Another fantastic T.J. Klune book. Artemis Darth Vader is one of his best characters and there was so much great action and witty dialogue in the story.

I was unsure as I started this read. I am a huge fan of House in the Cerulean Sea. At first the writing style did not appeal to me. It seemed less polished. But as I continued on I became very attached to Nate, Alex, and of course Artemis Darth Vader.

This is such a beautiful story of love, acceptance and the power of making your own family.

Thank you Net Galley and Tor Publishing for the advance ebook in exchange for my honest review.

What a wild ride. The author's note at the end talks about how weird this book is, and he is NOT lying. I did love the Stranger Things vibes, and Artemis is a dope character. However, the romance was very odd to me, and a lot of the decisions the characters made were SO stupid and not in a fun way.

Finally, I found the sex scene very odd and offputting. However, I did FLY through this book, so overall 4 stars.

It is no secret that I love TJ Klune, and while this is a bit different than his more recent stuff (this is a re-release/repackage) I still loved it just as much as anything else.

I was given an advanced reader's copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own

This book is about found family, loss, and the redemptive power of love with a little bit of being on the run, analysis of what it means to be human, and otherworldly beings thrown in. Oh, a bit of mm romance too. It is utterly delightful and I cannot recommend it more.

I loved this book and timing of rerelease is perfect for todays climate. I love Artemis’ character. I found her sweet and so funny in a really smart way. Nate and Alex relationship could have used more development. I found this book a lovely ride though would def appreciate more 90s nostalgia as a millennial 🙂. Id read this mans grocery list but as someone who represents LGBTQIA+ in mental health, I am grateful TJ exists to represent our community, connection, adaptability, growth and creativity in such a quirky, thoughtful and fun way!

I have really loved every book that Klune has written thus far and this one is no exception. It is very different from his better known works though this one came first. This is an update of a book with the same name that he published in 2018. That said, if you're a fan of Klune you will also like this, but if this is your FIRST book by him I might do one of the others first and then come back to this one!

REVIEW: The Bones Beneath My Skin ⭐⭐⭐⭐

"You think yourself alone. You think yourself lost. We wanted to show you there was so much more than this place. We didn't come to hurt you. We didn't come to save you. Only you can do that. We came to be your friend. To make you understand that, in the end, you are never alone."― T.J. Klune

T.J. Klune is an author I will always read; he wrote one of my favorite books, The House in the Cerulean Sea. I have read many of his books, so I was surprised to see that this one was previously self-published and is now being re-released.

T.J. Klune is known for his magic, sci-fi, adventures, fantasy, romance, and LGBTQ+ representation, which is definitely shown through The Bones Beneath My Skin. I won't mention too much about the plot because I don't want to spoil the twists, but this was a feel-good story. Another thing aboutT.J. Klune's writing is that he is great at making characters with unique backstories and strong connections with the other characters. I love a good found-family story with connections that make you feel warm and fuzzy, and The Bones Beneath My Skin has that. Also, this story brings some spice as well, which is never a bad thing. I was captivated quickly by the story and just wanted to know more. Plus, the epilogue brought everything together so well.

While there was some repetition and rushed parts at times, I enjoyed The Bones Beneath My Skin. I will always be a massive fan of T.J. Klune!

Thank you, Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group | Tor Books, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

This is a reprint/repackage of a self-published book before Klune was picked up by Tor. While I didn't love it quite as much as I've loved his other stuff, you can see the bones of what would become his common themes and stories. Beautiful characters, weird stuff happening, a relatively satisfying journey.

Knocking off a star because I thought that, while the romance was sweet, I didn't necessarily feel it building up to a place where I believed it other than because they were together. Also, I thought the ending was a little unsatisfying and I had questions that were unresolved.

Overall, a solid recommendation for a fan, though I'd start a new reader with Cerulean Sea or Puppets.

Artemis Darth Vader - best described as a mix of Seven and well…. If I tell you it may ruin any surprise. There is a lot going on this rerelease of T.J.Klune’s originally self-published novel. The Bones Beneath My Skin is a story of relationships, family, forgiveness, trauma and love. Oh and in between there is an alien, fugitives bei ng accused of “kidnapping”, a big government secret, a military attack, and a deadly cult. It was “weird” (T.J. Klune used that word to describe) and funny and creepy and sad and I could not stop reading it!

Spoiler: There is one sex scene in the book, more graphic than I expected. I understand why T.J. Klune included it but I do not think it necessarily contributed to the overall story. I note this as an FYI for school librarians (who may have purchased The House in the Cerulean Sea like I did) so they can make the best decision for their collection and patrons.

It's interesting to read something that an author published previously and see how their writing style and characterization have grown. Found family, a love story, trauma, grief, and forming new relationships are themes present throughout this work, with a setting slightly in the past (1995, so technology in this book is much less present, at one point I was wondering why Nate wasn't having WiFi set up at the cabin, before realizing that was not a thing/prevalent yet). I would recommend this for fans of reflective and life-affirming authors like Matt Haig, Shelby Van Pelt, Fredrik Backman, and Travis Baldree. There are very few explicit sex scenes, but I do want to flag that they are present for anyone considering adding this to a classroom (as opposed to more innuendos and closed-door romance found in Under the Whispering Door and The House in the Cerulean Sea).

The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The book will be published on February 4th, 2025

Aliens (non traditional, portrayed with depth), conspiracy theories, cults, and secret government facilities populate this action packed speculative fiction story with a lovely (and at times quite steamy) gay romance slowly percolating through. Beautifully woven themes of loneliness, love, grief and recovery suffuse the narrative. This is my third Klune book — each was completely different from the others, and all were creative in the way I found old style sci-fi to be, yet firmly rooted in the character development and personal experience that draws me to fiction. He has a very natural writing style — I get hooked at the very beginning and completely forget that I’m reading a book. More like I’m sitting in a comfy room listening to a storyteller bind me with sparkly spells.

In his own words, Klune is “gay as balls” and this is clearly reflected in the books he writes. I’ve never been drawn to specifically LGBQ+ fiction as it isn’t something I’m drawn to, but I like his matter-of-fact fiction where characters are individuals that continue personal development throughout the story, and increase my exposure to human experience significantly. Some of the (quite detailed) sex scenes took me a bit by surprise but I definitely learned a lot! As a complete aside, I did enjoy the little digs at veganism. I often feel surrounded by vegans, and it’s refreshing to hear someone unashamedly express a love for bacon and the superiority of meat over a lentil stew. :-)

My only complaint is about the pace — I found the beginning a little too slow. It felt like the characters were repeating, rather than developing. Once I hit the 35% mark, the pace stepped up to something that worked a lot better for me. In other words, skim if you have to to get to where things start really moving.

I loved the sci-fi aspect of the book. Although at times it felt similar to other books and tv shows, it's really the characters that make the story so enjoyable. I adored Artemis Darth Vader and her fresh outlook on the world, and the relationship between Alex, Nate and Art was beautifully written.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley for the Arc!

This was a DNF for me! It felt way out of klune's normal style of writing for me, and it seems like a re publication of an older book which makes sense. What I was expecting and what I got was way too different for me to grapple with. May try again in the future

As with all of TJ Klune's novels, a beautiful read. I loved the development of characters and held my interest. Finished in 2 days! Keep them coming TJ!

The Bones Beneath my Skin is actually a re-release. This book has a new cover. I was excited about reading this book since I have recently discovered this author. This book is not for everyone and I almost gave up on it about 1/2 way through. The magicalism and fantasy was just a bit too much for me. I am glad I finished as this story really is about family, friendship, and loss. All great themes. If you like books like this, give it a try.

Nathaniel Cartwright has lost everything: his job, his parents, and his dignity. Receiving only his father’s old truck and the family cabin from his childhood, Nate leaves D.C. behind for the Oregon wilderness in search of rest and solitude. Instead, Nate uncovers the US Government’s biggest secret: Artemis Darth Vader, a bacon-loving little girl who is actually an alien from outer space. And Alex- an ex Marine who will stop at nothing to harbor Artemis to safety- and Nate is caught in the crossfire. Heartwarming, action packed, and discovering what it means to be truly “human,” there is not one dull moment when these three are together. TJ Klune has absolutely captured my heart once again! The Bones Beneath My Skin is NOT to be missed.

Nate Cartwright is suffering and directionless after the death of his parents and recently being fired from his job as a journalist. He decides to escape to the family cabin that he now owns. Only when he arrives at the cabin is not empty. He is met by Alex and a young girl named Artemis Darth Vader. She is not an ordinary girl, and Nate must choose to help Alex protect her or allow her to be taken for another purpose.

This author can write enduring characters and explore loss and grief like no other. He will pull at all your heartstrings and let you laugh through the pain. You will quickly fall in love with Artemis and her enlightened take on human emotion. This book is more than a story of supernatural characters and space; it is how people can unite to heal one another from their past and find redemption. This author can do no wrong when writing the vulnerable, messy parts of the human condition and the transformative power of hope, love, and connection. Another winner!

I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Tor Publishing, Tor Books.

An action packed and deeply emotional sci-fi adventure story. The three main characters will become like friends as you read their journey, and by the end you won’t want to leave this little family.

As always, Klune’s characters are fully developed and interesting. This was my least favorite of his books.