Unfortunately this one didn’t quite do it for me like Cerulean Sea did. It was extremely slow and if not for the audio I would have dnf’d (I should have). Lots of good reminders that you cannot do life alone and how to best use the time we have left.

This isn’t goodbye. We shall see one another again. I’ll most definitely return to this author and his work.

Content warning: suicide.
*Author makes a note at the start about reading with care.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC. I loved House in the Cerulean Sea and was thrilled to get an early read of this week.

As I read in the start I was reminded of the movie “Click” at times (which was a good thing in my case).

This book is powerful and poignant, a mix of fantasy and real life, blended together with poetic lines and some lines that had me giggling.

My one small issue I had was a section where a woman was noticed to be sitting with her “girlfriends” which I thought was an odd word choice for a book to describe female friends of a heterosexual character when the book had been so LGBTQI inclusive.

Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune

Expected publication date: September 21, 2021

Date read: September 13, 2021



Wallace Price is a high-powered attorney who doesn’t have time for friends, family, or really anything but work. After a Reaper comes to collect him at his funeral, he expects that he might really be dead. But instead of bringing him to some afterlife, the Reaper brings him to an out-of-the-way tea shop, run by a man named Hugo. In addition to owning a tea shop, Hugo is also a ferryman, guiding souls to the afterlife. But Wallace isn’t quite ready to give up the life he barely lived, and, with Hugo’s help, he begins to learn about all the thing he missed out on in life, like family, friendship, and even love.

I recently finished - and adored - The House in the Cerulean Sea by this same author, and I was curious to see how this book would stand up. Well, if you liked Cerulean Sea, this book does not disappoint. They have a different feel to them - Under the Whispering Door is darker, as any book with death as its main subject matter pretty much has to be. It’s still definitely by the same author, though. Even serious topics are handled in an almost whimsical way. And the love story is just as adorable.

I thought that the characters in this book were wonderful. Hugo is a very complicated character and must have been difficult to write - he has to be charming and sweet and grounded while also being surrounded by death and duty. He is one of the most interesting characters I’ve read in a long time. Wallace, I feel, might have been an even more difficult character to put down on the page, but for different reasons: his character started out as a total jerk. After the first chapter I wondered how we were ever going to end up rooting for this guy. But I shouldn’t have worried. The other characters were also wonderful in their own ways; I especially loved Mei, the Reaper, who might have been my favorite of the bunch.

This book also has its really dark and serious moments. There are some truly scary and/or loathsome characters. There is frank discussion of death - natural, murder, and suicide. There is a character who deals with panic attacks. And there is the underlying question behind the whole thing - what is waiting on the other side.

Even after reading Cerulean Sea and being familiar with Klune’s style, I was not expecting this book. He found a way to make the afterlife both serious and funny, never stepping too far in either direction. And I worried that a love story between a living man and a ghost would get cringy, but I was pleasantly surprised by the direction it took.

This book is not for everyone - you need to be comfortable with a fair amount of magical realism in your stories. But I think it was a beautiful way of looking at death and regret and it made me laugh and cry just pages apart. One of my favorite books of the year.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Trigger warning: death, sexual harassment (and joking about it)

Whatever I expected before picking this one up was thrown out the window and obliterated. I had known that TJ Klune was a popular and well-written author. I knew that this book was going to be good. I just didn't realize how good it would be.
There is something reassuring about his writing that doesn't drag you down into it or anything like that. Rather it welcomes you in, offers you something comforting, and invites you to stay. And that is an invitation you can't turn down. Because you don't want to.
You want to sit and stay and feel every emotion and feeling he writes, the happy and the sad. Because it feels genuine. This is a story that talks about death at length and at points in vivid detail. It walks you through the five stages of grief in such a way that you almost forget that it is essential to the story. Not that it becomes insignificant, rather it happens so fluidly and naturally. It's never choppy or overly in your face. You are gently guided through each phase. You feel the characters, anger, and depression just as much as their joy and happiness.
Getting to read Wallace's journey through these stages and watching his character grow and change was beautiful. There is no other word for it. You can't help but to root for him and want things to change for him. Especially with Hugo standing by his side. What a loveable (and cute) character. Their budding relationship was also the most adorable. And it never felt like it was overshadowing the main storyline. I don't know how, but Klune was able to perfectly balance the romance aspect with the death aspect and not make it seem like a doomed relationship.
Klune managed to create a cast of characters so amazing, so adorable and funny and charismatic I just wanted to meet them. To talk with them. To high five Nelson, who is probably my favorite.
When I finished this book, all I could think about doing was giving it a hug. I was tearing up and yes, I did start to cry at least twice while reading it. But I wanted to hug it and give even just a smidge of the comfort it gave to me back.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

TJ Klune’s books hit different. There is no other way to describe it. His books always make me feel all of the feels. I laugh and I cry.

Simply put, Klune’s books make you feel.

This book is about life in all of its intricacies. The good, the bad, and the ugly. When we meet Wallace Price, he is not a good person. He’s selfish and a workaholic. Then, he dies. And it’s in death that Wallace meets the people who will show him what life is truly about: the connections we make with others. Mei is a firecracker and loyal to her core. I want to be her best friend. Nelson is the comic relief and grandfather we all deserve. And Hugo, sweet Hugo, is one of the kindest and purest characters I’ve ever read about. Hugo’s compassion and empathy are inspiring.

Wallace’s journey is an emotional one, and I mean that in the best way. His journey isn’t an easy one which is what makes it such a rewarding reading experience. You’re going to cry happy tears, sad tears, and tears of pride while you read this book.

This book is a must-read. It really helps put life into perspective. It’s easy to get bogged down by our day to day responsibilities, but ask yourself: are you truly living? Are you happy? Are you allowing love into your life? If you answered no, it’s not too late to fix that. It’s never too late to find yourself and true happiness.

The beginning was fairly slow—Wallace was asking a lot of questions (as anyone who just died would). I always find it boring when it’s just questions asking and answering. After a while, there was a bit more action and it got interesting.

The book talks a lot about death and grief, nevertheless, there are a lot of sweet moments. It's beautifully written. I cried, but I also smiled and laughed a lot through my read. I love all the characters so much.

This book isn’t one of my favorite read this year, but it’s still a must read!

I have yet to read The House in the Cerulean Sea (an other book by the same author), so I don’t know how it compares to this one.

4.5/5

. . . ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⋆ ⭒
Sometimes when I’ve read a book, I finish with a very clear feeling on how I will rate it - this is not one of those times. I struggled quite a bit with settling on a rating for this one, and even still, I’m not sure about it. So bear with me as I work through my feelings.

I really enjoyed the plot premise of this book, and it was executed well - it was interesting, it was clever, and it was the right amount of humour mixed in with seriousness. Objectively, it was a good book. Subjectively, for some reason, it just wasn’t enough for me. At times, the storyline was very moving, but I wasn’t particularly moved. Maybe my cold, dead heart needs some resuscitating and I’m basically a monster in need of an emotional intervention, but either way, this didn’t root deeply enough to really sink it’s teeth into me.

I absolutely adored the love story, and in the aspect of romance, this hit the mark and gave me those warm and fuzzy feelings. In fact, I enjoyed all of the relationships presented in this book - I found them to be accessible and not uncomplicated, which is no small accomplishment in writing. I do think that the character growth of Wallace felt a bit forced, which I think created some distance for me in connecting with him as a character, despite enjoying the relationships that he formed with other characters.

It’s been a long time since I read a book that fell deep into the fantasy/magical realm, and maybe that’s partially why I’m feeling conflicted, because of my distance from the genre, but it just wasn’t satisfying enough of a read for me. But I think it could have been, which is frustrating.

Maybe my expectations were also too high, setting me up from the beginning for disappointment, but regardless, there’s definitely some things I enjoyed about this one and there’s also something missing for me, but I do think it worth a read, especially if you enjoy contemporary fantasy.

~ 👩🏻‍🦰

Under the Whispering Door is heartfelt and humorous, but it didn't connect like the first story. It is still an enjoyable read and I liked seeing how the characters grow and what happens next.

DISCLAIMER:
Before I write this review I think it's important to note that this author as previously admitted to being inspired by Canada's Sixties Scoop (if you don't know what this is I urge you to look it up) for their previous novel The House in the Cerulean Sea, this is something that has traumatized and hurt thousands of Indigenous people and families. The author has never made any attempts to speak up in support of the Indigenous communities who are still being hurt by the Canadian government. Yet they have profited off of Indigenous stories.

If you want to know more check this reddit post: https://www.reddit.com/r/romancelandi...

That being said, I am a firm believer that you can enjoy a book despite who the author is as long as you are calling the author out for harmful behaviour and being a conscious reader (critical thinking!!!)
-------
THE REVIEW:

This book surprised me in a lot of ways. I really enjoyed the simple storyline of the book because the author managed to fill it with so many small and meaningful thoughts about life and death. There were times I did feel myself having to take a step back because I was contemplating my own afterlife too much and we can't have that.

Wallace was a charming protagonist despite the fact that he was an awful, terrible person. But he also had growth, and it was a fun journey to follow him on. The things he didn't think he needed in life slowly but surely becoming the things that helped him the most. Wallace took us on an emotional rollercoaster but I was along for the ride the whole time, I didn't wanna get off.

The rest of the cast was wonderful as well. Filled with diversity at every turn. Not only was there racial diversity, there was sexual diversity and we even saw anxiety (panic attacks) represented in Hugo. Mental health issues such as depression, and anxiety were discussed and spoken on frequently, as these are often factors associated with death and grieving. The author takes us through the 5 stages of grief and shows us how different people go through these phases in their own ways.

Lastly, I thought the romance was very sweet! The relationship between Hugo and Wallace was cute and I found myself physically "awwwww"-ing at several moments. However, I did wish we'd gotten more one on one moments and times of intimacy. Sure they couldn't touch, but there's a certain build up and tension in that if done right. I wasn't disappointed with the romance, but there were times I wish we'd gotten more - perhaps that's me being greedy.

My only real complaint was that the book was rather dialogue heavy. I think that this style of writing worked well for the story and the authors writing style, but if this is something that annoys you, this book might not suit your fancy.

Short Review: An absolutely beautiful tale of second chances and learning how to live again. It made me laugh, cry, and cry some more.

"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"

Long Review: This book is a beautiful journey that starts with the end. You see, Wallace has died. Unfortunately, he wasn't the nicest person in his life. Ebenezer Scrooge anyone? Now, his reaper Mei has come to collect him and take him to his journeyman who will assist him in moving on to....well....wherever the whispering door leads for him. But there's a slight catch. Wallace is angry and doesn't want to go anywhere.

This book is about redemption, family, friends, learning to love, healing, and moving on. It's like a big hug from the person that means the most to you in your life. The tea is hot and the scones are just coming out of the oven. Grab your blanket and settle in because you won't want to put this one down until the end.

What else can I say? TJ Klune is one of the most brilliant authors of our time. His books are pure love.

4.5 stars

I tried really hard to go into this book with no expectations, not just because I loved The House in the Cerulean Sea so much but because going into that book with no expectations served me incredibly well. Now having read it, I definitely recommend that approach to Under the Whispering Door, another unique and beautiful fantasy from TJ Klune.

Given that this book is about death, I expected it to be an emotional journey, and it was, but it never felt too heavy or burdensome; instead, it felt hopeful and moving. (That said, the content warnings given at the beginning of the book should definitely be heeded.) What worked most for me here is the relationship between Wallace, the brash and sometimes cruel recently deceased lawyer unwilling to fully accept his death, and Hugo, the ferryman and tea shop owner tasked with helping Wallace cross over. From the very beginning I was drawn to Hugo and learning and growing along with Wallace as he too was increasingly drawn into Hugo was a beautiful experience. I also loved the supporting cast of characters here, who had me laughing and crying in equal measure.

My biggest quibble here is the ending. As a more minor issue, the plot/world building that led to this specific ending didn't quite work for me. More bothersome is how I'm left both emotionally satisfied and dissatisfied by the ending. I loved it for good reasons and I didn't love it for other good reasons. But overall, this quibble isn't even that big, because this book moved me and I'm sure to be thinking about these characters for a long time.

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for providing a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Klune's previous book [book:The House in the Cerulean Sea|45047384] and was looking for this one but it just didnt click with me nearly as much.

It was definitely a creative and original story about transitioning from death to the afterlife and it was very funny in places. The characters didnt really suck me in and make me care about them and the budding romance between Wallace and Hugo wasnt compelling enough for me to keep engaged.

Achingly stunning!

3 days later and I'm still really feeling this book and still feel incredibly under qualified to write a review that gives it even an ounce of what it pulled from me.

This book was so beautifully written, as this was my first by Klune, I held no expectations when I started this. I savored this book, reading it slowly, digesting what was said in between the lines and what wasn't said but was felt. I reread some passages and I definitely quoted it out to people as I read.

It was a journey for Wallace Price, to figure out how to live after he had already died. Take this journey with him you won't regret it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the advanced earc to give an honest review.

I am quickly becoming a TJ Klune fan. After recently reading House in the Cerulean Sea, I knew I found the will to devour this book. Wallace, Hugo, May, Nelson, Apollo… I cherish them all and fell in love with them so quickly. This story touched on the sensitive subjects of death, suicide, murder, and what comes after all of it with a deep respect for all the different ways people would find theirselves in the afterlife. I adored this book, and the narrator made it even better than I could imagine. I cant wait to pick up a copy of this book when it releases.

Emotional in the best way. I enjoyed this story even more than House on the Cerulean Sea. The character development felt so genuine across all of the characters, especially Wallace. My only critique would be that the ending felt rushed and too neat, but I think it was a fitting ending, nonetheless.

What a beautiful book surrounding the emotions of death and grieving. Honestly this is the perfect book that I absolutely needed that came at the right time. I recommend this to anyone who is grieving and feeling lost about where to put those emotions. I will definitely be reading this again in the near future.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley for an honest review. Thank you.

How excited was I to be given the opportunity to review TJ Klunes latest book as an ARC reader just after completing this book, "The House of the Cerulean Sea" for my local bookclub read.

What an honour!

Release date, September 21st, 2021.

" Life is senseless , and on the off chance we find something that does make sense, we hold onto it as tightly as we can".. Chapter 22, Under the Whispering Tree.

I felt that.

.TJ Klune writes a beautiful book about death, grief and the Kubler Ross's five stages (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance) and what comes after.

Under the whispering Door, is a heartfelt contemporary fantasy, about finding yourself.

As hard as it is to talk about death,this is a story is written with quirky humor, but will also make you cry. I highly recommend a big box of tissues whilst reading this. The message that l took away from this book, is a reminder about not taking a day in your life for granted and always, always showing kindness.

The story is about an angry, ruthless man named Wallace, who suddenly dies and is now in a way station disguised as a tea shop "Charon's Crossing Tea and Treats", in the company of Hugo (his Ferryman at the cross over and who he falls in love with) and Mei ( his Reaper). Wallace is also involved with ghosts, Nelson ( Hugo's grandfather) and Apollo ( Hugo's dog), More characters come later in the story that you also get warm feelings and a connection with. All these characters, help Wallace with his transition from life to death.

It will, without a doubt, make you reevaluate your own life to ensure that you live it now to the fullest.

I look forward to reading more of TJ Klune's novels in the future.

Highly recommended.

This will be easily one of my favourite books this year!
Having read "The House at the Cerulean Sea" earlier this year and having fallen in love with it and TJ Klune's style of writing, I was so looking forward to "Under the Whispering Door". And it didn't disappoint; on the contrary!
The story is amazing due to the well-crafted and thought-through fantasy universe the author creates. As a reader you take everything he gives you, everything magical for granted because it's so well-done it doesn't need a lot of explanation around it. And you discover this hidden world after death together with Wallace - an amazing main character. But, truth be told, all the characters are pretty amazing - and deep. There is no one who's just stereotypical acting in a predictable way but instead there is a little more to everyone, even the side characters.
The atmosphere of the book is wonderful. It shouldn't be possible to write a book about death that's so cozy and warm. But here it is. The tea shop is the perfect setting for coziness and safety, the aromas of the tea, the night sky above the deck, the old chair in front of the fire place; I think, it's a calming vision of life after death and that's probably what I like best about the book: No matter who you've been in life, what you've done, where you came from - you deserve the exquisite pleasure of a hot cup of tea and the time and space to reflect on your life before you go on and be gone from the world of the living.
If you're looking for a funny, deep, heavy, hilarious, critical, heart-breaking and heart-mending autumn read to go with your hot chocolate or - even better - tea, you've found it!

I LOVE Mei! She’s hilarious, her and Hugo were the sunshine to Wallace’s gloom. Through the book, you learn to love the characters and see the good in them, even when the first impressions of them aren’t like-able. This book had it all at times you’re a bit scared, You’ll laugh and you’ll cry. This one kind of reminded me of The House In The Cerulean Sea, the formula that you loved about THITCS makes this just as great: You love each and everyone of the characters. The main character is kind of thrown into uncharted territory. There’s a certain character you’re somewhat scared of. The writing is so well done and paints beautiful pictures. This story isn’t just about falling in love with the people within the book, but also falling in love with your life, cherishing every moment on earth, the tea shop or in the afterlife. I can also see how this book could become controversial as people have deep thoughts about what happens after death.

As a fan of TJ Klune I was beyond excited to read Under the Whispering door and I was not disappointed.

Although different to The house in the Cerulean Sea, There are still the same things that I love about TJ's writing. The heart, the humour, the way he makes you second guess your own thoughts and beliefs are all present.
I must admit that this book took me on a roller coaster ride of emotions, I laughed and I sobbed (like I actually ugly cried!).
We follow Wallace in his journey to the afterlife after he dies suddenly and finds himself a long way from home.
Wallace's journey was something that made me realise that It's never too late to grow and learn as a person. We all follow different paths, often not paying attention to others and their journey, but it's never to late to take a look around because things are not what they seem at face value.
The writing as always is lyrical, descriptive and humorous as well as thought provoking, confronting and beautiful.
The characters are layered, and their relationships help to build the story and make you want to get to know them.
Can people change a lifetime of beliefs, questionable actions and mistakes... is it ever too late? Under the Whispering Door gave me hope that we can all take a look around and truly see ourselves and the people around us.
I will read anything and everything that TJ Klune has to share. He is truly an Author who inspires and provokes thought through beautiful writing and stories with a touch of whimsy, even with some darker topics.