Loved loved the uniqueness of this book along with the kids that were my absolute favorite. The setting, the imagination is just phenomenal by TJ.

I already finished this book yesterday and I’m still rather speechless. It’s like the most magical book I’ve picked up in a while and I do read a lot. You know that empty feeling when you finish a book and don’t know what to do with yourself. I want to make it my mission to make everyone I know read this utterly wholesome fantasy novel.

Linus Baker works for a company that checks on orphanages for children with magic and if they have the right to remain open. One day he gets that secret assignment to investigate Marsyas Island Orphanage. And that is how he ends up on this beautiful island in the Cerulean Sea with all these wonderful, mysterious children: Talia (a gnome), Phee (a sprite), Theodore (a wyvern), Chauncey (no one really knows what he is), Sal (a were-Pomeranian) and Lucy (the Antichrist)... and of course their charming caretaker Arthur. Always Arthur.

This stunning book that teaches us so much about acceptance, tolerance and what it feels like to do everything to protect your friends and found family will win you over in a heartbeat. And so will Linus, Arthur, and the kids.

The House in the Cerulean Sea had me in tears through the final chapters - in an absolutely good way. You can’t just not love these unique and stunning characters. They are such a delightful ensemble. Every single child is so special and their stories are so compelling and heartbreaking. I was so enchanted by everyone and it was impossible to put that book down.

I can honestly say I adore and would recommend this book with all my heart. I am a huge TJ Klune fan but he really did an outstanding job on this one. It almost reads like a love letter.

This is the sweetest and most wholesome book I have read in a long while. Magical children! Found Families! Changing the hearts and minds of those set against you! Learning about yourself! It sounds like a middle grade book, doesn't it? It could easily be handed to an older middle grade kid and enjoyed, I think. It was so tender and while I got a little heavy handed on some of the messages, a little sappy, sometimes you just need an extremely kind novel. It was also very funny and I found myself smiling constantly while reading it. If you're looking for a light, loving, and all around enjoyable read, this is the book for you.

Overall, this was an enjoyable story. The characters were well-developed and were more than just stock characters you could find in any scifi/fantasy story. The story itself starts out very well and immediately pulls you into Linus's world. I liked him a lot at the beginning, but became disappointed with his initial reaction to the children when he arrived on the island. Not that he should have immediately been comfortable with everything he was seeing, but he kept going on about how important it was to make sure the children were being well cared for and then he treats them pretty poorly. I thought his reaction to Lucy was a bit over the top and it made him a weak character (you could see why people tended to overlook him and treat him with indifference).

Linus Baker has an extremely boring life: as a caseworker assigned to supervise orphans he spends most of his days writing reports and reading the rulebook. Except the children who he’s tasked with protecting are magical, and his most recent assignment might just upset his regimented approach to his job. With whimsy and kindness, TJ Klune explores how the people around us make us want to be better, and what it takes to make a home. Whether sprite, wyvern, or human, the endearing characters in this book will make you just a bit more hopeful about the world, and what you can do with your place in it.

this book was SO. WONDERFUL. found family of weird magical children in a messed up world that they manage to make their own little home in :’) the main hero is a slightly naive investigator who goes to assess potential problems on their island (for a corrupt government agency) and finds LOVE 💗 my heart grew 3 sizes. what a lovely tale of acceptance and overcoming personal prejudices.

Absolutely delightful story! The characters were perfectly realized and the story was just great! Loved every page.

This book is a bit silly in the best possible way. The villains are caricatures. The heroes are sweet. The message is unmistakable. It is a good book to gently introduce otherness to those who have yet to encounter it for themselves.

What an amazing story.
I didn’t know what to expect when I started this...was this going to be crazy and out there or angsty and drama filled......well it’s a delightful mixture of both.
This story takes place in a time when there are magic beings around us. For “their” safety they are segregated as children and raised in”orphanages”. Linus, the main character, is a somber, joyless character. He seems to only take enjoyment in knowing he does his job (making sure the orphanages are run properly and that the children aren’t being mistreated) to the best of his ability.
When he is tasked with checking on a super secret orphanage, Linus doesn’t know what he’s in for.

The characters are so unique. I loved getting to know all the children and their caretakers. Linus absolutely steals the show though. He learns so much about himself and what he is capable thanks to a group of misfits.

This was a beautiful and heartfelt story that I cannot recommend enough!!!

4.5* rounded up.

Man, TJ Klune truly can do no wrong in my opinion. While I had some minor problems with this book, overall, I absolutely loved it and I can't wait to get a finished copy once it gets published.

This is a book about magical children, found family, discrimination, hope and finding out what "home" means when you least expect it.

Probably my biggest issue with this book is the setup. While I loved our, of course not at all lonely or miserable, main character Linus from the first page, I do think the setup for the story was a little lengthy. I was so excited for the actual story to start that I didn't want to read about Linus going to work, taking the bus home, going home, sleeping, going to work again etc., I was just waiting for something exciting to happen. And while I get that this is to get to know the world and the main character, there were just too many "transitional scenes" where Linus would be going from one place to another. But once Linus finally got to the island, I was completely hooked and didn't want to stop reading.

Which brings me to my next point: I absolutely fell in love with all the characters! All the children's personalities were so unique and different, I had no problems keeping them apart at all. I really enjoyed getting to know them all together with Linus over the course of his time on the island. I also really liked the setting and the world of this novel. It's not really clear at what time period this story takes place, because while there's computers and telephones around, there are also record players being used and Linus has to send all of his reports in a letter via the post office. So while that was a little confusing, I also kinda liked that this world was not only unique in the way that it has magical beings in it.

Speaking of magical beings, I loved how many different kinds of magical beings this world had, from a werewolf boy that turns into a pomeranian, to a blob in the floor and female gnomes to the literal son of Satan himself. They were all so different, but they were all not only the sum of their parts. All of them had such unique personalities, they all had their own hopes and dreams and hobbies and I love them all dearly!

On another note, I love that the romance in this took a complete backseat to the rest of the story. If you're thinking about reading this for the romance, look elsewhere, but if you're a sucker for found family and heartfelt stories just like me, please read this!

While this book deals a lot with discrimination against magical beings and socitey as a whole, I love how there's always a little glimmer of hope, no matter how dire everything seems. Although I will also say that this book never got as dark as I was expecting it to. I will say that there were some characters and plot developments that seemed just a little too convenient, especially considering how the people and the town next to the island was set up through the novel. But I can't say that I didn't like to see that there is still good to be found in other people. I just thought it was a little too convenient for the story.

This story overall really touched me, though, and I was close to tears pretty much the entirety of the last couple of chapters!

Overall, 100% recommended. I love this book with all my heart!

What a wonderful book.
I don't know where to start reviewing it.
It is written in that beautiful way in which Tj writes. Creating unique characters and making relationships between them so pure and full of love.
I loved the story, it seemed super entertaining and the world and magic system is well explained and at no time it becomes boring to learn about it.
The characters are unique and so good. Each of them, each of the interactions between them and the main character are wonderful. As I said before, I didn't expect less from the author.
I feel that something that characterizes this book is the message that conveys, beyond the family and home, which are very important in it, this quote was the one that resonated in me the most, and I thinks that summarize this mesagge that colors the entire book:
"Hate is loud, but I think you'll learn it's because it's only a few people shouting, desperate to be heard. You might not ever be able to change their minds, but so long as you remember you're not alone, you will overcome. "

It is a very good read, it is super fast to read and entertaining. Above all, you will surely end up loving the characters as much as I do.
And you will wish to be there.

First I would like to thank the author and the publishers for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

I requested this book for three reasons: (1) I judged a book by its cover, (2) I liked the premise listed on NetGalley, and (3) one of my favorite authors was quoted on the NetGalley book page [Gail Carriger].

I am struggling to decide where to begin with this feedback/review, but the one thing that stands out most at the moment is that it made me have a good cry. It’s not that I am not a crier, but it certainly is not commonplace for a book to elicit that kind of reaction. It has happened many times before, but it has been a while – probably not since reading Gail Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate series. Trying to step back and analyze that response, I feel like I obviously established a strong emotional attachment to the characters and story.

Writing: (5.0)

My first thought on commencing to read The House in the Cerulean Sea was that it reminded me a lot of Neil Gaiman’s tone and prose in Neverwhere. T.J. Klune definitely has some writing chops, and it was very easy to fall into the story. I think the similarity in writing style is underscored by the benevolent relationship between Lucy and Arthur, which is reminiscent of Adam in Good Omens.

The dialogue was incredibly smooth and believable, and I never once felt like the writing pulled me out of the story. Neither did I feel like there were any instances of “info-dumps” nor extraneous writing that that felt sluggish or unnecessary.

As far as genres, this is certainly a fantasy book. It almost toes the line of YA, but the writing is just too well done to classify it as such in my mind.

Editing: (4.999)

At the time I did not think to mark down places, but I distinctly remember four occasions where extra words occurred that weren’t meant to be there, and one instance near the end of the book where a word seemed to be omitted. It strikes me as better than the average B&N classics in terms of editing.

Magic-system: (5.0)

In any fantasy, or pseudo-fantasy work, I feel like the magic systems are one of the key aspects that make or break a novel/series. They may not be key to the story, but they can disrupt the narrative if they are too unbelievable, which may be the case for a variety of reasons.

Here, because the magical or mythical beings have long been established in our myths and legends, there was no disruption for me. I also did not feel like the magic took away from the story, nor became a focal point: it was merely a thing that was and did not need to be over-analyzed, or distract me from my reading.

World-building: (5.0)

Although I never really knew where exactly the story occurred, I didn’t need to. The locations and environments were incredibly believable. I did not feel like maps or blueprints were necessary for my enjoyment of the story, nor that they would actually benefit the story or my immersion. The descriptions were thoughtful and well-written.

Characters: (5.0)

This, for me, was where the novel truly shined. Each of the main cast were so well thought-out, and loved every minute of their interactions. Each character was unique and I had no trouble believing that each action and dialogue was real and believable. There is not much else to say without giving up the story, so, well done.

Bravo.

Amazing.

Cheers.

Incredibly, incredibly well done.

Themes: (5.0)

I have never been much of an English-student, and I will not pretend to have a keen eye for literary analysis. Suffice it to say, it felt like the story gave commentary on the role of orphanages and the treatment of marginalized individuals and groups. Bigotry happened and it was believable and important without leaving my blood boiling.

I am trying to expand my reading beyond white authors writing about traditional binary genders and gender roles, and traditional male-female sexuality. There was a subtle romance through much of the novel that I never felt was forced or painted across the sky. The main romance was happy and endearing, in a British kind-of way: somewhat curt and proper without the flowery extravagance of more Latin or American types of tales.

Overall: (5.0 / 5.0)

For all intents and purposes, this novel is a solid five out of five for me. I have already recommended it to my wife, and I will certainly recommend it to anyone with even slightly similar tastes to my own. I do not know where or when the story is supposed to have taken place, but the story is kind of timeless in its own way. It’s the kind of book that I would leave out for a kid or an adult to read, that I would be happy to see in a library, or would be happy to see taught in a classroom: Sal’s poem alone deserves a place in any classroom, even as a poster on a wall.

This book is one of the rare few to deserve the epithet of "mesmerizing," both figuratively and literally - as if Lucy himself was locking me in. I did not want to put it down.

I hope that this makes some best-sellers lists and earns an award or two.

Hnnnnngskjfsd this book is an absolute masterpiece. Going in, i had only ever read Klune's The Lightning-Struck Heart, which while its a good book, it lacked a little in my opinion. But The House In The Cerulean Sea is a tale all of its own and its absolutely fantabulous.

What starts out as a grumpy old man performing his job under sufferance turns into a squee worthy love story that hit me in all the feels by the end.

The kidlets in the orphanage are no ordinary children but despite their differences, they are so ridiculously damn cute, I couldn't help but love them. The gnome Talia with her and threatening people with a shovel is a whole arse mood and I am here for it!

While for the most part, THITCS is upbeat and cute, Klune also expertly weaves a narrative that shines a light on opinions of today's society with wit and humour. At one point or another EVERY SINGLE DAMN PERSON from the orphanage is treated as a second class citizen for being 'different; be it for being the Anti-Christ, a gorgeous jellyfish boy who just wants to help people or a wyvern who loves buttons, every character bears the abuse from those who deem them 'other'. To the reader who feels they are perfect and that the world is all shining rainbows and cute puppies, this is not the book for you. But its also kind of the book for you because y'all need a wakeup call.

Basically I was absolutely enamoured with the entire thing and I cannot do anything except for highly recommend this gorgeous novel

I loved this book very much. I think is perfect, I wouldn't change a word, maybe I am biased because I liked every books by TJ Klune that I have read, I love his writing, I love the charecters and the universes he creates and this book is no exception.
I am going to recomand this gem to everyone, this is the kind of book that should be read at school, I am certain that it would help pop some bubbles.

There is nothing more wonderful than reading something from TJ Klune. This author always opens us to beautiful worlds with moving characters that are hard to forget. I’m always excited when I have one of his books in my hands and this time was no exception.

This book is beautifully written, with a universe that is easy to imagine and that is so colorful. When I was reading the hours passed like seconds and if I could travel to this wonderful world, I would do it in a second. Something that characterizes the stories of this author, is that there is always that message of friendship and family. This book has the most captivating, complex and wonderful characters. If you have already read something from TJ Klune, I assure you that you’ll enjoy this, and if it’s the first time you read something from him ... well, welcome and I hope you enjoy this story.

Whenever I wrote a review for this author's books, I can’t find the right words. The house in the Cerulean Sea tells the story of a very lonely and lost man, and that thanks to six children and another very special man, he can find his way home. It’s a story of discoveries and changes, of second and third opportunities, it’s about human nature itself and our ability to survive and love.

This is a book that mixes touching stories of six extraordinary children, with an amazing humor and a love story that will have you with a giant smile on your face. Reading this and imagining the adventures on this magical island was something I’ll remember forever. If there is something that TJ Klune knows how to do well, it’s to write the most amazing characters. Diverse characters, refreshing, imperfect, intriguing and captivating. TJ Klune’s Book are treasures.

Totally recommended, a book that is addictive and that I’ll surely be rereading another 10 times. I invite you to visit this distant island, full of the most extraordinary people you could find. I invite you to get lost in the forests of the island, the garden of the house and above all, in that Cerulean Sea.

Where do I even begin? Well, I think I have a new favorite book!
This story is so different from Klune's other books, but it was just as perfect!
It made me smile, laugh and cry all at the same time.
Such a magical story about a magical place, that feels so real when you read it.
You will love every single one of these characters... These children are the most amazing thing in the whole world, and you just want to adopt every single one of them. And Linus and Arthur, where do I even begin with them? They are just perfect.

Klune touches a lot of deep topics in this book, such as abuse and bullying, but he shows us, that we are perfect, just the way we are... no matter what other people might think. I think Arthur is a reminder of this! Everything he ''says'' throughout this book, made me feel better about myself, even though it had nothing to do with me at all.

I will be reading this again and again and again, because I need these characters in my life!
As soon as this get's published, you need to read it! It will stay with you for a very long time after you finish it.
Also, this is such a quick read... and you will wish it wasn't, because when you read the last page, you just want to go back!
Thank you TJ for this great piece of art! Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go and cry from happiness some more.

Have you ever read something that is something completely new yet familiar at the same time? That's how I feel about The House in the Cerulean Sea. I am totally in love with this book and I'm having a hard time pinning down exactly why. The best comparison I can come up with is that the story reads like what I'd imagine would be the result of Douglas Adams and Diana Wynne Jones combining forces to write a fantasy version of the Island of Misfit Toys but with paranormal creatures instead of toys and a dash of Good Omens thrown in for good measure.

The story follows middle-aged and easily forgotten caseworker, Linus Baker, who gets sent by upper management to investigate a troublesome group home for magical children that has seemingly been kept a secret from everyone.What Linus finds when he gets to the orphanage was nothing he was expecting or even remotely prepared for.

This book is heartwarming, sentimental, weird and absolutely and utterly delightful! I picked it up for the queer romance and I kept reading for the six dangerous children, their mysterious caretaker, the invisible case worker, and the found family trope. The children are a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist and they are weird and just downright perfect! My heart was a puddle of heartwarmed goo by the time I finished this book.

I immediately wanted to go and start this book again when I finished and that is the highest praise I can give a book.

I quickly fell in love with the children and their mysterious caretaker, Arthur. I fell in love with Linus too but it took a bit longer. It was quite easy once we got to see him interact with everyone at Marsyas Island. The worldbuilding in this book is on the light side for a fantasy book but that doesn't mean that it wasn't absolutely delightful and well done. I want to go live on the island with everyone and have adventures with them every Saturday.

A major theme running through out the book is that you don't need to live up to other people's expectations of what you should be solely based on who or what you were born. You don't have to be a monster even if look like one and that's what everyone expects from you. It's okay to be different. It's crucial even. It's about finding yourself, your place, and your happiness and being true to it. I've had this book finished for a while now and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since.

I am a sucker for the found family trope and the one in this book was so precious! I could read a whole series about them! And the romance! It wasn't overwhelmingly at the forefront but it was sweet and beautiful and I was rooting for it as soon as they met on page for the first time! Also, can I comment on the fact that this is a standalone contemporary fantasy? I can't remember the last time I read one and it's part of what I loved about this book!

The House in the Cerulean Sea is heartwarming, delightfully diverse, wonderfully queer, and a bit ridiculous but in the best way. It's one that I can confidently say has already made my favorite books of the year list.

This was my first TJ Klune book and, if all of his books are written like this one, he deserves the hype. Definitely read this for the contemporary fantasy setting and the queer romance but stay for the precocious children and the found family trope. I can't recommend this one enough! It's one I will be definitely adding to my collection and I will be shouting my love about for the rest of the year. Now if you'll excuse me, I have TJ Klune's whole backlist to read.

This review will be posted on the Goldilox and the Three Weres blog on the release date of March 17, 2020.

This was nice and enjoyable, although a bit too predictable. It also was the first book by TJ Klune I actually finished, so there’s that.

He‘s a very popular queer fantasy and romance author, but even though I tried several of his books, I never really got into them. One of my problems with his writing was his sense of humor which just never quite worked for me (but then I am very weird about humor in fiction, especially in romance). Still, I was very curious about his releases with Tor and was lucky to get an ARC for both his upcoming books.

Overall, I would sum up my experience by saying there was a lot to like but nothing to get excited about. Linus Baker is a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, DICOMY in short. He‘s an ordinary man who likes his routines, but his life changes when he is sent on a very special case to a very special orphanage under the “care“ of DICOMY. And everything there goes exactly the way you’d expect.

I love stories about found families, and the book had loads of fantastic bits about just that. I loved the way Linus’ relationships to the kids develops, and the warmth and kindness that suffuses the book.

The thing is, I didn’t mind that much that there weren’t any surprises - I found myself thinking that I wouldn’t mind reading several books about the kids and Linus and Arthur just living their lives. But it felt like that if there is an overall plot them it should at least be a bit more interesting ? I also found the romance between Linus and Arthur somewhat lacking in sparks - the destination of that particular journey was so obvious that it felt like some steps were missed while getting there.

The message of “normal“ people being afraid of people who are “different” and of overcoming those fears is certainly timely and appropriate, but maybe a bit too on the nose. As for the sense of humor, there definitely were some funny bits - DICOMY and Extremely Upper Management for example - but it wasn’t too over the top for me.

I had a good time reading this book, and was pulled into the world pretty much immediately. Still, I would have liked a bit more sophisticated plot - I checked, and at least on Netgalley it looks like it’s not YA. For an adult fantasy novel I would say it’s a bit too lacking in substance to be satisfying (especially considering the relatively steep price). Still, it has lots of things going for it, so it is worth giving it a try if you’re looking for something comforting and sweet.

I couldn't get into the book until well past the halfway point, when it actually started to gain some momentum. Until that point, there was really no antagonist (and the one that there is is cartoonish and relatively non-threatening) and very little plot. Once I got into the groove of this being a slow burn that was all about building characters, I got into it more.

I found the whole thing rather juvenile, though, and many of those young characters grated on me, particularly Lucy. I eventually came around on him, but his over-the-top, goofy persona of gory threats being filtered through a cute kid's mouth got old very quickly.

By the time I got to the end, I was invested in Linus and the kids, and I got very emotional at points, but overall, it's cliche-ridden (the monsters as a metaphor for LGBTQ+ people is played out) and silly, but it's still effective some of the time.

A heartwarming fantasy book that should also appeal to readers of mainstream fiction, as the novel largely deals with themes of tolerance and acceptance. Endearing characters, well-paced emotional beats, and solid prose made this a satisfying read.