*3.25 stars*

This was a cute queer found family retelling of Pinocchio, a sort of cozy post apocalyptic quest story with robots.

The found family aspect was the best part of this story with a quirky cast of robot characters. It had some humorous moments but it felt like the first half of the book had too many weird sexual jokes that just seemed to focus on making the previously established asexual main character uncomfortable. I would also have liked a little more of the main friendship trios history.

I think if you like Klune’s other works you will like this too.

I personally liked the audio narration and didn’t find the different robot voices distracting, but if over the top quirky voiced characters bother you the audio may not be for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ALC of this work. All opinions in this review are my own.

This one took me longer to read than I expected. I listened to the audiobook, and it just took me a while to get into. I think some of the robotic voices (especially Rambo) took me out of things a little bit. That being said, once it got going, I really enjoyed the story and the characters! I thought it was a really cool twist on Pinocchio, with nice Easter eggs to the original story

This cozy fantasy has been my least favorite of these stories from T.J. Klune. I enjoyed the beginning, but felt that the journey that took place was rushed. The focus was just on the wrong elements for me.

I love all things T.J. Klune.
Also, while House in the cerulean sea might still be my favorite book, In the Lives of puppets is hands down the funniest and most clever and the narrator made it even funnier. Only thing that dragged on for me was when they eventually reached the blue fairy. Other than that, loved it!

TJ Klune is just a word magician. All his writing illicit such nostalgia in me. Loved this fantasy book once more.

Thank you so much to Tor and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.

I've attempted to read this book 3 times and I think it's finally time to admit that it's just not gonna happen for me. I'm just connecting to the story the way I had hoped, and after hearing reviews from friends I trust, this just isn't a book I think I'm going to fall in love with.

TJ Klune is an all time favorite author, but I just don't think this one is for me.

I think the humor was fantastic and I love the queer cast (including ace rep, yay!). But I prefer a more romance heavy story, and that just wasn't the cast for this one.

I absolutely can't wait to see what Klune does next though. He books are always so unique and inventive.

The beginning was interesting learning about characters. Very much like the brave little toaster vibes but just took weird turns.

Simply delightful narrating - the use of all the different robot voices and keeping track of them! The story got a little weird at times…I think I said “what on earth is even happening here” more than 4 times. But overall, a lovely book that will make you feel almost every emotion.

I loved this story, which seems to me to be an inventive retelling of the Pinocchio story. In this story, Giovanni Lawson (a robot) gets Victor (a human boy) from the Blue Fairy. They live with two other robots - Nurse Ratchet (a medical robot) and Rambo (a talking Roomba). Those two are so funny I was laughing out loud several times. Victor then finds HAP in the scrapyard and heals his heart with a drop of his blood. I loved the relationships between all these characters, especially the love story between Vic and HAP. The narrator also did a great job with different voices for all the characters. I want to thank the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for giving me a copy of the audiobook, in return for an honest review.

Loved it! T.J. Klune is a powerhouse when it comes to taking a story I would never have wanted to read and turning it into one that I can't put down.

I always love his characters. They are the soul of the story and I want to hang out with the characters. If you're looking for a found family story that feels both fresh and comforting, look no further!

I was super excited when I got approved for this one, but honestly this book was just a little too out there for me personally

In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune is a science fiction adventure with queer romantic elements. I listened to the audiobook, which clocks in at fifteen and a half hours and is narrated by Daniel Henning.

A fatherly android inventor named Giovanni Lawson lives in the forest with his family: a sadistic but loving nurse robot, a tiny anxious vacuum robot, and his son, Victor, the only human in the bunch. After Victor salvages an unfamiliar android and repairs it, he learns a lot about his father's past. When Gio is captured and taken back to his laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams, the motley crew band together to journey to get him back.

This was really an enjoyable read. I especially enjoyed the characters here. As I am a character-driven reader, this pleased me. My favorite was Rambo; if anyone puts a hand on my robot son, they will be decommissioned. Nurse Ratched was also phenomenal.

Klune has a talent for "cozy" speculative fiction, and showcases it again here--especially in the first part of the book.

As our narrator, Henning does an AMAZING job here. He does great voices for everyone! I'd highly recommend listening to the audio version of this book over print/ebook.

As far as representation goes, our main character Victor on-page identifies as asexual. He's also queer. There's a bit of a romance, but it's not the main point of the story.

My main criticism is that the book felt a bit too long. It could absolutely have been tightened up a bit. But overall, I liked it.

CW: violence, kidnapping

Thank you Netgalley for letting me listen to this audiobook. The narrator did a great job and immersed me into the story. I loved this world TJ Klune created. Most of the characters are hilarious and relatable.

Loved this story by Klune.

Started a little rocky for me; our hero being embarrassed by robots commenting on his changing body and thinking puberty “activities” were happening-thought that bit was unnecessary.

However, once the story started developing I dearly loved the heart of the story.

Post apocolyptic —Humans create AI, humans destroy the world, ask AI to help, humanity destroyed. —What makes us human ? What is humanity? What is free choice?

Pinocchio backdrop. Loved the allusions to the original story.

Thank you #NetGalley and #MacMillanAudio for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I would read the phone book if TJ Klune re wrote it. I absolutely love everything this man writes. He is a complete genius. I need more.

It took me a long time to get through this one…
The story progressed slower than I prefer, but I did really end up enjoying how it ended.
The characters are very well developed. They were intricately written with multiple layers - the sociopathic nurse (who really does have a heart), the human killing robot that learns to love, the robot vacuum with insecurities and possibly anxiety demonstrating a large amount of courage, Gio the creator of machine and man, and Victor, the only remaining human. I enjoyed watching each of these characters grow and following them on their journey. This really was the heart of the story. Once I got over the narrators interpretation of Rambo’s voice, I was able to enjoy the story much more. If I am being completely honest, that I what had me taking a longer time with this book. The narrator did a great job with the voices of the characters, but that voice was hard for me to listen to. I am hoping that won’t be the case for everyone. I do recommend listening to the audiobook despite that one thorn in my side.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an audio-arc of the book. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.

This book was a struggle! I could not stand the childish voice of every character, including the main character who was supposed to be 21 years old. I could not get attached to any character, nor did I want any of them to succeed.

The only redeeming quality was that the narrator, Daniel Henning, did a great job, even thought he novel did not live up to his narration.

I want to thank Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced audiobook.

TJ Klune, you have my heart. ALL OF IT. It’s yours!! TJ Klune is at the TIP TOP of my auto buy authors. Epic storytelling that is all kinds of magical and inspiring. In the Lives of Puppets is this dystopian / sci-fi story is about family and LOVE. Oh and don’t let me forget … how to be a better human. The world building and characters within this story is simply crafted so beautifully. This book was full of everything I love. Smart banter between characters was awesome. I didn’t want this one to end. Go in blind and enjoy this masterpiece.

The BIGGEST Thank YOU to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for this listening copy in exchange for my honest review. I HIGHLY recommend. The narration is simply fantastic. The narrator, Daniel Henning, truly brought this story to life. My heart is FULL after listening to this book. It will stay with me LONG after I stop listening.. This story will tug at your heartstrings and change your life. You’ll be a better person after reading this one. Happy Reading!

🤖 BOOK REVIEW 🤖

REVIEW ⬇️
TJ Klune has created another magical world and invited us in with his latest, In the Lives of Puppets. He does this beautiful blend of fantasy and fairy tale but with an air of the familiar, always grounded in real-world dilemmas, emotions, problems, and relationships. I fell in love with these characters. They made me chuckle and root for them. My only small gripe is that the ending was a little drawn out, but overall, I loved it.

Recommended for a magical adventure with a warm slice of bread and a soft blanket for company.

RATING ⬇️
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫/5

SUMMARY ⬇️
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.

When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio's former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. So together, the rest of Vic's assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommission, or worse, reprogramming.

Along the way to save Gio, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap, Vic must decide for himself: Can he accept love with strings attached?

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I am still processing, but I did not like this as much as T.J. Klune’s other books. First, I did not like the audiobook narrator, so that might have contributed to my semi-disappointment with this book. Second, I did not realize this was a Pinocchio retelling. I’m just not the biggest Pinocchio fan. Third, I felt like the scenes were too drawn out, to the point were I was bored at times. I did love some of the characters, but, overall, I think I went into this novel with expectations that were too high.