I am so disappointed that I did not enjoy this as much as the House in the Cerulean Sea. I really wanted to, but must say that the romance was really killing it for me. I really enjoyed the premise and the beginning of the story about Wallace and his characteristics. But it felt like he was only driven by the fact that he was kind of romanticizing Hugo, and it just bothered me to no end.
Overall, it was a fun story, but definitely not a favorite.

Death is only the beginning!

Another amazing story - this time dealing with loss, grief, and the journey into the afterlife. Where do we go? This author's take on that is very intriguing. Some people accept the journey, some struggle and fight, some are in disbelief ... much like in life!

The characters are quirky and amazing and I fell in love with them! Even Wallace, who you won't care for in the beginning. He grew on me and his "growth" in death was a pleasure to witness.

I love that this story is magical and that the author adds humor even in serious topics. This is another book that ended leaving me feeling like there is hope for humanity.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge and Macmillan Audio (I switched back and forth from audio to ebook) for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is AMAZING. Everyone needs to get their hands on this. I would 100% recommend the audio as well because it made it that much more emotional and heart wrenching.

Wallace was difficult,selfish, and grumpy but the way his perspective changes after death is beautiful and there are so many lessons involved to help him grow.

This book is hilarious and the secondary characters are amazing but this is also such a deep and powerful story about death and life after death. It made me laugh many times but I did shed a tear or two, or twenty…

Having a personal story involving the passing of a family member, this story was sometimes very difficult, but at the same time brought peace.

This was my first Klune novel but if they are anything like this one, I will need to move them up my list.

Thank you @netgalley @macmillan.audio @torbooks for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review

Do you believe in ghosts? I do. What happens to a person’s spirit after they die? Do they hang around? Do they go straight to heaven or somewhere else? Are they stuck somewhere? This book explores what might happen to one after they die.
Wallace dies unexpectedly and instead of being taken to heaven or somewhere else he becomes stuck in a tea house in a small village. At this tea house, which is also a waystation, Hugo and Mei help spirits progress and move on. This was a story of death, love and what it means to live.
There were so many emotions that I went through while reading this. The writing is beautiful, the characters fantastic. I love books that make you think, and this was one of them. I wanted to love this book as much as I loved The Cerulean Sea, but I thought this book came in second. With that said, I still highly recommend this book.

tj klune is an emotional terrorist.

this was beautiful; probably my favorite book of the year.

thank you, tor and netgalley for the arcs and ability to read this ahead of time.

The premise: What if a modern-day Scrooge had to learn how to be a good person *after* he died in an other-worldly tea shop with the help of the quirky group of people (+ a ghost dog!) whose job it is to shepherd him into the afterlife, including the handsome ferryman that he realizes he’s maybe a little bit in love with?

My reaction: It’s well established that I adore a book with strong found family and second chances themes and this book was a wonderful combination of both, so I, of course, loved it.

Through the Whispering Door is a magical exploration about death, grief, and what it means for a life to be well lived. As such, it will not be for all readers at all times, which the author states outright in a note at the beginning of this book. As this is a book about life after death, it includes references to deaths of all types and of all ages and some of the story lines were just plain hard.

Despite the serious subject matter this book also includes lots of love, joy, and humor—some of the scenes are truly laugh out loud funny—and I fell in love with the wonderful inhabitants of Charon’s Tea Shop. This is a book about second chances and learning to really live and I was cheering on each of the characters to be able to live their best lives—even after death.

Thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio, and author TJ Klune for the advanced copy of the audiobook to review.

TW: Death, suicide, child lost, grief

This follows a middle age unforgiving grumpy lawyer who dies. In this version of an afterlife a reaper (a human who can see the dead) collects the deceased ghost and brings them to the ferryman (another human who can see the dead) who will speak to the ghost and prepare them for what is to come. This is where the story takes place, at the ferryman's tea shop. We follow the lawyer, Wallace, on his journey to discovering his humanity,

This is a very character driven book, there isn't a lot of action and most of the story takes place within the tea shop. I personally prefer a more plot driven book, but with that being said I still really enjoyed the story. The writing was similar to the authors previous works, it makes you think about life, what is important, and that it is never too late to change your life.

However, this is not a feel good, happy, sweet book that will make you laugh. It will make you think about the meaning of life and death, and what comes next. It is heavy and hard hitting, make sure you know what you are getting into before starting the book. I found that with it being character driven it was a bit long, there were things that I felt could have been take out or scenes that could have been shortened. It might have made things feel less dragged out and made a bigger hit.

This book unraveled like a fable in that you knew where it was going and you knew there was going to be a few poignant moments where a lesson might be learned. But there's also a solid anchor in the form of grief, death, depression, anxiety, and mentions of suicide and terminal illness.

I think what I most appreciated about this book was Hugo's very human patience. He is open to being whatever other people need from him, being empathetic, and just being present. He had such a calming and solid presence in the story that really served to settle the "wilder" personalities of Nelson, Mei, and Wallace. I also liked that we saw more depth to him as he shares stories of his past, his depression, his anxiety, his loss, his failures. The characters were complex in a way that felt like a gift: each layer was unlocked because we earned it.

It was a little slow, though, and I think that's because Wallace (our POV character) didn't know what he wanted/needed and so time just... Passed. Fans of The House in the Cerulean Sea will definitely enjoy this one as well.

Ah, TJ Klune weaves such a magical story with depth and sensitivity. This audiobook is a great companion to a novel that creates such a beautiful story. The narrator's voice is strong and unwavering. He does a wonderful job with accents/voices for each character and makes this story engaging to the ear.

Under the Whispering Door is a wide ranging character driven creative fantasy by TJ Klune. Due out 21st Sept 2021 from Macmillan on their Tor Forge imprint, it's 390 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is an odd and interesting book. The plot is entirely character driven and set almost completely in one single place - an odd interworld teashop between life and the afterlife. Characters come and go as they move on to whatever comes next. The characters are both living, dead, in between, and otherworldly/demigod/angel-ish, and they vary in age from very young to very old and of several genders and ethnicities. There was so much crammed into the book that some of it fell inevitably by the wayside. In addition to being a fantasy, philosophical examination of death and what comes after, it's also about using the time we have wisely, found family, loyalty, love, consent, oh, and a queer/bi love story as well. The drama, starcrossed lovers, and longing would have been more suited to a YA/NA novel, but the subject matter and some of the scenes are too heavy to comfortably fit into that genre.

In addition to all the other stuff going on, there's a lot of slapstick involved which felt oddly tacked on; people getting stuck in inappropriate clothing and "psychics" being chased around by poltergeist(ish) flying inanimate objects. The subject matter in general is very heavy and quite dark and it felt like the author was trying very hard to lighten the mood. The love story and denouement were satisfying but also felt a bit contrived. The language is R rated and there are frank discussions of death including suicide, murder, and death of a child. There is some light consensual sexual content.

The audiobook version has a run time of 14 hours and 55 minutes and is expertly narrated by Kirt Graves. He manages characters of both sexes and a range of ages and manages to keep them distinct from one another and easy to understand. The sound and production quality are high throughout.

It's an interesting and valiant attempt, but in my opinion doesn't quite fulfill its early promise. The author is undeniably gifted and adept at his craft, but I never felt like it quite lived up to the attempt. Three and a half stars, rounded up (the writing is strong).

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune is an endearing, quirky story about death and what we do with our time on earth and connections we make. When we first meet Wallace, we see him as an ornery, unlikable, successful lawyer. Early on, he dies unexpectedly, taking him on a new journey with his reaper, Mei; and ferryman, Hugo, whose job is to help the dead cross over. He ends up at Charon’s Crossing, a tea shop that also serves as a way station for the recently deceased. Trapped in the teahouse but not yet ready to cross through (the whispering door), Wallace begins to form relationships with Hugo, Mei, Nelson (Hugo’s deceased grandfather), and Apollo (Allen’s deceased dog). Wallace begins to realize all that he has lost by living in such a cantankerous, closed off way, putting success above relationships and begins making the most of the time he has left. I really enjoyed the story of Wallace’s growth and the earnestness and humor of those in the tea shop. The book reminded me a little of The Midnight Library and the early 00’s show, Dead Like Me, in terms of the subject matter (reapers guiding the recently deceased to their next destination) and tone (earnest and quirky). I listened to the audiobook, which was well-narrated by Kirt Graves, who has a pleasing voice. Though he did use similar voices for Hugo and Nelson, which was a little confusing at times, but is clear if you’re paying attention to who is saying what dialogue.

Thank you Tor Books / Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing this e-book and audiobook ARC.

This book…so much to say about this book that is released tomorrow (September 21,2021). If you are grieving from the loss of a friend, family or pet, try this book but note this is not what you will normally be told to read to help. I love the characters, loved the storyline, loved how the story unwinds, I really don’t know anything negative to say…

Wallace is an asshole lawyer, who suddenly dies. He goes to a weigh stop on his way to end stop that is a tea shop to the living. Everyone has bills to pay. There Wallace meets the gang and lessons are learned, good and bad.

If you read this book, please let me know what you think!

I want to thank NetGalley, TJ Klune and MacMillian Audio for the opportunity to read and review this great book!

Although Under the Whispering Door did not catch my soul like The House by the Cerulean Sea, it is an equally emotional journey. Fitted with lighthearted moments, the overarching feeling the book evoked was the possibility of hope in the midst of sadness. I recommend not reading about Klune’s purpose fir writing tge book or other people’s reviews, which give too much away. Simply enjoy the reader of the story and THEN research the backstory. Cathartic!

Like so many others, I was a huge fan of TJ's breakout novel, The House on the Cerulean Sea. And I looked forward to this follow up, which he has billed as the second in a loosely thematic "Kindness Trilogy." To be clear, this is NOT a sequel. There wasn't so much as an Easter egg referencing the earlier book, as far as I could see.

Alas, while UtWD was not an unpleasant read, it in no way equaled Cerulean Sea. The good news is, I suspect that mine will be the minority opinion. The book this actually made me think of was Matt Haig's The Midnight Library. When readers everywhere were in raptures over it, I was decidedly ho-hum. Both books essentially open with the protagonists' death and take place in an afterlife. Both stories are designed to be affirming and uplifting. Both stories are kind of schmaltzy and sentimental. And I am just emphatically not into that. It feels like being trapped in an elevator with Mitch Albom *shudder*. (Full disclosure: I have never been trapped in an elevator with Mr. Albom. I'm sure he's lovely.) I do not believe in an afterlife, and while I can't say that I've never enjoyed works taking place in that setting, I would say it's a tough sell.

Again, this was definitely not a terrible book! Millions will love it. You probably will. Me, I'm looking forward to book three. I'm still a fan.

By far one of my most anticipated books of the year! I absolutely loved The house in the Cerulean Sea and TJ Klune's latest book is full of all the same trademark wit, quirky queer characters, tear jerker moments, found family and oh so much heart!!

In this story we get to know the very unlikeable Wallace (think Ebenezer Scrooge), a lawyer who dies suddenly of a heart attack. But Wallace's death is only the beginning of his journey and in death he ends up learning how to truly live!!

Excellent on audio this book is sure to pull at your heart and make you cheer for a most unlikely of heroes. I love how utterly original Klune's stories are and he has officially become an auto-buy author. This book did not disappoint for me and can we all just admire the beautiful cover for a moment?? Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy!

T J Klune can write a story with some amazing side characters. Not that the main character wasn’t fully developed, it’s just I loved the secondary characters. Luci in The House in the. Cerulean Sea was just as wonderful as Nelson is here. The quips and charms continued as the story flowed along. If you can get the audiobook version, I highly recommend it. The narrator did a phenomenal job of bringing the story to life.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

T.J. Klune's Under the Whispering Door, narrated by Kirt Graves, is an emotional roller-coaster of a book. To say "I laughed, I cried," is an understatement, when in reality I laughed hysterically through several chapters, and at other times was brought to tears by the characters in this wonderful book. I fell in love with Hugo, Wallace, Nelson, Apollo and Mei, and was sad when the end of the book came near.

The author's handling of the subject matter, death and the afterlife, is done without religious overtones, and readers with strong beliefs should be aware of this. I enjoyed it immensely, and hope that when my time comes, I am escorted to a tea shop like Charron's Crossing for my final cup of tea.

Wallace Price is an a-hole…and he’s dead.

A reaper, Mei, comes to collect him from his own funeral and take him to Charon’s Crossing Tea and Treats. The tea house is a transition point from this life to ‘what’s next’. Wallace refuses to cross over though, and the more time he spends at the tea house, with the rag-tag bunch of reaper / ferryman / ghosts, the more he actually learns about living and all the things he missed out on in life. Essentially, it took Wallace dying for him to find his humanity and work out what is truly important.

As always, the author has created such wonderful characters (both main and supporting) and I was getting some major Terry Pratchett vibes, which I’m always ok with.

There is some romance, but just like in The House in the Cerulean Sea, it isn’t the whole focus of the story. Parts of this one felt a tad bit slow, but overall I enjoyed it and while the point of the story really hits you over the head, it’s a good point so I think it’s ok that it isn’t very subtle.

The audiobook was narrated by Kirt Graves, who has an impressive number of audiobooks on his resume including Out of Character and Conventionally Yours. I will say that while I didn’t especially enjoy the narration of Out of Character, I did really enjoy this book. It was just under 15 hours long, and really made me felt like I was immersed in the story and there at the tea house myself.

I have not read any of Klune's previous work, but this was a very enjoyable listen and a nice weekend escape. For me, it was a bit of a mix of A Christmas Carol and some more contemporary media like The Good Place and Soul, all of which I really enjoy. While the story fit some common themes there were still plenty of surprises and material to keep it interesting. Despite its length I breezed through this audiobook in a single Saturday. A wholesome escape that I would recommend.

I had to DNF this audiobook. I could not get into the book at all. I loved the authors other book but just couldn't get through this one.