This novel is a blend of heart-breaking and heart-warming unique to TJ Klunes books. It’s an action-filled thriller that is engaging and hard to put down. It will make you laugh and cry, possibly at the same time.

If you’re a fan of The House in the Cerulean Sea, there’s a chance you will love this novel as well. It’s more action-packed but has a remarkable child and found family trope at its centre. Artemis Darth Vader, or Art, looks at the world from a unique perspective, and many of her observations are hilarious or frank but also refreshing. The plot explores themes of love, friendship, and what it means to be human.

I absolutely loved it and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys found family trope.

I've not read any of Klune's work before, but I will definitely be reading more in the future. This was such an inventive and original novel, I found myself captivated from the outset. Both the characterisation and the writing style were wonderful, and I would definitely recommend it.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

The sci-fi action road trip romance you didn't know you needed in your life! It's another 5-star novel from the ever brilliant T J Klune.

T J Klune has the remarkable talent to write entertaining, deep, quirky, and heartfelt stories in the unique way only he can. He effortlessly gets to the heart of the matter, and in The Bones Beneath My Skin, this is what it truly means to be human.

I loved the three main characters and their relationships in this. Any character called Artemis Darth Vader is obviously going to be awesome. She was simultaneously hilarious and philosophical, and quickly became one of my favourite fictional characters.

I will always read anything T J Klune writes, no matter the genre. I highly recommend that you do too!

Yet another fantastic and world immersive book from TJ Klune.
I could not put this down and had to know how it ended. The characters all served a purpose and felt like they drove the story rather than the story dictating where their development went. This story took me on a roller coaster of all the emotions I possibly could have felt!
So good I have ordered the sprayed edge hardback to re-read this... and I rarely buy hardbacks

This book was GLORIOUS

I adore TJ Klune's writing style and this is classic TJ Klune.

I loved all the characters, They were what drove this story forward the most. It is heartbreaking at times, but also paradoxically heartwarming. I reccommend this book to anyone who enjoys well written and complex characters with a good plot.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own and I am leaving a review voluntarily.

This was such a unique read. I've not read anything like this before, it was like being in a movie, it was so well written. The dialogue was brilliant. This is a book I won't easily forget. I love all Tj Klune books he's a great author.

TJ Klune has done it again. Another fantastic read that is packed with ideas and strangeness.
Klune can not seem to write a bad book and all are intriguing. he relationship between Alex, Art and Nate is really great and the writing style just keeps you hooked#Another must read from an every growing popular author

I just love his writing. A real goosebump inducing thriller with brilliantly developed characters. Another excellent read.

If you like Stranger things, you’ll love this! After the death if his estranged parents and a work, love scandal Nate make his was to his newly inherited cabin. He wants to be alone. When he gets there he find Alex and Art hiding in his cabin and soon switches from their hostage to their accomplice. He finds the family he has longed for but not is as it seems and Nate makes the descent that love trumps the unexplained. Enjoyable story, I wouldn’t necessarily say it was an original idea but fun and sweet to read.

A 10 year old girl with Impossible powers and her protector who will do whatever it takes to get her home.
Nate grieving this loss of his parents goes to their cabin to get his life together but when he gets there he finds he has unwelcome guests that are about to turn his whole world upside down.
This book !! 😍 TJ Klune does it again another amazing heartbreaking and heartwarming story with such loveable characters. I will always read anything TJ Klune writes. I can't recommend his books enough or give reviews that do justice to how brilliant his writing is.
I listened to this on audio and as always with TJ Klune books the audio was amazing 😍
Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan, Macmillan Audio and T J Klune for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

So it's 1995, and our guy Nate is having the worst time - parents gone, brother's ghosted him, and he just got kicked from his journalism job in DC. Rock bottom, right? He figures he'll head to his family's old cabin in this tiny Oregon mountain town called Roseland. You know, to clear his head.

But surprise! The cabin's not empty. There's this dude Alex there, and get this - he's got this super weird kid with him who goes by Artemis Darth Vader (yeah, you read that right). But here's the thing - this kid? She's not exactly what you'd call... normal.

Fair warning for Klune fans - while there's romance here, it's not the main focus. Instead, this story dives deep into what makes a family and follows Nate as he works through his past. But don't sweat it - you'll still find all that signature Klune charm and wit, just wrapped up in a more thrilling package this time.

What makes this book special is how Klune tackles some pretty intense stuff with a light touch that never feels dismissive. He's got this knack for balancing the heavy with the hopeful, you know? And while you'll definitely catch those emotional Klune moments we all know and love, this isn't your typical tearjerker. It's somehow manages to be heart-wrenching, uplifting, and absolutely incredible all at once.

The pacing's like a rollercoaster - when the action hits, it's spot on. Sure, things slow down during the road trip scenes, but those quieter moments? That's where the magic happens. That's when you really start to care about these characters. And once things kick into high gear? Hold onto your hat - we're talking helicopter chases, shootouts, and plot twists you won't see coming.

When it's all said and done, The Bones Beneath My Skin is one wild journey. Yeah, the sci-fi elements might take some getting used to, but trust me - stick around. This story about what makes us human is worth every second.

He could write out a phone book and I would read it!
You can tell it’s one of his older works as his writing style has developed lots! It’s giving me similar time vibes to ‘The Lightning Struck Heart’ (which I also love!). Nate and Alex are great characters and I love Art!
Another great edition to my ever growing Klune collection.

I absolutely loved this book, so much so that I had to buy a physical copy for my keeper bookshelf. The relationship between Alex, Art and Nate is so well written, and is the perfect example of what makes a family. This is one of those books that you want to keep reading to find out what happens next, but you also want to take your time because you don’t want it to be over.
The ebook version of this book was originally published during the first Trump administration, but it is even more relevant today.

"I didn't get that. Not before. I don't think any of us did. Not until they felt a heart beating in a chest like I have. Not until I felt bones beneath my skin. We're not alike. Not really. We're separated by time and space. And yet, somehow, we're all made of dust and stars ."

Witty, weird and wonderful, The Bones Beneath My Skin is another hit from master storyteller TJ Klune. It is a story of a strange and extraordinary little girl and her two unlikely protectors, following them as they embark on an action-packed road trip to safety. A story of found family, love, hope and what it means to be human, this book warmed me from the inside and I devoured it in under a day. I’ll admit, I’m not usually a sci-fi girlie, but I know I’ve loved everything I’d read so far by Mr. Klune so I decided to give it a chance. And I’m glad I did. This story is truly original and like nothing I’ve read before. It has a bit of everything: romance, mystery, sci-fi, fantasy and coming-of-age saga, all perfectly blended together to create a compelling tale that kept me on the edge of my seat.

The story starts in March, 1995. Nate Cartwright’s life is a mess. His parents just died and he’s been fired. So he decides to spend the summer in the secluded cabin in the woods that his parents left him, hoping it will help him find a new direction in life. But when he arrives the cabin isn’t empty. Instead he’s confronted by a man with a gun and a little girl who says her name is Artemis Darth Vader. But Art is no ordinary little girl. She is special, strange and endearing, while Alex is standoffish and overprotective. But over time Alex and Nate bond. And when the people Alex is trying to protect Art from track them down, Nate decides to flee with them on a road-trip fraught with danger and an unknown destination.

The three main characters are richly drawn, fascinating and unforgettable. Nate is the ‘everyman’ who most of us will find easiest to relate to, but I loved reading gruff Alex and quirky Art, too. I had a particular soft spot for Art and loved this astonishing young girl. I liked that even though the three of them are so different they come together to create a heartwarming found family that anyone would love to be part of (minus the gun-wielding men chasing them) and I was rooting for them to get Art to safety.

A remarkable and moving story for anyone who has ever felt like they don’t belong, I highly recommend this book.

I had the pleasure of receiving an arc of The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune and I am so happy that I did as I think I have just read my favourite book of 2025. Thank you to publishing and NetGalley for this amazing read.

“There is nothing more human than a broken heart”
Nate returns to his old family cabin after losing everything, his hope was to find purpose or to wallow alone in his empty cabin. Only his Cabin wasn’t empty, inside is a a gruff Man named Alex and a far from ordinary 10 year old who goes by the name Artemis Darth Vader. Nate will soon realise there is more to life than he thought and life and the people in it are worth fighting for.

I will be thinking about Nate, Alex and Artemis Darth Vader for a very long time. This book has the best found family and a story that had me gripped from the first page. And like every T.J Klune book i have gotten around to reading I cried, I laughed and loved every minute of it.

Another gorgeous, heartwarming book from T.J. Klune. A weird and wonderful sci-fi romp with tons of action and unforgettable characters. Highly recommended.

The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune and narrated by: Kirt Graves was one audiobook that will stick with me for a long time, it just took my breath away. The way this author writes is so magical and such a powerful book especially as I had to reach for my tissues. Just beautiful from start to finish.

Set in the spring of 1995, Nate Cartwright, has lost everything, he is a man weighed down by grief and loss. With the death of his parents, and his older brother wants nothing to do with him and now he has been fired from his job as a journalist in Washington DC. Nate's life is at a standstill with nothing to loose he returns to his family's summer cabin outside the small mountain town of Roseland, Oregon to try and find some sense of direction.
When he reaches the cabin it should be empty. It's not. Inside is a man called Alex. And with him is an extraordinary little girl who calls herself Artemis Darth Vader. Artemis, who isn't exactly as she appears.

Nate must make a big choice:

does he let himself drown in the memories of his past,
or
Does he fight for a future he never thought possible. Because this girl is special. And forces are descending upon them who want nothing more than to control her.

What ever make decisions he will make, will alter his life forever.

WoW, this book was ExCeLlEnT. . . . . . .

The narrator Kirt Graves was superb.

I highly recommend this audiobook/book. It was so magical. I just have to have the hardback on my book shelf, the cover is so beautiful.

Wow! What can I say. This is my first time reading in of T J Klunes books and it was a masterpiece. At the beginning I wasn't to sure about where it was going but by the end let me tell you I was hooked.

This book is in its essence a love story and a story of hope and loss and how we as humans deal with that. You have the two main characters Nate and Alex, then we are introduced to Art. At first you think it's going to be a sappy love story but this book is so much more than that. It reaches into a part of your soul and captures it and you are silently egging the main characters on.

There is lots of action some steamy scenes but that's doesn't take away from the beautiful story.

There are some unexpected twists and turns along the way and the ending is beautifully done and even possibly (maybe I'm being hopeful) sets it up nicely for a second book.

Go get this book and read it as it's beautiful.

Drop everything! If you know me, you know that I adore TJ Klune, but The Bones Beneath My Skin has completely wrecked me—in the best way possible.

Klune is the master of found family, and this book proves it yet again. It has everything I love in a story: painful loneliness, a protagonist searching for a purpose in life, and an unlikely trio that will steal your heart.

Nate Cartwright has been abandoned by those who were meant to love him unconditionally. But when he meets tough guy Alex and the utterly extraordinary Artemis Darth Vader, his world shifts forever.

And let’s talk about Art for a second... Artemis. Darth. Vader. I dare you to read this book and not fall hopelessly in love with this sharp, quirky, fiercely brilliant little girl. She’s the heart of this story, and every scene with her is pure magic.

This book leans more into sci-fi than Klune’s usual fantasy, but rest assured, the emotional depth and warmth of his writing remain. There’s government secrets hidden beneath the mountain, a relentless “who can you trust?” element, and tension that will have you flipping pages like your life depends on it. But beneath all the intrigue and danger, this is a story about choosing love, even when the world tells you not to.

Nate, Alex, and Art—they mean everything. To each other and to the reader. Their connection forms in the most unexpected way, and against all odds, they create something unbreakable. And that ending? I’ll be thinking about it forever.

Once again, TJ Klune has outdone himself. I laughed, I cried, and I’ll be treasuring this book forever, like a (space) princess with a growing pile of cosy, metaphorical blankets that Klune keeps writing for me. If you love found family, heart-stopping thrills, and characters that get under your skin, The Bones Beneath My Skin is an absolute must-read.

Woahhhhh this book was an absolute tornado of craziness and love and heartbreak! If you love a good road trip story with found family and some out-of-this-world mystery, conspiracy theory galore and two broken guys healing from their grief, this one is for you!

Nate Cartwright has wrecked his life; estranged from his family and fired from his job, he just wants to go off-grid and try to find himself… instead he finds a mysterious man and a strange little girl squatting in his cabin. Alex and Artemis Darth Vader are strange people, and they only get stranger the more Nate learns. But it quickly becomes apparent that people are after Art and Alex would do anything to save her. Despite wanting nothing to do with them, Nate finds himself wrapped up in their chaos as they careen across the USA, trying to stay one step ahead from their shadowy pursuers, forging their own tight-knit family as they go.

I loved the fierce protectiveness that builds between the three runaways. It’s a story about humanity, as observed from the outside, its positives and its failings, as well as healing from grief and building your own family.

I also love the subtle hints that TJK drops from his other books - with the gang passing through Green Creek and meeting Big Eddie and Benji in Roseland! All I wanted was for a big ol’ wolf to stumble into the path of their truck (stupid Carter) but alas, we can’t always have what we want 😹

Read The Bones Beneath My Skin for:
✨ Found family
✨ Love, heartbreak and healing
✨ Roadtrip, but hunted by the government
✨ Nothing is as it seems
✨ Protecting your definitely-human kid
✨ Area 51 is the least of your worries
✨ What truly makes us human?
✨ Cults are always bad news
✨ Fuck the government, amirite?

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book (although I waited to get my physical copy to post my review 😻)