If you only read ONE book in 2023, THIS IS THE BOOK TO READ!!

Think a retelling of Pinocchio, only the boy is real and everyone else are robots. Humanity has become extinct by the very machines they have built, but in a hidden section of woods, there lives a real boy, with his robot father, a snarky yet utterly lovable nurse robot named Nurse Ratchet (who is by far my favorite character) and a cute little roomba vacuum with a drive to clean, clean, clean, named Rambo. When our hunting for spare parts, this trio of boy and robots come across an android not yet out of power and set out to save him. As I’m sure you can guess, chaos ensues.

This book reads fast, causes laughter, sadness, happiness, and overall is probably one of the best books I’ve read this year. It is one everyone should read, and re-read as the humanity, love, pain, and most of all choices fit into everyday life. This is one I will go to again and again.

Thank you so much to #NetGalley, the publishers, and beyond talented author for extending me an ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

The way TJ Klune addresses heavy topics in a whimsical manner never fails to amaze me. The grief, genocide, and question of who has the right to forgive for sins against groups of people that are addressed in the book are addressed in such a subtle and good way.

The story and characters themselves are amazing and moving. I cried. I laughed. I didn’t want the book to end.

I loved it. I probably bought 40 copies each of Cerulean Sea and Whispering Door to give to people and this one will be the same.

TJ Klune just has my heart. I get emotional in anticipation way before I’m actually emotional

I also really want Rambo and Chip from Beauty and the Beast to have a play date. An adorable adorable play date

#tjklune

Wow! This is a masterpiece. TJ Klune has created an amazing love story between man and machine. Nurse Rachted and Rambo are the most entertaining and funny characters I have read in ages! It might seem cliched at first-a future where machines have risen up and annihilated humanity. But TJ Klune has imagined a future where an AI is able to overcome its original designation in order to evolve into a machine that can think for itself, show loyalty, and feel a range of emotions from fear to love. It is simply magical.

WOW. If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would. TJ Klune's beautiful writing and storytelling crafts lovely characters and a wonderful adventure. These characters might be my favorite characters in any book I've ever read in my life! Rambo is a lovable favorite, and his interactions with Nurse Ratched were amusing. The adventure these characters go on is meaningful and fascinating. A beautiful book!

My hopes and expectations for this book were sky-high ... and TJ has still found a way to leave me speechless. An absolute masterpiece!!
I've considered Klune my favourite author for years - and this just may be my favourite book from him! I just can not wait for release ... I want to see everyone loving this story as much as I do!

Let me start by saying that I love T.J. Klune! I will read anything he writes because he creates flawed characters that you just cant' help but love. With that being said, this book was not my favorite of his but I am still glad that I read it. My favorite characters ended up being Nurse Ratched, Rambo, and HAP. I loved their sarcasm and wit. I loved that the characters truly loved each other and that they had created such a wonderful found family. I wanted to feel more about the relationship between Gio and Vic but I just couldn't find a connection to them. The relationship between Vic and Hap was sweet and I loved the way it blossomed.

I've read all of TJ Klune's books and I think this just might be his very best novel (which is saying a lot, because I have liked several of his novels). There's something about the concept as well as the complexity of the characters that has set this apart from the others. I think I really began to see a shift in his writing with "The House on the Cerulean Sea," (which I ADORED) and "In the Lives of Puppets" is continuing him on a trajectory of success as his writing continues to evolve and change in all the best possible ways. I cannot wait to share this with my friends, family, and library patrons because this just might be his best work yet.

Vic is a normal kid who grew up with robots in the forest. It's a world where Vic appears to be the only human around. He was raised lovingly by his father, a robot and also has two pal robots. One's a nurse and the other is a vacuum. As you read, you'll discover Vic loves fixing things and also how Vic came to live with his robot family. An intriguing novel that it can't help but wonder how it'll end up. A great uplifting story!

4 stars
I really loved this book. Klune certainly knows how to get you right in the heart, huh?
This was a wonderful and unique retelling of Pinocchio. Great for all ages. I can’t wait to have a physical copy to add to much collection!

Thank you, Net Galley, for the Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review!

I became a TJ Klune fan when I first read the House in the Cerulean Sea, and was SO excited to see I was approved for this one.

One of my favorite things about his books is that I never know what I’m getting when I pick one up. I feel like his imagination is unmatched with any author I’ve ever read. AND him (and Sarah J Maas) have officially made me a lover of fantasy reads.

This is a mash up of the Wizard of Oz, Pinocchio, and a few others and it is magical. Lovable robot characters and a human, and a heart wrenching journey. I always LOVE his characters so much, and this wasn’t any different. Of course, my favorite was the anxiety ridden Roomba robot, because I felt like I was inside my brain when hearing them talk.

I truly enjoyed this one- as I always do with his books.
4/5 Stars

TJ Klune's sci-fi take on Pinocchio does not disappoint!

Victor is a human who has been adopted by a robot named Giovanni, and after a seemingly simple mistake lands everyone in a calamitous amount of trouble, he must venture forth from his home alongside medical bot Nurse Ratched, sentient vacuum bot Rambo, and their new companion Hap to the City of Electric Dreams in order to get back what was lost.

This surprisingly post-apocalyptic take on a classic story is so imaginative, so full of weird and fun characters, and so heartfelt that I managed to overcome my initial skepticism of the premise. I wasn't sure how Pinocchio could be adapted into a setting full of robots etc. without seeming pretty tired or appearing to try too hard, but Klune does create a unique take on the story and throw in a few fun bits and twists for readers who are familiar with the original story.

I highly recommend this for any fans of Klune's previous works.

TJ Klune gives us his take on the tale of Pinocchio, where a non-human father creates a son, the only real boy in a world of machines. They live contentedly in their Swiss-Family-Robinson inspired home in the woods until Vic, the son, makes a discovery in nearby scrap yards that threatens their home, family, and his own existence. Accompanied by robots Rambo, Nurse Ratched, and burgeoning love interest HAP, Vic must make his way to the stronghold of the machines to save his father and his future. In the Lives of Puppets is an original and engaging read.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of In The Lives Of Puppets by T.J. Klune.

This book is simply perfection. With each book I read of T.J.’s I’m amazed how he continues to write characters that are so lovable. This book is no different, it’s hard to pick a favourite character but I will. It’s Rambo.

Reading this book you sometimes forget that all but one character are robots because they are so lifelike.

There’s a brief reference to Wolfsong that I loved, granted you’ll only know it’s a reference if you’ve read it.

This is a book for everyone to enjoy and I can’t wait for it to get the hype it deserves.

Oh my goodness! Mentioning this book as masterpiece is not enough for me to express how much I adored this FREAKING FANTASTIC sci-fi experience, the mind bending, intelligent world building and perfectly crafted characterization blew my mind! It’s lovely combination of Swiss Robinson family meets Wall-E with Pinocchio vibes!

I think I should write another book to give all my honest praise! This fascinating and quirky journey is about family you choose and groovy kind of love!

Giovanni Lawson builds a house into branches of a groove of trees and invents a sadistic, sarcastic nurse machine Nurse Ratched ( definitely so much lovable than the original movie and Ryan Murphy’s series MC) and a small people pleaser vacuum cleaner doing everything to earn love called Rambo! Both of those robots should be turned into big screen characters! Glenn Close is my candidate as Ratched as Fred Armisen is my candidate for Rambo.( don’t forget to watch him on Wednesday)

Then one day a couple appears out of nowhere with a baby wrapped into rags, leaving him into Giovanni’s hands and they disappear as if they were never there!

Giovanni thinks this little boy is consultation price of universe for his loneliness so he raises him as his son and calls him Victor.

Vic, skinny young man, at the age of 22, enjoys salvaging and repairing robots. One day he repairs a strange android named HAP without having any idea about his origins. He realizes Hap shares a dark past with Giovanni. His secret mission to alert the robots about the hiding place of Giovanni destroys the small family and peaceful life they built in the woods.

Now Vic has to save his father who is sent yo his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams and he also has to confront feelings about Hap.

Such a lovely, adventurous, queery, fantasy meets sci-if!

I mostly enjoyed to read the dynamics and smart banters between characters and whirlwind, complex world building is well crafted!
Earning my visionary, love with strings attached five stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest feedback.

I have never read a book where I became emotionally attached to a talking Roomba named Rambo but here we are. I would expected nothing less from Klune. This book is endearing, funny, and incredibly imaginative.

Not my favorite of this author but I still really enjoyed it. I am just not a huge fan of this particular story. The other two books were more my cup of tea. For some reason robot stories never really excite me but the writing style was still great!

Another gorgeous, fun and heart-warming story from T J.

A young man and a collection of robots, all with very individual funny quirks and personalities, have to venture out from their safe hideaway in the trees to the big city (now ruled by robots who have taken over civilization) to rescue their father and creator.

Besides being a unique retelling of Pinocchio, I found elements of Star Wars, Star Trek, Toy Story, and Wizard of Oz. I literally laughed out loud at the comments of Nurse Ratched and Rambo, two wonderfully memorable characters. But mixed in with the humour are comments on what it means to be human, the special uniqueness that binds us all, and the importance of friends.

Beautiful.

Book Title: In the Lives of Puppets
Author: T Klune
Publisher: Tor
Publishing Group-Tor Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Pub Date: April 25, 2023
My Rating: 4 Stars!

Awww another great Klune cover!

This is my third TJ Klune story – read and enjoyed both "he House in the Cerulean Sea and "Under the Whispering Door".
The story is a retelling of Pinocchio and follows Victor, a human who was adopted by a family of robots. Victor’s robot/machine/android friends are: Nurse Ratched (a Nurse Registered Automation to Care, Heal, Educate and Drill) and Rambo the Roomba, a loyal vacuum. Giovanni, Victor’s dad, and HAP (a Hysterically Angry Puppet).

Love is always a part in TJ Klune's stories additionally his stories are whimsical and, heartfelt.
One reader described it as a -'cozy science fiction fantasy'.

Want to thank NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group-Tor Books for this early e-Galley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for April 25, 2023

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC - this is more of a 4.5 for me (really wish Goodreads would allow half stars) as it was a bit long and dragged in places but it is a phenomenal story that brought me to tears - my heart is definitely still reeling from this book.

“I’ve never been more human.”
“Why?” Dad asked.
“Because I breathe, but I can’t catch my breath.”

Passages like this are why TJ Klune’s writing just captures your heart and mind and refuses to let go.