A fabulously written gripping story that was a pleasure to read. I would absolutely recommend this book, it was brilliant

I've given this book which I really loved, 4 stars because of the completely superfluous, unnecessarily graphic sex scene. I'm not a prude and it didn't shock me but I was enjoying a good clean love story and heartwarming tale of friendship and it suddenly intruded and didn't really fit with the feel of the book. Apart from this it is the perfect read, tense, exciting, fast paced and with super characters.

Five stars just isn't enough for The Bones Beneath My Skin. This book is a quiet, heartfelt story that doesn’t scream for attention but gently lures you in never lets go. Which is ridiculous when you think there are literal helicopter chases in it!

TJ Klune has this incredible ability to write intimacy that feels so real it’s almost like you’re intruding on something sacred. What gets me is that the connections between the characters aren’t about grand gestures or sweeping romances, but rather they’re about leaning on each other when the world gets too heavy, sharing moments of silence, and just breathing together. And honestly? That’s the kind of love and closeness I love to read about.

We follow Nate, who has blown up his life and is trying to just get some time to think, heading up to his newly inherited cabin by the lake. Except the cabin isn't exactly empty, instead of finding peace and quiet, he finds Alex—a quiet grump of a man—and his rather odd companion, Artemis Darth Vader. Without giving too much away, the three of them end up on a journey that’s as much about survival as it is about finding connection and purpose. This is science fiction with feelings, with thoughts. It's a little genre-bendy, but such a lovely read.

This book isn’t just a story; it’s a feeling—a quiet, profound exploration of what it means to love and be loved. I can’t recommend it enough.

5*

3⭐️
A thrilling adventure following an extraordinary girl and two men forming a familial bond. This book was beautifully written, with endearing and well-developed characters. TJ Klune delivered another cozy read balancing heart, humor and tension.
I really enjoyed the suspenseful action-packed plot, it kept me on the edge of my seat. However, as the story progressed and turns were happening too fast, I struggled to stay invested.
Also I was not completely convinced by the romantic connection between Alex and Nate. I liked them individually but when together they lacked that special spark in my opinion.

Thank you Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC.

3.5-4 stars

I am grateful all the time for the books I get sent frrom authors and publishers, but every so often you get one that changes your reading life (yes, I'm that dramatic). I hadn't read any of Klune's books before I was sent a copy of Under the Whispering Door and it was an unbelievably perfect book. And since then, whilst I've enjoyed some more than others, his books haven't failed me. His book In the Lives of Puppets made it onto my favourite books of 2023 list, it was so beautiful, and so I was excited to receive a copy of this latest one.

I always find his books are more than 'just' books. Yes, they're a piece of entertainment but they're so much deeper than that. This is about humanity in all its ugliness but also in its beauty, about not being alone - in terms of the universe and within a family unit, be it made of blood or a family you choose.

What I will say, just before I get into this, is that it's almost a review of two books - you'll see why.

It didn't grab me initially. I'm used to his whimsical fantasy stories, and at first, this wasn't that. It serious, all about grief and loss and loneliness; I wasn't getting that magic I'm used to.

When I read a review book, I write notes down as I read it to make writing the review easier. When I got to about 30%, I looked at my notes and all I'd written was that it wasn't for me. It felt slow, boring; the characters were very 2D, and I kept waiting for something to happen, but not in the same way that a thriller keeps me on the edge of my seat.

But then it got to about 40% and it kicked off. It definitely gets better as it went along, and by the ending I was crying, it was gorgeous. It just took a while to get there.

In my personal opinion, I felt like it didn't know what it was - sci-fi, fantasy, romance, action, thriller - it was too much but at the same time, not nearly enough. It didn't settle on any one thing and so it felt a bit disjointed to begin with.

I always knew there would be a romantic element, as there always is, and I look forward to that. There's not many authors I've read that can capture the falling in love stage as well as he does, but the partnership in this felt a bit forced. I mean, it did work in the end and I was happy about it, but it just felt forced rather than it happening naturally.

I was conflicted about the three main characters. For the first part I felt that Nate was a bit of a wet weekend, didn't stand up for himself and I didn't like him that much. I couldn't figure Alex out, he was brooding and threatening but it felt a bit false - but as the book went on he became my favourite character. And then we have Artemis, she's our only link to the sci-fi element to begin with. At times I found her sweet and at others very annoying, a bit overplayed. But in the end I didn't mind that because it worked in context.

But once shit hit the fan - about 40% through, I very much enjoyed it. It started going at 100mph and didn't stop, which I enjoyed much more. From about halfway, it was the Klune I was expecting. My concern is, I know how much I love his writing and so I knew there was more to come; but if someone hasn't read his work before and only had this book to go on, I worry that they may give up before they get to the faster-action bits.

I will still say that I was underwhelmed as a whole. I love his work and will continue to love his work. I did enjoy this, I just wish the first 30% was more like the last 70%, then I would have loved it frrom the start.

I generally don't do star ratings, and I'm glad because with this one...if I took the first part then we'd be looking at 2-3 stars, but the second part is easily a 4-5 stars. So I would say to persevere with it because it is definitely worth it by the end.

Before we begin, if I could recommend anything it would be to go into this blind and just enjoy it for what it is. Because it's certainly an experience.

TJ Klune's books can be hit or miss for me. I absolutely devoured 'In the Lives of Puppets' because it was just THAT good, yet struggled profusely to get through 'Wolfsong'.
This one is a little odd, as I'm not sure where it falls on the scale of likeability. I mean, I liked it a lot, but it's so unlike my usual genre preferences that it genuinely surprises me.
And yet the writing was so snappy, the dialogue so brilliant, and the characters so quirky, that I just couldn't stop reading.

I also don't really read thrillers, mainly because my life is stressful enough as it is, but honestly, the promise of a Stranger Things-esque story had me a little intrigued.

We first meet Nate, a single man working in journalism who has just had the misfortune of losing his parents. His inheritance? An old truck with some bad memories and a desolate cabin in the middle of nowheresville.
Deciding now was the time to take an impromptu break and spend some time up at the cabin, he makes the trip there but is confused, shocked and angered to find the cabin is inhabited... by two strange individuals, one a grown man in his 40s, and the other a young girl who seems to be around ten years old, who now have him held at gunpoint demanding who he is and why he's there.

Who were these strange people? Who were they running from? What did they want from him?
And more importantly, why did it seem like there was something a little different about them...?

This is certainly very character driven, and I really came to love and care for our main trio. Art was an absolute joy, and I loved her snappy quips and eccentric personality. It took time for me to soften to Alex but eventually I realised I cared a lot about the outcome of the lives of these characters. In T.J Klune fashion of course, there's some LGBTQ+ character representation too.

I'd say the term thriller is kind of a loose one, it feels like the suspense basically kicks off slowly and then crescendos gradually. This is more of a found family adventure with a dashing of suspense and the occasional action sequence. Or maybe I've not read enough thrillers to determine what constitutes as one 😂 I wouldn't say I felt particularly on edge but, it did make me feel unsettled occasionally.

However, I think TJ Klune excels where it comes to writing a captivating story, which is certainly why I was drawn into this and intrigued enough to carry on reading. A mystery at the core of it, this is certainly a book that will keep you intrigued and compelled, and I highly recommend it for fans of TJ Klune's other books and mystery thrillers with a supernatural edge...

I just adore these books by TJ Klune,, so wonderfully whimsical, but very emotional at parts.
I hope he keeps writing more!

I can’t think of a book that TJ Klune has written that and I haven’t loved and The Bones Beneath My Skin is no exception! As soon as I heard that Pan MacMillan and Tor were planning to publish it, I was full on hunting to get my hands on it…I’m a sucker for what some would disparagingly call weird, which I see and feel to be life affirming, resoundingly human, romantic and truly what I believe we are here for, family, love and the freedom to live and experience joy.

Nate Cartwright's life has totally imploded, estranged from his only family (his brother,) after the tragic loss of his parents, his career is in tatters, he heads to the only thing he has left in the world, a remote cabin in the wilderness. His return to the cabin is not the solitary experience he was expecting though, as he finds Alex, an older military type there accompanied by a little girl who calls herself Artemis Darth Vader. From this point on Nate’s life is forever and irrevocably changed.

I was really impressed with how Klune takes on science fiction and immerses it within strong themes of found family, and facing into the headwinds of challenge and change. Plus there are some pretty wild action scenes that were truly at Die Hard standard!

I absolutely adored Artemis’ character throughout the story, the sheer delight of her joy in learning and discovery of human nature and humanity were truly uplifting, and most definitely brought a whole new perspective. And of course there’s a lot of bacon!

The romance in this book is a pure delight, the grumpy x sunshine romance between Nate and Alex develops organically without being overblown, and illustrates that sex does not need to be at the forefront of every budding romance. If anything the lack of multiple sex scenes brought greater depth and sensitivity to their relationship that I adored.

I know there are going to be some out there who won’t appreciate this book for what it is but, si don’t care. Once again Klune delivers a story that truly touched my heart and for that I am very grateful. Now get out there and pre-order a copy - my order is in and I can’t wait to get my hands on the finished edition.

Thank you so much Pan MacMillan, Bookbreak UK, Tor and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest and genuine review.

I finished this book with tears running down my face it was just such a beautiful and perfect read and it will be always one of my favourite books of all time.
I’m not going to say much about the story as it’s better to just pick up the book and read it with no preconceived ideas about what to expect just as I did I think as it’s the most stunningly written story I have read and I wouldn’t change anything about it.
We have love, humour,fabulous characters and an exciting plot that I never quite knew what to expect next and I so didn’t want it to end so please don’t miss it .
Artemis Darth Vader I fell in love with you and even though I’m vegetarian I would cook you bacon anytime!!
So a more than 5 stars read for me and a massive thanks to TJ Klune for an amazing read.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan, Tor for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

In the year of 1995 Nate Cartwright's life is imploding,: his parents have died tragically his older brother wants nothing to do with him, and he's been fired from his job. The only thing he has left is a cabin and truck left to him in a will, with nothing left to lose, he journeys to find the cabin not as he expected. Inside is a stoic man named Alex and a little girl who calls herself Artemis Darth Vader, life as he knows it will change forever.

As a fan of TJ Klune I was looking forward to delving into this one but was dubious as to how much I would actually like it seeing as science fiction isn't my usual genre of choice and was thoroughly surprised to learn I loved it, The author managed to bring all the usual aspects of his writing I enjoy and dial it up higher with a science fiction/ suspenseful twist and incredible action sequences.

Klune created one of the most beautiful found family plots with these 3 main characters, the witty banter between them kept the book high spirited when the themes could be somewhat dark, and how Art was portrayed as a person constantly learning something new while the other two characters learned from her childlike perspective was breath-taking and something that more people should take into their real day to day lives, because we can all learn from the innocence and wounder of a child learning something new. Plus I always appreciate a character that loves bacon so much

The book was intellectually beautiful, the authors writing style is so unique and it's always a pleasure to read it, his LGBTQIA+ representation is perfect and the slow burn grumpy x sunshine romance between Alex and Nate was a dream. The action sequences while different for this author where non the less mind blowing and I could easily see this being adapted onto the big screen.,

I always feel like I learn something new reading Klunes books and look forward to seeing more people's reactions to the book on it's release, he deserves all the love

Having loved the characters in In The Lives of Puppets, I wanted to pick up another by TJ Klune and I’ll try not to give anything away. Nate has lost his job, lost his parents and is estranged from his brother. All he has left is his father’s truck and a cabin in the mountains. Having nowhere else to go, Nate decides to go to the cabin to sort out his life. But - when he gets there he finds an armed man and a strange little girl. What happens next is exactly as TJ Klune himself describes - an action movie in a book. There is action, there is sci-fi, there is romance, there is love, there is found family, there is grief, and there is heart-break. Yes - there were tears. I fell in love with these characters, especially the little girl, Art. She is so special. There is some humour in here but not the same humour that I found in Puppets. What I could have done without is the one graphic sex scene - I don’t believe that it added anything and sometime what is implied, is much more effective and the reader is able to fill in all the gaps. Nevertheless, I had fun with this and found the found family story excellent.

This will be a very long review—half of it will be me singing endless praises for TJ Klune. So buckle up, and thank you for reading! If you make it to the end, applause to you! 🎉👏

The Bones Beneath My Skin is the latest masterpiece from TJ Klune, releasing on February 4, 2025—mark your calendars! 📅✨ I am in absolute awe.
I’ve been a devoted TJ Klune fan since 2020, the year I rediscovered the joy of reading, and no author has impacted me the way he has. He hasn’t just entered my top three authors—he’s dethroned every other one, and I am not ashamed to say it. 💖

I tandem-read this book using both an ARC and the ALC provided by Pan Macmillan (thank you for making my year!). It was the perfect way to kickstart 2025, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

The story begins with Nate—a man who is jobless, parentless, friendless, and overwhelmingly lonely. Deciding he needs some time to reflect, he heads to his family’s mountain cottage, the only possession he has left aside from his truck. He’s hoping the isolation will help him figure out what to do next.

But life has other plans. When he arrives, he finds a brooding, quiet (and admittedly attractive) man pointing a gun at him... along with a child. This isn’t just any child—she’s precocious, eloquent, and undeniably weird. And in that moment, Nate can’t help but wonder what he did to deserve this mess of a life.

This book is perfection. 🌟

From the unforgettable characters to Klune’s signature writing style and the emotional depth of the plot, everything was pure magic.

🎧 Kirt Graves delivers a performance that’s nothing short of extraordinary. His voice captivated me during the Green Creek series, and once again, it creates the safe, magical space that only the combination of his narration and Klune’s words can achieve.

Klune’s writing is, without question, one of my favorite styles. I don’t typically enjoy third-person narration, but he makes it so personal, sweet, and entertaining that I couldn’t critique it even if I tried.

The plot unfolds beautifully. The fantasy elements emerge gradually, and while you can sense where the magic might lie, you’re never prepared for the emotional bombshell Klune will drop. As always, his writing is infused with reflective, profound, and jaw-dropping dialogues that feel like revelations.

The characters, though—they’re the true heart of this story.

Nate is all of us. He’s confused, messy, and clueless, but also curious, kind, and endearingly human.
Alex starts as the archetypal brooding, quiet MMC. But as the story progresses, Klune masterfully peels back his layers, revealing a man fiercely devoted to protecting those he loves.
Artemis Dark Vader. Oh, Artemis. She’s easily one of the best characters ever written. A 10-year-old girl who is witty, innocent, and curious, but also wise, perceptive, and incredibly powerful.

When this book is finally out in the world, I hope everyone will embrace it as much as I did. This is a masterpiece. 🖤✨ No one can—or ever will—convince me otherwise.

Thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Plot:
Nate has lost everything, his family, his job, his life and he goes to his family cabin in search of a future. But he finds 2 squatters in the cabin and gets mixed up in their situation which is larger than life itself. It's better if read with as little information as possible.
Thoughts:
I enjoyed this cozy sci-fi story a lot more than I expected to. The prose was a plus with full of quotes and emotion, characters were given adequate background, the fictional element was ever changing and not fully determined and the friendships were amazing. Near the end, there were a few flaws like being swayed by a group of people just to reach the climax which seriously could've been handled differently, there's an intimate scene at around 83% which came out of nowhere and fast tracked the romance unnecessarily. The ending was decent even with confusing mixed perspectives and timelines.

This is a beautiful story of found family, complicated lives, and wonderful, quirky characters who will remain in your heart. Oh, and there are a few gripping action scenes too!

I loved the slow build up of trust between Nate and Alex, the innocent wonder of Artemis Darth Vader, the wisdom and naivety of each character as we get to know them.

Heartwarming, heart wrenching at times, I loved reading every word and didn't want the book to end. Highly recommend.

T.J.Klune creates these wonderful found families that you never tire of. A unique premise for a story told brilliantly.

As per usual with TK Klune stories, I was enraptured by The Bones Beneath My Skin. Klune writes the best “found family” love stories.

At times the pacing felt off. After the climax it seemed like the end kind of fizzled out with a few unknowns. I also found the sex scene unnecessary, mostly because I felt like the characters lacked sexual chemistry with one another.

Art was my favourite character and many of her quotes are powerul. Overall a great read.

I'm not sure I could ever be unbiased with a TJ Klune novel - but this also hit the mark for me. I've always been a lover of Sci fi and space in general, and to have this packaged up with a book that hits the ground running from the beginning was such a treat.

While it wasn't my favourite of his novels, I still feel pulled to give this five stars because of the sheer emotion it pulled out of me, and how deeply I rooted for these three wonderful characters. As always, TJ Klune's advocating for authentic queer representation shone through.
What an amazing start to 2025!

A slow paced romance that shows how we can create our own family and how love can mean more than anything else. Alex, Nate and Artemis Darth Vader will make you fall in love with them, overcoming all the odds. I won’t repeat the synopsis here as I don’t want to spoil anyone, but if you like quirky characters and a gay love story, this is one for you. Full disclosure there is one fairly descriptive sex scene.

I received an ARC and audiobook copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers Tor, in return for an unbiased review.

This is such a weird and beautiful little story and I had a blast with it (and also cried, so there's that). It tells the story of Nate who just inherited a remote cabin from his late parents only to find a man with a gun accompanied by a very strange little girl there. Neither of them seems to be who they tell him they are, and thus begins what Klune himself calls an action movie in book format.

I generally just like Klune's writing, although I do feel like this book leaned heavily into the really short sentences which I didn't enjoy as much. Nate's narrative voice is not my favourite. The book also feels tonally inconsistent at times. It's also rather less humorous than the last books I've read by the author, but it fits the tone of the story perfectly. One of its major themes is grief and I loved the way it was explored here.
The characters are complex, well-written and just so so loveable, and the found family in here made me bawl my eyes out at times. There's a love story, too, and it is beautifully told - although I admittedly wouldn't have needed that random sex scene because it just made no sense for it to happen when it happens and is partly what I meant with the tonal inconsistency Anyway, Nate and Alex are special, though not as special as Art. Artemis Darth Vader, the strange little girl, is most definitely the star of the whole show and the heart of it.

It's cute, it's emotionally engaging, it has love and found family and action-packed scenes and all in all, it doesn't matter that there are a few plotholes here and there or that Nate falls into the well-known "I'm literally scared for my life but damn look at his muscles" kind of instalust trap. It just makes you feel good in the end, despite the heartbreak, the grief and the dangers lurking behind every corner.
So in conclusion? Dear Art, I would also always go on an adventure with you.
4 stars.

The Bones beneath my skins is a heartwarming read. Nate, grieving his parents, heads to his family’s cabin and meets Alex and Artemis Darth Vader.
This is more than a sci-fi adventure. It’s a touching story about love, loss, and the families we create.
Another 5⭐️ read by this accomplished author.