If you know TJ Klune, you know that picking up one of his books means diving headlong into wholesome conversations about mental health served with a healthy dose of banter. His latest is another in a line of soul-stirring stories with the most delightful band of characters - a roomba with anxiety, a sociopathic nursing bot, a inventing robot seeking absolution through creation, his human tinkerer son, and a hysterically angry puppet. IN THE LIVES OF PUPPETS was an incredibly fun and heartfelt Pinocchio spin in a world that exists after humanity has been wiped out. The nods to the original story were creative without overshadowing the main plot. While I wasn't emotionally gripped in the same way as Cerulean or Whispering, this was a lovely palate cleanser. Sincerely looking forward to the fan art too!

Victor Lawson, son of Gio Lawson, is a human, which is pretty unique among his circle of friends. They're all robots. His dad is an android. His best friends are a Roomba vacuum cleaner with faded paint named Rambo that's a bit extra and has a huge heart ,and Nurse Ratched, a medical droid (whose name is an acronym for Nurse Registered Automaton to Care, heal, Educate, and Drill) who is a bit of sociopath but loves her friends deeply (though she will drill you if you ever tell anyone...she hasn't drilled anyone in way too long and would love the chance).

The four live in happiness and harmony in the forest in a wonderous multi-tree-treehouse home. One day while scavenging for scrap, Vic, Rambo and Nurse Ratched come across a pile of newly decommissioned robots..one of which still has a bit of power left. This discovery flips Vic's entire world on end and leads him to go on a massive journey to ensure the safe lives of those he loves.

I loved this book. I always love TJ's writing. He is a master at creating loveable characters that you truly care about. This retelling of Pinocchio (with a bit of Frankenstein tossed in) was somehow exactly what I was hoping for and so much more than I expected. TJ has spoken about how you'll fall in love with the vacuum and its true, but, personally, I really loved Nurse Ratched. The fact that she loves and cares for her friends so deeply was touching every time she spoke.

My only slight negative of the book is that the ending feels rushed. I would've happily read another 50 to 100 pages of the end. Its not a detriment and I'm still rating this book at a sold 4.5 stars (rounded up to 5). I think the ending is perfectly fine the way it is, I just wanted a bit more of these characters that I grew to love so much.

Thank you to NetGalley and TOR Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

It's impressive how TJ Klune just get's better and better for each book he writes.
I loved both House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door, and this book ticks off all the boxes with a darker tone like UtWD, but also the found family element and sweet romance that we all love. There were also more elements of action and fast paced scenes, which were refreshing.
I also liked his take on light science fiction and the Pinocchio aspect of the story felt like a new and fun take on the classic.

Klune's superpower is to perfectly make characters you will fall in love with, and this book is no different. Nurse Ratched and Rambo will always have a special place in my heart.

I took this slowly because I found it to be an emotional rollercoaster. Vic Lawson starts a dangerous chain of events by rescuing a decommissioned robot from a scrap yard in a tale with a touch of Pinocchio, Swiss Family Robinson, the Wizard of Oz...and so much heart. A lone human in a found family of machines, Vic is the beloved son of inventor Giovanni Lawson, but when a salvage trip goes awry robots from Giovanni’s former life attack their home and take Gio. So begins Vic’s quest to save his father from the City of Electric Dreams. It’s laugh out loud funny, absolutely heartbreaking, and wonderful!

Biggest thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of 'In the Lives of Puppets'! This review is my full, honest opinion.

'In the Lives of Puppets' is one of my most anticipated books of the year. Hearing it was a queer, inspired retelling of Pinnochio where the reader is bound to fall in love with a vacuum, I was on board for a good time from the pitch alone! We follow Victor Lawson, a human living in the forest with his humanoid father Giovanni, a medical robot unit named Nurse Ratched, and an anxious little roomba vacuum called Rambo. He's an inventor, just like his dad, and when he comes across something (or someone) at a junkyard with signs of energy and life, it causes his life to turn upside down, and in need to go off on an adventure to the City of Electric Dreams!

I was suckered into the story from the first chapter alone. TJ Klune never disappoints in creating a gang of characters that readers will always fall in love with. The character interactions between Nurse Ratched and Rambo are hilarious and are definitely the best duo anyone can ask for. Giovanni and Victor have such a wonderful relationship between father and son. Giovanni is my favorite character besides Rambo; his character and lessons as a father and a humanoid with feelings had me crying multiple times. This book is nothing less than engaging. And I do need to mention again, this book made me SOB multiple times!

One aspect of the book I had not picked up on and kind of threw me for a loop was Victor's relationship with Hap. I had not for one second considered them to be in a romantic relationship until the idea was mentioned by another character 60% into reading this book. Even until the end, I wasn't convinced of their feelings for each other. It is what soiled what would have been a five-star read for me because I don't think there needed to be a romance in this novel, especially with the themes and the journey our group of characters is going through, but I might have different thoughts on a second read. There is also a bit of confusion on the timeline of the story, especially with figuring out the timeframe involving Hap. Again, it may be more clear during a re-read but the timespan of when Victor found Hap and the time of Hap's decommissioning sounded to me to be two decades and this jumbles my brain because of the reason why he was decommissioned.

I did love this book! It took me to a world so easily digestible and allowed me to escape and follow lovable characters I wish I could follow forever and ever. I do have plans to re-read this book because I love these characters with all my heart. There is no doubt this book is another lovely read by TJ Klune!

This story, loosely based on Pinocchio, is a Pixar film waiting to happen. Gio and his son Victor live in a cool tree house compound along with their two robot friends Rambo the anxiety ridden roomba and Nurse Ratched a vaguely sociopathic nursing robot. Their idyllic existence is ruptured when Victor saves a new android they find on the scrap heap and the Authorities find Gio. Now Victor must face up to his father’s violent past along with the misdeeds of his new friend- can love redeem them all?
Action, humor, and warm fuzzies abound!

This book made me laugh out loud and cry at some parts. I loved the characters and their friendship- what a unique story. I’m glad I ended 2022 with this one.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This isn’t a book I would have normally picked for myself other than the fact it is scifi. Other than the use of the blue fairy and the fact that someone was made. I don’t see this as a retelling of Pinocchio more like a nod to it.

I rather enjoyed the story and characters. The blue fairy seemd more like the wizard from Wizard of Oz to me. All smoke and mirrors. It set them off on a journey to fulfill a task with their own skills and abilities. No real magic involved nor promised.

Perhaps it is more a retelling of The Wizard of Oz. The journey to the city. Vic is Dorothy. Hap is the tin man. Rambo the scarecrow. Leaving Nurse Ratched as the cowardly lion doesn’t quite match up.

But I digress. This is an interesting tale of a single human left in a world after the robot uprising has taken place. It is also a rather sad tale since he is the last of his kind and very mortal. He is looking to find his father, the android that made him along with his robot friends. All of which have extremely human traits. Even though he finds what he is looking for and saves the day, he still very much alone in a world of false humanoids (puppets).

It can’t really have a happy ending can it? Humanity will still end and nothing but robots will remain. Granted rebooted ones with perhaps a less malicious purpose than before but still the same end result.

I was beyond excited to get the ARC of this novel; I've read and loved a number of T.J. Klune's earlier books and knew I was in for a treat.

"In the Lives of Puppets" takes us to an alternate reality in an unknown time period. In a home built in an isolated forest, inventor and android Giovanni Lawson lives with his human son, Victor Lawson, and a family of robots, including Nurse Ratched (Registered Automaton To Care, Heal, Educate and Drill) and Rambo, a verbose Roomba. Victor has never questioned his origins and differences, and has lived in the care and company of these machines, learning from his father. Things begin to change though, when he visits the Scrap Yards and finds the remains of a humanoid robot.

Victor brings the robot home to attempt to repair it, giving it replacement parts and inserting a mechanical heart in its cavity; thus, they're introduced to HAP, or Hysterically Angry Puppet. Hap has no recollection of his past or anything before he was discovered in the Scrap Yards, but begins to live with Victor and his family, adjusting to their way of life. Their relative peace is shattered when Gio is suddenly taken by an unknown force, and Victor and his friends make the decision to bring him back - regardless of the dangers they may face.

This novel is beautifully representative of Klune's writing, crafting a brand new world and characters that nonetheless feel real-to-life and relatable for readers. Even though the majority of characters are some form of machine or android, they nonetheless have distinct personalities and mannerisms, many of which develop and change as the story progresses. I would say that this novel is accurately described as a modern retelling of Pinocchio, although I found hints of Wizard of Oz thrown in. Klune also covers a number of pressing and relevant topics - including the complexity and range of sexuality, the rise in AI/ML, mental health, and whether humans and machines can have feelings towards the other - with great care and his signature humor and wit.

I have a few minor, personal quips about this book, however, that make it fall just shy of perfect in my perspective. I found that the dialogue was too drawn out, and at times unnecessary, especially when it came to the banter between Victor, Nurse Ratched, and Rambo. Yes, a enjoyed the jokes and jabs about Victor's sexuality (or lack thereof) and the fact that machines do not have reproductive organs, but it felt overdone and at times detracted from the story as a whole.

"In the Lives of Puppets" is nonetheless one of the books I'm most excited for in 2023 and I'm sure readers will love this newest adventure from T.J. Klune!

This is cute story of human child Vic living with his fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson and a few other robots. The author’s storytelling is magical, humorous, and loving; the characters are developed and there’s always a found family theme. Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for a copy.

Reading 2022
Book 195: In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune

Thank you #NetGalley for the copy of this book in exchange for my feedback. This book is expected in April 2023.

Synopsis: In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots--fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They're a family, hidden and safe.
The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labelled "HAP," he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio-a past spent hunting humans.

Review: After The House in the Cerulean Sea was one of my favorite books of 2020 I will read any book TJ Klune writes. His newest book, expected to be published in April 2023 was a queer retelling of Pinocchio. If I am ranking the adult Klune books I have read, this one would be second behind Cerulean Sea. A sci-fi adventure book, this was another book that took a while to get settled into for me. Victor, the main character is the only human in a world of robots. He seems to love his life living in the forest with his “family” of robots. When he discovers a killer robot and brings him back to life, his world changes, his family is splintered, and he must figure out how to save it all. This book will not be for everyone, I did enjoy it. 4.25⭐️.

I received a temporary digital advanced copy of In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune from NetGalley, Tor Books, and the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Human, Victor Lawson, and his machine friends--Rambo, Nurse Ratched, and HAP--set off on a mission, to find and bring Victor's father back from the City of Electric Dreams. With no guarantee his father will remember him, Victor risks the existence of humanity to find the one man who means more to him than life.

Every time I read a book by Klune, I think he can't top it, and then he does. I loved In Lives of Puppets. With the humor and dry wit seen in Klune's Extraordinaries series, this retell of the Pinocchio story had me laughing throughout the entire book, all while examining the the human experience and impact of humanity on the world.

Absolutely loved it. His quirky characters and their dialog… dry, funny, clever, fraught, deep, and heartfelt all at once. They’ll stay with me for years to come.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for my arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

"In the Lives of Puppets" by TJ Klune is a queer retelling inspired by Pinocchio and Swiss Family Robinson. Isolated from others, humanoid Giovanni lives in what used to be Oregon with his human son Vic (Victor), vacuuming robot Rambo, and medic nursing robot Nurse Ratched. Things change for this family when Vic, home from scavenging in the Scrap Yards, finds another humanoid that he decides to repair. In doing so, Vic sets off a series of events that will change his and his family's lives.

I've only read "Under the Whispering Door" by Klune and like that one, this one started off slow (for me!). Initially, I had a really difficult time liking the characters. There were also some weird "comedic" moments that while they felt in character for Rambo and Nurse Ratched, I didn't think that Klune had to write those same jokes multiple times throughout the novel. We get it. Bad sex jokes? Ha ha ha. For me, it just took me out of the book everytime those jokes were made. I also found myself getting annoyed with Rambo as a character. I get what the point of his characterization and overall, it did end up working but the build up was just so much work. Overall, I didn't really care for the style of comedic relief in this one. It just felt out of place and poorly done for me? Maybe if the character types were closer to the characters from "Superbad", I'd have found it funnier.

That said, Rambo and the weird comedy doesn't necessarily detract from my overall enjoyment of this book. I thought for the most part that Vic was a compelling lead (although, again, it took a while for me to become invested in him) and I do like that he's such a gentle and thoughtful character. There were moments where I found him quite relatable as well, like when he struggles with saying how he feels/what he thinks and towards the end when he's allowing himself to be vulnerable despite the danger and fear. I thought his slow burn with Hap was also cute. I also liked that the romance was a subplot that didn't take center stage for the book. I also really enjoyed the majority of Vic's interactions with Nurse Ratched and Rambo (majority because there were those dumb comedic moments). I enjoyed how much they all loved and supported eachother. It was so sweet and it really made the last section of the novel hit so much harder. I spent pretty much that whole final section crying if that's any indication.

Overall, I enjoyed this new offering from Klune. I don't think it'll be for everyone since I do think there are some weak moments in the book that drag down the story and really holds it back. BUT, again, I think this was an enjoyable read. I will say that the plot reminded me a lot of the movie "A.I" which was also something that had me bawling, but I think Klune handles the question of humanity/what it means to be human much more deftly than "A.I" did.

Obviously I have to recommend this one when it comes out in April.

This is a splendid (and Queer) retelling of Pinocchio, found family, and love. Humaniod Giovanni is living isolated in what used to be Oregon with a little cleaning robot called Rambo, and wanna-be sociopathic, but ultimately kind nurse robot called Nurse Ratched. With them is Vic, a human raised by them from birth in the seclusion of the forest. When Vic goes to the scrapyards and finds a new humaniod to repair, secrets begin to unfold about Gio, Vic, and the newest addition to their group, Hap.

An epic adventure ensues as the friends head out to find the City of Electric Dreams and the Blue Fairy who they hope can make everything right again.

I have loved everything I've read by TJ Klune and this was another excellent read. If you haven't read The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door I highly recommend those as well. Especially since this gem doesn't come out until April 2023.

Like most of this authors work, this book felt like home. Like I’ve just shaved my legs and jumped into a freshly made bed. Just so much cozy feelings even with this thicker subjects in the book. I enjoy everything I’ve read from Klune and this is no different, although it was harder to get into, but I do think that was just me. As always we have family, love and a heck of a lot of comedy to get you through the hard times.

Thanks to NetGalley for the early copy!

In 2022, I was introduced to TJ Klune after my library got a copy of House in the Cerulean Sea. And, after weeks of this book taunting me, I finally decided to pick it up, and I have been in love ever since. I usually read a few books at one time, and one of his is always included. His writing style is just so lovely, from the comedy to the feeling of being wrapped in a big, gay blanket is just so enjoyable. So, when I saw this book was available as a ARC, I could not resist.

This book has plenty of the typical TJ Klune style, although I do see quite a bit of branching out here. While there is a romance, it is never the main focus. Victor saving his father is what takes up most of the pages, and I must admit that I was quite taken aback by this at first. It isn't bad, not at all! It is just not something I was expecting from TJ Klune. Many of his novels that have come out recently are rather low stake, smaller stories. This story, however, is very high stakes, even if it doesn't always feel like it. And while I don't think his dive back into higher stake stories was perfect, it was still a pleasant surprise.

Aside from the romance, Klune's comedy is also present here, although I think it is a mixed bag. Sometimes, we get a really funny moment. But for every funny joke we get a bad one about robots talking about sex. It was funny the first time, but after the third? Tenth? I was over it.

Apart from these criticisms, this retelling of Pinocchio is cute, adventurous, and has some fun twists from the original story. The characters are all likable, even if they aren't as deep as some of Klune's other characters (though it is understandable, they are robots after all). And if you are a fan of Klune's previous works, you won't be disappointed here. I think out of the three other TJ Klune books I have read so far (House in the Cerulean Sea, Under the Whispering Door, and Wolfsong) this is my least favorite? But don't let that scare you away, because this is a fun read worth you're time!

I love how TJ Klune writes. Everything he has done has always been so easy and fun to read, not to mention very funny. House in the Cerulean Sea is one of my top 5 books ever.

In the Lives of Puppets has the same familiar writing style. Feels like a warm cozy cup of tea. However, I had a really hard time being interested in the subject matter. It was so conflicting, but I couldn't really bring myself to be come invested in the story and zoned out a lot of the time. It's just not for me, as much as I tried to force myself.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor for the chance to review this!

Thank you Netgalley and Publishers for an advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start by saying I read this in Dec 2022, along with 3 rereads of The House in the Cerulean Sea and a reread of Under the Whispering Door. Not all at once but scattered throughout the year, I've read Klune 5 times.

And yet this novel to me isn't matching up to 'Cerulean' or 'Whispering',

Part One through Three of this novel is worthy of five stars. I love Nurse Ratched, Rambo, and HAP the most. All three of them made this novel humorous and so engaging.

However, when we reach Part 4, Klune chooses a more timeline like pace and I wished we had more of the aftermath of the journey in chapters. As it reads in this ARC, Part 4 doesn't have chapters, just time skips. Without much spoiling, Victor goes through so much sorrow that when we finally reach the ending of the novel, it's hopeful but not as wholesome or satisfying as I would have liked.

As evident above, I love Klune's writing and will continue to read his works, this one just isn't an all-time favorite like the other two.

Side note: I love this cover! It will go so well on a shelf with 'Cerulean' and "Whisper' covers.

I'm a huge TJ Klune fan and was very excited for this book. While this wasn't my favorite book by Klune it was very good, despite being a bit different from his other stuff.

Pros:
The main characters were very likable. I thoroughly enjoyed the dynamic with Nurse Ratched and Rambo particularly. Victor was such a sweet guy and he seemed so gentle and kind. I loved the relationship that he had with Gio and the other robots/machines. I also loved how determined he was to save and fix Hap.
Nurse Ratched and Rambo were hilarious. The names alone were so funny, but their characters and banter were priceless. They provided much needed comic relief.
I really liked how human the robots were. When I first read the summary for this book I didn't think I would like it too much since I'm not a sci-fi fan and don't usually enjoy anything with robots, but with how humanesque the machines were, I ended up forgetting they were machines.
I loved the representation of ace individuals with Victor. While it did help provide a way to avoid any sort of issues and controversy that might be surrounded by a human and machine engaging in sexual activities together, it was also just refreshing since ace people aren't represented a lot in books and media (especially in a positive way). Klune is the only author I've read who actively includes ace characters and makes them 3 dimensional characters who are more than their sexuality.
The play on the story of Pinocchio was very interesting. While Pinocchio isn't one of my favorite childhood/fairy tale stories since I find it to be deeply weird and creepy, Klune's interpretation was unique.
I liked how interesting and multidimensional all the main characters were. While there was the main plot of getting Gio back, all the characters were portrayed in such a layered way. Klune has a way of writing characters that feel so real and tangible.

Cons:
The ending was at best bittersweet and at worst sad. I expect heartfelt stories that have happy endings and are feel-good from Klune, however, that's not exactly how I would categorize this book. When compared to The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door, I think this book isn't exactly feel-good in the way those books were. I felt bad for Victor at the end of the book and thought that his life could not possibly be a happy one based on how the book ended. Also, the living situation for the characters at the end seemed very off-brand based on how the characters expressed their ideal living situation.
I adored Rambo, but there were so many times where I wanted to yell at this sweet little robot and tell him to shut his mouth. They would be a dire situation where Rambo had been told he had to stay quiet, yet the first thing he does is almost blow their cover.
I was a bit confused with the world building situation. It wasn't clear how the robots originally gained consciousness in the first place. For robots like Rambo especially who I mentally pictured as a regular floor vacuum, it didn't make sense if the robots eventually started to be made by humans with a consciousness, or if they gained a consciousness along the way somehow. Victor's birth was also confusing. The Blue Fairy said that they had an ovum, however, there was no explanation as to how the egg became fertilized.
There was also some foreshadowing that humanity wasn't extinct, so I want to know if humans were killed off all over the world or just in North America.
While the take on Pinocchio was interesting, it also wasn't my favorite. At times it seemed like just doing a sci-fi story with humanesque robots would have been better as opposed to trying to fit all these things from Pinocchio into the story.

Overall, I loved this book because TJ Klune is magic. While it wasn't my favorite of his books as I prefer fantasy and magical realism more than sci-fi, it was still very enjoyable and the story and characters had the signature TJ Klune perfectness to them. While the plot itself was not my favorite, the characters made up for that.