This was my third book by Klune and I have to say I am a complete fan. He has a way of sweeping you up into his stories and touching your heart in all the right ways. Wallace is a hard core attorney that doesn’t have time for anything or anyone until the day he dies. When a reaper comes to collect him from his own funeral, Wallace can not believe that he is actually dead. As is his way of life, he will fight it until the end. As Wallace comes to grips with his situation, he finds that maybe his life wasn’t spent in the best of ways. This is a story about life, death, love, loss, and redemption. It is emotional, funny, touching, and a bit of a tear jerker. I loved every bit of this book. Thank you so much NetGalley for the eARC. 5 stars.

Under the Whispering Door is a poignant, thought-provokingly brilliant interpretation of the afterlife that is guaranteed to thaw even the most frigid of hearts.

Perhaps what I enjoyed most about this novel was T. J. Klune's interpretation of a modern-day Charon. Fans of Greek Mythology have come to associate Charon with the river Styx however in this retelling, Charon's Crossing is depicted as a tea house that is home to a benevolent trickster of a grandfather, a benign reaper, and a pet specter. The icing on the proverbial cake was the ingenious rendition of Charon, as Hugo Freeman, a gay person of color.

I relished that the author doesn't delve into the metaphysics of death but instead centers around understanding death and its inevitability. One of the most profound moments for me was when the main character realizes that his time is up and he laments all the things he wished he did. It's a reminder to grab life by the horns and live it to the fullest.

"If we worry about the little things all the time, we run the risk of missing the bigger things."

This novel puts forth the philosophical viewpoint that death is not the end but merely a new beginning. The author did not try to exert religious ideals but instead focused on spirituality and having faith in the unknown.

The main character, Wallace Price, was a modern-day Scrooge, married to his job and oblivious to everyone else but himself. Watching Wallace's redemption, and his ability to find humanity in death sends a deep message of it never really being too late to change, to be a better person.

T.J. Klune is truly a gifted storyteller! His ability to talk about one thing, while meaning something else is sublime. Any writer that can describe the ritual of tea drinking while imparting valuable life lessons is nothing short of spectacular.

"The first time you share tea, you are a stranger. The second time you share tea, you are an honored guest. The third time, you share tea, you become family."

#MoraloftheStory- "Make the most of the time you’re given."

Thank you to the author, Tor Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an arc. My review is available on my blog from 21-09-2021 here:

dnf @ 28%

it’s not you, book, it’s me.

this story seems whimsical and charming and would normally be right up my alley, but my grandmother is sick right now and i can’t read this without wanting to cry.

A pretty powerful look at death and ultimately life. I enjoyed the writing style and found myself so invested in Wallace’s journey and those who helped him along the way. A solid read and I look forward to reading more from this author!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan/Tor Books for gifting me a digital copy of this wonderful book by TJ Klune - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Wallace Price is not the most likable person and the fact that only a handful of people came to his funeral attests to that. Wallace knows because he was there - along with a stranger, Mei, who tells Wallace that she is his reaper. Mei takes him to a small village and to a cozy tea shop, operated by Hugo, a ferryman. Hugo is there to help Wallace adjust to being dead and guide his transition to what lies beyond.

I didn't read The House in the Cerulean Sea but it is now a must-read on my TBR because I loved this book! While it deals with death, it also has humor, hope, faith along with a bucketful of life lessons that are good reminders to all of us. I love quirky characters and the tea shop was full of them. This book will make you laugh, cry and feel all the emotions in between!

Sorry! Becauses of the illustrated cover I thought this was middle grade. I primarily review mg and ya books and won't be able to review this one.

Sorry! Becauses of the illustrated cover I thought this was middle grade. I primarily review mg and ya books and won't be able to review this one.

Oh, are my eyes going to be puffy tomorrow, the tears! I don't even know how to put into words what I'm feeling right now. I loved it.

Yes, my eyes are still puffy this morning! And no, I still don't know how to put into words my feelings about this book that I love so much. I full on cried, at times sobbing, from 74% on, it hurt so good.

Under the Whispering Door is such a unique story. Wallace's journey was so sweet and hopeful, and unlike anything I've ever read. It deals with death and grief in such a way that you can only hope when it's your time to go there'll be a Hugo and a Mei, a Nelson and an Apollo, to lead you on your way. Found families are truly the best, and Wallace was so very lucky to have found this one.

Death isn't a final ending, Wallace. It is an ending, sure, but only to prepare you for a new beginning.

Poignant and endearing, and at times laugh out loud funny, Under the Whispering Door captivated me from start to finish.

Under the whispering door is the story of Walalce Price and his experince as a ghost. Throughout the book we learn more about each of the characters and the underlying tone of the book is fairplay positive and optimistic, seeing as it is a book about death.
To me this book felt like a lesson in not taking life and the people around you for granted.
TJ Klune manages to write the most welldefined characters with so much diversity without any of it feels unnatural. This is the second book I’ve read from him and I definetly Think I’ve gotten a new comfort writer. If you want a good, diverse cast og a great morale to lift you up through the everyday life, TJ Klunes books are just the thing!

I think I'm breaking up with TJ Klune for good. This is my second book with him and I feel much the same about this one as I did the first. There's just a very strong disconnect with me and this author's writing. While everyone else seems to absolutely adore Klune's books, they just don't work for me. I am always confused with the marketing of the book because I feel like I'm picking up a middle grade book but the content is very adult. Maybe I just can't get that squared away in my brain, but it certainly sets the tone for disconnect for me. I know almost everyone else seems to love Klune and his books, but I don't think he's an author for me. I gave him a valient try!

“The first time you share tea,
You are a stranger.
The second time you share tea,
You are a honored guest.
And the third time you share tea,
You become family.”

The diversity in this book was so refreshing, and i was loving the greek references like “Charon’s Crossing” it made me laugh. A Lot in this book made me laugh, Mei was very comical with her anger and knife obsession, all the characters were easy to love, and it's been a while since i have read anything that didn't have a villain in it. Also i don't know if am the only one that thinks this way, but it was easy for me to picture Nelson as Morgan Freeman, it also helped that Nelson was Nelson Freeman. If there is a God i have always said it would be Morgan Freeman. It was a very addictive, mystical and very touching read, and i read this one at a time i thought i was going to lose my own mam, who went into ICU with a Brain Aneurysm, and got told the chances were very low for her to pull through. Luckily she is now getting so much better, but i think this book helped, it certainly gets you thinking about life after death.

I love T.J. Klune and his writing style and the premise for his books. The House in the Cerulean Sea was one of my top books of the year so I was so excited for this one. I knew it would be different but was prepared. This story has a very unique and interesting premise. It has his great writing style. It has memorable characters and I loved the arc of the main character, Wallace. However, this one wasn't one of my favorites. I don't know if I just picked it up at the wrong time or what but I found myself struggling to get through it. With so many great things about the book and my love of Klune, I'm so sad this wasn't another 5 star read for me. It is getting great reviews so I might try picking it up again in the future.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.

Happy pub day to this magical, heartwarming book with major #Goodplace and #achristmascarol vibes minus the Christmas
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Wallace was a miserable man, with no friends an ex wife but he was a shrewd businessman who callously fired a good employee and took away her daughter’s scholarship hours before he died.
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He died alone, in his office on a Sunday. Next thing he knows he’s at his funeral where no one has a nice thing to say about him. When Mei, a reaper, comes to collect him from his funeral he realizes he might actually be dead. When he meets Hugo a ferryman who will help him cross over he realizes the he actually is dead.
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With a charming cast of characters this book helped Wallace realize “It took him dying to find his humanity.”
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Klune writes in a way that you just want to take a highlighter to your book and mark half of the impactful quotes.
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This book is out today!
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Thank you @netgalley and @torbooks for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
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This is hands-down one of my favorite stories of the year. I laughed, sobbed, and smiled my way through Wallace’s journey post-death, where a colorful cast of characters including Hugo, Mei, Norman, and Apollo show him the beauty of living through friendship, love, and of course, hot tea and fresh scones.

This book is a little slow and is very much character focused, but Klune did a wonderful job making each character so real and lovable, faults and all. I adored not only the sweet love story between Wallace and Hugo, but I also loved watching Wallace develop true friendships, as well. This story tackled grief and regret in powerful ways, while also capturing the truth that it’s never too late to change for the better and that love — romantic, friendship, and familial — can be transformative.

If you loved Cerulean Sea, you’re sure to love this one too. But if you love books that tackle the hard questions about life and what it means to truly live (like Addie LaRue or Matt Haig’s books) with quirky, lovable characters (think Ove or other Fredrik Backman characters), then this might just your cup of tea ☕️

This was my first Klune book even though The House in the Cerulean Sea has taken up real estate on my bookshelf for almost a year. I don't know why I haven't had the desire to read such a wildly popular book. I think the hype has something to do with it. Anyone else like that? I'm also rarely looking for a "warm hug" from my reads. Maybe I'm just heartless. When I saw that he had a new book coming out, I knew it would be the perfect starting point for me. Thank you to @torbooks for an advanced digital copy for review.

I understand the hype for Klune's writing style. It's casual with warm undertones that have you feeling like you're reading in front of a fireplace on a cold, winter day. It reads very quickly, and if I had been determined to do so, this would have been a "read in one sitting" type of book for me. Klune is also exceptionally talented at crafting an array of characters that you'll latch onto quickly. Both of these things paired together made for a really enjoyable reading experience. But if I'm being honest, this book has just made me realize that contemporary fantasy just isn't for me.

The first 3/4 of the book is mostly character-driven with only a hint of a plot. And then the last quarter of the book is when everything gets tied up nicely with a convenient little bow. I dare say this book was almost too formulaic. When I initially finished reading, I immediately rated it five stars before writing my review. My five star rating does still stand, however, it took me a day or so to realize certain aspects didn't vibe for me in this read. Mostly, I wish the ending had gone differently. Or maybe I could have done without the epilogue. One or the other. But both were too much for me. Again, maybe I am heartless? Don't come for me, Klune fans!

This book is going to tick A LOT of boxes for people, and in a way, it did that for me. I personally need more fantasy, less reality, and much more of the dark and gritty. If I ever need a lighthearted read, I will reach for Klune without a second thought. I'm looking forward to checking out his queer werewolf series, as I think that is much more my speed.

I highly recommend this book for fans of: light fantasy, romance, found family trope, "feel good" reads, and quirky characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the advanced reader copy of the book in exchange for a review.

This book is incredible. It’s dark and beautiful, cozy and emotional. It deals with death and what comes after, so I knew it was going to be dark. But what I didn’t expect was falling head over heels for these characters and their story. It’s found family and learning how special life is. Making the most of each day and making everything count as best you can. It’s heartbreaking, hilarious, but will break you. The tea shop gave me all the cozy feels I’ll ever need. I know this book is going to stick with me for a while.

“Death has a beauty to it. We don’t see it because we don’t want to. And that makes sense. Why would we want to focus on something that takes us away from everything we know? How do we even begin to understand that there’s more than what we see?”

What a way to live. Yikes. To have to die to fully grasp the meaning of life, and to realize what’s important. That is Wallace Price, the grumpy workaholic who is sometimes an asshole and almost always unlikable, grabbed by a reaper at his own funeral. He is brought to a small tea shop buried in the woods where he meets Hugo, a ferryman tasked with helping souls cross over. Wallace is stubborn, though, and he is not ready to abandon the life that he is now realizing he barely lived. Can Hugo help Wallace accept his fate?

I was so excited to read this! I absolutely adored The House in the Cerulean Sea, so I snatched this one up with lightening speed when I saw the ARC available for request. Unfortunately for me, this one did not quite hit that level. I loved the premise of a grouchy and uber successful lawyer who doesn’t learn about the important things in life until it’s too late. The characters in this one are fabulous and so real! But the book was a bit too long and a bit too slow. The underlying meaning though? That one hit home. Tell your family you love them. Treat people well, no matter what kind of day you’re having. Appreciate and understand that life isn’t about a successful career or how much money you make, it’s about connections. It’s about love and family and dogs. Always dogs. Although not a 5 star read for me, it left me feeling appreciative of my life. You can’t ask for more than that from a story.

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan/Tor Books, and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵?”

Wallace Price is dead, a fact he refuses to acknowledge. Struck down suddenly by a heart attack, Wallace is at a loss of what to do with himself until a Reaper arrives to escort him to Charon’s Crossing Tea and Treats, a little tea shop in the middle of a forest. There he meets Hugo, owner of the shop and ferryman to souls. It’s Hugo’s job to help souls come to terms with their death until they are ready to cross over on their own terms. But Wallace is a stubborn individual and refuses to cross, convinced there must be a way to get back to his body. Stuck in the tea shop until he finds a way out, Wallace has nothing but time on his hands – and for the first time, realizes that maybe that when he was alive, he wasn’t actually living.

UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR is a charming standalone story that continues T.J. Klune’s tradition of writing cups of cocoa in book form. The fantasy here isn’t truly wrapped up in the ghosts and reapers, but in the magic of having a safe space where everyone is supportive and has near infinite patience while you work through your own issues. Hugo, the owner of the shop, is warm and inviting and has no judgement about a ghost’s problems, even when they emotionally (or occasionally physically) lash out. Mei, his Reaper assistant, is a little more brash and willing to tell people off, but is also willing to sit quietly while a ghost accepts that they have died. It’s almost too saccharine, but the dream of having a place where you can offload all your emotional baggage without judgement is one I was willing to embrace.

The tale begins in an almost CHRISTMAS CAROL fashion, with Wallace playing the role of Scrooge. In this instance though, rather than being visited by three spirits who give him a chance to live differently, Wallace jumps straight to seeing the miserable affair that is his funeral before being whisked away to contend with the fact that there is no second chance at life for him. But Wallace can still become a better person, not through an overnight epiphany, but through weeks of slow learning and gradual shedding of his old ways. He’s obnoxious when the story begins, arrogant and demanding and generally awful, but he does change with time.

Some of his learning comes simply through long conversations with Hugo, and it’s amazing how engrossing such conversations can be. UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR is not an action-packed book, but I was more than content to sit and absorb the ambiance as two people wrestle with life and how to live it. And of course, those conversations are the basis for the slow-burn romance that gradually builds across the story. I love tales where two people grow closer over time, where love evolves out of friendship, and UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR is here to deliver on that trope in spades. This time, though, there’s an added dash of star-crossed romance, because how long can a relationship go on when one party is dead?

While the true fantasy may be how accepting Charon’s Crossing is, there are still plenty of fantastical elements throughout the story, from the magical tether that keeps Wallace spiritually grounded to this plane of existence to the imposing Manager, the entity who oversees the cycle of death and steps in when anything seems to upset the balance. There are some darker moments peppered throughout, enough to ground the stakes without overwhelming the reader. All of this is conveyed with Klune’s trademark whimsy that is somehow surreal while still emotionally relevant enough to make you care about the characters. Trust me: I 100% cried at the ending.

Once again, Klune has created a heart-warming fantasy, complete with slow-burn romance. The whole premise of Hugo’s tea shop is that it’s a place for humans and spirits alike to have a cup of tea and process their troubles. So if you’re looking for a quiet, loving place to curl up while you set aside the world for a bit, UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR is here to serve.

I’m still mourning this book which is apt considering the theme. I cried so so much, and look I’m crying again writing this, but I also laughed, and felt a profound happiness reading this book, it was just beautiful. T.J. Klune was born to write masterpieces and I just wish every single person in this world got to read it, that’s how much it touched my heart, it is already one of my favorite books of all time.
The setting was amazing and magical, and the writer also used the smell sense to give the book an upgrade, it felt like I could smell the tea and the pastries, it was just perfect.
The characters were wow, I don’t know how to describe them seriously, just perfection, I loved them all, and my heart breaks only thinking they are not real and that the book is finished. Wallace’s development was fascinating to read about, he found his family after death and seeing him grow into this amazing human being was so worth it and his relationship with Hugo was so damn cute!!!
About the dog, I lost my doggies not so long ago and this hit hard, I cried a lot because of Apollo and I also loved how he portrayed that dogs are just this pure soul, with only love in their hearts which I couldn’t agree more.
T.J. Klune described grief so well but so well, it hurt and each person deals with it differently and in it’s on timetable. He took this taboo and scary theme and wrote this masterpiece, because I don’t know how else to describe it, it still felt uncomfortable for me, because death is scary, but I loved this book nonetheless.
Another thing to mention, is how well he described panic attacks, it feels so good to see this being portrayed, I feel seen somehow, since I’ve had my share of panic attacks and just recently discovered what they were. Mental health is important, especially in YA books and I appreciate seeing it on this book.
I’m so thankful for NetGalley, Tor Books and T.J. Klune for giving me the opportunity to read the E-Arc of this wonderful book. The author got a fan, whatever he publishes I’ll read, no matter what.

Thanks again to Netgalley for an eARC of this book.
As I have read The House on the Cerulean Sea, my expectations were high for this book and still this book blew me away. Be prepared to cry and cry again because this book is heartfelt and makes you feel so much love for the characters. Starting off with the death of Wallace Price, a corporate lawyer who fits that stereotype of overworked and the bottom line is all that matters. In the beginning, as he is being brought to the Ferryman by his Reaper, I don't feel much sympathy for Wallace because he is exactly the type of person I would hate. But this drastically changes as he is at the waystation and he gradually becomes a better person and comes to love and think of those around him as family.

Nelson was a CHARACTER and the best grandfather you could ever ask for. Apollo the dog, also stole the show and I cried at just the thought of him leaving Hugo and others. This book made me question more on what I believe happens after death and am hopeful that it is just being at peace and seeing those you love who have passed. This book will stick with me and is one of my favorites I have ever read. I am so happy to have found this book.

The House in the Cerulean Sea is one of my favorite books of all time, so I was absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to read Under the Whispering Door. While it isn’t the whimsical, flowing read that Cerulean Sea is, it is beyond special in its own way. It’s a character-driven book about life and death, and I think that every reader’s reaction will vary greatly because it is such a personal book. For me, it forced an examination of beliefs about loss, grief, personal legacy, and making the most of the time that we all have here on earth.

The book started off slow for me, but as it went on, I fell so completely in love with the characters and their journeys. Klune is a master of creating realistic, relatable characters. Even though the book deals with dark, heavy subject matter, there is still so much humor, love and hope woven into it. It’s about finding yourself, and finding your family, even when you think all hope is lost. I also loved the representation of queer characters and love in this book.

Just a warning – grab your tissues before you sit down with this book. I cried… and I cried… and I cried. I can’t remember the last time that I got so emotional reading a book, but like I said, I think it’s so personal that it will impact each reader in a different way. If you are sensitive to triggers around death, grief, suicide, child/parent/partner loss, depression, anxiety, I would perhaps pass on this book for now.

Under the Whispering Door will absolutely have a place among my most favorite books of all time – it’s beautiful, hopeful, sad, and sweet all at the same time. I hope that you read it and love it as much as I do!