This is, hands down, T.J. Klune's best book. I've been very so-so on his books, so I was close to giving up on him, but The Bones Beneath My Skin has all of the hallmarks of his writing that I like-- the quirky characters, the poignant moments, the LGBTQ+ representation-- but it's much more adult, much more grounded. I found Cerulean Sea and Lives of Puppets to be a little too saccharine and on-the-nose with the "meaning", like book versions of cartoons (Wall-E comes to mind). But here, the deeper meaning is less explicit. Klune allows the relationships to shine, and as a result, the emotion is even more genuine and effective. There's a bit of everything here for readers to enjoy: strong dramatic arcs, likable characters, a Sci-Fi bent, rural cabin, military, cults, and tons of action, all executed and balanced expertly. A lot of what is contained within the book is far from what I gravitate toward, but Klune really did a beautiful job keeping sight of the characters at all times so that his readers are always emotionally engaged.

What is most surprising is that this isn't the result of his skills having progressed along the way; as Klune states in his writer's note at the end, it was actually one of his earlier books, which he pulled from his original publisher and opted to self-publish, before re-releasing after finding worldwide success with Cerulean Sea.

If you had told me last year that TJ Klune would end up being one of my favorite authors of all time, I would have probably laughed. I didn't even know who TJ Klune was until the bookseller at my local Barnes and Noble recommended The House in the Cerulean Sea. I devoured it, and all of the ones that followed.

Fast forward to the end of October and an even bigger shock happened. I was approved to read an eGalley for The Bones Beneath My Skin before it's U.S. release. Big day... big, big day for me.

In the epilogue, the author refers to feedback he received for the first publication of this book where it was described "weird" and unlike Klune's previous published works. However, after reading this heartfelt and emotional story, I wonder how "weird" became the identifying feeling that the reader experienced. THAT is what feels weird to me.

The Bones Beneath My Skin is an amazing and unconventional story about three very different characters who were thrust together due to their own unique circumstances. The book opens with Nate, a journalist, who has just left his job in the big city to travel out to the family cabin he recently inherited. Nate is a loner, and the recent events of his life have led him to the cabin in search of change...not a change of scenery...a life change. A new path for his future.

Alex is a career Marine. He is reserved and guarded, hypervigilant, and very suspicious of others. He is prone to anger and irritability with a strong sense of duty, adaptability and recklessness. He's the perfect combination for a man on the run.

Artemis Darth Vader (aka Art) is a space princess...and there are no words to fully describe the complex nature of this 10 year old girl.

When Nate crosses paths with Alex and Art the most beautiful "found family" relationship begins between the three of them. Rooted in a good vs. evil story line, The Bones Beneath My Skin will show the reader the dynamic possibilities of having a loving heart and an open mind. The only question is, "Are we going on an adventure?"

The Bones Beneath My Skin also includes the following: Found family (duh), LGBT characters, MM Romance, Slooooooooow burn (just the way I like it), Good vs. evil, Enemies to lovers, Ex-Military, Dealing with loss, Murder, Cults, Forced Proximity, Death in family, PTSD and Mental Illness.

The Bones Beneath My Skin is a standalone novel, previously self-published. The author letter at the end explains the situation that led to the mentioned self-publication. This story is a supernatural, sci-fi speculative fiction. The main focus is a young girl, Artemis Darth Vader (self-named haha) and her two unlikely protectors, running from cultists, and also the government. It's giving Heaven's Gate & Stranger Things? But the story also has a whole lot of heart, a budding love story and quite a lot of sap. Normally, that is not my thing, but it worked here. Thank you so much to Tor Books and NetGalley for the ARC. This one publishes February 04, 2025.

Unique, but wonderfully weird. It’s full of adventure and an alien, but it is mostly full of love and relationships and bacon, so much bacon!

Everything I have read by TJ Klune has been absolutely amazing and I will continue to read everything he writes. The cover artwork is gorgeous! I loved the characters especially Art and her relationship with Alex and Nate. There is a little bit of romance but I wouldn't consider this a romance. I would say this is definitely an adventure novel. He has such a great style of writing that makes you laugh, cry but mainly just super happy.

Nate has been fired from his job and retreats to his family's cabin to get some clarity. Nate finds some surprising visitors at his house. The first is a little girl named Artemis Darth Vader and her "bodyguard" Alex. Suddenly Nate is throw into chaos and discovers what Art is and does everything he can to protect her along side Alex.

TJ Klune never disappoints, the writing and story telling is phenomenal. I knew this was gonna be another great story. Highly recommend

Maybe I’m a bit biased with this review because I already love TJ Klune, but honestly, isn’t that just a win for a good author?! This book was fantastic and Klune’s found family aspect was written beautifully! I loved everything about this one!

The Bones Beneath My Skin was absolutely fantastic, as I knew it would be! I binged this in one sitting lol

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the arc!

This was SUCH a fun & great read. It’s part E.T, part Stranger Things, part Pedro Pascal character who accidentally adopts someone/something in need, and part love story. As TJ Klune states in his author’s note, it’s a bit of a weird one. But positive connotation weird!

Nate, Alex, & Art are a brilliant little rag tag group. TJ Klune tends to have the theme of found family quite prevalent in his novels & this is another great example. This book was surprisingly action packed but able to keep the same tender/wholesome feeling I’ve come to expect from Klune’s books. Although this was unlike anything I’ve read from this author, it still met my expectations.

Artemis Darth Vader is one of my most favorite character’s I’ve ever had the privilege of getting to know, and I can’t wait for others to have the same pleasure. She is innocent, kind, practical, funny, and sweet. I loved her zeal for life and how rational she was about everything.

This book was more of a 4.5 star read for me. It wasn’t quite 5 stars, but it wasn’t fully 4 either.

My friend told me to read this book years ago and I never got around to it so I was excited when Netgalley gave me this ARC of its rerelease. Shades of Firestarter, Logan, escape to Witch mountain, and countless other tales of special kids on the run, abound in this hilarious, thrilling, and heartfelt adventure story all at once familiar but with twists, humor, spice and heart only Tj Klune can deliver. I love his writing so much and love the way he writes his gay characters. In a world where so many of the gay books that get published are written by women it’s nice to read gay guys written by a man. It just feels different, can’t quite put my finger on it, but I love it. This story has everything and a powerful message about being different, feeling alone, and what it means to be human and how special and unique and beautiful it is to be alive. Loved this one. TJ Klune is one of the best out there.

I loved everything about this novel!! Everything!! Klune has a way of making his characters so incredibly endearing that you can't help but fall in love with them. Quirks and all. I love a good found family story and this one hit all the marks. I remember growing up as a kid watching Return to Witch Mountain on tv and this book brought back that nostalgia for me as well as great social commentary. Klune is and will always be an auto-read for me! I've never finished up one of his books and not felt positive about the future or the fate of humanity! Excellent read!

This one gave me all the feels. A flawed main character at a turning point in his life tries to withdraw to his family’s cabin in the Oregon woods but instead has his world turned upside down.

There’s a little bit of literary fiction, a little bit of sci-fi, some action/adventure sequences (this would make a great movie!) and a whole lot of TJ Klune’s signature found family theme. I laughed, I cried, I cringed. As always Klune made me feel what his characters were experiencing.

Nate walks into his family's cabin to discover he's not the only one there. He's met with a gruff man who will do whatever it takes to protect the special girl he has with him. The more time Nate spends with them, the more he cares for them, and the more apparent that the girl is even more special than Nate could've ever imagined.

Thoughts 💭
I LOVE TJ Klune, and I jumped at the chance to get a copy of this book even if it is a re-release. This has similar feels to House In The Cerulean Sea but with a sci-fi twist to it. I thought it was done really well with the tension building up with every new piece of information we gained. I wasn't sure what direction we were going in, but I wasn't disappointed with the result. Nate, Alex, and Artemis had a beautiful found family story and seemed to be exactly what each other needed. Klune is a master storyteller, and you don't want to miss this masterpiece!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC!

TJ Klune strikes again with his unique mix of heart-crushing and heart-warming stories in this, admittedly, strange but adorable love story of belonging and found family involving a gay journalist trying to cope with his life crashing around him; an ex-Marine still grieving his family and his fundamental break from his career; and Artemis Darth Vader....the cutest, wisest, funniest little alien you'll ever meet.

I really don't know how much I can talk about this book without spoilers, but it's truly something special. It will make you laugh, cry, and yell "WTF????" throughout and leave you feeling warm and maybe a little confused....but in the best way. It's just....I can't describe the special brand of cozy Klune has mastered so please go check any of his books out for yourself!

I never thought I'd find (and love) a gay love story wrapped in a plot about an alien and government control topped off with the most precious found family....but here we are and I loved every page.

TJ Kluine has been a favorite of mine since a friend passed on their copy of "The House in the Cerulean Sea." This book intrigued me with its description, and I was not dissapointed. Klune has always impressed me with an ability to blend the supernatural and unexpected with the everyday, sometimes mundane, parts of life in a way that seems effortless and incredibly realistic, and "The Bones Beneath My Skin" does not dissapoint on that front. It is a wild ride of a book, a road-trip slash fuguitive escape slash romance slash found family tale that kept me turning pages way past my bedtime. Klune draws on pop culture, humanity's desperate need to know we aren't alone in the universe, the power of finding family in unexpected ways, and the all-important power to change oneself, in ways both big and small. I have already recommended this book to several of my high school students who enjoy science fiction, adventure, and queer fiction, which this compact, delightful story has in buckets!

This one is now my new favorite from T.J. Klune. I was absolutely enraptured by this story!

I loved the sci-fi with the found family mix! I always feel like T.J. does amazing with the found family aspect in all his books I've read, but this one I felt closer to the characters. These characters will definitely stick with me. They were so well described, and the flaws they had made them feel so real to me. This brings me to my next point of how well the writing is! I am usually someone who struggles to picture certain scenes out, but this one I could see, this book playing out as a full-on movie in my head, and boy, was it action-packed!

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor books for my advanced reader copy. This one is my favorite from him now!

The Bones Beneath My Skin by T.J. Klune exhibits his talent at creating such intricate and intriguing worlds. While this had supernatural elements, the pacing was more of a thriller to me. Klune creates found families that make it hard to close the book on.

The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune. TJ Klune has never let me down and I just knew he was not going to start now. This book was really wholesome.

As many others have mentioned, TJ Klune has such a warmth about his writing. He creates characters that you can't help but fall in love with. His also does the strange very well in this case an alien that has inhabited a ten year old girl and two men that in different ways protect her. In this novel we see the good and bad in humanity. I don't know if I fully loved the epilogue, and could have done with it ending before that. Read this one if you're in the mood for a cozy sci-fi novel!

There is one fairly graphic sex scene, which I ended up skipping but in no way affected my love of this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and the author for this ARC. I loved escaping to the cabin with Nate, Alex, and Art. I had no idea what to expect from this fascinating read, which blends science fiction with elements of a thriller and a mystery. It kept me on the edge of my seat, constantly feeling as if I were on the brink of discovery.

As with all of TJ Klune's stories, the characters are incredibly charming, and I found myself rooting for them every step of the way. The exploration of different types of love that blossom between the characters is heartwarming and authentic. Klune excels at crafting families forged through unconventional pairings, and the dynamic between a child and two loving male parental figures is as touching as ever.

The story begins with Nate, a recently disgraced journalist who has just lost his estranged parents. At a crossroads in his life, he decides to retreat to a cabin left to him in their will. However, the cabin is fraught with conflicted emotions, forcing Nate to confront painful memories and past trauma. Upon arrival, Nate is stunned to discover that an armed man, Alex, and a sweet girl named Artemis Darth Vader have taken over the cabin. They are on the run from a mysterious threat and refuse to divulge their reasons. Despite his fear and hesitation, Nate allows them to stay, setting off a series of adventures, relationships, and truths that ultimately transform his life in ways he never anticipated.

The only reason this isn’t a five-star read is the way the plot unfolds. It veers into strange territory at times, leaving me feeling a bit adrift. If I could separate that element from the rating, I absolutely would! The characters, their relationships, the overarching themes, and so much more are an easy five stars.