4.5 stars rounded up because even though it was a little slow in the middle, this was exactly what I wanted after having read Klune's The House in the Cerulean Sea last year.

In typical Klune fashion this was witty and just full of heart. The characters were nicely fleshed out and loveable and you never lost track of who was who because of how detailed they were. I laughed, I worried, and I cried.

Also, Apollo is the best boy ever.

Amazing. Lovely, heartwarming story. TJ brings such a unique and passionate perspective to his writing, it is magical - in more than one way!

What do you say about a TJ Klune book? They are always filled with such quirk, charm, and wonder. This one is no different. It's an incredible story about the meaning of life and finds the humility in the cruelest of characters through the death process. While the book deals with challenging topics related to death, it's approachable and leaves you wanting more.

“Don’t forget me. Please don’t forget me.”
UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR - TJ KLUNE

if you think this experience will be anything like THE HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA, think again.

this story was compelling, and beautiful, and profound… but also draining, and emotional, and HEAVY. I found myself struggling to pick it up at times, because of how it made me feel. I still have a pit in my stomach thinking about it.

again, TJ KLUNE creates such wonderful characters, with such wonderful character development to go along with them. although I’ve only read two of his books, I find it’s something you can almost guarantee every time.

I don’t normally talk about trigger warnings, but I suggest looking into what’s associated with this one. I know I’m glad I did.

Under the Whispering Door is the second book I’ve read from T.J. Klune. This fantasy book explores themes of life and death, unexpected friendship, empathy, and mental health. The cover may look deceiving, however, I appreciate that the author wrote a note in the beginning saying that this book touches upon heavy subjects of death, suicide, and to read with care. Though I enjoyed The House in the Cerulean Sea more, Under the Whispering is a touching story. I’m glad I read it when I did because I needed to be emotionally prepared to really take in the story. Under the Whispering Door is a bit slower paced and is more character driven. My favorite characters were Nelson (Hugo’s grandfather) and Apollo (Hugo’s dog). Though they both were side characters, they resonated with me the most. It was so sweet and selfless that Nelson wanted his grandson to be happy and in a good place before he crossed. I also loved Apollo wanted to stay because he wanted to be with his owner. Highly recommend picking this one up, but as the author mentioned, definitely read with care and pick it up only when you feel that you’re emotionally ready.

Wallace Price was a man who had no time for anything or anyone besides work. He wasn’t liked and he didn’t try to be liked. But one day he has a heart attack and finds himself watching his own funeral, where he sees his business partners making jokes and his ex-wife doesn’t shed a tear, instead ranting about what an uncaring man he was. He is met by Mei, a reaper, and is brought to a strange house in a small town, where he meets the ferryman, Hugo. The house is a waystation to the afterlife, where Wallace can come to terms with his death and eventually move on to whatever is next. With the help of his new friends, Wallace becomes a better man than he was in life, but doesn’t want to move on. When the Manager finally comes and tells Wallace he has one week before he must go through the door to the beyond, Wallace starts to live the life he wishes he had before death.

I cannot stop gushing about this book! The story was so creative and I loved every single one of these characters. It was one of those books I didn’t want to put down and I became so invested in every part, even the parts that could be considered side stories. The story has a beautiful way of talking about death and the journey that one may go down in the acceptance of their passing, be it grief, anger, disbelief, fear, etc. The setting of the teahouse is so relaxing and I appreciated the exploration of Hugo - he is a strong, compassionate character who does his best to help the dead pass on to their next destination, but he also struggles and becomes overwhelmed with death because he is human. You are also introduced to Hugo’s grandfather, Nelson, and his ghost dog, Apollo, who help add an additional light-heartedness to the story, but are also used to help provide more information about Hugo and play a part in Wallace’s transformation because he can interact with them 24 hours a day. The development of Hugo and Wallace’s feelings for each other feels so natural and it tears your heart apart whenever they want to touch but can’t. Even the character of the Manager was fantastic - an ageless and all-knowing being who also has faults (even if he won’t admit it) and it isn’t surprising he has an attitude. I just loved everything about this book and I want everyone to read it!

Under The Whispering Door

By: TJ Klune

Macmillian-TOR/Forge

TOR Books

LGBTQIA/Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Publish Date 21 September 2021

#UndertheWhisperingDoor#NetGalley

100 Book ReviewsProfessional Reader

I would like to first thank both NetGalley and TOR Books for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book. Sorry it took me so long to do so.

Good Reads synopsis:

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.

Under the Whispering Door is a contemporary fantasy about a ghost who refuses to cross over and the ferryman he falls in love with

Book Review:

This book had a slow start, and I wasn’t enjoying it. Once they got to tea shop is where it picked up for me. I ended up giving this book 4 stars. My favorite character was the granddad, Nelson and Apollo the dog. This book made me laugh which I had to do so quietly since I was at work.

Our main character was a mean man and was looking out for only himself. If someone made a single mistake, he would fire them. He was also alone when he dead and woke up at his funeral. He was surprised to find that only four people showed up. His ex-wife and the three partners to the law firm. They did not have anything nice to say about him.

There is one other person whom it doesn’t recognize. This female ends up being the reaper who is in charge of taking him to the tea shop.

This is her first solo run and has a few hiccups but still is able to accomplish the task. Once they arrive at the teashop is where the book picked up for me.

Things happen and the main character realizes somethings and it goes from there. I don’t want to give much away. You really should read this book and have a good laugh along with some tears. This book gives a different view of what can happen once we leave this life.

A lovely book, kind and gentle in its exploration of death, the afterlife, and the bonds we create with each other.

If you (like everyone else) read The House in the Cerulean Sea last year, definitely pick this one up! The character development is fantastic and this story reached out and touched my heart. Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book for an honest review.

Under the Whispering Door is TJ Klune’s latest heart wrenching hit! This story follows Wallace, as he is collected from his funeral and taken to a small village tea shop to process life on the other side. There, he meets Hugo, the tea shop’s proprietor and support person for souls passing on. What ensues is a lovely and compassionate story about love, loss, joy and grieving. What an absolute honor to read!

Klune consistently finds levity in the toughest of conversations, and Under the Whispering Door is no exception. It is the most comfortable I have felt reading about death in a very long time!

Please pick up this book!

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to read it prior to release date but it was worth the wait.

This was my first TJ Klune novel and I was not disappointed. There were a few small aspects that I didn't care for but overall this was such a good book. Its very heartfelt and the characters are ones that you can easily relate to and want to see good things happen for them.

I would highly recommend this book to everyone.

A compelling read. Beautifully written, well-thought-out characters, and a developed setting. Tackled some tough issues but in a digestible and conversational manner. I truly enjoyed this one!

What an absolutely amazing book. First of all, many thanks to NetGalley for introducing me to this book, as it is not my typical genre but I am so glad I still gave this one a chance as it is now one of my new favorites. I cannot remember the last time a book made me feel so much emotion, to the point where I was actually tearing up.

3.5 stars. This read was dense for me but enjoyable and heartwarming.

SPOILER ALERT!

My main issue that didn't make this a 4 or 4.5 star read was that Wallace and Linus from House in the Cerulean Sea have basically the exact same personality and identical character arcs. This drove me crazy for the ENTIRE book. Coupled with the fact that they are both thrown into a situation that they're not very happy about and then end up falling in love with one of the men in the unfamiliar situation and they then stay there with him and live happily ever after. It was too much. I needed a little creativity. The parallels were much too obvious.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I'm so sad I didn't enjoy this one as well as The House in the Cerulean Sea. The writing was still there and characters..oh, I think this author has some kind of superpower for character creation. So vivid, unique, with great personalities and big hearts. And humor - loved that too. But I had problems with the plot. It wasn't for me. The idea was great! For me, it was too much philosophical talk between characters. I had a feeling that half of the book nothing happened. But I loved the parts when something did happen. And the romance part... I didn't see where that was coming from, it felt a bit forced. I still enjoyed this book and I think a lot of people will enjoy it. It felt like a self-help book written in a fictional world, but there was too much "self-help" for me if you know what I mean.

I went into this book with very high hopes! I absolutely loved The House in the Cerulean Sea, but it is important to note that this book is WILDLY different from Cerulean Sea. While I still adored this one, the characters lacked something and weren't as charming to me. It took a while to find the redeeming qualities of Wallace, although I do feel like you saw him evolve throughout the story. I will say this is a story that will absolutely break your heart and then put it back together again!

I absolutely loved this book! It shows the process of grief and death in such a great way! I highly recommend this book!

I was very excited to read Under the Whispering Door after how much I enjoyed Klune's The House in the Cerulean Sea. I was dubious...after all, there has been a lot of sad stories about death with a global pandemic and I also have had several friends and aquaintences die suddenly over the last few months. But there is something so engaging about how Klune writes that grabbed me from the first sentence and left me crying at different times throughout the book.

Klune's attention to detail, his use of atmosphere to help tell the story, and most of all his characters - all of these elements came together to tell an amazing story. Wallace Price is not a likeable man. He is selfish and thoughtless. He is completely alone in his life...and as he finds, staying alone while alive is much easier than it is after you die. When his Reaper shows up to escort him to the Ferryman. Hugo runs a tea shop and certain spectors have decided to stay on to help him out. Wallace and Hugo are very different people, and with the lurking threat of the Manager who could show up at any time, the reader gets to go on a wonderful, emotional voyage as Wallace learns more about life than he ever knew while alive

A wonderful unique read! After reading The House in the Cerulean Sea, I was very excited to read this one. I am a huge fan of TJ Klune writing style and this book was just as good as the last. I highly recommend

I laughed, I cried, I sat in silence, reflecting on everything I read. This book was absolutely beautiful. This is my second book read by TJ Klune and I swear that human being knows exactly how to tug on your heart strings and sit grieving a book you just finished and wish you could go back in time before you read it just so you can read it again. The character development, especially of Wallace, is chef's kiss, and the plot moves in a steady pace though there are moments where things start happening where you have to force yourself to go slow because STUFF HITS THE FAN. I loved it, and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a real tear-jerker and wants to read about life after death.