This was my most anticipated read for the year and it has absolutely met all of my expectations. Almost immediately, our main character, Wallace, has died and is picked up at his own funeral where he is uselessly heckling the mourners for not doing a good enough job mourning him. I was hooked from there. There is a combination of reapers and ferrymen who help the recently deceased prepare for what comes next. There is a tea shop called Charon's Crossing, run by ferryman Hugo who provides a place for both the living and the dead to come and exist without the distraction for whatever time they need.

The big question that came with this book was whether or not you think you can change once you've died. Wallace isn't supposed to be able to change for the better. He's just supposed to find a place to accept his circumstances and move on. I love his journey and the realization of what a jerk he was in life and the struggle of what he can do with that knowledge now that he's dead.

As Hugo the ferryman says several times, everyone in this book contains multitudes. It is at times funny and at other times devastating. I was honestly unsure of what the outcome would be, and I was prepared for whatever ending T.J. Klune decided to give this book because I felt that it would be chosen with care and I loved every moment of it.

I requested this title without even reading the synopsis - not generally a good idea - because it's the author of House in the Cerulean Sea. When I actually stopped to read the summary, I got a little worried. It didn't seem like my kind of book. Thankfully, I was wrong.
Wallace Price is dead. And also an asshole. Our brief meeting with him before his death makes that very clear.
But upon dying, he is led to away by a Reaper named Mei, and sheltered in the house of a Ferryman, Hugo. Their job is to help him cope with his death until he is ready to cross over into whatever is next.
During his stay, Wallace starts to realize awful his living self was, and he starts to mellow out. Growing fond of his keepers, he starts to ignore the temporary aspect of his stay with them.
Eventually he is given a deadline to move on, and makes some drastic decisions in his last days.

I feel like the official summary, and even my own above, really don't do the book justice. Though Wallace's development is slow (it takes like 40% of the book) so much more is going on that the summary lets on.
It took a little while for me to be invested in this book, but I definitely recommend it. Klune walks a delicate line with this story, switching back and forth between characters contemplating death and moments of loveable slapstick comedy. It was somehow masterfully done.
Absolutely read this book.
~I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.~

Full of heart, hope, grief, humor, delicious character development and perfectly steeped tea, Under the Whispering Door is one-of-a kind. I laughed, I cried, I stayed up far too late. You don't want to miss this.

It is so hard to read a second book from an author when you loved the first book you read from them SO much. And because of The House in Cerulean Sea (EASILY my best book of 2020), I feel like at times I judged UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR more than I would have if I had read this one first.

This is the fourth TJ Klune book that I've read and he seems to have at least two (maybe more if I read some of his other works) distinct writing styles, which is pretty dang talented as both of them are well developed. This is most similar to The House in the Cerulean Sea in the way he develops characters. Comparatively, UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR has less humor and also a less detailed setting, but that seems appropriate for the topic that the book is about. This was a much harder read for me also, but it was so heavy, in ways that were still so so good. All of this to say that I still gave the book five stars and it made me cry more than once while reading it. It's a good one to read, but it's also a hard one to read, and take any trigger warnings seriously (which are, rightly so, listed at the beginning of the book itself).

In Under the Whispering Door, one of two books coming from TJ Klune in the next few months, we learn that it’s never too late to make your life the way you wanted it to be. Even after you’re dead.

How do I write a review of a book for which I have no words? To quote one of my favorite YA books, We Contain Multitudes, this one utterly undid me.

Wallace was a successful lawyer. He should be a success; he thought about nothing but working harder and doing better, even at the expense of those around him, including his employees. No one would ever say he was nice or friendly or compassionate or even considerate, and he didn’t care.

The next thing he knows, he’s watching his funeral. And then a reaper comes to collect him for his journey onward. Wallace is angry about being dead. He demands that things be fixed because his firm has work to do.

The reaper takes him to meet Hugo, the compassionate, handsome owner of a peculiar little tea shop. He’s also a ferryman, assigned to help Wallace get ready to cross over to his final destination. He’s seen anger like Wallace’s before and isn’t fazed, but he's determined to help Wallace reach his own understanding of the situation at hand.

But as Wallace starts accepting his death, he starts seeing his life for what it was, where he went wrong. More than that, he starts to realize the beauty of vulnerability, the power that comes from surrounding yourself with love and kindness and companionship. Is it too late?

Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea was my favorite book of last year and this very well may be my favorite of 2021. Moving, quirky, thought-provoking, and beautiful, it’s a book about living—even when you’re dead.

NetGalley and Tor Books provided me with a complimentary advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!!

Under the Whispering Door publishes 9/21.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

~4.5 stars. This book manages to make you laugh out loud, be whimsical, make you cry, and make you think about things on a pretty deep level and ties all those things together seamlessly. The characters had their flaws but you still rooted for them and still cared about them. I'm excited to pick up other works by T.J. Klune!

*I recieved an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Another heartwarming and magical tale from T.J. Klune! Klune has a way of writing stories with simple messages and dressing them up with magical realisim and lovable characters. Much like The House in the Cerulean Sea, we are given a protagonist who goes through profound change when he meets the colorful cast of side characters. Is it a formula? Yeah, but it works!

I will say the protagonist's character arc isn't as fully realized as it could have been (the changes felt somewhat abrupt as opposed to gradual overtime) and that's really my only nitpick.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I think fans of T.J. Klune and The House in the Cerulean Sea will be please with this one!

I always end up long TJ Klune’s books! I got this one from Netgalley and I had a difficult time reading it at first but eventually I got really into it. This is a beautiful story about death and what comes after. I love that Wallace gets a chance to be who he was meant to be! I think there’s a lot of good meaning to be found in this book, but excited to get it when it comes out!

Goodness, I cried. Not like a small cry but sobbing, heart wrenching, half a box of tissues, wake up in the morning with a headache cry.

In life, Wallace is an asshole. But by chapter 2, he’s dead. His reaper, the fiercely loyal Mei, leads him to Charon’s Cross Tea Shop, where his ferryman, Hugo, awaits. Hugo’s job, in addition to running the Tea Shop, is to help the recently dead cross over. There’s Nelson, Hugo’s grandad, and Apollo, Nelson’s support dog, both also dead. These characters are all humans (and ghosts) whom I loved getting to know and would share a cup of tea with any day. Klune did an expert job of fully fleshing out these supporting characters with complex back stories of their own, right down to the mother loving dog.

But they’re not the most important part! It’s Wallace, the aforementioned asshole. This book is the story of whether his after death journey can make up for a truly terrible in life journey. And it’s gorgeous.

I like that it made me think about how we’re all cogs in a wheel, which would be depressing if we weren’t each able to make such an impact as a cog, if only we try. Take that wheel! *shakes fist* Oh! And did I mention it’s queer? Wonderfully, fabulously, delightfully queer!!!

T.J. Klune has a way of writing that feels so raw and authentic. I haven’t figured out yet if his books are for kids or adults, but I loved this one even more than the Cerulean Sea. It made me deeply homesick, and that’s a compliment.

I’ve had readers ask me for tearjerkers, and now I know this can safely be added to the list. 😭🥰

Thank you NetGalley, so much for this ARC in return for my honest review.

Got to read this before its release in September. TJ Klune is a storyteller who brings true life feelings into his writing. Wallace is just a mean, vindictive man. When he dies and refuses to cross over he relives his life doing things that he did not choose to do when he was living. He falls for Hugo who is the ferryman who will take him to the other side. Wallace tries to really live with the 7 days that he is given. Love, truth, and dialogue that makes this another heart warming story.

DNF 25%. I don’t like giving up on books, but I could not drag myself through another chapter. Disappointing. The beginning of Under the Whispering Door is drawn out. It is pages and pages of Wallace complaining and refusing to listen to anyone. It is the same conversation on repeat. I can’t imagine where the romance would begin as Hugo has little character and no chemistry with Wallace. I have read other reviews saying the novel picks up after about 50% of the book. If you have the patience, the concept is interesting if it ever gets off the ground. Good luck.

Under the Whispering Door is the second novel I read by TJ Klune. The best way I can describe to you the feeling I have when reading this book and The House in the Cerulean Sea is to imagine putting on your coziest clothes and snuggling down under your softest blanket with a cup of your favorite warm beverage while a cool breeze drifts through your open window, setting the stage for reading a magical, heartwarming story.

Under the Whispering door the serious topics of death and grief, but it is balanced with love and joy. I recommend it highly.

I am a library paraprofessional and received an advance copy from #NetGalley. Opinions are my own.

The author, T.J Klune, is a masterful storyteller. His strength is incorporating and normalizing the very human relationships of our queer community. We are all just people after all. After reading his words of caution regarding the topic of death, I just didn’t know what to expect. He took a sensitive subject and weaved the most interesting characters that you will come to care greatly about, and wrapped the trials and tribulations of life all into a beautifully written story. If you plan to read this, which I wholeheartedly recommend, go into it with a clean slate and an open mind. You will be glad you did as Klune,s words, the evolution of the main character, and the inclusion of life’s ups and downs simply as a human being, make this book a must read.

This book broke me in the best possible way. TJ Klune has such a knack for simultaneously destroying my soul and healing it, and I love him for it. I will absolutely handsell this book in my store; everyone should read it. Everyone.

We meet Wallace on the next to last day of his life. He's a man who has thrown himself so completely into his work that it has consumed his whole life. Along the way he has lost any sense of empathy or connection with those around him. Which means that when we meet him again at his own funeral, it is a very sparsely attended affair. In fact, one of the five people in the massive church is the reaper who has come to escort him to the next destination in his after-life: an out of the way tea-shop whose owner is also a ferryman, helping souls make the transition to the great beyond. Wallace, being Wallace, would like to complain to the Management.

Time and tea work their magic, however. Wallace begins to see how empty his life was and he determines to make the most of his after-life. With the help of Hugo, the ferryman, and the other denizens of the tea-shop, Wallace discovers the joys of connecting with others, helping those who are lost, falling in love and being part of a family. But, this was only ever supposed to be a pause before the final leg of his journey. When the Manager does appear, he gives Wallace a deadline. Now he has seven days to come to terms with his life and death, then cross over.

This warm and charming story tackles some heavy subject matter, including grief, death and regret, without ever letting the narrative get bogged down. Wallace, while initially unlikable, gradually found his way into my heart. Removed from trappings of his old life, he can finally see the things he missed in his single-minded focus on his work. It was very gratifying to watch him choose to put his own concerns aside and make a difference in the lives of those around him.

We also get to see how Hugo became a ferryman and Mei a reaper, and those stories add another layer of depth to the story by showing how grief and trauma inform our choices and interactions.

If I had any complaints they would be that the humor occasionally felt forced in the first part of the book and that I never felt that I fully understood what had driven Wallace so relentlessly in life to shut everyone out in favor of chasing the illusion of success. It didn't necessarily make his transformation less satisfying, it just made "living Wallace" more of cypher to me.

On the whole, I very much enjoyed this bittersweet story of acceptance and redemption. Fans of T.J. Klune will not be disappointed, as this story has plenty of his trademark humor and a slow-build romance. And really, it's for anyone who would like a reminder that it's never too late to take stock of your life and choose to live more openly and positively.

TJ Klune has done it again! This book is so wonderful and I loved it even more than The House in the Cerulean Sea (which was also such a good book)! He is a tremendous author. Under the Whispering Door is a profound, thought-provoking, emotional, and humorous book. The characters are lovable and unique in their own ways. I absolutely loved this and highly recommend it!


I was so excited to have the chance to read this early- thank you so much to Netgalley, Macmillan-Tor/Forge publishing, and TJ Klune for giving me an Advanced Reader Copy!! I'm so grateful that I didn't have to wait!

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Standout Quote: “The door doesn’t discriminate. It’s there for everyone who is brave enough to look up at it. Some people lose their way, but that’s not their fault. They’re scared. My god, of course they are. How could they not be? Everyone loses their way some point, and it’s not just because of their mistakes or decisions they make. It’s because they’re horribly, wonderfully human. And the one thing I’ve learned about being human is that we can’t do this alone.”
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My thoughts:
•Full disclosure: As a reader this was a bit of a slow burn in terms of me connecting to the story, I want to say it didn’t happened until around 50%? But when I tell you by the end I was SOBBING in my room during multiple different parts…
•It truly felt like an extension to the world @tjklunebooks built with The House Cerulean Sea, (there are even little mentions) but this allowed the story to even though be new, also feel so familiar at the same time
• The love stories and relationships and even personal growths in this book also reminded me a bit of the characters from the house in the Cerulean Sea but at the same time we’re uniquely their own. THE CHARACTERS were truly everything and more!!!♥️
•I just adore @tjklunebooks writing style. It is quirky and unique, yet somehow makes me nostalgic of a world and stories I didn’t know I needed.
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Overall: I’ve lost loved ones, and this book had a way of ripping me apart emotionally, while also putting me back together in a comforting way. @tjklunebooks writing in this book continues to prove that he’s somehow able to reach out to readers through his writing and almost hug them with his words and tell them it’s okay and even the scariest of topics and problems aren’t insurmountable. @tjklunebooks stories just feel like a safe space where everyone is seen, heard and loved. I highly recommend ♥️

⚠️TW: Death in many different forms⚠️

Thank you so much to @tjklunebooks @netgalley @macmillanusa for allowing me the chance to read this early. This book will be available on September 21st♥️✨

A selfish man learns to live in death.

Wallace Price is an egocentric man, verging on the point of cruelness. His work as a successful lawyer is all that matters to him. After inhumanly firing an employee who has worked in his firm for about ten years, Wallace drops dead. A kind reaper named Mei finds him at his funeral complaining about the lack of attendees. Mei takes him to Charon's Crossing Tea and Treats to meet Hugo, the ferryman who will help him cross to the other side. At the tea shop, Wallace demands Hugo to end this death nonsense at once. Wallace has essential work to do at his firm. Denial leads Wallace to escape the tea shop, but the farther he goes into town, the more his skin flakes. He could lose himself and turn into a terrifying Husk. Wallace has no other option but to stay in the tea shop and confront what is next. He had no idea that Hugo, Mei, Nelson, a charming old ghost who can change clothes, Apollo, Hugo's loyal dog ghost, and unexpected beings and events would change his perspective on life and death. TJ Klune, the acclaimed author of The House in the Cerulean Sea, does it again with his heartwarming and hilarious prose, eccentric characters, and evocative lessons. Prepare to laugh out loud, cry rivers, rethink life and death, and root for impossible love with Under the Whispering Door.

TJ Klune is one of the great authors of our generation.

Another warm hug delivered in book form by the author of last summer's hit, House in the Cerulean Sea.

Under the Whispering Door is a lovely second-chance story about Wallace Price. Wallace, a prior workaholic, was not a good boss, good husband, or good person in general. And he is most definitely dead, but he's not quite sure that he believes it.

Mei, his reaper, takes him to a 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.

What I loved: intriguing premise, awesome characters, heartwarming love story.

What I didn't love: the first half of the book seemed kind of slow to me. It wasn't *quite* as good as Cerulean Sea, but definitely still worth a read!

Thank you #NetGalley and Tor Books for the #ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Pub date is September 21, 2021!

**Will post Instagram feature closer to pub date

Like many others, I recently discovered T.J. Klune through his novel The House in the Cerulean Sea. After being completed captivated and enthralled by that story and the characters, I was delighted to receive this ARC.

Under Whispering Door did not disappoint with another curious world - but instead of a home for misfit kids we're dealing with themes of death. Wallace is what you envision as the stereotypical awful lawyer who is married to his work and thinks everything he says/does is correct. But suddenly POOF he's dead and swept into a world where he has a Reaper named Mei leading him to a mysterious Ferryman named Hugo. And they all seemed worried about The Manager (but they're not scared mind you!).

Characters move in and out of the tea shop for a variety of reasons...some are dead and some are not. But each one holds their own precious story and reason for being there. This magical (maybe?) world is so lovely and you become so attached to each of them. But in the end you know/hope that they have to move on to the next stage of their death...go up through that door.