Man… I was SO excited to read this one. I hate spoilers, so I’ll just briefly say this: if you’ve lost someone and you don’t find the comfort that many people find in a belief of a religious afterlife, read this book. It’s such a fun and whimsical story, but it also brought me out of an anxiety-filled month. I struggle often with my thoughts about what happens next, and the lack of control that is life. It’s sometimes suffocating. But TJ Klune has a unique way of writing a captivating story that gives me an alternative to fear and anxiety about death and what comes after. I’d like to think that a ferryman is ready and waiting when my time comes.

It’s going to be hard to choose my favorite read of the year, but I guarantee this will make the top three.

This was a fun read! i didn't enjoy it as much as House in the Cerulean Sea, and I think that's because some of the elements from this book felt recycled. The dynamic between the two main characters felt very similar to HCS, and so did the whole "stickler-for-the-rules-learns-to-let-loose-in-a-quirky-location" scenario. The pacing also felt a bit off — one minute Wallace hated everyone, the next he was in love with Hugo.

That said, TJ Klune books are always so comforting, and if you enjoyed his previous books, I'm sure you'll enjoy this one too. It's heartfelt, charming, and well-written. It just gave me a bit too much deja-vu for my own liking.

Beautiful story, wonderfully written. This is about people meeting in the middle, between life, death, and what comes after, and being there for each other as they figure it out. It is heartbreaking, cruel, healing, funny, and loving. This exploration of death & grief will stick with me for a long time.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this book.

Wallace is a lawyer in a very important firm. He doesn’t have time to be dead and assist his very own funeral. He has work to do. The thing is, Wallace is actually really dead and a reaper comes and collect him. Instead of leading him directly to the afterlife, the reaper takes Wallace to a small village, to a very particular tea shop, run by a man named Hugo. This man is known as the tea shop’s owner by the locals and as the ferryman to souls who need to cross over.

But Wallace isn’t ready to leave behind the life he barely lived. With Hugo’s help, he finally starts to learn about all the things he missed in life.

Ok everyone, this was an absolute gem. I enjoyed every moment of it. T.J. Klune did it again with his new book and I highly recommend it to you all. This book is funny, quirky and wholesome but it also dwell with serious subjects.

To be honest, Wallace starts as a despicable person. But he doesn’t think that about himself and him realizing he was an asshole was actually funny by how it was describe. But what makes Wallace likeable is that he grow and learn so much in his death and with Hugo’s help. These two together were so perfect and cute and absolutely adorable to watch. Wallace truly becomes a better person and it is heartwarming to read. 💗

I predicted the ending really quickly but not the tears and me just sobbing at the end. It was so good and satisfying and SERIOUSLY GET YOUR HANDS ON THIS. I don’t know what more there is to say 🙈

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange of an honest review*

What can I say? TJ Klune has once again done it with this one. This book really explores what it’s like to understand death, but with a very whimsical twist. I adored it and I’m looking forward to more of Klune’s future writings!

Rarely am I left speechless after reading a novel, this achieved did it! I’m having trouble putting into words how much I loved this book. Is it the best book I’ve read all year? Yes, yes I believe so!

There is a tremendous amount of compassion and heart between these pages to last awhile. I found myself bursting with laughter and pouring tears within single chapters. There is a misfit cast of lovable characters I want to know in real life. I can only dream this won’t be the last time we meet them. This novel is a gentle reminder to be kind, even when kindness isn’t returned. Those that can be mean, angry, and sometimes hateful, are more wounded than the poison they spew.
Also, everyone deserves grace and the chance for redemption.

I became anxious toward the end, never wanting this beautiful story to end. I plan to purchase as many copies and I can hand out to my students. I cannot wait to immerse myself in the rest of Klune’s library. He has earned a reader for life.

I was granted an early copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and TOR Books for this amazing opportunity.

Thank you to Net Galley and TOR Books for an ARC of this
amazing book- I fell in love with TJ Klune's writing after reading The
House in the Cerulean Sea. This novel had the same effect on me,
despite the story being very different. In this novel, Wallace, the protagonist,
is absolutely despicable. He is the lawyer that gives lawyers a bad name.
The day after firing a lovely employee, he has a heart attack and dies.
All alone, in his office, on the weekend. He comes at his own funeral, where
he meets Mei his reaper, who will guide him through the first part
of his death journey. She'll then pass him on to Hugo, who will
help him cross over to what comes next. Wallace, of course, just wants
to know how this can all be reversed as he has a very busy life awaiting
him. Once Mei and Wallace reach the tea shop where she, Hugo and
the remaining characters live, what ensues is the charming, funny, sad,
touching process of Wallace and the others exploring the meaning of life,
love, living, dying and crossing over. I really enjoyed this book. The author
did a great job of creating characters you could relate to and cheer
for. I deal with a few health issues and it made me think a lot
about how I live and about what's really important in life.
When a book can both make you feel good and think, you've got a
winning combo in my mind!

First off, thank you so much to #netgalley and #tjklune for the eARC a while ago; this book is now published and available for purchase. I knew I wanted this as part of my home so I also bought the physical copy. The cover is beautiful to me.

That being said, I’m finding myself not in the headspace to process the tropes of death (and all its lessons) to the degree this novel has. I like to savor my characters in heavier content reads— not horse-pill swallow them just to say I did. It feels belittling to rush the read you know?

One thing I don’t see enough of is the allowance to walk away from a book (even when it’s GOOD like this one) and come back to it when it serves both the story and myself in an enjoyable, and more purposeful manner. I’m 100 pages in and loving the read, which feels rather quick-paced and engaging— Tj Klune has a real talent in weaving his characters’ emotions into one another that ends up giving us meaningful relationships.

If I had to star rate it it would be 4 stars so far. But I’ll circle back as I have paused for now… but I’m thinking this will be picked back up in November as there are also elements of gratitude and kindness spread across the story and it feels more organic to pick it back up then.

A beautiful book. It was well written and heartfelt. This will appeal to a wide audience especially to those who have loved and lost.

Many thanks to Netgalley and publishers for providing my review copy.

TJ Klune is amazing at writing the most heartwarming, tear jerking, rip your heart out stories. You will cry with this one.

Wallace Price is not a good man. Wallace Price is a dead man. Quite literally, Wallace Price is watching his own funeral.

Wondering where all the mourners and crying assistants, Wallace meets Mei, his Reaper, who escorts him to Charon’s Crossing, a cosy little teahouse out in the middle of nowhere. Somewhere Wallace wouldn’t be caught dead…oh…

The teahouse is run by Hugo, the Ferryman, who helps souls with the transition out of life, through The Door, and on to…whatever comes next.

In a hauntingly feel-good novel, TJ Klune once again takes a man with flaws and teaches him that good people bring out the good in people. Much like The House in the Cerulean Sea, Under the Whispering Door features the sweet charm and eccentricity that is Klune’s signature and tells the story of love, learning and life.

What I Liked: So much of this book – the dialogue, the interactions – is tongue in cheek. It gently pokes fun at a man who took himself too seriously in life, and with kind guidance, perfectly steeped tea, teaches him to accept himself for who he was, who he is and who he could be – and make the most of every moment he has.

Klune writes beautifully quirky, tight-knit characters who form their own loving families. In Under the Whispering Door, Mei is high energy, high strung and highly protective of her sweet little family. Nelson, Hugo’s grandfather, is the wily, cheeky and wise veteran who teaches Wallace everything he needs to know about being a ghost. Wallace finds that taking a step back from work and routine shows a whole other man underneath the suit – one that he likes a lot more than he expected. Hugo is the heart and soul of the teahouse, he shines with empathy, earnestness and easy affectionate for everyone he meets.

While the story is focused on Wallace coming to terms with his death, understanding what it means to be a ghost, and the Manager’s announcement that he has seven days to cross over or else – it very neatly combines Wallace’s growth with insights into what it means to be the Ferry Man, the draw of The Door and the threat of the Husks.

The romance! Oh, Klune does write very sweet, very heart-warming romances. The romance in this book feels like a warm hug. It builds up so gently – small smiles, stargazing and hot cups of tea – until you’re completely invested. Even the secondary romantic relationships – Wallace’s memories of his ex-wife, and Cameron’s memories of Zach – will give you the warm and fuzzies.

What I Didn’t Like: The Manager was a bit much. His….interaction form(?) felt a little cliche and his dialogue didn’t really fit with the way other characters were afraid of him. I liked where Klune took the character and who they behaved, but felt the representation was lacking.

Conclusion: Read this book. Buy this book. Read The House in the Cerulean Sea. Put these books on your shelf and reach for them whenever you need a pick-me-up.

This was adorable! I loved the characters and the pacing. I found this book to be HILARIOUS, which is something I didn't expect! I have not read Klune's other novels, but I will definitely be picking up some now! Absolutely adorable, lovable characters!

This is by far one of the best books I have ever read. It was deeply moving, and tugged at my heart so strongly. It wasn’t at all what I was expecting, and in the best possible way.

I will say this wasn’t a light read, but it definitely is an important one. I think as a society we don’t talk about death enough, unless it’s related to a news story or used as a shock factor, and this book very much addresses how death is a part of life, and almost normalizes it. I also really liked the way that mental health was addressed, and even gave voice as to how it shouldn’t be addressed by others.

But more than anything I appreciated the focus on grief. How it’s different for everyone. I don’t want to give too much detail because I think the less you know going into this the better.

I cried multiple times. It was heavy and heartwarming all at the same time, and I feel like I’m still processing. I think this is a story that I will always carry with me.

CW: death, grief, suicide, child death, parental death, animal death

Im not sure TJ Klune could write anything that I wouldn't love! While this is different from other books I have read from this author, I loved it none the less. So fantastical and romantic while leaving you on the edge of your seat as to what is going to happen next!

This beautiful story of grief, self-growth, and acceptance is one of the best stories I have read in a long while. UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR made me cry, gasp, laugh, and reminiscence about what it is that makes us human. By the last chapter, I was struggling to not cry in the Potbelly that I was eating in at that moment. Pick up this marvelous read if you want to cleanse your emotional aura.

REVIEW: Under the whispering door

Rating: 4/5 invisible hooks in your chest

Format: ebook. I’d like to thank TJ Klune and Tor Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

To sum up:
Wallace, but turns out, that’s just the beginning of his story. After a reaper comes to collect him at his funeral, he is taken to the waystation, an old tea shop where a ferryman named Hugo tells him about what comes next. The more time Wallace spends at the tea shop, however, the less ready he is to take the step past the whispering door.


What I enjoyed:
Klune’s writing is fun, emotional, and very descriptive. I loved spending time in the cozy tea shop getting to know the different characters. Klune writes about death and loss with such a beautiful perspective, it’s not sugar-coated but it’s not without hope either, which I could appreciate. The world and the characters Klune creates are vivid and complex, and I found the character development and romance endearing.

What was meh:
I had some issues with the lack of plot/action for the first 60% or so. Wallace spends a lot of time adjusting to his new “life” after death and the reader can’t help but feel a little lost along with him. I kind of wanted some conflict or short-term goal to be introduced earlier in the story so that I could see where the story was going. Once some of those elements were introduced at about the 60% mark I became a lot more invested in the plot and what was going to happen next.

Overall, I thought this was a sweet read! I enjoyed the House in the Cerulean Sea a bit more but connected with what the author had to say in this one.

I loved this book. I would read TJ Klune's grocery lists if I could. Beautifully developed characters, captivating story, humor. What else could you want?

Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune is the beautiful contemporary fantasy novel about death that I never knew I wanted. This heartbreaking book gently explores death and grief, and it very quietly overwhelmed me. Full of tears and laughter and warmth, this wasn’t a read-in-one-sitting kind of book, but a one-chapter-at-a-time, savoring-each-line kind of book.

I loved watching Wallace, with his seriousness and his workaholic attitude, slowly discover that life and death are about so much more than your work efficiency and material possessions. And it broke my heart to watch Wallace slowly, slowly learn to open up, to relax and to love Hugo, Mei, Apollo, and Nathan and then realize that he can’t stay. And while this book is definitely a heartwarming LGBTQ+ romance, it’s also a story about found family. Each of these wonderful characters feels so achingly real and human, and watching how they support and care not just for each other but for all those that visit the tea shop, both living and dead, is simply amazing.

Under the Whispering Door is gentle and unassuming and heartfelt and sad and hilarious and I would recommend this book for everyone, but especially for those that need a wholesome, feel good kind of story that’s uplifting. This was my first T.J. Klune book and it will definitely not be my last.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

TJ Klune never disappoints me! This story was not what I was expecting, but I absolutely fell in love with it. Klune has a way of writing characters that you want to know in real life. This story is heartwarming and powerful - I would definitely recommend it.

Readers who loved The House in the Cerulean Sea, will also adore T. J. Klune's new title, Under the Whispering Door.

It is imbued with the same quirky, gentle, good vibes we swooned for. Despite the fact the subject of this book is death, Klune manages to create a story as cozy as a perfect cup of tea.

I love handing Klune's books to readers who are just looking for "something good", and this new book will bring just as much joy to readers as The House in the Cerulean Sea.