Summary:
Set in 1995, The Bones Beneath My Skin follows Nate Cartwright, a journalist whose life has unraveled—he’s lost his job, is estranged from his family, and is trying to escape both his past and himself. When he inherits his parents’ cabin in Oregon, hoping for solitude and reflection, he expects nothing dramatic. Instead, he finds Alex, a gruff man on the run, and a peculiar ten-year-old girl named Artemis Darth Vader, who is far more than she seems. Together, they become the targets of dangerous forces who want Artemis for reasons Nate can hardly understand. As Nate, Alex, and Artemis flee, truths are revealed, grief is confronted, and unexpected bonds form that challenge everything Nate thought about family, love, and what it means to be human.

Thoughts:
For me, it was the characters that really drew me in—Nate’s grief, Alex’s protective nature, and Artemis’s odd but charming presence all felt real, imperfect, and easy to root for. The “found family” dynamic between them became the emotional core of the story, balancing the suspense with heart. I loved how Klune expertly blended heavy themes of loss and trauma with moments of humor, warmth, and growing trust, which made the emotional highs hit even harder. The thriller aspects—government agents, conspiracies, and the mystery of Artemis’s strange powers—kept the pace moving and added some tension. That said, the book did stumble for me in places: the beginning was slow to build, the rules around Artemis’s powers were a bit unclear and the frequent shifts between humor, action, and supernatural drama occasionally disrupted the flow. Still, the emotional weight of the story and the bond between its characters made it a compelling read.

Reading The Bones Beneath My Skin felt like being on a road trip through pain, hope, and suspense. I initially picked it up for Nate’s journey out of grief, but I stayed for the strange found family that forms around him—Alex with his guarded heart, Artemis with her cosmic weirdness and sharp humor. The plot pulses with enough mystery and danger to keep me turning pages, but what really hit me was how Klune utilizes those high stakes to explore loss, identity, and what we gain when we let others in. Another winner from one of my favorite authors!

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the gifted digital copy!

“You can fear what you don't understand, but in the end you can still be brave. You can still stand up for what's right.”

Mr. Klune… I love where your brain takes me.

Whenever everyday life gets overwhelming, there are certain authors I can count on to take me away to another world. T.J. Klune has become one of those authors for me. His worlds are vibrant and fantastical. His stories are technicolor in my mind.

The Bones Beneath My Skin may originally have been self-published years ago, but the story about love and acceptance is needed in our world today more than ever. Following this trio as each of their stories was revealed and the action surrounding them amped up, became exactly the escape that I needed. Just as they did for the author; Nate, Alex and Artemis Darth Vader found a special place in my chest (and my heart) too. 

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the opportunity to read the previously published early edition e-copy of; The Bones Beneath My Skin by T.J. Klune.

The Bones Beneath My Skin sort of feels like a fever dream: secret government science experiments, found family, cults, mystery, queer love, and more! It has the endearing characters and humorous dialogue many love from Klune, and with a more serious and more sci/fy bent perhaps most similar to In the Lives of Puppets. I was captivated by the mystery and emotionally torn apart by the end. If you like any of the things listed above—read this book!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 (4.5-5)
Acknowledgments & Disclaimers ✨ Thank you to NetGalley, TJ Klune, and Tor Publishing, for providing an ARC and the opportunity to share an honest review of this book. ✨ All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. ✨ My reviews and ratings strive to evaluate books within their own age-demographic and genre.

“We're not alike. Not really. We're separated by time and space. And yet, somehow, we're all made of dust and stars. We'd forgotten that.”


tldr :: Nate gets fired from his journalism job and goes to his recently dead parents' cabin to lick his wounds, except surprise, two people are already there! it's Alex and Art, a soldier and a small questionable child on the run from the government, which Nate kind of on accident gets involved with and then very on purpose stays with. this is a nice book but didn't hit the same as some of Klune's previous titles have. the ending was a little too much imo and I have so many follow-up questions that were simply never addressed, so overall a simple, less emotionally-vesting book.


🌈 queer rep: gay mc (Nate), bi/achillean love interest (Alex)
thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc ✨

I really enjoyed this little glimpse into the book. It caught my attention and I’ll be looking forward to reading the rest of the book when it comes out.

Good book, good story. I was invested, but was it life changing? No. Still glad I read it. you should definitely give it a try! :)

Thank you so much to net galley and the publisher for the arc! This is for the lovers of the “old gruff hardened man risks everything for Weird Child” trope, and I am one of them. I loved the premise of this so much, and despite the higher stakes, Klune delivered on his comforting romance as always.

The Bones Beneath My Skin started off slower than I expected, with the pacing dragging a bit as the characters got introduced. But once the story picked up, I found myself genuinely invested in the trio, especially the peculiar and lovable Artemis Darth Vader. The emotional bonds between Nate, Alex, and Art—their found family—were what really drew me in and kept me turning the pages. The mix of sci-fi adventure and emotional storytelling felt cinematic and heartfelt, even if the romance between Nate and Alex didn’t always feel fully developed. That sudden explicit scene near the end felt a bit jarring compared to the rest of the tone. Still, if you stick with it, the book’s heart and character depth ultimately shine through.

The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune

*ARC Review*

“You’re complex and yet so simple at the same time. It’s a dichotomy that shouldn’t be possible. When you smile, it’s like the sun is out. When you cry, it’s like you’re trapped in shadows and you can’t find your way back to the light.”

Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy

In spring of 1995, Nate Cartwright loses everything and retreats to his family cabin in the Oregon woods. What he doesn’t expect to find is a little girl with strange powers on the run from the government with her ex-military protector.

I didn’t realize I had started this book a few years ago when it was independently published. Now I’ve had an opportunity to finish the rerelease from @torbooks and actually had time to finish!

I’ve always loved TJ Klune’s ability to write about unconditional love, acceptance, and families of all kinds. This read was action-packed from start to finish and played out like a movie in my head. Straying not too far from the realm of possibility, Klune uses the fantastical to explore the real issues most of us are all too familiar with while imbuing then story with his characteristic humour.

“The Bones Beneath My Skin” would be a great place to start if you’ve never read a TJ Klune book before. It’s a stand-alone novel about a man who is coming to terms with the cross roads of his life, and sets himself on a course of self-reflection. Of course, if you’ve been around the block once or twice, then you know that you don’t just sit down and muse about what to do with your life — rather, you are faced with not one, but two difficult choices, and each one dictates the next direction your life goes in. In Nate’s case, his choice to stay Alex and Artemis Darth Vader leads him on a path that he’ll never be able to stray from.

If you’ve read and enjoyed “In The Lives of Puppets”, you might also find yourself loving Bones because the vibes of a cobbled together family on the run are similar.

“Nate didn’t need complicated. The reason he’d come to Oregon at all was to make things uncomplicated.”

Found Family Expert
TJ Klune is truly an expert at creating a found family. Not just in this book, but in all of his books. Found family is going to be a given, so if that’s your jam, you’ve come to the right place.

On the surface, Bones is a paranormal adventure story, but if you cut all the extraneous detail away, you’re really left with a story about humanity and human behavior. It boils down to this: people are afraid of what they don’t know, and they don’t typically take the time to learn or understand. They just fear and judge.

But… there are the exceptions to every rule. Nate, Alex, and even Artemis Darth Vader are the proof of that.

“You think yourself alone. You think yourself lost. We wanted to show you that there was so much more than this place. We didn’t come to hurt you. We didn’t come to save you. Only you can do that. We came to be your friend. To make you understand that, in the end, you are never alone.”

Final Thoughts (but I could go on and on and on…)

I love TJ Klune’s writing. I’m a huge fan, and I’m always going to want to read his stories. They’re strange. They’re weird. They push on people’s boundaries of what is right and good and sometimes even acceptable. Underneath, though, the messages are poignant to what’s going on in the world. Klune originally published this story in 2017, but the message is still relevant today in 2025, and I have a feeling that it’ll still be relevant in 2050, too. Family doesn’t have to be blood relatives. Keep your people close. Try to open your mind to things that are different. Different doesn’t mean bad, it just means different.

“You’re all capable of such great and terrible things. And in such a short amount of time. You are surrounded by millions of those like you, yet you can still feel alone. You’re so angry and powerful and wonderful. And so fragile. You can break into pieces and feel so lost. I didn’t get that. Not… before. I don’t think any of us did. You’re complex and yet so simple at the same time. It’s a dichotomy that shouldn’t be possible. When you smile, it’s like the sun is out. When you cry, it’s like you’re trapped in shadows and you can’t find your way back to the light…. You hate that others aren’t like you. They scare you, even though they want nothing more than to be you.”

This book was damn good. Read it. I hope you love it like I do.

TJ Klune is auto buy for me and at first I thought this was a brand new book, rather than a re-release. Regardless, I'll read whatever he puts out. The way he brings heavy life lessons into his story without it beating you over the head always leaves me feeling hopeful for humanity - even in a time when things feel less than hopeful. I do think this was less polished than some of his newer novels, but even so, the heart of what Klune does remains.

5⭐

My new favorite TJ Klune standalone?? You bet!!

The Bones Beneath My Skin is the adventurous, heart-warming, hilarious, and strange story I was hoping for, in all of the best ways. I truly didn't know what to expect, and I enjoyed every step of this adventure with Nate, Alex, and Artemis.

Truly, what ISN'T there to love about Artemis Darth Vader? She's forthright, peculiar, guileless, and just adorable. Her adoration for Alex is unmatched, as his is for her, and their character dynamic is so lovable I almost burst. When Nate joins them on the lam, shenanigans (both funny and dangerous) ensue, though I don't think there's anywhere else any of them would rather be.

You can expect your heartstrings to be pulled, a few tears to be shed, and sore cheeks from smiles. Make sure you have some bacon on deck for a snack, as you might catch a hankerin', partner.

**Thank you so much to Tor Books and TJ Klune for a copy of The Bones Beneath My Skin and the opportunity to leave my honest, voluntary review!**

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review "The Bones Beneath My Skin." Once again Mr. Klune creates an imaginative story with an adorable character in the center. I truly enjoyed the character Art, unfortunately I found the story to drag on in some parts which is why I only rated it 3 stars. Not a bad story but not one of his greatest.

TJ Klune does it again! I saw this billed as being similar to Stranger Things, but personally I was reminded of Race to Witch Mountain. It hooked me from the very beginning because I just had to know more about this mysterious child and her companion What is their background? Where did they come from? I thought the direction the story went was great and well-thought out. The romance was a sweet addition but didn’t overpower the overall plot. Definitely recommend!

𝙈𝙮 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)

𝙈𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨:

This isn’t like other TJ Klune books.

It’s darker, messier, and more emotionally raw—but in a way that hit exactly right. The writing still carries that familiar heart and tenderness, but this time it’s wrapped in grief, isolation, and a sense of quiet urgency. At its core, this is a story about identity—how it’s shaped, how it’s hidden, how it survives—and the way love and connection can grow even in the most unexpected, painful places.

The found family theme completely stole my heart. Watching these characters, who have every reason to shut the world out, slowly find their way to one another felt so honest and earned. The dynamic between the hardened loner and the powerful, mysterious child is handled with so much care—never cheesy, always rooted in something real.

Yes, it’s eerie and intense in places. But it’s also about second chances, and choosing to show up for someone when it matters most.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Books, and TJ Klune for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Bones Beneath My Skin is available now.

It's so wonderful to be back with TJ Klune. He writes such interesting and compelling characters that you care about immediately.

This is the story of Nate Cartwright, who is on his way to his newly inherited cabin to lick his wounds after being fired from his job and losing his parents. When he arrives at the cabin, in the remote mountain town of Roseland, Oregon, he finds that he has some squatters - a man named Alex, and a young girl named Artemis Darth Vader. Art is special... very special, and the US government is after her and Alex for reasons that Nate doesn't understand, and then just might not believe. Plenty of shenanigans are had from beginning to end. 

I didn't know what to expect here, because The Bones Beneath My Skin managed to fly under my radar. I knew of it, but never managed to read it until it was offered to me as a NetGalley. I honestly wish I had gotten started on this one much sooner (but isn't that always the hope?). This was the first book in a while that has kept me captive from beginning to end. I picked this one up one evening and didn't put it down until I was finished. Art and Alex were absolutely the best characters, and I latched onto them, especially Art, from the very beginning. I could absolutely see how Alex came to love Art like he does. 

Watching the relationship between not only Nate and Alex but Nate and Art was sweet and made me smile often. 

This book wasn't at all what I thought it would be, but I absolutely loved what it was. I loved the characters, I loved the journey, and I loved the ending. 

TJ Klune made me cry once again... something that doesn't happen often. So, I suppose that for that alone, this one gets a full 5/5 stars.

Get ready for a heart-pounding, emotionally charged tale with an unexpected trio of characters. Klune beautifully explores the nature of the human heart in this sci-fi/fantasy/thriller!

4🌟

There is something so captivating about Klune's books... I have loved every single one of them! He always knows how to nail the whimsical fantasy/sci-fic genre with the BEST found family feels and a dabble of romance. I will happily continue reading everything he comes out with!

Thank you so much Tor Books for my #gifted early copy!

Once again Klune has stolen my heart, put it in a blender, and then made a masterpiece of putting it back together. I thought Nate was such an interesting and multifaceted character. I loved that he just rolled with what was happening even when things got weird. Alex was a great character and I he wormed his grumpy self into my heart. Artemis was such a delight. I instantly fell for her and her quirky self even before the big secret was out. This was a little different than most of the books that I read even the ones by the same author. And I loved it. I was completely drawn into this adventure and invested in the well being of Art. This book had me feeling everything I laughed, I gasped, I cried. I fell in love with two men and their Space Princess.