It's been quite some time since I read a book by T.J. Klune. I actually don't remember how long it's been and since he's one of my absolute favourite writers, that's quite a statement from me.

I think it's partly because his book releases have gotten further and further apart and partly because the prices of his books have risen to a level that getting one has become a splurge for me. I find this unfortunate(for me me at least lol), but I guess that's how life is.

Anyway, before I completely go off tangent, I was super excited when I got this book because I KNEW that if for nothing at all, the story would be extremely well written.

Was I right? You bet your butt I was!

Like I'm sure most of the reviews have said, it would be best to go in fresh and without any concrete knowledge of what happens in this slice of awesomeness but, I'll try and give you a sense of things.

Wallace was a stick in the mud for all intents and purposes. Ruthlessly efficient and not bothered with "silly" things like emotional connections. He was...not a nice person. This book is essentially about him attempting to find out how the universe worked and the people that helped him get to that point.

It was a beautifully written tale which was quite heavy at times but it had great humour interspersed to make the subject more digestible. There were many times I actually burst out laughing and caught myself with a silly grin on my face while reading this. Oh and special mention go to Nelson and Mei. They were the perfect secondary characters.😂

All in all, and as you can tell from my rating and my barely restrained excitement in the review, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and cannot recommend it enough.

I was fortunate to have gotten this copy from the publisher but I can tell you with absolute certainty that if you have the money to buy this book, it would be very worth the price.

Wallace and Hugo’s story is one of the best I’ve ever read! Ever! It’s totally heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time. I went in blind as this author is a one click author for me and I’m so glad I did.

It’s the kind of book that had me smiling then sobbing then smiling again. So many feelings in this one. Subtle, clever storytelling at its best.

Grab your tissues and go in blind. You won’t regret it.

This book started off so wonderfully. It was fun and light-hearted with the general witty and whimsical way that TJ Klune writes. He has a way of developing the most wonderful characters, with hilarious interactions that are so fun to read. Wallace, Hugo, Mei and Nelson had so many wonderful scenes and moments that were often funny or heartbreaking and I loved each of them dearly, wanting them all to live happily ever after.

TJ Klune has such a way of writing beautiful scenes that reflect the real world, this one dealing with a number of lovely scenes regarding love, loss and grief and how that plays out in our lives. There were so many lovely messages throughout this book that I know people will absolutely love!

This book started off so well and I was so intrigued from the very first chapter, but after a few chapters I began to struggle with it. I’m not quite sure what it was, I know that I’m not the biggest fantasy fan, but like Cerulean Sea, it’s very light fantasy, mainly real world based with a few magical twists. I even read the first half twice to make sure that I was properly into it but it still wasn't enough.

There were just so many characters each with tiny plots that only lasted for a few chapters then wrapped up, there didn't seem to be much cohesion throughout and as a result I spent a lot of the book confused.
I desperately wanted to love this book. I wanted to feel about it the way I felt about Cerulean Sea, but honestly this book felt messy. I'm not sure how to describe it but it was all over the place and the plot seemed to be so vague it was barely existent. The premise of the book, that's written on the blurb, doesn't start until about 70% of the way through and then it feels incredibly rushed, having dragged for most of the book.

The end was so lovely, and it was everything that I wanted, and whilst I loved the character development throughout this book, Wallace’s journey is really wonderful, it just wasn’t enough to bring this book together the way that I wanted when I first read the premise.

I will definitely be picking up futureTJ Klune books in the future. I did enjoy this one, I just wanted a bit more from it!

Thank you for providing me a copy of this book.
I run out of time so sorry I wasn't able to finish this.
I really wanted to read this :(

I can only imagine that T.J. Klune is a highly empathetic and warm-hearted individual. His books always leave me with a warm, sentimental feeling when I've finished reading them and his characters stay with me long after I've turned the last page. I'm left to ponder relationships with those dear to me and contemplate what's truly important in life. Addressing profound topics that are generally associated with despair, he somehow ends up crafting stories that are uplifting and inspirational.

This story was no exception. In his usual whimsical manner, Klune takes his readers on an unusual journey into a uniquely-imagined afterlife. And it seems to be his modus operandi to create protagonists that are highly unlikable to begin with, but end up becoming incredibly endearing by novel's end. This author takes great care to expose the worst qualities in human beings, while also illuminating the best ones.

I will admit that The House in the Cerulean Sea is still my favorite of the two. I did feel that there were scenes in this novel that didn't really move the plot along. In the same breath I'll admit that this is a more character-driven book, and therefore the plot is perhaps not a central focus. Also, Cerulean Sea was more quotable, tbh🤷‍♀️.

As usual, this is a wonderfully inclusive book with BIPOC, AAPI, and LGBTQ characters.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for gifting me with this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!

Check out more of my bookish ponderings on my blog at mamasgottaread.blogspot.com or follow me on Instagram @mamasgottaread !

🐝 R E V I E W 🐝

Under the Whispering Door
By TJ Klune

☕️☕️☕️☕️/5

Happy Pub Day to this gem 💎! This one’s going to be everywhere!! It’s so well written and so well thought out. And, there were some laugh out loud moments despite the heaviness. I adored the characters!

🫖 Synopsis: Wallace is a callous attorney in life. Putting work before everything and treating everyone terribly. When he suddenly dies, a reaper comes and takes him to a tea shop run by a man named Hugo. Wallace begins to learn so much about life, and perhaps what he missed out on during his own while visiting the tea shop. And, he falls in love, but he’s dead. Wallace is given seven days to cross over, and his whole world@is turned upside down again.

🫖 I keep thinking this is like a modern, non-holiday A Christmas Carol. Bah humbug! Add in a romance and 😍This story, while familiar, is just unique enough that it will keep you intrigued. A book that will make you think, make you wish, and make you cry to get through. It’s a story about grief and regret over things lost, and time having slipped away from you. It will stay with you long after you read it.

🫖 A Fave Quote: “Everyone loses their way at some point and it’s not just because of their mistakes or the decisions they make. It’s because they’re horribly, wonderfully human.”

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC!

Wallace Price is a jerk. He is a workaholic, has no friends and is very self absorbed. Did I also mention that he is a lawyer and that he is dead? This is his story. Wallace must come to terms with his death and the life he left behind. His journey begins when a reaper takes him to a small tea shop where the ferryman, Hugo, is there to patiently answer his questions and guide him to the next place. As Wallace begins to accept the fact that he is actually dead he begins to see that the life he lived wasn't much of a life. Supported by a unique and heartwarming cast of characters Wallace begins to experience feelings that he has never felt before.

This story will have you laughing and crying throughout as only TJ Klune can do. The subject of death is a serious topic that is handled with great empathy and hope. I really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to more from this very talented story teller.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book! I've already recommended this book to all of my book loving friends because I love how it makes you reflect and think about grief and death. I loved it so much I plan to get a physical copy so I can do all my annotations and apply my sticky notes to my favorite parts.

Biggest, hugest thank you to #netgalley for the ARC for this book. It was…beautiful and haunting (pun not intended).

Just like the book opens, I am opening this review on the content warning. This whole book is about death, grief, and the passage to the afterlife. But it’s also very TJ Klune in that’s it’s about found families in unexpected places and in very quirky houses.

RECOMMENDATION 1: Buy stock in your favorite tissue brand now. This one is a tear-jerker. And I am not a crier.

RECOMMENDATION 2: Have your favorite tea on hand and keep the kettle full.

Over the course of reading this I drank:

- Bigelow’s Perfectly Mint,

- 123 Farm’s Organic Lavender Mint with their Mint Sugar,

- Fraser Tea’s Honeybunch Berry Dandelion, and

- Fraser Tea’s Take Me to the Tropics.

Tea and Under the Whispering Door are the perfect pairing.

Wallace has died. Mei, his Reaper, has brought him to a tea house (he never liked tea) to meet the ferryman, Hugo. Hugo’s tea house/actual house is already occupied by the ghost of his grandfather, who hasn’t crossed over yet because he’s still taking care of Hugo and Hugo’s childhood (ghost) dog, Apollo.

Even though it’s Hugo’s job to help Wallace come to terms with death and to find the desire to crossover, what he actually does is show Wallace how good of a person he could be. How good this tea shop and these people (and dog) are. Wallace ends up helping the residents with lots of problematic cases, alive and very much not, he catches the eye of the Manager.

I think the only reason this book isn’t a five-star for me is because the subject matter isn’t as charming as say, a house for “dangerous” and adorable magical orphans. Otherwise, it’s perfection. It’s gorgeous and soft and kind. It’s exploratory and deep. It’s all the flavors in your favorite cup of tea crossing your tongue.

Go read this one if you can. It’s exemplary

I devoured this author’s previous tale, “House sun the Cerulean Sea” and encourage everyone in the world to read.... then read it aloud to everyone that hasn’t so their lives are also fulfilled. It was THAT good!
So my hopes for this new book were possibly set a bit unrealistically high, tagging along to it's older sibling’s caboose; I had to put it down about 35% in. It felt recycled and a bit repetitive, I’m sad to say. That’s not to say I won’t go back later and try it again but for now, I’ll have to pass.

Thanks for this ARC & the opportunity to review this gifted author’s tale!

I am a huge fan of T.J. Klune's writing (I've not read anything of his yet that I haven't enjoyed) and he sits up there with authors like Becky Chambers who I've come to expect quiet, moving stories from... and they might just happen to feature a few out of this world characters, too. To say I've been anticipating this book is probably a little misleading, because I've had the arc of this sitting on my Kindle for months and sometimes expectation makes me reluctant to start things because I'm worried I'll be disappointed.

So, was I disappointed?  Not really.

I will go into this prefacing that it does feel a bit oddly paced and possibly a little too long in places. It doesn't feel as tightly plotted as some of his other work, but I still enjoyed myself regardless because of the kind of book it was.

Wallace - a lawyer by trade, and not a very nice one, dies and is met by his Reaper at his funeral. Brought to a way station for souls on their way to the other side, Wallace meets Hugo, a ferryman who's job it is to help deceased souls come to grips with the death and the path laid before them.

Like a lot of his Klune's previous works, this book is very quiet and it takes place almost exclusively at Hugo's tea shop, so the setting and characters are very contained. There's a small core cast of characters, plus a few supporting characters who pop in and out of the narrative, but there's the signature element of found family that underlines the entire thing.

The whole book is told from Wallace's perspective, and he goes from a very self-centered man in his life to angry about his death and then moves towards acceptance and finding that it's possible to change even after death. There are plenty of references to the stages of grieving and how everyone processes events (not just death) in different ways. Hugo's job is part-counsellor, part-confidant for those who come to him before they pass on, and he has his own history of anxiety and death of loved ones that has prompted him to embody the role he has taken on.

While it may not have been the best-paced of Klune's books, it was definitely one that explores some interesting ideas. 'Death' (both the reality and the idea of a character of 'Death') is a topic I do like seeing explored in books - because depending on your background and beliefs, people see it in different ways and I love those discussions. So even though Under the Whispering Door doesn't hit the same notes for me as The House in the Cerulean Sea or the Green Creek series, I was very invested in the story and the characters and enjoyed my time reading it.

I cant say enough how much I loved this book! House in the Cerulean Sea was one of my favorite reads this year and Under the Whispering Door easily meets the expectations!

T.J. Klune takes hard topics and makes them relatable through fantastic characters. What an interesting book that I think people will enjoy.


Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book for an honest review.

Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Yes, it's possible to thoroughly enjoy whole swaths of this novel without ever quite accepting its premise.

Indeed, I could very much enjoy the romance and the stages of grief and the whole personal development bits a great deal, even to the point of giving this novel a full five stars, IF it hadn't been for the truly rough intro.

I'm sorry. If I had started reading this after his death without ever having seen him in action during his life, I never would have had a single issue with the novel.

As it is, it stuck in my craw. Hard. Wallace is a grade-A prick. Frankly irredeemable. No amount of effort put into personal growth, with or without such an enormous afterlife prod, would have made me accept this guy as the wonderfully sweet and impressively open-minded guy in the afterlife. At the very least, I would have been quite happy with a stint in hell and some massive torture for him before some kind of massive sacrifice that MAYBE made him redeem himself in my eyes.

As it was, it was WAY too easy. Grief is never that easy, neither is redemption. And the people in here are WAY too welcoming and accepting... unless they were angels... but that doesn't make Wallace an automatic conversion, either.

Ugggh.

What pisses me off is this: without the opener, this is a wonderfully sweet and precious little novel. Without it, all my objections disappear.

This problem just got under my skin. I mean, seriously, what an asshole. Everyone acknowledged it. Uggh.

Last year, I read The House in the Cerulean Sea and fell in love immediately. Under the Whispering Door was immediately interesting and fascinating but it took me a little bit longer to fall in love with it but I did still find this book to be magical. The characters and issues were thoughtfully created. I laughed and cried and wished that these people were real. By the end, I was hysterically sobbing but so so grateful that I got to experience this novel.

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune is a fantasy novel following Wallace, a hardened lawyer who doesn't seem to have a heart for anyone in his life. However, when Wallace passes away suddenly from a heart attack, he runs into a stranger named Mei at his funeral. Soon he must come to terms with the fact he has died and must move to the whispering door with the help of Mei, a reaper, and Hugo, the ferryman. Will his time at the teashop with the other inhabitants help him get closer to the next steps or will he remain a shell of who he could be even in death?

This cover is fabulous and as soon as I saw this book I knew I needed. to read it. Although I have heard of the author's most recent book, this was the first time I've read their work. Needless to say I am so pleased, this book was such an experience and I am so excited to read more from this author.

To start, the setting was fantastic and I loved seeing the daily life of the characters in the tea shop and some of the guests that came into the shop. The setting definitely made it feel so cozy! However the book does tackle difficult topics such as death, suicide, grief, trauma, and much more. The difficult topics were still handled thoughtfully and added to the story rather than feeling dramatic or overwrought.

What is most compelling about this book is the characters. It was fantastic to see the character growth from Wallace and how he made sacrifices at the expense of himself for his found family. I also loved seeing how his relationship with Hugo developed during his time at the teashop. Their relationship was so heart-warming and I loved to see the longing that was so clear between the two. However, this book would not be the same without wonderful characters like Nelson, Hugo's grandpa, who has decided to remain a ghost at the teashop with Hugo.

Overall, I highly recommend this heartbreaking, then heartwarming book for anyone I know!

Many thanks to the publisher Macmillan-Tor/Forge and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

This book was so lovely. It well exceeded my expectations. Although it dealt with heavy topics such as death and grief it was masterfully well balanced with the humor and light hearted moments. This is a book that takes you apart and puts you back together again. I experienced a whole emotional rollercoaster of a journey. It was heartbreaking, uplifting, and funny. I was invested from the first page to the last. This book wholly has my heart, and i highly recommend it if you're a fan of Klune's previous works or if you want to be introduced.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, This book was everything and more. TJ Klune does an excellent job maneuvering the plot and its characters to create a story unlike any other.

This is my first book by the author and what a treat. So this is probably the only review that won’t compare and contrast it to The House in the Cerulean Sea. Wallace was a self-centered jerk in life, but when he makes his way to the way station on his way to the afterlife, he meets a cast of quirky characters that make him rethink everything he’s believed.

I love a book about second chances. From Mei to Hugo and Apollo to Nelson, I was invested in the cast of the book. And while the lesson is as old as time and not incredibly subtle, I was still drawn in and shed a tear or two. The book is fantasy without seeming too out there to the casual reader and was a joy to read.

When I first heard this described as a “comedy about grief” I would’ve been put off if it had been penned by any other author. But since TJ Klune had yet to lead me astray, I picked this up and I wasn’t disappointed.

From the startling opening with a character so unlikable the only way I could describe him was actually “comical”.

Along this journey I laughed, I cried, I rejoiced in the humanity and also sat down in the fetal position for long stretches of time.

While I urge you to take care of yourself if you choose to pick this one up, I can also guarantee the warmth and vulnerability you’ll find within these pages won’t be something you’ll soon forget.