What I like best about this book is the chaotic kind of wholesome this book radiates, from the characters, the conversations, and actions throughout the whole reading. I like how Wallace, being oblivious at first, just came to terms with all the madness and embraced his own inner demon to conduct michieves with his new fellas. TJ Klune also managed to blend this energy with the representation of mental illnesses and grievance, which wasn't too intense but still thoughtful.

The second thing I'd like to point out is that: I love everyone in this household. Every. Single. One: Nelson is my favorite out of all for not taking any of Wallace's bullshit and being supportive of him at the same time; Mei being simultaneously "I'm so sick of these people" and aggressively affectionate/protective. Wallace was an asshole at first but his journey to become a partner in crime with the people in this house would be extremely refreshing to witness, I promise you. Apollo is… Apollo (really need I say more?) and Hugo is this one brain cell that keeps everything from going hellhole but also has to deal with his own problems. This set of characters seemingly make a perfect cast for a comedy show of the format like Brooklyn 99 and Community, which, I concur.

Considering these being adult fiction,TJ Klune doesn't have a too sophisticated vocabulary in his storytelling, but his sense of humor is top notch. This trait of his is even more saturated in Whispering Door, especially in how he sets up the scenes, executes the sequences, which help land the jokes perfectly. One thing that I lowkey dislike is how cryptic some conversations between the MC Wallace and other people were, but I'd to think they were intentional, since it appeared, on numerous occasions, Wallace himself didn't understand a shit either.

Something I felt concerned about this book before reading was whether it was going to be the same book as Cerulean Sea. The plot outline did stay mostly the same, not differentiating very much from each other besides having different settings. In the end, I found Cerulean Sea to be a more quirky and righteous kind of fun, while this book is more chaotic and hilarious, which is equally enjoyable. I think these books are intended for a more liberating way of reading. You can read both or just one in no particular order without missing out too much.

Oh my God, y’all I think my heart grew three sizes and also I cried for the last 50+ pages so I’m just going to eat ice cream until I can handle this book.

T.J. Klune is my new favorite author. I need a new star rating system, because other 5 star books don’t feel the same after reading a Klune novel. Can I give his books six stars? 12? 1 million?

I was worried about this book though - I knew it was about death and dying and I didn’t see how it could still feel like a warm hug with that content. But you know what? It did. I’m in love with all of the characters and want to hang out with them at the tea shop.

Please take a look at the trigger/content warnings either online or at the beginning of the book before deciding if this book is for you. Take care of yourself.

Thank you to Tor & Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and TJ Klune for an advanced copy of this novel for an honest review. I was completely floored to receive this and I enjoyed every second I spent reading it.

TJ Klune is definitely going to be an auto buy author for me. While I received an ARC of this, I definitely preordered it for my collection and can't wait to re-read this one day when I need it most. Klune has a magical writing style and character development that is unmatched. His tales have been whimsical, introspective, and poignant.

What makes a Klune novel for me though is characterization and character development. I am trying to think of an author that forces me to care about his characters in the same way Klune does. It is hard. As we follow Wallace, Hugo, Mei, and other side characters through this journey, you find that you start to become truly invested in their development and, even if they are unlikable, you root for them. My only complaint is that there wasn't a seamless transition for Wallace between bad-guy-workaholic and lovable and selfless. It seems as if he was written as two different characters in the book, but truly my only "complaint".

Overall, much like The House in the Cerulean Sea, this book is the equivalent of a warm hug. It is a warm hug for your soul. A must read.

As much as I was looking forward to this book, I cannot get into it. I am DNF-ing it at 50% and am fairly upset about doing so. I keep picking this book up thinking this is the time I’ll love it, but still hasn’t happened.

I don’t like the MC, Wallace, and don’t really care much about Hugo either. The side characters are quite hilarious though, and I love that there is a ghost dog featured. The concept of the book sounded quite interesting but just didn’t translate well to me.

I really hope that one day I will pick this back up and love it, as I absolutely loved Cerulean Sea and the authors writing is so poetic, but I am just not feeling this plot line or slow pace.

This book starts and is driven by the strong narrative voice of Wallace Price, a Scrooge-like lawyer who likes sharp suits, well-run businesses, and not caring about anyone else. Then Wallace dies and is whisked off to the whimsical warmth of Charon’s Crossing tea shop. There, surrounded by a cast of quirky characters from Wallace’s reaper, Mei, to the charming tea shop owner, Hugo to Hugo’s ghostly grandfather and loyal service dog who keep hanging around, Wallace is supposed to make peace with life and move on to whatever is beyond it. Only, Wallace doesn’t leave. He learns how to be the person he should have been before he died and he finds reasons to want to stay. If only that were possible…

Do not let the Barnes and Noble “Extra Lore Edition” fool you; this book is about characters, not worldbuilding. With the possible exception of the Husks, the warped monster-like things ghosts like Wallace turn into if they become too untethered to the human world, Under the Whispering Door does not contain any other-wordly elements that are particularly original. It does not give any original answers to questions about death or lay out a complete and cohesive image of the afterlife.

What the book does is tell a poignant, if sometimes predictable, story about characters who are impossible not to love. The novel’s worldbuilding is grounded in these characters, with the Manager of death itself designed to be an echo of Wallace from the first page of the book. Intellectually, Klune leaves questions unanswered: Why doesn’t Wallace see only one happy memory on his ascent even though he goes through it three times? Why do Husks stay on the ground if other ungrounded ghosts float? Morally, when should you force a ghost to move on? Emotionally, however, Klune gives readers closure, catharsis, and a happy ending.

I loved the way mental illness was shown and discussed in this book. Hugo, the calmest character in the story, has panic attacks that he is allowed to describe and get help for without shame. While the book lets Hugo describe what these attacks feel like for him, the focus is on care: What can you do to help those you love when they experience this kind of pain? In the same way, the novel looks at suicide with empathy, not demonization, and that humanizing of hurt and call for community is both beautiful and refreshing.

“Under the Whispering Door” did not blow me away the way “The House in the Cerulean Sea” did. Grief, death, dying, and the afterlife have been covered in media so many times that the book does not really stand out from the pack. However, it is character-driven, full of found family, and approachable in a way that many other books about these topics are not.

Wallace Price is a lawyer who has no friends, no one that loves him, and spends all of his time working. That’s the way he likes it, he doesn’t have time for emotions. That is until he dies a sudden death and a reaper named Mei comes to take him to the ferryman to help him move on. He isn’t ready to move on into whatever comes next and is not happy when he meets the ferryman, Hugo. Once Wallace is placed in the tea shop where Hugo lives, he is tethered to the shop until he can come to terms of who he was when he was alive and came move on to what comes after death.

“We don’t interfere with death. We can’t.” “Why not?” “Because it’s always there. No matter what you do, no matter what kind of life you live, good or bad or somewhere in between, it’s always going to be waiting for you. From the moment you’re born, you’re dying.”

I really loved this story, I loved Wallace, Mei, Hugo, Nelson, and Apollo (which is Hugo’s dead dog who hasn’t moved on). I loved the concept of this story and having a place to stay while you think about your life and what comes next. I feel like this is another found family book, just like TJ Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea. I loved seeing Wallace slowly realize that his life wasn’t all that good and he didn’t live life to the fullest and made many mistakes. I loved reading about Hugo, he is one of those characters that warms your heart and you just want to give him a big hug. Nelson, which is Hugo’s dead grandfather added so much to the story. He hasn’t moved on and is fine being a ghost to stay in Hugo’s life, but he adds some hilarious parts to this book. A book that is ultimately about death but somehow, I laughed during this book while also holding back tears.

I will say I didn’t love this as much as the Cerulean Sea, I felt that this one was a little repetitive in the middle and made it a tad slow. I think I went into this thinking it was going to be the same atmosphere as Cerulean Sea and it’s not at all. It is a book that is going to break your heart and it’s full of grief. Hugo is a ferryman for people who have died, and they all haven’t died an easy fast death either. Mei is a reaper who gets called to bring dead people to the tea shop so they can make peace with their life before crossing. I know this book will stay with me for a long time and so will the characters. At this point in time, I will read anything Klune writes even if I know it’s going to destroy me.

PS. This book has an easter egg about The House in the Cerulean Sea and even thought it’s just a tiny moment I loved it so much.

This books is beautifully written. The characters are lovely.
The book opens to Wallace, a powerful, no-nonsense attorney. 2-days later, Wallace dies (not spoiler it’s ok).
Wallace is met by a Reaper, Mei, and reluctantly follow her to Charon’s Crossing Tea and Treats to meet Hugo, the Ferryman, who will help him cross over. He also meets Nelson and Apollo, Hugo’s grandfather and dog respectively. After that, well, that’s on you to read.
Who knew a book about death, tea, ghosts, and learning to live could touch us so deeply?

Was I warned before going into Under the Whispering Door that I shouldn’t expect it to be House in the Cerulean Sea? Yes.

Did I go into it hoping it would be anyway? Sure did.

Under the Whispering Door deals with grief and death, mourning, and facing one’s truth. The subject matter *is* serious, and everyone will be able to relate to it. But, there is also a lot of levity as well. (Ouiji boards, anyone?) This book is definitely not the House in the Cerulean Sea. Of that, I am damn sure. Wallace, Hugo, Mei, Nelson, and Apollo are an eccentric cast of characters, and they are unique.

Tj Klune’s writing style is simple, but effective. He doesn’t need to overcomplicate anything by using big words for the sake of doing so. He just paints the picture with brushes that will do the job, and let the reader’s brain do the rest.

There isn’t much I feel like I can say without getting too spoilery, so I’ll just say that Door is just as heartwarming and endearing as House was, and it might break your heart just as well. I love this story just as much as I loved House, even though they are extremely different. I hope you all do, too.

In typical TJ Klune style this is a book of love, magic, and living your best life.

When Wallace Price - a jerk of a lawyer - dies suddenly of a heart attack he winds up at his own funeral listening to the few people he had say awful things about him. Enter Mei; his reaper. She takes him to the Ferryman, Hugo, who will help him cross into the afterlife. They travel to the middle of nowhere to a quirky tea shop that serves as a way station for passing spirits.

At first, Wallace is resistant as he is too important to die! He needs to get back to work. Then slowly as he bonds with Mei, Hugo, and adjusts to life at the tea shop he starts to realize what truly matters in his life and begins to have regrets while also making different choices of how he will live his afterlife. He meets other spirits who have passed in less than natural ways (TRIGGER: Suicide and murder), and learns what this new journey will really be like.

In the end his choices summon the Manager, which is never good, and he is issued an order to cross in one week no matter what.

TJ Klune handles the topic of death, spirits, and grief with such poignant beauty that even as an anxiety sufferer I never felt anxious reading this book about such heavy topics. He is lyrical, funny, and honest about the human condition. While I identified the most with Mei as a character I think there are so many developed traits, choices, and life lessons in this story that anyone will be able to connect, learn, and love this story.

This book follows the journey Wallace takes when he suddenly find himself dead.

Wallaces journey doesn't just end when he realises he has died, instead he is quickly collected by a reaper and taken to a curious tea shop where he meets a ferryman, there to prepare him for whatever comes next. Here Wallace starts to fully understand his life and the person he once was.

This books warmed my heart in so many ways while also breaking it at the same time. I cried, I laughed, I grinned like the cheshire cat. It was beautifully written and the character development was incredible. The first three quarters of the book was slightly repetitive but still immensely enjoyable as it allowed you to really understand each of the characters and the mechanics of the story. I was very shocked by the ending which I loved, and it left me sat in wonder.

I would recommend this book to everyone, It made me look at life from a new perspective and I think it's something that everyone should experience and enjoy at least once in their lives. I cant rave about this book enough - just wow!

Under the Whispering Door is an exploration of acceptance. Acceptance of death, acceptance of oneself, and acceptance of others and the circumstances we cannot change, while still allowing for plenty of self growth.

There was perhaps a small portion of the middle that seemed to lag, but with a quirky cast of characters and plenty of heartfelt moments, it was an interesting read leaving one with plenty to think about.

If you're after a good-hearted, full of enchanting characters, then get hold of one of T.J. Klune's books. They make me ridiculously happy. Our hero is Wallace Price, a fabulously unpleasant man, a nasty piece of work. He dies. Yep, we open with our main character's death. Crikey he is angry about that, he has stuff to do, he is important, it absolutely does not suit him to be dead. Worse he is able to observe people mourning him, but not enough, there just isn't enough of an outpouring of grief at his demise for his taste. The Reaper comes to collect him and takes him to what's next. That turns out to be an unassuming house that seems to store people who are transitioning from one phase of death to the next. It's a kind of purgatory. While he is there he is going to learn a lot about his fellow humans, a bit late because he is dead right now!

As Wallace comes to terms with being actually dead, he begins to transform, to deal with some of the things that made him so angry and unpleasant in his life, and to accept people. All this while dead! This all sounds quite strange, but it is written beautifully and while it is full of lessons about acceptance and diversity, it's funny and sad and poignant and a great deal of fun.

I think this would be a great book for the school library, something a bit different, I definitely thought there would be a YA audience for it. Now that I've read two of this author's books I'm going to hunt out some more. They have such a light touch they make for a very good reading experience. I really enjoyed it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to this gem.

I just finished and it was a whirl wind of emotions. I loved the ending but was bored during the middle- I now realize that it was a journey for multiple characters but it was worth the wait :)

TJ Klune did it again! Under the Whispering Door is about Wallace and his journey through death. Klune has a way of making you fall so in love with his characters, you really feel everything they do. I am known for.crying over a book, and this was no exception, but Klune is the only one that get me to laugh out loud, literally, at the things happening on page. This was an exceptional story, and I can't wait to listen to the audio and see what that adds to the experience. Thank you to Tor and Net galley for allowing me to read and review.

I fell in love with the book from the first sentence. This is an unique story that continued to hold my attention throughout. The humor was spot on! Will definitely recommend.

Under The Whispering Door is about a lawyer named Wallace. He is not a good person. He treats his employees poorly and puts his career before family and friends. One day he unexpectedly dies. A reaper appears and takes him to a tea shop where he meets Hugo; a ferryman. From here begins a very character driven story on Wallace coming to terms with how he was as a person and realizing his life was not quite a life after all.

Characters (9.5/10): This is my fifth book by T.J. Klune, and he always delivers when it comes to character. They always seem so real and relatable, even in stories like this that deal with reapers and life after death. Wallace at the beginning is not the same at the end, and the character journey we go with him to get to that point is absolutely beautiful. All the characters we meet are given such rich backgrounds; especially Hugo. You just end up loving all the characters.

Plot (7/10): The plot is not the most “exciting”, but that is okay. This is a story about character. Some of the sub plots (a few characters we meet at the tea shop with stories of their own) were interesting and played a big part in guiding Wallace on his way to the person he is at the end of this novel.

Writing (9.5/10): T.J. Klune has a way with words that is very readable. The writing flows so beautifully and fluidly. It keeps you engaged and you just want to keep reading. It is hard to explain. And some parts are written so funny. I find it is difficult to produce humour on a page that makes me laugh, but there were a few times the dialogue did make me laugh.

Entertainment (8/10): Entertainment seems like the wrong choice of word for this novel. I suppose engagement would be better, and this novel did keep me engaged. I was invested in the story of Wallace and of Hugo. Seeing them evolve together

The only criticism I have may be the ending. I did think it had a very fitting ending but at the same time (I don’t want to say anything to spoil the ending) I also like endings that end kind of the opposite of how this one did.

All in all, I really enjoyed this one; 8.5/10, and will be looking to purchase a copy when it comes on sale in September. I think anyone could enjoy this book, especially if you love character driven stories.

Ruthless lawyer Wallace wakes up at his own funeral and thinks he has to be dreaming. But when a stranger at the service turns out to be a reaper sent to collect his soul, he starts to believe. She takes him to a mysterious tea shop run by Hugo, a ferryman who helps souls in their transition to the afterlife. Afraid and angry, Wallace refuses to move on, effectively leaving him in limbo in the teashop. Gradually, with the help of Hugo, the reaper, and a couple of resident ghosts, Wallace begins to learn to be a better person and care about other people. Under the Whispering Door is T. J. Klune’s newest novel after The House on the Cerulean Sea, the sleeper hit and bestseller of last year.

Whispering Door is all at once a queer love story, a metaphysical treatise, and an introduction to philosophy. It also runs the gamut of emotions; at times funny, serious, and sad, with a main character whose personal growth is organic, if somewhat sped up. Though the subject matter can be heavy, Klune’s outlook on death and the afterlife is altogether positive, and the book’s tone remains upbeat even while discussing difficult topics. After his breakout hit, Klune has clearly found a formula that works, and he has perfected it further here. In fact, my only complaint is that this new novel is too similar to the plot of Cerulean Sea: a grumpy loner finds a new family and becomes a better person. The book is predictable, but that is part of its charm – it is chocolate chip cookie-style comfort food packaged in a story about grim reapers and the afterlife. Fans of the previous novel will love this book, and newcomers will enjoy the quirky and uplifting story.

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Unfortunately I was not a fan of this book and maybe that is because my expectations were way off. This is a very slow moving story about the afterlife or the place between life and the afterlife. Interesting premise and I don't mind a slow moving story but this one never actually went anywhere. The characters were flat and forgettable and I didn't care about their stories or relationships. Basically I was bored and there was no pay off in the end.

I laughed, I cried, I was blown away by this book. I obviously had some high expectations going in, and I was not disappointed. Klune is a master of characters, making me fall in love with each and every one. Mei was my favorite, and she made me laugh the most by far, though Nelson was a close second. Of course I loved Hugo, because it is 100% impossible not to. As for Wallace, I loved his development. It was well paced and just so sweet. It also played well into the plot. The story itself was a bit slow in the middle, even though it opened fairly fast. But it worked for Wallace's development and that of other characters like Nancy and Cameron. I found the Manager to be a unique twist, though I was left with more questions than answers at the end. The ending was not my favorite, as it was almost too good to be true.

TJ Klune's writing shines in Under the Whispering Door! This is my second of his books, and I'm starting to see some trends. I thought the main character was unlikeable and had a predictable character arc. It was hard getting into the book, and the first 40% I was constantly picking the book up and putting it back down. It followed a similar path/theme to House in the Cerulean Sea, so if you enjoyed that you'll probably like this! Full of magical realism and deep characters.

tw: this book is about death/dying. it is heavy.


Thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge, the author and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy for review!