TJ Klune set a high standard with The House in the Cerulean Sea, and In the Lives of Puppets rises to the bar easily. A bittersweet story of love and friendship and family and humanity, couched in an homage to Pinocchio, this is a book I'll recommend to anyone looking for a reason to keep going despite the chaos around us, or looking for a book to affirm the beauty and not-beauty of humanity, all at once. Nurse Ratched and Rambo made me laugh out loud repeatedly. I loved the characters despite and because of all of their flaws. Amazing storytelling.

I just want you to know that if you think your ready to read this book no you're not. I was not prepared for the heartbreak I experienced within the pages of this novel. If your a fan of TJ Klune, this is by far his best work. I see the world differently now, that's how much this affected me. Thank you so much to Tor and netgalley for the e-arc of this book. I am so blessed to receive this book early and give my honest tear soaked opinion on this one. Please read this when it comes out.

Pinocchio, Frankenstein, Edward Scissorhands, Blade Runner/Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, Wizard of Oz. All variations on the creation trope and where sentient life comes from. A classic sci-fi tale.

TJ Klune is an absolute wonder. He created relatable robots we as the reader cared for. The adorably annoying Rambo the Roomba and the psychopathic Nurse Ratched. They made me literally laugh out loud. Klune takes the dystopian and makes it beautiful. His books are an auto read for me and In the Lives of Puppets is a lovely addition to his list.

🅶🅴🅽🆁🅴—𝐹𝒶𝓃𝓉𝒶𝓈𝓎 / 𝒮𝒸𝒾𝑒𝓃𝒸𝑒 𝐹𝒾𝒸𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃
🗓ℙ𝕦𝕓 𝔻𝕒𝕥𝕖—𝔸𝕡𝕣𝕚𝕝 𝟚𝟝, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟛

✂️ P L O T L I N E
A book based on Carlo Collodi’s “The Adventures of Pinocchio.” This story revolves around a world where humans have been extinct for centuries and robots rule. The irony that humans made these machines, only for the machines to turn right back around and kill them all. Victor is the very last human on earth and when his inventor father is taken away by the “Authority”, his robot family will do everything it takes to help find his father and protect his life while subjecting themselves to the dangers of the “Authority.” This fantasy— science fiction book is full of adventure and explores the concepts of what it means to be human and the power of having the ability to make your own choices.

💭 ⓂⓎ ⓉⒽⓄⓊⒼⒽⓉⓈ
It took me a little bit to wrap my mind around the abstract concept of this book. But once I did, I was hooked. Tj Klune has a unique way of making you fall in love with every unusual character. There is Gio, the android inventor and father of human Victor, Nurse Ratched, an automatic nurse ready to help and heal, an endearing and most lovable vacuum named Rambo, and a mysterious handsome android named Hap. There were so many parallels to our current way of living. The good, bad, and ugly of our world. Such a thought provoking concept that makes you think of the meaning of humanity and mortality. A story that reveals the flaws and selfishness of humans only to show that robots have the same vice’s within them and are also power hungry. A unique story that reminds us that building connections, having hope, and a finding a sense of purpose are needed to have a fulfilled life. Be prepared the highlight the sh*t out of this book because there are sooooo many beautiful quotes.🖍

📚Read this book if you like:
💫Abstract story lines
💫Queer characters 🌈
💫Adventure and science fiction
💫Unique and quirky characters
💫A book that will make you shed a few tears 😭

🤖 𝕄𝕐 ℝ𝔸𝕋𝕀ℕ𝔾 🤖
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

💕Q U O T E S: “ You say you’re happy. I believe you. But happiness isn’t something that can be sustained continuously, not without something to keep the fire burning.”

“ You are finite. Your time it’s already sleeping through your fingers. It creates an urgency within you. To do all that you can. To make things right. I wonder what that must feel like, to have a sense of true motivation.”

🙏Thank you NetGalley, Tor Books, and TJ Klune for this beautiful ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts 💕

“What a strange existence we find ourselves in. I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world”

The second I see there is a new T J Klune book on the horizon I just KNOW that:
(1) I will absolutely adore it, and
(2) I will probably cry my way through at least 85% of it
Can confirm both still true.

In the Lives of Puppets is the story of Victor Lawson (yes, I see you name choice!) and his life in the trees with his android father and inventor Giovanni, a very anxious vacuum robot called Rambo and a lovely sadistic and sarcastic nurse robot called Nurse Ratchet. Victor spends his days salvaging scrap and repairing machines along with his family, until one day he stumbles upon an unfamiliar android called ‘HAP’ which changes the course of his and his families lives forever.

The book itself is STEEPED in found family, which I am always an absolute sucker for, Klune manages to capture such emotion between every character which is amazing since the majority of the characters are androids!

Th characters are wonderful and the story telling, as always, is so magical. Although I mostly just cried through the book because I am a mess, there were so many laugh out loud moments as well.

Overall, this book was absolutely everything I hoped it would be – my one criticism I have which I have had with all the previous Klune books I have read, is that I don’t think there ever needs to be romance, the power with the found family themes I think is much stronger and more effective.

I already have this one on pre-order, but thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read it a bit early.

4.5 (Publication date: 25/04/2023)

Sweet and silly! Nurse Rached was the greatest character Klune has written. I loved the Pinnochio for a new age bits, the humanity that even the machines could possess and the fact that love is love no matter who or what you are.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

No author writes found family quite like TJ Klune. It’s one of my favorite things about his books. In the Lives of Puppets may have the most precious found family of them all.

This book was a breath of fresh air, taking a new futuristic approach to the Pinocchio story. Victor and Giovanni, son and father respectively, live in the forest in an elaborate construction built around the treetops. Enter Nurse Ratched and Rambo, the two quirky shining companions in this story. I loved watching their characters develop and the comedic timing of these two was absolutely perfect. The four find a a cure for loneliness in each other, although Victor strives for a deeper connection. Enter Hap, the catalyst that shakes up the small world Victor had come to know.

Words cannot describe how much I loved this book. The writing was beautiful, the themes clever and perfectly developed, and the ending exactly what it needed to be. I’m so glad I got the chance to read this story in advance, and cannot recommend you read it for yourselves after release, April 25th. A story of humanity, and sacrifice, and friendship and love.

TJ Kline has done it again! I absolutely adored In the Lives of Puppets. I didn’t know that I could fall so deeply in love with a robot vacuum, but Rambo stole my heart. I honestly couldn’t get enough of these characters. 5 million stars!

I have read Klune’s two most recent books, The House In the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door. Both left me full of levity and love for fictional characters. Klune’s writing, specifically his ability to craft these exquisite little found families, is like drinking a warm beverage on a cold day. In the Lives of Puppets was no different.

The characters are where this book really shines. Each of the five main characters have distinct, conflicting personalities that fit together like a puzzle. They had me laughing, they made me worry, and they felt like close friends. At times Nurse Ratched and Rambo were a little too much, but their dialogue, their humor, their banter worked harmoniously. Giovanni, the Gepetto of this story, is deeply flawed but is trying his best to overcome all of the bad he’s caused. Victor and Hap are man and robot. They shouldn’t work together, but they do…beautifully.

If there is anything negative to say, it’s that some things felt a little too easy. While there were stakes, answers were mostly just handed to them.

I think I prefer The House In the Cerulean Sea, but these puppets will stick with me for a long time.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune!

I never thought I would feel emotionally attached to robots, but here we are. I have read other books by Klune and I loved this one just as much as the others.

I really struggled to get through this one! The characters felt more abrasive then Klune's previous works, not sure if it was just the personalities of the robots being more one note, or the fact that it was pretty repetitive. I also think it comes out an awkward time media wise with SO many pinnochio retellings! Maybe it's just not for me, but it didn't hit the right note in terms of story or pacing for me.

Wow fantastic 5 star read … Sci-Fi fantasy adventure, brilliantly different, Highly recommended. Thank you to NetGalley for advance copy

In a story inspired by Pinocchio, Victor, a human, lives in the forest with 3 robots. When he decides to fix a found decommissioned robot, authority finds them and takes away Victor's android father, and Victor is determined to get him back. Klune is great at dialogue and creating characters. This is the type of book I think would almost be better as a movie. This was very enjoyable, but I felt like the love story was forced and the sexuality comments were awkward and unnecessary.

I did not know what to expect from this book, but I definitely enjoyed finding familiar pieces of different stories along the way as I read it. It gave me vibes from Pinocchio and A.I the movie. I felt at home and also had many humorous laughs at the helpful and pragmatic characters that aided Vic, the main character. I enjoyed this story and had a difficult time putting it down.

TJ Klune’s imagination is something I find joy in! A take on the classic Pinocchio set in a time when humans are near extinction from the toys they’ve created. This could happen some day. Thank you for this joy and bringing simples household machines to life!

"Sometimes, it's the smallest things that can change everything when you least expect it."

Never in a million years did I think I would get approved for this eARC when I requested it a few weeks ago, but here we are! I feel so lucky to have gotten to read my most anticipated new release of 2023 three months early!

Ya'll. I fell in love with the characters that were gifted to us in this story. So much so that I am actively missing them right now as I write this. Klune is known for his loveable characters from his previous works, but he really outdid himself with the MC's two main companions: Rambo & Nurse Ratched. They were so wonderfully unique, strange, RAUNCHY, and charismatic. I love them with my whole heart. I can't wait for everyone else to meet them.

This is different from his previous adult novels (Cerulean Sea/Whispering Door) in that it is darker and more bleak at times, but still carries that same whimsical and pure tune that he is known for. It deals with heavy topics like grief, forgiveness, trust, and the weight of being a creature with emotions. It also speaks on conservation and corruption, while still finding a way to be amusing and light in some of the darker times. The contrasts and depths that this little adventure takes us through is just one of the many reasons I loved it so much.

This was queer Pinocchio meets iRobot meets Detroit Become Human to me and I loved every moment. I was so skeptical when first reading about it and worried I wouldn't be able to get into the world with me not being the biggest sci-fi fan, but NO. I love these robots and will protect them with my life. 😭

Anyway, TJ Klune, thanks for stealing my heart yet again. I can't wait to snag a physical copy of this when it releases.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Yep. This is a TJ Klune book. The pacing on this one is a lot slower in the beginning, but I'm so glad that I stuck with it. Nurse Ratched and Rambo are the best. I love the big questions about humanity and what makes us human. Heart warming and melancholic and I loved it.

He’s done it again!

Robots have taken over the world, but despite all the odds there seems to be one human left! Vic roams the woods with his robot companions, browsing the scrap yards for any materials worth salvaging. One day he comes across a robot that will alter life as he knows it.

This book is well written; it brings up the flaws of the human race while also providing comic relief.

I loved every moment of this futuristic fantasy.

I was overly excited to read this as I love the author’s two previous books. I enjoyed this story, but I did not love it. It was slow for a lot of the book, and I found myself not completely engaged. The characters are great and the story is heartwarming (as all TJ Klune books) but something’s missing. I wasn’t excited to keep reading, and found the pace sluggish. I still recommend for lovers of TJ Klune’s books.

“And above all else, be brave.”

Book Dynamics✨
Laugh out loud funny
4 Parts
1 POV

This book is special. I don’t know how else to put it.

A book of found family, friendship, love, and adventure.

Imagine you put The Brave Little Toaster, Wall-E, and Pinocchio into a blender and it just spits out the most perfect novel. That’s what Klune did. It’s whimsical and funny - like really fucking funny - and wonderful and just oh so perfect.

I know it’s January but this will be a fave 2023 book. Dare I say ever.

Overall: Only read if you want to feel like your heart is going to burst from warm fuzzies and if you like to laugh a lot

Favorite Character: Rambo and Nurse Ratched are tied DO NOT MAKE ME CHOOSE


Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review! TJ Klune has solidified himself as an auto buy author for me. I’ve already got this bad boy preordered to add to my shelf!