Under the Whispering Door

OMG this one got me good!Just finished, and spent the last quarter of the book reading through tears why I UGLY cried my heart out!!Yes I knew this would be sad but was not prepared.At first I wasn't sure about this book. I didn't instantly LOVE it like House in the Cerulean sea and In the lives of puppets, but about a quarter of the way in I was totally invested and just knew it was going to break me by the end!I love ALL the MCs Wallace, Hugo, Mei and Nelson and they each brought something different to the story.Nelson was the light relief in a HARD hitting story dealing with grief and death and the realisation that life needs to be LIVEDMei the girl you DO NOT want to mess with.Hugo and Wallace's story was touchingly bittersweet.A beautifully, heart breaking story that draws you in, chews you up then rocks you lovingly while you UGLY cry your heart out.Definitely one to read. Stick with it, its totally worth it for sure!!

Okay, I really loved it. It took me a little bit of time to get into it, but it was worth it. It’s an amazing book with a really creative plot.Just like with Cerulean Sea, I loved every character. He just knows how to write characters so damn well. They are all amazing in their own way, and each have a really important role to play.Of course, I love Wallace and Hugo so damn much. They are so adorable and well-suited for each other. Wallace’s character development is everything; Nelson and Mei are fantastic, as is Apollo of course! 🐶I keep comparing it to The House in the Cerulean Sea, which I think is an unfair comparison. Even though they were obviously both authored by the same person, they are very different novels, with very different characters and very different messages.It’s a really beautiful book about life and death that I honestly think should be read by everyone. It made me laugh, and it made me cry (twice - Cameron’s story really brought the emotions out). If you’ve read and loved The House in the Cerulean Sea, I highly recommend Under the Whispering Door!I loved the seance scene with Desdemona, it was so funny! It was also really nice to see Wallace and Nelson have some fun.I cannot wait for In the Lives of Puppets! 🙌

A very enjoyable read with some genuinely hilarious moments as time moved on and the characters got used to one another. Interesting twist on the 'life after death' trope.Got fairly predictable towards the end with the HEA.A definite downside, probably just exasperating to me, was having literally every conversation dotted with a few variations of 'you don't need to tell me if you don't want to', 'please don't feel pressured', and 'I'll never force you to do anything you don't want to'. Like, yes, we get it, you're empathetic.I also found it a bit unrealistic all the HEA declarations etc. when the characters barely got to know one another, or it was glossed over so it felt as though they didn't spend time getting to know one another.Overall, an enjoyable read, not sure I'd go back for a second read though.

I really wanted to love this one. Really. After falling under the beautiful spell that was The House in the Cerulean Sea, my expectations for this one were sky high. And that’s all on me.There are aspects of this one that are charming, profound, whimsical, interspersed with the found family trope. These are many of the elements that I loved from THITCS, but this one didn’t pull me in as much. And I don’t know if that’s because when we meet our main character Wallace, he is not that likeable. This is very much his journey to becoming a better person. Even in death you can learn and become better!I really enjoyed the lack of any particular religion at the backbone of this world that Klune has built, and the people, each with their own unique roles in supporting the passing on of people who have died. And the strong message running through this one of being kind, is powerful.

What a beautifully written story about love, loss, grief, second chances and the human need for connection. This is the second book I have read by this author. I think I preferred the house in the cerulean sea slightly more to this one. But both are filled with characters that give so much hope, warmth and kindness. I definitely would recommend this book and any other by TJ Klune.

This has a similar theme to the other TJ Klune book I've read but it wasn't quite as well rounded out I feel. I did enjoy it, the world and the characters, but it felt a little too similar to rate 5 stars...

I loved this book! It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me think about what life actually means and more importantly what happiness really is. The premise of the book is very interesting and not one I have come across before. The story envelops you like a warm hug and the characters are very well drawn, so it feels like you are sitting down in the tea house with them. I sobbed at the end, sitting on a beach on holiday. I wish I could read this book for the first time again!

It was not what I expected and enjoyed the book emensly. We all hope that whatever is to happen at the end isn't the end but maybe different way to exist and this book gives you a game on just maybe!