Under the Whispering Door ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune


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G👀dreads About Summary

Welcome to Charon's Crossing.
The tea is hot, the scones are fresh, and the dead are just passing through.

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.

Hilarious, haunting, and kind, Under the Whispering Door is an uplifting story about a life spent at the office and a death spent building a home.

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, LGBT, Paranormal

The How/Why: One of my bookie friends suggested it.  

⭐⭐⭐⭐

🎉 Overall Storytelling? 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎊

🎣 Did it grab and keep my attention? 🎣🎣🎣🎣🎏

🗣️Would I recommend it to anyone? Yes ➕if you like Paranormal Fantasy MM Romance.

🕮 Would I want a sequel? No ➖

📚 Would I want to read more books by this author? Maybe 🤷  

💣💥 📢 Content Warnings? DɇaṪh and 𖤀Ɏinᵷ, Ǥriɇf & LoŞŞ, SȖicidɇ, MŪrdɇr
Author's Note: Please read with care.

🌶 Spice? No, Romance Yes

🌪 Plot Twist? Yes but I thought it was hokey

👟 Pace? Good

💻 Tidbits ~ When DɇaṪh Becomes the Happy Ever Afterlife. 

Wallace was a divorced 40-something attorney and workaholic curmudgeon. A totally relatable character because I worked in law for 20 years. Just sayin'...

All of a sudden he's at his own sparsely attended funeral. Needless to say he was not well liked. A mystery woman (Mei) whisks him away to a whimsical tea house in the woods. Turns out she's a Reaper 🧟‍♀️and he is now a Gh0st  👻.

There he meets Hugo. He's a Ferryman to souls who need help crossing over. He's kind, and patient, and understanding.
We also meet Hugo's Grandfather, an old soul of a gh0st, full of lessons and wisdom. 
There is also The Manager, a mystery man who pretty much makes up the crossing-to-the-afterlife rules as he goes along. 

Wallace has to learn the Rules of being a Gh0st. No touching people who are alive. No raising a ruckus to scare them. No wandering off. 

He also learns the Rules of the Tea: 
The first time 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.
Side Note: I think these rules could apply to Coffee Dates and Wine with Friends.

Wallace's gruff exterior starts to wear off as he becomes someone compassionate and desperate to help others caught in the middle. He learns the lesson that grief is heavy but eventually you get used to the weight. It never goes away, it settles in. 

There is also a brewing (keeping with the tea theme!) romance between Wallace and Hugo asking the question of "what if?". Could this bloom into a long-term relationship if Wallace hadn't already been snatched by the Reaper?

This story is presented with the utmost respect for the newly departed while adding comic relief. It really made me wonder what really happens between life and death.

It was headed to a five star from me until... around 90% when it took a turn and got a little too hokey for me. Yes, it's Paranormal Fantasy, but the sudden changing of the rules by The Manager was like a spoiled tea leaf leaving a bitter taste in this heartwarming brew. Tea puns intended! 🫖

Favorite Banter, Wallace to Mei who was providing words of wisdom: "Has anyone ever told you you sound like a fortune cookie?"
Again, Wallace to Mei: "Whoever told you that you were funny obviously lied to you and you should feel bad about it."

Favorite Character: Lea, a little girl who crossed too soon. 💔

🎧 Narrator: Kirt Graves - phenomenal

🎧14.54 hours (Hoopla) 🕮 376 pages

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