Under The Whispering Door was an absolutely beautiful character-driven story about the afterlife and how death isn't necessarily the end of your life. I cried no less than 10 times reading this book. I love when books take you on a journey that is not only interesting and entertaining, but emotional.

This book is about death and the afterlife and it does a wonderful job of creating a world where dying doesn't mean the end of your life. We follow Wallace Price, a lawyer who focused almost solely on work and seemed to have little compassion for those not meeting his standards. After he dies he learns more about life than he did while living and gets to experience the other important parts of being human that he had pushed aside for his career. We also meet other characters, like Hugo and Mei, who are alive and help those who have died crossover as well as a number of dead characters, some of whom had traumatic deaths that they have to come to terms with in the afterlife. There is also a romance between Wallace and Hugo, and while it is very cute and an important part of the story, it is not the central theme and I really loved that. It is refreshing to see lgbtq+ stories where the central theme isn't that they are queer, but just another part of the story if that makes sense? I feel that this is one of Klune's strengths and one of the reasons he's one of my favorite authors.

Overall I adored this book, and it is definitely going to be one of my favorite reads of 2021. It reminds you that work cannot be the only thing in your life and to enjoy the little things in life, like looking up at the stars and spending time with those you care about, which is a message a lot of people need to hear in this day and age.

Book Review
Under the Whispering Door by TJKlune

Thank you to @netgalley and @torbooks @macmilan books for my ARC in return for an honest review

A wasted life, a productive death……

Mei, Nelson, Apollo, Hugo, the Manager, Cameron………Wallace
Each of these characters taught me something, each played their role flawlessy
Mei offered humour- she taught me to live my life lighter, freer
Nelson offered family- he taught me your home, your family are your choice
Apollo offered unconditional love and loyalty- he taught me everyone is deserving of love
Hugo offered wisdom, warmth, and a listening ear- he taught me that my voice matters
The Manager offered organization and reason- he taught me that “because its always been this way isnt a good one”
Cameron offered a reflection of self doubt and fear- he taught me that you are your own greatest enemy
And then there’s Wallace
Wallace offered everything. His character is so layered, so multifaceted and complex. He exemplifies humanities endless search for meaning, the answer to “why are we here” and “what lies beyond death”. His story, like fables and fairytales from the past, is a tale of caution- a warning to live life to the fullest, to embrace your truest version of yourself.

This book left me bereft, my tears rolled of my cheeks, I heaved a weighted breath, and exhaled….knowing I am more than the person I was before I opened the cover.

(4.75 stars)

The Midnight Library meets The Good Place in this beautiful, beautiful book, written with so much warmth and care.

I love this book so much. The characters are wonderful, the plot intriguing, and the character development is some of the best I’ve ever read.

There’s two reasons though why I gave it 4.75 stars and 5. The first thing was that Wallace’s character development felt a little rushed in the beginning, and the second thing is that I would have loved to see more female or genderqueer characters (almost all of them were men or masculine presenting).

Overall, I truly recommend this book, especially if you love The House in the Cerulean Sea.

Oh my God. Seriously, oh my God. Okay, in short: I am so in love with this book and my heart has not stopped aching in wonderful ways. TJ Klune just... knows how to write - a master of storytelling. Never before have I so quickly wanted to reread a book immediately after finishing it.

Under the Whispering Door is like cuddling with your dog under a weighted blanket. There's a cup of tea steeping on your bedside table. A fire is crackling. Overhead, through a skylight: the stars, unhindered by light pollution.

This emotional, character-driven story is a breath-taking exploration of grief, compassion, and healing. It is, as many of Klune's works tend to be, one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read. I've heard mixed opinions on the plot - perhaps because it is far more character-driven than, say, The House in the Cerulean Sea - but I, for one, loved it with every single part of my soul. It felt raw and real and honest in the most vulnerable and human of ways. My chest ached with emotion every time I picked it up to read. The romance, although certainly sugar-sweet and a crucial aspect of the story, is secondary to Wallace's journey of coming to terms with his own unexpected death and realizing the fact that in life he was... well, a total asshole.

The character development is something we (as both human beings and as writers) can only dream of. And it's not just for Wallace. Each of our wonderful side characters - all of whom feel so rich and unique and so very real - grow and change over the course of the novel in delightful and perhaps even unexpected ways. Not a single character, no matter how little part they play, is left unchanged. Klune seemingly accomplishes this with such ease and grace, and it only contributes to how fantastically real this cast felt. I loved each and every character with all of my heart, and the fact that I can't be best friends with them all infuriates me.

I am not a crier when I read sad books - but this one got me. The subject of death is so painfully personal, and Klune handles it perfectly as he explores how death impacts not just those left behind, but those whose own lives have been cut unfairly short. But it's not all tears, don't worry! This is simultaneously one of the funniest, most joyful books I've read in a very long time. I caught myself full-body laughing out loud on more than one occasion. The fanart this book is going to influence is going to be absolutely incredible.

At the end, you're going to have a lot of questions regarding the rules of this world. And I'm of the mind to say that to be upset over that would just be silly - it's a story about not having all the answers. About not knowing or understanding what comes next or hell, even what came before. Nobody truly knows what the future holds; nobody truly understands life after death. I would have been disappointed if Klune had tried to answer the unknowable. TL;DR for this paragraph: Klune understood the afterlife assignment.

This is, without a doubt, my favorite read of 2021 thus far. TJ Klune is a genius. You will deeply regret it if you miss this story, I promise.

Also, if nothing else here has successfully convinced you: there is a ghost dog, and he is, in fact, the best boy.

Under the whispering door by TJ Klune was a very different story from what I’m used to reading and I mean that in the most delightful way. This story has strong themes that many struggle with yet deals with them in very unique ways. Themes of death, grief, acceptance and found family are found in this book and the way they come together is not what one would expect in a normal story as this is not a normal story, it’s wonderfully strange and for that I’ve truly enjoyed myself on this journey. The characters though there aren’t a great number of them held my attention extremely well and I loved finding out more about them and getting to really know them as they all deal with death in a very real sense for their entire time in the book. I strongly recommend anyone who comes across this book to buy it when it comes out as it Really is a heartwarming, funny, strange and wonderful book! Also thank you so much to netgalley and tor for the opportunity to read this ahead of the release!

Thank you to Netgalley, TJ Klune and Tor books for the ARC.

I am so conflicted about this one. The House In The Cerulean Sea is my favourite book of 2021 so far, and I wanted to love this one so much. I was so excited when I got an ARC, but this one was just.... not great. Unlike Cerulean Sea where I absolutely loved every character, I didn't connect with any of these characters. They were all fine, but nothing special. It was a very unique premise, and I liked the concept, but I just was bored and felt like reading this was a chore a lot of the time. It did get better towards the last 30%, but I felt like the beginning was just the same thing happening over and over again.

I will still read Klune's next book since I loved Cerulean Sea so much, but this one just didn't do it for me and that really disappoints me because I was so excited to read this one.

I LOVED this book! The cover- of course is beautiful and eye catching. But the writing is just as perfect. The characters and their quirkiness,the setting, and mixed in with all the messages make this a truly wonderful read! I loved reading this on my kindle- but will absolutely be buying it for my bookshelf. A must read come the fall.

Wallace Price thinks he’s on top of life, but when he finds himself suddenly dead he realizes that perhaps his priorities weren’t in the right place, especially when it seems none of the six people at his funeral are sad that he’s gone. Taken by a reaper to the ferryman who will help him cross to the next part of life, Price bucks against his fate, not ready to be dead. Will he learn to accept that his life is over and be able to find peace and meaning on his way to the afterlife?

I really enjoyed the story. I liked the theme that living one’s life fully involves relationships and helping others. I teared up toward the end and enjoyed Wallace’s transformation.

I love TJ Klune’s books, and this one was no exception! It tells a very sweet story of a man who dies unexpectedly and ends up at a tea shop with a cast of characters that will help him move on to the other side. I thought this book had a bit of a slow start - the first 25% was just okay - but it really picked up in the second half and I was very invested. The magic realism definitely takes a little bit of suspension of disbelief, but the cast of characters is so well drawn and the romance so sweet that I didn’t mind at all.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review*

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune follows Wallace, who has just died and a Reaper has come to collect him. Instead of heading straight to the afterlife, the Reaper takes him to a small village. Located on the outskirts of the village is a tea shop run by a man named Hugo. Hugo is the owner and is a ferryman. Wallace, to be blunt, was a dick while he was alive. But Hugo and the others at the tea shop make Wallace realize everything he missed in life, and how he can change in death.

To put it simple and to the point, fucking Christ I love this book. The character development alone was phenomenal. Wallace realized how much of a fucking asshole he was in life, and wanted to change that in death when surrounded by everyone else in the tea shop.

Under the Whispering Door covers some heavier topics, but it’s done amazingly. The grief that was tackled in here couldn’t have been written any better. I felt so many emotions reading this book from happiness, laughter, sadness, grief, crying, and so many more I can’t put into words.

Everything about this book was phenomenal. I have nothing bad to say about it.

*Please look up trigger warnings if need be*

Under the Whispering Door is a unique look at the ideas of death, humanity, relationships and what it means to be alive. Unsurprisingly, Klune provides a nuanced look at these ideas through the eyes of the protagonist Wallace and those Wallace encounters. Similarly to House in the Cerulean Sea, the theme of found family is utilized here to great effect. Klune plays to his strength of leaning into character focused story over long and exhaustive plot driven writing. The setting of the way point house is just as whimsical as expected.

The premise caught me by surprise, I went in rather blind to the premise. I was pleasantly surprised and I loved how the first chapter hooked the reader. The book truly starts and ends beautifully.

I should preface to say I’m a klunatic and TJ can do no wrong.

This story started off a little slow for me. Wallace is such a truly awful person at the beginning it was hard to want him to succeed.

Of course character development happens and the story evolves into a beautiful ode to life and the mystery that comes after.

Cameron’s story particularly hit my emotions deeply.

A sweet story about what it means to be human, the regrets we hold and the second chances we may be given. This was a book I wouldn’t typically read but my life is better for having done so. In this story we follow Wallace, who finds himself in the afterlife only to realise he was not a very good person when he was alive. From there we see Wallace’s journey as he questions his life and his values whilst meeting some pretty magical people along the way.

There’s a lot of hope in this book. It made me reflect on my own existence and what it means to live a meaningful life. It’s very warm and deceptively powerful. On the surface it seems quite light and whimsical but it has a lot of depth to it. There is so much heart woven throughout this novel. It feels like a warm hug from your grandmother after a long day. At certain points I found myself crying whilst other times I found myself smiling.

Around halfway through the story I felt a lull when it became more character focused but it picked back up for me towards the end as it again focused more on the narrative. Overall it was a wonderful, thought provoking read.

Thank you to the publisher Tor Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in advance.

This was such a moving book. Although it touched on heavier topics, specifically death- it did so in such a beautiful way. This book will definitely pull on all your emotions in the best way.

I've long been a fan of this author but the last few books have been disappointing- they've felt more like slapstick than heart. This one is a return to his roots. It's a story of death, with fascinating world-building for what comes after. But the star of this are the characters. You have the grandfather who manages to be the wisdom and comic-relief, which keeps him from being silly, a well-written female character who, in the end, isn't surpassed by the guy, an empathetic hero, a loyal companion, and a main character who starts out unlikable but manages to grow into someone quite different. Yes, there's a love story here, but it's almost unimportant. There's a deeper message here about giving people the chance and opportunity to be better, and calling them out on their bullshit. And at the same time, those who choose to cut ties aren't vilified.

This was just lovely. I laughed, i cried, and i finished this book with contentment and joy

Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune was SUCH a wonderful read. It broke me. It made me laugh. It also had me pondering my own life, and what death means. A story about death, grief and what comes after when we pass. Set in a small town tea shop, run by a ferryman, someone who helps spirits on their journey to the other side. Thought-provoking, quirky, and beautiful. A book about living, even when you find you're self dead.
This is already one of my top books of 2021 and can't wait for everyone else to enjoy it! 

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for providing be with an eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is going to be one of my very favorite books ever! Wallace isn't a nice man. When he dies, a reaper comes to take him away from his funeral. Mei takes Wallace to Hugo who is a ferryman. Wallace doesn't want to be dead. His life consisted of work only. He doesn't have any friends, an ex-wife who hates him , and partners in his law firm who didn't like him. Hugo and Mei run a tea shop with Nelson ( Hugo's grandad's ghost) and Apollo ( Hugo's dog's ghost). Living here Wallace learns about being a ghost and learning what life is really about. I loved this book and its incredible characters. The scenery is described so you are in the book and with them in the tea shop. This is a story of love, redemption, and family. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

This book was one of my most anticipated releases of the year. I had the pleasure of reading House in the Cerulean Sea late last year and it became one of my all time favorites. I tried to go into this with no expectations - I didn’t read the description. I heard a new book was coming, I saw the cover, and I knew instantly I wanted to read it without knowing much about it.

I’m so glad that I went into this “blind”. It was SUCH a heartwarming story, about love and friendship and what it means to be human. The scariness of life and the uncertainty of death. The characters were very well developed, everything Mei said had me laughing out loud and I loved the interactions between Wallace and Nelson, and Wallace and Hugo.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a dose of happiness or thoughtfulness. I can’t wait to order this book for my bookstore!

Every bit as sweet and lovely as 'The House in the Cerulean Sea'. If you're looking for a cozy contemporary fantasy with oodles of charm, adorable characters, a snugly setting and just a hint of the dark then this is definitely the book (and author for you). Heartfelt and touching this is book about redemption, friendship and second chances and I would recommend this to anyone looking for a well written uplifting book to renew their faith in humanity.

Under the Whispering Door. A tale of death and grief and what comes next. Do we have the ability to change after our death? Maybe, with help from the right people. Wallace Price, an attorney with a poor attitude suddenly drops dead of a heart attack. With the help of Mei, his reaper, Wallace ends up at a quaint tea shop filled with unlikely characters who are supposed to help him process and move on following his death. Will he cross over or will he find something worth fighting for in the living world?
I loved the characters of this book and how they develop throughout the story. TJ Klune does a wonderful job of addressing the hard topics of death and grief in this beautiful story.