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Beautiful Book
First book of TJ Klune that I ever picked up. Gave me hope for the future and is positive queer representation. A cozy read with a happy ending. Great fantasy read, found family. I cried.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
I loved this😍
this book is so beautifully written and the story is moving! never while reading this was I bored and the story itself is whimsical but makes you think about life. would absolutely recommend!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
4 stars
When I first started reading this book, it felt too juvenile for me to continue. I'm glad I continued because I ended up enjoying it. It is not a book I would usually read as it's a little too heartwarming for me, but it was a palate cleanser that I needed. I don't know why I liked this book. I don't really like Linus much, and the plot is very predictable. I was much more interested in the interactions Linus had with those around him. I did like watching him grow and move out of his comfort zone. I liked that he became more of a person and not the worker-bee who's just doing his job. Still, the constant talk of his appearance and weight and saying, "I'm just me," did get a bit grating. I did not feel the love connection between Linus and Arthur. There is zero chemistry between them. This book is predictable, with no surprises and repetitive dialogue. Despite these things, I had fun reading it and actually had trouble putting it down. It was a nice escape from the world's current dramas, and it was nice to read something lighter than my usual dark fantasy with morally grey characters. Everything in The House in the Cerulean Sea is very black and white. The bad guys are bad, and the good guys are good. It's amusing because part of the message of the book is that there is no black and white.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Beautiful
This is a beautiful story of love, family and finding your place. All the stars!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Love these character so much!
This book is so fun, endearing, surprising and funny! I can’t wait to read the sequel!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Just reread it for the second time
This is my favorite book by T.J. Klune. I was ecstatic when a sequel was announced. I reread this so I could hop into Somewhere Beyond the Sea and I am on cloud 9. I love this island and its inhabitants so much. Can’t recommend this series enough. It is the definitely of cozy!!!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
cozy
Linus Baker leads a very quiet, very simple life with most of his time is spento n his job as a case worker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. Until Extremely Upper Management assign Linus a new case to determin if six magical children are likely to bring about the end of the world--an unfortunately relevant concern as one of the children seems to be the Antichrist. Linus isn't sure how he feels about being in such proximity to potentially dangerous children. Especially when it means traveling far afield to Marsyas Island to examine the ad hoc orphanage. The house and its propeitor are not what Linus expects. Arthur Parnassus is gentle but fiercely protective of his young charges. He is also keeping more than a few secrets. As Linus and Arthur grow closer and the children cautiously welcome Linus into their small community, both men will have to figure out how to protect an unusual family from the dangers of bureacracy in a world that has more room for fear than for love in The House in the Cerulean Sea (2020) by TJ Klune. Find it on Bookshop. Before saying anything else it's important to note that much of Klune's inspiration for The House in the Cerulean Sea is pulled from Canada's Sixties Scoop which "refers to the mass removal of Aboriginal children from their families into the child welfare system, in most cases without the consent of their families or bands" as detailed on indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca. You can also read an interview where Klune talks about his inspiration on John Scalzi's blog. I am not equipped to weigh in on this topic but do want to note that other reviewers have raised concerns about a white author drawing on this terrible situation for inspiration and also doing so in a book that centers a white main character. I recommend doing your own research and keeping this context in mind when reading as information is always power. The House in the Cerulean Sea follows Linus in close third person as he learns more about the house on Marsyas Island and its unique occupants. Released in March 2020 the overwhelming gentle narrative is a sharp contrast to the world at the time as many areas were still at the peak of Covid-19 deaths and lockdowns for that period. That is why, perhaps, this book captured so many hearts with its quiet story of finding family in the most unlikely of places. With a quiet narrative that blends humor and coziness, The House in the Cerulean Sea reads like a balm against some of the harshness of the real world. The story continues in Somewhere Beyond the Sea. Possible Pairings: Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki, Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree, The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst, Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett, Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman, Sender Unknown by Sallie Lowenstein, The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna, A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske, Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, How Not to Die Alone by Richard Roper, Can't Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
A Story to Keep Beneath My Pillow Forever!
Oh, to be a kid again! There were so many nuggets in this story that I dang near highlighted the entire book. A lot of messages resonated with me and touched every corner of my soul; so much so that I wanted to tuck this book beneath my pillow and sleep with it every night! The House in the Cerulean Sea took me back to my adolescent years when my imagination ran wild and I played freely. The innocence and purity of children is not to be taken for granted, and this book sparked lots of reflection in me. I am so grateful for this community read by my public library system! Words are escaping me at the moment (quite a shock! 😳), because there was an endless amount of growth amongst all of the characters in this book. Even Calliope, Linus’s cat and the grumpiest of them all, found a voice she never used before with her owner. Nonverbal, of course, but it was still a joy to witness nonetheless. This story was a reminder that communication takes on all forms, with body language being represented the most. Linus’s transformation opened up a place in my heart that I will always hold dear because it represented a level of vulnerability that a lot of people are afraid to show. He was hesitant, reserved, and guarded at first, but he put me in the mind of a droopy peace lily thirsty for water; after being given a drink, he sprouted and stood tall, exuding a strength and confidence that was always there. He just needed a little push from Arthur and Zoe 😉. Yes, yes, Lucy was the star of the show (and oh, how I adored him! 💙), but I found Sal's evolution to be the most impactful. Overcoming guilt and surviving grief takes a monumental effort, and for Sal to find his way through that darkness was quite remarkable. His expression through words was unmatched; can we talk about his poem comparing himself to paper?! Umm, how creative was that?! Regaining confidence in who he was and finding a sense of belonging was hard, but it was a feat that he conquered while staring fear in the face. Oh, the lessons in Sal's story 🥰! This book explored many instances of "the way things are" versus "the way things should be." In my humble opinion, there really is no such thing as the latter because "things" are constantly changing; we live in the present, which is a gift, and THAT is "the way things are." While we may think that we are open to most "things," there are situations that occur in life that show us we really do live in our own bubbles, passing judgment on others when we only need to allow ourselves to feel and experience the joys of living through someone else's eyes. The author portrayed that message brilliantly. Bravo, TJ Klune! The Aftermath 🌷: I could ramble on about how magnificent this story was, but my words will do it no justice because you just have to read the book for yourself. There is so much that can be unpacked and I won't bore you with anymore of my babbling. I'll end with this: love has a special way of bringing light into each of us, if we let it. When I was reading the acknowledgments section after the story ended, I had a silly smile plastered on my face because that was the aftermath of it all. I feel full, delighted, joyful, inspired, and I want more of this world. I've never read anything like The House in the Cerulean Sea and I will certainly cherish my experience with it. TJ Klune is a master storyteller and by golly, this won't be my last book by him. I cannot wait to read the next title in this series.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com