T. J. Klune has done it again. He is a master at creating the perfect found family. Who would have thought family would be found in a naughty roomba and a homicidal nurse robot? Klune takes the idea of what it means to be human in a world full of robots and it turns out, you don’t need to be made of bones and blood. Knuts and bolts can be just as human as the rest of us. This heartwarming/tear jerking read is excellent, cozy, and perfect in all ways.

DNF. I am a huge Klune fan so I’m not sure what went wrong, but I couldn’t get into this one so I put it down for now and will try again later. Nothing against Klune, I still will read whatever he writes next. And hopefully when I pick this one up again later it will work for me then.

Not my favorite TJ Klune book. Different, for certain.

This reads more sci fi than fantasy to me. If that’s your thing- you’ll love this one.

Thank you to netgalley for the ARC!

"In the Lives of Puppets" by TJ Klune is a heartfelt and imaginative story that combines science fiction with themes of family, forgiveness, and self-discovery. Inspired by Pinocchio, it follows Victor Lawson, a human living among a quirky group of robots in a whimsical yet dystopian world. When a secret from their past comes to light, they embark on a journey that explores the complexities of humanity, love, and redemption.
Klune's warmth shines through the humorous and touching relationships between the characters. Its creativity, endearing characters, and heartfelt moments make it a compelling read for fans of thought-provoking and emotionally rich stories. If you enjoy unique takes on classic tales with a mix of charm and depth, this might be a perfect choice.

This book was very good. I couldn’t put it down. Such an imaginative read. TJ Klune is an amazing author

This was a very sweet story about found family and what it means to be human, even though only one of the characters is actually human! I'm not that familiar with the Pinocchio story so I'm sure I missed references to it but I know it was loosely based on it. I really liked reading an adventure story with a gentle protagonist. I could really relate to Victor and how he was desperate to save his family but terrified at the same time. A great read.

Like nothing else I've ever read. A beautiful retelling of Pinocchio, set in the forests of Oregon, with the most wonderful cast of rescued robots. Klune's prose feels like a warm and much-needed hug from your best friend. I will be revisiting this novel for the existential crises, and the sarcastic threats.

Thank you (and apologies) to NetGalley for the readers copy in exchange for a (very late) review.

I think I’m the last person in my circle to read a TJ Klune book. No matter how many people have recommended their books or the fact this won the Goodreads Choice Award, it always seemed to skip my mind.
Now I get it. I’m deeply in my wholesome fantasy pocket era and TJ Klune is perfect.
Also Pinocchio retelling? That’s so cute.
In The Lives of Puppets was a nice, cozy time. A solid read.

In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune is a captivating, whimsical, and deeply moving novel that blends fantasy, science fiction, and heartfelt emotional exploration. The book, which is a part of Klune’s larger body of work known for its LGBTQ+ themes, intricate world-building, and character-driven storytelling, delivers an enchanting tale of self-discovery, love, and the quest for freedom.

This one took me a while to get into but once I did I became connected to the characters even though most were robots. I really enjoyed the relationship between Vic and the robots in is home and how he saw the best in all of them - including HAP.

While I Love TJ Klune books and enjoyed the premise of this one, the story itself fell short for me. The characters we cute (I loved Rambo the RUMBA) but I really couldn't get into the story. Not my favorite of this authors books.

Thank you to NetGalley, Publishers, and T.J. Klune for sending me In the Lives of Puppets in exchange for my honest review.

3/5 stars
In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots—fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They’re a family, hidden and safe. The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labeled “HAP,” he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio–a past spent hunting humans. When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio’s former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured and returned to his old City of Electric Dreams laboratory. So together, the rest of Vic’s assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommissioning, or worse, reprogramming. Along the way to saving Gio, Vic must decide for himself, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap: Can he accept love with strings attached?

I have concluded that I am not a fan of science fiction books. I could not get into this book, I had to force myself to finish.

While I enjoyed T.J. Klune's writing style, he has such a wonderful way of bringing his characters to life. I enjoyed reading other titles he released, but I couldn't get into this one. If you are a fan of Science Fiction you would definitely like this one.

This book is an interesting take on what you think is a familiar story. Klune is great at emotional stories, but there is plenty of plot as well. Highly recommend.

If you need a read with quirky and lovable characters and where friendship is found in the most unlikely places, In The Lives of Puppets is the perfect book for you. With a timid robot vacuum and a nurse robot with a warped sense of humor, you go on a journey that will challenge you to once again believe in the good of humanity.

I can't really decide how I feel about this book. I certainly didn't like it anywhere near as much as The House in the Cerulean Sea or Under the Whispering Door. It had the usual Klune charm and the world where the book was set in was interesting, but I just didn't feel the same attachment to the characters and definitely didn't feel the connection between Hap and Vic. Nurse Ratched and Rambo were definitely meant to be the comic relief, and while some of their quips were funny, I did find them to be grating at times. An overall sweet story that I think was more about friendship than anything else, but I don't think I'll be returning to it or recommending it as often as I do Klune's other stories.

TJ Klune explores found family (or made) in this captivating tale of just how human are we really?

Definitely worth a read.

I loved this book and TJ Klunes ability to bring this beautiful world to life. It is interesting, funny, heartbreaking, heartwarming. It checks all of the boxes. Showing the love between human and machine. Rambo and Nurse Ratched are my favorite characters and I could read a thousand books about their adventures.

A beautiful reimagining of Pinocchio, this Own Voices addition to the pantheon of classic retellings is sure to become a classic in and of itself. Klune masters the voices of his characters, creating lovable yet complex individuals that leap off the page. The setting is also a character here, with the time period and the clash between Android and humanoid serving to move the plot along. Fans of Klune's other work will not be disappointed by his latest offering.

Thank you TJ Klune and their team for allowing me to read this ARC. Another win in the books for TJ. I loved reading this book. I love the world that it took me too. I want to go back!

I liked the characters but this did lose me somewhere in the middle and it was a DNF. Still recommend in general. It just wasn’t for me.