Wow, I almost have no words, this was so good. TJ's writing is like a salve. Its like being wrapped up in the warmest, tightest hug you could ever imagine and you never want to let go. I could not put this book down, but at the same time wanted to savor every word. This story was such a beautiful look and imagining of the afterlife and life before death as well. So many big questions and important answers. The main characters Wallace, Hugo, Mei, Nelson and Apollo were all perfectly imperfect and quirky and felt like good friends by the end. This book completely undid me, I loved it so much. Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Books for the ARC.

Under the Whispering Door follows the story of Wallace Price, an attorney who finds himself dead one day, and is taken to a way station to figure things before he crosses over for good. Wallace has had quite the life, or lack of it.

I have a complicated relationship with this book.

On one hand, I really loved the main characters. If there's one thing the author does so well, as seen in his previous works, he creates unforgettable characters that readers find themselves getting attached to, and unable to let go of after finishing the books. The characters were the absolute highlight of this book, and they are reason enough to pick this up. These are characters everyone needs to know. I read this slowly, just to be spend more time with them.

On the other hand, I unfortunately found myself distracted from the story by the writing. At times, some of it felt forced, and it took away a bit of the experience.

However, my little misgivings did not stop me from crying at important scenes, so the book still wins here.

This is not Cerulean. It is a completely different work, and should be treated as such.

I give this 4 stars.

Thank you for the egalley, Netgalley, and Macmillan-Tor/Forge!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.


I cried the entire book. Everything was so cleverly thought out, and Wallace was someone you lived to hate. If I had one critique I would say I wanted more about the Manager—he is quite the interesting character, and I would love more—but I can see why his scenes were limited. The focus was on Wallace’s journey in death, and the husks (LOVED THAT PLOT TWIST SO MUCH) were just a side story.

100% recommend. My face is so puffy from crying. The ending was literal perfection.

I absolutely loved this book and all the tears and laughter that came with it. As TJ Klune does best, there is great lgbtq+ representation, character diversity and a very tough and unknown topic that is explored beautifully. It started a little slow for me, however I was so invested that I could not wait to pick it up again and find out what was going to happen.

As someone who has dealt with losing significant loved ones this year, this story really brought more hope and thought to their journey as they passed from this life to the next. It was wholesome and I literally cried more through this book than I ever have before. I don't want to say much more as I want everyone to walk into this story with as much unknown as I did to really get it all.

I would highly recommend this book to any and everyone. Please be sure to read the trigger warnings and understand that this book is heavy and light at the same time. Grief, death, suicide and animal loss are just some key triggers but please look for any others if you need.

*Thanks to Netgalley for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review*

THERE WILL BE QUOTES; POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD- READ WITH CARE.

I have a hard time finding the words to describe this book, it pulls you in with such a force, and I had a hard time letting go.
Wallace started as an unlikeable character for me. The very first glimpse we get of him is him just being straight-up cruel to some woman that didn't deserve an ounce of it. But that's the point, we dislike him, he annoys us, and he had his dose of karma when he died. THEN, ALMOST THE FIRST THING HE DOES AFTER HE DIES IS TRYING TO LODGE A COMPLAINT???? AGAINST DEATH???

"I'm told I died from a heart attack. I'd like to lodge a formal complaint, seeing as how-" "...I would really rather not be dead if at all possible, I have far too much work to do, and this has been an awful inconvenience..."

When Wallace looked back on his life and achievements, it had a strange effect on me. He woke up, went to work, did his job, came back home, and went to sleep; with nothing more to show for his life other than some nameplate on a fancy firm and an ex-wife, was it all worth it? Sacrificing your life for a job and having nothing to show from it. Well, Wallace had that ridiculously expensive coffin. So I guess that's something.

Enough about Wallace. I've always believed that blood doesn't make family, but the family at the tea shop surprised me.
Mei is strong-headed, fiercely protective over the people she cares about, and gives the best hugs. "I'm going to hug the crap out of you." "From the moment you're born, you're dying." Man, that hit me hard.

Nelson is funnily enough what I would expect from a granddad ghost. He's wise, always there for his grandson, and never far from pranks and laughs. "He's taking to being dead pretty well." "I can handle him if need be. I may look old, but I can kick ass and take names with the best of them."

Don't get me started on Hugo... I want to cry just thinking about him in the last couple of pages. He's so sweet, and for what? All people do is fight with him for just doing his job, which he did not get any say in. He gives people his whole soul in exchange for nothing, not even a mere thank you. "We can be friends now, there's nothing stopping us" " I need you to hug Wallace for me"

And for what it's worth, that goddamn dog broke me. That's what did it, the final straw before the watergates opened up wide.

This book talks about death and life after death in a way that I've never seen before. It's not tied to a religion or a certain belief that promises you heaven or hell or whatever it is. This book reminds me a lot of the show "The Good Place," but without the evil demons and all that.
After a bit of a battle with myself, I decided to go with four stars instead of five. The book does drag a little on (much like season 2 of The Good Place), but the book manages well with humor, newfound dilemmas, heartfelt characters, and, well, the curiosity to see what will happen to Wallace. Also, the main relationship in this story seems a bit underdeveloped. They went from disliking each other to being somewhat friendly, and then suddenly they're in love without anything really happening. I know that Wallace is a ghost and all that but I feel like there needed to be something a liiiiittle more before they were all lovey-dovey in love with each other. Wallace improved a lot at the tea shop. He did a complete 180° in regards to his personality, character, and overall how he connected with other people. I grew fond of him, and although I already liked him straight after his death, he definitely grew himself a little hole in my heart. "Hell yeah! I'm the best ghost ever!"

That being said, I loved it, already pre-ordered a physical copy, will reread and annotate it, and can't freaking wait to force my friends to listen to me rant about it.

I just adore TJ Klune's eclectic and soulful characters. Lucy from The House in the Cerulean Sea is still one of my favorite literary characters of all time. Under the Whispering Door is definitely the darker of the two novels but still has plenty of whimsical notes as well. Packed with originality and vibrant descriptions. I see Nora Lum rocking the character of Mei if this ever becomes a movie.

Thank you to Macmillan/Tor Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this novel. My review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

Under the Whispering Door was not at all what I expected it to be. From the synopsis given I thought this would be a book filled with hijinks and shenanigans while Wallace tried to live the life he never did before his death. Instead the book starts off with him firing an employee because she made one mistake while suffering some problems in her own life. It was then I realized Wallace was kind of a dick and I wasn’t sure how any of this was going to go.

I shouldn’t have worried because this book was wonderful and I am so glad I stuck with it to the end. While it was different from what I had envisioned, it was exactly what I needed it to be at the same time. There were some hijinks and shenanigans, but the heart of this book is grief and how we all deal with it differently. Wallace has to take the time to accept who he was in life now that his life is over.

While I really disliked the type of man Wallace was at the beginning of the book, it was wonderful to watch him find who he truly could have been with the help of Nelson, Mei, Apollo the ghost-dog and especially Hugo. This story left me feeling so many different emotions. I cried more than once and would gladly do so again rereading this wonderful story.

I highly recommend this one!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I know this book is going to get a lot of hype and it will be 100% well deserved.
The story opens with Wallace, who is simply not a good person and we really get to see that in those few pages before he dies. That's not a spoiler at all since that's when the main plot starts happening. The main character learns a lot about life, death, grief, human connections and being a good person. I really don't feel like I should say anything else because I want everyone to just experience this story!
This book feels like a warm hug and a cup of tea. It's extremely funny while also being extremely sad. It made me emotional in a lot of ways. I absolutely loved it, I will definitely be re-reading it and it is one of my favorites now. Pick this up if you're grieving the loss of a loved one or if you are not happy with the point you're at in life. Or just pick it up because it's absolutely amazing!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book early!

TJ Klune has done it again, iv fallen head over heels in love with this book and all its characters. So where to begin with a review.

The most poignant thing I find with TJ Klunes writing is the character development. After finishing and looking back at how I felt about characters in the first few chapters, to how I feel about them at the end of the book, I quickly realise what a huge personal journey they have been on and how much they have developed. Under the Whispering door is no exception to this and probably does it better than any book I've known.

I really enjoyed the 'magic system' In this book, or rather how death and those tasked to deal with death is depicted and described.
I found the writing to be so thought provoking and profound.
The plot of the story is relatively light, more a whimsical journey rather than a dramatic story of twist and turns, it does a great job of building atmosphere when needed, and the small world that is built around Wallace is cosy and familiar to me as a reader.

This book is perfect for character loving readers. If you like me, enjoy seeing character change, develop, grow and interact together with a big hug thrown in then this is the book for you!

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan-Tor/Forge and TJ Klune for providing me with an ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Under the Whispering Door is a story of grief. It's a story of found family, learning how to be a better person, and selflessness. Everything about this book is beautiful, heartbreaking, and so well done. I can't recommend it strongly enough.

Wallace isn't a good person when he dies. Some might even say he's downright horrible. But when he's brought by his reaper to Hugo's teahouse/way station, some of that has a chance to change. Wallace needs to move on to the other side-- he can't be a ghost forever. But maybe there's enough time for him to make some changes first. And is it ever too late to fall in love?

I have nothing bad to say about this book. There were moments that were hilarious and charming and other moments where I sobbed so hard I think a kidney might have popped out. I do caution readers to heed the content warning printed at the start of the book. I promise, it won't spoil anything, but it's good to understand exactly what this book is dealing with. After all, death is a strange, sad, and messy thing, and TJ Klune does such a fantastic job of exploring that. As always, I love the families he creates across the pages. I feel like I"m part of them too.

So plop yourself down with something comforting and enjoy the ride!

TJ does it again and leaves me sobbing. This book is beautiful. Could not recommend more, all of his books make me feel warm and safe and loved.

🚪 Under The Whispering Door 🚪
By TJ Klune
Publisher: Tor Books (Sept 21.2021) Macmillan

Going to start off by saying this is not a book I would normally pick up: death, after life and crossing over is not something that I’m drawn to in any way but because of how much I loved ‘Cerulean Sea’, I wanted to see if the magic I found in TJ’s other book would continue in much the same way with this one.

I have to admit that the first 30% of the book I was still hesitant. It wasn’t grabbing me the way ‘Cerulean Sea’ did but somewhere near the middle, something clicked and I found it.

As I finished the epilogue, tears streaming down my face, (truly the last scenes will have you reaching for Kleenex), I was happy I stayed with it. It reminded me of Matt Haig books; How the author could take the subject (death) to create love. And magic. And have you thinking about your own life and past mistakes.

If you enjoyed The House In The Cerulean Sea (or Haig books). you’ll enjoy this. TJ Klune uses flawed characters that teach us how to love and be loved

I loved reading this book. from the first chapter up to the last I was invested in these people's lives (and/or deaths). and that's what TJ Klune is really good at. Making loveable characters that you really care about and making them human. They're relatable and they show good and bad traits. You put them into a cute little setting and give them an important lesson to learn and overcome and along the way, they help others as well as themselves. Reading this book, I felt like I was watching a movie. it was just great pacing, great descriptions, great dialogue. It was so entertaining. And when I tell you I SOBBED! This book just hits you in all the soft spots.
I really liked the themes in this book of grief, loss, and the power of healing after death. Those are hard topics to cover, but TJ Klune really knows how to do it with humor, reverence, and love. It also explores the thought of "If I die right now, would I regret the way I lived my life? How did I impact those around me? Was I a good person?" and he just does it beautifully. A great story. Very original, in my mind, and extremely thought-provoking and entertaining. Just the right amount of Feel-Good. I would recommend this book to anyone.

First of all, I highly appreciate the trigger warnings at the start. You would think a book about death would be very heavy and hard to get through. Klune’s writing made this topic very digestible.

The ideas of life after death that were explored helped me find immense comfort. Death is something that’s incredibly scary when you spend too much time thinking about, but the perspective of this book really aligned with my way of thinking and brought me peace.

The characters in the story are amazing. I loved all of them and felt such a deep connection to each one. I was so invested in them which made this story even more meaningful.

Thank you Netgalley and Torbooks for giving me the chance to read this early.

"It's never enough is it? Time. We always think we have so much of it, but when it really counts, we don't have enough at all."

Under the Whispering Door is a book about life, death, and those around us that make both meaningful. Wallace Price is not a good man when we are introduced to him. In fact, he is just downright unlikeable. And then he dies. He's brought to a quirky tea shop with its even quirkier owner - Hugo, the ferryman who is tasked with helping Wallace come to terms with his death and inevitably help him cross over into what's next.

I loved this book. I really, really did. I loved watching Wallace come to terms with his death and the life he lead before. I loved how the residents of the tea shop, Hugo, Nelson, Mei, and Apollo, helped Wallace on his journey. I think this book does a great job of displaying how everyone reacts to grief differently, and how we can only help each other process that grief in our own way. While it's uncomfortable to think about what happens when we die, it makes us that much more grateful for the fact we are living right now and what we do does matter. It matters to someone.

I will continue to read every book T.J. Klune writes and let his words wrap me in a beautiful gay hug that makes me cry. It's worth it every time.

Thank you TOR and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

THIS BOOK! It deserves an even bigger hug than 'The House in the Cerulean Sea'. My hearttt!

TW: Death, Suicide, Grief

A workaholic asshole named Wallace dies and ends up stuck in between life and death. He meets a ferryman Hugo whose job is to help him cross over. Will being in this in between world help him realize all the things he should've done differently and make him a better person?

It's largely about realizing all the things in life that are right in front of you but you don't realize it, appreciating what you have, losing your way because we're all human, and finding your own truth.

Wallace is the kind of character you hate and then can't help fall in love with! His character growth is phenomenal. Aside from hating him at first, every character in this story is loveable, and the diversity is perfection. Not only does TJ Klune always bring in the LGBTQ family so perfectly, but we have people of different cultures and races. The subtly gets me every time, it's so smooth and natural, and never feels forced.

This book had me giggling constantly. The subtle wit and humor makes the heavier content of grief with some of the main side characters feel light and joyful. Plus, ghosts accidentally end up in bikinis, Mei always has snarky remarks, and we have exciting ghost encounters with a oujia board!

While Hugo's main job is a ferryman he fronts as a tea shop owner. The incorporation of tea into this story is one of my favorite things. Hugo finds the perfect tea for each person he tries to help and tea always plays a role in the process that is coping with 'life' in between.

As someone who isn't a fantasy reader I love how Klune's stories are so relatable and only have hints of fantasy throughout!

"Stranger. Guest. Family." The family bond in this story is exceptional. Nelson and Apollo are the best gramps and pup you could ask for and then there's the family that's not blood and we make our own by choice!

Words won't do it justice, you should just read this book!

To close with my favorite line, "'You fit. I didn't expect that.'"

Thank you to Tor Books and Netgalley for the free eARC in return for an honest review!

TJ Klune does it again with a brilliant book on the afterlife, and coming to terms with the reality of your life versus the visions of perfection you think you see.

I was nervous to read this after having lost someone a few years ago, and I think this will be a common concern. My review will mainly focus on that since it is the premise of this book. Many of my friends who read this told me they felt it was handled very well, and I have to say I agree. Everyone’s perception of this will be different but I have to say it worked for me and I appreciate how Klune approached this, with compassion and skill. It gave me warm fuzzies in an experience that doesn’t typically allow for that.

I think there were some things in the middle where I kind of lost interest, but overall the story was very good and I would recommend, albeit minding the trigger warnings which are mentioned in the first few pages.

Thank you to Macmillan and Netgalley for the early copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

Wallace is not a nice man. He is more or less a modern-day Scrooge, and similarly, doesn't prompt much mourning when he unexpectedly dies one Sunday afternoon. Soon he is collected by "The Reaper" who leads him to a tea house where everything he thought he knew about life and death is thrown into disarray.

I read and liked Cerulean Sea, so I had high hopes for this one. I did enjoy it, (particularly the last third)--but parts of it fell flat for me. The whole middle hundred pages just felt kind of repetitive (I don't really think it needed all 400 pages) but maybe that's just mentally where I am right now. Overall it had a great cast of characters, really interesting world building, and the same whimsy/redemption we all know and love about Cerulean Sea.

Many thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Publication date is September 21, 2021.

This novel is a sweet, funny and frequently profound story of redemption, romance and grief; it will stay with me for a long time.

The set up may be familiar but the story is far from predictable or trite. Wallace, a workaholic lawyer, spends his days winning cases and making certain that everything in and out of his office works as efficiently as possible, regardless of the human cost. His sudden death and trip to "Charon's Crossing," an after-life waystation disguised as a tea shop, requires him to rethink what it means to live a good life. The story has a wonderful, diverse cast of found family and a sweet queer romance intertwined with great humor. I loved all of the outstanding characters but it's the thoughtful consideration of life, making amends and what may come after that truly resonated for me.

A preface warns that the story includes "discussion of death in different forms - quiet, unexpected, and death by suicide." That made me -- still grieving the sudden death of a loved one -- hesitate but I'm happy I continued. In an interview, T.J. Klune described how writing this novel was a means of working through his own grief; it shows in the ways the characters grapple with life and loss which felt very authentic. There were parts that made me cry but it is also very funny and, ultimately, very uplifting. If you liked Klune's previous novel, The House in the Cerulean Sea, this one is absolutely worth the wait.

Thanks to Macmillan-Tor, Netgalley and author TJ Klune for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. It will be published September 21, 2021.

I absolutely loved this book! I was so excited to read it after being a huge fan of The House on the Cerulean Sea. This has definitely been one of my favorite reads of 2021.