UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR by TJ Klune introduces a workaholic lawyer who has a heart attack and is conveyed to another world. Frankly, I did not like Wallace Price and decided that life is too short to keep reading about such a clueless, selfish character. I had heard very positive reactions to Klune's earlier work, The House in the Cerulean Sea, and this newest title topped the September LibraryReads list so I had high expectations when I requested this title. However, Price's interactions with a Reaper named Mei, a ferryman named Hugo, and ghosts called Nelson and Apollo were as frustrating for me as a reader as they were for him. Library Journal describes this book as "a winning story (slow-paced and heartwarming) about grief, loss, and moving on." I agree about the slow pace and, unfortunately, did not feel any of the other emotions. 2.5 stars

“I see it now. It’s not always about the things you’ve done, or the mistakes you’ve made. It’s about the people, and what we’re willing to do for one another. The sacrifices we make. They taught me that. Here, in this place.”

5 stunning stars. fun fact i’ve never cried at a book or movie but this bad boy right here almost made my eyes water 🥺. @tjklunebooks you don’t disappoint! under the whispering door will 100% be in my top 5 books of 2021.

(Please note this book does talk about depression, grief, and suicide).

shoutout to @netgalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review! find under the whispering door in your local book stores on September 21st! :)

Thank you, Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! Under The Whispering Door is a cozy read that discusses life, death, and the afterlife. We follow Wallace, a successful lawyer whose entire life is consumed with his work. He keeps people at a distance and rarely shows others kindness. When he dies unexpectedly of a heart attack and attends his funeral, he learns that people didn't think highly of him. Only his ex-wife and his business partners attended his funeral to his shock. But, at the funeral, a reaper finds him and brings him to the ferryman at a tea shop.
This book was a very cozy read that sucks you into the world. Even though the topics of life and death are central to the story, it wasn’t a dark read, it was comforting. The book has queer characters and a found family dynamic that felt very wholesome. I loved seeing Wallace get used to being a ghost and seeing him grow as a character. Under The Whispering Door is an essential fall read for everyone. 
However, I found the character dynamic and plot almost mirrored Klune’s previous novel The House in the Cerulean Sea. I enjoyed that book as well but the two books are almost too similar. If you loved that book you will love this one as well!

Under the Whispering Door is T.J. Klune’s next contemporary fantasy, following Wallace. Wallace is a successful lawyer, focussed on his career and ruthlessly working toward his succes.
Next thing he knows, he is standing at his own funeral, where a reaper appears to lead him away.

Under the Whispering Door is a sweet, affecting story about life and death and found family, with themes of denial, grief and acceptance, filled with T.J. Klune’s trademark humor.

One of the strongest aspects of this book is the ensemble cast and the way the author used them to approach the cycle of grief and the impact we have on the people around us. There is Hugo, the compassionate ferryman, Wallace's sarcastic grim reaper Mei, and the spirits of Hugo's sprightly grandfather and absolutely adorable ghost dog Apollo, who were my favourite characters of the novel. Through their interactions I quickly became invested in Wallace and how things would play out for him.

I think my only gripe with this book is that it feels very drawn out. We follow Wallace as he learns to become a better person, but there isn’t a lot happening in the book and follows quite a formulaic plot, which makes certain passages feel repetitive. The message of the novel also isn’t anything new under the sun, and I would have liked a little more development on the romance front.
On the other hand this didn't detract of my enjoyment of this book at all and I still had a great time reading this, and all the emotional beats hit close to home.

A wholesome and emotional tale about second chances, learning how to live and compassion. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loved The House in the Cerulean Sea!

y’all need to pick up a copy of this book TJ Klune absolutely nails it again. Something about his style just feels like a warm hug straight to my heart & he absolutely nails the grumpy sunshine trope yet again. can’t even explain how charmed I was by this book.

pub date - sept 21 2021

MOVING AND EMOTIONAL

Sometimes a book just hits you square in the chest. This was one of those times.

💙 What I Loved 💙

Humor: Right off the bat I was laughing along with this book. There's so much quirky humor, so much banter between the characters. Some of it's silly. Some of it's profound. All of it is humorous, which is just what I liked.

Characters: This is primarily a character driven book. Which is okay, because the characters are strong enough and well enough developed to carry it perfectly. The characters are perfectly developed, each with their own specific personality. I really enjoyed how I was able to really feel these characters, identify with them and clearly see them. Especially Mei and Nelson, they were my favourites. And even though Wallace is not all that likable to begin with, I still found myself rooting for him. That's strong characterization.

Emotions: I always love a good book that can make me feel something. I got so invested in these characters, so invested in the story, that my emotions got evolved too. That is the best kind of book in my opinion.

I have mixed feelings on this one. The premise intrigued me, and I liked the small ensemble cast, particularly Nelson, the grandfather spirit. The middle dragged for me, but at about the 72% mark the stakes were raised and my interest was reignited.

The examination on grief and the afterlife was interesting, although the media it’s being compared to (A Man Called Ove meets The Good Place) handled it better. Near the end I found this book almost as saccharine as Klune’s previous work The House in the Cerulean Sea. I expected a darker tone given the subject matter (sudden death, grief, suicide, loss, etc.) and the buildup regarding someone as detached and cruel as The Manager, but it didn’t quite deliver.

I had a hard time buying the chemistry between Hugo and Wallace. I didn’t feel it building for the characters organically, rather their budding relationship was narrated or pointed out by the supporting characters, which made the final chapter and epilogue somewhat difficult for me to believe. For a book that’s about the messiness of life, this story was tied up neatly at the end.

That being said, fans of Klune’s previous works will enjoy this one. It has a tone similar to The House in the Cerulean Sea with queer main characters, humor and quirkiness, found family, and angst resolved with a happy ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

Solid 4.5⭐️

“A river only flows in one direction”

I think in some ways if you hear about this book you might think about the Midnight Library. Although it’s very different (and better imo) it still carries that story of loss and growth and learning not only about yourself but also about what it means to live.

It’s quite lovely.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an earc of this beautiful book.

Under the Whispering Door is the kind of book that will stay with you long after you're done reading it. Klune's books are always filled with longing, pain, but most of all, hope. And this beauty is no different.

In Under the Whispering Door we meet Wallace, who just passed away and is brought to a little tea shop by Mei, a Reaper, where the ferryman who will help him pass on lives. Wallec has never been a warm man, dedicating his life mostly to work, work, and more work. But when he meets the owner of Charon's Crossing, the whimsical tea shop in the woods, Hugo, and his little family consisting of Mei, Hugo's grandad Nelson and their dog Apollo - the latter two ghosts as well - things start changing for him. Wallace starts living to the fullest, despite being dead and confined to the tea shop. As he learns more and more about Hugo and Mei's work, Wallace discovers secrets both about himself and other souls that passed through the tea shop before.

Under the Whispering Door starts almost whimsically, with cute descriptions and awkward encounters that will make the reader laugh out loud, but with definite hard-hitting segments that get more and more frequent as the story progresses. You WILL need tissues while reading this book.
And while this is of course a story of grief and pain that are a given in every person's life, it's also a story of hope and living on, despite the scars life has left on us. You will feel for Wallace and his dawning realizations about his life, you'll cry while reading gut wrenching stories of other souls that have passed and those of the Charon's Crossing residents, but you will also smile at the little things that we sometimes take for granted but that carry a bigger weight- and you will definitely fall in love with the love story in the center of this book, regardless of how hopeless it may seem. Because while we never have quite enough time, we can do a lot with what we're given if we learn to cherish it.

Prepare to be blown away by another TJ Klune masterpiece.

Oh this book! TJ Klune’s characters grabbed me by the heart in The House in the Cerulean Sea and the same can be said with his latest.

This book deals with heavy topics, but Klune expertly writes characters with humor and whimsy. There’s meaning to this story which shines through with each chapter and should be read by anyone looking for a bit of fantasy-mixed with reality.

Thank you Tor Books and Netgalley for my copy.

I mean. It's TJ Klune. What can I say other than this book made me believe in love and also laugh and also cry. At this point, TJ Klune has me hook, line, and sinker. It doesn't matter what he puts out, I'm going to buy it. I loved this book and it made me feel so many things. It also made me sob. Five stars all around, as always. Thank you to the king of wholesome gays.

TJ Klune’s The house in the cerulean sea was one of the best books I’ve read and naturally I had high expectations for this one. I was beyond excited when I got approved to read this ARC. I went into it fully expecting to love it but sadly this was lacking in a lot many things.
Firstly my issue was with what most of the people who read the ARC have already mentioned - the repetitiveness of a lot of scenarios and flashbacks. It felt like there was nothing new to offer.
Secondly - Wallace and Hugo’s relationship wasn’t developed well enough to believe that they were in love all of a sudden.
Mei and Nelson are the only saving grace and the last 30% of the book is where stuff actually happens that makes you shed a tear or two.
But still a clearer picture of the magic system could have been there instead of the reader imagining it all.

TJ Klune did it again. He wrapped a story around my heart so tightly that at times it almost hurt. I laughed at this book, and I certainly cried about a half dozen times too. There’s so much beauty to be had in a story about death and our desire for more time. I wouldn’t change a single word written, it was perfection and exactly what my soul needed.

First, I want to thank Macmillan-Tor/Forge Publishing and NetGallery for an ARC of this book!

What can I say about this book? It’s a “classic” Klune book, but it’s also so much more than that. This story has a power to it. It’s not just cathartic it’s…. more. In every way. It’s poetry in the barest form. It’s a stanza with a hiccup. A cool breeze on a hot summers day. A warm beverage on a cold holiday. It’s Home. In what ever way you need it to be.

It centers around Wallace Price, a bastard of a man, who has recently found out he has died. One thing leads to another and he finds himself standing with a Reaper at a weird little Tea Shop talking to a Ferryman who is meant to help him crossover…. Which, what?! In Wallace’s opinion, he is having none of that. It’s a story about grief and taking responsibility while surrounding yourself with things that you make life worth living.

Klune has always been good with details and writing about things that are hard to put into words— but this book went above that. It spoke on hard to hear truths but he did it with grace and humility (and a touch of that Klune comedic gold). This was profound in every way that defines that word and more. You weren’t just reading about a characters journey, you were experiencing it with them. Changing and growing and maturing with each word. This book turns into its readers own character development and you don’t even realize until it’s over.

Under the Whispering Door 5 stars.

This book was phenomenal. Klune has such a raw and unique talent for writing, and I will forever read anything he publishes.

In Under the Whispering Door we meet Wallace, who comes to a shocking realisation he has died. Instead of going to heaven or hell, he is collected by a Reaper and taken to a small village, and into a little, odd Tea Shop, and learns that there is more to life than simply living.

If you're wanting to know more about the book before going into it head over to GoodReads, but I believe this is as much as you need to know, and simply have to trust that Klune is going to take you on a wonderful and powerful adventure.

It's obvious in the beginning that Wallace is meant to be unlikeable. At times it was hard to accept this was to be our main character, however as things quickly change so does Wallace, and I instantly invested. I adored all these characters and their relationships with one another . As with Cerulean, Klunes writing was stunning and had me feeling all the feels.

This book is heavy with death, grief, loss and being lost, but it is also filled with hope, happiness, joy, love and so much more. Klune takes you on a journey that makes you wonder things like 'what's next?' 'have I left an imprint in the world, or on the people in it?', and remember things such as the fact that it IS OKAY to not be okay, and that the little things in life do matter, as well as the people and how we treat them. There is a lot of depth to this book, and so much to be explored and discussed. I appreciated this book wholeheartedly.

It was so easy for me to pick this book up, and I didn't want it to end. I would love to be in this world with these characters forever. No doubt I will read this again, probably sooner rather than later!

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan-Tor/Forge for an early copy of this beautiful book.

Thank you to NetGalley & Tor Publishing for the free ecopy in exchange for an honest review.
What a wonderfully written book that tackles tough subjects like death, regrets and moving on. I absolutely love this story. The humor was the perfect balance to the more serious subject matter. The characters were well written and the amount to character development in Wallace and Hugo is so wonderful to read. It is a love sorry about life and a love story about what happens after. I did good until the very end (then I was 😭😭😭😭). This story pulls on the heartstrings in a very TJ Klune fashion.

“In death, Wallace had never felt more alive.”

This new offering from TJ Klune is a refreshing take on death and what comes after. Alternately funny, thought-provoking, and heart warming, this story feels like the perfect cup of tea. We meet Wallace Price in unflattering circumstances at best, but take the journey with him from life to afterlife. TJ Klune is a master of subtly building relationships between his characters that never feel forced, but real in the way that life is.

I am not okay. I need an adult. At least my dog gave me cuddles at the end of this book after a while. A wonderfully written book and no, I am not okay with that ending. It was a perfect ending and one the book needed but I ugly cried at it.

By my count, I had 5 ugly cries in this book. It was so good that the crying was worth it. Wallace was a beautiful character of multitudes and Hugo was this bright beacon of light. Mei is the best Reaper ever and we will never tell her (or tell her differently). I love how everything got tied up, even with the ugly crying, and the little Easter eggs to HITCS. There's two! :)

If you're a fan of the author, you'll love this book. If you're me and this is the second book of his you've read and it's after HITCS, you'll need Kleenex. Lots and lots of Kleenex. Hell, the first group will need it too. Just remember that it's a beautiful book and you'll be grateful for the journey.

<i>Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for an advanced copy of this book.</i>

Under the Whispering Door was one of my most anticipated releases for this year and it did not disappoint. This book took me a good 25-30% to get fully invested in but once I was I flew through the rest of it. I love everything about this book and it has instantly been welcomed to my "favorites of all time" list, I also think T.J. Klune has become a new favorite author of all time, even though I have only read 2 of his books so far.

There is so much representation in this book. Granted I can not speak on most of the representation, but our main character Wallace is bisexual, another character, Mei, is Asian, and we have Hugo who is a gay, black man and he experiences panic attacks and anxiety.

I genuinely love this take on death and grief and I found it absolutely incredible. Also, I cry a lot when reading, but I have never cried so hard reading a book as I did with this one!

Lastly, please check trigger warnings before going into this book because it does deal with a very heavy subject and it also mentions suicide.

Thank you to Netgalley and Publishers for allowing me an e-arc for an honest review.

When I saw this up for review I had to grab it after absolutely loving my first TJ Klune book - The House in the Cerulean Sea - I knew that I had to take my chances with it. While it has the heart and family themes this is much darker and lost me a bit in the pacing. I did still, in the end, enjoy my time with it.