God I wish I could have given it five stars, but the beginning really let it down. It does so many things that kids don't want; an unsympathetic protagonist, WAY too much dialogue, far too many characters who aren't tagged properly so even though they're literally magic and all have different powers, it's hard to keep track of who's who, it begins in a very adult world that they just can't relate to, and it takes far too long to get going. The biggest failing of this book is that it feels like a book with too-adult themes, framed like a kids' book because the writing isn't that good, which is desperately disappointing because we really need more middle-grade books with normalised gay romance.
Despite all its shortcomings though, and despite how much I had to persevere with it, I did end up genuinely enjoying the ending. By the time I (and the author) got into the flow, it made me laugh out loud a good few times, and started reading lines and sections out loud to share in the enjoyment. It also had something that most children's books don't; a really genuinely satisfying and properly explored ending. I re-read the final few chapters not once, not twice, but three times. If I'd felt more connected to the characters earlier, I'm sure it would have been even better.

For the record, I should probably give you a heads up by letting you know that this will be a rambling review. If you’ve been here before, you already know that I tend to do that when I review a book by an author I adore. For the record, T.J. Klune is one of those authors and unsurprisingly, The House in the Cerulean Sea is most definitely one of those books. Consider yourself forewarned. 😉

I have to admit that Linus didn’t win me over in the beginning. The more I got to know him though, the more I realized that the real reason I couldn’t connect with him was because he couldn’t connect with himself. He was lost and didn’t even really realize it. He wasn’t really living, but simply surviving. It took me a while, but in true T.J. fashion, once I connected with this amazing story it wouldn’t let me go.

I was as leery as Linus when readers were first introduced to Arthur and his charges. It didn’t take long to figure out that these kids were much more than their “classification.” It also didn’t take me long to pick a favorite. (I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in my adoration of Lucy. ❤ ) Only T.J. Klune could make me fall in love with the Anti… well, that name or label just isn’t used in reference to one of Arthur’s charges.

Kids are a soft spot for me and The House in the Cerulean Sea pulled on all my heart strings. It did more than that though. there was more than one message. Without spoiling anything, but to give you just a taste of why this author is a must read for me…

“It’s not fair,” Linus said, staring off into nothing. “The way some people can be. But as long as you remember to be just and kind like I know you are, what those people think won’t matter in the long run. 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.”

So yeah, Linus grew on me, just like he grew on Arthur and his charges. And then there was a theme that is front and center in a lot of T.J.’s books and one that I adore…

“A home isn’t always the house we live in. It’s also the people we choose to surround ourselves with.”

The House in the Cerulean Sea was much more than I expected. Sure, it was a little bit corny at times, but it made me smile. And yeah, the inevitable tears were there, even when I didn’t quite expect them. If you’ve never read a book by T.J. Klune, this is an amazing place to start.

“Don’t you wish you were here?”

Trust me, once you read The House in the Cerulean Sea, you’ll totally understand. 😉

Linus Baker is a caseworker for the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth. This involves visiting magical orphanages and ensuring the youth are receiving ethical treatment. One day, after a summons from Extremely Upper Management, Baker finds himself on the receiving end of a very odd assignment. He'll head to an orphanage on a secluded island and stay for one month. At his arrival, he is given scary information about the children - one is the very Antichrist! But as he gets to know the children and their caretaker, he slowly starts to realize that the folks in the wrong might be those in Extremely Upper Management and he begins to fall in love with the island and it's inhabitants.

This book was, in a word, adorable. The kids are charming, the protagonist really comes into his own and realizes his inner strength, and ultimately, the book is about speaking truth to power and accepting people not just in spite of, but because of their differences, which is a poignant and timely message at the moment. And there's a cat! Honestly, this is a very of the moment book - if you are looking to literature to help weather the pandemic, The House in the Cerulean Sea is extremely heartwarming. It's got warm fuzzies for days. I did some highlighting. That said, I felt like I was reading a very good middle grade book starring a 40-something protagonist. Since I work with middle schoolers, I read a decent amount of middle grade as is, and that's not really what I was looking for here. While I enjoyed it, I think adults who are more unused to this sort of content will like it more than I did. Like a middle grade book, the messaging felt heavy handed, but as I agreed with the messaging, it was a minor annoance. This book has Alex Award Nominee all over it, though.

TLDR: This was cute! It was very much a middle-grade book for adults, and I read too much MG stuff to love that as a concept, but I think many adults will be thoroughly charmed. 3 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and Tor for the eARC, which I receved in exchange for an unbiased review. The House in the Cerulean Sea is available today!

Book Review

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Rating 4.5/5 stars

This title released today!

Linus has been employed for 17 years as a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. Linus shows up to work every day, follows the rules and goes home to a house in which he shares with his cat. One day the Extremely Upper Management team asks to meet with Linus to inform him that he will be sent to a level 4 special orphanage to observe the living conditions of 6 children of the extreme variety for the next month.

Have you ever read a magical book for adults that still made you feel as if you were reading a middle grade story? Yeah, me neither which is one of the reasons I absolutely adored this book. There was such a diverse cast of characters ranging from wyverns, sprites, gnomes, and even the Antichrist all in which I found to be hilarious. Overall, I thought this book was such a sweet novel about love, friendships, and finding your place in the world no matter your age.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Tor/Forge for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book!

This book was amazing, it's wholesome and perfection itself. Definitely recommend this book to ever single soul in the whole world because you won't be disappointed.
This book too me out of my reading slump and made me want to read again.

The plot of this book focus on the following of Linus Baker, a desk worker at DICOMY that works with magical children that live at orphanages. These orphanages aren't very good to those children and most of the time they exist just to keep track and control of those same children.
One day Linus receives an offer for a really important investigation about an orphanage with the most unusual children ever seen, between those one of them being the Antichrist, Lucy.
When Linus arrives on the island where the orphanage is situated it all starts to change.
I swear to god, I loved all the children and how Linus interacted with them. He's a lovely character and really well written. I also liked the LGBTQ+ couple and their relationship development.

I absolutely adored this book and as such, this review is mostly going to be me gushing about it, but I'll try to keep it coherent. I'm almost nervous to write this review because I don't know where to start and I don't know how to do this book justice, but I am going to try!



The first and most important thing about this book are the characters. I genuinely loved and cared about each and every one of these characters (and I sort of feel so protective of them that I swear I would die for any one of them). Linus Baker, our protagonist, is living a quiet life working for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth (DICOMY) as a Case Worker. He seems to mostly enjoy his job, but it's clear to readers that despite whatever Linus chooses to tell himself about his life, he isn't really living and to say he's 'happy' seems a stretch. Linus is one of those characters that you sort of just want to hug (although you probably wouldn't because he doesn't seem like the type to enjoy hugs from random people) and watching him embark on an experience unlike any he's ever been on, where he learns new things about himself and the world around him, was remarkable. I was so drawn to Linus' character and found that so many of the things he struggled with were applicable to my own--such as realizing that sometimes 'good enough' isn't really enough--and I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful character to follow. He isn't the most enthusiastic sort of person, but he has this fantastic dry wit for his sense of humor that I couldn't get enough of.



In addition to Linus is the rest of our phenomenal cast of characters: there's Arthur Parnassus, the man in charge of the orphanage Linus visits; the magical youth living at the orphanage: Chauncey, Lucy, Sal, Talia, Phee, and Theodore; the resident island sprite, Zoe; and, of course, we can't forget Linus' cat, Calliope. I fell so hard for all of these characters and sincerely loved all of them. Each one was so carefully crafted with such distinct and wide-ranging personalities--it's rare to see such amazing characterization that holds strong and true for each and every character, but I can tell that characters must be Klune's strong point because they were all so well-written. I would try to pinpoint one of my favorites, but honestly, I think they are all my favorites. Linus' cat, Calliope, truly steals every scene she's in, though. Altogether, each and every one of these extremely varied and rather odd characters makes up the most perfect mismatched family and I have never want to be a part of a family as much as I wanted to be a part of this one!



Klune also appears to be a master at writing dialogue, and the banter among all of the youth easily became of the most enjoyable parts of this book. I laughed out loud so many times while reading this book and I felt so fulfilled and happy every time I picked it up and put it down. The way that he captures what it's like for an adult like Linus to be interacting with such a wild and unpredictable group of magical youth was a true delight. Additionally, the more serious dialogue that occurred for more serious and difficult topics was also carefully done and felt both authentic and full of impact. Klune is really good at maneuvering within a huge variety of topics in such a deft way that never makes it feel difficult to get through or understand.



I don't want to spoil anything specific about the plot, but I can tell you that one of the reasons that I think I liked this so much is because of it's sort of 'slice-of-life' feel, where there aren't really intense action-packed scenes or anything, but rather it is following Linus as he observes and tries to understand how things at Mr. Parnassus' orphanage work and about the youth that live there. The pacing was perfect for me and was what I would call very steady--not too slow, but not too fast, either, just very continuously moving forward while still taking the time to focus on certain topics and scenes whenever necessary. There is also a tiny bit of romance in this book and it is so beautiful and innocent and truly made my cold black heart just melt. It doesn't take over the story, but it fits in like the perfect final piece of a puzzle--small, but vital to the completion of the entire puzzle.



This story handles some extremely heavy but very important topics and I think Klune weaved all of those elements into the story so smoothly so that they never felt overwhelming, but they were very clear and easily understood. Honestly, this book is just beautiful. I laughed and teared up (for both happy and sad reasons) and I also found myself subconsciously reading this book so slooowly because I don't think I ever wanted to finish. It was hard for me to move on from this book and get my headspace ready for another book after because it just made me feel so good to read this book. It spoke to me not only from a personally relevant standpoint, but because it's such a wonderful story of love, acceptance, and what it means to be a family.



Overall, I've given The House in the Cerulean Sea an obvious five stars. This is easily going to be a book that I re-read and re-read over and and over, especially when I'm struggling a lot with depression or anxiety because it made me feel so at home and content and happy. I really can't recommend this story enough--it's bittersweet at times, but also hilarious, relevant, and full of life and love and family.

I don't have words to express my love for this book. It was unique and charming and sweet, and really, just nice . I laughed, I cried, I laughed and cried at the same time. With an abundance of love and laughter and truly wonderful characters, TJ Klune has written something I'm still thinking about two days after finishing it. It's such a hopeful book that I can't recommend it enough.

I've never wanted to start a book over again as soon as I finished it until this book. I cannot even express how much I loved it. It's the most precious thing I've read in a long time.

Well, I still haven't gotten over myself and how much I loved this book, and I'm really not sure how to put into words my love for it, but I shall try.
The House in the Cerulean Sea is a book anyone and everyone should read. If you need an escape from life, this is it. If you need an escape from your every day woes and worries, this is it. If you need an escape from your kids/husband/wife/so, this is it.
It's delightfully sweet and charming and completely heartwarming, and I adored everything about it. The world Mr. Klune created is one I wish I could live in! I'd happily say good-bye to everything and everyone I know, and move to the house in the cerulean sea, to while away my days with Linus and Arthur, Lucy, Sal, Talia, Chauncey, Theodore, Phee, and Mrs. Chapelwhite.

In a blog post he shared today, TJ said this "The House in the Cerulean Sea is a love letter to those who should be allowed to feel small and cared for when the world seems dark." And it couldn't be more true.

The House in the Cerulean Sea is a book I'll be returning to again, and again, and again.

I’m just… I have no words. None at all. Seriously. I feel like I’ve been standing in the middle of a crowded room and yelling “This author is amazing!” -and I feel kind of validated. You guys, this book was so good!

Maybe it’s just me, but there is no better feeling than when tears run down your face because you’re so happy. That’s how The House in the Cerulean Sea made me feel. I was so friggin happy.

I’ve always thought I loved TJ for his characters. However, now I think it’s more than that. He’s actually strong in all areas. His worlds are vivid and thought provoking. His characters are unforgettable. Each story is unique and magical. However, it’s really how he writes family. If I think of each book/series the true heart is how the characters become the most heartwarming and amazingly unconventional families. It is beautiful, I guarantee you’ll weep, too.

I love that word. It’s so emotive.

I wept with love for The House in the Cerulean Sea.

This book was provided By Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.


Care warning: This novel deals with group homes and the trauma that can arise from being in a public care system such as abuse, neglect, harm, and discrimination.


While I was I was reading The House in the Cerulean Sea, a worldwide pandemic was announced and overnight the world seemed to change into a very different place. In the course of a couple of days the class I teach was moved online, I was given the option to work from home, I prepped for my partner to go into isolation with his family. Through the panic, this book held me steady. It calmed me. It made me feel like maybe this situation would all be okay. It may be good to point out that I am a chronic worrier and this past week has placed everything on overdrive. This is not going to be like the reviews I have written before, but I think this is the type of review I need to be writing right now.


TJ Klune has created a wonderful world with the House in the Cerulean Sea. The novel follows Linus Baker, a case worked for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth (DICOMY) as he is placed on a peculiar assignment. With his cantankerous cat in tow, he embarks on a journey that will change his world forever. When he arrives at his destination, he encounters a group of magical children who do not have their equal in the world. Each of them has a past and specific challenges they are working to overcome under the tutelage of their caretaker, Arthur. Over the course of a month, Linus will discover what it means to live with joy and kindness and colour. In the process, learning how to love and accept himself for who he is.


This novel is a balm for the world we are all living in right now. It holds the reader close and gently takes them by the hand for the adventure. As soon as I finished it, I wanted to read it again. I wanted to experience the kindness that exudes from the characters and the magic that can exist in the ordinary. The novel features multiple queer relationships which slowly develop throughout the course of the novel. If you are looking for a novel to hold you close as we embark on a new way of interacting with the world, this is the novel for you.


Five out of Five stars. I will be telling everyone I care about to read this.

I loved this sweet, quiet book. This was the perfect read for these uncertain times. The one problem, for me, was that the romance didn't seem believable at first (don't get me wrong, I wanted it to happen but the couple didn't interact that much before they had feelings of love). I would read more books set in this world and following this family. I just loved the characters, all of them.

To quote Mr. Linus Baker, “Oh dear.”

Linus is in the employ of the government. He works for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, and it’s his job to follow the Rules and Regulations. And, along with following the Rules and Regulations, he is to remain objective at all times while evaluating those orphanages that serve magical youth and ensure the children are being taken care of in a way that…well…that adheres to the Rules and Regulations set forth by the DICOMY. And if he doesn’t follow up on those assignments and the welfare of the children once his decisions have been handed down…well…it’s not that he doesn’t care. It’s merely that he has absolute faith in the integrity of the system he serves.

In case it isn’t clear enough, Linus Baker is a by-the-book company man, in the most literal sense. He carries that brick of a tome titled Rules and Regulations with him everywhere he goes, even though he has it memorized. This doesn’t mean Linus lacks compassion, though. It doesn’t mean he is cold, callous or distant, or that he’s driven solely by the requirements of his job. It merely means he covets his routine and, while he only wants the best for the children, he doesn’t allow his heart to overrule his head.

Until Linus is given an assignment that will change his life forever.

Oh dear. Oh my dear. This wonderous book and all the characters who inhabit it. TJ Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea is a story about so many things. It’s the story of a man who learns that Rules and Regulations don’t necessarily beget an ordered and happy life. It’s the story about what it means to be different, and the prejudice of those who fear people they are taught to see as othered. It is the story of a group of precious and delightful children who dream; they are dreamers who deserve to be loved and accepted for who they are, not for how they are supposed to be. It is the story of a Sprite who opened her island and her arms to those children—something not inherent in her nature—so they would each have a safe place to dream and grow. And it is the story of a man, Arthur Parnassus, who has made it his mission to create a home of the house in the cerulean sea for those precious and delightful children. Because Arthur knows precisely what it is they all need.

Even a six-year-old Antichrist named Lucy.

Oh dear, this dear and enchanting book. If you head into The House in the Cerulean Sea and allow your heart to take the lead, TJ Klune will handle it with care every step of the way. There is not only a wealth of imagination to embrace in this story, but there is an abundance of joy and kindness to be found here as well. This novel is comprised of hope, down to its very core, and it is delivered in the capable hands of the children who will go on to teach the adults a most valuable lesson in love and acceptance. And not only that, but they all teach Linus how not to be afraid to jump heart first and know that he’ll find a safe place to land.

If anyone had told me that I’d end up falling head over heels in love with a garden gnome, a forest sprite, a wyvern, a shapeshifter, a Chauncey (?), and the son of the devil, I might have scoffed. Loudly and dismissively. But embodied within each of these children is a virtue that I embraced with delight—even if they presented those virtues in, let’s just say, some rather offbeat ways. It wouldn’t be a TJ Klune book, after all, if readers weren’t made to cackle on one page and be left crying the next. The House in the Cerulean Sea is replete with empathy and compassion and finding the pure delight and wonder of the simplest things in life. It is the story of a group of children who change hearts and minds, and who give the two men who are committed to their security and happiness a lesson in courage so they can carry on to their happy ever after.

To quote Mr. Linus Baker’s mouse pad, “Don’t you wish you were here?” You should. You most certainly should.

I’m so excited that it’s release week for "The House in the Cerulean Sea." TJ Klune continues to blow me away with his books and this one is simply extraordinary. He’s balanced his amazing and crazy sense of humor (think books like the "Verania" series and "How to Be a Normal Person") and his keen sense of storytelling (the epic "Green Creek" series or the standalone "Murmuration") and created a tale of found family, the importance of kindness and the courage to speak up for those who need it most.

The story revolves around Linus Baker, a caseworker with the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He leads a dreary, by-the-book life, checking up on the orphanages under the department’s care and making sure they’re operating by following the extensive guidelines. He’s known for his detailed reports and it’s because of that he’s tasked by Extremely Upper Management to go to the Marsays Island Orphanage to check up on its caretaker, Arthur Parnassus, and the six unique, magical children that live there.

Linus’s life changes just going out to the orphanage. He’s always wanted to go to the sea–and that’s where he ends up on an island surrounded by the sea. As he gets away from the city, he gets out of the gloom and rain and into the sun. It’s really a Wizard of Oz moment as his world goes to color from gray. Linus’s journey of self-discovery is the heart–or one of the hearts–of this story and his progression into the light is part of what makes this story so great. He finds that there’s much more to life than rules and regulations. There’s a need for kindness, compassion and understanding.

The kids at the orphanage are an incredible array of characters that I think could only spring from TJ mind: Lucy–or Lucifer; Talia the gnome; Chauncey, a green blob with eyes on stalks who just wants to be a bellhop; Sal, a shapeshifter who when nervous becomes a tiny dog; Phee a forest sprite and Theodore, a wyvern who hordes buttons. The kids and Arthur have formed an amazing family. The kids have come here from other orphanages for various reasons and Arthur does his best to protect and teach them. Perhaps most importantly that they don’t necessarily have to be who people think they should be–like Lucy doesn’t have to give in to the idea that he’s the destroyer of the world.

Early on Arthur challenges Linus and it really sets Linus off on his journey. “I think if you open your eyes, you’ll see what’s right in front of you rather than what’s listed in a file,” Arthur says. And boy are Linus’s eyes opened. The children are all incredible with their childlike wonder, their massive sense of protection for each other and, even though they’re all young, they are well aware that the world doesn’t really want them–especially the town that is across the sea from the island.

TJ’s created six distinct characters that you can’t help but fall in love with from Theordore’s delight in buttons to Chauncey’s bellhop dreams and his protective urges towards Theodore. And there’s Lucy, he’s wildly funny as he pushes Linus’s buttons sometimes, but as you see his other facets, including a love of classic music from the 50s and that he knows that the could really cause damage you want to wrap him up in a hug and protect him.

As Linus spends his time with Arthur and the kids, he starts to see how messed up Extremely Upper Management is and that made the rules aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. And when it comes to that hateful town, he realizes that there are changes needed, changes he needs to speak up for.

Oh, and there’s a super sweet, terrific romance that blooms between Linus and Arthur too. The book isn’t a romance, but the spark between these two is pure romance and it feels like old school courting. That’s not to say they don’t have problems–oh my do they have issues to take care of–but it’s a beautiful part of the story.

Yes, I love everything about "House in the Cerulean Sea"–Linus self-discovery, his romance with Arthur and the delightful kids living at the Marsays Island Orphanage. There’s something in this book from everyone and this book can be read by all ages. I’ve got a hardback on pre-order so it can sit on my shelf of all-time favorites, that’s how much this book means to me. I give my highest recommendation to "The House in the Cerulean Sea" by TJ Klune.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!

Rating: 5 stars
Rep: M/M relationship, gay MC. LGBTQ+ side characters.
TW: trauma, anxiety, mentions of past abuse, internalised fatphobia.


This was, by far, my most anticipated 2020 release. TJ Klune is one of my favourite authors and I've been waiting to read this since I first heard about it! I was over the moon when I received this eARC.

This book was everything I wanted and more. We follow Linus, who is a lonely, likeable, quiet man of 40 and a stickler for rules, and also very much down on his luck. After being sent on assignment to an orphanage by the sea, his life is turned upside down. There he meets 6 children of varying magical abilities and their caretaker, the mysterious Arthur Parnassus.

Every single character was described so well and I loved them all to pieces, I couldn't pick a favourite if I tried! While the world-building could've done with a bit more development, it didn't affect my overall enjoyment or reading experience.

This novel made me feel so many emotions, I cried and laughed a ton! The bond these characters form with one another was absolutely beautiful. I love the found family trope and TJK writes it amazingly well. Ultimately, as the author said himself, this is a book about kindness and finding your place in the world. 

Even though I finished this book in less than a day, I found myself wanting to put it down so it never ended, I wanted to keep reading this book and these characters forever. I'm so excited that TJK has a second book coming out this year with Tor and I can't wait to read and love "The Extraordinaries" too!

Overall, I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a fantasy book they can't put down and characters they can't help but adore!

All I can say right now is yes. Yes, yes, yes. This might be one of my new favourite books of all time, and I say that a LOT but this book takes the cake. Combining elements from Good Omens, Hitchhiker's Guide, Umbrella Academy, and all the creepiest parts of 1984, I think I'm going to have to recommend this to everyone I know.

Not saying it isn't beautifully wholesome, delving deep into both that found family trope and a fantastic LGBT romance that was so <i>perfect</i>. Everything about this felt heartwarming and beautiful from start to finish, and I was more happy than distressed when Klune started delving into topics that may be a bit more unsettling. It's a piece that's both so nice to read but also so nice to talk about because there's so much to it.

This is one I'm definitely going to be trying to put in hands, because it felt so genuine to me. The kids were funny and cute without compromising on personality, and Linus, Zoe and Arthur were amazing figures that ended on such a beautiful note.

This was an absolute joy of a book and I loved every single minute of it! It tells the story of Linus Baker, a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, who is given a special assignment by Extremely Upper Management. His task: to travel to the orphanage run by the mysterious Arthur Parnassus and report back on the proceedings there, paying attention to one child in particular. Firstly, the characters in this book were quite lovely and they each had their own unique quirks, which made them all the more adorable (I particularly loved Chauncey, but ask me on another day and I'm sure that Sal, or Lucy would be my favourite!) The relationship between all of the inhabitants of the orphanage were so warm and wholesome. Ultimately this is a book about acceptance, both of yourself and of others and I think the message is so well done. There are incidents of prejudice and hatred, and they are tackled with empathy and objectivity. It was just delightful from start to finish and I will be thrusting it into the hands of any and everyone! Loved it so much.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book !!!! The most beautiful book I've read this year so far.

This is not a romance, but a wonderful love story. A story of love, of tolerance, of acceptance and kindness.

TJ said once in twitter : Two years ago, I finished writing a book about kindness. And truer words have never been said.

I was so lovely and adorable. I loved every part of it and I cried soooo much ! (I should have been used to crying over Tj's books but he continues to make me ugly cry).

This book is about how much the world can be scary, mean and dark, but it doesn't matter, because, there will always been kindness and love to overcome all the dakness.

Actually, I don't know how to express how much this book full full of joy, laugher and shinanigans. The children are amazing and so were the adults. (Baby Chaucy, you're the absolute best and you are fu**** beautiful).

To summarize, I would say that this book will speak to every minority, everyone feeling unloved or unwelcomed. This is a song for love, tolerance, acceptance and hope.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've marked this as a 3 but it's probably closer to 3.8 score,

Gay dads overcoming the establishment to live with their six adopted magical children.

Linus Baker is middle-aged. Lives alone with his cat and his records. And for most of his life has been a case worker for magical orphan youths. He's by the book, never oversteps his jurisdiction and whilst he does genuinely seem to care about the children, maintains a level of cool detachment towards the whole process. He tells himself he is content with his strictly routine life. (He isn't) And is the perfect candidate (corporate stooge) to send on an assignment to oversee an orphanage run by the mysterious Arthur Parnassus, which is home to several high level magical children - included but not limited to, a forest sprite, a wyvern, a gelatinous green blob and the Antichrist, It's heart-warming, wholesome and hilarious. It's also the first book this year to make me cry.

The book is a perfect allegory for overcoming prejudice, acceptance, and the importance of found family. Magical creatures in this universe are treated as secondary and unnatural. And in turn is almost a social commentary on the current climate of LGBTphobia, racism and xenophobia that is on the rise. I've seen some reviews for this state that the book talks down to you, which I don't think is fair. I can understand that some people may take umbrage with some of the more "preachy" parts of the book, but in my opinion these are the kind of books we need these days. The idea that old ideals and discriminatory practices can be pulled down and rebuilt for the betterment of all lives and not just those who are privileged. It's the kind of book that inspires hope that change is possible.

"Change starts with the voices of the few. I will be one of those few because they taught me how. I know that I'm not alone."

TJ Klune's books consistently provide solid writing, lovable characters, and unabashed queerness, and The House in the Cerulean Sea went above and beyond that!

The main character, Linus, sees a lot of growth throughout the story. He's not plucky youthful MC that I think has become pretty common nowadays, and that makes for a really interesting change. He's compassionate, but keeps the rules of his job close to heart and he's a little cowardly to start- watching him come out of his shell over the course of the story was such an unbelievably satisfying journey, and I think him being older than the average MC really made it that much better, seeing that it wasn't too 'late' for him to change and discover more about himself.

The entire cast is incredible. Every character either is more or becomes more than what they seem upon their introductions- additionally, the children are all silly enough to be a delight to read, but not so much so that it becomes distracting. This book was just plain fun to read, it had a satisfying ending, and I think with all of the hysteria and cruelty in the world right now, this book has a positive vibe and message that's sorely needed. Klune's story about Linus Baker and his found family is supremely weird, beautiful, and delightful, and there's not a soul I wouldn't recommend it to!

This book left my heart feeling so full. This was such a fantastic story about magical children and the love that can grow when people have open minds and open hearts.

Linus, a caseworker for the Department of Magical Children and Youth, is sent to a secret orphanage to check out the wellbeing of the magic children there. He is tasked to write reports and decide if the orphanage should remain open. He quickly decides it's something he has never seen before and with that he meets some of the most wonderful children and an even more wonderful caregiver who changes Linus's life forever.

This was such an interesting take on regular day social work. Coming from the social services field, it really brought me joy when Linus went above and beyond the line of duty to truly understand the magic children he was sent to observe. It made my heart happy and also made me think of the amazing social workers I know who connect with and care for so many incredible children everyday.

This book reminded me a little bit of Miss Periguines Home for Peculiar Children. This story was full of mystery and magic. It was a really fun read which I could hardly put down! It touched on topics such as discrimination, segregation, abuse, social services system, LGTBQ+, and advocacy! These can be really tough topics but the way the author fit them in was in a light and fun way that really tied the whole story together!

I loved the magical children and getting to know all the really cool things about them. The relationships created throughout the story were so sweet and heartwarming. I enjoyed the overall writing style. It was so nice to see how Linus (and the rest of the characters) grew and evolved throughout the story. The ending had me smiling ear to ear, I was so happy!!

I would recommend this to anyone to enjoys stories about strange creatures, magical beings, or unusual things! Also, if you enjoyed Miss Periguines Home for Perculair Children you may enjoy this one as it has similar vibes!

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