TJ Klune is one of those authors who writes in such an achingly beautiful way. However, most readers were introduced to Klune through House in the Cerulean Sea and to compare these two works would be a mistake.

The Bones Beneath my Skin does have some familiar themes such as found family, romance, and fitting in. In the afterward, Klune describes this book as being an action movie in book form and that is an accurate description.

The action, once it begins, is intense and full bore. The romance is slight, but due to the longing throughout, makes sense.

Leave the expectations of another Cerulean Sea at the door and enjoy this wonderful story!

Thank you to Tor and Net Galley for the eARC! All opinions are my own!

I’m keeping this review spoiler-free, but if you’re a fan of sci-fi with a twist, this one’s for you. The book’s blurb hints at something beyond the ordinary, and it absolutely delivers on that promise with a story that’s part sci-fi, part thriller. If you’ve read other works by TJ Klune, you’ll recognize his signature themes here: a heartfelt found family and gay main characters. (If you haven’t read TJ Klune’s other books, go read them. Now. Go go. Shoo.)

I really enjoyed this one, especially as a sci-fi lover. Art is such a standout character—her banter with the two main characters is both hilarious and heartwarming. And Bacon. Together, they create an adorable found family dynamic that just works.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for the review copy! This book is set to (re)release on February 4, 2025, so keep an eye out!

Book was fantastic. Kline's writing id magical no matter what and transports you to the books world constantly. The characters come alive and this one is no different.

Thank you to Tor Publishing for this digital advanced copy via NetGalley.

TJ Klune honestly has a gift in that his writing just transports you into the story. The characters' feelings and the world building atmosphere he creates are so immersive with every story I've read from him.

Like many of his stories, this is a story of grief, loss, love, found family, and self-acceptance. You follow Nate as he heads to his family home to process some very big losses muddled with complicated feelings - except things aren't what he expects when he arrives. He finds a gun pointed at his head and a little girl who calls herself Artemis Darth Vader.

This story is filled with a lot more action that I am used to in his books but still manages to keep that deep and impactful love and the struggle with grief throughout. If you're looking for a SciFi road trip filled with adventure and unbreakable bonds, then your next adventure is waiting with this one!

T.J. Klune’s* *The Bones Beneath My Skin* is a beautifully heartfelt story about healing, self-acceptance, and the power of love. As always, Klune’s writing is rich with warmth and emotion, capturing the complexities of grief and personal growth with both tenderness and honesty. The protagonist’s journey toward understanding and embracing themselves is deeply moving, and the evolving romance is touching and authentic.

While the emotional depth of the story is compelling, there are moments where the pacing slows down, and the narrative takes introspective detours that may feel a bit drawn out. The blend of magical realism with the book’s more grounded themes can also feel uneven at times, but for many readers, this combination adds a layer of whimsy that enhances the story’s charm.

At its core, this book is about finding hope in the darkest times. It’s a cozy mystery with all the feels and just a touch of magic. Even if the pacing isn’t always perfect. It’s a beautiful, hopeful book that reminds us of the power of love and self-acceptance. Fans of Klune will find this an emotional and unforgettable read.

If you are a fan of stranger things you will love this book. It was a beautifully written found family trope. Sometimes love is found in the most unlikely places. The author does such a great job at creating conflict to get your heart racing and you just can't flip the pages fast enough to see what happens next.

After Nate’s life implodes, he runs away to the only thing his parents left him after their murder suicide: a lakeside cabin in the middle of nowhere and a truck to get him there. Instead of peace or quiet, Nate discovers that his cabin has been co opted by a man and a young girl who are also running away… but from what? As Nate opens his heart to these two strangers, he discovers that the truth is stranger than any fiction he invents for them, the world is bigger than he thought, and that as it turns out, he will do almost anything for love.

Thanks to Tor Books & NetGalley for providing a copy for review!

One of TJ Klune's earlier titles, but with all the great bits that made him a name in the bookish world: found family, loveable weirdos, and enough action to keep you guessing. More on the scifi side of things, a wonderful road trip romp.

I wanted to love The Bones Beneath My Skin, but it fell short for me. The plot has an interesting premise with Nate meeting Artemis, an extraordinary girl, and the tension of forces trying to control her. However, the characters lacked depth, and I struggled to connect with them. Nate's emotional journey felt underdeveloped, and Artemis seemed more like a quirky plot device than a real child. While Klune's writing is solid, the lack of character attachment made it hard to feel invested in the stakes. This wasn't the emotional ride I hoped for, and it ultimately left me feeling indifferent.

It's no secret I love found family and Klune is one of the best at it. He nailed it once again with his unique way of bringing you so much joy, but also breaking your heart. I absolutely ADORED these characters. This story does contain more action than his other books, but still has deep and impactful love and grief woven throughout. From the start Nate and his struggles and his choices feel so very real that you just want to keep reading. There is just so much to love about this book. We are all just made of dust and stars. And maybe bacon.

I didn't realize this was an older Klune story until the end of the book, and I can see that a bit - his unique blend is here, but not quite as polished as it is in some of his later tales, and so there are a some clunkier moments in this one, especially in the balance of the science fiction thriller and relationship sides of the story that he has now mastered a little more effectivley.

Klune himself described this tale as weird and I can't disagree - it is strange and odd and somewhat disjointed, but it is still a fun story that fits his usual themes, and I really enjoyed it.

This will be great for those who also enjoyed In the Lives of Puppets, but not for every Klune reader.

Let me start with I will read and likely love everything that TJ Klune writes. This book was no exception. I went into it blind and, while it was not what I expected, I was not disappointed. I don't want to give much away, but the signature Klune fastastical nature, intrigue, and relationships were present. If you enjoy TJ Klune or enjoy non-traditional, genre-bending books, you will definitely love this.

I tried. I really really tried. The beginning was good, intriguing, promising. However, this is the slowest book I’ve ever read. When I thought I was half way through, I was at 35%. When I thought I was 75% through I was at 54%. I DNF at 62%. I just couldn’t continue the plodding progress. So I skipped to the end but none of the main characters names were mentioned, except Art. Did they die? Change their identity? Do I care? Sadly, not enough.
Still giving 3 stars for the part in the cabin at the beginning and because Klune wrote The House by the Cerulean Sea. That counts for all future work because I know Klune has a beautiful, imaginative mind.

Absolutely love everything TJ writes. This book was no exception. I loved the characters and the story. Very beautifully written

This was a very gripping and interesting book! It was much darker than anything else I've read by TJ Klune.

The Bones Beneath My Skin follows Nate, a man who recently lost his parents and his job, as he travels to the cabin he just inherited. There, he meets a mysterious little girl and her grumpy ex-military protector. As the story progresses, Nate gets swept up into a world of secret government activities, grand theft auto, helicopters falling from the sky, cults, and violence.

This book features a romance subplot with tropes including forced proximity, found family, and a grumpy, brooding love interest.

Gosh I love TJ Klune. This is the fourth of his books I've read and while none can top Cerulean Sea, this was a beautiful addition to my Klune experience. I absolutely adore how adept he is at weaving queer storytelling into such beautiful and impactful stories. Highly recommend.

TJ Klune has been an autobuy + autoread author for me since The House on the Cerulean Sea came out and I fell in love with it several years ago. This was another sweet, thoughtful, unique fantasy story that was heartwarming and I cannot wait to get the hard copy for my shelf to go next to all the others by TJ. He is truly one of the most wonderful authors of our time.

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

nate cartwright is lost. his parents recently dead, fired from his job, estranged from his brother. he inherits the family cabin in oregon and decides to go there to figure out what comes next. the cabin should be empty—it’s not. a man named alex and a strange little girl who calls herself artemis darth vader is there. alex is lost too and his sole purpose is keeping art safe. but art sees something more, something they may all need. nate is left with a choice: drown in the memories of his past, or fight for a future he never thought possible.

what is it about the way tj klune writes found family that leaves me a snivelling mess??

nate and alex are two intensely lonely men. both running and grieving in the wake of profound loss. both who think it might be easier to stay lost because it’s hard to take things on faith when it feels like there’s none left.

and then: being found.

but before that we need to talk about little artemis darth vader. it’s hard to explain without giving it away, but this book looks at humanity from a different lens. how awful and flawed humanity is. but also, so fierce and wild. how fragile we are but how we take chances, how hard we fight to have a future full of hope.

together they make a home out of nothingness. they create a home for together after almost losing themselves. out of a place where they should not exist. they take turns carrying each other until their knees give out. together they search for home in a harsh and unforgiving world.

it’s hard to explain how this feels until you read their story with your own eyes, but when you do there will be so much love and trust and heartache and humanity that sometimes it will feel like you’re drowning it in. i felt so alive reading this book.

i loved nate, alex, and artemis so much that it hurt to let them go. but i know i'll be back to see them again sometime in the near future.

but in the meantime i will just think about how

we’re all just made of dust and stars.

The Bones Beneath My Skin is yet another book that shows TJ Klune's prowess at crafting fantastical stories with found family at the heart. Like the author's note that follows to tale says, The Bones Beneath My Skin is a weird book; it combines aspects of grief with sci-fi and adventure with deep, profound, love. At no point was I not interested in what would happen next, and while it's not a cozy sort of novel that I want to live in, it is a book I want to analyze enough to pick apart how exactly it's making me feel so much. It's almost overwhelming how much happens, but Klune adds moments or simply lines of levity that give you a well needed breath of air and help you fall in love with the characters a little bit more every time. Simply a fantastic story, the second I finished I went right back to chapter one to start it all over again.

This book is like Stranger Things and The Last of us had a baby, written in the choppiest prose ever, moving at a snails pace. It dragged. Nate is the dullest protagonist ever, having everything happen to him. He takes no responsibility and acts like he has no choice or idea what to do up until the 11th hour. Art is ridiculous. Endearing, sure but also precocious and loquacious. I’m never a fan of children who do not act or speak like children. I feel like Klune struggles with appropriate voice for younger aged characters across his novels. They always seem older and wiser than kids ought to be (And not in a cute Harry Potter way, but in a creepy Enders Game sort of way). Alex is flat, but still the most relatable somehow, which is confusing because he mostly speaks in grunts and silence.

Klune straight up mentions cordacyepts, and the name Ellie appears... Settle. An Ellie is like El, or 11, who can throw people with her mind. Way to make two pieces of beautiful media absolutely terrible.

I think with the cover art of this novel, readers may think this is a YA novel like House in the Cerulean Sea. However, Nate swears and was estranged from his family for his sexuality. Some of the topics in this book are not for kids, but it is marketed the same as his YA novels. Just a concern for parents.

This book was not the book for me, however I appreciate NetGalley and Tor for providing me an advanced copy of this book.