I finished this book last night, and I have been missing the characters all day. This book is a delight.

There is a bit of a Roald Dahl vibe, especially in the beginning of the story when we are introduced to Linus, who is kind of a sad character. He doesn’t know he is sad as he eats his lettuce alone and gets mocked by the old lady next door, but he is.

His job is to audit orphanages for magical children and decide if they are meeting standards clearly outlined in his worn copy of Rules & Regulations. One day he is chosen for a highly classified assignment. He is sent to investigate a remote orphanage full of unique characters.

Everything that ensues is magical.

I honestly didn't get far into this title before I put it down. It looks like the story has resonated with many readers, which is great, but I was beyond bored with the main character and how dreary he was in the opening chapters...and trying to read beyond felt like an absolute chore.

I am not the kind of reader who cries. And yet I did, while reading The House in the Cerulean Sea. Three times. Arthur and Linus and all the magical children are just so real that as the climactic points arose I found myself tearing up, because I cared so much for all of them. For Linus in his terrible job, for Arthur, who has given so much, for the children, who have suffered and yet because of Arthur retain their optimism.

Just a marvelous, wonderful, book.

RATING: 5/5 STARS

This book made me feel like sunshine and rainbows! It was a wholesome, beautiful, and amusing read, but also had deeper layers to it. It takes a while for this book to set up some background before the exciting parts of the story, so keep reading past the ~20% mark to truly give it a try - you won't regret it! The genius of THE HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA lies in the characters. The magical children are the most precious beings... They're quirky, funny, and so unique. Klune fully develops each of their personalities, so by the end the reader feels attached to every child. The romance between Linus and Arthur smolders in the background, not overpowering the story. The messages about prejudice are also very applicable to modern society - you can definitely see the parallels to current events. This book really tugged at my heartstrings, and the ending was perfect. In summary, this novel deserves all the love! It's on my favorites list.

A sincere thanks to Tor for providing an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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The House in the Cerulean Sea is a curious mix of genres which surprisingly works very well. It's a charming fable/fairytale style fantasy set in ambiguous contemporary, bordering dystopia world. Honestly, the best way to go in is to go along the story and enjoy the heart-warming moments and Klune's stunning characterisation and imagination that it must take to tell this story.

In its core, this is a sweet found family and subtle romance, where Linus learns about the individuality and how wishes can come true, if you are willing to burst the bubble you live in. Linus's life is a grey routine, which breaks once he's send to a secret assignment and meets Arthur Parnassus and his six unique wards, who defy most people's beliefs. It's fascinating to meet Lucy, Theodore, Talia, Phee, Sal, and Chauncey. They're all so different, I loved the diversity of the whole cast of characters - Klune is truly masterful at creating memorable characters. Despite there being a lot of them, not once did I get anyone mixed.

I thoroughly enjoyed The House in the Cerulean Sea. Particularly the second half of the book is a delightful; funny and beautiful. If you're looking for something sweet and inspiring with great characters, I highly recommend! Or maybe, it's one of those stories that should just be read by as many as possible, because it bears an important message. Either way, such a delightful reading experience.

I loved that this story was based around a social worker who has basically just been given the X-Men as a case load. It appealed to my inner 90s child.

The story is really interesting, the connection you feel for the characters grows stronger with each page. The theme of family can be felt early on but it worth the read

MY HEART IS SO HAPPY. so happy.

I have yet to read all of TJ Klune's books (though it is my hefty goal for the year) but this was the first one that wasn't absolutely soul crushing. It was happy and hopeful and full of quirky and unique characters who were so well created that they all had their own voice. I only cried from happiness and not from heartbreak which has never happened with a Klune book before. It was wild.

Linus is a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth (DICOMY) and he is living his life in the dark. He is sad and lonely and oblivious to the color of the world. Linus is awkward and a little round and a fierce follower of the rules and regulations. He is a no nonsense case worker who remains objective during his investigations which leads him to be given a special assignment. He is sent out to this island where a very classified orphanage resides. In said orphanage is Arthur Parnassus who is the master of the house. Under his care are six very unique magical children.

Talia, a gnome with a fierce spirit
Phee, a sprite who values growth and trees nature
Sal, a were-pomeranian who has been neglected and abused and is just trying to heal
Theodore, a wyvern with a propensity for buttons
Chauncey, a blob/slime boy who dreams of being a bellhop
Lucy, who is the son of the devil and can spout about death and destruction but really just wants to cook and sing to oldies records.
Also on the island is Zoe, who is the island sprite and is supremely protective of what's hers. She helps Arthur with the children and will do anything to protect them from harm.

Each of these characters is just so precious. I wanted to hold and squeeze all the kids and protect them forever. During his investigation, Linus begins to think the same thing. He becomes protective and interested in the children, and especially in Arthur.

This book is about found family and coming home. It's about questioning your surroundings and not allowing yourself to get sucked into a rut because it's all you've ever known. It's about not taking people's opinions at face value and discovering people for yourself. It's about the danger of discrimination and prejudice. It's about kids who just dream of living their best life without being subjected to hatred. It's about a grown man finding himself with the help of another. It's about celebrating our uniqueness and learning to love yourself as you are.

This book is perfect. You should read it immediately.

It starts off slow and kind of dense, but once the action begins, it's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. It reads as a true epic, one that makes you feel the world really has been reshaped as you read it. Would recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan-Tor/Forge for this ARC. I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this book was delightful. It follows a man, Linus Baker, a caseworker for DICOMY (the Department in Charge of Magical Youth). He lives a pedantic life, following his Rules and Regulations guidebook to the letter, and returns everyday (usually soaking wet since he forgets his umbrella) to his home with his cat Calliope who only maybe likes him with a bossy cranky next-door-neighbor.

One day, he gets assigned an unusual Level 4 security clearance case for an orphanage on Marsyas Island by Extremely Upper Management. He receives a dossier containing scant information on the six magical children and the orphanage master who lives there, Arthur Parnassus. The children include a wyvern, a gelatinous blob of uncertain species, a garden gnome, a wood sprite, a shape shifting human/pomeranian, and notably, the Antichrist (though that word is verboten on the island). What follows is a charming and heartwarming story full of everything from old school music throwbacks to Kantian philosophy to childhood aspirations such as becoming a bellhop to make-believe adventures. Such a wonderful charming read.

Absolutely recommend! Good for people who like: charming stories about orphans, lgbtqiaap fiction, magic/fantasy, feel-good friendships, overcoming bigotry, quirky humor, and HAPPINESS. <3 I would give this 6/5 stars if I could. It's the equivalent of a warm hug for your soul.

In these crazy, unsettled times, who doesn’t need a perfect pick-me-up of a book?

If you’re looking for something special and heart-warming, have I got a book for you!

The House in the Cerulean Sea is utterly lovely and altogether charming. It makes me smile just thinking about it.

The main character is a buttoned-up pencil-pusher named Linus Baker, who is a caseworker for DICOMY — the Department In Charge of Magical Youth. DICOMY is a marvel of bureaucracy, supposedly invested in the well-being of magical children, but really focused more on containment and concealment.

And don’t be fooled into thinking we’re talking a Hogwarts-type setting here. In this world, there are magical children, but they’re problems to be solved, not gifted youth to be nurtured. And for at least the children we meet in The House in the Cerulean Sea, they don’t (mostly) have human appearances. These children are very clearly other, and they live in a world in which they’re adamantly and obviously unwanted.

Linus’s job is to visit orphanages housing these children and to file reports. His life and his job haven’t changed in years and years — until he’s summoned to a meeting with Extremely Upper Management, who send him on a classified, top-secret mission to Marsyas Island and the orphanage there. Linus’s new assignment is to spend four weeks at Marsyas, filing weekly reports on the headmaster and the children in his charge, and ultimately to recommend whether the orphanage should remain open or be shut down.

Linus is not at all prepared for what he finds there. First of all, it’s on the sea — and he’s never seen an ocean or a beach before. It’s beautiful, and he’s immediately enchanted. And then there are the children. All are strange and different, and at first, Linus is more or less terrified, yet before long, he sees how truly special the children are… once he gets past the somewhat scary and strange exteriors of a few of them.

The story is just lovely. I loved seeing how Linus reluctantly opens up and connects with the children and headmaster of Marsyas, and how his warmth brings out new interests and confidence in each of them. This is a perfect example of a found family story, and it’s marvelous.

The writing is descriptive and lively and funny, but also has great emotional depth. The author does an excellent job of showing us the individuals living inside each of the odd exteriors that the public sees.

Really and truly, this book was a special read, and was a perfect distraction for me from the chaos and confusion of our current world. But I’m sure that even in relatively normal times, I’d love this book! Don’t miss it.

The House in the Cerulean Sea is an utterly beautiful novel in this time of uncertainly it is important that a novel like this is shared around. I have been pitching The House in the Cerulean Sea as The Sound of Music if the children were supernatural beings. I mean Arthur would probably be Maria but you get the idea. it is a book full of love and hope in a world that is full of prejudice like our own.
I adored our main protagonist Linas Baker who has become a grey man in a grey world where everything is the same and life is safe. Through meeting Arthur and the children at the house in the cerulean sea he starts to see that your life is what you make of it, and it is the people you surround yourself with that are always your found family.

I adored the secondary characters from Zoe the Island's Sprite to Lucy the son of Lucifer to Chauncey whose dream is to be a bellhop they all buried themselves into my heart and I had all the feels. But I adored Arthur the most and his warmth, and his smiles towards our lonely protagonist Linas who also begins to fall for this mysterious man. I want more I want to see where the world takes these incredible characters but also it is perfect as a stand-alone book and a sequel may ruin that.

Overall the perfect fluffy read for all those stuck in isolation me included. Thank you Klune!

When I was a kid (okay, high schooler), I discovered my love for the X-Men franchise. After watching the third (and argued by some – the worst), I immediately got in the car to get the other two movies. After a few delightful hours, I began walking around insisting that my Mutant X gene was still on the way. And while yes, I was embarrassingly a teenager, this book felt a little nostalgic in how it reminded me of my delightful fantasy.

Klune is an unexpected gem. This author has been on my shelf for quite some time. However, the novel in my TBR shelf is like a million pages so I’ve been resistant. But The House in the Cerulean Sea might have challenged my mind. I absolutely adored this story.

First of all, Klune has created so many wonderful characters. I fell in love with all of these weird little children especially Lucy. But starting with Linus, he was developed wonderfully. I really got an idea of his rigidness and mildness. How he would wait until everyone was gone to ensure he didn’t bump anyone’s desk. These little details really made Linus vivid in my mind. His growth was exceptional, it was like chipping away at ice and finally getting to that perfectly preserved fossil. The children were such exceptional little humans that had their own likes and dislikes that made the story what it was. Klune made me care about each and every one of these characters. Job well done!

Klune also hit a home run with the humor. It has been a long while since I’ve laughed the whole time reading a book. The little one liners by the children. The menacing and antagonizing threats from Lucy and Talia had me cracking up. Klune very nicely executed the banter between the characters too. The dialogue was probably my very favorite part of this novel.

I have one minor complaint. I can’t help but feel like the relationship between Arthur and Linus could have been developed a little better. Most of their encounters while pleasant, they hardly seemed to be building a relationship. Although, I found myself quite relieved and happy to know that they both found something in one another. Linus and Arthur deserved that. And oh my what they build….I demand a sequel.

The praise for this novel is real! No joke, you must check this out and report back to me which child was your favorite. I’m caught between Lucy and Talia. I mean a female gnome with sass, how irresistible! But Lucy has a dark sense of humor that is honestly hard to top.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Books for approving my request. Klune has a hit on his hands!

PS. I still have not given hope on the Mutant X gene and neither should you!

If you want a sweet fantasy story to carry you away from reality, this would be an excellent choice.

The hero of the tale, Linus Baker, is an awkward man, one of those people that life has mostly passed by. He’s good at one thing, his job as a case worker for magical children. When the powers that be ask him to investigate an orphanage for special kids—and Arthur Parnassus, the man who runs it—Linus reluctantly travels to the island where they live. Once he gets there, he finds the children to be extra special indeed, and in one case, utterly terrifying. But Linus soldiers on, doing his duty, because Linus firmly believes all children deserve proper care. The more time Linus spends with Arthur and the kids, though, the more he learns about the nature of love and family. And along the way, Linus teaches them a few things, too.

There are several morals to this story. One of them is the notion that family is where you find it. Another central theme is appreciating everyone for who they are and not fearing others because they are different. That’s an essential message these days, it seems.

In addition to the focus on found family and the value of difference, there’s a thread of a very gentle romance between Linus and Arthur. I really appreciate the fact that Linus and Arthur are both older and not particularly attractive in conventional terms. Love is for all of us, whether we are children with unusual powers or middle-aged adults carrying around a few extra pounds.

All in all, this is a lovely bit of escapist reading that has a few lessons to teach for those willing to learn.

A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

TJ Klune’s The House on the Cerulean Sea is a beautiful story. Not in an attractive or alluring sense, although those adjectives, too, are accurate, but in the way that it explores true beauty in the most unlikely of places. Klune explores the fear and prejudice that bubbles at the surface of society but delivers a message of hope and unity that people can change if you start with the few.

Linus Baker is a wallflower, barely noticed or respected by anyone. He is stodgy, a bit overweight, and reads his company’s Rules and Regulations manual during his free time. He is also desperately lonely but doesn’t seem to realize it. Seventeen years of his life has been dedicated to his career as a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. (“If You See Something, Say Something!” read the signs posted city-wide.)

Linus travels to different orphanages that house magical children with special needs and must evaluate whether the orphanage is being run properly, or if any of the children need to be placed elsewhere. What happens to the children once they move? What if the orphanage gets shut down? Well, that’s not Linus’ job to know. He trusts DICOMY implicitly to manage those affairs. But one assignment sends Linus to a place he never knew existed, meeting children of a different breed, so to speak, and caretakers that have bent all the rules he so loves.

These children are sadly scorned because of preconceived notions woven into our society’s collective consciousness (“If You See Something…”). Some of these children who differ from the others don’t know they’re supposed to be monsters until society tells them, over and over, that they are. What choice do they have? People fear what they don’t understand, and the unique appearances and exceptional powers of these lost souls are excuses enough to set boundaries of segregation that most do not want to cross.

While the journey of Linus’ self-discovery is projected from the start, the story is rife with wonderful, rich characters, earnest dialogue, honest relationships (some LBGTQ+), and enough heart to annihilate your tear ducts. Klune is a natural and gifted storyteller that delivers messages that are both timely and timeless, allowing me to live in his world through Linus’ eyes for just a few hundred pages.

And I want to go back.

This is a special book, a story that will break your heart on one page and flood it with hope on the next. In this dark and difficult time in which we are living, it is stories like these that help remind us what we’re doing this all for.

9.5 / 10

A really delightful book. Very sweet and innocent and gently funny. I loved the children, especially. It's a bit slow moving at times, but really dragged me in.

Be prepared to witness me gushing about this book for the next few paragraphs...

But first. I need to start off by thanking Mackenzie over at colourmeread.com for writing and posting a review of this book a couple weeks back. I literally ran to netgalley.com immediately after to see if I could request it and got approved the next day! Without Mackenzie, I would have missed out on such a great book and my life would be boring and colourless and just plain depressing.

For those of you currently in social isolation, this book will lift your spirits and give you the hope that you need to get through the next few months. The story is beautiful, the characters charming. It's funny and lighthearted, yet deals with some serious topics that are super relatable. There's more than a touch of magic, but what really sticks with me is the message of hope that the book ends off with.

In other words, it's just so good I'm djslkfjlsdk. I have nothing at all to say on how it could be better. It can't. Because it's absolute perfection. I NEED EVERYONE TO READ IT. I also need a movie adaptation right now. Preferably tomorrow. I spent most of the book imagining James Corden as Linus Baker because he's the only cute egg-shaped actor I know of who could pull off the somewhat terrified-anxious-but-also-super-loving caseworker. Someone needs to buy the movie rights today. WE NEED HAPPINESS AND RAINBOWS AND A CUTE ANTICHRIST.

If you're looking for a non-spoiler description of this book, the best way I can say it is...A Series of Unfortunate Events meets Howl's Moving Castle meets Umbrella Academy (but actually good).

Anyway...this is a character-driven book, so it makes sense for me to talk about all the characters. I loved them all, which comes as no surprise, but here's a little bit of my thoughts for each one.

Arthur Parnassus gave me major Dumbledore vibes. The classic twinkle in his eye, his overall demeanour and patience when it came to the children, his colourful socks (), and the other aspect of him that is spoilery but just fits so well. T. J. Klune took what we knew of Dumbledore, got rid of the whole I'm-using-you-to-kill-Voldemort character flaw, and created something beautiful. I love Arthur Parnassus. He is such a good dad and you guys know how big a fan I am of dads in books. We need more father-figures who love and care for their children, whether their own or adopted. It makes me emotional. 

Linus Baker, our main character, is the softest, most anxious, round egg I have ever met. He is adorable, and gets scared super easily. He hates going outside and doesn't like to exercise. He's all proper and loves rules. And he has a sassy cat named Calliope who I adore. I loved loved loved seeing the journey Linus went on throughout the book. From a shy, timid kind of character, to someone strong and firm in his beliefs. He overcomes his own prejudices and preconceived notions and learns that you can't judge someone based on how they look and that just because something is done a certain way doesn't mean it's right. He also loves ignoring his feelings which makes for some great slow-burn romance. I actually died at so many scenes, everything was too cute, and the way things concluded almost made me cry.

As for the children...Talia, the gnome, is such a cutie. I love how badly she wants to bury Linus in a grave with her shovel. And her relationship with Helen was so soft and perfect. Theodore, the wyvern, and his obsession over buttons melted my heart. I loved seeing how Linus goes from not understanding both gnomish and Theodore, to fully communicating with them by the end. I really hope Chauncey gets to follow his dreams. He's so young and innocent and such a refreshing character. Sal and Linus' interactions later on in this book made my heart cry out. Like I mentioned earlier, this book does deal with tougher issues like physical and emotional abuse, and seeing Linus go from trying to be objective and impersonal, to really connecting with each child, was wonderful to see. Phee and the flower she grew still makes me emotional. I also love how much the kids and Zoe ship Linus and Arthur together. Everyone is rooting for them, but Linus is a clueless idiot for most of the book. And lastly...we got Lucy. My favourite little devil. He was the comic relief I needed, and his attempts at scaring the daylights out of Linus made me laugh out loud.

The world itself is very interesting and unique. I loved how at the end we're left with the hope that things will improve, though the changes are slow. A part of me wants more. I just love the characters and the setting. The island sounds like such a magical place to live. And overall, the book just feels good. It makes you feel a lot of emotions, but it's the kind of sadness that's mixed with hope and love and happiness. It's the perfect combination.

5/5 stars!! Highly, highly recommend!

Uhhhhh... so this was unexpectedly flippin' fantastic!

and what a great to have read this with everything happening in the world currently. What a book! Second-world fantasy at it's finest! The world building was intricate and immersive, but blended seamlessly with the plot, so none of the details ever bogged down the story. The characters are immediately engaging, and there's so much tension! I am so impressed with this novel! I loved the quasi-realistic island fantasy setting.

This book is one part heart, one part character-filled setting, and one part adventure. Together, it's a book that will have your mg reader clamoring for more. It's full of mystery, wonder, and packed with action. A touch of fantasy here, a touch of history there, and tons of action and suspense will intrigue and make anyone want to read this book.

As for pacing, I know some people think the book is too slow. I have to disagree completely. I thought it was perfect. It was also wrapped up very well. It left me satisfied, wanting more but not needing more.

Basically, you should all read this. This is one I'll be buying a physical copy to display in my library.

I wasn't sure what to expect, to be honest, but I knew I would read it because Klune wrote it. After I read it, I wanted to shout it from the rooftops but was advised to wait until closer to the release date to review.

Here we go- as with any Klune book, you must go in blind.

·It makes for a better reading experience. What better way to "live" a book that to get that "first-time" feeling.
·How the fuck do you even explain/summarize/convey a Klune story?

If you're looking for something:


A. A fantastic group of characters and outstanding character development.
B. A sweet as all hell book

I'd describe this book as:
·Fun
·Quirky
·Heartbreaking
·Original

And it touches on real-life issues that are important today. I'd also say that this book isn't just for adults, if you have middle schoolers, this would be an excellent recommendation for them.

I loved it.

God I wish I could have given it five stars, but the beginning really let it down. It does so many things that kids don't want; an unsympathetic protagonist, WAY too much dialogue, far too many characters who aren't tagged properly so even though they're literally magic and all have different powers, it's hard to keep track of who's who, it begins in a very adult world that they just can't relate to, and it takes far too long to get going. The biggest failing of this book is that it feels like a book with too-adult themes, framed like a kids' book because the writing isn't that good, which is desperately disappointing because we really need more middle-grade books with normalised gay romance.
Despite all its shortcomings though, and despite how much I had to persevere with it, I did end up genuinely enjoying the ending. By the time I (and the author) got into the flow, it made me laugh out loud a good few times, and started reading lines and sections out loud to share in the enjoyment. It also had something that most children's books don't; a really genuinely satisfying and properly explored ending. I re-read the final few chapters not once, not twice, but three times. If I'd felt more connected to the characters earlier, I'm sure it would have been even better.

For the record, I should probably give you a heads up by letting you know that this will be a rambling review. If you’ve been here before, you already know that I tend to do that when I review a book by an author I adore. For the record, T.J. Klune is one of those authors and unsurprisingly, The House in the Cerulean Sea is most definitely one of those books. Consider yourself forewarned. 😉

I have to admit that Linus didn’t win me over in the beginning. The more I got to know him though, the more I realized that the real reason I couldn’t connect with him was because he couldn’t connect with himself. He was lost and didn’t even really realize it. He wasn’t really living, but simply surviving. It took me a while, but in true T.J. fashion, once I connected with this amazing story it wouldn’t let me go.

I was as leery as Linus when readers were first introduced to Arthur and his charges. It didn’t take long to figure out that these kids were much more than their “classification.” It also didn’t take me long to pick a favorite. (I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in my adoration of Lucy. ❤ ) Only T.J. Klune could make me fall in love with the Anti… well, that name or label just isn’t used in reference to one of Arthur’s charges.

Kids are a soft spot for me and The House in the Cerulean Sea pulled on all my heart strings. It did more than that though. there was more than one message. Without spoiling anything, but to give you just a taste of why this author is a must read for me…

“It’s not fair,” Linus said, staring off into nothing. “The way some people can be. But as long as you remember to be just and kind like I know you are, what those people think won’t matter in the long run. Hate is loud, but I think you’ll learn it’s because it’s only a few people shouting, desperate to be heard. You might not ever be able to change their minds, but so long as you remember you’re not alone, you will overcome.”

So yeah, Linus grew on me, just like he grew on Arthur and his charges. And then there was a theme that is front and center in a lot of T.J.’s books and one that I adore…

“A home isn’t always the house we live in. It’s also the people we choose to surround ourselves with.”

The House in the Cerulean Sea was much more than I expected. Sure, it was a little bit corny at times, but it made me smile. And yeah, the inevitable tears were there, even when I didn’t quite expect them. If you’ve never read a book by T.J. Klune, this is an amazing place to start.

“Don’t you wish you were here?”

Trust me, once you read The House in the Cerulean Sea, you’ll totally understand. 😉