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.

This book was great!! I love the way TJ Klune writes - the characters in this book are really lovely. There’s a lot of action in this book which I enjoyed, as it’s a bit different from his other works. It was also a great audiobook - I’m really glad TOR decided to release it!! Definitely recommend if you’re a Klune fan! 4.25 rounded up.

🌈Queer rep: gay male main character, bi male love interest, MM main pairing. Brief mention of an FF couple and a throuple (genders not mentioned)

The Bones Beneath My Skin
by TJ Klune
ARC REVIEW
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Every TJ Klune book is gold, as far as I'm concerned.

This one, billed as a "supernatural road-trip thriller," shows Klune's genre range while also featuring his tried-and-true found family troupe.

Nate only wants to escape to the quiet of his newly- inherited cabin in Oregon to figure out the next steps in his life. But instead, he finds an armed squatter, Alex and his young charge, Artemis. Soon, the three unlikely allies are on the run and Nate learns that Artemis isn't exactly what she seems.

In the midst of action-packed chase scenes, we get deep moments of grief, growth, and love. There were wonderful moments of commentary about the harm of blind faith, the dangers of government secrets, and what makes humanity worth saving.

(And look for a brief cameo mention of Green Creek, from Klune's Wolfsong series) 🐺

I will be buying this one when it releases. Honestly? I'd buy Underwater Basketweaving for Dummies is TJ Klune wrote it.

I received this ARC from @netgalley and publisher @torbooks. The opinions are my own.

The Bones Beneath My Skin will be released Feb 4, 2025

This one is not at the top of my fav from this author but it's concistent with their style, message, types of character, figting for acceptance and creative writing.

This book is recommended for readers who enjoy:

Genre-blending narratives

Found family dynamics

LGBTQ+ representation

Slow-burn romance

Supernatural elements in contemporary settings

Note: For those new to Klune's work, this standalone novel serves as an excellent introduction to his storytelling style while offering something fresh for longtime fans.



The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune takes readers on a heart-pounding, emotionally charged journey through an unexpected blend of sci-fi thriller, mystery, and an exploration of the human heart. Set in the spring of 1995, the novel pulls us into the life of Nate Cartwright, a man weighed down by grief and loss. With his parents gone and a strained relationship with his brother, Nate's life is at a standstill—until a mysterious encounter at his family's remote cabin shakes him to the core.

At the heart of the story is a strange little girl who calls herself Artemis Darth Vader (yes, you read that right). With her comes Alex, a man cloaked in secrecy. Their arrival at Nate's cabin turns what he thought would be a quiet retreat into a desperate flight for survival. With cultists and government agents closing in, the novel slowly reveals the complexity of Artemis’ true nature, and Nate is forced to make decisions that will alter his life forever.

Klune excels at creating vivid, multilayered characters that feel painfully real, and Nate is no exception. His struggle with the weight of his past feels deeply personal, but the presence of Artemis and Alex opens the door to something he didn't know he needed—a chance at redemption and the possibility of forming a new kind of family. While there is a subtle romance at play, it takes a back seat to the deeper, more compelling relationships in the book—primarily the one Nate forms with Artemis.

The narrative has moments of pure adrenaline, especially as danger creeps closer. Klune is a master at pacing, though there are sections where the plot meanders a bit, especially during their time on the road. These slower moments, however, serve to deepen the bond between the characters, allowing us to feel their growing connection and investment in each other. And when the action does come, it's as electrifying as you'd hope, with helicopters, gunfire, and a climactic reveal that will leave you breathless.

For those expecting a typical Klune romance, this novel might feel a bit different. The romantic undertones are there but subdued, with the primary focus being the found family dynamic and the emotional journey of Nate coming to terms with his past. Klune’s signature blend of wit and heart is still very much present, but this time it’s wrapped in a darker, more suspenseful package.

Overall, The Bones Beneath My Skin is a thrilling, moving ride. It might take a little time to fully immerse yourself in the sci-fi elements, but once you do, you’ll be rewarded with a story that speaks to the resilience of the human spirit. For anyone craving a gripping blend of supernatural suspense and deep emotional resonance, this book is a must-read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for sharing this re-releasing romantasy’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

I received a temporary digital copy of The Bones Beneath My Skin from NetGalley, Tor Books and the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

After losing his job as a journalist in D.C., Nate Cartwright returns to his family's cabin Oregon in hopes of figuring out what is next for him. At his cabin, he finds a man and young girl have broken into his home and seem to be on the run. Alex and Artemis aren't your typical father-daughter and this isn't a typical situation Nate finds himself in. Will he help Alex and Artemis find their way home and in turn, maybe find his way, or will greater forces rip away the little he has and knows?

The Bones Beneath My Skin was previously self-published by Klune in 2018 and he is now republishing it with his new inclusive and accepting publisher. Klune's stories are truly magical, he is incredibly talented at world building and drawing the reader into falling in love with his characters. However, I've said this before, I will say it again - once you start reading Klune's work it is extremely difficult not to see extremely similar threads between his novels. Nate reminded me so much of Nick (The Extraordinaries) and even Arthur (Cerulean Chronicles) and the romances between his characters are so similar between his novels--two men fall in love - one is a bit quirky and unsure of himself, the other is the complete opposite in build and is humble but confident. I wish there was a bit more differentiation between his characters and their romances. He needs to keep the LGBTQ+ perspective, those POVs aren't told enough, but change it up a bit from book to book. Also, the humor in this book seemed slightly more forced than Klune's later writing. This is probably one of my least favorite Klune novels, but a good story is within The Bones Beneath My Skin that deserves to be told; I appreciate Klune's choice to republish.

I recently listened to this book on audio and it is compelling and intriguing and so very well written. It is classic TJ Klune. I will be writing a full review soon.

I am an avid TJ Klune fan—he has a spectacular voice in every book he’s written, and this one is no exception. This story is a wild adventure, and so action-packed! It felt like watching an action movie. I couldn’t put it down. The characters are some of my favorites: real, human, broken and also beautiful and joyful. It’s magic, this book. The themes will stick with me for a long time, and I’m so grateful I had the chance to experience this novel.

Thank you, Netgalley and Tor, for an advanced copy of this incredibly human story. Opinions are my own.

The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune was phenomenal. As always, TJ Klune's writing cuts deep and makes me want to read everything he ever publishes. This book was no different. The characters were great, the writing was fantastic and overall, I had a fantastic time reading it. This book has been the most different from his other works but I think it holds up just as much as everything else. I felt it very heartwarming and it stayed in my thoughts days after finishing it. As always, a big thank you to Tor and Netgalley for the e-ARC and the opportunity to read this.

TJ Klune and his creativeness strikes again with The Bones Beneath My Skin. I am not sure what I was expecting, but this story kept me thinking and guessing about what was going to happen around the next corner every time I turned the page. Which is typical of a Klune book for me, I get entranced in the story and don't want to let go.

I thoroughly enjoyed the bond Nate, Alex, and Art had with eachother and found it interesting how Klune was able to weave their lives together. Art's quirkiness made me smile and encaptured my heart. A story unlike any other.

Thank you, NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the ARC.

The Bones Beneath My Skin was unknown to me and I have read all of the others written previously by TJ Klune. I was so elated when I thought of reading this ARC. I am extremely thankful to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for allowing me to read it before being re published. I loved the characters of Nate, Alex, and of course Art herself. I found Art witty, Nate relatable, and the search belonging to be something that was alluring. It is something that I think all of us are still in life looking for. The bond between Art, Nate, and Alex through the story is also what makes the story really amazing. I also loved the ideas of TJ Klune and how he brought extra terrestrial being, conspiracy theories, cults, and government into the picture. The found family is beautiful and not just those that we are born with. The themes of loss and healing from loss, discovering self in the most unlikely areas were well done. This did not disappoint! Thank you again Tor Publishing Group, NetGalley, and of course TJ Klune.

More sci-fi than his typical fantasy, this book truly is an odd duck. I don’t think TJ Klune is capable of bad writing, so any issues I have with the book stem from my own personal dislike of sassy children and random cults in books. It isn’t as cozy as his other books, but he doesn’t owe us that — check it out if you like Stranger Things and references to bacon.

4 stars

This re-release of Klune's _The Bones Beneath My Skin_ gave me just the right opportunity to finally get to this book (a long-term goal on which I had made no progress). It was worth the self-imposed wait.

Nate is really struggling after the particularly horrific deaths of his parents, a fascinating departure from his job, and pronounced challenges with how his family treated him (and, in one case, continue to treat him) because of who he is. Things get really strange when he heads to his parents' fairly remote cabin to recharge and finds a man and a young girl there. Both characters appear to be unusual and are filled with secrets, but this doesn't stop all three characters from being unexpectedly compelling and offering countless moving scenes.

There is so much to love about this novel. All kinds of magic, different forms of love, and a generally well-paced plot (despite Klune's characteristic book length choices) make this a moving and memorable read. I'm so glad I finally had the push to read this one and recommend that to folks in similar situations.

Why does TJ Klune keep making me cry over found families? First it was werewolves, then it was ghosts, THEN it was mythical creatures, and NOW it's aliens! He's got such a phenomenal way of writing that makes your heart ache and yearn and scream all at once. This story in particular reminded me what it truly means to be human, and the importance of connection and kindness.

Another great book by TJ Klune. Nate lost his job, has no family, and not much really. He goes to his family's cabin where it should be empty. However, he find Alex and a 10 year old girl... Who isn't that. A great book with positive messages!

The re-release of The Bones Beneath My Skin presents readers with a story that’s a mix of Stranger Things, ET, and explosions. Klune tells the important story of love and how it truly drives us all. An excellent read that’s very unlike his other novels, but just as worthwhile.