This is the first book I’ve ever read by TJ Klune, but I can’t resist a novel featuring talking dogs. What a blast to watch the story unfold from the perspective of this bunch of lovable, funny dogs. Highly recommended.

Just like all of TJ Klune's other books I have read, the characters all draw you into their world immediately notify only through dialogue but also through their relationships and growth. To think this is even true when the central character is a dog is unbelievable. In Klune's other books I have repeatedly seen characters changed and saved by each other. On e again the characters are flawed and hurt almost beyond repair, but through their relationships they find a new joy for life and living which impacts those around them. Burke doesn't have the easiest road which at first I did not like! However, his voice from puppy hood on is so funny and engaging that it almost feels like he is human. Anyone who has ever been around dogs will feel like I did I bet and think 'yes, I bet that is exactly what the dog is saying!' The love and loyalty that Burke shows his humans is what we all experience from our own dogs- as long as we don't clench our hands in fists. Like his other books, Klune takes you right to the edge of disbelief and has you believing that everything you read could absolutely happen. I also loved the crossover moments that occurred to tie this town to other books. Keep an eye out!! Five solid stars. So honored to read this early

TJ Klune has a way of writing stories that completely sneak up on me emotionally, and The Stars Look Like Home did exactly that. I expected a sweet story about a dog, but it ended up being such a heartfelt book about love, belonging, and the connections that shape us.

Burke instantly stole my heart. Seeing the world through his perspective made everything feel more emotional, funny, and sincere. His voice is full of energy, curiosity, and chaotic dog logic, which made me smile constantly while reading.

What I loved most was the balance between warmth and heartbreak. This story definitely made me emotional, but it also felt incredibly hopeful. Even in the heavier moments, there’s so much love and comfort woven into the story.

I also appreciated the reassurance right at the beginning that the dog does not die, which let me fully enjoy the emotional journey without stressing the entire time.

This book left me wanting to hug my pets a little tighter and appreciate the people I love a little more. If you enjoy emotional, character-driven stories with humor and heart, this one is absolutely worth picking up.

I love dogs and books about dogs so this was a no-brainer to request. Finished in 2 days. Highly recommend.

"𝑾𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒔, 𝑩𝒖𝒓𝒌𝒆, 𝒚𝒆𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒏. 𝑶𝒉, 𝒅𝒐 𝒘𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑻𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕."

As a puppy, Burke is told by his mother that dogs are like stars, that even when they disappear from sight, their light remains. So Burke grows up believing, in the simple wholehearted way only a dog can, that life will stretch on forever. But when he learns how short that life truly is, everything changes. He is passed from home to home, searching for belonging, until he finally finds the person who feels like home itself. And when that bond is broken, Burke begins a journey through the wilderness that becomes something so much larger than survival. This is not just a story about a dog; it is a story about loving while knowing loss is inevitable and choosing to love anyway. And no, the dog doesn't die in this one.

I'm used to being emotionally destroyed by this author's books, but this one was different. I knew before reading the first word that this book had something to tell me and that I needed to pay attention. This book was hopeful, joyful, and painful all at once, and I cried over passages that were not really about dogs at all, but about us. About the fragile, temporary nature of every relationship we build. About how we spend our lives trying not to think about endings even though they shape everything we cherish. Burke’s perspective strips away all the noise humans bury themselves under and leaves behind something absolutely pure. What made my heart smile was the cast of animal characters surrounding Burke that made this story feel even more alive. Every creature Burke encounters leaves some imprint on him, whether through comfort, wisdom, or complete chaos, including the squirrel that drove him absolutely insane and somehow still managed to be oddly endearing. Their personalities are so vivid and full of heart that they stop feeling like side characters and start feeling like companions on the journey.

And the lesson this book wanted me to learn was this: many people, myself included, spend their entire lives trying to avoid the fact that grief exists because love existed first. Every goodbye in this story hurts because every connection mattered so deeply. But beneath all that heartbreak is the comforting fact that Burke never stops loving. Even after loss. Even after fear. Even after the world changes around him in ways he cannot understand. He keeps moving forward with trust and hope because that is what love teaches him to do. By the final page, I was not crying because of sadness; I was crying because I was reminded that our lives are small and temporary and unbearably precious, and that the point was never to stay forever. The point was simply to leave light behind for the people who loved us after we are gone. So many thanks to Tor Publishing for this beautiful book that healed my heart. Look for it January 12, 2027.