As I huge fan of TJ Klune writing, I'm so sad to have not loved as much his newest book. I think the sci-fi setting and the robots were not for me. I found it hard to get attached to them and I was just not drawn into the story as much as I would have loved too. I still believe it would be strongly appreciated for many people. Maybe I'll get back to it one day and I will be in the right mood and I'll enjoy it very much!

This was a fun delightful read full of great, well developed characters that I loved! Klune built up a world I wish I could be a part of with this wonderful book.

I love TJ Klune so much. His world feels so big and buoyant and kind and problems carry danger, but there is some kind of love that encompasses his characters and the resolutions as well. Definitely an author I want to share with my kiddos as they get older.

T J Klune has done it again. How every book of his makes me feel like I'm getting a massive hug whilst reading I'll never know, but it's safe to say he has become an insta buy author. If you love queer stories that just fill you with an overwhelming sense of belonging, quirky characters you will fall in love with and stories that break you, but put you back together again, I can't recommend this enough.

Klune delivers a sweet cosy book which straddles the line between fantasy and science fiction with this book. The Pinocchio influences made for fun easter eggs to kind of look for whilst reading this book. I think that fans of cosy stories will have a really fun time with this book. Unfortunately, something that I am only starting to learn about myself is that I am not really the biggest fan of cosy stories. I think this book does what it sets out to do really well but for me I did not find the pacing of the book to be enjoyable. I also, unfortunately, really really did not like the romantic subplot in this story. Despite issues with the pacing and the plotting, the character work was impeccable, Ratched and Rambo were such incredible characters who had real depth and felt well-realised.

I may be a horrible person for these opinions but I truly want TJ Klune to go back to writing more like his Green Creek series. I miss the beautiful heartache from that which is also wholesome.

In a future where robots have taken over the world, humans have become extinct. But somehow a ragtag bunch of robots increase their sentience and begin working to a new tomorrow with humans rejoining the picture.
Told with Klune's typical whimsical style this book endears you with characters who are far from ordinary. This is a story loosely based on Pinocchio but really goes in a unique direction. If you like sci-fi and humorous characters this is a fun read.

Thank you #netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is another TJ Klune book about the meaning of humanity, regardless of whether or not one is human. About what it means to be a person, to have a soul. About pain, and about forgiveness. Also love and robots.

Fans of TJ Klune's hit "The House in the Cerulean Sea" and "Under the Whispering Door" will enjoy "In the Lives of Puppets". Yet again Klune is able to tell a heartwarming yet funny story with a queer romance and a found family set in a science fiction universe. This book was an absolute joy to read.

Knowing the context behind this with the character supposed to be autistic and showing their humanity by comparing it to robots, and him having erased the negative review he got from his autistic sensitivity readers and only thanking the two that gave him positive reviews leaves a sour taste in my mouth and I just can’t read this anymore

This book was a bit of a disappointment in comparison to his last. I was hoping for more loveable characters but the story line was hard to connect to and fell somewhat flat.

This book, in historical TJ Klune style was amazing. The characters were well-described and well-developed and the story was the absolute perfect thing that I needed on the day that I read it. TJ Klune is an auto-buy author for me and this book only reinforced that.

I cannot get into this book. I’ve tried reading it. Listening to it. Reading positive reviews to psych me up. Idk what’s happening. Just not my cup of tea. I love TJ Klune, but this book is too eclectic and crude..? I don’t get the friendships. I’m not relating to the robots. The energy of the book just isn’t for me. ✌🏼 Looking forward to reading more of what he writes in the future.

I received an advance review copy for free via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

"In the Lives of Puppets" takes readers on a captivating journey through a world where robots and humans coexist in a fragile balance. Inspired by the classic tale of Pinocchio, this masterful standalone fantasy adventure by TJ Klune combines elements of whimsy, suspense, and heartwarming relationships. As Victor Lawson discovers a dark past shared between the android Hap and his fatherly inventor Giovanni Lawson, he is faced with difficult choices and unexpected alliances. Together with a cast of eccentric characters, including a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine and a small vacuum desperate for love, Vic embarks on a perilous quest to rescue Gio from his former life. With nods to classic literature and themes of love, loyalty, and acceptance, "In the Lives of Puppets" is a delightful blend of fantasy and adventure that will capture the imagination of readers young and old. Fans of "The House in the Cerulean Sea" and "Under the Whispering Door" will be enchanted by this enchanting tale of friendship and redemption in a world where anything is possible.

TJ Klune has never disappointed me. In typical Klune fashion, this was a cute, funny, and heartfelt story that left me smiling by the end novel. This book contains a fun cast of side characters, from the eccentric Rambo, to the the slightly demented Nurse Rachet, I found myself rooting for them all by the end. Gio was a great father figure that really pulled on my heartstrings and I enjoyed reading about the journey that Hap goes on, trying to rediscover himself. And of course, our main character Victor was a joy to read from and I really liked seeing his journey from lost kid to confident adult, unafraid to leap head first into new scenarios. This story lacked a little of the heart that I felt in the last few TJ Klune books I have read, which is why it doesn't get the full 5 stars.

This book is filled with so much sweetness that it shines on every page. In a world gone crazy, it is a breath of fresh air. Because of the author's vivid description, I can almost smell the pine trees and feel the forest all around me. It is about loneliness, love, and reuniting with family. You'll giggle at the personalities and the characters. It is primarily about humans. I will always consider this book to be one of my favorites.

TJ Klune never fails to disappoint. The characters in this book were so well-done - I especially loved Nurse Ratched and Rambo (how could you not?!). Just like the other Klune books I read, they make your heart hurt in such a hopeful way. There was adversity and adventure but also love and companionship.

3.5! Every TJ Klune I have read feels like the center of a perfect grilled cheese - warm, gooey, and is satisfying no matter how old you are. In The Lives of Puppets is no different, complete with a lovable cast of characters set in a fantastic world that a very small part of me would love to see (but not most of me because I would definitely die). I enjoyed following the adventures of Vic accompanied by a host of hilarious and irreverent robots of all shapes, sizes, and designations as he tries to save his adopted father robot from reverting back to his human killer ways. Hopefully that one sentence, in addition to the two most common comps of gay Pinocchio plus Wall-E, gives you all you need to know in order to make the decision to buy this book, go find a spot in a wooded area, and read until your laughter turns into tears.

Unlike the current era of Klune’s writing that focuses more on the fantasy side of magical realism, In the Lives of Puppets incorporates more sci-fi elements which is a lot of fun, however if robots are really not your thing, this would be a hard one to get through.

Thank you to NetGalley, TJ Klune, and Tor Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I am never going to have enough talent at my disposal to fully express how much this book has changed me, how much it has shifted something in me and made me take note of every single word in it. Definitely one of the best work by the author.

In the Lives of Puppets is a very loose Pinocchio retelling involving....robots. Yes, robots have finally taken over, but Victor and his father, Gio, have been living far-removed from the rest of the world in a safe, hidden home in the forest. Their lives are disrupted when Victor discovers a decommissioned robot that he brings back to life and accidentally alerts the others of their whereabouts.
Victor must embark on a journey to save his father with the help of his friends.

First of all, this is story is so different from anything I've ever read. It was a fun blend of sci fi and fantasy wrapped in a fairytale retelling. I enjoyed the humor, and nods to characters from other stories. For instance, the medical nurse robot with a penchant for wanting to hurt others, (the Registered Automaton To Care, Heal, Educate and Drill: Nurse Ratched, for short), was a fun nod to One flew over the Cuckoo's nest, and Victor is clearly named after Dr. Frankenstein. It also explores what it means to be human, as well as found family.

The first half of this novel was very strong, and I was quickly invested. I wanted a bit more danger and exploration in the world around them, and I didn't think it really needed the romantic tones it was going for at times. The ending also felt a bit awkward to me. Overall, I loved this unique tale, and it is worth a read.