This is my first outing with TJ Klune, and after hearing SO much buzz about The House in the Cerulean Sea I jumped at the chance to read an early copy of his new novel.

His writing is everything people say it is; it is cosy, it is whimsical, it is easy to fall into and be absorbed by.

In this one we follow the recently deceased Wallace Price and his coming to terms with his own passing. The characters are at utter delight, especially each of the side-characters, and I will admit to sobbing more than once; this author really knows how to tug at the heart-strings!

That being said, I do also have some issues with this one; predominantly with the pacing. It wasn't at all 'even' to read; in places this is the slowest of slow, and in others things are rushed and crammed in. Overall it felt a little drawn out in terms of plot, but just right in terms of character development. The time we spent with them is what makes me love them so much, I just wish the plot had lived up to expectations too.

3.5 heart-warming stars.

I don’t know if there is a way to describe the utter beauty and calm of this book. It has you laughing and crying with joy one moment, and contemplating the complexities of grief in the next. I shed tears for almost every character, I giggled, I loved every moment. There is something profoundly calming about the whole book despite it coving topics such as grief, death, murder and suicide (to which the author has included a trigger warning for in the authors note).

The worldbuilding is just gorgeous, I could imagine every inch of Hugo’s Tea shop to me it was a haze of well worn pastel painted furniture that seems to fit no mater the season. It also elegantly sidesteps the questions of the afterlife, allowing for both religious and non-religious beliefs to co-exist and discusses all these possibilities in a respectful and peaceful manor. It sets no definitive leaving the reader to keep there questions open or their beliefs as to what is after. Instead it gives a beautiful rest stop in which to explore the meaning of both life and death. To think about what grief means to people and what life means to people. The whole thing is just packed with emotion that it radiates out and you can’t help but feel it all too.

Wallace the main character is just amazing, he has a very obvious character arc but it works perfectly. He is a dick, completely and utterly and therefore as a reader you don’t feel so awful witnessing his death in the first few pages of the book. TJ Klune masterfully makes you despise Wallace and yet twists it so you fall in love with Wallace in such a short space of time. The other characters are just such cinnamon rolls, they are witty and wistful and just so much fun to read about as they help Wallace on his journey. There are real moments of sadness and reflection brought on by some of the interactions, where others had me sniggering with laughter.

While the plot is the redemption tale we have probably encountered before TJ Klune’s writing, characterization and worldbuilding make this just a magical read. It is one of those warm blanket of a reads where you feel safe and secure and can loose yourself in the thoughts it provokes and the quiet calm it instils. Its just a beautiful book.

Ok. House in the Cerulean Sea was my favorite book of 2020, so I was extremely excited to pick up Under the Whispering Door this year. However, I’ve had it through NetGalley for many months, and hesitated to pick it up.

Do you ever do that with a book you know you are going to love and don’t want to ever be over? I’ll never be able to experience this book for the first time again, and I’m so sad about that.

Whispering Door was so magical. The difficult topics tackled were handled with such brilliance and care. I adored the characters immensely and wanted to hop into their little world for three rounds of tea. My heart was so full by the end of this, I hugged my kindle. Not the same as a book, but I went with it.

TJ Klune. You are pure magic wrapped up in human form. I will forever read anything you write. You are right up there with CoHo in my heart now ❤️ Thank you for your words.

Also big thanks to @torbooks and @netgalley for this arc and for publishing this phenomenal book ❤️

I received an audio version from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. Honestly, if this had been a paper or e book, I wouldn't have finished it. I also didn't like the narrator's rather unusual voice for Wallace and as the narrator though his voices for the other characters were fine. Since it was an audiobook and was stored on my tablet, it was just easy to start when I got back in the car and to carry while walking to work. Essentially, sheer laziness got me to finish it. The occasional pause followed by the rare amusing comment kept me going. It reminded me of the tv show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Sometimes the the little, almost after thought "bon mots" at the end (usually said by Spike) were better than the entire episode.

The book was slow and rather boring with familiar tropes retold in a slightly different way in an unusual tea shop setting. Truthfully, the setting could have been anywhere for all the teashop added to the story. Basically, like A Christmas Carol, an unpleasant person realizes what a jerk they'd been and changes for the better. The last 20% did move a long better and there was nice resolution for all the characters.

I read Cerulean Sea and saw a lot of similarities. Wondering if all the author's works have the same basic set up with a main male LGBTQ character that lives a less than ideal life, is forced to be around others and comes to realize what he's been missing and decides to make a change.

So, I felt the book was OK when I finished it due to the occasional use of humor to liven things up, the extra segments which made the story more involved than A Christmas Story and the satisfactory wrap up, but I don't know of anyone I'd say, "Read this, you'll enjoy it."

A whimsical, charming and soft exploration of death, loss and grief

Mean, cold and angry lawyer, Wallace price is shocked when he realises at his own funeral that he has in fact died. He then meets his reaper, who has come to take him to a ferryman, who will help his soul cross over. Wallace is appalled that he is dead, he can't be, he has so much work to do! Set in a cosy teashop in the mountains, Wallace soon realises that there is more to life than work, and as his new acquaintances get under his skin, he has to face up to the things he has missed out on in life.

I adored, so jumped at this one with both feet when I heard about it! The cover is gorgeous too! Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this one as much. I liked it, but didn't love it, and that was for a few reasons. Firstly it just felt too similar to Cerulean. Wallace was Linus, Hugo was Arthur and they have their band of merry and adorable side characters living in a remote house. For the first part of the book, I kept hearing the narrator's voices for Linus and Arthur, which annoyed me! It was just too samey. Had I read this first, maybe I would have enjoyed it more, but I couldn't stop noticing the familiar characters, setting and tone.
I found the book predictable, and reminiscent of other stories, and do not get me started on that disappointing and frustrating ending, which I felt negated all the progress, and the message in the book?!
It was also hugely heavy handed in it's message, which I guess Cerulean was also, but I didn't mind it there because I was so charmed by everything else! This felt overly preachy, and grated on me with it's constant hammering home about the value of life, coming to terms with death, and being a better person. It felt repetitive and a bit cliché if I'm honest!

However, it was heart-warming, quirky and cute. Like a cosy blanket, it gave me warm, fuzzy feels and felt comforting. It was humorous, and I applaud T.J. Klune for being able to write about death, and make it emotional and uplifting, rather than depressing. It had a good balance in that respect.

I enjoyed the world building, and could really visualise the quirky teashop and all the characters. Perhaps it would make a good film?

The found family, as in Cerulean, were the best! They were my favourite part of this story! I loved sarcastic Mei, hilarious Nelson, and Apollo the ghost dog was adorable! Wallace I loved less, especially at the start, but I did begin to root for him as he started to show his vulnerability and true feelings. I didn't really buy the love story though, and didn't feel it was necessary.

Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy this, but it just wasn't as good as I was expecting. It didn't move me like I thought it would, but I liked the overall message and the characters were wonderful! If you are looking for a familiar tale, which reminds you of cerulean, or are reading this one first, then you might love it, many others certainly did!

Under the Whispering Door is a charming and whimsical read, following the journey of Wallace Price as he discovers the meaning of life ... after death.
Ruthless, unsympathetic and a workaholic, lawyer Wallace is disgruntled to find himself suddenly dead of a heart attack one Sunday afternoon while working alone in his office. This feeling is intensified by the attitudes of the attendees (one could hardly call them "mourners"), including his former colleagues and ex-wife, at his funeral several days later.
Then he meets Meiying ("You can call me Mei, like the month, only spelt a little different".), the only attendee at the funeral who can apparently see Wallace. She introduces herself as a reaper, and explains that she has come to take Wallace "home". The incredulous and angry Wallace then finds himself at a mysterious ramshackle four-storey tea house, known as Charon's Crossing, where he's greeted by the beguiling proprietor, Hugo Freeman. Hugo explains that he's a "ferryman", who'll help guide Wallace to what lies beyond. He also meets fellow residents of the tea house - both ghosts like himself - Hugo's grandfather Nelson and Apollo the dog. Along the way, he'll also meet a supporting cast of other characters - lost soul Cameron, murder victim Allen, the grieving mother of one of Hugo's past "clients", a bureaucratic and lascivious health inspector, deplorable clairvoyant Desdemona Triplethorne and last, but not least, the mysterious shape-shifting "Manager", who overseas the workings of Charon's Crossing.
As Wallace, at first resistant, is assimilated into the rhythms of life (and death) at Charon's Crossing, he reflects back on the life he has lived and makes valuable realisations about what really matters, experiencing regret and fashioning a sort of redemption for himself. Meanwhile, a romantic attraction grows between Wallace and ferryman Hugo, an experience Wallace rues he never had the opportunity to pursue while he was alive.
While it's not exactly new subject matter, and the lessons Wallace will learn are reasonably predictable, I did enjoy author T.J. Klune's imaginative rendering of what happens in that zone between life and death. There are the obvious references to the ancient Greek mythology of the underworld, but beyond that Klune's conception of the life beyond is broadly secular.
The cast of characters are reassuringly human and fallible, the inhabitants of Charon's Crossing providing frequent comic relief to the more philosophical considerations which preoccupy Wallace and Hugo much of the time. The growing feelings between the two protagonists are touchingly and realistically handled, creating a sense of pathos at their seemingly inevitable looming separation. I loved Mei's feistiness and fierce defence of Hugo, especially when faced with challenges in the form of clairvoyant Desdemona and the Health Inspector. Similarly, grandfather Nelson and ghost-dog Apollo add humour and poignancy to the story.
Under the Whispering Door was an engrossing and enjoyable read, carrying familiar messages about the way we live our lives, what we might change if we were forced to look at ourselves critically and how we might choose to regard our inevitable deaths.
I'd highly recommend Under the Whispering Door to an audience from teenage up, especially those who are looking for inclusive romance plots and a little light magical realism.
My thanks to the author, T.J. Klune, publisher Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Books and Netgalley, for the opportunity to read and review this charming title.

TJ Klune’s newest title, Under the Whispering Door, has convinced me that his books are perfect for readers who want books with heart; books that are whimsical and clever and sentimental but never veer into the sappy-territory, that aren’t twee; books that are beautifully written and that imagine worlds that can transform and be kinder, even if they are only the interior world of one person. Klune’s books make me want to believe that second chances are always possible and that it is truly never too late.

In Under the Whispering Door, Wallace Price, the type of man largely responsible for the bad reputation lawyers often enjoy, begins learning how to be a decent human being only after he dies and is taken to meet ferryman Hugo. Though it would be really easy, with that premise, to expect cliches, Klune doesn’t do that. His characters have an emotional depth that seems real. The only not-100% positive thing I have to say about the book is that I think I liked The House in the Cerulean Sea more.

“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲".

This was an easy 5 stars! I had really high expectations after reading and adoring The House in the Cerulean Sea, and I was not let down. This was another exceptional novel of love, death and *real* life (despite the speculative fiction elements).

I don't think you need to know anything about the plot from a character perspective. You will love it I'm sure!

*TW* I think I do need to give a trigger warning for death, including suicide and death of a child. I understand this could be extremely difficult to read for some people. I was in floods of tears a lot through this book. But if you're familiar with the author, you'll believe me when I say these topics are dealt with with utmost sensitivity.

I can't wait for the UK hardcover edition of this book to release at the end of October! So happy I pre-ordered it!!

This is a must read!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I cannot say enough good things about this book! TJ Klune's writing has my whole heart. He manages to take such deep, complex topics and create stories which are heartfelt, moving, funny and charming.

This is not a fast book. It's not action packed. But really, isn't that the beauty? This is a character drive novel, and it's about the journey. The journey we must all take at some point - for Wallace this just happened to be in death - where we turn in and look at all the nasty parts of ourselves, churn through it, and come out better on the other end. It's about how it's never too late to become a better person. It's a story which gives us hope that redemption is always just once first step away. Similarly to life, this book will sneak up on you.

And while the story is stunning, the characters are what really made my heart swell. I don't want to give anything away since the characters are what really make this story so amazing, but I will say that you will fall for each and every one of them.

There are a few trigger warnings (death and suicide), but Klune addresses these at the start of the novel, they are not graphic depictions, and both are handled with so much care.

Please read this book! Thank you to Tor Publishing and NetGalley for an early copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

Extremely whimsical, wholesome, and uplifting. I smiled a lot reading this book. I LOVE the tv show "Dead like me," so YES PLEASE on reapers living amongst us. My only complaint is that Wallace's character development happened too fast... unrealistically fast from where he started. Other than that- magical!

I enjoyed this book, but probably was not as intrigued by it as I was by Cerulean Sea. Wallace was a bit hard for me to like (as I am sure he was for everyone else). The writing was a bit jumbled and I just didn't feel as much of a connection.

Wallace lived a grumpy life. It takes Death to make him realize that it was Love he was missing all along.
This book is not too different from Klune's other book "The House in The Cerulean Sea"
That is not a bad thing. I love Klune's writing. This is it's own story....just similar 💜

T.J. Klune's books are like being wrapped up in a big blanket with a cup of tea - they're warm, inviting, and leave you feeling good about things.

This book was no exception. It follows the story of Wallace Price, a miserly fellow who spent his whole life wrapped up in his work, who has, unfortunately, died. When he is led from his own funeral to a tea shop in the middle of the woods, he is more than a little skeptical. How can he be dead? How did this happen? What happens now? Who is this gorgeous, sweet man who is telling him everything is okay?

What follows is a unputdownable story about life, death, friendship, love, and regret. What is especially great about this book is that is deals with serious issues while also weaving in a wonderful story about friendship, falling in love, and tea! I just so appreciate Klune writing amazing books with queer characters, who are messy and make mistakes and still get to have their happy ending. A beautiful story that I know I will go back to soon!

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Don’t go into this book expecting a lighthearted fantasy. It’s deeper, more emotional than his previous best seller, The House in the Cerulean Sea. It’s about life, death, grief. Don’t get me wrong. It’s also has funny and heartwarming moments. Klune is great at writing unforgettable, lovable characters. I especially loved Nelson and Apollo but Wallace grew on me as he developed and changed throughout the book. This book will stick with me for some time. Grab your tea (or wine), tissues, and a cozy blanket and curl up with this one. Highly recommend it!

This is one of the best books I have ever read. It’s unusual but simply amazing. Klune has become one of my favourite writers.
When I finished the book, I was gutted. I wanted to dive straight back in. I was still consumed with it. My heart grew with every chapter I read and I didn’t want to let it go.
Under the whispering door is primarily a story about death with 5 of the most loveable characters.
Wallace is a jerk and dies suddenly. At his funeral he is met by Mei (a reaper) who leads him to a peculiar house. Inside this house is where Wallace’s life truly begins. Here he meets Hugo (a ferryman) who is to guide him through his journey to the whispering door which would then take him to whatever lies beyond it.
I don’t want to give much more away as I want you to experience this incredible story yourself but there are also two more wonderful characters in the house, Nelson (who is Hugo’s grandad) and Apollo (the dog).
Klune’s writing blows me away. It’s like being wrapped in a bear hug. It makes you open your mind and look at things with a different perspective. I can’t put into words just how amazing this book is. Prepare to laugh, to cry but above all to feel love.
Thank you to much to the publisher and netgalley for the digital copy of this book. I have already ordered the special edition which I can’t wait to be the proud owner of.

If you love Klune's The House in the Cerulean Sea then you will love his new book Under the Whispering Door!

Wallace is dead. End of story!
... well actually it's not. After Wallace dies, he is taken to Charon's Crossing where Hugo is determined to help him realize the value of life and cross over. Turns out there is more to life...specifically the afterlife...than Wallace thought.

Wallace is rude, self-centered, narcissistic, and cold-hearted. Hugo is sweet, optimistic, and lovable! Mei is feisty, Nelson is hilarious, and Apollo is a cute addition to the story. These characters were all so different from each other and yet I loved each and every one of them in different ways and respected what each was able to bring to the story.

TJ Klune really knows how to write a character growth! As you read it passes by your knowledge without even realizing it is happening until you reach the end of the book.

Trigger warnings for: death, depression, anxiety

This book was highly anticipated for me and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. The House in the Cerulean Sea became one of my favorite books of all time, and wow, talk about exceeding expectations with this one. This was an amazing and another favorite read!

Under the Whispering Door tells the story of Wallace Price, a man who is not very pleasant and is an awful human being. He doesn't care about anything or anyone else except his deadlines and his work. One day, Wallace finds himself at his own funeral and is visited by the reaper, who brings him to a teashop in a small village. Wallace's afterlife personal journey is guided by Hugo, the teashop owner and the ferryman to souls; Mei, the reaper who collected Wallace; Nelson, Hugo's dead grandpa; and their ghost dog Apollo. This unconventional family is there to help Wallace revisit his life and prepare him for crossover when Wallace realizes how much of life he missed when alive. He uses this opportunity to live the life he wished he had until his plans are cut short by the Manager, a powerful and intriguing being.

This book is full of heart, with a diverse set of characters, and a lovely queer romance. You can't help but fall in love with them all and with Wallace's after-death journey. This story addresses death and grief in a way that is very tender and beautiful. Klune is a mastermind on how to discuss such important topics of love, acceptance, and grief in a way that humanizes these imperfect characters, all while making you laugh at times. It is a story about our need for love and connection, and how it is never too late to make it right and be kind.

I love everything about this book and was bawling throughout the last 40 pages. After finishing, I had to stop for 15 minutes to recover and absorb it. I highly recommend it!

To be honest, it was really hard for me to get into this book. I kept putting it aside and had to force myself to continue. And that wasn't at all what I was expecting. I read the Green Creek Series from TJ Klune and knew that their characters were usually ones I got to like pretty quickly. At the very least I would find them interesting and wanted to know more about their lives and stories - and then mostly fall in love with them on the way. Another thing that got me instantly hooked to the Green Creek Series is TJ Klune’s masterful dialogues, witty commentaries from characters and yes, the sometimes evil humor.
So: Believable characters, good story and sharp dialogues, that’s what I expected from this book as well. And somehow it disappointed me at first. The protagonist wasn't even slightly likable at the beginning (to be fair: he's not supposed to be) and even the other characters felt a little bit off to me at first, though they were very much typical quirky TJ Klune characters. Maybe it was also about the story, because in the beginning I was constantly asking myself what the golden thread here was going to be.
Don't get me wrong, it wasn't horrible or anything. It was still very much a good TJ Klune. But I expected more and maybe that’s why it just fell a little bit short for me at first.
So why 4 stars you might ask. Well, it got better. Tremendously better. I can just recommend you to stick with it, even if you should have the same starting issues as I did. I think it really started growing on me when I hit the 20 % mark. And then I suddenly got all the things I associate with a TJ Klune book and couldn’t put it aside anymore, even if had wanted to. The dialogue was witty, funny and just so realistically well-written, that I sometimes nearly fell out of my bed (the séance!!!). Also the characters all grew on me pretty fast, after the initial encounter with them. The story started to pick up, because we finally got some mysteries and problems thrown our way (or more in the character’s way really). In the end I actually pulled a near-allnighter because of it. I think I don’t have to add anything more to that.
So 1 star less because the start was kinda slow-going for me personally, but the book more than made up for it later on. So just push through the beginning and you’re all good to go on a merry queer but also deep TJ Klune ride.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing me an ARC via NetGalley.

I enjoyed Under the Whispering Door, though not quite as much as The House in the Cerulean Sea. The writing didn’t feel as tight, and I wasn’t as delighted by, nor invested in these characters in comparison. I’ll still recommend this one via RA, but it won’t be as memorable of a title for the top of my must-read lists.

Like Klune's earlier work, this novel is filled with the perfect mix of compassion and whimsy. Klune is a balm for the soul in a chaotic world: a must read for all who ache for the kindness of strangers.