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4.45 AVERAGE

Strong character development: Yes
challenging emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

TJ Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea is a whimsical, heartfelt tale about Linus, a by-the-book caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. His job is to inspect orphanages and ensure the children in them are safe. When he’s sent on a mysterious assignment to a secluded island, he encounters a group of children unlike any he’s ever met—and discovers that his carefully ordered worldview may not be as solid as he thought.

The novel shines in its warmth: it’s a story about acceptance, empathy, and the quiet bravery it takes to see people for who they truly are rather than what others label them to be. While I found some sections a bit overexplained, with lengthy monologues and moral reminders that could have been subtler, the core message is undeniably moving.

At its best, this book feels like a hug in written form. It’s gentle, hopeful, and full of charm—perfect for anyone who enjoys stories about found family and learning to see the world with fresh eyes. I closed the last page with a smile, and I’m looking forward to seeing where the series goes next.

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Heel gezellig boek, heeft mij ook meermaals doen lachen. Het verhaal is misschien niet heel realistisch (los van het feit dat het fantasy is), maar het was heel leuk om te lezen :)
adventurous lighthearted reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

https://klishis.com/reading/archives/14147
TLDR: Comfort reread. This kids are so so marvelous.
adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This was fun and lovely but. Yeah there are several buts. It was very saccharine. It's Miss Peregrine and the X-Men, but cute? And I don't really think those go together. I felt unfinished and unsatisfied underneath the happy feelings of a happy home. People and worlds don't change this fast. The mayor was unrealistic in her quick flip to the good side. It kept hitting unrealistic for me because it features people discriminating against other people and suddenly becoming good instead? uh. ok.

But it was cute and sweet and gay which is nice.
hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
emotional funny hopeful mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes