I am quickly becoming a TJ Klune fan. After recently reading House in the Cerulean Sea, I knew I found the will to devour this book. Wallace, Hugo, May, Nelson, Apollo… I cherish them all and fell in love with them so quickly. This story touched on the sensitive subjects of death, suicide, murder, and what comes after all of it with a deep respect for all the different ways people would find theirselves in the afterlife. I adored this book, and the narrator made it even better than I could imagine. I cant wait to pick up a copy of this book when it releases.

What a beautiful book surrounding the emotions of death and grieving. Honestly this is the perfect book that I absolutely needed that came at the right time. I recommend this to anyone who is grieving and feeling lost about where to put those emotions. I will definitely be reading this again in the near future.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley for an honest review. Thank you.

How excited was I to be given the opportunity to review TJ Klunes latest book as an ARC reader just after completing this book, "The House of the Cerulean Sea" for my local bookclub read.

What an honour!

Release date, September 21st, 2021.

" Life is senseless , and on the off chance we find something that does make sense, we hold onto it as tightly as we can".. Chapter 22, Under the Whispering Tree.

I felt that.

.TJ Klune writes a beautiful book about death, grief and the Kubler Ross's five stages (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance) and what comes after.

Under the whispering Door, is a heartfelt contemporary fantasy, about finding yourself.

As hard as it is to talk about death,this is a story is written with quirky humor, but will also make you cry. I highly recommend a big box of tissues whilst reading this. The message that l took away from this book, is a reminder about not taking a day in your life for granted and always, always showing kindness.

The story is about an angry, ruthless man named Wallace, who suddenly dies and is now in a way station disguised as a tea shop "Charon's Crossing Tea and Treats", in the company of Hugo (his Ferryman at the cross over and who he falls in love with) and Mei ( his Reaper). Wallace is also involved with ghosts, Nelson ( Hugo's grandfather) and Apollo ( Hugo's dog), More characters come later in the story that you also get warm feelings and a connection with. All these characters, help Wallace with his transition from life to death.

It will, without a doubt, make you reevaluate your own life to ensure that you live it now to the fullest.

I look forward to reading more of TJ Klune's novels in the future.

Highly recommended.

This will be easily one of my favourite books this year!
Having read "The House at the Cerulean Sea" earlier this year and having fallen in love with it and TJ Klune's style of writing, I was so looking forward to "Under the Whispering Door". And it didn't disappoint; on the contrary!
The story is amazing due to the well-crafted and thought-through fantasy universe the author creates. As a reader you take everything he gives you, everything magical for granted because it's so well-done it doesn't need a lot of explanation around it. And you discover this hidden world after death together with Wallace - an amazing main character. But, truth be told, all the characters are pretty amazing - and deep. There is no one who's just stereotypical acting in a predictable way but instead there is a little more to everyone, even the side characters.
The atmosphere of the book is wonderful. It shouldn't be possible to write a book about death that's so cozy and warm. But here it is. The tea shop is the perfect setting for coziness and safety, the aromas of the tea, the night sky above the deck, the old chair in front of the fire place; I think, it's a calming vision of life after death and that's probably what I like best about the book: No matter who you've been in life, what you've done, where you came from - you deserve the exquisite pleasure of a hot cup of tea and the time and space to reflect on your life before you go on and be gone from the world of the living.
If you're looking for a funny, deep, heavy, hilarious, critical, heart-breaking and heart-mending autumn read to go with your hot chocolate or - even better - tea, you've found it!

I LOVE Mei! She’s hilarious, her and Hugo were the sunshine to Wallace’s gloom. Through the book, you learn to love the characters and see the good in them, even when the first impressions of them aren’t like-able. This book had it all at times you’re a bit scared, You’ll laugh and you’ll cry. This one kind of reminded me of The House In The Cerulean Sea, the formula that you loved about THITCS makes this just as great: You love each and everyone of the characters. The main character is kind of thrown into uncharted territory. There’s a certain character you’re somewhat scared of. The writing is so well done and paints beautiful pictures. This story isn’t just about falling in love with the people within the book, but also falling in love with your life, cherishing every moment on earth, the tea shop or in the afterlife. I can also see how this book could become controversial as people have deep thoughts about what happens after death.

This was my most anticipated release of this year. I’m so glad to say it lived up to my expectations! I loved House in the Cerulean Sea and was hoping to get more of the comfy, sweet, funny, and heart-wrenching moments. It delivered in all those aspects. There are so many times that I just laughed out loud! I love when books can just make you laugh so hard you can’t keep it in. Don’t get me wrong, we get the other emotions that we don’t love so much. I think what TJ Klune does so well is, using his humor in the most perfect times and places, which doesn’t make the sadder moments feel so devastating. There’s a lot of tough themes like loss and grief.

The absolute best part about this book is the cast of characters! I cannot express to you how much I fell in love with all of them rather quickly. I buddy read this and I remember messaging her early and telling her I love so and so! Oh, I love this person too! I think that Nelson had to be my favorite. Who doesn’t love a grandpa who is constantly pulling pranks but so full of wisdom?! I loved Mei, Hugo, and Wallace too but Nelson knew how to get the laughs. I loved the whole family aspect of this group. It made the story so much more touching and impactful, they loved each other.

The pacing of the book is a bit slow. It did take a little while to get into the story and figure out what was going on. Even though the plot was slow-moving, we did have some great moments with the characters. We do learn a lot of lessons along the way, and Klune always gives amazing quotes and moments, to make you think about life and love. The romance between Wallance and Hugo was a slow burn. If you love that type of romance then you will love this one. It was so sweet and tender. Hugo was just so amazing with everyone and his relationship with Wallace was just above and beyond.

One of my biggest issues with this book was the ending. I don’t want to ruin anything but it was a disappointment. Even though it was all predictable and I was hoping it didn’t go the way I feared, it totally did. I don’t know if I’m just changing as a reader but it took away some of the emotional punch for me. It just felt easy and I wanted so much more from it.

Overall, this book was amazing and what I needed and wanted! I love Klune’s way with words and the way he makes you fall head over heels in love with characters. I cannot wait to read what he’s coming out with next. I’m sure it will be one of my most anticipated! 🙂 I do wish that Klune offered a little quiz at the end to figure out what kind of tea I was!

I want to thank Tor Books for providing me with an e-ARC for review. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you Dini @Dinipandareads for buddy reading this with me!! It was such a fabulous time!

Ok, so… I love this author. His book, “The House in the Cerulean Sea” is my favorite that I’ve read all year long. But this book was a little lackluster. It gave me the exact same vibes. Almost like it was cut from the same cloth and new characters were just plugged into the formula. The formula 100% works, but I was hoping that it would be different. I guess I was just wanting a little more.

Under the Whispering Door: 3 ⭐️

Wow, what a heartwarming story. I loved this novel and the message it sends to the reader. This is a moving story about life and death. I loved reading about each one of these characters and seeing them grow and learn about themselves throughout the whole novel. The beginning of this novel sucked me in, the middle dragged a little bit for me, but the ending is a real tear jerker. Happy tears for sure. This was a really sweet and surprising story and I think I liked it a lot more than Cerulean Sea!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for a copy of this gem in exchange for an honest review!

This was so sweet and whimsical. It's a serious topic but packaged with romance and humor and was a joy to read. Our main character Wallace is rude and selfish at the beginning of the book, but he starts to soften and change his ways thanks to the kind and patient Hugo. I loved all the side characters (Mei, Nelson, Apollo) and wanted to stay there with them forever. The end of the book seemed like a set up for a sequel which I will definitely be reading.

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for providing me with a DRC in exchange for my honest review.

Wallace Price is a high profile lawyer living in the city. Wildly successful in his career path, Wallace would most likely be described as cutthroat, determined, and ruthless by those who know him. He doesn’t have friends or a significant other, and doesn’t have time for a pet or a hobby. One day, he has a heart attack and dies. Though he is dead, Wallace isn’t ‘gone’. He finds himself at a tea shop- a way station for souls on their journey to ‘beyond’- and struggles to come to grips with his situation.

TJK fans might come at my throat for this, but I didn’t love this book. I expected an exploration of death, dying, grief, and life. While all of these topics were covered in the book, I don’t feel like anything really resonated with me, and that these difficult subjects were broached in a way that was meant for a younger audience, not an adult. I had so much more difficulty connecting to the characters and the storyline. I wanted to, but I couldn’t quite dive beneath the surface.

I also felt that the heaviness of such serious topics jarred with the romance that occurs between Wallace and another main character. I don’t want to say that the romance cheapens the plot, but it kind of does. I was more distracted by the characters’ flirtation than I was focused on Wallace’s journey of grieving and acceptance for the life he once had.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, but it didn’t reach the depth that I had hoped for. I think I was just expecting more from it. I connected so much to The House in the Cerulean Sea and all of its characters, and I just felt like something was missing from this one.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for Goodreads

Wow. I knew this book would hit me in the feels, but this one is really going to stick with me for a long time.

All Wallace ever did was work. Then at his funeral, he runs into Mei, a reaper there to take him to what's next. Next turns out to be a tea shop in the woods with Hugo, the ferryman, running it and helping those who've passed get ready to move on. But Wallace doesn't want to move on. Then the manager shows up and tells him gets a week and then it's going to be his time.

This story managed to keep the same magical feeling we saw in The House in the Cerulean Sea while dealing with some really heavy topics. We get to see Wallace really learn about what's important in life (or death). There are some very light-hearted moments that made me laugh out loud and some heart-breaking moments that had me sloppy crying. I haven't had this kind of emotional response to a book in months, and I think it's a testament to how loveable these characters are and how much we become invested in them. Honestly, I can't recommend this book enough (although check out the trigger warnings before going into it).

Trigger warnings: death, suicide, murder, loss of a loved one, loss of a pet

If you liked House in the Cerulean Sea you should like this, its sweet and filled with magical moments and a couple tears were shed but ultimately a beautiful story.

Wallace is a high powered attorney who takes no prisoners. When he dies suddenly from a heart attack, he finds himself escorted by Mei to a way station where he will stay until he is ready to cross over.

As someone who reads quickly, happily staying up late, and waking early to keep reading, this book was slow (I am one of the many fans of The House in the Cerulean Sea which was definitely not slow). Once I realized that I should take my time to immerse myself fully and thoughtfully, I enjoyed the book more. There are shades of Scrooge, except Wallace’s journey is much longer and more detailed. The touches of humor throughout lighten the dark subject just enough. As a fan of tea, I enjoyed the many different types described in many scenes.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Wallace Price was a lawyer and some would say he choose the right profession. A rather unpleasant man who is quite surprised at the poor turnout at his funeral. Think Scrooge without the Ghost of Christmas Future to show him his fate. Alas, Wallace has been given no second chance and he is as dead as Jacob Marley.
Wallace cannot believe that this would happen to him when he still has so much work to do. No one can see him, no one except a woman named Mei, who tells him she is here to take him on the next step of his journey. They arrive at a tea shop run by a ferryman named Hugo. Mei and Hugo are the only humans that can see Wallace, but he does have some ghostly company. Nelson, Hugo's deceased grandfather, and Hugo's dog Apollo. Neither of them has moved on yet, and this group will have a profound effect on Wallace.
This was such a well-written and thought-provoking story about making the most of your life, and being ready to move on when the time comes. There is so much I want to say about these characters' interactions, but without entering spoiler territory. Just know that the connections made are heartfelt and Wallace finally learns how he could have been a much better man.
I read this shortly after my cat crossed the rainbow bridge and every page that mentioned Apollo had me almost in tears. Some sadness, some magic, and the power of friendship and love shine through.

Thank you Tor and TJ for an eARC of one of my MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS of 2021. Have I already preordered two copies? Maybe. But not having to wait for the agony that is pub day is something I will forever be grateful for. This book is out September 28th and I would like more people to talk to about it so please read it and get back to me!

I came into UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR with some high expectations (hi, I haven't found a TJ Klune book I haven't loved) and felt like I needed to tuck my expectations away in a little box separate from this book. This was a very CHARACTER-DRIVEN SLOW BURN story and I don't think I was fully prepared for that and think that may cause readers some pause after TJ's previous books. I would also argue that the synopsis (like so many books) is misleading. Yes, Wallace is dead and is given seven days to "live a lifetime" but that is such a small part of his story. To me, UTWB read as a book about a man who, upon his death, is learning to come to terms with the man he was, is, and wishes he could be. THAT would be my "one-sentence elevator pitch" of this book when I, inevitably, buy it for everyone I ever met.

I'd even go so far as to say, Wallace isn't even a terrible person. He is more... unaware of others around him. It took coming to Charon's Crossing Tea Shop and meeting Mei, Hugo, and Nelson, three strangers who show him incomparable compassion and patience and support, (and possibly the realization that his "life" is over) to reflect on his actions and the idea of putting other's needs above your own merely for the sake of brightening their day. I honestly loved each and every one of these characters immensely and all for different reasons. TJ has a way of creating characters that I now can't imagine ever not existing in my (and his and other readers) heads.

And, naturally, this book's major focus is on grief. Grieving those who have passed, grieving yourself and your life, and acknowledging that grief in ourselves and others, and holding just a bit more compassion for everyone. I think the themes and, especially, conversations between Hugo and Wallace will resonate with a lot of readers. Those parts of the book felt like getting tucked under a weighted blanket. Reassuring and calming. It really felt peaceful in this world after life that TJ created for us.

Thank you Macmillan-Tor/Forge Publishing, and NetGalley for access to the ARC. Having just read The House in the Cerulean Sea, I couldn't wait to get a jump start on Under the Whispering Door. T.J. Klune is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers.

In the beginning of the story, we are introduced to Wallace Price, a successful yet self-centered attorney. Before long, Wallace meets his reaper at his own funeral (who is quite charming by the way). The reaper, known as Mei, is tasked with escorting Wallace to a tea shop where he'll find Hugo, the Ferryman who will help him cross to the other side once he's ready.
Although in life Wallace was a heartless jerk and had no friends or close relationships of any kind, in death he begins a slow transition while among his new companions at the tea shop. What follows is an absolutely beautiful story with remarkable character development, a story about recognizing a life not really lived, and seeing, maybe for the first time, what it's like to love and fall in love.

This is a very heartfelt story with some heavy subject matter, such as death, grief and suicide...but Tj Klune has masterfully written in a way that won't way weigh you down and make you feel depressed. This story will take you on a journey that will make you cry, yet laugh, and everything in between.

4 1/2❤️⭐️

Wallace Price, a ruthless attorney and waste of a human being, wakes up to his funeral where he meets Mei, a Reaper with a snarky attitude. Wallace, having a hard time coming to grip with his death is taken to Hugo, the Ferryman who’ll try and help him come to accept his new normal and, when ready, cross over. Along the way, Wallace learns about love, and sacrifice, and most importantly about living.

T. J. Klune you have done it again! It’s not often a book brings me to tears, but let me tell you it did — not in a sad way, but a beautiful way. Under The Whispering Door shows us the dark side of humanity, how we can learn and change and become a better person, even in death.

Klune has a way of writing characters that are diverse, funny, and you just want to hug. He shows us that family doesn’t always have to be blood. And, the Charon’s Crossing tea shop is a brilliant place to teach a hard man to grow. My reason for the 4 1/2 vs 5 stars is that I struggled midway through. Not sure if it’s the book or just the chaos of life in the moment. Everyone, this is a must read!!

“Everyone loses their way at some point, and not just because of their mistakes or decisions they make. It’s because they’re horribly, wonderfully human. And the one thing I’ve learned about being human is that we can’t do it alone.”

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for the honor of reading this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and TOR Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 stars!

Let me start off this review by saying that TJ Klune is the reason I have a pile of tear-stained tissues next to my bed at the moment. If you are a crier like me, don't bother doing your mascara before you pick up any of Klune's books.

Wallace Price was a selfish, unempathetic person in life. That's why it comes as no surprise to anyone when, at his funeral, more roasting than grieving was done by the very few people in attendance. In death, however, Wallace finds himself faced with a chance to begin anew. He's aided by Hugo, a ferryman for ghosts; Mei, a new hire in the soul reaping industry; Nelson, Hugo's late grandfather; and Apollo, proof that some dogs don't go to heaven. With his newfound family, Wallace works to find his true self, make amends, and build a new life/death for himself.

Under the Whispering Door is a warm, lovey, and emotional novel about death and grief. It is also about living your death to the fullest and never allowing your past to prevent you from growing into the person you want to be. If you have read and enjoyed Klune's other popular novel, The House in the Cerulean Sea, there's a good chance that you will enjoy Whispering Door. If you did not enjoy Cerulean Sea, odds are you will dislike exactly the same things about this book. Whispering Door is about as cheesy as it gets, so if you're lactose intolerant beware.

I enjoyed Under the Whispering Door, but I think if I hadn't read any of Klune's work before I probably would have been surprised by just how rom-com like it is. Personally, I connected a lot more to Cerulean Sea, but that's mostly a matter of personal preference. Whispering Door hits all of the notes that Cerulean Sea did, but with a focus on death and grief rather than acceptance and the harms of bigotry. It is a book you read to cry, to laugh, to hurt, and to ultimately feel happy.

I love Klune's writing, and I'd recommend Under the Whispering Door to anybody who enjoys the cheesiest of cheese, queer love stories, comforting books, and tea. If you're dealing with death or grief, this book could be incredibly comforting and/or hard to read. Use your best judgment and remember, we read for the love of it. Just because you're excited for this book does not mean you should put yourself through mental distress to read it.

I absolutely fell in love with this book within the first few chapters. It’s a heartwarming story about a grumpy ghost who refuses to cross over and the friends he meets along the way. The whimsy and fantastical elements reminded me a lot of The House in the Cerulean Sea which I loved as well.

This story focuses on life, death, grief, love, and everything in-between. I really enjoyed the character development that Wallace (our MC) went through throughout the story, when we first meet him he is a very dislikeable person but as the story progresses he becomes a loveable character who is nothing like the man we first encounter. The side characters were all amazing in their own ways and added so much humor and love to the story. The romance was delightful and I was brought to tears numerous times towards the end of the book. I really wish Charon’s Crossing was a real place, I would love to be able to visit and drink tea with everyone.

This is a great book to read if you are looking for a wholesome, humorous, heartwarming story with a full range of emotions and new beginnings.

As I sit to begin this review, I'm honestly at a loss for words. This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year by one of my favorite authors. So, needless to say my expectations were high, and this book exceeded all of them. Nothing I say here could do it justice or truly convey how moving the experience of reading it was for me. It was an incredibly cathartic read that brought on lots of tears, which I'll expound on more in a bit.

In a lot of ways, this book reminded me of The House in the Cerulean Sea. It tackled many of the same themes, especially regarding found family and the importance of human connection. The two main characters were also similar in some ways and experienced much the same trajectory of growth along their journey. They both started as individuals who were largely isolated and a bit stodgy and consumed by their routines/work. This changed over the course of their journeys as they opened up and developed true connections with others. So, if you liked the themes and general character progression in The House in the Cerulean Sea, you will likely enjoy them in this book, as well.

Despite the similarities between the two books, Under the Whispering Door struck a much more serious, and somewhat darker, tone. There was much less whimsy in this book, and the content was quite a bit heavier. This wasn't surprising given the book was entirely about death and grief. However, it tackled those topics with the typical Klune wit, charm, and humor that is so much fun to read. Emotionally, the book was a bit of a roller-coaster with times I laughed out loud and others I bawled my eyes out. Klune tapped into something special here, and his way of writing about loss, grief, and the existential dread of death feels profound. He also did a fantastic job of providing good anxiety representation, including how important service animals can be to helping cope with the disorder.

The story and plot are relatively simple, and the synopsis gave most of it away. There was some interesting world-building, and Klune came up with a creative and interesting version of the Afterlife. The draw here, though, was definitely the relationships and interactions between the characters, along with the existential musings and personal growth those interactions fostered. The characters were all well-conceptualized, and their humanity leapt off the page. They all felt real with recognizable strengths and weaknesses that contributed to the authenticity of the narrative. Musings about existential concepts can tend to get a bit abstract, but this book felt grounded while tackling these topics largely because the characters provided a rich playground in which to explore them. The romance was a fairly large, and enjoyable, element of this book, as well. Klune executed the slow-burn romance beautifully here, and I loved watching their relationship grow over time into something wonderful.

Even though the story was largely character rather than plot driven, there were still some plot/story developments that were important and beautifully executed. One that stood out the most to me was the Husk subplot. It was an excellent metaphor for how people can become isolated and lose themselves due to fear and anger. It also highlighted, very literally, how impactful human connection can be in helping people find their way out of such a difficult place. I also really enjoyed the ending of the story and how it illustrated the importance of changing a system if it is not working for all the people it is supposed to be helping.

On a more personal note, I felt like this book really got me. The main character and I have a lot in common, and death has been something on the forefront of my mind after my battle with cancer. The last two years have been somewhat of a struggle in that I almost feel like the person I was before the surgeries died during them, but I'm not yet sure exactly who I have turned into. This book captured that feeling of in-betweeness incredibly well, as well as the ways in which I have changed my priorities due to my experiences. It also pointed out the struggle of making sense of it all and how all-consuming thoughts of death can be after coming close to experiencing it yourself. My experience reading this book has been incredibly cathartic, and I can't help but believe it has been beneficial in ways I haven't even discovered yet.

Overall, this book is beautiful, but haunting, and a roller-coaster of emotions all wrapped in a heart-warming love story about the importance of taking the time to connect with each other. I recommend it to everyone without reservation, but please do keep in mind that readers sensitive to death, suicide, or grief may have a difficult time with this one. I cannot think of one negative thing to say about this book or my experience reading it. So, I gladly give it 5 out of 5 stars.