Under the Whispering Door, By T.J. Klune ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Diversity, Fantasy, Grief, Humor, LGBTQ Relationships, Romance, Suicide

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: September 21st, 2021

384 Pages

Synopsis: 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 withWhen 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. (Goodreads)

Last year I saw numerous rave reviews for T.J. Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea, and while I still haven’t had a chance to read it, I did finally purchase it. I’ve also enjoyed the first two books in his Extraordinaires series, so I was quite excited to be approved for an eARC of Under the Whispering Door. I’m writing this review after just finishing it and I am happy to say this ticked off all of my boxes.

The characters were wonderful, starting with Wallace. Before he died he was a cold-hearted, selfish man who didn’t appear to have an empathetic bone in his body. But after his death, when he meets sassy Mei, a reaper, and she brings him to Charon’s Crossing Tea and Treats, where he’s introduced to Hugo, a ferryman, his road to redemption begins. Also residing in this strange weigh station are Hugo’s deceased dog, Apollo, and his grandfather, Nelson. It’s a quirky little family and they take hold of your heart almost instantly. The Manager is a little more frightening, as he’s very much an unknown, although near the end even he undergoes a transformation of sorts. The setting of the tea shop and its quirkier attributes is very visual and I could easily picture it in my head. This isn’t what you’d call an action-packed story, but then it’s not meant to be. By turns it’s a whimsical, heartbreaking, and thoughtful exploration of death, grief, and letting go. It’s quite unlike anything I’ve read and I can honestly say I fell in love with both the characters and the story.

Under the Whispering Door is an absolute treasure of a book that by turns will have you laughing out loud, and sobbing into a tissue. Most of all, it will leave you sad when you’ve come to the end and will remain in your mind even after you’ve moved on to other books.

14 Ways to Die, By Vincent Ralph ~ 3.5 Stars

Tags

Death of a parent, Grief, Mystery, Serial Killers, Social Media, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: June 1st, 2021

400 Pages

Synopsis: A page-turning new YA thriller for the social media age, perfect for fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and One of Us Is Lying.

Ten years ago, Jess’s mother was murdered by the Magpie Man.

She was the first of his victims but not his last.

Now Jess is the star of a YouTube reality series and she’s using it to catch the killer once and for all.

The whole world is watching her every move.

And so is the Magpie Man. (Goodreads)

14 Ways To Die is an interesting mystery that’s filled with implausible situations that your rational mind will keep questioning, yet still manages to be a fun read thanks to a creative and fast-paced storyline, and likable characters. Using social media to catch serial killers has become a popular theme, and this gives it an intriguing spin of its own, as well as thoughtfully delving into how people handle grief differently. My biggest issue was that although I usually like shortish chapters, in this book there are 144 of them which added a certain choppiness and in the end made the story a little less gripping. For the most part though, I did enjoy this and I think it will appeal to a wide audience of older teens, especially those who like authors such as Karen McManus, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Maureen Johnson, and Holly Jackson.

You Were Here ~ By Cori McCarthy – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Death, Grief, Relationships, YA Fiction

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: On the anniversary of her daredevil brother’s death, Jaycee attempts to break into Jake’s favorite hideout–the petrifying ruins of an insane asylum. Joined by four classmates, each with their own brand of dysfunction, Jaycee discovers a map detailing her brother’s exploration and the unfinished dares he left behind.

As a tribute to Jake, Jaycee vows to complete the dares, no matter how terrifying or dangerous. What she doesn’t bargain on is her eccentric band of friends who challenge her to do the unthinkable: reveal the parts of herself that she buried with her brother.

You Were Here is a story of a group of five teens who have all been touched in some way by the accidental death of Jake five years ago. They’ve all graduated high school and this is the last summer before they go their separate ways, yet before they do they have to come to terms with this tragedy that still hangs over them.

The story is told from from the viewpoints of these five friends which adds even more emotion to an already heartbreaking story. The author adds a truly unique flair by having one character illustrate his views through comic book style artwork. Sometimes having multiple povs can interrupt the flow of a story, but that’s not the case here. Each chapter smoothly segues into the next, and by the end of the book I felt as though I was part of this group’s journey. All of these kids are broken in some way, most of all Jaycee who in all honesty is pretty unlikable in the beginning. She’s never gotten over her big brother’s death and this is made even worse by her having witnessed it first hand when she was just twelve-years-old. In the intervening years, she’s basically withdrawn from her friends and has taken up Jake’s daredevil mantle. She’s standoffish and judgemental, but it’s not long before you realize that this is a mask she hides behind so no one will realize what pain she’s in. When these characters first get together they’re all in their own private worlds, and it’s only as they start to open up about their feelings that the healing process begins. 

This is a story that examines all the stages of grief in a touching and empathetic way. It’s an unflinching, raw, and intimate look at five young adults who are not only dealing with a tragedy, but also searching for their own personal identities. While heartbreakingly honest, there’s also hope, and the story ends on a high note. The only reason why I’m not giving this 5 stars is because the author adds this little sub-story regarding the brother of one of the characters which I felt was unnecessary and took a little away from the main story. While other books have tackled this topic Cori McCarthy adds an entirely original and refreshing take on it. I believe this is a powerful and unforgettable book that will not only appeal to both teens and adult fans of YA literature but touch them on a visceral level. I’m looking forward to reading more by this inspiring author.

Quote For the Day

Tags

Actors, Comedians, Depression, Grief

 Captain! My Captain! ~Walt Whitman

Given everything that Robin Williams gave to us, I had to use this as my quote today and share this.