This book feel too big to put into words. It was too sad, too heartwarming, too depressing, too funny.. but it's that what TJ is all about, though?

The story starts with Wallace Price, big time lawyer and managing partner at a prestigious firm, he's severe and cruel and honestly a bit of an asshole. And then he dies..

from there it's a wild rollercoaster ride through finding friendship with a elder ghost and a dead dog and a blooming love with a small tea shop owner.

This book is about death so obviously it will have trigger warning, you can find the complete list <a href="https://triggerwarningdatabase.com/2021/05/12/under-the-whispering-door-by-tj-klune/">here</a>. For very personal reasons, at times this book was very hard to get through and it stole a few tears from me but I think these types of stories are so important.

<I> thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! </I>

Copy provided by NetGalley. I was told this book would wreck me and it did. I cried so hard! It was beautiful and sad and so many other things. Wallace dies at the beginning and he is taken to a place for him to wait till he is ready to cross over. He realizes he was not a good person while alive and he wishes he had been different. Hugo is the ferryman to help him be ready to cross over. Hugo and Wallace start to fall in love with each other but they both know it could never happen. So many things happen while Wallace is waiting to cross over. I cannot adequately describe this book at all. It is about grief and love and sacrifice and how life and death just aren't fair. There are funny parts too. It is not all sadness. The ouija board seen is hilarious.

"What else was there to life aside from success? Nothing, really."

"We second guess everything because it's in our nature. People with anxiety and depression just tend to do it more."

"I don't want you to go."

Wallace Price is not a very nice man. He’s very selfish and stubborn. He worked hard to get to where he was and firing one person for missing a deadline once is no skin of his nose.

When he wakes at a funeral he doesn’t remember anything about he’s curious as to whose it is. When he sees his own name on the sign he thinks someone is pulling some sort of prank. He sees a young woman he doesn’t recognise attending and she seems to be the only one who can hears his mumbles of confusion. When Mei introduces herself as a reaper he thinks he might well have gone mad. It seems she is the one to lead him to where he’s to go next. Little does he know it will change his afterlife and his outlook on life.

I thought this book sounded like something a bit different. I didn’t realise the emotions it’d bring out of me. It’s filled with loss and love, a hint of magic and a few tears too. The story was sort of unexpected I guess but I was drawn into it from the beginning with some great characters making it all the more difficult to put down. A really lovely and sometimes sad story that I have thoroughly enjoyed.

look out for it if you fancy something a bit different that will stay with you.

Much like The House in the Cerulean Sea, it took me a bit to get into the book. The snarkiness of Wallace in the beginning made it difficult to like him. Why should I care about this journey he's taking if he's an awful character? But, like in Cerulean Sea, there's a turning point. Maybe it's character growth, maybe it's the story telling, but I was hooked (no pun intended) and needed to know that this book was going to end differently than the inevitable ending you can see a hundred miles away.

I think my biggest complaint is the title is "Under" the Whispering Door. How can something be under a door, if that door is in the ceiling?

I did enjoy the book thoroughly.

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a review.

Under the whispering Door follows Wallace Price after his untimely death and subsequent relocation to Charon’s Crossing, a combination tea shop and way station for the dead. While Wallace refuses to move on by remaining in the shop, he learns to value the parts of life he missed out on, proving that not even death can stop someone from learning how to live.

“If we worry about the little things all the time, we run the risk of missing the bigger things.”

TJ Klune does it again with another heart-wrenchingly beautiful book that made me sob my heart out. I knew that a book about death and what comes after would hit me in the feels, but Klune also includes moments of light and laughter that made me smile in between the tears. Basically what I’m saying is, if you want to experience a wide range of intense emotions, pick this book up as soon as possible.

“Death isn’t a final ending, Wallace. It is an ending sure, but only to prepare yourself for a new beginning.”

Klune’s lyrical writing style was what made me fall in love with his other book House in the Cerulean Sea. This same style works perfectly in UtWD to discuss the intricacies of loss in an open and honest way. On top of the stunning prose, the cast of characters that basically embodied the term “found family” pulled at my heartstrings in the best possible way. Plus, there’s a ghost dog named Apollo so it was almost guaranteed that I would love this book.

Under the Whispering Door releases on September 21, 2021. Thank you again to the publisher for providing a copy to review.

CW: Animal death, Anxiety, Cancer (terminal), Child death, Death of parent (past, mentioned), Depression, Heart attack, Murder, and Self-harm

Alright so I have finally found my religion. When I die I am going to Charon's Crossing Tea and Treats and no one is telling me otherwise.

Wallace Price is dead and he is NOT happy about it. As an attorney of a large firm, he is far too busy for this nonsense. When the Reaper leads him to a strange house and he meets the ever so charming owner, Hugo, Wallace begins to understand what really matters in life - and in death.

Wallace starts off as such an insufferable character. I remember thinking a quarter of the way in "there is no way they're gonna get me to like this guy." But... I LOVED Wallace.

The "found family" tropes is one of my favorites and I adored this little group of misfits. Even though the entire book focused on death, fear, and grief I found myself smiling so often.

This is a story of grief and loneliness but it's also a story of hope and empathy. I gave it 5 stars on my Goodreads.

Many thanks to NetGalley + Tor Publishing for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

It should be no surprise that this book jumped to the top of my to-read list. The inimitable writing style of TJ Klune is clearly present in Under the Whispering Door. This story, about death and what comes after, is told with a gentle hand and an unhurried pace. While the story deals with some very sad themes including suicide and murder, the story remains edifying and hopeful.

The story begins with Wallace Price. When he dies unexpectedly, he is still in denial when the reaper, Mei, comes to collect him at his own funeral. But instead of taking him to an afterlife, he is taken to a tea shop, where he meets Hugo the ferryman. Hugo will help him and when he is ready, he can go through the door at the top of the house. At the tea shop, we meet Nelson, Hugo's grandfather, and his dog Apollo. This little group becomes a found family for Wallace, who hasn't lived a life he is proud of.

There are several themes in the story and it covers a lot of emotional situations related to death. But also, what it means to be alive, to love, to be selfless, and empathetic. The story is funny, sad, heartwarming, and conflicting. I fell in love with these characters.

If death is not a topic you feel comfortable reading about, you should be aware that that is discussed throughout the entire book.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor/Forge for the e-Arc. This is my honest review.

Wallace was not a nice man, but he was efficient. He was feared by colleagues and foes alike. When a reaper tries to collect him from his own funeral, he has far too much work to do to cooperate. This reaper convinces him to meet her boss Hugo, a strange tea shop owner, who promises to help him cross over to the next life. But Wallace isn't ready to leave life behind, even as the inhabitants of the tea shop (alive and dead) show him that what he was doing could barely be called living. Klune has created a beautiful world full of quirky, damaged, and loving characters in this tender and thought-provoking story of life, love, and second chances.

TJ Klune, who hurt you?

In a similar whimsy vein as The House in the Cerulean Sea, Under the Whispering Door is another quiet yet heavy book to slowly read throughout the day, preferably with plenty of tea and cozy sweaters.

Wallace has not been a good man. Even in death, few mourned him. His spirit is taken to a strange tea shop under the care of the Ferryman where he has to confront the reality of his awful behavior and learn how to grow – even flourish without the usual restrictions of the living. With the additional help of another ghost, a slobbery dog, and a reaper, Wallace has to figure out how to live a full life in a single week before he is forced to crossover…

The book has a quiet ache that many people will feel by reading. Appealing to fans of The God Place, Under the Whispering Door asks: What have I don’t to become a better person? How do I make amends with those I’ve hurt? Wallace’s struggle to overcome his general apathy shows an outstanding character beneath his trimmed suits and sour expressions. He succeeds, he fails, he learns, showing that the path to becoming a better person is always best done with support and the realization that few things in life are straightforward. Underlining this narrative is a message about healing. So many characters have been hurt, either by Wallace or by various circumstances. Reading about Hugo, Nancy, Cameron, Nelson, Alan, and Mei strikes a deep cord about what it takes to heal from constant pain. Each goes through their own process; all have different reactions to trauma. What stood out for me the most was Hugo, the level-headed Ferryman. His empathic personality, while shining brightly, is only a facet of who he is. The gradual building of his characterization, his hopes, and flaws, made every moment with him a delight.

Despite these heavy topics, there are moments of humor. The Ouija board scene – perfect. Wonderful. What every ghost should aspire to do. Much like Klune’s previous Tor book, this manages to balance whimsy with pain and comedy,

There were some fumbles. A particular scene near the end felt like a Deus Ex Machina, but the genuine development Wallace went through will satisfy any reader.

An ARC has been provided by NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor for providing me with an eARC of this book.

After falling in love with The House in the Cerulean Sea last year, this was probably my most anticipated read of the year. I was stunned to receive an ARC abut about halfway through I began to regret requesting it. Not because it was bad – I think the five star rating says that – but because I wasn’t certain how I’d ever be able to put my feelings about this book into words.

I’m still not. But I’m going to have to try.

Under the Whispering Door is a completely different kettle of fish to Cerulean. It’s just as special, but in its own distinct way. Beautifully written and full of hope, with a cast of characters who will stay with me always.

The story is Wallace’s, a man who, had he lived in Victorian England, would have definitely been on the shortlist for a visit by three ghosts. He’s not a good person in the slightest: a workaholic who doesn’t see the value in other people, who doesn’t do anything for anyone unless he’s getting something out of it himself.

In many ways, this is reminiscent of A Christmas Carol, though instead of telling the story of a man who sees all the wrong he’s doing with his life and getting to change it, Wallace doesn’t get to realise how utterly he’s wasted his life until he dies and gets a… not a second chance, but a chance to come to terms with his death.

He’s taken to a waystation, a small tea shop managed by Hugo, the Ferryman, whose job is to prepare the spirits to cross over, and Mei, his Reaper, who brings them to him. Also present are Nelson and Apollo, Hugo’s Grandad and dog, both long-term residents of the tea shop and also, quite dead. They’re a charming cast and I fell in love with them at once. Nelson and Mei are hilarious. Apollo is a dog. And Hugo – Hugo is a perfect cinnamon roll, so full of hope and wisdom and the belief that people can be good and that they deserve another chance.

And Wallace – for it is his story – grows. He doesn’t do it at once, but inch by inch until he’s unrecognisable from the man we first meet. I don’t believe that everyone is good at heart, but I believe that people who want to change should be given the opportunity to. And at the tea shop, Wallace is given a chance to change, and he does, finding a family (oh how I love that trope) and love all at once.

On the whole, this is a book about grief and death in all its forms – and for that reason, I couldn’t wholeheartedly recommend it to everything as I could Cerulean. It’s a lot darker and the topics it discusses could be incredibly triggering. I spent the last few chapters in tears – but at the same time, it felt cathartic. The book deals with grief and death incredibly sensitively. If The House in the Cerulean Sea was warm hug, Under the Whispering Door is a blanket around the shoulders and a mug of tea pressed into your hands: a promise that everything can and will be alright.

I loved it. I loved it so very much.

💭 ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
I was super excited to read this one after reading The House on the Cerulean Sea. But I was a little disappointed. It was a big slow burn, long chapters and it didn't really grip my attention for the first 80% of the book. I did like the big message of "make the most of what you have while you have it, the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly". I also did like the way they where able to help people with their grief. I was absolutely rooting for the ending, which did happen. But overall I didn't really enjoy this one too much.
⭐️⭐️⭐️

🤓 ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
Slow burns
Afterlife
Long Chapters

ꜱʏɴᴏᴘꜱɪꜱ:
𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭, 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥. 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘨𝘦. 𝘖𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘴, 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘴, 𝘵𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴, 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱, 𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘏𝘶𝘨𝘰. 𝘏𝘶𝘨𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱'𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘺𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳.

𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥. 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘏𝘶𝘨𝘰’𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳, 𝘢 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴.

Amazing!! I was excited to read this book after the house in the cerulean sea (it isn’t a sequel btw) because I loved that book so much. This is a different story with different characters but the writing itself is very much the same. The story focuses on Wallace, a lawyer who dies and is taken to Hugo’s tea shop by a reaper named Mei. Hugo is a ferryman and wants to help Wallace accept his death and cross over. I can’t help but fall in love with TJ Klune’s characters, they aren’t perfect people but they recognise their flaws and strive to become better. They made me laugh, they made me cry and they pulled at my heartstrings so much! This was actually the first book to make me really cry, I’ve been very emotional over books before, even teary eyed but never cried, this book made at least 4 tears roll down my cheek! So prepare yourself for a rollercoaster of emotions while reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the early access to this book!

This gem made my day.

The only other T J Klune book I've read so far is the House in the Cerulean Sea, and that was the happiest book I read in 2020. This one got close, but just shy of the 5 star mark.

I enjoyed the portrayal of Wallace, and how he grew as a character. I'm glad his personal growth was displayed in a possible way, based on his experiences, interactions and regrets, rather than going from a horrible person to a selfless one within seconds, as I could not believe that as a possibility if he were a real person.

I also became really attached to the side characters, which made me enjoy the book more. Character driven stories tend to have that effect for me over fast paced books, even though I love both.

Hugo's character was so important to me, especially the portrayal of what anxiety can do to someone - I think that's something everyone needs to talk about more.

The story was compelling and intriguing - after all, none of us know what happens when we pass away, and it's nice to imagine something similar to the idea in this book.

Overall, I'm so glad this book exists, and I already have special editions pre-ordered to be able to re-read this when I feel down or sad!

This book is a love letter to those we have lost. I think it could help those that are grieving with loss to cope. There are some absolutely beautiful quotes and moments in this novel. There were some slow moments but it was a gorgeous story with some magnificent characters.

I feel so blessed to have receive an ARC of this book.

This book was everything. Even better than Cerulean Sea and I loved that book. If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would. TJ Klune definitely has a writing style all his own. This book made me feel so many things and none of them were bad. I went and ordered a physical copy so I could reread this again and again.

I’m not even sure I know how to process this book. I feel a book hangover coming on. The premise of the book should be sad and depressing but like Cerulean Sea, it just felt like being wrapped in a cozy blanket. And that epilogue…..perfection. I laughed. I cried. And again, I loved this book.

I adored The House in the Cerulean Sea so I was excited to get my hands on this arc. I felt like this story took a while to truly get going but TJ Klune had me reading past my bedtime and trying to see the words through my tears again so I can't complain too much about the slow start.

Come for the Dead Like Me vibes, stay for the found family, the big feelings about life and death and hope and love, and the excellent descriptions of tea.

thank you so much to Tor Books and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this my way in exchange for an honest review.

I had requested this book on a whim not really quite sure what the book was going to be about but what i found was such a important story that i think a lot of people need to read. This story is about redemption, healing and what a great cup of tea can do for you.

We follow Wallace who is a pretty cruel powerful business man who has money and power. until he doesn't.

In death we follow Wallace as he is brought to a tea shop run by its owner Hugo where he comes to term with what it means now that he has died.

Now i know this book doesn't come out till September so i will not give spoilers. but this story was so comforting to me.

i struggle with mental health and i read this when i wasn't feeling particularly my best until i received an email from Tor letting me know that they had approved my request for this book which i can't thank Tor Books enough for letting me read this early. this story takes off slowly as Klune really lets you get to know the main characters before the story really takes off. it still has that whimsical element that his earlier books had but i feel like this one was better? just the feeling of grief and redemption and just knowing that you can get through the tough times and that you are strong enough is such a huge part of the story for me.

The side characters Nelson whose Hugo's grandfather is so funny and i laughed so hard at a lot of the things he said and Mei who is a reaper that brings Wallace to the Coffee Shop is so kind and caring and i just wanted to stay in this story for so long. I'm thankful i have an e-arc so i can read it again before release date.

if you want a story about ghosts, healing and just need a good ol dose of comfort because life is stressful sometimes. please go read this.

T J Klune writes the sweetest books ever! Books that make me grateful to be alive, books that make me sad and happy all at once. This one took a few chapters to get into, but once I did…

This is officially one of my new favourite books of all time. It is so well written, and the plot is fantastic. I read the synopsis and I was hooked already, but reading the book just made it that much better. I had high hopes for this book, and it definitely did not disappoint. The writing style was so fun and easy to read. I really loved all the characters and felt like I really connected with all of them. This book definitely took me on a rollercoaster of emotions, very funny but also some sad parts. I felt like this book was just a very comforting read and I cannot wait for it to be released so everyone can enjoy it! I will of course be purchasing a physical copy when it comes out. A big thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC

Who doesn’t love a good paranormal romance with a cast of quirky characters?

Wallace is, to put it lightly, a jerk! He cares for little else than advancing his career and has made more than a handful of enemies over the years. When Wallace has a heart attack and wakes up at his own funeral, he is forced to come to terms with his new predicament. With the help of Mei, Nelson, and Hugo, Wallace tries to start fresh and be a better person in death than he was in life.

This book was such a joy to read! I loved the characters and the sense of life that they brought to this book about death. I loved the idea of the tea shop and I wish I had a quirky tea shop like Charon’s Crossing to visit in my neighbourhood! This book is definitely worth adding to your spooky season reading list!