4.5 stars.

In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, lived fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, a small vacuum desperate for love and attention, and Victor Lawson, a human. They were a family, and they were safely hidden. When an unexpected event caused them to lose both Gio and their house, they went on an expedition to save their loved one and learned about themselves and what was important in life.

Aww this book was so much fun and heartbreaking at the same time. I had jumped in blind and had the best experience reading it. I was delighted to find out it was somewhat a reverse-Pinocchio story, and I completely immersed myself in the details!

In the true style of T. J. Klune, this powerful story packed a punch. It covered topics such as the meaning of life, nature vs. nurture, having a purpose, and - my favourite - found family. I went through emotional roller coaster reading this, starting with full-on chuckles in the beginning and ending with tears running down my face.

The audiobook narration was an epic performance, especially for Rambo’s voice. For a single-cast production, I had no difficulty figuring out the different voices.

Amazing story, amazing delivery!

I think the most important thing to note is there were no actual puppets and I was beyond pleased. I will read anything TJ Klune publishes but the possibility of puppets made me hesitate. Wonderful characters and a fantastic setting.

TJ Klune NEVER disappoints!

Klune became an auto-buy author for me after reading one of my all-time favorite books, The House in the Cerulean Sea. After diving into In the Lives of Puppets, he has only cemented himself as one of my go-to authors!

From his ability to highlight the importance and beauty of friendships and family to the whimsical worlds he invites us to explore, TJK never fails to craft stories that leave me teary-eyed and wholly happy.

Thank you to Tor Publishing Group, TJ Klune, and NetGalley for providing an e-ARC!

Not sure this one is for me. Loved the idea of the book though and the cover is so cute. Maybe will try again another time!

I really wanted to like this one. I have enjoyed several other books by T.J. Klune, but this one just didn’t do it for me. The world was really creative and felt magical, and I liked that one of the main characters was asexual, but that’s about it on this one. The pacing felt really weird at times, and I found myself bored through quite a bit of the book.

I will say though, that the audiobook was really well done. If I was going to recommend this book, I would recommend the audiobook.

i got this as an arc last year and oh my god tj klune you have once again outdone yourself. this was so eerie yet so good
reading about hap , vic and Gio
this truly was a chilling beautiful read. loved it.

A beautiful blend of Pinocchio and AI: Artificial Intelligence, which was, itself, a reimagining of Pinocchio.

I am typically a huge fan of Klune's work. In the Lives of Puppets was almost like a modern day type of Wizard of Oz mixed with Pinocchio, while involving robots. For me, this book just didn't hit the way his others have. It had some compelling parts and a twist as well as the emotional setups and queer characters.

I loved the relationships between Gio, Vic, Nurse, and Rambo. They are all such quirky and unique individuals and their camaraderie was phenomenal work. They each had strong personalities that were shown through throughout the story. There were some hearth wrenching moments and some "edge of the seat" type moments as well.

I think I just expected more from it. I almost got to the end and questioned what the purpose of the book really was. There were great quotes and takeaway moments, but the story, as whole did not speak to me, to my heart like I expected. I wanted there to be more flow and more symmetry, but it just kind of felt haphazard at times.

This author has started to become one of my favorites lately but this book was probably my least favorite one from him. I don't know maybe I just wasn't the right audience for this one. I enjoy a lot of his other books but this one was a little too weird for me.

Klune is sincerely one of my favourite authors, but this was a slight deviation from my normal adoration. The plot on this one kind of lost me, but I really loved how Klune still packed an emotional gut punch into the story. It's a clever retelling of pinochio (I think?) and the actual laugh out loud moments were there, right along with the very sweet heart. That said. 9/10 always worth a read.

In the Lives of Puppets is not at all what I expected, and everything that I needed. This was such a delightful read! I laughed out loud, I cried (sometimes both at the same time), and overall felt so much joy from this reading experience. I’m a sucker for a found family trope, and especially fond of adorable robot side characters, so this was a guarantee for me to love. I found the plot dragged a bit in some places, and some plot devices could be predictable at times, but other than those minor things I adored this book!

I know so many readers that love TJ Klune and I really wanted to like this book. I was very interested in the beginning, but the pacing slowed down and I felt like I was trudging through the book.

The author's writing is very good, and I can see why so many people love his books, but for me personally, I need a faster plot with more going on.

This was an enjoyable read that will catch the interest of older students. I enjoyed the weaving together of multiple familiar stories about puppets into something entirely new. TJ Klune always knows how to pack an emotional punch into an otherwise fast-paced story.

I like a lot of TJ Klune but this one didn't draw me in quite as much as some of the others. It still has some signature quirky humor and heartwarming scenes but this type of story just wasnt my jam.

TJ Klune is obviously amazing and this one is equally as great as everything else. I love this family drama and enjoyed the twists and turns.

I was honestly surprised by how much I loved this book. As someone who doesn't typically read fantasy books I decided to give this one a shot based on how much I enjoyed the other books by Klune that I've read. At first the book feels fairly simplistic and it follows the story of a man, Viktor, and his father but the more you read the increasingly complex the book and story actually is. It's beautiful in how Klune is able to tackle complex topics in humorous ways that feel believable and real in the end, even while dealing with robots. Also, if you haven't already read it, I would also highly recommend T.J. Klune's The House in the Cerulean Sea.

"In the Lives of Puppets" by TJ Klune is a heartwarming and whimsical tale that celebrates the power of friendship, love, and self-discovery. Klune's enchanting narrative transports readers to a world where puppets come to life, weaving a magical story that will capture the imagination of readers of all ages. With its charming characters and touching themes, "In the Lives of Puppets" is a delightful read that will leave you smiling long after you turn the final page.

"In the Lives of Puppets" by TJ Klune is a heartwarming story about a family of machines, robots, and a human living in the forest. They enjoy tinkering with junk piles of parts and share a bond similar to the "Pinocchio" fairy tale. The book is touching, and readers will grow to care for the boy and all the puppets. Klune's creativity shines through in the characters' development, and the story is filled with adventure, happiness, love, and some obstacles and chaotic events. Overall, it's a touching and memorable read.

Unfortunately I didn't love this book, it was too fast and I didn't buy the relationship between the characters. However, some of the robots are hilarious, and I loved that! I haven't read other books from this author, but I enjoyed his writing so I would definitely pick up more by him.

TJ Klune is an absolute read for me. He develpos characters that are so heart warming, flawed, and real (even when they're robots) that I am devestated when the book ends.

This book is found family. It's snarky robots and adopted fathers. It's the of smell of fresh coffee and mown grass and the garage on a warm day. This book is love and friendship and adventure.