TJ Klune has done it again, iv fallen head over heels in love with this book and all its characters. So where to begin with a review.

The most poignant thing I find with TJ Klunes writing is the character development. After finishing and looking back at how I felt about characters in the first few chapters, to how I feel about them at the end of the book, I quickly realise what a huge personal journey they have been on and how much they have developed. Under the Whispering door is no exception to this and probably does it better than any book I've known.

I really enjoyed the 'magic system' In this book, or rather how death and those tasked to deal with death is depicted and described.
I found the writing to be so thought provoking and profound.
The plot of the story is relatively light, more a whimsical journey rather than a dramatic story of twist and turns, it does a great job of building atmosphere when needed, and the small world that is built around Wallace is cosy and familiar to me as a reader.

This book is perfect for character loving readers. If you like me, enjoy seeing character change, develop, grow and interact together with a big hug thrown in then this is the book for you!

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan-Tor/Forge and TJ Klune for providing me with an ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Under the Whispering Door is a story of grief. It's a story of found family, learning how to be a better person, and selflessness. Everything about this book is beautiful, heartbreaking, and so well done. I can't recommend it strongly enough.

Wallace isn't a good person when he dies. Some might even say he's downright horrible. But when he's brought by his reaper to Hugo's teahouse/way station, some of that has a chance to change. Wallace needs to move on to the other side-- he can't be a ghost forever. But maybe there's enough time for him to make some changes first. And is it ever too late to fall in love?

I have nothing bad to say about this book. There were moments that were hilarious and charming and other moments where I sobbed so hard I think a kidney might have popped out. I do caution readers to heed the content warning printed at the start of the book. I promise, it won't spoil anything, but it's good to understand exactly what this book is dealing with. After all, death is a strange, sad, and messy thing, and TJ Klune does such a fantastic job of exploring that. As always, I love the families he creates across the pages. I feel like I"m part of them too.

So plop yourself down with something comforting and enjoy the ride!

TJ does it again and leaves me sobbing. This book is beautiful. Could not recommend more, all of his books make me feel warm and safe and loved.

🚪 Under The Whispering Door 🚪
By TJ Klune
Publisher: Tor Books (Sept 21.2021) Macmillan

Going to start off by saying this is not a book I would normally pick up: death, after life and crossing over is not something that I’m drawn to in any way but because of how much I loved ‘Cerulean Sea’, I wanted to see if the magic I found in TJ’s other book would continue in much the same way with this one.

I have to admit that the first 30% of the book I was still hesitant. It wasn’t grabbing me the way ‘Cerulean Sea’ did but somewhere near the middle, something clicked and I found it.

As I finished the epilogue, tears streaming down my face, (truly the last scenes will have you reaching for Kleenex), I was happy I stayed with it. It reminded me of Matt Haig books; How the author could take the subject (death) to create love. And magic. And have you thinking about your own life and past mistakes.

If you enjoyed The House In The Cerulean Sea (or Haig books). you’ll enjoy this. TJ Klune uses flawed characters that teach us how to love and be loved

I loved reading this book. from the first chapter up to the last I was invested in these people's lives (and/or deaths). and that's what TJ Klune is really good at. Making loveable characters that you really care about and making them human. They're relatable and they show good and bad traits. You put them into a cute little setting and give them an important lesson to learn and overcome and along the way, they help others as well as themselves. Reading this book, I felt like I was watching a movie. it was just great pacing, great descriptions, great dialogue. It was so entertaining. And when I tell you I SOBBED! This book just hits you in all the soft spots.
I really liked the themes in this book of grief, loss, and the power of healing after death. Those are hard topics to cover, but TJ Klune really knows how to do it with humor, reverence, and love. It also explores the thought of "If I die right now, would I regret the way I lived my life? How did I impact those around me? Was I a good person?" and he just does it beautifully. A great story. Very original, in my mind, and extremely thought-provoking and entertaining. Just the right amount of Feel-Good. I would recommend this book to anyone.

First of all, I highly appreciate the trigger warnings at the start. You would think a book about death would be very heavy and hard to get through. Klune’s writing made this topic very digestible.

The ideas of life after death that were explored helped me find immense comfort. Death is something that’s incredibly scary when you spend too much time thinking about, but the perspective of this book really aligned with my way of thinking and brought me peace.

The characters in the story are amazing. I loved all of them and felt such a deep connection to each one. I was so invested in them which made this story even more meaningful.

Thank you Netgalley and Torbooks for giving me the chance to read this early.

"It's never enough is it? Time. We always think we have so much of it, but when it really counts, we don't have enough at all."

Under the Whispering Door is a book about life, death, and those around us that make both meaningful. Wallace Price is not a good man when we are introduced to him. In fact, he is just downright unlikeable. And then he dies. He's brought to a quirky tea shop with its even quirkier owner - Hugo, the ferryman who is tasked with helping Wallace come to terms with his death and inevitably help him cross over into what's next.

I loved this book. I really, really did. I loved watching Wallace come to terms with his death and the life he lead before. I loved how the residents of the tea shop, Hugo, Nelson, Mei, and Apollo, helped Wallace on his journey. I think this book does a great job of displaying how everyone reacts to grief differently, and how we can only help each other process that grief in our own way. While it's uncomfortable to think about what happens when we die, it makes us that much more grateful for the fact we are living right now and what we do does matter. It matters to someone.

I will continue to read every book T.J. Klune writes and let his words wrap me in a beautiful gay hug that makes me cry. It's worth it every time.

Thank you TOR and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

THIS BOOK! It deserves an even bigger hug than 'The House in the Cerulean Sea'. My hearttt!

TW: Death, Suicide, Grief

A workaholic asshole named Wallace dies and ends up stuck in between life and death. He meets a ferryman Hugo whose job is to help him cross over. Will being in this in between world help him realize all the things he should've done differently and make him a better person?

It's largely about realizing all the things in life that are right in front of you but you don't realize it, appreciating what you have, losing your way because we're all human, and finding your own truth.

Wallace is the kind of character you hate and then can't help fall in love with! His character growth is phenomenal. Aside from hating him at first, every character in this story is loveable, and the diversity is perfection. Not only does TJ Klune always bring in the LGBTQ family so perfectly, but we have people of different cultures and races. The subtly gets me every time, it's so smooth and natural, and never feels forced.

This book had me giggling constantly. The subtle wit and humor makes the heavier content of grief with some of the main side characters feel light and joyful. Plus, ghosts accidentally end up in bikinis, Mei always has snarky remarks, and we have exciting ghost encounters with a oujia board!

While Hugo's main job is a ferryman he fronts as a tea shop owner. The incorporation of tea into this story is one of my favorite things. Hugo finds the perfect tea for each person he tries to help and tea always plays a role in the process that is coping with 'life' in between.

As someone who isn't a fantasy reader I love how Klune's stories are so relatable and only have hints of fantasy throughout!

"Stranger. Guest. Family." The family bond in this story is exceptional. Nelson and Apollo are the best gramps and pup you could ask for and then there's the family that's not blood and we make our own by choice!

Words won't do it justice, you should just read this book!

To close with my favorite line, "'You fit. I didn't expect that.'"

Thank you to Tor Books and Netgalley for the free eARC in return for an honest review!

TJ Klune does it again with a brilliant book on the afterlife, and coming to terms with the reality of your life versus the visions of perfection you think you see.

I was nervous to read this after having lost someone a few years ago, and I think this will be a common concern. My review will mainly focus on that since it is the premise of this book. Many of my friends who read this told me they felt it was handled very well, and I have to say I agree. Everyone’s perception of this will be different but I have to say it worked for me and I appreciate how Klune approached this, with compassion and skill. It gave me warm fuzzies in an experience that doesn’t typically allow for that.

I think there were some things in the middle where I kind of lost interest, but overall the story was very good and I would recommend, albeit minding the trigger warnings which are mentioned in the first few pages.

Thank you to Macmillan and Netgalley for the early copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

Wallace is not a nice man. He is more or less a modern-day Scrooge, and similarly, doesn't prompt much mourning when he unexpectedly dies one Sunday afternoon. Soon he is collected by "The Reaper" who leads him to a tea house where everything he thought he knew about life and death is thrown into disarray.

I read and liked Cerulean Sea, so I had high hopes for this one. I did enjoy it, (particularly the last third)--but parts of it fell flat for me. The whole middle hundred pages just felt kind of repetitive (I don't really think it needed all 400 pages) but maybe that's just mentally where I am right now. Overall it had a great cast of characters, really interesting world building, and the same whimsy/redemption we all know and love about Cerulean Sea.

Many thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Publication date is September 21, 2021.

This novel is a sweet, funny and frequently profound story of redemption, romance and grief; it will stay with me for a long time.

The set up may be familiar but the story is far from predictable or trite. Wallace, a workaholic lawyer, spends his days winning cases and making certain that everything in and out of his office works as efficiently as possible, regardless of the human cost. His sudden death and trip to "Charon's Crossing," an after-life waystation disguised as a tea shop, requires him to rethink what it means to live a good life. The story has a wonderful, diverse cast of found family and a sweet queer romance intertwined with great humor. I loved all of the outstanding characters but it's the thoughtful consideration of life, making amends and what may come after that truly resonated for me.

A preface warns that the story includes "discussion of death in different forms - quiet, unexpected, and death by suicide." That made me -- still grieving the sudden death of a loved one -- hesitate but I'm happy I continued. In an interview, T.J. Klune described how writing this novel was a means of working through his own grief; it shows in the ways the characters grapple with life and loss which felt very authentic. There were parts that made me cry but it is also very funny and, ultimately, very uplifting. If you liked Klune's previous novel, The House in the Cerulean Sea, this one is absolutely worth the wait.

Thanks to Macmillan-Tor, Netgalley and author TJ Klune for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. It will be published September 21, 2021.

I absolutely loved this book! I was so excited to read it after being a huge fan of The House on the Cerulean Sea. This has definitely been one of my favorite reads of 2021.

I received an eARC of Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune in exchange for an honest review provided by NetGalley & Tor/Forge 5⭐️

Let me just start by saying that I had high expectations for this book. I’m a huge fan of Klune. House in the Cerulean Sea is one of my favorite books.

Exceptions met? Absolutely!
The premise is interesting, it has A Christmas Carol vibe. Workaholic William Price; a man that thinks he has everything and is well respected, liked. After William’s sudden heart attack and rude awakening of everyones true feeling in his life, we follow him on his journey of personal growth and realization of what life is really about. The supporting characters are eccentric, funny, and lovable. I really do adore Klune’s writing, he paints such a vivid picture with his words.

Definitely recommend!!

This was my first TJ Klune book, I can say that I mostly enjoyed it. The beginning was difficult for me to get through, and I found myself feeling frustrated not knowing if I’d even like the main character. But eventually, I warmed up to the all characters and enjoyed this cute story of life and death, and life after death. And I even teared up a few times, which I wasn’t expecting. It’s a heartwarming read, pretty funny, and sometimes emotional.

Thank you for my early review copy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I believe this book will be a huge bestseller.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy*

Under the Whispering Door certainly did not disappoint! I am in love with Klune's way of weaving a story. If you enjoyed the House in the Cerulean Sea, you will likely enjoy this one as well.
First of all, the cover is absolutely beautiful, and has a slightly spooky atmosphere, which ties in well with the contents of the story. There are ghosts, supernatural beings, romance, and many different varieties of tea.
This tells the story of the life that happens after death. Our main character finds himself outside of his body and attending his own funeral. Then he meets a reaper, who brings him to a tea shop that will change his life. Through the course of the book, he has to learn to reflect on what he did in his life while getting to know the people that are in his life now that he is gone.
The writing is beautiful, the characters are diverse and humorous, and the narrative drives home a message about second chances and empathy.

I really enjoyed all the characters and the deepness of the story. It made me laugh a cuple of times and seeing that this was a diffrent ghost story made me enjoyed it more. I learned with Wallace the meaning of being alive and oh the love story was a unique one and so lovely. The friendship was also a beautiful touch and really enjoyable. The only bad thing was that at the end things were magical and not real. I'd like it to stay real. But no matter what it was such a beautiful story and I gave it 5 stars

I SO enjoyed "The House On the Cerulean Sea" that I absolutely could not wait for this book! While I enjoyed "Whispering Door" and it ultimately moved me in the end, it just didn't seem as well written.

I LOVED the first 30 pages of this book. Klune's trademark humor instantly hooked me and had me settled in for another fantastic story about self discovery and finding the person you were always meant to be. But then, the story just sort of...stopped.

This book is ultimately more of a reflection on life and death, where you go when you die, what it means to die, and what you should do while you're still alive. Which is fine, but it wasn't what I expected, nor what I was in the headspace for.

The relationships are wonderful and the secondary characters are ultimately what save the book. The romantic connection came out of nowhere for me, and the ending seemed abrupt and problem-solve-y.

That being said, I did almost cry at the end. Or what I thought was the end. I'm sure many people will glean incredible lessons and tidbits from this book, but I'm not one of them.

There is nothing in the whole world that I love more than a TJ Klune book. His writing is stunning and I'm immediately engulfed into a whimsical world that he creates and I never, ever want to put any of his books down! Under the Whispering Door is another amazing story of a man who is essentially a scrooge and once he dies, he becomes a better human and this story unwraps him as he learns to have empathy and falls in love with the man he is stuck with before crossing over. This lovely, warm hug of a book made my heart melt and I finished it in less than 24 hours. It is a beautiful tale and you absolutely MUST get your hands on a copy the second it comes out!

This was a great book! Wallace is a fear and respected attorney -- but is largely unloved by the people in his life. One day, Wallace finds himself at his own funeral, with a reaper telling him that she is going to help him on his journey to the afterlife. The reaper, Mei, takes Wallace to an unusual tea shop to meet the ferryman, Hugo, will help Wallace take this next steps. But Wallace is not quite ready to move on, and ends up spending time at the tea shop with Hugo, Mei, and others, both of this world and not. While there, he, for the first time, reflects on the life he lived, what makes for a meaningful life, and what it means to build fulsome personal relationships -- all while considering what he wants for his next step.

This story is terrific -- a wonderful story of both grief and hopefulness. I'm a huge fan of the author's work. While this story is different in some ways from his previous books, it contains his signature balance of humor, pathos, engaging characters, and thought-provoking narratives.

Very highly recommended!