Marvelous. Sad this was only a snippet but none the less. This book is going places and this author has continued to write such beautiful stories filled with details and rich world building.

This book truly encompasses finding true family and the magic within. A beautiful, heartwarming cozy read.

A beautiful sequel, fans of The House in the Cerulean Sea will not be disappointed by this newest release. Filled with the comfort of found family established by the first installment coupled with new intrigue. This book truly feels like a warm hug and wonderfully captures the magic of finding true community and family.

Disappointed it was only a taste of the whole story. I need to read the whole thing! Looking forward to the rest of a hopefully wonderful story.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

The experience of reading this was like swimming through molasses. 3 stars is generous; this was one of my biggest disappointments of the year.

It's taken me longer than it should have to get this book read. The first book is one of my favorites, I gave it 6 stars. I was so excited for this, to be back with these magical children I fell In love with. They are still the stars of this story. Their wit and charm are amazing. I'd adopt any of these kids. It was nice to get some insight into Arthur's pov and backstory. The found family and message of family being more than blood is a favorite. I loved the inclusion of David and they're impending adoption. I did feel like this story wasn't really needed. The plot is basically a repeat of book one with a government rep coming to the island and outside forces trying to tear the family apart. The message, although an important one, lacked the subtlety and heart that the first book gave. It felt way too heavy handed and preachy and as a reader who already agrees with the messaging it was too much like preaching to the choir. The story itself also dragged on longer than it needed too. At one point I asked myself if it was over yet. All in all, I love the characters and the message but this wasn't nearly as great as book 1. 4 stars.

Thank you to TJ Klune, Tor Publishing Group/Tor Books, and NetGalley for an eARC of Somewhere Beyond the Sea!

""Lucy tilted his head back, staring up at the ceiling.
'It's hard.'
'What is?'
'Being alive.'
'It is,' Arthur Agreed, 'But perhaps that's the point. The trials and tribulations of life weigh heavily upon us, but we find people to help lighten the load...'"

I was so thrilled to get an eARC of this book because I absolutely adored The House in the Cerulean Sea. This book brought back all the quirky characters and added a few more. There were so many amazing moments. Moments where I laughed out loud. Moments where I wanted to reach into the book and give the characters a big hug. Moments where I wanted to jump to the characters' defense. And moments where I cried. TJ Klune has the ability to evoke so many emotions with his writing and this novel was no exception.

The only thing I would critique is the resolution of the book. I felt like it was a bit unrealistic (I know, I knowwww this is fantasy) to have this secret be revealed when it was never even alluded to in the books.

With that being said, I still absolutely adored this book and would 100% read it again. 4/5 Stars.

The House in the Cerulean Sea was my first T.J. Klune book and the one that solidified his spot as an auto-buy author for me. When I found out that there was going to be a second book, I was absolutely ecstatic! I must admit, I was a tiny bit nervous that the second installment wouldn’t live up to the magic of the first, however Somewhere Beyond the Sea exceeded all my expectations.

Somewhere Beyond the Sea felt like revisiting old friends. I loved seeing all our favorites from the first book with the inclusion of a few new faces. Klune excels at writing such memorable characters that you cannot help but fall in love with. I also really enjoyed getting this story from Arthur’s point of view and getting to learn more about his backstory.

The chosen family theme that was first explored in the first book continues on in Somewhere Beyond the Sea. The love between Arthur, Linus, and the children reminds us that family doesn’t have to be defined by blood, but can be those who choose to love you. The interactions between the characters, their banter, and the way they supported one another made for such a heartwarming read.

The humor in Somewhere Beyond the Sea is quintessential Klune that we’ve come to love - quirky, clever, and so very entertaining despite some of the heavier moments. This book made me laugh, made me cry, and left me feeling uplifted.

Klune's ability to write authentic child characters that are three dimensional while also entertaining is what keeps bringing me back to his books. The relationships between the children, and the children and their fathers, is what gives this story its resonance. The story tackles themes of identity, belonging, and dignity through the lens of the children's unfiltered honesty and their fathers' evolving understanding, offering hope without minimizing the fear and weight of these very relevant issues.This book is a much needed balm to the soul. T.J. Klune never disappoints.

I am not leaving a review since I received an excerpt instead of the full book. This feedback will be based on the excerpt I received.
I was excited to return to the world of The House on the Cerulean Sea when reading this book. I was not expecting a jump in time as long as this one. Nevertheless, I was happy to return to the world and revisit some beloved characters. I hadn’t expected the island to be abandoned but loved the idea of one of the previous characters coming back to revitalize it. I look forward to reading the full book soon.

I loved the House in the Cerulean Sea and I am excited to read more from this world. The snippet just made me more excited to see what happens to my favourite little found family

TJ Klune is a favorite author of mine. I was so happy to return back with these characters and this storyline. Truly such a gem of an author. Don't miss this series!

While initially I was only given a 4 chapter excerpt to review, I have since read the full book.

After the charm and magic of *The House in the Cerulean Sea*, I was excited for this sequel, but it didn’t quite live up to the original. While *Somewhere Beyond the Sea* revisits the lovable characters of Arthur, Linus, and the children of Marsyas Island, it felt more forced at times. The story still has heart, and the themes of love, acceptance, and found family are present, but the messaging felt more heavy-handed compared to the first book’s subtlety. TJ clearly wanted to make sure that nobody left this book without getting his message ((which I agree whole heartedly with, I just feel like I'm mature enough to get the message without it being so spelled out.))

That said, TJ Klune’s writing remains warm and tender, and the characters—especially the children—continue to bring joy and mischief. It’s still a delightful read, with plenty of heart, and the Character "David" was an excellent addition!

I can not speak highly enough of t j Klune as a person or his story telling abilities. This book is pure joy and magic and struggle and triumph and accomplishment and acceptance. I love it to the moon and back

I was so excited for this one, but it fell flat as a sequel. I loved the first one, but this didn't have as much "magic" as the first. It felt more forced and pushy. The first was perfect.

I must be one of the few that couldn't get into these two books. I tried picking up the first book in the series on three separate occasions, and just couldn't get into the story. I couldn't bring myself to start this one.

I thought it would be impossible to surpass the prequel, but getting to live inside Arthur's head for this book was such a treat and I got even more misty-eyed reading Somewhere Beyond the Sea than I did with the original. Both of these books have such heart and it was a balm to read it while chaos swirled in the outside world. I think Klune captured the fear of that chaos so well and it was inspiring to see Arthur, Linus, and the children figure out how to be brave and support each other in the face of evil and the people that wanted to tear them apart.

It was so exciting to read a glimpse into TJ Klune’s next instalment of Arthur’s adventures! I cannot wait to continue this story!

It is very difficult to rate an excerpt. It was not long enough to really get into.
I wish there had been a bit more so I could get back into this story,
I was not pulled in, and I really thought I would have been

There are so many things I could say about Klune's writing; how easily he seems to create worlds that leap from the page, how beautiful his prose is, how vibrant and lovable his characters are. This long-awaited sequel to "The House in the Cerulean Sea," which was one of the most beautiful books I've ever had the pleasure and the privilege to read, not only meets the insanely high bar that its predecessor set, it soars above it. The journeys of Arthur, Linus, and their children, and Zoe (MY BELOVED ZOE) and the rest of the colorful, delightful inhabitants of Marsyas Island, are a blessing to be able to follow. And, in days like these, when so many are being demonized and villainized and ostracized for simply being who they are, just because they might be seen as "different," the lessons of tolerance and hope and fighting the good fight are more important than ever. What a gift TJ Klune has given us.

This sample read provides a glimpse of an enticing storyline. If you are a TJ Klune fan, you will love this next addition into Arthur and the children.