This was a very sweet story about found family and what it means to be human, even though only one of the characters is actually human! I'm not that familiar with the Pinocchio story so I'm sure I missed references to it but I know it was loosely based on it. I really liked reading an adventure story with a gentle protagonist. I could really relate to Victor and how he was desperate to save his family but terrified at the same time. A great read.

Like nothing else I've ever read. A beautiful retelling of Pinocchio, set in the forests of Oregon, with the most wonderful cast of rescued robots. Klune's prose feels like a warm and much-needed hug from your best friend. I will be revisiting this novel for the existential crises, and the sarcastic threats.

Thank you (and apologies) to NetGalley for the readers copy in exchange for a (very late) review.

I think I’m the last person in my circle to read a TJ Klune book. No matter how many people have recommended their books or the fact this won the Goodreads Choice Award, it always seemed to skip my mind.
Now I get it. I’m deeply in my wholesome fantasy pocket era and TJ Klune is perfect.
Also Pinocchio retelling? That’s so cute.
In The Lives of Puppets was a nice, cozy time. A solid read.

In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune is a captivating, whimsical, and deeply moving novel that blends fantasy, science fiction, and heartfelt emotional exploration. The book, which is a part of Klune’s larger body of work known for its LGBTQ+ themes, intricate world-building, and character-driven storytelling, delivers an enchanting tale of self-discovery, love, and the quest for freedom.

This one took me a while to get into but once I did I became connected to the characters even though most were robots. I really enjoyed the relationship between Vic and the robots in is home and how he saw the best in all of them - including HAP.

While I Love TJ Klune books and enjoyed the premise of this one, the story itself fell short for me. The characters we cute (I loved Rambo the RUMBA) but I really couldn't get into the story. Not my favorite of this authors books.

Thank you to NetGalley, Publishers, and T.J. Klune for sending me In the Lives of Puppets in exchange for my honest review.

3/5 stars
In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots—fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They’re a family, hidden and safe. The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labeled “HAP,” he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio–a past spent hunting humans. When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio’s former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured and returned to his old City of Electric Dreams laboratory. So together, the rest of Vic’s assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommissioning, or worse, reprogramming. Along the way to saving Gio, Vic must decide for himself, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap: Can he accept love with strings attached?

I have concluded that I am not a fan of science fiction books. I could not get into this book, I had to force myself to finish.

While I enjoyed T.J. Klune's writing style, he has such a wonderful way of bringing his characters to life. I enjoyed reading other titles he released, but I couldn't get into this one. If you are a fan of Science Fiction you would definitely like this one.

This book is an interesting take on what you think is a familiar story. Klune is great at emotional stories, but there is plenty of plot as well. Highly recommend.

If you need a read with quirky and lovable characters and where friendship is found in the most unlikely places, In The Lives of Puppets is the perfect book for you. With a timid robot vacuum and a nurse robot with a warped sense of humor, you go on a journey that will challenge you to once again believe in the good of humanity.

I can't really decide how I feel about this book. I certainly didn't like it anywhere near as much as The House in the Cerulean Sea or Under the Whispering Door. It had the usual Klune charm and the world where the book was set in was interesting, but I just didn't feel the same attachment to the characters and definitely didn't feel the connection between Hap and Vic. Nurse Ratched and Rambo were definitely meant to be the comic relief, and while some of their quips were funny, I did find them to be grating at times. An overall sweet story that I think was more about friendship than anything else, but I don't think I'll be returning to it or recommending it as often as I do Klune's other stories.

TJ Klune explores found family (or made) in this captivating tale of just how human are we really?

Definitely worth a read.

I loved this book and TJ Klunes ability to bring this beautiful world to life. It is interesting, funny, heartbreaking, heartwarming. It checks all of the boxes. Showing the love between human and machine. Rambo and Nurse Ratched are my favorite characters and I could read a thousand books about their adventures.

A beautiful reimagining of Pinocchio, this Own Voices addition to the pantheon of classic retellings is sure to become a classic in and of itself. Klune masters the voices of his characters, creating lovable yet complex individuals that leap off the page. The setting is also a character here, with the time period and the clash between Android and humanoid serving to move the plot along. Fans of Klune's other work will not be disappointed by his latest offering.

Thank you TJ Klune and their team for allowing me to read this ARC. Another win in the books for TJ. I loved reading this book. I love the world that it took me too. I want to go back!

I liked the characters but this did lose me somewhere in the middle and it was a DNF. Still recommend in general. It just wasn’t for me.

When I Heard In the Lives of Puppets was a Pinocchio retelling, I knew I had to read it. While it had Pinocchio vibes, there was so much more to this story. Klune weaved a whimsical and heartfelt tale that blends fantasy, humor, and deep emotional resonance. The story follows a group of unique characters—each with their own quirks and personalities—as they navigate a world that is both imaginative and profoundly touching.

Klune's writing shines with wit and warmth. The characters, particularly the protagonist, Victor Lawson, and his companions—a charmingly sarcastic vacuum named Rambo and a reprogrammed Nurse Machine—are endearing and memorable. Their journey is filled with moments of joy, sorrow, and reflection, making it easy to connect with them on a personal level.

While I really enjoyed this story, my one issue was the immaturity in the story. I loved the friendships, but felt the male jokes were over the top at times. With that said, I loved where the story took us, and I need more Rambo in my life!

Thank you Tor Publishing Group, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for advanced copies in exchange for my honest review.

This was great! I could definitely pick out the Pinnochio references throughout the story. I really loved the story and the characters. There were some lines that felt repetitive and some scenes that felt drawn out. I also didn't love the narration for Rambo in the audiobook. Everyone else was great, but Rambo's voice grated on me a bit with the way the narrator chose to read his dialogue. I love this author and as always, his writing is charming, humorous and heartfelt.

Set in a world where robots and AI have lost patience with the follies of humanity and taken over. GIO, a creator and innovator robot runs away from the City of Electric Dreams and escapes deep into the forests. There he is in hiding, and raising a son, Victor. Victor has grown up in isolation, with no friends--so he has created his own from robots he found in the nearby scrapyards. While out exploring the scrapyards one day, Victor finds a very different kind of robot. He is humanoid, covered with realistic skin--which is missing large patches. Victor takes him home and begins to repair him, replacing torn skin with wood. Then he gives his repaired robot a robotic heart, powered by human blood, setting off a chain of events that will bring his world crashing down and teach him that nothing he knows is true. There is a lot to think about here. About the nature of humanity. About forgiveness. About hope.

This is my first TJ Klune book, and it definitely will NOT be my last. This was so cute. It really made me fall in love with the characters. I switched back and forth between ereading and listening to the audiobook. Tells a amazing story of found family and friendship that can warm anyones heart.

Anything that TJ Klune writes is pure gold. He knows how to write the perfect cozy fantasy. Although I preferred Under the Whispering Door and The House in the Cerulean Sea, this is still a fantastic book that I will be recommending to others.