September 2021 Standalone BOTM - Under the Whispering Door, by T.J. Klune

[Alaina]

Under the Whispering Door is a contemporary fantasy with TJ Klune's signature "quirk and charm" (PW) about a ghost who refuses to cross over and the ferryman he falls in love with.

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.

By turns heartwarming and heartbreaking, this absorbing tale of grief and hope is told with TJ Klune's signature warmth, humor, and extraordinary empathy.

**This BOTM thread will be open until October 5th @ Midnight (in your time zone)**

[Emma]

I just got an arc of this #excited

[Emma]

Chapter 1 (view spoiler)[ interesting that it starts in quite a similar way to the House on the Cerulean Sea (hide spoiler)]

[Emma]

Chapter 7 (view spoiler)[ I expected Mei and Hugo to be ghosts too. They’re not alive are they? (hide spoiler)]

[Emma]

Chapter 8
(view spoiler)[
“ Wallace wondered what it said about his life (and death) that he’d ended up in a kitchen in a lopsided house in the middle of nowhere wearing nothing but a bikini.”. Lol (hide spoiler)]

[Emma]

Chapter 11
(view spoiler)[ is it me or was that chapter with the seance not that funny OR special? (hide spoiler)]

[Emma]

Finished.
(view spoiler)[ no surprises here! (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

So jelly you got the ARC!

[Alaina]

I'm very excited to jump into this one!

[Alaina]

Starting this now!

[Alaina]

Ch 1-5: (view spoiler)[Well, that funeral was all kinds of awkward. I also laughed so hard when he did that little dance thinking he could go home. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Emma wrote: "Chapter 1 [spoilers removed]"

I was honestly thinking the same thing!

[Alaina]

Ch 6-10: (view spoiler)[Oh man oh man. I died with the bikini part. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Ch 11-15: (view spoiler)[I liked them messing with the fake medium just because I would totally want to mess with people if I was a ghost as well. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Ch 16-20: (view spoiler)[Even though the way they all die is making me all kinds of emotional, I really do like this found family. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Ch 21-Finish: (view spoiler)[Wow. This was good! (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Reading now! Also I love Kurt Graves as the narrator

[Alaina]

Yay!

[Aly]

Ooh in chapter four there's a little Green Creek Easter egg!

[Aly]

Alaina wrote: "Ch 1-5: [spoilers removed]"

It was so pathetic lol. No one cared. And the dance was hilarious

[Aly]

Ch 1-5 (view spoiler)[ You'd live a sad life if no one has anything good to say about your life. And even sadder that he wants to go back to his life so he can work, not for family or anything. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Aly wrote: "Ooh in chapter four there's a little Green Creek Easter egg!"

Is that another series?

[Alaina]

Aly wrote: "Ch 1-5 [spoilers removed]"

Yeah, that's pretty sad.

[Aly]

Alaina wrote: "Aly wrote: "Ooh in chapter four there's a little Green Creek Easter egg!"

Is that another series?"

Yes! They are so good

[Alaina]

Aly wrote: "Alaina wrote: "Aly wrote: "Ooh in chapter four there's a little Green Creek Easter egg!"

Is that another series?"

Yes! They are so good "

I will have to check it out lol

[Aly]

Alaina wrote: "Ch 6-10: [spoilers removed]"

Haha the changing outfits are hilarious

[Alaina]

Aly wrote: "Alaina wrote: "Ch 6-10: [spoilers removed]"

Haha the changing outfits are hilarious"

It totally was!!

[Aly]

Ch 6-10 (view spoiler)[ I love Wallace and Nelson's bickering, it's hilarious.
I wonder what's up with the lady that comes in and doesn't say anything? (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Aly wrote: "Ch 6-10 "

You shall find out soonish? I think?

[Aly]

Alaina wrote: "Ch 11-15: [spoilers removed]"

Haha "I'll eat your diver"

[Aly]

Ch 11-15 (view spoiler)[ Good to know about Nancy and her poor daughter. We also found out about the creepy ghost outside. I feel sad for both of them.

This new guy Alan seems like he might do something bad (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Aly wrote: "Alaina wrote: "Ch 11-15: [spoilers removed]"

Haha "I'll eat your diver""

hahahahaha

[Alaina]

Aly wrote: "Ch 11-15 "

Oh Alan...

[Aly]

Alaina wrote: "Ch 16-20: [spoilers removed]"

They're so sweet together

[Aly]

Ch 16-20 (view spoiler)[ Oh Wallace, you saved Cameron! I'm so happy.

But I don't want Wallace to go :( I wonder if he can go through the door and get a second chance? Like reincarnation or something? Please! (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Ch 21-End (view spoiler)[ I'm so happy that the Manager gave Wallace life and he gets to be with Hugo! That was so sweet and I was crying thinking Wallace would go through the door.

Nelson and Apollo leaving was bittersweet but necessary. What a great book! (hide spoiler)] Every book by Klune is freaking amazing ah. This makes me want to reread Cerulean Sea

[Alaina]

Aly wrote: "Ch 16-20 "

OMG!

[Alaina]

Aly wrote: "Ch 21-End ..."

Yes, definitely bittersweet!