In typical TJ Klune style this is a book of love, magic, and living your best life.

When Wallace Price - a jerk of a lawyer - dies suddenly of a heart attack he winds up at his own funeral listening to the few people he had say awful things about him. Enter Mei; his reaper. She takes him to the Ferryman, Hugo, who will help him cross into the afterlife. They travel to the middle of nowhere to a quirky tea shop that serves as a way station for passing spirits.

At first, Wallace is resistant as he is too important to die! He needs to get back to work. Then slowly as he bonds with Mei, Hugo, and adjusts to life at the tea shop he starts to realize what truly matters in his life and begins to have regrets while also making different choices of how he will live his afterlife. He meets other spirits who have passed in less than natural ways (TRIGGER: Suicide and murder), and learns what this new journey will really be like.

In the end his choices summon the Manager, which is never good, and he is issued an order to cross in one week no matter what.

TJ Klune handles the topic of death, spirits, and grief with such poignant beauty that even as an anxiety sufferer I never felt anxious reading this book about such heavy topics. He is lyrical, funny, and honest about the human condition. While I identified the most with Mei as a character I think there are so many developed traits, choices, and life lessons in this story that anyone will be able to connect, learn, and love this story.

This book follows the journey Wallace takes when he suddenly find himself dead.

Wallaces journey doesn't just end when he realises he has died, instead he is quickly collected by a reaper and taken to a curious tea shop where he meets a ferryman, there to prepare him for whatever comes next. Here Wallace starts to fully understand his life and the person he once was.

This books warmed my heart in so many ways while also breaking it at the same time. I cried, I laughed, I grinned like the cheshire cat. It was beautifully written and the character development was incredible. The first three quarters of the book was slightly repetitive but still immensely enjoyable as it allowed you to really understand each of the characters and the mechanics of the story. I was very shocked by the ending which I loved, and it left me sat in wonder.

I would recommend this book to everyone, It made me look at life from a new perspective and I think it's something that everyone should experience and enjoy at least once in their lives. I cant rave about this book enough - just wow!

Under the Whispering Door is an exploration of acceptance. Acceptance of death, acceptance of oneself, and acceptance of others and the circumstances we cannot change, while still allowing for plenty of self growth.

There was perhaps a small portion of the middle that seemed to lag, but with a quirky cast of characters and plenty of heartfelt moments, it was an interesting read leaving one with plenty to think about.

If you're after a good-hearted, full of enchanting characters, then get hold of one of T.J. Klune's books. They make me ridiculously happy. Our hero is Wallace Price, a fabulously unpleasant man, a nasty piece of work. He dies. Yep, we open with our main character's death. Crikey he is angry about that, he has stuff to do, he is important, it absolutely does not suit him to be dead. Worse he is able to observe people mourning him, but not enough, there just isn't enough of an outpouring of grief at his demise for his taste. The Reaper comes to collect him and takes him to what's next. That turns out to be an unassuming house that seems to store people who are transitioning from one phase of death to the next. It's a kind of purgatory. While he is there he is going to learn a lot about his fellow humans, a bit late because he is dead right now!

As Wallace comes to terms with being actually dead, he begins to transform, to deal with some of the things that made him so angry and unpleasant in his life, and to accept people. All this while dead! This all sounds quite strange, but it is written beautifully and while it is full of lessons about acceptance and diversity, it's funny and sad and poignant and a great deal of fun.

I think this would be a great book for the school library, something a bit different, I definitely thought there would be a YA audience for it. Now that I've read two of this author's books I'm going to hunt out some more. They have such a light touch they make for a very good reading experience. I really enjoyed it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to this gem.

I just finished and it was a whirl wind of emotions. I loved the ending but was bored during the middle- I now realize that it was a journey for multiple characters but it was worth the wait :)

TJ Klune did it again! Under the Whispering Door is about Wallace and his journey through death. Klune has a way of making you fall so in love with his characters, you really feel everything they do. I am known for.crying over a book, and this was no exception, but Klune is the only one that get me to laugh out loud, literally, at the things happening on page. This was an exceptional story, and I can't wait to listen to the audio and see what that adds to the experience. Thank you to Tor and Net galley for allowing me to read and review.

I fell in love with the book from the first sentence. This is an unique story that continued to hold my attention throughout. The humor was spot on! Will definitely recommend.

Under The Whispering Door is about a lawyer named Wallace. He is not a good person. He treats his employees poorly and puts his career before family and friends. One day he unexpectedly dies. A reaper appears and takes him to a tea shop where he meets Hugo; a ferryman. From here begins a very character driven story on Wallace coming to terms with how he was as a person and realizing his life was not quite a life after all.

Characters (9.5/10): This is my fifth book by T.J. Klune, and he always delivers when it comes to character. They always seem so real and relatable, even in stories like this that deal with reapers and life after death. Wallace at the beginning is not the same at the end, and the character journey we go with him to get to that point is absolutely beautiful. All the characters we meet are given such rich backgrounds; especially Hugo. You just end up loving all the characters.

Plot (7/10): The plot is not the most “exciting”, but that is okay. This is a story about character. Some of the sub plots (a few characters we meet at the tea shop with stories of their own) were interesting and played a big part in guiding Wallace on his way to the person he is at the end of this novel.

Writing (9.5/10): T.J. Klune has a way with words that is very readable. The writing flows so beautifully and fluidly. It keeps you engaged and you just want to keep reading. It is hard to explain. And some parts are written so funny. I find it is difficult to produce humour on a page that makes me laugh, but there were a few times the dialogue did make me laugh.

Entertainment (8/10): Entertainment seems like the wrong choice of word for this novel. I suppose engagement would be better, and this novel did keep me engaged. I was invested in the story of Wallace and of Hugo. Seeing them evolve together

The only criticism I have may be the ending. I did think it had a very fitting ending but at the same time (I don’t want to say anything to spoil the ending) I also like endings that end kind of the opposite of how this one did.

All in all, I really enjoyed this one; 8.5/10, and will be looking to purchase a copy when it comes on sale in September. I think anyone could enjoy this book, especially if you love character driven stories.

Ruthless lawyer Wallace wakes up at his own funeral and thinks he has to be dreaming. But when a stranger at the service turns out to be a reaper sent to collect his soul, he starts to believe. She takes him to a mysterious tea shop run by Hugo, a ferryman who helps souls in their transition to the afterlife. Afraid and angry, Wallace refuses to move on, effectively leaving him in limbo in the teashop. Gradually, with the help of Hugo, the reaper, and a couple of resident ghosts, Wallace begins to learn to be a better person and care about other people. Under the Whispering Door is T. J. Klune’s newest novel after The House on the Cerulean Sea, the sleeper hit and bestseller of last year.

Whispering Door is all at once a queer love story, a metaphysical treatise, and an introduction to philosophy. It also runs the gamut of emotions; at times funny, serious, and sad, with a main character whose personal growth is organic, if somewhat sped up. Though the subject matter can be heavy, Klune’s outlook on death and the afterlife is altogether positive, and the book’s tone remains upbeat even while discussing difficult topics. After his breakout hit, Klune has clearly found a formula that works, and he has perfected it further here. In fact, my only complaint is that this new novel is too similar to the plot of Cerulean Sea: a grumpy loner finds a new family and becomes a better person. The book is predictable, but that is part of its charm – it is chocolate chip cookie-style comfort food packaged in a story about grim reapers and the afterlife. Fans of the previous novel will love this book, and newcomers will enjoy the quirky and uplifting story.

https://readitorweep.org/?p=25990

Unfortunately I was not a fan of this book and maybe that is because my expectations were way off. This is a very slow moving story about the afterlife or the place between life and the afterlife. Interesting premise and I don't mind a slow moving story but this one never actually went anywhere. The characters were flat and forgettable and I didn't care about their stories or relationships. Basically I was bored and there was no pay off in the end.

I laughed, I cried, I was blown away by this book. I obviously had some high expectations going in, and I was not disappointed. Klune is a master of characters, making me fall in love with each and every one. Mei was my favorite, and she made me laugh the most by far, though Nelson was a close second. Of course I loved Hugo, because it is 100% impossible not to. As for Wallace, I loved his development. It was well paced and just so sweet. It also played well into the plot. The story itself was a bit slow in the middle, even though it opened fairly fast. But it worked for Wallace's development and that of other characters like Nancy and Cameron. I found the Manager to be a unique twist, though I was left with more questions than answers at the end. The ending was not my favorite, as it was almost too good to be true.

TJ Klune's writing shines in Under the Whispering Door! This is my second of his books, and I'm starting to see some trends. I thought the main character was unlikeable and had a predictable character arc. It was hard getting into the book, and the first 40% I was constantly picking the book up and putting it back down. It followed a similar path/theme to House in the Cerulean Sea, so if you enjoyed that you'll probably like this! Full of magical realism and deep characters.

tw: this book is about death/dying. it is heavy.


Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge, the author and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy for review!

'Under the Whispering Door' does the job, but not much more than that. Wallace has a nice (though uninspired) character arc; his relationship with Hugo is sweet; the tea shop setting helped make this a warm and cozy read; and I loveeee the supporting characters, Mei and Nelson, so much.

There's little plot until the end; the book is bogged down by so much exposition. Hugo is often giving Wallace corny, cloying speeches about the journey of life and death, and these conversations become really repetitive (Hugo as an inspirational orator/moral guide/romantic interest to Wallace is acutely similar to Arthur's role for Linus in Klune's last book).

Wallace Price was not a nice guy. He was rich, successful, and had no time for the little things, like other people's feelings. Until Wallace Price suddenly dies. Now he's found himself with a reaper, on his way to the ferryman who will take him to wherever it is that comes next, and the obvious lesson one gets only after they die: there was more to life.

I liked the idea of the story. It's not a new idea and thus predictable, in that we know what kind of lesson Wallace is going to learn. Getting to that lesson, though, was thought-provoking, touching, humorous, and did have it's own little quirks. Like the ferryman also owning a tea shop.
My biggest critique is that there were quite a few slow spots, which were a struggle to get through at times. Those parts also contained a lot of repetitive dialogue. For the content, the story was longer than it needed to be. However, the fun cast of characters helped pull me along. Who doesn't love a fun ghost dog?

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoyed 'The House in the Cerulean Sea' or those who like beautiful and wholesome, yet heartbreaking stories.

*Thanks to Tor Books and NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Magical realism. Check.
Diverse. Check.
Funny. Check.
Emotional. Check.
Deep character journey. Check.

Must be a T.J. Klune novel.

Wallace is a power house attorney. And not much more (besides an asshole). He thinks he has life all figured out, until one day where he suddenly dies.

He is met at his sparsely attended funeral by Mei, a reaper whose job is to bring him to the ferryman, Hugo. Hugo helps dead souls to cross over to whatever is next, but he is also a tea consousour who takes immense pride in both of his jobs as the ferryman and a tea shop owner.

Wallace is, at first, a difficult case, having a hard time coming to terms with the turns of his fate and how he arrived at this point. But as he grows closer to Hugo, Mei and their little family, he begins to look further into himself and in death learns the things he was unable to in life.

This novel was stunning. I laughed... I cried (yes I really did) and I didn't want it to end. The world that T.J. Klune has built in this small teahouse is immensely beautiful and imaginative, but I think we have come to expect nothing else.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. All views expressed are entirely my own, honest opinion.

“If we worry about the little things all the time, we run the risk of missing the bigger things”

That’s a message I’ve been trying to instill in myself for a very long time, I’m hoping, unlike Wallace, I figure it out well before I die.

So our story starts off with us getting to know Wallace Price, a no-nonsense lawyer who is not a good person. He’s not a very likable guy, while he’s alive. We get a chance to follow him after his death, where he works through the stages of grief and it’s well after his death when I truly fall in love with him.

Although to be fair, TJ Klune seems to have a way in making me fall in love with all his characters. I mean, I’m still a little iffy on how I feel about the manager, but gosh I love every single of these characters. Hugo, Mei, Norman and of course apollo are amazing but serious kudos to Klune for all the character building, it helped me fall in love with Wallace too.

TJ Klune really wrote the story well, I was so connected with all the characters, there were many points where I felt their pain and cried with them. Of course, there was a lot of humor written in which had me laughing senselessly. The story is such an eye opener, it just reminds you to live life, appreciate all that you have because one day you won’t have it. Just like The House in the Cerulean Sea, Under the Whispering Door is going to stick with me for a long time.

I highly recommend this book to EVERYONE. Please read it, you won’t regret it- it comes out in September 2021.


Thank You to TJ Klune and Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Books, for the digital ARC provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

It was a rough start for me but I'm SO GLAD I stuck with it. This book is stunning.

About 50% of the way in, I was hooked. The characters are brilliant. Their banter and relationships feel so real and authentic. You'll want to know them.
As an agnostic, this story and the concepts within it really hit me on a deep level. It made me feel a lot of peace, which is something I've never experienced with a book before.

Also, Apollo is the goodest boy. 🐾 I love him.

So many thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed this title.

This book destroyed me. It was beautiful, humorous, but also sad sad sad. I thought I knew what was coming. I thought I was ready, and then out of nowhere I was ugly crying. Klune knows how to write characters that dig into your heart and don’t ever let go! I couldn’t put it down from the first page.

Beware, if you’re expecting something like The House in the Cerulean Sea, unexpect it. This book hits a lot of raw nerves.

TW: death, suicide, child death (off screen, but mentioned throughout).

This was my second T.J. Klune book, and the second T.J Klune book to make me cry! 😩.

—-

When Wallace Price dies, he is unwilling to accept his death when a reaper comes to collect him from his own funeral. He is taken to
a quaint little tea shop owned by a man named Hugo, the man also know as the Ferryman who is responsible for helping souls cross over.

After putting up a good fight, Wallace eventually becomes fond of his new companions. It is then that a man known as the manager tells him he only has 1 week left to stay, and he decides to make the most of what time he has left and accepts what is waiting for him on the other side of the door.

—-

“𝙃𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙮 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙥𝙤𝙣. 𝙄𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙗 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙪𝙥𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙝.”

I don’t know how else to describe this story other than charming. The characters, the emotions, the connections, all feel so personal and meaningful. T.J had a special way of telling a story and I look forward to what he comes up with next!

I give Under the Whispering Door ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 /5

Wallace has a hard time coming to terms with his sudden death. When he meets the Ferryman and the small group that run a tea shop he comes to realize what his life was all about. I love T.J. Klune sense of humor and I really love the laugh out loud kind of moments. I just felt like this story was so slow and kind of repetitive and nothing really going on.