Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

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.

Review:

Any time author T.J. Klune releases a book, I am eager to read it.  All of Klune's books have running themes about found family and acceptance.  Under The Whispering Door, Klune's latest offering, explores similar topics. Like his other adult novel, The House in the Cerulean Sea, the main character questions valuing work above relationships.  Of course, in this novel, it's too late for Wallace.  He's already dead.  Although this book is about death (and begins with a trigger warning about suicide), the story is full of whimsy, with wonderful characters, and a powerful message about what life should be all about.  I loved it.

What I liked:

Themes:

I can't help but think the pandemic influenced the author's message.  At a time when we all are re-evaluating what's important to us, the book illustrates how people, driven to achieve material success, lose sight of what is truly meaningful in life: kindness, forgiveness, and connecting with others.  Wallace may have been a wealthy lawyer in life, but (as his sparsely attended funeral indicates), no one will miss him in death.  

Characters:

Wallace is an extremely unlikable person at the beginning of the book.  He is outraged that few people go to his funeral, where his ex-wife goes on and on about what a terrible husband he was!  When he is taken to Hugo's tea shop (a way station between earth and the beyond), he is predictably angry and rude to everyone.  But I loved that he changed.  By seeing how Hugo and Mei show unwavering patience and compassion for everyone who's journey brings them to the tea shop, Wallace starts to understand and forgive himself for his selfishness.  

Hugo and Mei are humans, but they work to help recently deceased people transition to the Door (where people will go to the next step in their journey).   They know that people who have died are in denial, are angry and will lash out.  So they don't take it personally.  But Mei is not all sugar and sunshine with living people.  She can be rude, especially when she sees others being deceitful or cruel.  But her righteous anger is done with lots of humor, so the reader can't help but love her!

Two other characters that I adored were Nelson, Hugo's grandfather, and Apollo, Hugo's dog.  Both are ghosts, but refuse to go through the door because they want to stay and support Hugo.  This was really so beautiful, and made me think about relatives of mine who have died.  How comforting to think that they might stick around to watch over me.  Both Nelson and Apollo offer up lots of comic relief as well.

Trigger Warning for Suicide:

The most serious moments in the book have to do with a character who has died by suicide.  If you are not triggered by that topic, I think you will find that thread in the story to be moving.  The character in question killed himself after his boyfriend dies from an illness.  He just can't handle the pain.  He also has to dig out of his self-loathing, and find a way to heal in order for him to move on.  His pain made me cry, but his healing gave me hope. 

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  Sepetember 21st, 2021

Author:  T.J. Klune

Publisher:  Tor Books

Genre:  Fantasy

Page Length:  384 Pages

Source:  NetGalley

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation:  This is a book for adults, or very mature teens.  Although many of the topics are heavy, there is also an optimism that ultimately creates a positive outlook.  I highly recommend this book.  

Please note:  I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Dane Riley's grasp on reality is slipping, and he's not sure that he cares. While his mother has moved on after his father's death, Dane desperately misses the man who made Dane feel okay to be himself. He can't stand his mother's boyfriend, or the boyfriend's son, whose favorite pastime is tormenting Dane. Then there's the girl next door: Dane can't quite define their relationship, and he doesn't know if he's got the courage to leave the friend zone.

An emotional novel about mental health, and dealing with grief and growing up, The Tragedy of Dane Riley is the story of a teenager looking to make sense of his feelings in the wake of tragedy, and finding the strength he needs to make life worth living. 

Review:

While I was a little put off at first with Dane's obsession with suicide, I found this story to be a heartfelt look into the complicated lives of teens.  Mental health is a serious issue for young adults, and this novel deals honestly with the challenges that parents, teachers, and friends face when trying to help a teen in crisis.  

What I Liked:

Characters:

Dane is grieving over the death of his dad which comes out as anger towards his mom.   This adds to a depression that has persisted for several years.  As he enters his senior year of high school, Dane has absolutely no idea what he wants to do after graduation.  He doesn't see himself going to college, like most of his peers.  But he also doesn't see any other path for his future.   This is making him even more anxious than he usually is.  I think the author gets this restlessness spot on.  Very few seventeen year-olds know what they want to do in life.  And the pressure to have set goals, such as to attend college, is enormous.  

Ophelia is Dane's neighbor and the girl of his dreams.  She is also under pressure from her father to be the perfect daughter: straight A student, completely focused on school, and responsible.  But no one is perfect.  I think she feels compelled to please her father because her mother has a drug problem.  She has gotten the message from her dad that she can't take after her mom if she wants his love.

Mental Health Issues:

Dane has dealt with depression for several years as the book opens, and has attempted suicide in the past.  This make his mom very anxious about how he's dealing with his father's death.  While Dane thinks his mom is going overboard with therapists, it's what any competent parent would do.  

What I found so realistic about this story is that Dane can't see that there's anything wrong with him, yet he has a serious problem with impulse control.  For instance, he thinks that setting a fire in the backyard and nearly burning the house down is just a simple misunderstanding.  He doesn't really consider the consequences of his actions.  While it's understandable in a teenager, he make several missteps that put his life in danger.  At several points in the book, I wanted to yell, "Dane, don't do it!"

What I Was Mixed About:

Romance:

As Dane and Ophelia discover that they like each other, they decide to place an expiration date on their relationship.  Their rationale is that the best part of dating is at the beginning, so why not just set a date on when it's over?  Then, one doesn't need to deal with all the messy bits.  But as another character points out, this is a lazy solution.  They never need to put any effort in their romance to make it actually work.  If they truly cared about each other, which I believe they did, they should have wanted to learn more about each other, and from the relationship.  I think ending their dating on a specific date was the easy way out.

Possible Date Rape:

The book also touches on a possible sexual assault of one of the characters.  We see all the signs that a person was given a date-rape drug, and the victim shows signs of trauma. But nothing comes of it in the story.  The girl never says that she actually was assaulted, and Dane doesn't feel the need to find out.  I found this really strange.  Sure, everyone deserves a right to privacy, but, if you think that someone you care about has been raped, wouldn't you want to help the girl get some assistance?    

Trigger Warning for suicide and sexual assault!

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  June 22, 2021

Author:  Kat Spear

Publisher:  Wednesday Books

Genre:  YA Contemporary Fiction

Page Length:  320 Pages

Source:  Publisher & NetGalley

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation:  An honest look at grief and the pressure on teens to be perfect.  You'll simultaneously root for Dane, and wince at some of his choices.

Please note:  I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher as part of Read Write Love's Sunday Street Team.  This has not influenced the opinions of my review in any way.

Synopsis (From GoodReads):

Review: