Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Each character was so distinct and really had their own voice and storyline. It both felt very reminiscent of how TJ Klune can always make you feel, and yet something totally new. If I had one critique, I would say that the story was a bit longer than necessary. Although there were no parts of the book that I disliked, I am taking away that this book's main goal is to make you feel things as opposed to remember every detail of the plot to try and figure out the ending. I think it probably wasnt about 15-20% in that I really felt connected to the story, but by the end I was very invested in what was going to happen. Very heartfelt, very worthwhile, and I would certainly recommend to anyone who has enjoyed one of Klune's past books or anyone trying to get into cozy fantasy.

This book went from delightful to hear warming to heart rending and back! Cinematic in its scope and descriptions (hopefully someone is smart enough to see its potential as an amazing animated feature film) In the Lives of Puppets is quite the ride. Full of witty dialogue and a thought provoking plot I couldn’t put this one down. Billed as a queer retelling of Pinocchio, and there are many Pinocchio-esque features in this novel, that description falls far short of what the story is, which is an absolutely wonderful piece of writing. Loved Nurse Ratched and Rambo’s banter.. reminded me somewhat of R2-D2 and C-3PO! And at the “heart” of it all a beautiful story about love in all its various incarnations. Just wonderful. Am I gushing too much?

At this point, I will pick up and read every TJ Klune book that comes out. I have enjoyed both his adult and YA books so I was excited when I received this eARC. I preordered my copy months ago, had completely forgotten the synopsis, and was able to start reading without any idea what was in store.

"In the Lives of Puppets" starts in the middle of a forest with a human and his robot friends. Before reading, I did not realize that I needed a Sci-Fi book set in nature! The characters are all entertaining and I found myself snorting out loud on multiple occasions.

I got what I expected with any book by TJ Klune: witty banter, a vivid setting, and a story full of heart. Twenty pages until the end, I still did not know what would happen. But as I read the last words, there was that feeling of the story ending up exactly where it should.

If you want a book that you can immerse yourself into, with characters that jump (or roll) off the page, and leave with more hope for humanity, pick up this book.

(Thanks to Tor and NetGalley for the eARC!)

This book was so wildly imaginative, as expected from TJ Klune. It was moving and heart wrenching and bittersweet, completely compelling from start to finish. I didn’t know that it was a sort of retelling going in, but all of the references were handled well and were very enjoyable, and the story wasn’t so close to any other it paid homage to to make it tedious or predictable. Completely lovely, I can’t wait for this to officially release so I can read it again.

I love anything Disney related. Yes, I know Pinocchio was around before Disney but Disney was my first experience with Pinocchio. That alone had me wanting to sign up for this one! I loved everything about this. It completely crossed multiple genres and makes me remember why I love TJ Klune so much.

This book was okay. The concept of Pinocchio in the end times was intriguing, but I felt it was just okay in its execution. The author did a good job of weaving together themes of humanity and hope, and I appreciated the humor (Rambo had me laughing out loud) and heart in the story. However, I didn't find it as engaging as some of TJ Klune's other work, such as The House in the Cerulean Sea. Despite this, I was still touched by some of the passages in the book and the idea of a more considerate and compassionate society that the author presents.

Thanks to NetGalley, Author TJ Klune, and Tor Publishing Group for the access to this eARC for an honest review.

TJ Klune is all about writing heart-warming stories and In The Lives of Puppets is no different. A Futuristic retelling of Pinocchio in a dystopian world filled with robots, this book is funny, eccentric and a thought-provoking look at love and acceptance - no matter who or what you are.

TJ Klune has written another incredible story! I was not sure what to expect from this story, but the first few chapters had me - Victor and the robot friends he has are too perfect. An anxious little roomba, a straightforward take no nonsense Nurse robot and his father Gio, a creative soul - they were all so different and funny together. Then they find a new friend to bring into their lives and he really completes the group.

Without giving any spoilers, this group goes on the adventure of a lifetime, learning about themselves, learning about each other and building trust that will never go away. It’s a sweet story, well written and funny.

The one reason I’m not giving it 5 stars, as that I almost wish the ending gave us more. To me it ended leaving me not feeling super fulfilled and wishing there was maybe one more chapter or so.

But overall a great book! I’m a TJ fan through and through.

It comes as no surprise that In the Lives of Puppets came chock full of all of the things many of us have grown to love about TJ Klune. Found family, some romance, LGBTQIA+ characters, and of course sarcastic, witty humor. As expected, I absolutely loved this book. Even going so far as to wonder if it may be my favorite of the books by him that I have read. I do believe that the answer to that question will likely depend on the day it is asked, as The House in the Cerulean Sea also holds a special place in my heart. For a story that primarily revolved around robots, this was truly about humanity and the choices we make.⁣
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This book. It had me laughing, crying, and at times doing both simultaneously. If there is anyone who can make me fall in love with a sociopathic nurse robot, it is Klune and he succeeded. If you’ve ever wondered “could I fall in love with a vacuum with an anxiety problem”? The answer is most undoubtedly, yes. Yes you can. The characters in this book stole the show. They could have sat around twiddling their thumbs for 600 pages and I would have been happy to read about it as long as Vic and his robot friends were involved. Their banter dragged me in, but it was their love that I inevitably ended up staying for. I will always be a sucker for a found family story, and Klune has a way of consistently nailing this theme while also raising the bar one notch higher.⁣
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It may be early, but this is already a strong contender for my favorite book of the year. I cannot reiterate enough how special these characters were, how much I loved going to The City of Electric Dreams with them, and that I just simply didn’t want the story to end. The writing, the emotion, and the themes were all above par and I would highly recommend this for anyone who wants to go on a whimsical adventure with some of the best robots I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading about.

Absolute perfection. TJ Klune just knows how to make get your right in your feels and make your heart burst. Adored every second of this.

This is a very creative, interesting and unique story full of actually quite funny dry humor. Some parts were a little slow and convoluted but overall this was a heart-warming, enjoyable read with lots of adventure! If you enjoy lovable characters and fantasy/sci-fi, this one is for you!

Thank you to Netgalley, Tor Publishing Group and T. J. Klune for this ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review. In The Lives of Puppets will be published in April 2023.

Another stellar read from TJ Klune!!!! A queer story that combines the best parts of Swiss Family Robinson and Pinocchio, but with a sci-fi twist. As someone who is not normally a fantasy or sci-fi reader, I found myself absolutely loving the world Klune created with love, laughter, and hope! I will 100% be recommending this book to everyone when it comes out!

Received this ARC for a fair review.

I love the characters TJ Klune creates. While I thought the story was a little drawn out, I was so invested in the characters that I just kept returning. Rambo is my hero. I want Nurse Ratched on my side all day long and not just because she is a nurse. This story intertwines the life of a human with the imagination of the author. What happens when you are the last human and the world is being taken over by robots. It is not awkward. It is wonderful.
I will forever read everything TJ Klune writes.

This book presents a different perspective about family and love. Can family only be defined if you are biologically related? In this delightful book, the answer is no. Does love have to follow traditional norms? Again, no. This book is another heartwarming story by T.J. Klune that brings together a human boy, robots and an inventor android. The tale is about family, love and survival.

I wish I could embrace this book with as much warmth and kindness as T.J. Klune imbues into his writing, but I felt that this book missed the mark much more than Klune’s previous two novels, unfortunately. Apart from one compelling twist, the emotional beats of this tale fell flat for me, as Klune’s trademark sentimentality feels empty when paired with an uninspired story.

The book itself is a Pinocchio retelling at its core, but it also reminded me of so many other works of fiction that it struggled to stand out on its own merits. If you threw together Pinocchio, Martha Wells’ The Murderbot Diaries, Becky Chambers’ The Monk and Robot series, the setting of Fallout: New Vegas, the droids of Star Wars, the characters of The Brave Little Toaster, and the quest of The Wizard of Oz into a pot, you might have a stew that kinda sorta resembles In the Lives of Puppets. I just don’t think it tastes very good.

If you loved Klune’s previous work you’ll probably feel right at home with this book, but to me, a recovering cynic (who was still very much charmed by The House in the Cerulean Sea!), I think your reading time will be better spent elsewhere.

I absolutely loved this book! The characters were so quirky and lovable; who knew one could grow so attached to an android! The story line of this book is strange and different but I could not put it down, I needed to know more; I needed to know the fate of Vic, Rambo, Nurse RATCHED and HARP. This book is witty, hilarious, clever and so smart. It will not disappoint!

I feel so lucky to have received an ARC of this book. It was such a beautiful and touching story with so much raw emotion. I laughed, I cried, my heart stuttered. The world building in this story was perfection.

Rambo, the anxious Roomba was so endearing and I wanted to hug him. Again, the writing made me want to hug a vacuum. Nurse Ratched was the funniest sociopath I've read. Hap (Hysterically Angry Puppet) was a dream. He had so many layers to his character; caring, compassionate, and strong. Vic was written as the most perfect human I've ever read. Not that he didn't have flaws, but his character was genuine and loving. Gio, the father and inventor was extremely complex. In the beginning, I envisioned a soft old man, but as the story progressed, his character had been through lifetimes worth of trials and his intelligence shined in his scheming.

I typically struggle when scenes change drastically. This story started at their home in the trees and their life was quaint and cozy. Typically, I would be stuck in this scene and would struggle as the characters leave their home for their adventure. Yet I was eager to venture through the story with these characters.

I don't know why but this reminded me of an intelligent, mature version of The Brave Little Toaster. I highly recommend preordering this book now. It will not disappoint and your faith in humanity or the concepts therein, will be renewed.

TJ Klune does what only he can do, again. This book pulls at your heartstrings in the most unexpected ways. I laughed, I cried, and contemplated what it is to be human all with in these pages. This book has characters that reach out and make you love them from the start. Some of it felt like a fever dream, but hey, Pinocchio is a very strange story. It’s hard to find books that have adventure, relationships, character growth, and philosophy all in one but this one fits the bill. I’m thank full is was able to receive and ARC of it.

I can't explain how wonderful this book is.

Man or machine does it make a difference?.

Beautiful.
Beautiful like butterflies.

This is my new favourite book by Klune. A beautiful LGBT retelling of Pinocchio set in the bleak future. It’s the darkest book I’ve read from this author but it works very well and the storytelling is masterful. 10/10 would recommend to everyone.