effortlessly making you part of this weird and wonderful family. Yes, one of the children in the orphanage is the Antichrist, but this is still 100% a feel-good read. I actually cried when I finished reading the last page because it was such an enchanting journey and I didn’t want it to be over. I just want to keep reading about these lovely, magical characters forever.

I really had no idea what I was going to find when I started reading 'The House in the Cerulean Sea', and I"m still amazed that Klune pulled it off. This book is an eloquent blending of familiar tropes like magical children and orphanages with a sweetly portrayed romance between two adult men -- something that I'm not sure I've ever seen before in YA (and which it would be very, very good to see more of.) Another aspect that makes this story new is how gentle it is. Some of the things/people that show up are the sort of things that you might find in an epic and pounding adventure -- and don't get me wrong -- this book *has* adventure. But it's equally focused on noticing the things that people fear, the painful lessons they've learned, and how they confront those lessons and find a way to turn them into something new. I feared that it would be saccharine, I finished it wondering what the world would be like if more children (and adults!) were exposed to this kind of story earlier. I will happily buy and read whatever TJ Klune cares to publish.

What can you say about this book, that likely hasn't been said already? It is beyond sweet. The characters, not just the MC's, but all the characters, are fantastically well written. They are very distinct, and so much fun. A bit stand-offish to begin with, but with good reason. However, their love for Linus is quick to come around, and was quickly as big as their love for Arthur.Arthur, with his big heart, and bigger home for children that didn't fit the mold of "normal" within the magical youth, brought such joy to everyone on the island. Eventually, he won over Linus, who clearly needed what everyone on that island so much wanted to give him.This story was a bit of a fairytale, with it's evil powers, and do gooders, and a sweet "monster", but it was more than that. It was all about love, both romantic, and the love for your found family. I absolutely loved this book, and honestly would love to take a little view in the future at what their lives are like. An epilogue of the epilogue. :) Nevertheless, if you haven't read this, sit back, be happy and just enjoy this sweet and lively romp through joy by a master world builder in the queer romance genre. 4.5 pieces of eye candy

What a book!! The publishers provided a digital copy for my bookclub and I just couldn't stop reading!!!

Linus us super straight laced a man who not only follows them but loves them. As a social worker for magical and mystical children. He is given a special assignment to spend 4 weeks on an island with an orphanage.


Just such a food book. There is do much that I want to say but I also don't want to spoil it! All I will say is bare with it. Although the first few chapters are slow it gets so much better. I was completely emotionally invested come the End!

4.5 stars rounded up to 5 🌟

Linus Baker is a case worker at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth (DICOMY). He lives life and works by the book. He is unexpectedly assigned to Marsyas Island Orphanage where six "dangerous" children live; a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, a green blob, a boy who can turn into a pomeranian and the Antichrist. Arthur, their caretaker will do anything to keep his wards safe. Linus' job is to objectively determine whether the orphanage is operating effectively, but it gets complicated when he loses focus on the Rules and Regulations and starts to live life instead.

First of all, I am not at all a fantasy reader so I could not enjoy the "magical" aspect of this book. Nor could I imagine the characters and what they might look like. I found it hard to understand or connect to the characters.

Secondly, apparently the author based this story on the Residential Schools in Canada, and added a magical/fantastical twist to it. Children were separated from their families forcefully and lived in dire conditions, many not surviving the experience. Not sure how he could spin this story from the truth of what happened, or why he would take a cultural trauma and spin it into this.

The only storyline that I enjoyed was of Linus Baker, he starts off sheltered and living life by a rigid set of rules but he really finds himself and has a lot of personal development throughout the book.

Thank you to Tor Books for a copy of this book as host of the Girly Book Club.

This book has a lovely message about acceptance. I wanted to immerse myself in the story, but I found the explicit message a touch distracting at times. The author could have made the point more effectively if the messaging was a touch more subtle. but, all in all, a read that I'll recommend to others.

Sadly, I can't give this book 4 stars. I know so many people have really loved this book. I struggled with getting through the book and it took me forever to get through it.

I wasn't able to really connect with the characters in the story. There were some beautiful quotes in the book that I really loved but that's about it for me.

This book honestly feels like the most wonderful hug, it is a pure comfort read. Found family is one of my all time favourite tropes and TJKlune used found family to create the most heart warming book. This is so different to The Extraordinaries but also has a very similar writing style and loveable characters. Chauncey has to be my favourite, how could he not be with his dreams of being the best bell hop, he’s just so precious, I hope TJKlune has plenty more charming and comforting stories lines up, because I need these!

This book is pure perfection! It has such a beautiful, wholesome story and wonderful found family elements. This book is heartwarming and stunning inside and out!

This book is beautiful!

Some elements reminded me of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and Every Heart a Doorway but WAY WAY better.

The world-building and character descriptions/development were so natural and the author, TJ Klune does an amazing job of showing us instead of just telling us. I felt like I was brought along with Linus and looking out of his eyes most of the book. The prose and way sentences are written made it relaxing to listen to and would also pierce my heart at the same time.

The audiobook narration is so well done and it's rare that a narrator can do so many distinct voices where you feel like each character has a separate narrator. On top of that, it's almost impossible for a narrator to do children's voices without sounding annoying in my avid audiobooking experience. Well, Daniel Henning made the impossible, possible because many of the main characters are children and I was not annoyed by ANY of their voices so bravo! I borrowed the audiobook from the library but I need to own it, so I'll be getting it from Audible.

This will be one of my favorites for this year (2021) for sure and I can see it becoming part of the few books I re-read as a comfort read. If you're on the fence because of the hype like I was, hopefully, this review convinced you because everyone needs to read this book already!!

This book is a delightful tale of the adorably bumbling Linus. The equivalent of a social worker for magical kids, Linus takes great care to maintain professionalism while trying to do his best for his charges. His life takes a turn when he is assigned to look into an orphanage for children who are classified as the most dangerous. Follow along with Linus from the dreary city to an island paradise as he does his best to do his job well, and make sure that the best is done for the kids at Marsyas Island Orphanage, and maybe, just maybe for himself as well.