This republish will shine a light on to another one of T J Klune's romantic tales. Once again this author expertly builds a family out of a group of unlikely and odd characters, who must learn to trust one another while on the run and still learning the surprising truths about one another. This book once again proves that T J Klune is the king of writing romance that will unquestionable last for life. T J Klune writes families in a way that no author cannot, and he builds them from scratch.

This book is a mesh between Stranger Things and X Files. I adored Alex, a protective Marine, and Artemis, an alien trapped in a 10 year old girls body. Nate leaves some character development to be desired. You never really understand what Alex and Art see in him but they pull Nate along on an adventure to change his life. While on the run from a secret government organization they experience the importance of lobe and found family.

Content Warning: I did not anticipate the very explicit sex scene between Alex and Nate and found it unnecessarily for the story or their connection to each other. It would be easy to see this book as appropriate for teens if that one scene was cut out. It's a shame..

I had never read another book by this author, but this title caught my eye, so I requested it. I didn’t know what to expect, and after reading, I’m not sure what other readers should expect either. While the whole book wasn’t really my thing, I did find this well-written, heartfelt, interesting, a little sci-fi-ish, and engaging. Even if this mostly isn’t my thing, I know that other readers will definitely enjoy this. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

"The Bones Beneath My Skin" is a poignant and unforgettable read. Klune's masterful storytelling and the emotionally resonant characters make this a must-read for anyone who appreciates stories that explore the complexities of the human heart.

I am a huge fan of TJ Klune's writing since discovering his works earlier in 2024 with "The House in the Cerulean Sea" and continuing through that series and the Green Creek series. "The Bones Beneath My Skin" is no exception!

I love Klune's prose and his way of making you feel like you're flying through a story. His unique way of using sentence structure and repetition always hit the reader hard. For whatever reason, the rest of this book did not work for me the same way his other works have.

I felt like the beginning of this story was particularly slow - I'm sure that's due to the main character, Nate, not knowing the backstory behind Art and Alex. I also come to a Klune book hoping for lots of conversation, monologues on metaphor and feeling, and tear-jerking moments. While I could tell that the author attempted a few of those in this book, they did not pierce as deeply as his other books.

That being said, I would still recommend this as a standalone fantasy to my friends. And, I am so excited to go to Klune's author talk in Milwaukee in February! Huge thanks to Tor Books, TJ Klune, and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book has unavoidable “Firestarter” vibes on occasion, but deep characterization and imaginative story keep it unique. The exploration of romantic and familial love and tragedy is beautifully written. There is one sex scene which is well-telegraphed and can be skipped, as the details of which are not essential to the plot. (It’s tender yet spicy and well-written!). This is a real page-turner, and as a result, I aim to read Klune’s entire back catalog!

This is one of my favorite Klune books! I continue being amazed by the storylines and how easily I'm pulled into them. The gorgeous covers grab my attention and then the stories take over. If you've not read any of TJ Klune's novels, this would be a good one to start.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

I rated this book a 3.5 /5. While I really enjoyed this book as a whole, it was not reminiscent of prior TJ Klune books I have read. This book is more plot driven and plot focused and less character and relationship focused, which is what I typically love about Klunes writing. Compared to his recently published works, this book is more sexual. I did enjoy reading this book and I would recommend it, but would also give Klune fans a heads up that it doesn't follow his typical writing. I was a big fan of how the relationships slowly progressed and how details into backstories for revealed. I felt the pacing was really even throughout the book.

This such a great book. I loved the found family and just how delightfully weird this book was. Even though it was written a bit ago and takes place in the 90s, so much is still so relevant. This is one of my fav Klune books

TJ Klune's The Bones Beneath My Skin is a beautifully poignant and unexpected blend of heartache, hope, and otherworldly wonder. Set against the backdrop of 1995 Oregon, the story follows Nate Cartwright, a man grappling with loss and searching for purpose, as he discovers an enigmatic man and an extraordinary young girl, Artemis Darth Vader, in his family's secluded cabin. Klune masterfully weaves themes of grief, redemption, and the bonds that transcend blood, all while introducing a touch of sci-fi intrigue that keeps the reader on edge. With vivid prose and deeply human characters, this tale captures the fragility of the human spirit and the resilience it takes to embrace the unknown.

The Bones Beneath My Skin is a charming novel, which is to be expected of TJ Klune. The stilted writing style was more than a little overshadowed by the loveable characters and exciting plot, so I only noticed that the writing was very fragmented a few times. Some of the humor wasn't for me (too many mentions of bacon), but that didn't make the book bad or anything. It's a very well-put together book, with great dialogue and some sentimental moments. It had a lot of really profound things to say about humanity while also being fun and tense and something that sucked me in instantly. I loved Nate and Alex and Art so much that I was sad to say goodbye to them when I finished.

(Rounded down from 4.5)

It is hard to start this book and not feel like it is heavily influenced by Stranger Things. Originally written a year after the first season aired, this story’s heart is a precocious, special young girl on the run from a clandestine government agency whence she escaped, under the protection of a father-figure who has military/law-enforcement training. Don’t let those similarities fool you, though, because this novel is a beautiful, heart-wrenching story that deserves all your attention and accolades.

The story itself isn’t especially new, the overall arc more or less meets your expectations of a sci-fi thriller. Yet the characters and world are so lovingly explored that the story feels fresh, never once feeling like it wasn’t bringing something new to the table. Being set in 1995 allows for a type of queer dread and ostracization that is rare to find in contemporary novels, and that defines our main character, Nate, as he begins this journey. Of the three principal characters Nate is the most well-rounded, in part because we follow the story from his perspective. Alex exploits the archetype of the tough-guy marine, but it is a very tongue-in-cheek mask he wears, and while his backstory is also somewhat expected for that type of character it is done well and it works, lets him feel as realistic as someone can in these circumstances. And Art’s naivete and love for life, her inquisitive nature and the dry, blunt humor that she is at the center of, are perfect. Again, somewhat anticipated, but leaning far enough into heartfelt to not feel clichéd.

The writing is tight and really moves the story along, equal parts funny, tense, and sentimental as needed. The world-building is minimal, but you always have a clear sense of atmosphere and place, and a tension that, although often cut with moments of surprise and joy, is palpable. The pacing works really well, never letting you get bored and not drawing out any secrets or mysteries longer than they need to be. The story leans into the tropes or expectations of this genre and uses them to tell a story of what it means to pick yourself up when you have been torn to pieces. You can only find bravery when faced with fear, and this touching found-family story isn’t afraid of embracing that mess and insisting that love stories can take many different shapes.

Look, does it get a little sappy in the third act? Yeah, sure it does. Is that exactly what you expect and need for it to do? Of course, so don’t expect to be dry-eyed when you finish. This story is fiercely devoted to the strength of the human spirit. Adversity and division don’t stand a chance, in the long run, to the powers of love and compassion, as weird as they may look at sometimes. This story isn’t afraid to wear its heart on its sleeve, using a conventional sci-fi narrative to tell a much more meaningful story, one that feels based in deep experience and is profoundly moving. The story may not be entirely surprising, but you will feel better about humanity’s chances when you finish and will immediately have someone in mind you want to loan your copy to.

I want to thank the author, the publisher Tor Books, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Nate has recently lost his job and his parents, so he sets off to find some solitude and solstice at the old family cabin in the middle of nowhere. Except, when Nate arrives, the cabin isn’t empty and he is greeted by a man pointing a gun at Nate. A man who is protecting a little girl with extraordinary powers. Nate must decide if he is going to call the authorities on this man, or if he will listen to their completely unbelievable story and choose them, choose to believe them, to help them, to protect them.


3.5 stars

I’m having a hard time with rating this one, friends. I love TJ Klune’s writing, every story I’ve ever read had easily been a 5 star book for me, and this one started off no different. I instantly fell in LOVE with all our characters. Nate, Alex and Art were it for me, I loved their banter and the way they showed up for each other. The way Art challenged their thinking, but gosh was she funny. The part where I get lost is calling this book any sort of action/adventure/thriller. My gosh was it sloooooooooowwwwwww. It felt like nothing happened but them traveling together, with two sort of intense scenes that were relatively short in comparison to the novel length. It could have been at least a hundred pages shorter. The chapters themselves too were sometimes torturously long.
I loved this story, the characters, and the messages they all held. The stories of found family, and how to love, and navigating grief were all so well written into the book. I just wish it could have been condensed a little bit.

The Bones Beneath my Skin- TJ Klune

Tells a beautiful story. It’s weird and wonderful and executed well. From the beginning you get engaged in a story, with absolutely zero idea where it’s going. It continues to evolve into something you can’t predict.

My favourite parts include the many different types and evolution of love. It’s a quiet background to most of the story, but I love it. The progression of love in this book is heartwarming.

This book is about many things: beliefs, love, relationships, fighting for what you believe in - all wrapped up in the oddest most magical package! My recommendation: go into this book with zero expectations and let it surprise and guide you. Finish it happy!

One thing I know for certain, TJ Klune knows how to write books that keep me completely engrossed and this book is no exception. Klune has became an auto buy author for me and after reading this book it just reinforces that decision.

There is no doubt in my mind that T.J. Klune is the master of the found-family trope.

Much like his other books (so far, I've only read The House in the Cerulean Sea and In the Lives of Puppets but I'm sensing a pattern here), this book features:
✅ LGBT characters (gay and bisexual representation)
✅ Found family
✅ a quirky yet endearing character
✅ slow burn romance (with a bit of smut - this caught me off guard as I don't recall his other books had much spice)

Set in 1995, this story follows 27-year old Nathaniel (Nate) Cartwright, who just got fired and lost his parents. He inherited his parents' old truck and cottage located out in the middle of nowhere and figures it would be a great place to stay while he figures out life. But when he arrives at the cabin, he finds it already occupied by a dangerous looking man recovering from a gunshot wound and a strange little girl (who is obsessed with stories about gunslingers) who both appear to be on the run (I can't help but picture Logan and Laura, from X-Men).

And that's how Nate met the mysterious Alex and his peculiar ward, Artemis Darth Vader. He somehow finds himself warming up to the two strangers and becoming entangled in their adventure to run away from those who are hunting them down.

I really wanted to love this book and I was ready to fall in love with Artemis - this weird little girl who sees something special in Alex and Nate - but I found her to be more weird than endearing... Also, although there was a lot of action in this book, the pacing was oftentimes rather slow. Nonetheless, there were a lot of sweet and heartwarming moments so don't let my minor complaints deter you from reading this book.

This book also a nod to classic sci-fi tropes and conspiracy theories, and is *SPOILER ALERT* clearly inspired by the Comet Hale-Bop and Heaven's Gate event in 1995.

This might also be considered a spoiler, but I'd recommend this book to anyone who liked The Host (by Stephenie Meyer), E.T. (the movie) or Stranger Things (the TV show).

Stunning. This was my first TJ Klune book, but it certainly won't be my last. What an amazing story, told through masterful and thoughtful writing. The amount of detail Klune fits into descriptions of scenes, creating an immersive read without feeling bulky or distracting, is so impressive. It's not an inherently suspenseful story, it's really more of an action story, but the writing creates this suspenseful tone that makes the plot developments hit so much harder. Well-written characters, conflicts, and relationships. This book is full of emotion and heart wrapped up in a thrilling ride, and I am so ready to shout about it from the rooftops when it comes out.

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Thank you for the e-ARC! And thank you, Tor, for picking this book up for re-publication. I have voted for The Bones Beneath My Skin for LibraryReads, and I will publish my review to social media sites and retail sites shortly, and will update with links attached here.

This story was lovely. As typical for Klune, this story centers around found family, the pacing is generally slow, and the chapters are very long. However, this story has a lot of action and that drove the pacing quite a bit, which I appreciated.

The characters in this book are interesting and layered and boy do they have some deep feelings for each other; it’s a wonderful relationship story underneath it all.

This is a re-release of a self-published title from 2017 or so and as far as I can tell, it’s nearly identical. I was able to check out an audio copy of the original version and other than the front matter, it was nearly verbatim the same, so I had the pleasure of reading and listening simultaneously (my favorite way to consume books).

This story gave me all the feels and I loved it deeply. ♥️

This book got me. Think Stranger Things meets The Last of Us (parent figure protecting child on road trip.)

Nathaniel has just been fired from his job, the one he'd thought he'd have forever. His parents have also recently died in horrifying circumstances and left him an old truck and a cabin, and that's it. He takes the truck and goes up to the cabin, hoping to find some peace and quiet to clear his mind and reconfigure his future, where he meets Alex and the amazing Artemis Darth Vader.

This supernatural road trip was packed with so much more feeling than I ever thought possible. Yes, it has romantic elements, but I would say the primary one is that of found family, of love we can find for those we choose in our life, or who choose us. Artemis is such a fascinating character, and I adored her evolution throughout the book. She is the glue that binds these people together until they find their own glue, fix their own cracks. I highly recommend this book, especially to found family lovers. It's got its own brand of weirdness that, without spoiling much, was delightful.

Thank you to Tor and netgalley for providing an ARC in return for an honest review.

This was a very interesting read. I’m always entertained when I open a tj klune book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this arc.