I don’t read much YA at all, not because I question the quality but because there’s not a lot there for me to relate to. A lot of TJ Klune’s work fits into that category, so while I have heard of him I’ve never read his books. The Bones Beneath My Skin popped up as a recommendation, and while I was a little bit skeptical I read the blurb. I was surprised to discover that he does have a selection of books that are not YA, including this one.

The Bones Beneath My Skin is a sci-fi thriller, wrapped up in a road trip, with a little bit of romance thrown in. The writing features rich characterization, allowing the reader to connect with protagonists as real people with their own quirks and flaws and fears. Nate’s inner thoughts and struggles are on display throughout the book, and it is in his introspective moments that many of the book’s most emotionally compelling scenes are found. Furthermore, each character has a unique voice, and the dialogue between them is realistic; a feature that is, in my opinion, one of Klune’s strengths.

The Bones Beneath My Skin has a lot to say about the dichotomy between the good and bad found in human nature, and I was charmed by the use of Louis L’Amour’s books as a tool for Art’s “education” – I read every single one of them in my youth, and still have copies of them all. The book is meant to be suspenseful, with the reader discovering pertinent details along the way. In my opinion there really wasn’t all that much suspense; most of it was pretty predictable. But I did very much enjoy the way Klune made use of pacing to ease or escalate tension and build a sense of anticipation. The one sex scene in the book did feel kind of out of place to me, but that may just be a difference in perspective – it is an MM scene, and clearly I have zero expertise on that. Still, to me it felt kind of obligatory. And I’ll be honest and say I skimmed the scene itself, as my interest in the male anatomy is somewhat less than zero.

Taken as a whole, I loved the book. Art had me ready to go on the run to protect her from the Enforcers by the end of Chapter One, not gonna lie. Be forewarned: if you read this book you are absolutely going to fall in love with that kid.

4.5⭐️

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am leaving a voluntary review.

In the spring of 1995, Nate Cartwright lost everything: his parents are dead, his older brother wants nothing to do with him, and he lost his journalist job in Washington DC. The only thing he has left is his dad’s old truck, and the family’s empty summer cabin outside the small mountain town of Roseland, Oregon. So he decides to go there to be alone - except, the cabin isn’t empty. A big gruff of a man named Alex is there. And with him is a young girl, who’s not really young, but oh is she extraordinary. She calls herself Artemis Darth Vader.

It becomes clear to Nate that he has two choices. One is to wallow in the memories of his past and drown. Two is the fight for a future he never thought possible. Because it wasn’t by chance Nate met this duo in his cabin, he doesn’t really believe is fate or destiny either - but they’re special, and Nate will do what it takes to keep them free.

Oh I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book! As always, I was not disappointed by anything TJ Klune writes; there’s found family, gayness, witty humor, and this time, bacon (all the bacon), conspiracy theories, and running from bad men!

I don’t know how Klune is able to write such realistic, multilayered characters that always end up stealing pieces of my heart and never letting it go, but he does so every single time. The little found family of Nate, Alex, and Art will live on forever in my head by the phrase, “How would Art experience this?” when going through life.

This book is more science fiction over Klune’s usual (recent) releases of fantasy, and there is a small spice scene, but I wouldn’t classify this as a sole romance. There’s more focus on the found family portion as well as Nate coming to terms with his past.

Overall, this is a wonderful, thrilling, fast pace, page turner filled with a blend of the supernatural and of the human experience that is a must-read for all.

*Thank you Tor Books and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

What a lovely book. Klune has become an absolute favourite of mine, and I remain so heartened to know that this book is out there. There's a lot of lovely pieces of this book - tension, humour, societal impacts - probably the book we all need right now. This was a bit slower that his more recent books but you can see this as the start of such a great writer. If TJ Klune writes, I will read.

An absolute thrilling and heartwarming story that made me cry at the end. 😭

Me being me, I went into this blind as I normally do when picking up a new book. I wasn’t prepared for the emotional turmoil and the beautiful found family that was introduced to me.

I loved seeing the bond develop between Nate, Alex and Art. You think you’re about be witnessing a crime when they first meet but instead, it’s a beautiful story of hardships and what it means to be human.

This also touches on government, homophobia and the prejudices of society. It was really easy to compare to our times now to what was happening in the 90s. And how I would predict things happening if extraterrestrials ever made contact with humans on this planet.

The bacon scene was hilarious, the cult was creepy but the found family was beautiful.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing for an ARC in exchange of an honest review.

A reissue of a 2017 decent scifi action thriller which at first seems wildly different from TJ Klune’s more recent novel but actually has a lot in common with them under the skin.

It’s 1995, and journalist Nate Cartwright has lost everything except for the truck and the cabin in the woods that his parents have left him. When he arrives at the cabin he finds it already occupied by a hostile man, Alex, and an unusual little girl, Artemis. They are running from Something though, initially, it’s not clear what, but it soon becomes clear that they are the good guys and Nate joins them on the run.

There is much tension and excitement as the trio race to connect with Something while being pursued by the bad guys. However, towards the end there’s quite a lot of talky stuff which slows everything down and had me itching to skip ahead. There is also a romance of sorts, one that is pretty explicit, but it often gets a bit submerged by all the action. Sorry, I’m being vague here because I’d like you to go in not knowing too much either. So plotwise and tonally this is a head scratcher that it comes from the author of The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door (or even The Lives of Puppets).

However, looking at the, ahem, bones beneath the skin of the novel and the similarities emerge. Thematically, it explores the ideas of acceptance and being accepted, of what it means to be human, and of kindness as a catalyst for change. As with the more recent novels, there is a created family which welcomes lots souls with open arms.

And then there’s the characters. It takes a bit of work to draw a line from the protagonists of House and Door to Nate, but his sense of abandonment and his discovery of something he didn’t realize he was looking for provide the link. Conversely Alex is absolutely in the mold of those novels’ love interests, albeit one who’s a bit grumpier than Arthur and Hugo. Artemis fits neatly into the slot of innocent with unusual talents and provider of humor.

While I was gripped by the fast pace thrills, I found myself missing the non-cloying sweetness that I associate with my favorite of the author’s novels which gives them an appeal that this just doesn’t have.

Thanks to Tor and Netgalley for the digital review copy.

TJ Klune is a marvel. His stories are always so beautiful. This one gave me a lot of stress because there are strangers in your house and they won’t leave. But anything TJ Klune writes, I will read. And you should too.

A little slow at the beginning, the chapters are super long. The story is fantastic. Two men and a little "girl" trying to find thier way. Heartbreaking at times, some action at times. A great story of a road trip. This was my first Klune novel, it will not be my last.

5 stars

This was definitely a new type of genre/book for TJ Klune, but I actually ended up really enjoying it! I went into this one a bit tentative because although I love Klune's books and writing, I didn't know what to expect with a thriller/mystery. But he kept me on my toes with this one, while also incorporating his beautiful writing and reflections on life and humanity.

The Bones Beneath My Skin is about a man named Nate, who inherits a cabin in Oregon from his parents and decides to up and move to the remote location. When he arrives, he is confronted by an older man Alex and a younger girl Art, who have been living at his cabin. From the beginning, it is clear that while Alex and Art are on the run, there is something strangely special about Art.

As most of Klune's books are, this is a story of a special found family, the beautiful connections built between strangers. Nate and Alex are the most wonderful parents to Art and will do anything to protect her from people who don't understand. This book kind of gave me Stranger Things vibes in a way, but with much more wonderful dialogue on the mystery of humans and how each person's actions and choices can help shape our future and our individual impact on the Earth and each other. This book was very fast paced for me and I really enjoyed it!!

Thanks to Tor Books for the free book!!

I just don’t know how he keeps doing it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Yet another brilliant, impactful 5 star read from T.J. Klune!

This story has the usual Klune suspects—found family, amazing queer representation, precocious children who defy imagination, and so, so much humor.

There’s an overarching theme to this story about the nature of saying good-bye; goodbye to lost loved ones, good-bye to your childhood, good-bye to the versions of yourself you shed as you grow and change. And the meditations throughout on what the word “human” really means, were striking.

Nate and Alex’s romance had me giggling and kicking my feet to the point that my category ten clinger of a dog left me and went to sleep in another room. Take that as you will.

This one is for the star watchers and comet wishers. For the people who grew up watching ET and pressing their tiny index fingers to a staticky screen.

For those of us who dare to believe that—not only are we not alone in this vast and spiraling universe—but that when they do finally show themselves, humanity is capable of doing it right. If there’s a brave few willing to make the first step.

(I do recommend looking up the trigger warnings for this book, because there’s some pretty heavy material to be found here.)

✨OUT ON FEBRUARY 4TH, 2025✨

𝐀𝐑𝐂: Thank you NetGalley for the amazing opportunity to read this book so early.
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - TJ Klune does it again… this book was Cheft Kiss and I will forever be thinking about this book for ages.
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞: 🌶 - One sex scene but it wasn’t needed, there was so much romance that was beautiful
𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: February 4, 2025
𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥: 7/12

I am floored. How does TJ Klune keep writing these amazing books? I first fell in love with his ‘The House on the Cerulean Sea’; every book he writes is one of my favorites.

This book is no different. I have been sitting on this ARC for months now because I knew I wouldn’t be the same once I read it, and I was right. This book broke my heart.

I read the first 50% of the book in one sitting and stayed up till 2 am to read it and only stopped because I had to be up by 7 for work the next day. Then I finished it over the weekend; I tried to read it slower so that I didn’t have to say goodbye to the characters as fast but I had to keep reading to figure out what happened next.

The book has so many amazing aspects in it that I cannot even begin to put down; you will just have to read it for yourself and see how amazing this book truly is.

This book has:
🌑 LGBTQ+
🌑 Sci-Fi
🌑 Age Gap
🌑 Action Pack

"A spine-tingling standalone novel by bestselling author T.J. Klune - a supernatural road-trip thriller featuring an extraordinary young girl and her two unlikely protectors on the run from cultists and the government.

There's nothing more human than a broken heart.

In the spring of 1995, Nate Cartwright has lost everything: his parents are dead, his only brother wants nothing to do with him, and he's been fired from his job as a journalist in Washington, DC.

With nothing left to lose, he returns to his family's summer cabin outside the small mountain town of Roseland, Oregon, to try and find some sense of direction. The cabin should be empty. It's not.

Inside is a man named Alex. And with him is an extraordinary ten-year-old girl who calls herself Artemis Darth Vader. Artemis, who isn't exactly as she appears.

Soon it becomes clear that Nate must make a choice: let himself drown in the memories of his past, or fight for a future he never thought possible. Because the girl is special. And forces are descending upon them who want nothing more than to control her."

I mean, obviously she's special, she's named after Darth Vader!

Leave it to T.J. Klune to create a whole new genre with this story: cozy thriller/suspense! This definitely kept me on my toes and had very similar vibes to Stranger Things and The Last of Us. But of course in true T.J. Klune fashion the suspenseful storyline is paired with themes of belonging and found family! I also just adore how Klune writes the "kid sidekick" character-- they are always so endearing and not at all annoying-- add Art in the mix with my faves Chauncy and Lucy :)

Thank you so much NetGalley for the ARC!

In the author's note, Klune talks about how when he submitted this book to his old publisher, that they told him the book was weird. And it is. But in 2018, Klune was not on my radar as a reader, so I am very grateful that Tor has rereleased this (and other books by Klune) so that more readers can meet Art, Nate, and Alex. Because they need to, I'm sure glad I did.

As with everything else I've read by Klune, this is a book about flawed characters creating their own found family while dealing with heartbreak from an unforgiving world. It's no surprise that both Nate and Alex would lay down their lives to keep Art safe, she is truly remarkable (and not just because of how unique she is). For all its action scenes, and this one has action that would rival a blockbuster movie, The Bones Beneath My Skin is a quiet novel with an uncomplicated plot.

My only real complaint is that some of the chapters were too long (like 40-60+ minutes), as someone who tries to never pause reading in the middle of a chapter, this caused some hiccups in my reading flow. But that's more of a me thing, than a flaw of the book.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and Tor Books in exchange for an honest review.

“𝙒𝙚’𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚. 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮. 𝙒𝙚’𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙚. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙚𝙩, 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙝𝙤𝙬, 𝙬𝙚’𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙙𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙨. 𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙗𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”

No matter what TJ Klune writes, you just know you’re in for an adventure of a lifetime. “The Bones Beneath My Skin” is the story of Nate, Alex, and Artemis Darth Vader and their spectacular journey of love, family, and how there just might be more to our universe than we could ever comprehend.

I’m not going to go into details on the plot, but if you’ve ever read one of TJ Klune’s books, then you know they’re filled with unique, lovable characters, times of laughter, and heart warming moments. And just like any other book by TJ Klune, this one has them too. Yes, it’s different from his more popular reads, but trust me, this one is worth a read. The journey throughout this book is so well written and jammed packed with action scenes as we figure out just who or what exactly is Art. The relationship growth between Nate and Alex is so flipping sweet that I wanted to hug them as they fumbled through their feelings. Also, I just LOVE all the little easter eggs from other books.

“The Bones Beneath My Skin” Vibes
- Paranormal
- Found Family
- Action
- Adventure
- “Howdy Partner”
- Dash of Romance
- All the Bacon

TJ’s books are always a breath of fresh air from your typical reads. I devoured this story and quickly fell in love with Nate, Alex, and Art. Definitely recommend giving this a try if you like something different!

WOW. It's been a while since I've felt the need to rush to my Notes app and immediately review a book but this was one that I couldn't help. As soon as I read the last beautiful words of this book, I knew I needed to write my thoughts down.

From the very first page, you're hooked into the nostalgic time capsule that beckons us back to 1995. Upon meeting our main character Nate, dealing with the aftermath of being fired and losing everything in his life, we follow him as he treks to his parent's long-forgotten cabin in the Oregon wilderness. It is within this property's acreage that we meet our other two protagonists: Alex and Art. Alex, an ex-Marine with a troubled past, and Art, a mysterious young girl whose actions always seem to beg more questions than answers.

As the story wove itself on, I found myself falling in love with the dichotomy of these three people: a depressed gay man, a repressed Marine, and a mysterious young girl. I didn't expect this book to host such intricate and beautiful character development but as I sit here typing, I find myself already missing them like a long-lost relative.

This book does a fantastic job weaving narrative, action, romance, and heart throughout. Just when you think you understand where the book is heading, TJ Klune makes sure to keep you on your toes and throws you a curveball. By the end of the book, I didn't want to say goodbye to any of the characters or their heroic journeys.

I'm newer to Klune's collection of writing having only read The House in the Cerulean Sea but it's clear that he has an undeniable grasp of what it means to be queer and be human. It's not often an author can portray the queer experience with such ease and versatility but Klune does just that: he makes sure our stories are told with the same depth as anyone else's.

This book deserves more than 5 stars. It deserves a universe full of them. I can't wait to share this book with my friends and let them experience the joy and heartbreak that Nate, Alex, and Art bring.

I would recommend jumping into this book blind, so I won't go into details on the plot except to say that if you're a fan of Stranger Things & cozy yet emotional books, then this one is for you. It fits well with his other books- fantasy, found family, romance (it's obvious in the book, but slight spoiler warning: queer romance)- but a little less sappy and a little more dark, which I preferred. Plus, it had more action that I remember from his other books that I've read. As always, I enjoyed his writing style and his complex characters. I definitely recommend this one, maybe with a box of tissues near you.

“I didn’t get that. Not before. I don’t think any of us did. Not until they felt 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.”

I’ve been dying to pick up another TJ Klune book since the Cerulean Chronicles & had no idea where to start — but luckily received this arc from @torbooks for Klune’s new(ish?? it’s getting traditionally published!) release coming in February of an older Klune story being traditionally published.

This was actually the perfect place to start in reading more of Klune’s work because there are so many elements & tones here that mirror all the things I loved about his writing in the cerulean chronicles!!
Definitely has some more blatant darkness within this one in respect to homophobia, suicidal ideation, and unhealthy family dynamics which I think Klune wrote about so beautifully. He handles these topics of what it means to be human and what it feels like to be different with compassion and masterfulness.

this book feels like tj klune poured his absolute heart into it and for that i give him the utmost applause <3 his acknowledgments at the end about this journey with this book and why it’s taken this long to be traditionally published was also interesting to read.
this book has me thinking differently about writing and using fantastical scenarios to explore/revisit personal traumas.

I am not surprised in the least that once again I have devoured and absolutely loved a novel written by TJ Klune. All of his books are quite unique in their own way and that's one of the many things I adore about them. I also enjoy the representation of the queer community in an accurate and positive light. The Bones Beneath My Skin is a wonderful, unique, out of this world story set in varying parts of the American wilderness. The tone and vibe was a mix of dark, very dark, light, joyful, devastating, and even funny at times. I enjoyed meeting and getting to know Alex, Nate and Artemis. I enjoyed falling in love with them. The banter is excellent! Alex and Nate are relatable - they've been through the good, the bad and the ugly and are trying to survive the best way they know how. They are brave, loyal, stubborn. And at the center of it all is Artemis. This story is highly descriptive, action-packed, tense and will have you on the edge of your seat more often than not. It will make you anxious and unsettled but will also make you feel you warmth and joy. The characters and the plot were engaging, unpredictable and complex. You won't read a book quite like this one and that is a compliment in the highest regard. I wish I could read it for the first time all over again - I will just have to wait patiently for whatever TJ Klune is brewing up next.

☆ ☆ .5
Another story where ✨spice✨ wasn’t needed and could’ve been avoided entirely and it would have been just fine, where children have Buzzfeed humor and makes you feel like you sucked on a sour patch kid the whole time they talk because of how cringy they are, where the “super power” are not consistent a.k.a can make a whole helicopter crash and stops bullet midair BUT electrodes stops her from doing all that.

Ok, now that I said all that and it’s out of the way, I liked the pacing of this story, I thought it was fasted paced and the short chapters helped. Did I think that Nate’s inner dialogue was way to long by times and redundant? Yes. And did I also think that for an entity being a thousand year old coming from whole other realm Artemis Darth Vader was the most insufferable, cringy character ever ? Also yes.

The Queer representation is done well , I also thought that the sunshine x grumpy trope was greatly executed while it felt a tad like insta-love but I can forgive that. What I can’t forgive though is the unnecessary spice, it adds nothing to the story and it just irks me so bad. The found family trope is extremely present towards the end which is fine it ties it all together I guess, love saves the day ta-dam.

The ending itself felt rushed and just very quick but I was quite glad because it meant no more millennial jokes about how bacon is so good and being vegan is gross so I’ll accept it.

Overall it was an ok read. As always thank you Net Galley and Tor Publishing for the digital Arc.

"It's why I chose you. It's why I chose the both of you. You made me a home out of nothing. Out of a place where one should not exist."

First off, I just want to say I am so glad I finished this book. If you saw my updates you know that I was really thrown off by the random body hair descriptions that kept happening, BUT I was able to put that aside and enjoy this adorable story. This was sort of a bit different from Under the Whispering Door & The House in the Cerulean Sea, but if you enjoy TJ Klune's writing, you will ultimately end up enjoying this one as I did :)

I am truly the ultimate sucker for a good found family, and we absolutely find that here in this story. We have a 27 yr old, Nate, who has lost everything and hopes spending time in his family cabin will help clear his mind and find a solution to all his problems. But he then is thrown in a predicament with a... maybe 10 yr old girl, who goes by Artemis Darth Vader, Art for short, and has all the questions imaginable, plus an undying love for bacon. And 40 yr old, Alex, who isn't very kind, but would do anything for Art.

There is some kind of addictive quality to TJ Klune's writing style. I was able to binge this in two days, and I never once got bored. This was an endearing story about love, family, and believing in the impossible. There is nothing better than watching a character grow throughout a story, and Nate displayed that beautifully. My heart broke for him, for Alex, and Art. I am so glad they found each other against all odds, and maybe it was indeed fate.

"A grunt had been standing behind her, braiding her hair, and she'd asked a man named Nate Cartwright if he believed in fate. In destiny.

He hadn't then.
But sometimes he wondered about that. About it all."

I will say that the plot was a bit predictable at times? But for some reason, I didn't exactly mind it? Does this make sense 😂 I typically don't love when I can predict when something is going to happen, but I think the execution was done well, and therefore I didn't really care. Like I KNEW that something was going to happen, but I was still anxious throughout it, scared that something was going to happen to this sweet found family that had already been through so much. And then when it happened, I still screamed and was able to feel slightly surprised by it regardless.

Overall, I had a fun time with this. I was on the edge of my seat screaming "RUN!", awwing and smiling at the cute found family moments, and squealing at the romance bits. This was the sci-fi romance sort of thriller that I didn't know I needed, and I am so glad I saw it through till the end :)

Thank you Tor and Netgalley for the arc ♥