Link to my review - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6723128800

The review:
‘The House in the Cerulean Sea’ has remained one of my favorite books since I first read it, and diving into ‘Somewhere Beyond the Sea’ felt like finally coming back home.

TJ Klune writes with a magic and beauty that is rare and unique, defying comparison. His work is truly phenomenal.

There wasn’t a moment while reading this book that I wasn’t smiling. This duology is like a cozy blanket and a warm cup of tea personified. I was hooked from the start.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for giving me the opportunity to read the first few chapters of this book prior to its publication date, an opportunity I will cherish. I cannot wait to finish this book and see what else TJ Klune has in store for us!

A interesting first few chapters that help bring us up to date on what has happened since the end of the last book. Stakes appear to be much higher this time round and i look forward to reading the rest of the book on release.

Absolutely loved this sampler and am equally completely devastated that it wasn't the full book because I know I would have devoured it in a day with as much love in my heart as I did when I read The House in the Cerulean Sea. I cannot wait to rejoin my loves on Marsyas Island properly and finish this beaut 😍

This promises to be a great story but I don't think I can give a balanced review on only 4 chapters. I do feel it was a but sluggish at the start but I'm sure in usual TJ Klune style it will pick up beyond the 4 chapters. I will definitely be purchasing this when it is published.

Four whole Joyous chapters of the hugely anticipated ‘Somewhere Beyond the Sea’ by T.J Klune!
I admit that I was slightly befuddled during the introductory chapter as I couldn’t quite work out if it was a prequel or sequel to the last book. **It was, in fact, about Arthur Parnassas’ initial return to the island after his traumatic childhood incident there.

But as soon as we hit chapter one, with Linus and Arthur waking up late together and the re-introduction to all the fantastic magical kids under their care, I was beaming from ear to ear and cartoon love hearts were floating around my head!
God, I LOVE these characters!

No spoilers, but Arthur and Linus are off to the city on some very important governmental magical business.
There’s governmental bureaucracy ; gender politics; magical being xenophobia and the potential introduction of a new child called David, who is also a Yeti (obvs!!).

I cannot wait till this book comes out and shall definitely be pre-ordering.
* Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this extended sample.

I am really excited by what I have been able to read so far in this sample! Can't wait to read the rest of it!

This is such a great sequel , it's like another big hug of a book. My only complaint is that it was only a sampler and I have to wait till 12th September to buy the book.

This was a short sampler so I won’t leave a full review on here or GoodReads until I’ve been able to read the whole thing. That being said, I really enjoyed this so far and am looking forward to being able to read the rest.

This was a short sampler and it was perfect, the chapter it chose to end on has left me wanting more! Roll on release day.

I can’t wait to read the rest of this book. TJ Klune has done it again.

The writing has changed a little and for the better. But still undeniably Klune.

The first few chapters are warm and fuzzy as you’d expect, taking you back to the island and the wonderful, colourful and, of course magical, children.

In today’s political climate I can see where Klune has drawn his inspiration from.

Thank you to NetGalley, Pan MacMillan and Tor for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Ahhh when you are reading an e-arc are hooked from page one and figure out you only have a sampler!!😭
While I am not a fan of authors adding books to series or standalones that are already completed, this book felt super cosy like coming home. I love to learn more about Arthur's story and being back with the crazy magical children. The humor, the passion the joy and fear drip of every page!
I cannot wait to finish reading the book when it releases in September it is a warm hug for the fall season.

Full disclosure: I have not yet read the entire book, so I will refrain from leaving a review on GoodReads or StoryGraph until I can provide a comprehensive assessment. However, I did share my initial impressions in a TikTok video to express my enthusiasm based on the sample I received.

After reading the first four chapters, I am eagerly anticipating the full book. These chapters have already evoked the same warmth and affection I felt with the first book, which is remarkable given how little I have read so far.

I am particularly excited about the deeper exploration of Arthur and Linus' relationship, which has always been my favorite in any of TJ Klune's works.

A prequel focusing on Arthur's childhood in the orphanage would be a wonderful addition to this universe.

Thank you for providing this sample.

I read a 4 chapter exert of Somewhere Beyond The Sea and it has me absolutely dying to get my hands on the full book.
I was instantly transported back into the chaos and love of Arthur, Linus and all the kids. 4 chapters in and I've laughed out loud multiple times.
From what I've read so far it is clear that this book is going to do something very special indeed and I can't wait to be there for the ride.
TJ Klune is a rare talent when it comes to putting a mirror up to the world and helping us to be better

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free eARC exert of this book.

It was lovely to be back with these characters again, and especially to learn more about Arthur. The imagination, sweetness and whimsy are all still there. Look forward to reading the whole thing.

Wowsers was gutted it was only a sampler... and ended with a WTF moment.

Definitely cannot wait to read the full book I'm just praying they will all be ok.

I'm looking forward to reading the full novel! The House in the Cerulean Sea is such a comfort read for me that it's lovely to be back in this world and with this family. However, the first chapter was ever so slightly saccharine, even by Klune's standards, and the characters feel far more one-dimensional than they did in the first book. Reading this sample felt a little bit like reading fanfiction. It's still ultimately gentle and warm, though, so I'm hopeful the rest of the book will be better and I'm very interested in reading more from Arthur's pov!

I loved this snippet of the new book, got me excited for the full release! Beautifully written, so diverse and inclusive, a wonderful story.

In my hurry to read this I wasn’t aware it was a sampler and now I have to wait ages. Hahaha but that’s on me.
What I read the though was great and I really really can’t wait to read the complete book!

I received an excerpt of this upcoming book from Pan MacMillan and NetGalley, and I’m withholding an actual star rating until I’ve read the whole thing but the introductory chapters were just as sweet and lovely as the vibes in the first book. I’m expecting an emotional read touching on some hard topics, but the same sort of cozy, queer, found-family warmth that I loved about The House In the Cerulean Sea.

(4 stars predicted)

Full disclosure: The House in the Cerulean Sea was a five star read for me, and I was absolutely devastated when I found out about the inspiration being the Sixties Scoop and T J Klune's awful reaction to being called out.
I do not plan to buy this book, I didnt initially plan to read it at all, in fact, because of the racist "inspiration" behind the first one. When I applied for this ARC, my motivation was absolutely "hey, maybe I can get it for free". My dilemma then became if loved it as much as the first one, should I withhold a review or not?
As it turns out, thats not a problem, because this book it AWFUL. The whimsy and heart of the first book is gone, and in its place is a frankly embarrassing caricature that feels like the first unedited fanfiction of an 11 year old. The characters act like one-note shadows of themselves, and most of their conversations physically made me cringe. The storyline itself feels almost spiteful in the way it attempts to hit back against the justifiable criticisms of the first book, and whats worse is the serious topics are STILL woefully fumbled. The world itself has changed into a watery reflection of the political climate of the 2020s that holds no gravitas, and indeed completely changed the established landscape in a jarring tonal shift. On a fundamental level, nothing in this story works.
Somewhere Beyond The Sea already felt like an unnecessary sequel going in, but upon reading this sampler its clear that it will be nothing more than a waste of paper, brittle and thin.