Wallace Price thinks he’s on top of life, but when he finds himself suddenly dead he realizes that perhaps his priorities weren’t in the right place, especially when it seems none of the six people at his funeral are sad that he’s gone. Taken by a reaper to the ferryman who will help him cross to the next part of life, Price bucks against his fate, not ready to be dead. Will he learn to accept that his life is over and be able to find peace and meaning on his way to the afterlife?

I really enjoyed the story. I liked the theme that living one’s life fully involves relationships and helping others. I teared up toward the end and enjoyed Wallace’s transformation.

I love TJ Klune’s books, and this one was no exception! It tells a very sweet story of a man who dies unexpectedly and ends up at a tea shop with a cast of characters that will help him move on to the other side. I thought this book had a bit of a slow start - the first 25% was just okay - but it really picked up in the second half and I was very invested. The magic realism definitely takes a little bit of suspension of disbelief, but the cast of characters is so well drawn and the romance so sweet that I didn’t mind at all.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review*

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune follows Wallace, who has just died and a Reaper has come to collect him. Instead of heading straight to the afterlife, the Reaper takes him to a small village. Located on the outskirts of the village is a tea shop run by a man named Hugo. Hugo is the owner and is a ferryman. Wallace, to be blunt, was a dick while he was alive. But Hugo and the others at the tea shop make Wallace realize everything he missed in life, and how he can change in death.

To put it simple and to the point, fucking Christ I love this book. The character development alone was phenomenal. Wallace realized how much of a fucking asshole he was in life, and wanted to change that in death when surrounded by everyone else in the tea shop.

Under the Whispering Door covers some heavier topics, but it’s done amazingly. The grief that was tackled in here couldn’t have been written any better. I felt so many emotions reading this book from happiness, laughter, sadness, grief, crying, and so many more I can’t put into words.

Everything about this book was phenomenal. I have nothing bad to say about it.

*Please look up trigger warnings if need be*

I should preface to say I’m a klunatic and TJ can do no wrong.

This story started off a little slow for me. Wallace is such a truly awful person at the beginning it was hard to want him to succeed.

Of course character development happens and the story evolves into a beautiful ode to life and the mystery that comes after.

Cameron’s story particularly hit my emotions deeply.

A sweet story about what it means to be human, the regrets we hold and the second chances we may be given. This was a book I wouldn’t typically read but my life is better for having done so. In this story we follow Wallace, who finds himself in the afterlife only to realise he was not a very good person when he was alive. From there we see Wallace’s journey as he questions his life and his values whilst meeting some pretty magical people along the way.

There’s a lot of hope in this book. It made me reflect on my own existence and what it means to live a meaningful life. It’s very warm and deceptively powerful. On the surface it seems quite light and whimsical but it has a lot of depth to it. There is so much heart woven throughout this novel. It feels like a warm hug from your grandmother after a long day. At certain points I found myself crying whilst other times I found myself smiling.

Around halfway through the story I felt a lull when it became more character focused but it picked back up for me towards the end as it again focused more on the narrative. Overall it was a wonderful, thought provoking read.

Thank you to the publisher Tor Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in advance.

This was such a moving book. Although it touched on heavier topics, specifically death- it did so in such a beautiful way. This book will definitely pull on all your emotions in the best way.

I've long been a fan of this author but the last few books have been disappointing- they've felt more like slapstick than heart. This one is a return to his roots. It's a story of death, with fascinating world-building for what comes after. But the star of this are the characters. You have the grandfather who manages to be the wisdom and comic-relief, which keeps him from being silly, a well-written female character who, in the end, isn't surpassed by the guy, an empathetic hero, a loyal companion, and a main character who starts out unlikable but manages to grow into someone quite different. Yes, there's a love story here, but it's almost unimportant. There's a deeper message here about giving people the chance and opportunity to be better, and calling them out on their bullshit. And at the same time, those who choose to cut ties aren't vilified.

This was just lovely. I laughed, i cried, and i finished this book with contentment and joy

Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune was SUCH a wonderful read. It broke me. It made me laugh. It also had me pondering my own life, and what death means. A story about death, grief and what comes after when we pass. Set in a small town tea shop, run by a ferryman, someone who helps spirits on their journey to the other side. Thought-provoking, quirky, and beautiful. A book about living, even when you find you're self dead.
This is already one of my top books of 2021 and can't wait for everyone else to enjoy it! 

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for providing be with an eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is going to be one of my very favorite books ever! Wallace isn't a nice man. When he dies, a reaper comes to take him away from his funeral. Mei takes Wallace to Hugo who is a ferryman. Wallace doesn't want to be dead. His life consisted of work only. He doesn't have any friends, an ex-wife who hates him , and partners in his law firm who didn't like him. Hugo and Mei run a tea shop with Nelson ( Hugo's grandad's ghost) and Apollo ( Hugo's dog's ghost). Living here Wallace learns about being a ghost and learning what life is really about. I loved this book and its incredible characters. The scenery is described so you are in the book and with them in the tea shop. This is a story of love, redemption, and family. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

This book was one of my most anticipated releases of the year. I had the pleasure of reading House in the Cerulean Sea late last year and it became one of my all time favorites. I tried to go into this with no expectations - I didn’t read the description. I heard a new book was coming, I saw the cover, and I knew instantly I wanted to read it without knowing much about it.

I’m so glad that I went into this “blind”. It was SUCH a heartwarming story, about love and friendship and what it means to be human. The scariness of life and the uncertainty of death. The characters were very well developed, everything Mei said had me laughing out loud and I loved the interactions between Wallace and Nelson, and Wallace and Hugo.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a dose of happiness or thoughtfulness. I can’t wait to order this book for my bookstore!

Every bit as sweet and lovely as 'The House in the Cerulean Sea'. If you're looking for a cozy contemporary fantasy with oodles of charm, adorable characters, a snugly setting and just a hint of the dark then this is definitely the book (and author for you). Heartfelt and touching this is book about redemption, friendship and second chances and I would recommend this to anyone looking for a well written uplifting book to renew their faith in humanity.

Under the Whispering Door. A tale of death and grief and what comes next. Do we have the ability to change after our death? Maybe, with help from the right people. Wallace Price, an attorney with a poor attitude suddenly drops dead of a heart attack. With the help of Mei, his reaper, Wallace ends up at a quaint tea shop filled with unlikely characters who are supposed to help him process and move on following his death. Will he cross over or will he find something worth fighting for in the living world?
I loved the characters of this book and how they develop throughout the story. TJ Klune does a wonderful job of addressing the hard topics of death and grief in this beautiful story.

Under the Whispering Door is a book with an intriguing premise. An initially unlikeable protagonist who has not lived the life he should've, but doesn't realise this until it's too late when he meets the reaper and ferryman guiding him to the afterlife. It has a lot of fantasy and paranormal elements, but at its core is a very human story of regret, grief and love.

Recommended to fans of character-driven contemporary fiction. It is both heart warming and melancholy, full of powerful emotion.

Literally a hauntingly good story, Klune’s latest novel is unconventional in it’s characters, quirky in it’s writing style, and unequivocally heart wrenching from beginning to end. Full to the brim with the unexpected, this book reminded me of Alice in Wonderland meets Narnia in it’s slightly unhinged humor tangled with the realities of the human condition that we all grapple with. I fell in love with these heartfelt characters, the inexplicable magic system, and the reminder to be grateful for our one wild and precious life.

I don’t even have words, I feel so lucky to have gotten to read this early. The book follows Wallace who spent his life working and not doing…. much else. He’s bitter, and selfish. And then he dies, and there is more.

The amount of character growth is so incredible, and I was rooting for Wallace while still feeling sympathetic to him as he grieved aspects of life that he didn’t realize he didn’t experience. I fell in love with all the characters, and the writing was so gorgeous, I felt like I was in every scene, feeling every emotion. I ended the book hysterically crying out of grief and happiness, and I could not have predicted the ending in any way.

Although it was a bit slow in the beginning, the focus was on character growth and a gorgeous gorgeous slowburn and developing of relationships. When the true conflict resolution part arrived, the relationships were still heavily touched upon.

I think this is going to be one of my favorite books forever, it truly changed the way I think about life and about being selfless. I highly highly recommend this book and wish it was out already so I could have a physical copy to mark up.

When I think of a comfort book I always think of The House in the Cerulean Sea. Now I can add this book to that list as well! TJ Klune has done it again! When Wallace dies and a reaper comes to fetch him he is forced to come to terms with the fact that he is indeed no longer alive! Along with the help of Hugo the ferryman and Mei his reaper Wallace sets out to live a lifetime in just a matter of 7 days! This story is heartwarming and full of compassion! You instantly fall in love with each of the characters! If I could rate it higher than five stars I would!

When I first started reading Under the Whispering Door, I couldn't stand Wallace. By the end, I was crying with his bravery and selflessness.

This book is an incredible exploration of grief and healing and family. Wallace's growth throughout the book was incredible. The jump from selfish asshole to just kind of a dick happened maybe a little quickly at the start, but doesn't come across too bad considering the shock of his death. The growth from that point on though, including his friendships with the people at the tea shop and his selfless acts for Nancy and Cameron, was truly wonderful.

I was impressed with the careful balance of heartache and humour, something that Klune usually tends to do well but was on another level in this book. The growing relationship between Wallace and Hugo was beautiful to see, and was probably one of the most delicate that I've seen from Klune.

I'll definitely be purchasing this book when it comes out, and will be a regular reread.

QUICK TAKE: this cover is real deceiving. Cerulean Sea 2 this is NOT. Instead, expect a gorgeously written meditation on life and death. This is a slower story, much more character-driven (with most of it taking place in a tea shop), but TJ Klune does such a beautiful job writing incredible, soulful characters, and while it took me to pivot from my expectations for this one, I ultimately found myself emotionally devastated by the end.

What a beautiful story of death, second chances, and grief. Despite the heavy themes, there is quite a lot of humor and whimsy I've come to love and expect from Klune. My only complaint about this otherwise wonderful book was the seemingly overnight love story.

4.5 (but I'm rounding up)

First off, I genuinely can't believe I got an advance copy for this. This was one of my most anticipated releases of this year 😭

Okay, so moving on to the actual review: If you've read T.J. Klune's work before, then you already know that this is going to be good. Only he can make a book about death and grief <em>feel</em> hopeful.

I've read some reviews that talked about how this story seemed to drag and was slow, but honestly, I personally loved that about this book. This IS slow. But since the themes and topics in this book are so heavy, this slow pacing allows for everything to marinate better. I savoured this pacing and the slow character development. It all felt natural. I loved all these characters and I actually panicked when I realized I was close to the 80% mark, because I didn't want this to end.

My only criticism is that we don't get much worldbuilding. We don't get to learn about how these supernatural and fantastical elements work outside of this context; the small tea shop in the middle of nowhere. I found myself thinking about Mei's past <spoiler>how she saw ghosts as a kid. Does that mean that they were newly dead people who gravitated towards to her, or was it because there were other Reapers and Ferrymen close by? I have a lot of questions!</spoiler>, other Ferrymen and Reapers. The overall "scale" of this world seemed to be lacking here, but honestly, it was something that I could live without.

And lastly, I loved seeing some of that <em>Green Creek</em> writing style shine through in a few sections :')

<em>I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</em>