What can I say but another wonderful, emotional and heart felt book by T.J Klune!

I have loved all the books I have read by this author. My favorite is under the whispering door but this one gave it a run for my favorite spot.

This book- like all of TJ Klunes books- is heartwarming and funny. Found family never fails to get me and this found family is no exception! I would have liked to learn more about the aftermath of the ending, but I did love the focus on the characters and their growth throughout the book. I’d definitely recommend this book for someone looking for a light, heartwarming fantasy read!

Review based on a digital advanced reader copy (ARC) from NetGalley. I was thrilled to have this request approved as I'm a adoring fan of both The House in the Cerulean Sea (2020) and Under the Whispering Door (2021). Like both of those titles, this one features a quirky, inventive house on the cover...
Synopsis:
In a strange, labyrintine tree-house complex deep in the woods lives a robot, Gio, his oprhaned human son, Vic, and two robots Vic has created, Nurse Rachet, who likes to threaten violence in a variety of creative ways, and a repurposed Roomba named Rambo, who is the poster-child for attention-seeking naiveté. Vic and this crew of misfits go on routine quests to the garbage dump to gather supplies, and must avoid a series of robotic, oversized earthmovers who serve as guard dogs in this post-apocalyptic setting. One day, they discover something that changes everything...
What I loved:
Characterization. Klune develops charming, flawed, believable, funny characters, whether they're flesh-and-blood humans or creatures plucked from fantasy genres. They're such a rich variety of outcasts. Nurse Rachet's delightfully sinister split personality, for instance, is a highlight of the book, just as Lucy was in [book: The House in the Cerulean Sea. Here, Klune brings that substantial talent to androids and other reshaped characters from Carlo Collodi's original, The Adventures of Pinocchio.
Point of Confusion:
What I can't square in this LGBTQ+ text is the reinterpretation of Collodi's original Fairy with turquoise hair. In the original fairy tale her role is to keep Pinocchio on the moral path, presumedly so he would be worthy of transformation into a real boy. Klune's "blue fairy" is essentially non-human and amoral, a rather Oz-like creature behind a screen of illusions who resides in a pleasure palace that provides presumedly deviant sexual experiences to androids. I'm not able to square that with an LGBTQ+ text. He seems to be suggest that sex is deviant. I'm no prude, but I'm uncertain why a post-apocalyptic, post-human world would feature sex at all.
Overall:
Four stars for characterization, conflict, and a unique reinterpretation of a classic tale. It's also so timely, as the world continues to discover the newest technological revolution in AI that began in November, 2022, with the launch of ChatGPT and other mushrooming AI integrations in our daily lives.

In the distant future, a curious family lives deep in the woods: neurotic Roomba Rambo, Nurse Ratched the delightfully violent medical droid, kindly inventor Giovanni, and his adopted son Victor, the only human in the lot. When Vic rescues a new robot, Hap, from the junk yard and repairs him, he sets in motion a chain of events that will change all their lives. Victor's quiet life is suddenly roiled by dark secrets and danger as he's forced to confront both the past and the world outside the forest. It's sweet and all, but Nurse Ratched totally steals the show.

Very interesting and humorous Sci-Fi/Fantasy book by TJ Klune

The jokes in this book are hillarious. TJ Klune knows how to use the comedic relief.

Vic is a human who lives in the woods with his family of robots. His curiosity gets the best of him and sends him off on an adventure where he learns a lot about the world that was hidden from him. Vic is a grown man but is a bit naive since he has been sheltered by his family. He is shy but courageous.

I love the Sci-Fi Dystopian feel of this novel. It is unlike other book I read by the author and I loved it. I loved how we are exploring the idea of robots evolving and emulating the humans that created them. They make a society of their own and desire to make earth a better place then humans, but really just end up being just like humans. They develop feelings, emotions, a sense of humor, and a lot of sarcasm.

It was a lovely adventure. Highly recommend.

This is actual my first book by TJ Klune and I enjoyed it! This is a wholesome, found family, adventurous fantasy book and I find this genre rare. I haven't read a lot of wholesome found family books but this one really did a great job!

I received an advance copy via NetGalley.

T.J. Klune has a masterful way of etching realistic, complex characters and emotions into his works. <i>In the Lives of Puppets</i> showcases his talents again, though is not as strong as some of his previous novels.

In this future-set sci-fi and fantastical work, the tale of Pinocchio is twisted around. Victor Lawson is a young man raised by a robot father. They live deep in the Oregon woods on the edge of a massive scrapyard where new things are periodically dumped. It was from there that Victor salvaged his two best friends, Nurse Ratched, a sarcastic and drill-ready healthcare bot, and Rambo, a childlike and neurotic little vacuum. In the dump, they make a new find--a barely-alive robot who, despite his aggressiveness, Victor resolves to rebuild and revive. Victor soon learns harsh truths about his father, his world, and himself.

I found this book incredibly slow to start. The banter between the robots is often fun, but sometimes feels overdone and annoying. Even so, I read on because I trusted that Klune would take the tale in interesting places, and he did. The conflict delivers numerous surprises and hits some poignant emotional notes.

In the Lives of Puppets is full of character and heart. I so enjoyed the time spent with our dynamic trio (Vic, Rambo, & Nurse Ratched); they were hands down my favorite characters because of how much heart they have and how much they love each other. The found family of these quirky robots was the foundation of the plot (imo) and Hap/Vic's relationship felt a little insta-love for me. I cherished their love - don't get me wrong - but it did feel underdeveloped compared to Vic/Rambo/Nurse Ratched. I loved how Vic's asexuality was so blatant (& educational!); also, how it was juxtaposed with some very raunchy robot talk (from Nurse Ratched & other characters later in the book). Overall, I gave this a 4/5 stars. I did really enjoy it but the premise (i.e. robots, pinnochio) just weren't my cup of tea. The writing is 5/5 & characters are 5/5! If I could, I would live in the forest with my robot crew forever!

One of my highly anticipated reads for the year - and I was right in being excited!

I was drawn in by the characters immediately, and the secluded treehouse in a forest setting was serene. I was quickly captured by the story unfolding.

This one explored the idea of what it is to be human, and the author did this brilliantly with a variety of charavters, including robots/puppets/machines. Klune explored a variety of emotions and what it is to be an imperfect and flawed being. This was wonderfully done, with a mildly suspenseful adventure unfolding throughout the pages of this book. The story moves along fairly consistently, while also balancing the personal growth of the MC and supporting characters.

Another wonderful book by TJ Klune! Thank you for the copy!

I've been a fan of TJ Klune since reading The House in the Cerulean Sea, so I was excited to read this arc.

There are plenty of deep and meaningful relationship and identity focused messages threaded through this book, which is commendable, but my heart was stolen by the classic dialogue of the nurse and vacuum robots. I often found myself laughing out loud. Funny, yes, but also totally endearing characters.

I could have happily read a whole book based around the first part of the story but I realise that's not how stories evolve. I'm not someone who expects perfect endings to all the books I read, but I was so captivated by these characters that in this case I wanted more for them than the bittersweet ending I found.

A very entertaining and heartwarming novel which I will be forcing upon others to read.

I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I’m a little embarrassed to admit that this is my first TJ Klune book - Cerulean Sea has actually been on my bedside table TBR for over a year now! Based on what I know about this author, I expected this book to be warm and emotional - but I did NOT realize it was going to be so funny!

This book is a futuristic sci-fi retelling of Pinocchio per the author, and there are definitely connections to that story. However, my brain kept connecting this book with Frank L. Baum’s Oz series with the wacky but dangerous characters, outlandish settings and circumstances, and the core group of characters on a quest. I really enjoyed those parallels, and reading this book made me want to go back and read Baum’s works again!

As I mentioned before, this book is FUNNY. Nurse Ratched is my spirit animal - er, robot, and my new dream is to voice her character in an audiobook. I loved the relationship between her and Rambo, and the dialogue was so much fun to read. Unfortunately, I just didn’t connect to the other characters. I liked the characters, sure, but I didn’t fall in love with them. I wish their motivations and desires had been fleshed out a little more so that I could understand them better. It could also be because I’m dead inside, but I didn’t really care what happened to any of them as long as my favorite sociopathic nurse robot was ok!

I thought for sure this was a book that would create some sort of emotional response on my part, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. That being said, this book is still an interesting, creative story with excellent humor and side characters. Fans of TJ Klune should definitely give this book a try, as well as fans of what I’d consider to be cozy sci-fi. This book isn’t specifically labeled as YA, but I also think high school readers would really enjoy this one!

Thank you to Tor Publishing and NetGalley for providing an advanced reading copy!

What I really like about TJ Klune's writing is that it's very outwardly warm. Everything that I have read of his has a sense of kindness and safety, like 'I know we're doing this difficult thing but we can do this together and it's going to be okay.'

I did feel a little conflicted about this book. The first half was much harder for me to get through than I expected based on my experience with his past books, but it did pick up in the second half.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly where I felt this one fell a little flat. I think there might have been a bit too much dialogue (sometimes it felt like every conversation was a round table that all of the main characters had to weigh in on).

I felt a little frustrated by Rambo. While he was described as a character riddled with anxiety, I felt like he was a contradictory mix of anxious and overzealous.

I would also have liked to have seen a little bit more depth to Victor. As arguably the primary main character, I'm not sure I could actually describe his personality or motivation. Building onto that, the romance piece also missed some depth to me.

Overall, it was a worthwhile read but readers should not expect a similar experience to "The House in the Cerulean Sea" and "Under the Whispering Door" beyond the overall voice and tone.

I received a digital review copy of this book via NetGalley.

An impressive, very loose retelling of Pinocchio with great diverse representation.
Like TJ Klune's previous books, the supporting cast of characters are the real hero's of this book. Nurse Ratched with her sarcastic negativity and dark humor and Rambo the anxious, overly friendly vacuum had me rolling with laughter. He has a wonderful way of adding depth to all his characters. Unlike TJ Klune's other books, this book is heavy on the sci fi aspect and less so fantasy - but still having a grandiose adventure tied in. While I did like this book, I preferred his previous two more, that could just be me though! Overall a great new book by TJ Klune and if you liked his previous books - you will adore this one too!


* I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review*

Who knew that a story about robots could be so funnt and so heartbreaking at the same time. There were so many times where this book made me laugh with the robots bantering back and forth. This is a world where robots rule and all the humans have been killed except for one, Victor. If he is found he also will be killed. Gio, Victor's father has been taken and Victor, Rambo, Nurse Ratched and Hap have to go into the city to get him back. The journey is filled with adventure and excitement as they make their way into the city. I do have to say the beginning of the novel was a bit slow for me. It took a bit to get into but around the 30% mark things definitely picked up for me. Thank you to Netgalley and Tor publishers for allowing me to read an ARC.
4.25/5

Another beautifully written, magical tale by TJ Klune!

Without giving too much away...
Vic Lawson lives in the forest with his father, Giovanni Lawson, and their two magnificent, robotic friends: Nurse Ratched (the nurse robot) and Rambo (the vacuum). Together they make a fun, creative group! One day, while in the scrap yards, Vic and his friends stumble upon a decommissioned machine and they set out to help bring him back to "life." Little do they know that doing so will change their immediate futures and the fate of the whole world.

The characters in In the Lives of Puppets were such a joy to get to know. Rambo stuck out to me the most, with his quirky joy and silly nature. He made me laugh out loud and even thinking about him still makes me smile.

The writing of this story, in true Klune fashion, is stunning. It takes you along on the journey and gives you vivid, beautiful scenery along the way. Easy to follow with plenty of depth, it's easy to get lost in, as with any world TJ Klune creates.

The plot and pacing of the book were interesting, and the exploration of the concepts of robots, AI, and the future of humanity brought a level of intensity to this story that I wasn't expecting. And while I did enjoy it, I think the Sci-fi aspect didn't quite impact me as much as it will other readers. Nevertheless, I think anyone who has enjoyed Klune's previous stories will enjoy this one, as well.

Thank you Tor, TJ Klune, and NetGalley for an ARC of In the Lives of Puppets in exchange for my honest review!! It's truly an honor!

3.5⭐️ / 5

I, unfortunately, did not finish this book. I loved The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door, but I didn't connect to the characters in In the Lives of Puppets in the same way. I felt like the characters were recycled from Cerulean Sea (Nurse Ratched has the same personality/humor/jokes as Lucy). I felt like this had a lot of potential, but it fell flat for me. The main characters Klune writes are all very similar as well, although I did appreciate and acknowledge the addition of an asexual main character, which is a fantastic addition for representation!

The beginning took a lot of energy to get into, and even 35% into the book, I felt bored and disengaged.

Out of respect for TJ Klune and the publisher, I will not be sharing my review on Goodreads or my social media! I think other people will enjoy this book, it just was not for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the ARC of In The Lives of Puppets.

Things I liked about the book:

• the cast of side characters (especially Nurse Ratched and Rambo) were hilarious and wonderful
• the world Klune built was vivid and imaginative
• it had his signature mix of quirky and sweet, bringing humanity to the un-human

Overall, more sci-fi than I’d normally like, and if readers are expecting a story like his two previous books, this won’t be it. But it was sweet and a fun, charming adventure! I recommend it to anyone that loves sci-fi and fantasy.

4,5
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC to review.
First, let me say I'm not a huge sci-fi fan, it's a genre that I only read once in a very long while. Despite that, I decided to give it a try since I read the Green Creek saga from this author and adore it so much (also not a huge fan of werewolves but I guess T.J Klune can make me love things that I usually don't like). The strongest point for me was the characters, each character had a very strong and unique voice to them but most important is how they interacted with each other despite being so different. There's a strong theme of "found family/ chosen family" although the book if any of you like this trope I would highly recommend this book (or the Green Creek saga). Another thing that I loved about this book was the setting. The huge imagination the house brings to the table, almost like a tale, I longed for it, I wanted to go to the woods and find the space where Vic, Gio, Rambo, Nurse Ratched, and Hap live in. This book really felt like a warm hug, if you're in need of a warm, safe, and cozy read I would highly recommend reading this book.

Wow! What a Fantastic ride this story was! The author brought us to a world full of imagination and at the heart of it all--- Heart, Hope, Love.

This is truly a reimagined world in which the tale of Pinocchio gets twisted and turned. I read in awe of the creative juices that the author turned into beautiful words. I loved the message of hope. Hope in humanity, hope of acceptance, hope of being loved and being able to love.

Beautiful book. I actually was wanting just a little bit more. I thought it just kind of ended. I was ready for a few more pages. Again, great messages but I wanted to see Hap and Vic move on in life.

I could totally see this book made in to a movie. I would watch it again and again. Someone please pick up that option for us!

Yet another queer fantasy by TJ Klune! I really liked this novel, as I have liked all of this authors work. This work focuses on a human who goes on a quest to rescue is robot father from the robot authority. It hits on the found family trope, as well as love coming in all types. I really appreciated how the characters went on the traditional epic journey in this book! Overall, 5/5