4.25 stars!

Secretly going "eeeeeee" and "omg omg omg" hours after having finished reading this book!

After having read 2 of TJ Klune's books last year, I fell in love with his writing and what he does with his stories. He brings humanity, kindness, sympathy, and most importantly, empathy to the characters, and as a result, to the human experience as a whole. The warmth and hope that his writing holds, tells you that we're not alone and that the light at the end of the tunnel needn't just be a metaphor for the sake of metaphors. He lets his words settle down deep in your heart, as if embracing you, and then consumes you with everything within, in the best way possible!

And I felt these same things with Under the Whispering Door. This is the story of Wallace Price, who is a very obvious a-hole at the law firm he started with 3 others. But he suddenly dies one day and he is confronted with a host of emotions ranging from denial to anger. He's about to undergo a much more profound experience and when he is told that he has 7 days to put his affairs in order before he's going to be taken away, he has to weigh everything that came before him and everything he came from, in order to realize things about life that will make death bearable, if not good.

If you thought you'd be learning a lot about life and death in this book, you'd be absolutely right. If not learn, you'll be reinforcing the knowledge you already have about life and death, and that's good too. A good, healthy, warm, empathetic reminder of what life is and what death must be seen as. This book is an out-of-body experience in itself. Talking to ghosts and humans, all peacefully coexisting, is a trip that you will be glad to undertake when you settle down and dive into the story.

It's just that...this book made me so emotional that I didn't know what to say about it yesterday when I finished it. I was full of warm, fuzzy feelings. Of hope, love, joy, positivity - there's so much in here that will give you a big tight hug like Mei's.

It takes time and effort, sure, to be a better person, but it's the better option always and it will always be worth it. Wallace Price is proof of that. Because as much as I wanted to punch the a-hole at the beginning, I wanted to hug and comfort him towards the end.

Also, Hugo. The wonderful, wonderful, wonderful man! His mere presence is comforting and he is one of the best characters I've read about this year. And that's all I'm going to say.

Go read this wonderful, warm, eye-opening book. Pronto!

I was so happy to read this book after hearing so many great things about this author and his breakout "The House in the Cerulean Sea." This is a heavy topic covering the afterlife and life cut short, but it is handled in such a gentle way. Technically, a young adult book, it hit all the right notes for an older crowd too. I had just watched Disney's Soul and there was an interesting overlap in these two stories. Recommend!

This book was SO amazing!! Similar to The House in the Cerulean Sea, the first 10-15% of the book was quite slow which was hard to get through BUT it just makes the rest of the book stand out as magical and more adventurous compared to the monotony of his life before he dies (similar to THitCS before he goes to the island) - and knowing that it will get really good after the first bit makes me want to keep reading. At the beginning you really aren’t meant to like Wallace but I warmed up to him once he started to become a more likeable character, really changing as the book progresses. The cafe was wonderfully written and you really can picture it the entire time you’re reading! I loved all the characters especially Hugo and Mei and Nelson and Apollo. TJ Klune’s writing draws you into the story and it just felt really warm and comforting. The end was SO emotional and I hoped that there would be a sequel but he tied it up really well in the last chapter or two. This was one of the best books I’ve read this year (and to be honest some of the other top books are other books he wrote!)

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I heard a lot of good things about TJ Klunes writing. So I was expecting a lot, I guess. Actually, I didn't know what I was expecting, until I finished it.
Although, it didn't make it to my expectations, I wasn't disappointed either. It's a sweet read that me feel warm in the end. So no lost!

So, I am a creepy dreamy dreamer, death fascinates me and I tend to romanticize it.
So I loved the book. This heavy subject, became something tackled and overcome in a sweet way. Making death sort of look like a fuzzy plushie. - at least to me-
It also turned me into mush. Because there is a lot of love, and quirkiness and wholesomeness.

This read is one the feelgood reads. The one you can re-read, if you don't feel right, to get a smile back on your lips.

A book about grief, death, and life. Wallace Price is a lawyer, who is dedicated to his work and a bit of a jerk. Then he dies and as he contemplates his funeral a reaper shows up and takes him to a tea shop, that from what he is told is just a stop to the great beyond and once he is ready he can go through it, but Wallace is far from ready, he is going through the stages of grief himself. That's where Hugo, the ferryman, comes in to help him guide Wallace to his acceptance and through the door.

“Because its harder to convince someone of what they need versus what they want. We often ignore the truth because we don't like what it shows us”

I really, really liked this book. First, the reaper, Mei, she was hilarious and lovable, if this ever becomes a movie I think this role would fit Akwafina perfectly, right? She was so sweet and caring but also with a strong attitude and sarcastic, I just enjoyed her character so much. Now, although the concept of this book sounded intriguing, I felt like it didn't have the shock and depth I was hoping for. I somewhat predicted what was going to happen at the end but I still had fun with the journey of the main character that led us to that emotional ending. I understood this was a feel-good, fuzzy and warm book so the ending had to be happy in some way, however it had also intense moments of sadness where I did teared up a little in some chapters and the way this was weaved together with light hearted moments and characters that gave us wisdom and sarcasm made this book very well rounded. What I take from this book is the lovable character and the way the author made me look at death in a different light, it got me thinking that maybe death is only a stop to an even bigger journey.

This book has my whole heart. And I will shamelessly say I just bawled my eyes out to the last two chapters in the best way possible.TJ Klune, you are a masterful author. Moving, thoughtful, THOUGHT-PROVOKING, and touching, Under the Whispering Door gets a million stars from me.

It also is finally released and published in two days so set your alarms! This novel is a TREASURE.

Three sentence synopsis:

Wallace is a miserable, and angry lawyer who dies unexpectedly. After he dies, he enters a way station, a tea house where he will spend his time before he moves on to his final destination. Thats all I can say without ruining it but every character, setting, and plot point, you WILL fall in love with. And there is a dog, Apollo, who made my heart swell throughout the book.

“Life is more then dirty socks.” How does TJ Klune keep doing it? How does one man write the sweetest, smartest, wittiest stories about the toughest emotions we all feel? I love these four characters, I want to visit Charon’s Crossing Tea and Treats and I will read anything this man writes.

My god - this book just hits you like a punch to the heart and warning - you WILL cry. No doubt about it.

Wallace Pride died - one minute he was alive and the next minute he was gone. And no one seemed to care. His funeral is attended by a bitter ex-wife, his law firm partners, and… a mysterious stranger. Wallace knows because somehow, he’s there. At his own funeral. And no one can see him, except for the mysterious stranger. Her name is Mei and she is a reaper, here to help Wallace move on to the next part of his journey. Wallace resists, refusing to believe he is dead but is eventually convinced and goes with her.

Mei takes him to a Tea Shop run by Hugo, a ferryman who helps lost spirits cross the final part of their journey through the whispering door. Setting foot in the tea shop takes Wallace on a journey a grief, love, sadness, disbelief, and more. A cast of fascinating characters pepper this story with love and laughter and tears.

I won’t say more than the vague things I’ve said because this book is too special to spoil. It is slow to start, but stick with it. I’m so glad i did. This book is going to help so many people!

I was a little unsure of this book for the first, let's say, 70%, but that last 30 percent really got me. It was beautiful and I loved it.

I was a little unsure of this book for the first, let's say, 70%, but that last 30 percent really got me. It was beautiful and I loved it.

Absolutely love this author. He has such a way of writing these beautiful love stories. Plus all the life lessons in this book. Such a warm and sweet story. Highly recommend

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an arc for an honest review. The novel follows the main character, Wallace, who’s pretty much a horrible person. He is a workaholic with no family or friends and doesn’t treat those in his life with compassion or respect. Wallace dies unexpectedly and finds himself at his own funeral, where a reaper, Mei, comes to collect him. Wallace is taken to an eccentric house that is running as a local tea shop. The owner is Hugo, a ferryman to souls. His job is to help those who’ve died prepare themselves to move to the next chapter, which involves going through a mysterious door. Upon learning all this, Wallace isn’t ready to leave the living yet. With Hugo’s and Mei’s help (as well as some other ghost spirits) Wallace begins to learn what life is really about.

If your a fan of TJ Klune, I’m sure you’ll enjoy Under the Whispering Door as Klune has a distinct writing style and the book is similar in story telling structure to how The House in the Cerulean Sea was written. It’s important to note that the book is not plot heavy which can make it feel slow and dragged on. While I didn’t have too many issues with this, I imagine that a lot of readers may find it difficult to finish or enjoy. Additionally the book is filled with found family, queer love (bisexual main character), and humor. As the central theme of the novel is about death and grief (also a cw for suicide), I think it’s important to make sure you’re in the right head space before delving in.

After finishing the book, I feel pretty ambivalent about it. I like the premise, the characters and their relationships amongst each other. I also enjoyed bits throughout that were silly and light hearted. The issues I had were mostly attached to the ending of the novel, the execution of the theme, and some character development with the Black and POC characters (specifically Hugo’s character falls into the Magical Negro trope which I discuss in depth later in my review).

The rest of the review will include spoilers.

I didn’t really like the ending for a few reasons
1. Klune’s novels tend to have a clear theme or lesson for the readers to step away with. In all honestly I prefer novels with more nuances when in comes to what the author is trying to tell me. However I actually enjoyed the theme in this book, of accepting your death and moving onto the next phase of your afterlife journey. Except when Wallace finally does this and isn’t afraid, the Manager makes him not dead anymore. I don’t understand the purpose of that? It was a bit predictable to allow the main character to live again. It would’ve been really profound and actually more emotional as a reader if Wallace actually moved into the next phase. He finally found a family and love but he’s dead, and for all the talk in the book about acceptance, they really just abandoned that for Wallace. I understand this was an intentional choice, but I think it contradicts what was laid out throughout the book. Also it’s interesting that Wallace was presented to us as a workaholic in his previous life and then he turns into workaholic in his second life because all anyone does is work (tea shop and helping the dead). Except in the second life it’s not presented as bad because the work he’s doing is consider good and he now has a family.
2. While living, Wallace wasn’t a good person but in death he learns, grows, and becomes a good person which is essentially why the Manager allows him another chance at life. The thing that I didn’t like about this was that the Manager says Wallace is basically the only person in existence to get this gift. I just think that’s really unfair considering he’s a mediocre white man (I’m sorry I had to say it! 😩). Also Wallace realized how horrible he was kind of suddenly, the introspection was pretty instant and makes me wonder why he never cared when he was alive. I get that dying puts things into perspective but I think I would’ve enjoyed more character exploration. For example, I don’t really know why he was horrible while alive. I guess it’s hard for me to have compassion for powerful, white men who are horrible.

The last thing I had issues with was the character development. All the characters were pretty one dimensional. This was troubling considering two of the characters are Black and one character is Chinese American. Without further development it felt like they were falling into stereotypes. I don’t think this was Klune’s intention but that’s just my opinion and speculation, I obviously don’t know what his thought process was. I did see there was sensitivity readers for the novel, so I’m curious who they were and what the feedback was, if they gave any.

Hugo and Mei only work - and that’s honestly the extent of who they are. They have great personalities, but do nothing outside of work. They don’t do anything besides run a tea shop everyday and help ghosts move to the next life. Thats so much emotional labor to constantly be doing.

There’s one instance that Mei talks about her identity- she mentions that she’s been able to see ghosts since she was young and her mom didn’t help her seek help because her mom wanted to be a normal American. A piece of the text reads, “China in the twentieth century was filled with war and famine, oppression and violence...My mom wanted to escape it all. She wanted fireworks on the Fourth of July and picket fences." Now this isn’t an abnormal experience for immigrants to want to assimilate. However this can be an issue if that’s the only time the character discusses their identity. The connection to race, ethnicity, and culture identity follows a person in their everyday life. And when the only time a character speaks about their identity is in a negative way (and no nuances) it plays into stereotypes.

With Hugo, his character falls into the Magical Negro stereotype. Maybe someone reading this doesn’t know what the Magical Negro stereotype is, so here’s a definition from Wikipedia: “The Magical Negro is a supporting stock character who comes to the aid of white protagonists in a film. Magical Negro characters, who often possess special insight or mystical powers, have long been a tradition in American fiction.” And well, Hugo is Black, magical, and helping a white man. He’s given the opportunity from the Manager (who presents himself as a white child) to work as a Ferryman (mystical powers), who’s job is to help ghosts come to terms with their death and move to the next stage (aids white protagonist). I’d like to emphasis that this is an abnormal job. And it’s interesting because there’s a conversation about how this is a horrible job.. to deal with death almost everyday. Except Hugo is constantly emphasizing that this was his choice. I think there should be a lot more discussion from readers about what this is telling us? To me its coming across as saying it’s this Black man’s choice to be this harmful stereotype. Whether it was intentional or unintentional by the author it’s still important to discuss. Further, as Wallace is being aided by Hugo, he jokes throughout the novel that Hugo is acting like a therapist. Could Hugo remain as he is in the novel and not fall into the archetype of the Magical Negro? Maybe.. But as I’ve mentioned before he can’t remain a one dimensional character. Like what’s his experience as a Black, gay man? I really couldn’t tell you based on this version of the novel. What does he enjoy to do outside of the tea shop (his job) and being a Ferryman (his job)? Does he have relationships outside of the characters presented in the novel? I’d love to see more people talking about this because right now I’m not seeing the majority of readers discussing it, and there might be stuff I’m missing and more to say about it.

Under the Whispering Door is a beautifully written story about grief, death and what comes after. The story is filled with quirky characters that you will fall in love with. It’s a book that will make you laugh, smile and cry. Death can be a very sad and depressing subject, but Klune sheds a new light, one that is whimsical, thought provoking and heartwarming. My one complaint is I thought that it was a little too drawn out, but other than that I really enjoyed it. If you loved The House in the Cerulean Sea then this is a must read for you.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

5/5 stars

Hugo and Mei manage a little tea shop in a small remote town. Unbeknownst to the rest of the world, they also help souls to cross over to the other side. In this story, we also follow Wallace, a big city lawyer, who wakes up next to his body and struggles to accept the fact that he died. Thus begins a journey through grief and acceptance.

I read The House in the Cerulean Sea from the same author earlier this year and I totally fell in love with the characters and the writing style. When I saw Under the Whispering Door was getting published, I knew I had to read it. Seeing the gorgeous cover was similar to the one of The House in the Cerulean Sea, I knew we would get a similar type of experience with Under the Whispering Door. And I was not wrong.

I have to admit that I did guess the ending in the first third of the book. But it didn't bother me because I do not believe that the goal of this book is to have unexpected twists. It's more about the characters, their growth and their journey than the ending itself. It's also a book full of hope which I really appreciate considering the dark topic it discusses.

The characters in this book are amazing. TJ Klune has this particular way of writing that makes me care about the characters without me actually realizing it. Before I knew it, I was emotionally attached to them. Their growth was also a great journey to witness and follow. They are all very human and they feel very real which I appreciate a lot.

I also loved the tone of the book, which is something I also enjoyed a lot in The House in the Cerulean Sea. There's something in his writing style that allows darker topics to be discussed without the book being to heavy and hard to read. He writes those themes in a lighter way while still getting deep into it. In this case, the grief theme could've turned this book very dark, but it didn't. I feel it was done with a lot of tact and respect. He balances light passages, laughter, serious issues and emotional scenes very brilliantly. It is cheesy (in a good way), quirky, cute and wholesome. I'm a very emotional person and I am a cry baby when it comes to movies and series. But I have never cried real tears for a book until I read Under the Whispering Door, regardless of the fact that I knew how it was going to end. It says a lot about TJ Klune's writing and how his story touched me.

Trigger warning for grief, which is the main theme of the book. I honestly do not have anything negative to say about this book. I will definitely purchase this book and read it many times in the future. I highly recommend this book for everyone, but in particular to anyone who enjoyed The House in the Cerulean Sea, The Good Place (the show), feel-good books and character-driven books.

A special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge books for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date: Sept 21
Genre: fantasy, queer fiction

When workaholic lawyer Wallace dies, he is ferried to Charon's Crossing Tea Shop, a stop over where he can process his life and death before ultimately moving on. But what if he's not ready for it all to be over?

I liked the unique premise of this book, and "reaper" Hugo and his grandfather Nelson were standout characters. I really enjoyed Wallace's character growth over the course of the story - I just wish it had happened sooner! I actually put this book down about 30% in and didn't feel the need to pick it up for weeks afterward. Ultimately, I did continue because I knew the ending would be lovely and emotional (and it was), but I would struggle to recommend this one given the slowness of the story. Klune's writing is poetic but sometimes a bit overwrought. This is a 3 star read for me, and I'm glad I read it, but I can't help wondering what it could have been with a bit more editing.

Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

»When Wallace dies he isn’t ready to accept that. Not when a reaper appears to take him or even when he meets Hugo, a man who is supposed to help him cross over. Unfortunately he needs to realize that life for him is over and he needs to move on, but what will happen when the thing that helps him move on is the one thing that makes him want to stay?

»An enchanting book that made me see death with another perspective, understanding grief in a way that comforted me. The mood of this book made me listen to two songs in repeat while I ugly cried, a good sort of ugly crying: Saturn by Sleeping at Last and In This Shirt by The Irrepressibles. It was my first TJ Klune book and seeing as how much I loved his writing and complex characters, I will be reading other titles.

»I loved to hate and love Wallace lol Never have I ever disliked a person so much in the beginning and then slowly fell in love with it as the character started to have his development and growth. Absolutely stunning how words made me feel so deeply seen and understood, Wallace, Hugo, Mei and Nelson were my found family in a way and I have so much to thank them.

This book needs to come with a warning, because I ended up sobbing on multiple occasions. That said, this book is honestly lovely. I'm struggling to describe it, but it takes on the afterlife in a super sweet and thoughtful way. This book is more about the characters growing as people (alive and dead) and learning about what's important than a rollicking plot. There's progress and some really interesting sidebars about how death works in this universe, but they aren't the point. It's about becoming a family, what that means, and how to live as best as you can, even if you're dead.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by Under the Whispering Door. I'm often hesitant to read books by author with such die hard fans because I worry I'll be disappointed. That was not entirely the case with this story. Klune has crafted a sweet and emotional story that is both heartfelt and original. On the whole I enjoyed the characters and the premise of the story. The characters and their world felt well built and fully formed. I understand why so many people are drawn to Klune's writing.

The story did feel drawn out at times and some of the exploration of the meaning of life and what it is to be a good person did feel overly simplified and surface level at times. I couldn't quite tell who the book was intended for. It felt overly simple and repetitive for an adult audience but it's not listed as YA. This seems like the kind of story written for adults who still love Disney movies. There's nothing wrong with that but it's not really what I tend to look for for myself.

This is something I see my self adding to my library and recommending to students and friends. While the tone of the story is a little outside of my personal interests, the wide ranging appeal is obvious and this is a beautifully written book.

After an abrasive corporate lawyer dies of a heart attack, he finds himself at a haunted tea shop where the kind-hearted ferryman tasked with helping him transition into death inspires him to start living.

Readers that are willing to trust Klune with their hearts will have them broken, healed, and filled to bursting through this tender exploration of the meaning of life (and death). Like Klune's recent bestseller, THE HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA, UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR is full of emotional swells, humor, quirky characters, love, deep thoughts, and a touch of whimsy. The protagonist's personal growth drives the plot while a quiet, mature romance blossoms along the way. It is another stunning novel that will draw in both fantasy readers and readers who tend to prefer literary fiction (add it to your adult book club list!). This novel won't capture all of the CERULEAN SEA fans, specifically those who are craving another charming and escapist magical island. Rather than immersing the protagonist in the child-centered emotions of wonder, joy, and tolerance to catalyze his change, UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR is about the transformative experience of grief. It is hopeful, hilarious, and uplifting, but also you will cry (at least, I did). Still, Klune earned every one of my tears through the sheer immersive beauty of his story and even days after finishing it, I am still smiling. I highly recommend this one!

THIS BOOK... I can’t, this is not what I expected. I didn’t expect it to be so emotional and heartwarming. The queer and mental health rep was awesome: panic attacks, depression, and suicide. This book just covered so many topics, death, trauma, family, friendship, love, and so many other things.

The characters were just so great... The main character Wallace was just horrible in the beginning and grew to be this amazing person that you love and want the best for. Hugo is just such a great person, he is kind, understanding, and just overall the best. Nelson aww I love nelson he’s the best grandpa ever, he’s like a crabby old man that has the best advice and is actual really sweet and amazing once he warms up to you. Mei, she’s just an awesome girl that knows what she wants and is sweet but if she doesn’t like you she really doesn’t like you. Apollo... oh my god I love him he’s the bestest boy.

I wasn’t expecting this book to be so emotional, like I almost cried so many times. This book made me laugh, almost cry, yell and was so heartwarming at the same time. I’ve never read a book like this before it was amazing and literally zero complaints... I need more. Please pick this up once it’s released you will not regret it!!