💭 ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
I was super excited to read this one after reading The House on the Cerulean Sea. But I was a little disappointed. It was a big slow burn, long chapters and it didn't really grip my attention for the first 80% of the book. I did like the big message of "make the most of what you have while you have it, the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly". I also did like the way they where able to help people with their grief. I was absolutely rooting for the ending, which did happen. But overall I didn't really enjoy this one too much.
⭐️⭐️⭐️

🤓 ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
Slow burns
Afterlife
Long Chapters

ꜱʏɴᴏᴘꜱɪꜱ:
𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭, 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥. 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘨𝘦. 𝘖𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘴, 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘴, 𝘵𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴, 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱, 𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘏𝘶𝘨𝘰. 𝘏𝘶𝘨𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱'𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘺𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳.

𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥. 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘏𝘶𝘨𝘰’𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳, 𝘢 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴.

Amazing!! I was excited to read this book after the house in the cerulean sea (it isn’t a sequel btw) because I loved that book so much. This is a different story with different characters but the writing itself is very much the same. The story focuses on Wallace, a lawyer who dies and is taken to Hugo’s tea shop by a reaper named Mei. Hugo is a ferryman and wants to help Wallace accept his death and cross over. I can’t help but fall in love with TJ Klune’s characters, they aren’t perfect people but they recognise their flaws and strive to become better. They made me laugh, they made me cry and they pulled at my heartstrings so much! This was actually the first book to make me really cry, I’ve been very emotional over books before, even teary eyed but never cried, this book made at least 4 tears roll down my cheek! So prepare yourself for a rollercoaster of emotions while reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the early access to this book!

This gem made my day.

The only other T J Klune book I've read so far is the House in the Cerulean Sea, and that was the happiest book I read in 2020. This one got close, but just shy of the 5 star mark.

I enjoyed the portrayal of Wallace, and how he grew as a character. I'm glad his personal growth was displayed in a possible way, based on his experiences, interactions and regrets, rather than going from a horrible person to a selfless one within seconds, as I could not believe that as a possibility if he were a real person.

I also became really attached to the side characters, which made me enjoy the book more. Character driven stories tend to have that effect for me over fast paced books, even though I love both.

Hugo's character was so important to me, especially the portrayal of what anxiety can do to someone - I think that's something everyone needs to talk about more.

The story was compelling and intriguing - after all, none of us know what happens when we pass away, and it's nice to imagine something similar to the idea in this book.

Overall, I'm so glad this book exists, and I already have special editions pre-ordered to be able to re-read this when I feel down or sad!

This book is a love letter to those we have lost. I think it could help those that are grieving with loss to cope. There are some absolutely beautiful quotes and moments in this novel. There were some slow moments but it was a gorgeous story with some magnificent characters.

I feel so blessed to have receive an ARC of this book.

This book was everything. Even better than Cerulean Sea and I loved that book. If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would. TJ Klune definitely has a writing style all his own. This book made me feel so many things and none of them were bad. I went and ordered a physical copy so I could reread this again and again.

I’m not even sure I know how to process this book. I feel a book hangover coming on. The premise of the book should be sad and depressing but like Cerulean Sea, it just felt like being wrapped in a cozy blanket. And that epilogue…..perfection. I laughed. I cried. And again, I loved this book.

I adored The House in the Cerulean Sea so I was excited to get my hands on this arc. I felt like this story took a while to truly get going but TJ Klune had me reading past my bedtime and trying to see the words through my tears again so I can't complain too much about the slow start.

Come for the Dead Like Me vibes, stay for the found family, the big feelings about life and death and hope and love, and the excellent descriptions of tea.

thank you so much to Tor Books and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this my way in exchange for an honest review.

I had requested this book on a whim not really quite sure what the book was going to be about but what i found was such a important story that i think a lot of people need to read. This story is about redemption, healing and what a great cup of tea can do for you.

We follow Wallace who is a pretty cruel powerful business man who has money and power. until he doesn't.

In death we follow Wallace as he is brought to a tea shop run by its owner Hugo where he comes to term with what it means now that he has died.

Now i know this book doesn't come out till September so i will not give spoilers. but this story was so comforting to me.

i struggle with mental health and i read this when i wasn't feeling particularly my best until i received an email from Tor letting me know that they had approved my request for this book which i can't thank Tor Books enough for letting me read this early. this story takes off slowly as Klune really lets you get to know the main characters before the story really takes off. it still has that whimsical element that his earlier books had but i feel like this one was better? just the feeling of grief and redemption and just knowing that you can get through the tough times and that you are strong enough is such a huge part of the story for me.

The side characters Nelson whose Hugo's grandfather is so funny and i laughed so hard at a lot of the things he said and Mei who is a reaper that brings Wallace to the Coffee Shop is so kind and caring and i just wanted to stay in this story for so long. I'm thankful i have an e-arc so i can read it again before release date.

if you want a story about ghosts, healing and just need a good ol dose of comfort because life is stressful sometimes. please go read this.

T J Klune writes the sweetest books ever! Books that make me grateful to be alive, books that make me sad and happy all at once. This one took a few chapters to get into, but once I did…

This is officially one of my new favourite books of all time. It is so well written, and the plot is fantastic. I read the synopsis and I was hooked already, but reading the book just made it that much better. I had high hopes for this book, and it definitely did not disappoint. The writing style was so fun and easy to read. I really loved all the characters and felt like I really connected with all of them. This book definitely took me on a rollercoaster of emotions, very funny but also some sad parts. I felt like this book was just a very comforting read and I cannot wait for it to be released so everyone can enjoy it! I will of course be purchasing a physical copy when it comes out. A big thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC

Who doesn’t love a good paranormal romance with a cast of quirky characters?

Wallace is, to put it lightly, a jerk! He cares for little else than advancing his career and has made more than a handful of enemies over the years. When Wallace has a heart attack and wakes up at his own funeral, he is forced to come to terms with his new predicament. With the help of Mei, Nelson, and Hugo, Wallace tries to start fresh and be a better person in death than he was in life.

This book was such a joy to read! I loved the characters and the sense of life that they brought to this book about death. I loved the idea of the tea shop and I wish I had a quirky tea shop like Charon’s Crossing to visit in my neighbourhood! This book is definitely worth adding to your spooky season reading list!

This book...I seriously don't have the right words. Tj breaks your heart into a million little pieces but he puts you back together in such a beautiful new way! I love these characters with my heart and the story was one I simply couldn't put down until I inhaled every single word.

TJ Klune has done it again. Under the Whispering Door is beautiful, charming, and humorous.

Wallace and Hugo's journey from friendship to romance is sweet and it gives you all the feels. The character development, plot, humor, and just everything about this book is *chefs kiss*

If you are a fan of The House in the Cerulean Sea, then I highly recommend you give it a try, you will not be disappointed!

Thank NetGalley & Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing me with an E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I had very high expectations going into this book after reading The House in the Cerulean Sea because I know now how capable Klune is at hitting me with the emotional gut-punch, and I was not let down. Under the Whispering Door is an incredibly lovely and touching examination of grief, loneliness, and the ways we can change and evolve and love each other. At times it's exactly as melancholy and reflective as you might expect a book about death to be, but it's also full of humor (there were parts that I laughed harder while reading than I have in recent memory) and hopefulness. Soft. These books are so soft.

Oh my. TJ Klune knows how to write a story. The world was interesting and beautiful. Life and death explored and done with perfection. I love how you see such amazing character growth in his books, this one definitely didn’t disappoint. A beautiful and heart wrenching story. A romance between a ghost and a ferryman. I loved the romance immensely. I recommend this for anyone. Have a box of tissues on hand. You’ll cry but you’ll feel warmth and peace at the same time. And, isn’t that what Hugo wants, for us to find peace when things seem to spiral?

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

Synopsis:
When a reaper comes to collect Wallace Price from his own funeral, Wallace suspects he really might be dead.

Instead of leading him directly to the afterlife, the reaper takes him to a small village. On the outskirts, off the path through the woods, tucked between mountains, is a particular tea shop, run by a man named Hugo. Hugo is the tea shop's owner to locals and the ferryman to souls who need to cross over.

But Wallace isn’t ready to abandon the life he barely lived. With Hugo’s help, he finally starts to learn about all the things he missed in life.

When the Manager, a curious and powerful being, arrives at the tea shop and gives Wallace one week to cross over, Wallace sets about living a lifetime in seven days.


After reading and adoring The House in the Cerulean Sea, I expected Under the Whispering Door to hit me hard with another cast of characters to fall immediately in love with and keep me laughing. This was not what happened.

Under the Whispering Door is a quietly powerful story. In the beginning, there is nothing to like about Wallace Price. His dying is no great loss and honestly, I didn’t care. I mean he was the worst, so no point crying over spilled milk, right? Once Mei, the reaper, collects him at his funeral and brings him to Hugo’s tea shop, nothing really changes in Wallace and at first, it’s kind of annoying. Yes, you’re dead, no one liked you, that’s a bummer, but do you have to be such an asshole about it?

However, as we get to know everyone else at the tea house and follow Wallace through his acceptance of being dead, we get to see his transformation. It’s not dramatic, it doesn’t happen all at once, but it’s genuine and reminiscent of real life. When confronted with our own shortcomings, do we change immediately for the better and move on? Not usually. It’s a process. Now imagine being dead, in a waystation with a ferryman trying to help you, and the added difficulty that brings to sorting out your life. I can agree to cut Wallace some slack.

Through it all, Under the Whispering Door is a heartwarming and heartbreaking tale. It’s full of hope that is desperately battling the despair. Its power lies in the fact that death, grief, and hope happen to us all. Since grief is different for everyone, I believe this book will be a highly personal read that means something different to each person.

Trigger warnings: death, suicide

This book had absolutely no business making me cry as hard as it did!

Wallace Price is dead.

Once a successful lawyer, now a ghost of his former self. Wallace finds himself at a way station, struggling with the fact he is no longer alive and what that means for him. But Wallace soon finds out that success and money doesn’t mean happiness, and maybe it took dying for him to finally learn how to live.

I loved House in the Cerulean Sea, so when I got the opportunity to review Under the Whispering Door, I was ecstatic! These two books have very similar vibes and if you like one, I think you’ll like the other.

I love the character development we see in our not so friendly Wallace. He goes from an unlikable man to someone we really hope gets the happy ending he deserves.

The romance between Wallace and Hugo is so sweet an innocent. Despite the awkwardness of Wallace being, you know, dead. I loved the two characters together!

I love TJ Klune’s ability to make characters experience real development throughout the story and how even our most loved characters still have real flaws. This book was amazing. Although a work of fiction, it teaches the reader a lot about living life to the fullest and never taking a day for granted.

Another amazing book from TJ Klune!

A special thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for allowing me to read and review this book.

Marvelous. I adored every character. There are tough topics of death, grief, and loss but know that you are in good hands. Best enjoyed with a cup of tea.

What a triumphant follow-up to the absolute success that was The House in the Cerulean Sea! I have been eagerly anticipating this release for months, so obviously I jumped at the chance to read it early - thank you Tor and Netgalley!

Wallace Price is a divorced workaholic running a law firm to the tightest of standards. The first time we meet him, he’s firing an employee who’s just poured her heart out to him. When Wallace wakes up dead at his own funeral, he’s taken on a journey to a ghostly tea shop run by a ferryman and a reaper.

I absolutely loved the characters - if there’s one thing T.J. Klune does well, it’s making you love a whole cast of characters, even when one of them is an absolute asshole! As well as ferryman Hugo and reaper Mei, we have Nelson, Hugo’s absolutely iconic ghostly grandfather, and Apollo, the family dog (such a cutie) and of course a few campy villains thrown in there. The intertwining storylines of love (whether platonic, familial, or romantic), loss, and grief are explored in a beautiful and very poetic sense; there were several passages on what it means to have a good life that had me genuinely moved.

Under The Whispering Door had everything that made The House in the Cerulean Sea so incredible, with a grittier and honestly more heartwrenching story to boot. It’s very much a different story that still features that signature T.J. Klune charm we love so much. The last third of the book will have your ouch-my-heart glands swelling up for very good reason (and yes I did cry a lot and no we don’t need to talk about it….). Go read it!!

First off, I want to thank NetGalley & Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing me with an E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book yall. It hits you in all the emotions and I found myself enamored with the story and the concept. Wallace had the type of character development we can only dream of sometimes. He went from unfeeling and cold to a caring and helpful person. He learned so much in death that it leads you to think about your own life and how you are living it and treating others.

Every single character has my heart. I feel like a dog added another level to the story, but as an animal lover I am biased. There were so many times where these characters made me laugh out loud. They had a banter that was familiar and antics that made you see them as a family. They also made me cry and really feel for them. I felt like I was a part of the group and was sad to realize I wasn't. This is a group that will stay with you.

Overall, I absolutely adored this story and would recommend it to others. I think it has an important message that is portrayed well. Readers will leave the story with something gained, which is always rewarding.

When a reaper comes to collect Wallace from his own funeral, Wallace begins to suspect he might be dead.

And when Hugo, the owner of a peculiar tea shop, promises to help him cross over, Wallace decides he’s definitely dead.

But even in death he’s not ready to abandon the life he barely lived, so when Wallace is given one week to cross over, he sets about living a lifetime in seven days.

Thoughts: Be still my heart. There are not enough Kleenex in the world for TJ Klune. He literally held my heart in his hands and hugged it with this book. The whole concept of this story was unique, whimsical and dreamy. In typical Klune fashion , he writes such incredibly endearing characters that are full of life, vigor and humor. They leap right off the page. Full of personality , wit and some funny sarcasm that make me laugh out loud!

In this story we find compassion is strength and that complacency can be dangerous. The importance of living life to the fullest and how grief never really leaves us or goes away. It really hit home for me. I had a lot of personal self reflection while reading this. One minute your crying from the truths and the next he is lifting you up and you are laughing. Klune writes a beautiful fantasy of healing and humanity. This will leave you feeling wrapped up in a cozy blanket and valuing all those you love.

Thank you Netgalley and Tor for my advance copy in exchange for my review!