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!

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing me with an arc in exchange for a review!

I absolutely adored this book. At first I was not sure if I was going to like it because Wallace & I were clashing heads, but oh my goodness I loved it so much. I did cry, I'm not going to lie about that, my emotions were going up and down the entire time, but it was such a sweet story. I can't find anything that I didn't like about this. The writing was great, the characters were likeable (if not at first, eventually), and I was so intrigued by the story. It is definitely labelled correctly when 'The Good Place' is used as one of the comp titles -- it's very good placey in terms of subject matter.

I'm impressed with how this Klune never made anything drag on for longer than it had to be. Sometimes books written about death and philosophically centred subjects ramble on and on, but this was succinct and easy to follow and just overall so beautiful. Very well done, and I will be buying a physical copy of this book when it comes out :)

This is the story of Wallace Price. When we first meet Wallace, he is alive and concerned only with work. After a heart attack, Wallace is guided to a ferryman, Hugo, who runs a tea shop and helps the newly dead prepare to move on. Through Hugo and his family, Wallace learns to connect with others and about the importance of kindness. Now that he's dead, this lesson may be too late... or is it?

I wanted to love this book and maybe it's unfair because I did love T.J. Klune's The House In The Cerulean Sea, but I was disappointed by Under The Whispering Door. This novel felt too simplistic and preachy or maybe too much like a conversation between a person and their therapist. I also had a hard time believing the changes in Wallace. He started off so self-centered and work obsessed but once he met Hugo, he was suddenly all selfless and caring of others.

I think many readers will really enjoy the interesting premise, positive message, and lovable characters found within these pages.

Thank you to NetGalley for receiving this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Corporate lawyer Wallace Price thinks he has it all. Until one minute he’s alive and the next, he’s looking down at his own body, dead on his office floor. Collected from his own funeral by a reaper and taken off to a ferryman to pass into what comes next, Wallace is confused and angry. As he accepts his fate and comes to terms with his new reality, he must confront who he was before and what he wants to become. This book is a twisting tale of life, death and a pondering on what comes after.

I was immensely disappointed in this book. The plot moved so slow and it felt so repetitive. It had such great potential to be an exploration of feelings surrounding death, but the author instilled so many awkward “funny” moments that it really took away from the feel of the book overall. The conversations surrounding death were all phenomenally written but felt repetitive when they happened over and over with every ghost encountered, getting the same talk over and over. The synopsis makes it a point to reference Wallace having one week and I expected that to be a major plot point, but 75% of the book was gone before that even came up and it comprised of 15% of the total novel. The ending was super unsatisfying for me, too.

Wallace was an awful character who’s never explored farther than skin deep but somehow seems to evolve into this wonderful human without putting in any of the work. I wish this book had focused more on his life before his death, why he ended up where he did and used those life experiences to inform his growth and his acceptance of his death, instead of using him to solve everyone else’s problems but not his own. The romance in this book made no sense either and felt out of place.

While I enjoyed the overall style of the authors writing, this book just wasn’t for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publishers at Macmillan-Tor/Forge and Netgalley for this e-ARC of Under the Whispering Door.

Wallace Price, a hotshot lawyer, is not a loved man. Work comes above everything else, including friends and family, which he doesn’t really have. After a heart attack leaves him dead on his office floor at the age of 40, he finds himself attending his funeral. Confused, scared, and angry that nobody can see or hear him, he discovers that a woman he’s never laid eyes on before, can. As she explains to Wallace that he’s dead, they travel to Charon’s Crossing Tea and Treats to meet the Ferryman, the man who will help Wallace cross over from this life into whatever is next. Under the Whispering Door is a funny and heartfelt story about a man who learns how to live after death.

I really loved this story. It was laugh out loud funny (especially chapter 11) and was deep and philosophical. Wallace was a man who never thought to live life, and instead did nothing but make enemies and work 24/7. But death has given him another chance, to right his wrongs and love someone other than himself. While I didn’t find the ending unexpected, the entire story was super sweet. I highly recommend this book!

Under the Whispering Door releases September 21!

Whereas The House in the Cerulean Sea left me a puddle of mush, I have now officially been obliterated. Under the Whispering Door hit all the feels and destroyed me in the best way possible. The characters were rich and well-crafted, as was the setting, and the exploration into grief and acceptance was masterfully done. Wallace Price is undoubtedly one of my favorite Klune protagonists: not only was he a raging ball of sass, but his development over the course of the novel was so rewarding. And to top it all off, I personally feel like Klune's writing has never been stronger (although there's this one particular expression that does tend to crop up in most of the novels I've read by him).

So, yeah. Do yourself a favor and read this.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Under the Whispering Door is what you would get if The House in the Cerulean Sea and A Man Called Ove had a baby. Considering those are two of my all-time favorite books it is no wonder I loved this one, too. Under the Whispering Door is full of quirky and complex characters. I went from laughing out loud at the seance scene to sobbing at the epilogue. This book has all the feels! I now feel like I need to read everything that TJ Klune has ever written, since the two I have read this year are at the top of my favorites list. Under the Whispering Door will be available September 21. Preorder it now! Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5 star!!. My review for this book can also be found on my Goodreads account at the link provided.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!*

Wow. T.J. Klune is an absolute master at creating stories that break my heart in the best way possible. Under the Whispering Door had everything I was looking for and more. Heart-warming, beautiful and full of emotion, I couldn't put it down even if I tried. This isn't solely a story about dying, but also living, grief, loss, healing, family, self-reflection, love and so much more. Similar to House in the Cerulean Sea, the found family in this book was truly special and I can guarantee that you will fall in love with every single one of these characters.

The only aspect of this book that I wish was done differently was Wallace's character development. I felt that we are told that Wallace has changed from an asshole to a good person but it is not being shown. I wanted to see more of his growth and that transition period.

Overall, I loved this book and it comes to no surprise. Under the Whispering Door is unforgettable and I recommend this to anyone and everyone. This book will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it will certainly fill you with overwhelming joy.

After reading The House in the Cerulean Sea it was clear to me that I wanted to read the author's next novel because it seemed similar and yes, but not. Obviously the author's style is maintained and the overall story as well in the sense that these novels are not about action; but about characters, feelings and life lessons. I loved this novel and I think I have fallen in love with this author's style. A marvel.

Wallace Price is not a good person nor does he care to be. Ungrateful, ungrateful, insensitive are some of the words his acquaintances would use to describe him. But he doesn't care. He doesn't care. Until one day he has a heart attack and dies. From that moment on he realizes that he has wasted his life, that no one will miss him and that he has wasted everything he had for nothing. This is only the beginning of the path that will lead him to meet Hugo, a person who will change his life or... well... his death.

Hugo has a job: to help the dead go on their way. When Wallace walks through the door of his tea store, he knows it's going to be a very difficult task. Little by little Hugo will work his way through all of Wallace's barriers and, perhaps, he shouldn't have tried so hard because now he doesn't want Wallace to leave. All the characters, all of them, are wonderful and perfectly drawn; even the more minor ones.

This novel lived up to my expectations. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me feel a million things. Does it have flaws? Sure, but I don't care. Wallace's growth, Nelson's sense of humor, and Hugo's heart have stayed with me and won't be leaving for a long time.

This book had the sweetest most honest TW: This story explores life and love as well as loss and grief. There are discussions of death in different forms —quiet, unexpected, and death by suicide. Please read with care.

I cried. I had happy tears of triumph and love. I had sad tears full of well, sadness. I also thought a lot about the love I have for my father and how that never goes away.

“The first tine you share tea, you are a stranger.
The second time you share tea, you are an honored guest.
The third time you share tea, you become family.”

This story had it all. Wallace Price was a bastard in life and it took him dying to begin to live. It took him finding a whole new world inside Charon’s Crossing Tea and Treats. A tea shop with a reaper, a ferryman, two ghost, one human and one dog, and finally finding his home. When I tell you this book was heartwarming and sweet I mean really lovable you won’t believe me. How can a book about death be sweet and fluffy but it was. I definitely cried a lot. Books about dying always remind me of my father and how much I miss him but this book was so sweet and full of life.

I just love this author’s humor and sensitive way he talks about hard things. This book talked about PTSD and panic attacks as well. It’s not easy being a ferryman. Hugo, the ferryman, has to deal with death every day and some ghost are very angry and sad. Wallace surprised most of all! And I loved every minute of it. It was inspiring to watch him grow and learn to love. It was also heartbreaking. There’s a part where Hugo wants to hug him but can’t and asks Mei to do it for him. I cried so hard. Pick this book up!! You won’t regret it. Just make sure you’re ready to cry.

TJ Klune never fails to disappoint, and somehow his books are progressing further into something so beautiful and unique that i read this in one day without hesitation. with a similar feel to The House in the Cerulean Sea, Under the Whispering Door does everything so well and doesn’t hesitate to bring tears. Wallace’s development from the character he was at the beginning to the end was so important and i’m so grateful to have witnessed it.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this ARC

Life. Death. Love. Happiness. Sorrow. All in one book. My word. I sobbed and giggled and my heart was full after finishing this. Klune has a way of taking life and elevating it to something magical and vibrant. I felt that I could see, hear and smell the scenes, quite vividly, and could almost see this as an animated movie. I loved House in the Cerulean Sea and this book tops that. Definitely recommend for all who love a cosy book but don’t mind getting your heart broken a bit.

All of the stars!!! If you were a fan of House in the Cerulean Sea, you'd enjoy this as well.
When Wallace attends his own funeral, he suspects he may be dead. He meets a reaper, Mei, who takes him to a ferryman with the goal of helping him cross over. This way station- its's a tea shop! But what if Wallace doesn't want to cross over? Is it ever too late to change the way you live? Even if you're not....alive?
This book is full of fabulous characters and is quirky and heart wrenching.
Thanks to Netgalley for an early copy to review.

I can't express enough thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for allowing me to read one of my most anticipated books of the year early.

This book is absolutely beautiful. Everything TJ Klune writes just cuts right to my heart, and this was definitely no different.

Wallace Price was not a good man. He was a workaholic and put nothing before his job as a lawyer. He treated the people around him more like servants than employees and did whatever it took to get ahead. When he dies, he expects death to go much like his life and it's quite the shock when he discovers that is not going to be the case. Hugo Freeman is a ferryman- helping the dead on their way to what comes next. Along with his reaper Mei, they run a tea shop that does a lot more than meets the eye. When Hugo and Wallace meet, Wallace is determined to get his life back and continue on as he was. Hugo, the most patient man in existence, explains how much that is not possible and begins the process of helping Wallace to move on. As the two grow closer and learn more about one another, saying goodbye suddenly seems like the worst thing.

I straight up silently wept throughout the entirety of this book. Death and what comes after is not something I think about often because it tends to send me into a panic. So, reading this and following Wallace's journey really got to me. I loved watching him realize that maybe he wasn't as good of a person as he'd believed when he was living, and then striving to be better in death.

The supporting characters are absolutely fucking lovely and Nelson Freeman is just... the best. He had me laughing out loud while also crying SEVERAL times. I'm a sucker for a faux-grumpy, found family man and Nelson delivered all that and more.

There are a lot of life lessons wrapped up in love in Tj Klune's books, and this one is no exception. I love how Klune makes the reader think about things that are difficult or painful to think about without coming off as preachy or condescending. Also, he's just fucking funny. I had no business laughing as much as I did while also crying, bit man did I.

I can't recommend Klune's books enough. Definitely pick this one up.

If Ebenezer Scrooge was given several weeks instead of one night, and the spirits that visited him were sassy, sensitive and sometimes spiteful, this would have been the story.

This story was nostalgic even though I've never been anywhere near it. Middle grade atmosphere and whimsy with adult themes. Predictable in a way that comforts and soothes the soul.

Oh this was just.....beautiful. This is a story about death and what comes after it. Wallace was a complete ass in real life, but in death he learns compassion and love.

Wow! I don't know where to begin. I finished reading a couple of hours ago and I'm still overwhelmed with emotions. First off, thank you Tor Books and NetGalley for an eARC.
I still can't believe I was so lucky to read this in advance. Ever since I read The House in the Cerulean Sea I knew I wanted to read everything Klune writes.
Under the Whispering Door is in some ways different from The House in the Cerulean and in other ways very much alike. We have humor, heart breaking moments, wonderful characters and beautiful writing. I just love the way Klune writes his characters. They are so lovable and feel so real. I love all of them. I laughed and I cried and I loved this book. This is a story about life and death, grief and loss, love and finding meaning in little things in life.
I love Klune's writing and I'm looking forward to his future stories.

This book was so good. I usually read books for entertainment, I want to escape the trials and tribulations of day-to-day living. Never have I willingly picked up a book knowing I would be an emotional wreck when it was over. But that did not stop me from jumping at the chance to read this latest TJ Klune book.

In short, it is about a man (ghost) who refuses to cross over and the ferryman he falls in love with at a tea shop.
Loved all the characters and how they interacted with each other and those who need their help.

The book explores death and offers a glimpse into what is/could be waiting on the other side. Thankfully, humor saves the day when things get a bit emotional. My heart was very happy, if not emotional wrung-out, at the end of the book.

Be prepared to laugh, cry, cheer and hold your breath throughout the entire book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for allowing me to read the eARC .

Thank you netgalley for an advanced copy of this beautiful book. TJ Klune crafts such perfect imperfect characters and truly draws you into every world he puts onto his pages.
I began this book thinking it would be a one day consumed in a single sitting story, but it actually became a chapter by chapter read where I would have to stop to think about each bit as I went. At times it is very heavy, which despite the synopsis of a man traveling to the afterlife, I was not expecting. It is a journey through grief and death and the relationships we create and keep with ourself and others. What does it mean to be a family? What emotions are predominant in your life? What makes a “good death”? What happens after we die? This book explores all these very deep and sometimes uncomfortable to think about topics with wit, charm, and an overall them of love and healing. I laughed, cried, and thought so much about this book. I loved it from beginning to end!

This book is incredibly emotional, a love letter to anyone who’s experienced grief. I found myself laughing and sobbing and holding my chest in pain (in a good way.) I am always astonished at the way TJ Klune makes us feel so many feels at once, and this is no exception. This book reminded me of the final season of the good place & I loved everything about that.
A lot of mention of death and a lot of heavy grief filled emotions in this one. Please read with care.
Cannot recommend this book enough.