rating: 5 stars; What a quirky, whirlwind, tear-jerker of a book! T.J. Klune was born to write, and I’m so happy he chose to rerelease The Bones Beneath My Skin.

In my opinion, it’s best going in to this with no idea of the book plot (that’s what I did). If you must know, there is a ragtag trio (found family), grumpy and sunshine characters, a roadtrip, blockbuster explosions, government secrets, cults, and a little bit of sci-fi—all taking place in 1995.

Every T.J. Klune book I have read, I have fallen in love with. The Bones Beneath My Skin feels a little different than the books I’ve read previously, but all the characters have the same telltale charm of a character written by Klune. It’s a little lot less cozy, way more death and destruction and high-action, but it had me sitting on the toilet late at night, contemplating life all the same. It tugged on my heart strings, I cried, and I really loved it. I was SUUUUPER late to meeting a friend (HOURS) because I had to finish the book.

It’s similar to T.J. Klune’s typical writing: mature, witty, and charming. The romance is the usual slow burn that I adore, but there is one spicy scene and all I can say is oh my god. (It was relatively short, but I feel like there was more spice in that one scene than I encountered in Barbarian Lover entirely. Just wanted to let you all know.)

Thank you Tor Books and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This felt like reading a completely unique book and I really enjoyed it a lot. Although it did remind me a little of Stranger Things in some ways.

I loved the representation in the book, and thought all the relationships were so lovely in their own ways.

Be prepared for this book to evoke a lot of different emotions. It had me laughing at times, but also tearing up during other parts.

I would highly recommend it to all types of readers.

i was unfortunately unable to read this before it was published! life got ahead of me and i realized i had never left a review for this title. that being said, i will not be leaving a public review, thank you!

Beautiful, as always. One day I will be able to read a TJ Klune book without sobbing, but it is not this day. Klune is a master of the found family, finding your place in the world, simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking story. This one was desperately needed right now. Highly recommend!!!

The Bones Beneath My Skin is a standalone SF/fantasy by T.J. Klune. Originally published in 2018, this reformat and re-release from Macmillan on their Tor imprint is 416 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout.

The author himself describes this as an "odd" book, and it is. It's stylistically identifiable as his work, and it fits generally into his oeuvre (queer friendly, strong M/M romance plot, deeply happy functional found family after rejection and isolation, wholesome denouement and resolution), but there are departures (and he's 100% free to do so, obviously). This is more SF heavy and less fantasy, there are blackhawk helicopters, black ops, weapons and firepower.

It's not derivative, but there are strong element similarities to Stranger Things + scary death cult (Heaven's Gate specifically, which clearly found a place in the author's subconscious along the line somewhere).

There's an odd, honestly jarring and explicit adult scene about 80% into the book which seemed, if not actually gratuitous, was startling at least.

As always, the author does a great job with the prose which is quirky and often endearing. This is an early work, and it's interesting to see how his style has adapted and matured over the intervening years. Some of the exchanges are fairly choppy and abrupt; it's full of staccato one line exchanges which get a bit tiring. Overall, an engaging and worthwhile read, especially for readers who are already fans of the author.

Four stars. It would be a good choice for public library acquisition (not school library due to the adult content and language). It would also make a nice weekend binge/buddy read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

This book is unlike anything I’ve ever read, in the best way. It’s basically a genre-bending supernatural sci-fi mystery thriller, with a slow-burn romance undertone. And all of that is somehow beautifully written in that TJ Klune way we know and love.

I never go into books blind, but this time I did because when I see “TJ Klune,” I’m reading it, no synopsis needed. And I’m shockingly going to recommend going in blind! I had no idea what to expect and it made it that much more enthralling.

The theme that really comes to center stage in this novel is found family. Which I love. It’s easily my favorite trope, and this book has it in spades. We also get beautiful LGBTQ+ rep with a slow-burn romance that I couldn’t get enough of.

The Bones Beneath My Skin is delightful and tragic and hopeful and everything I’ve come to love about TJ Klune’s books. Adding in the thriller/suspense aspect was just *chef’s kiss*. I intentionally kept this review super vague, because you really just need to read it and find out!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the gifted physical and eARC!

I will read anything by TJ Klune! I feel like he writes the most tender-hearted romances. I loved Nate and Alex. Alex really helped heal a lot that Nate was struggling with due to his parents and brother. Artemis also helped him relax and not be so hard on himself. She was such a sweet and weird little girl. I loved her perspective on life. She believed she had limited time, so she tried to enjoy everything as much as possible and not take anything for granted.

In typical Klune fashion, sweet and witty story of found family, with a quirky, diverse cast of characters and one crazy plot. I don’t usually choose a Sci-fi or Fantasy books unless it’s Klune. His writing style never ceases to amaze me. He is fantastic at crafting a blended genres narrative,
pulling his reader in from the first chapter, creating lovable characters, and isn’t afraid to write about current controversial issues.

I don’t want to say too much for fear of giving something away. It’s definitely one that you should go into blind as far as the story plot. But there are several things that could be triggers for some, so you may want to check those out before reading. There were a couple of times I felt way out of my comfort zone, but I was already invested with the characters and had to know what was going to happen next, especially Artemis Darth Vader!

-Government
-Conspiracy Theories
-Cults

I have said it before and I will say it again. I adore TJ Klune! His stories have characters that are unique, one of a kind and special. The Bones Beneath My Skin was not what I expected and yet I could say it did not come as a surprise because when TJ Klune delivers a masterpiece in your hands, you expect nothing less than extraordinary! This has more action, slow burn, bolder in relationship line and always has the same beautiful ending.
I could not help but feel like this has a mix of E.T and Stranger Things vibe. It would have been an easy 5star rating but I gave it one star less because i was wanting more!

This is going to be a vague review, because you should jump into this story with little information, but if nothing else, know that I really enjoyed it, it made me feel many feels.

If you like TJ Klune’s stories of found family, parental figures, a man realizing there’s more to life than he thought and leaving his previous world behind, how brutal closed minded people can be, and two men falling in love despite their apparent differences, you’ll probably like this book too. And I mean this in the bestest way.

In The Bones Beneath My Skin, which is set in 1995, Nate takes a trip to the cabin he inherited from his parents, only to find 2 squatters: a man, Alex, and a girl, Artemis. She’s quirky, he’s gruff and Nate is emotionally lost.

If I ranked this among other TJ Klune books I read, it doesn’t get close to Cerulean Sea, but I liked it more than In the Lives of Puppets and probably also Under the Whispering Door. It’s not as heartwarming as CS, not as funny as LoP and not as deep as UTWD, but it has its own brand, which is more serious, heavier on the action, and with a smaller cast of characters, really focused on each.

The true bond in this book is the found family, the romantic one is almost tertiary.
Artemis is so easy to love. She’s weird in the bestest of ways. And her bond with Alex feels so real and meaningful. My favorite part was the first third of the book, as they go from complete strangers to a cozy homelife mostly thanks to Artemis; she’s really good at bringing people together.

Once the action begins, the story starts to feel less like the previous TJ Klune books. The stakes are high, the danger is close, and it’s not clear if and how they’ll survive or what their lives could ever look like if they ever made it to the other side. There are multiple scenes that genuinely keep you on the edge of your seat, unsure what the next page will bring.
During this time we also get to find out a lot more about Alex and Artemis and how they got to know one another. And although I don’t usually like flashbacks in stories, I did find these bits fascinating.

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for the eARC!

In this episode, I was moved by a beautiful set of characters…
Friends, friends, friends.
Welcome back to Teatime Reading where there are books in progress.
TJ Klune has written some of the most beautiful books that I’ve read in recent years. The House in the Cerulean Sea and its sequel Somewhere Beyond the Sea get me emotional even mentioning them now.
The beauty of those books were often in the loving attention to both character and plot. The balance of emotion, heart, and character growth.
I’ll admit, when I requested The Bones Beneath My Skin, I became confused since it was a book that was being published again after a 2018 publishing date. I suppose I could have read Klune’s author’s note at the end of the book before starting to get clarity, but the characters had already grabbed my heart.
I say characters plural, but I really mean Artemis Darth Vader. This book was one that took me a minute to connect with, but it was Art who was at the center of my fascination. A precocious extraterrestrial 10 year old child who was learning what it meant to be human? Admittedly, not the most unique setup. However, Art was such a lovable character, even as the layers of her origin were peeled back, that I started to care about the POV main character, Nate, as well as her guardian/protector Alex.
Even as I think back a few days to the moment I finished the book, I feel all the emotions that this remarkable child was filled with. Yes, I thought that the story was relatively predictable, but it was Artemis Darth Vader. It was the wonder, the curiosity that got me so deeply in the heart. It was the timely nature of this book’s wider release that made me feel so deeply, as the country is in turmoil as I write.

Artemis Darth Vader stole my heart, and it is very possible that she ends the year as the most memorable character I spent time with.
The Bones Beneath My Skin was an adventure, it was a queer romance (albeit slightly formulaic for Klune’s standards), and it was a surprising exploration of humanity. It is absolutely a novel for adults.
I’ll leave you with this as I fight the tears. I recommend this book because of Darling Artemis Darth Vader. It’s beautiful and emotional and a wonderful time
“Not until they feel a heart beating in a chest like I have. Not until I felt the bones beneath my skin. We’re not alike. Not really. We’re separated by time and space. And yet, somehow we’re all made of dust and stars”

TJ Klune is hands down the best writer of our generation. His reading feels like home and especially when there are children in his stories. Artemis Darth Vader reminds me a lot of Talia from the House in the Cerulean Sea.

I loved loved loved this book and ironically how human it was. There was one “open door” spice scene that can be easily skipped over by those who choose not to partake in that kind of writing.

I highly recommend this book!

3.75 STARS

This book was above and beyond the level of weirdness that I expected from TJ Klune. However, it still managed to tug on my heartstrings and make me actively feel things for these characters. Artemis Darth Vader was the star of the show and I loved every single scene that she was in. I don't think that any of Klune's books will top The House In The Cerulean Sea for me, but this was an excellent addition to their published works!

I just finished The Bones beneath my Skin by TJ Klune and here are my thoughts.

When Nate Cartwright goes to his dead parents cabin after being fired from his job as a journalist… He didn’t expect to find it inhabited with a man and a little girl and they are running from something that even Nate can’t wrap his head around…

I finished this book weeks ago.. Have you ever had a book just sit right on your chest and you need to just let it rest before you think about how it made you feel? This book did that to me. It’s rare I even get a book hangover and this was no book hangover I ever had. I felt lost when it was done. I felt like I was saying goodbye and it didn’t sit right with me (I am crossing my toes for more with these characters).

I loved Nate and Alex. So different but the same. They have the kind of protective instincts some parents don’t have with their own children and they protected Art with their lives. There is so much to unpack here. Art was spectacular. I don’t want to spoil it for you but her journey and the love she has for the two men made me tear up. She is so special and even after everything she went through, she still chose loving people. UGH I’m tearing up again. I thoroughly enjoy that love is love no matter how it comes to you. It was really well paced and I loved all the banter.

I am already a superfan of TJ Klune and this should tell you that my expectations are already in the stars and I hold the books they write to very high standards. The characters are so real and that’s one of the things I’ve come to expect from the author and the storytelling is like a whisper in the wind. It’s gentle in its beauty and powerful without shouting. It’s graceful… impactful… it will charm the pants off you.

5 stars

If you haven’t gone down the Klune rabbit hole yet, this would be a great one to start with.

Thank you to @netgalley and @torpublishing for bringing this book into my life.

This wasn't my favorite of Klune's books, but still had the essential TJ Klune energy. For casual readers, I would still recommend his major hits. I do enjoy that this is a standalone title.

This was slightly different from TJ Klune's other books, but I enjoyed it just as much. The characters were so well developed and I loved Artemis Darth Vader.

4.25 “No matter where you go. No matter how far away you’ll be, I’m always going to be with you. I love you. I love you. I love you.”

I love that TJ Klune has a way of writing stories that break my heart and then mend it again. Though this book is so different from anything else I’ve read by him, his trademark voice was clearly recognizable through every chapter. The depth, the gut wrenching pain, the banter and wit to counter said pain, and the found family were all on point.

I could go on and on about the book, but I really don’t want to say anything that might give anything away. It’s sci-fi with some romance elements. There is grief and there is love, there is mystery and precociousness, there are road trips and action scenes but also so much contemplation on what it means to be human. And bacon, there’s a lot of bacon.

Thanks so much to Tor for the advanced copy of the rerelease!

Read If You Like:
- Supernatural road-trip thrillers
- Complex, morally ambiguous characters
- High-stakes, intense narratives
- Themes of trauma and healing
- Steamy, slow-burn chemistry

In the spring of 1995, Nate Cartwright finds himself at a crossroads: the loss of his parents, a fractured relationship with his brother, and the end of his journalism career in Washington, D.C. Seeking solace, he retreats to his family's summer cabin near Roseland, Oregon.

Upon arrival, Nate discovers the cabin is not as he left it. Inside, he encounters Alex and a remarkable ten-year-old girl named Artemis Darth Vader. Artemis, with her unique abilities, is far from ordinary.

As Nate becomes entwined in their lives, he faces a pivotal choice: succumb to the shadows of his past or embrace a future filled with unexpected connections and challenges. The narrative delves into themes of healing, the search for belonging, and the transformative power of love.

The pacing is engaging, with well-developed characters and a plot that balances humor and heartfelt moments. The chemistry between Nate and his companions is palpable, making their journey both believable and compelling. This novel is a must-read for fans of supernatural thrillers and heartfelt narratives, offering a perfect blend of passion, intrigue, and emotional depth.

Thank you so much for my ARC and finished copy!

🧡❤️ The Bones Beneath my Skin Review ❤️🧡

Thank you so much to TJ Klune and Tor publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book!

The Bones Beneath my Skin is a standalone queer sci-fi novel. Set in spring 1995, Nate has just had his whole life turned upside down. After losing everything, he moved back to the family cabin in small town Oregon…only to find the cabin isn’t as empty as he expected

This was a fun read! Nate was an interesting character and I really enjoyed his growth in this story. Alex and Art were such fun characters and I really liked their bond in this book. The world building was unique and I enjoyed the 90’s nostalgia a lot. I would have really liked to have seen some of Alex’s PoV throughout the book

Overall this was a four star read! I enjoyed the characters and the story, but found myself wanting more PoVs. This book does have some potential triggers so please check if you’re sensitive. This book does have a romantic subplot, but it was very slow burn and had a few moments later on, so two flames for spice

If you’re a fan of sci-fi reads with fun characters, government conspiracies and found family vibes, then absolutely pick this one up!

The Bones Beneath my Skin is another fantastic story by T.J. Klune. There is just something about the way this author writes that I'm always excited for. The writing sucks me in and immerses me in a rich, vivid world. The author always packs so much emotion in the books he writes. The characters were complex and unique. This is a must read for fans of Klune!

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.