After losing his job, Nate heads to his family’s cabin he’s inherited in remote Oregon to figure out what to do next. He arrives to find a man and a young girl, Alex and Artemis, squatting there. As they get to know each other, Nate realizes that this chance meeting will dramatically change what he believes in and alter the course of his life. For science fiction and romance fans.

This story by TJ Kline reminds us that so much of this life is about giving ourselves the space to see beyond what we think we know. It’s a story about what it takes to find your way and the importance of protecting who and what we love.

It took me over a month to get to 37% of this book. I kept telling myself if I just got through the beginning, I'd be okay. I ended up having to DNF because it was somehow painfully slow yet also anxiety inducing.

I didn't even realize this book was published a few years ago and I am so mad I haven't read it until now. What a fantastic ride. The characters were relatable and Artemis Darth Vader was a breath of fresh air. The idea of building the family you want/need is one of my favorite concepts. Thank you so much for allowing me to read this amazing book.

I'm going to be honest, I found the summary for The Bones Beneath My Skin to be a little underwhelming. I'm not huge into sci-fi, although I don't hate it, but I've really liked every book I've read of TJ Klune's and so I was more than willing to give it a chance. And turns out, I loved it, of course. TJ Klune doesn't miss.

Klune's author note at the end talks about how he submitted this book to the publisher at the time and they weren't very happy with it, feeling it was different than his normal output, which, two things: I didn't even know this book was somewhat older and self published. I thought it was just his next book and didn't question it at all. The second thing is that, I actually don't think it's super far from what he normally writes? I feel like a lot of Klune's works deal with love, multiple and different types of love, and this book is no different. Is Bones definitely different than other stuff he's put out? Yes, but I also think it is distinctly TJ Klune.

Now onto more specifics. I loved the main characters. I'm usually not a fand of kid characters, but Art makes sense and is actually a lot of fun. I loved seeing Alex thaw slowly and I loved Nate's journey as a character. They are all fleshed out and the relationships between each of them are sweet interesting and sweet. I really liked the plot and I felt like the pacing was well done. This type of story could have easily been a slog with bad pacing, but I felt like there was a good balance between action and downtime.

I definitely recommend this book and I'm counting down the days until Somewhere Beyond the Sea releases. I'll happily read whatever TJ Klune puts out at this point.

Another great T.J. Klune story.
Actually, my second favorite one now.

(Thank you, Netgalley, for the digital copy for review.)

I love that this veered off his now well-honed path and style. (Its variation was needed for this reader!)
The difference allowed him to lean deep into a powerfully character driven story. To capture all the subtleties, nuance, and clarity of their movements and emotional evolutions.

I really enjoyed this storyline too, but centering Klune's characters made all the difference.

#SecondOnlyToWhisperingDoor
:)

Another beautiful TJ Klune book. He is one of my favorite authors. He is a master of the written word. I don’t feel like I connected with the characters in the book as much as in other Klune novels, but there was a beautiful message to this story that will stick with me for a long time.

I struggled to review this book, especially after reading the author's note at the end. The book is "weird" (not that that's a bad thing) and I wouldn't really classify it as a romance (but not due to the lack of sex scenes). The book felt more like a sci-fi/adventure story with very little development between Alex and Nate.

The story was centered around Art which I would have enjoyed if it was more similar to The House in the Cerulean Sea. However, it was missing that magical spark that I expect from Klune's books. It didn't really make me laugh and it definitely didn't make me cry. Even when their lives were in peril, I just didn't particularly care about the outcome. This wasn't a "bad" book, and I'm sure many people will enjoy it, but it didn't take my breath away like HitCS and the Green Creek series did. 3.25/5⭐.

Nate Cartwright has lost everything in his life: his family, his job, and his self respect. Hoping to recenter his life, Nate heads to his parents wilderness cabin left to him in their will. Once there, his finds the cabin occupied by a big man named Alex and the odd, precocious girl named Artemis Darth Vader. They are on the run from people who unnamed but want to control Artemis. Nate becomes bound to the two beyond what he realizes to a life he could only imagine. I loved this book and is typical of TJ Klune, the humor and dialogue bring the characters to life. They journey has the reader rooting for the trio the whole way!

A Sci-Romance adventure story that you certainly need. All the characters are flawed but
that’s what makes the story so relatable. It’s the human side of being human.

DNF for me.
The Bones Beneath my Skin is actually a re-release. This book just 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 gave up on it about 1/2 way through.
I appreciate the ARC

Potentially controversial, but this just might be my favourite TJ Klune book. It's got that trademark overlap of heart, sadness, and wonder, and oh, I LOVED the dynamic between the three main characters. It's about the aches that make us human, and living with impossible questions, and the deep-breath delight of finding people who really, truly care about us for who we are. I don't want to give too much away about the plot, but I know this for sure: THE BONES BENEATH MY SKIN will stick beneath *my* skin for a long, long time.

I really enjoy this book - it kept me engaged from start to finish and I didn’t have any difficulty understand or relating to the prose. The characters were well developed and easy to like. I’d definitely recommend reading this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing group for the arc of this book!
My understanding is that this is actually a re-release. TJ Klune self published this book initially and now it is coming out via published in February 2025.

I loved loved House Under the Cerulean Sea. So weird and so perfect. I enjoyed this one- equally weird! Imagine Stranger Things meets an action movie meets a romance? Things went a little overboard for me towards the end, but overall I enjoyed it. Recommend for those who love weird (I mean this in a positive way) science fiction adventure.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and most especially TJ Klune for this eARC of the rerelease of The Bones Beneath My Skin.

If you're a fan of TJ Klune's other works, you're in for a treat. The Bones Beneath My Skin digs deeply into those existential questions that drive us as humans, bring joy & strife to our relationships, and give us meaning as we stumble through life.

While it doesn't quite hold up to Under the Whispering Door or House on the Cerulean Sea, it was written earlier in Mr. Klune's career and provides incredible insight into his evolution as a writer and growing mastery of his craft.

Be warned, this book will almost certainly have you in tears.

I'm the biggest TJ Klune fan. Green Creek is my most favorite series EVER written. Like so many of TJ Klune's stories, The Bones Beneath My Skin is about family. It's about loss and grief and love. And it's about bonds and trust and adventure. But this story is also very different. And wonderful. And I've got the book hangover for the ages. So saddle up, hoss, an adventure awaits!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

I will state up front that I did not know this was a rerelease of a previously self-published book. I'm actually a little angry at myself for sleeping on Kune's backlist. I loved Cerulean Sea and have read everything I can get my hands on that was written after, but have largely ignored previously written/published works. This book has changed that.

IT WAS PHENOMENAL. This was another book that I read in just 2 days. The story and characters were so well done and so complete. This is no one of the books that I will never stop recommending. It answers some fundamental questions - what does it mean to be human, how does family evolve, and how can love look different from mainstream relationships.

I found out that this book is a re-published work after I had already started reading it. I'm a big fan of T.J. Klune's newer books and was still excited to read this older one of his. Klune is known for blending magic, sci-fi, romance, and LGBTQ+ representation in his writing, and those elements are also present in this book. However, this particular book didn't capture my interest like his others. Even though the premise seemed promising, I didn't feel as connected to the story or the characters compared to his other works. I also felt that the romance between the two main male characters wasn't delved into deeply enough. I wish there was more emphasis on that aspect. It was still a great book and would recommdnd it to anyone.

Thank you to NetGallery and to Tor Publishing Group for giving me a copy of the book.

TJ Klune writes these novels so simply, but packs so much emotion into the stories that they really are so special. This one is no different. Nate is deeply relatable, flawed and self-deprecating, but you fall in love so quickly, probably because of how easy it is to see yourself in his shoes as a protagonist.

Like Cerulean Sea and Whispering Door, this book is insanely readable, fun and fascinating. Every moment you spend on this journey with Art and Alex just solidifies your connection with them. TJ Klune has this way of writing fantastical stories that you’d think wouldn’t fit with the way so much real feeling is packed inside, but he somehow pulls it off perfectly every time. This book reads like watching an action movie from the 90s, and I mean that in the best way possible.

The Bones Beneath My Skin is guaranteed to make you fall in love with it, and as is Klune’s way, probably shed a bunch of tears by the time you’re done. Not surprised at all to say that I loved it.

I went into this completely blind. It was lovely and action-packed, with some Stranger Things vibes, and I adored it.

I didn't realize this was a re-release until I finished the book. I consider myself a T.J. Klune fan, and I can't believe I did not know this story existed. How is this book not being talked about more??? While darker and more action-packed than Whispering and House, Klune's signature storylines of family, loss, grief, and finding yourself remain.

Once again, Klune's characters shine. Artemis, Nate, and Alex have my whole heart. Klune expertly includes young characters in his stories. I dare you not to fall in love with Artemis Darth Vader.

The plot was so fun. I felt like I was watching a 1980s sci-fi family movie - in the vein of E.T., I had to know what was happening.

If you are a Klune fan, I definitely recommend it.

I will note that there is one explicit sex scene I did not anticipate due to my prior T.J. experiences. It is a minor part of the story, but for people expecting the fade to black love stories of Whispering or Cerulean - this is not that.