It is a rare treat when you come across a novel that is so perfectly written that you know you are going to be buying copies and recommending it to everyone you know.

TJ Klune in Under the Whispering Door weaves an incredible story of Wallace Price, an asshole lawyer who dies unexpectedly and ends up at a waystation for the recently deceased. Accompanied by Mei, his Reaper, Hugo, the ferryman, and a few friendly ghosts who have chosen to remain on this plane, Wallace learns through death what it is to truly live.

For fans of A Man Called Ove and Grumpy Old Men, this is a heartwarming tale you surely do not want to miss.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book. Personally, I don’t have the unconditional attachment that many seem to have to Klune’s work. Before reading this, I had finished three of his previous novels, having only enjoyed one of them. So, I was a little hesitant to read this latest advanced copy. But I did. And I’m happy to report that this is possibly the best book I’ve read by him so far. The flow is exceptional. The style is clean. The characters are endearing. And the premise is powerful. What happens to us after we die is certainly the ultimate mystery that authors have investigated over and over again. Klune’s version here is both hopeful and powerful. The idea that it’s never too late to own up to our failings and be better humans is certainly a message worth exploring and repeating. Now, for me, Klune still relies too much on his favourite devices, like repetition and slightly cheesy nods to his other books (how many times can he refer to a house on an island or describe something as cerulean?), but I’m pleased to see that the “Gilmore Girls” dialogue style issues that I normally have with doesn’t seem to be a problem in this story at all. Overall, I see a lot of maturity in this work. It’s sentimental, sensitive, captivating, and creative. Highly recommended.

This book is completely magical. I read it as a fan of Klunes other books and even then it delivered full heart and humour.

I am a huge fan of dark fantasy and dark fiction and this beautiful book about what happens when we try to move on after death ticks off so many boxes, some I didn't even realise I wanted.

The characters in this are intriguing and heart-warming and it's the character building and their relationships they share that truly make this book shine.

It has some trigger warnings to take note of particularly given the nature of the plot.

Overall this was an utterly delightful read and I cannot wait to get my hands on a hard copy once it's released

If you're wondering, after reading and absolutely adoring Cerulean Sea, if there was any possible way that Klune could once again reach into your heart and squeeze every possible emotion out of it. If you saw the upcoming publication of this book and thought, "He can't, and won't, make me sob uncontrollably again. He CAN'T, he just....no, he can't, right?". Well, I am here to tell you that 1. YES, THERE IS A WAY. And it's with this here book. And 2. YES, he CAN, and he DID. I am destroyed. There is no way I should be allowed to write this review in my current state, but I had to share these raw emotions. I had to forgo my rule of "waiting a while, and sitting with my thoughts" because my thoughts are "HOLY HECK, HE DID IT AGAIN!".

Under the Whispering Door had a lot of the same elements that made Cerulean Sea both so heart-wrenching, and warming: found family, profound realizations about life (and in this case, death), quirky and irresistibly infectious characters, a quiet and humble setting, and a storyline that was nothing like you expected but ended up being more than you could have ever asked for. I will admit though, that this one had an Epilogue that, while appreciated because I adore Klune's writing, could have been left out and it still would have been a perfect book.

I'm not sure my heart can handle any more Klune books, but if he ever stops writing, I will literally grieve. I can't wait for everyone to experience this one!

After T.J. Klune's last novel, I knew that his stories would always have my heart, and I can definitely say that Under the Whispering Door delivered all that I expected and more.

This incredible story about life, the afterlife, and even love, completely blew me away. I love the characters and Klune's fantastic storytelling. He weaves a story like no other.

I highly, highly recommend this book.

Picked this one up because I've loved Klune's last two books and I was not disappointed! In this one, we follow Wallace who has recently died and is being taken to a tea house. This tea house is a waypoint for the dead, a stop before they move on to whatever comes next. Wallace isn't ready to move on, so he decides to stay for as long as he can. He soon meets the other residents of the tea house: Nelson, an elderly ghost, Mei, a reaper who helps bring people to the waypoint, Apollo, a ghost dog, and Hugo, the owner and ferryman of the tea house. Wallace soon begin to see that maybe you can learn more about life in death.

The tone of this book was very different from the previous ones I had read by this author, but I still really enjoyed it. It still had Klune's signature humour woven throughout the narrative, but it also dealt with topics of death, grief, murder, suicide, and what it means to truly live. There were some parts of this book that were pretty heavy but there were some important conversations had that I wasn't expecting to see. We also see themes of found family as well, which I loved. My one criticism of this book is that the ending, for me, was pretty predictable and I saw it coming from a mile away. That's not to say that I didn't like the end, but I would have liked to have been surprised more by it

As with most of Klune's books, it was the characters that made it. They all were super well developed, even the dog, and the relationships between them seemed very genuine. I loved the character arc that Wallace went through and how he realized so many things about what it means to be happy. Hugo was such a wise person for his age and I loved seeing just how big his heart was. Mei and Nelson we so great, and brought in comedic elements and serious elements. And don't get me started on the characters who would visit the tea shop! I could seriously sing the praises of every character forever, and still have more to say.

Overall, this was a really deep and heartfelt story about death, family, and what it means to be alive.

TJ Klune's Under the Whispering Door is lovely, heartfelt, and meaningful. I have to admit I wasn't sure how I would feel about this, as House on the Cerulean Sea is a hard act to follow. Klune did not disappoint. I love the character development and he has a way with making you laugh and tugging at your heartstrings simultaneously. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to @netgalley and @TorBooks for this ARC e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed The House in the Cerulean Sea, so I was SO EXCITED to get a chance to read Under the Whispering Door early - thank you! And needless to say, I am NOT disappointed!!! Under the Whispering Door made me feel so many feels, and just perfectly imagined this unique post life experience. I loved it!

I love books where death is almost a character, and we definitely have that here. While some of it felt a bit trite, this book moved me in many ways and I was bawling by the end of it. Fans of Klune's other work are sure to love this too.

Enjoy the characters and the humor between Nelson and Wallace
The setting is just a house and tea garden. I like the fireplace. It seems to be a location in the house used the most.
Chapter 16 after Why? Next paragraph needs a "know"
Alan jumped up and down wavings his warms instead of arms.
The unknown always brought fear. I like this statement.
There are lots of teaching moments with Wallace and Nancy where they are taught acceptance. Nancy is taught she has to accept the fact that her daughter is no longer among the living.
Great story which may help some people think about how they are living and want to change.

I thought after The House in the Cerulean Sea, TJ Klune couldn’t get any better and yet he managed to knock it out of the park yet again. But this book is quite different from The House in the Cerulean Sea in that it is sad. Very, very sad. It’s a book about death and grief and growing as a person, even after your life has ended. This is one of Klune’s most personal books, so expect to end the book a teary mess.

Wallace Price is a horrible person. He’s a self-interested lawyer who wants things done in a certain way, and when that fails, he usually fires the first person next to him. So when he finds himself at his own funeral and a Reaper shows up to tell him he’s dead and a ghost, Wallace doesn’t believe her and thinks that if he can just speak to the manager, this whole “being dead thing” can be sorted out. As Wallace is taken to a cute little tea shop, a way station before the afterlife, Wallace meets the shop’s owner, Hugo, and starts to form relationships with the humans and ghosts that live there. Pretty soon, Wallace has other reasons for not wanting to move onto the afterlife, but when a powerful magical being tells him he only has one week left before he must move on, Wallace must learn how to live in just a few days.

Under the Whispering Door could almost be called a queer retelling of A Christmas Carol: we have a horrible, cruel and wealthy man who refuses to help the people around him, a whole cast of quirky humans and non-humans alike who strive to teach him how to be a better person, and a lesson learnt by the end of the novel. A Christmas Carol is one of my favourite books so reading the comparisons between the two was fun — especially adding Klune’s fantastic queer take on it.

One of Klune’s greatest strengths as a writer is writing about really difficult topics but in a sweet, hopeful way — through humour and loveable characters. And in Under the Whispering Door he tackles perhaps the most difficult subject: grief. Losing someone is the worst things to imagine, and in this novel, Klune discusses what it would be like to realise your life has come to an end and you realise you didn’t enjoy a single moment and that you were someone that most people detested. Here, in this book, Klune asks, what if you were to mourn yourself, mourn the person you wish you were? Only in death does Wallace get this second chance, but hopefully you finish this book with a different outlook on life: understanding that you can start to change things in your own life that you might dislike before it becomes too late.

At the heart of this book, though, is a beautiful love story. Wallace and Hugo are two very different people, but with Hugo’s help, Wallace begins to learn how to be a better person — ghost — and they connect in truely lovely ways. But I also admire how Klune spends equal time focusing on other forms of love too: the love between a grandparent and grandchild, between two best friends, and between a human and their dog. It’s wonderful seeing so many different types of love being celebrated.

Under the Whispering Door is a book that many people are going to resonate with. If you’re looking for another comfort read like The House in the Cerulean Sea, you might be a bit disappointed, but this book is unique and original in its own way and deserves to be recognised the same. It will make you cry, laugh, cry and then cry some more.

Wow. This was so amazing. All if the characters were so well developed. It was so sweet and all of the moments of humour and live were perfectly balanced with the stories of grief and death and afterlife. This book was constantly smashing my heart into pieces but it was well worth it in the end

•A R C • B O O K • R E V I E W•
2021 Book #63 out of 80
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UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR by T.J. KLUNE
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5 stars
Publication date: September 21, 2021
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QUICK SYNOPSIS:
Wallace Price appears to be one of the worst people to work with and a horrible husband. When Wallace dies, he is left as a ghost that feels unsatisfied and eager to return to the living world. It isn't until he arrives at Charon's Crossing that he meats the ferryman, Hugo, who helps him on his journey into the beyond.
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T.W.: Death, Suicide, Murder
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STORYLINE & THOUGHTS:
~ Hope. Wholesome. Exceptional.
~ ANNOUNCEMENT: This book goes on my TOP 5 FAVORITES OF 2021! This book had me smiling, laughing, and crying from the very first page to the last. I can't believe this is my first ever read of a T.J. Klune book! I have been missing out for sure. Sorry, T.J.!!
~ I loved the way the story was written so that the reader could experience and see how Wallace navigates through his post-death journey.
~ I thought this book really encapsulated the whole 2020 and 2021 experience with grief and death. Like many, my life has not been the same since. I feel like I'm frequently going through the various steps of grieving. Sometimes the grieving steps feel like they're never going to disappear. This book really helped bring the discussion of death to light.
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Thank you to @netgalley and @TorBooks for this ARC Ebook. All reviews are fair and honest reviews. All opinions are my own.
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#ARC #AdvanceReaderCopy #Netgalley #Bookstagramfeature #Bookstagram #Goodreads #TBR #ToBeRead #InstaBook #readersofinstagram #readersofinsta #bookreview #bookish

A cute and kitschy read. It wasn't particularly plot- or character-driven, so a lot of it felt like characters just talking to each other. I'm sure a lot of readers will enjoy this, but it wasn't my cup of tea.

Hi. I’m Lizzie and I love T J Klune (everyone responds hi Lizzie). I may have begged the lovely people at Tor Books for a copy of his newest coming out in September. I loved The House in the Cerulean Sea it is the book I recommend the most. I think everyone should read it. No one should skip it. Move over Linus-Wallace is new in town.

This book y’all. If you are expecting the same magic as Cerulean sea, it isn’t the same. It’s different and it’s just as good. The magic struck again. There is a found family, there is lgbtq themes, there are characters you will fall in love with, take my word. The ugly cry was real. This is spoiler free and in fact it won’t hurt you at all to go in blind. Enjoy it. Live in this world. It’s a good world.

Thank you to the publishers and the author for allowing me the privilege of reading this early. I hope everyone reads this. I hope it makes you feel as good as it made me feel.

This was a good story. I fell in love with a couple of the characters. Some of the themes may not work for everyone (afterlife stuff) but I always enjoy exploring the idea of what, if anything, comes next.

If you enjoy poignant stories full of colorful characters, give this one a shot.

Under the Whispering Door is the newest fantasy/contemporary fiction novel by TJ Klune. It follows a character named Wallace Price, who in life, was not a very nice person. Upon his death, Wallace meets a Reaper named Mei and a Ferryman named Hugo. Mei and Hugo are meant to help Wallace accept his death and transition on, but instead they come to impact his death in so many more ways.

TJ Klune has done it again. This book was amazing and just as heartwarming and emotional as many of his other books.

To start with, the characters, every one of them, were endearing and lovable. Klune is skilled at interweaving humor and joy into serious and heartfelt topics. It draws the reader to the characters and is a part of what makes so many readers describe his books as "giving them fuzzy feelings," or "being like a warm hug". I loved every character in this book, but my favorite was Nelson. He brought the humor and lightheartedness to what could have been a pretty heavy and dark book. Additionally, Apollo, only Klune could take a character with no lines and make me love him so much!

Another part of what I love about Klune's writing is the message. He writes these fun, beautiful books that, at their heart, have extremely powerful and timeless messages, and Under the Whispering Door is no different. The book felt a little long in the middle, but it ended with a beautiful and worth-the-wait payoff at the end. Full disclosure, this book made me tear up. I think this book is going to touch a lot of people.

Lastly, I'll note that I did go into this book hearing from a friend that Klune had advised that this book is quite different from Cerulean Sea and readers should abandon expectations/comparisons at the start. Cerulean Sea is still such a beloved and raved about book (seriously, I see posts about it daily on instagram), so I think this was great advice. I would agree that Under the Whispering Door is very different in tone, subject matter, and mindset/level of cuteness. This book still touched my heart, but in a very different way than Cerulean Sea, and I think readers that enter this book expecting a similar book may be disappointed. I hope readers will see this for the gem that it is, a very unique book of it's own!

This book was an easy 5 stars for me and likely one of my top 5 books for 2021.

CW - Death, Suicide, Grief

Thanks to Netgalley, TJ Klune, and the publisher for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

This is a tough one for me! T.J. Klune is one of my favorite authors but I didn't make a connection with this book. Will I buy it? yes! Because I purchase all of his books. I just couldn't get into the story of this one. Wallace Price - the main character is completely unlikeable. He was a terrible husband and lacked basic compassion for anyone in his life. When he dies... and is collected by a reaper... he's still despicable.

I feel as though this book is very character-driven rather than the way TJ's books usually are plot-driven. There is no better storyteller as far as I'm concerned. Under the Whispering Door is mostly about life! What do we leave behind, what happens when we die... philosophical questions.

Not for me... but I'm certain that fans of TJ's writing will love this book! Definitely still giving it a high rating as I love TJ's writing! Not every book is for every person though.

This book was quintessential Klune. Whimsical, heart-breaking, and a breath of fresh air. This book will make your heart soar, and put you in tears, but you will come away from it feeling refreshed nonetheless. Klune has quickly become on of my favorite authors, and I cannot wait for what they have in store for us next.

When I found out that I was approved to read a copy of TJ Klune’s new novel, I immediately moved it to the number 1 spot on my to-be-read list. Klune’s prior novel, the House by the Cerulean Sea, is a favorite of mine so Iwas jumping for joy to read Under The Whispering Door!

This book follows Wallace who is nothing short of a jerk. Wallace is career-driven and detail-oriented, with no life outside of his work. We follow Wallace as he wakes up as a ghost at his own funeral to his journey to a tea shop run by a ferryman named Hugo, who will deliver Wallace to his afterlife destination.

This book has very scroogesque/Christmas Carol vibes. Wallace is a mean and short-tempered boss who reflects on his poor life choices after death. When he meets Hugo he begins to evolve into someone completely different.

Overall this is another wonderful tale by the master of delightfully heartwarming books. It's very much a rollercoaster of an emotional ride. I thoroughly enjoyed Wallace's growth throughout the book and I found myself going from disliking him to falling in love with him. The topics are very heavy and I'm not sure any other author could have handled them in such an ideal way as Klune has.

This book is very well written. I loved how TJ klune threw his spin on the themes of life and death. If you loved The House by the Cerulean Sea then Under the Whispering Door is definitely for you!
Under The Whispering Door will be available on September 21st.

Many thanks to Netgalley, TJ Klune, and the publisher for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!