Title: The Bones Beneath My SkinAuthor: T.J. Klune
Pages: 416
Publication Date: Feb. 4, 2025
Publisher: Tor
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy
Synopsis:
A spine-tingling thriller by New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune, about a 10-year-old girl with an impossible power, her father, and an unlikely stranger, who come together to confront the dangerous forces that want her at all costs. A strange story of family, love, comets, and bacon. Perfect for fans of Stranger Things.
In the spring of 1995, Nate Cartwright has lost everything: his parents are dead, his older brother wants nothing to do with him, and he’s been fired from his job as a journalist in Washington DC. With nothing left to lose, he returns to his family’s summer cabin outside the small mountain town of Roseland, Oregon to try and find some sense of direction. The cabin should be empty. It’s not. Inside is a man named Alex. And with him is an extraordinary little girl who calls herself Artemis Darth Vader. Artemis, who isn’t exactly as she appears.
Soon it becomes clear that Nate must make a choice: let himself drown in the memories of his past, or fight for a future he never thought possible. Because the girl is special. And forces are descending upon them who want nothing more than to control her.
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I always enjoy T.J. Klune’s novels. The characters are always fabulous and the found families are some of the best I’ve ever read. The author often writes about belonging, identity, and relationships, and the stories never fail to move me. The Bones Beneath My Skin is beautifully written, and you can’t go wrong when you have a character named Artemis Darth Vader. So fabulous!
Klune has a way of writing characters that are so easy to love, and Nate Alex, and Art had my heart completely. They’re all so layered and complex, and the different relationships they have with each other are everything – heartwarming, funny, romantic, and everything in between! I definitely felt all the feels with this one and sometimes went from laughing to sobbing in quick succession. There’s just something special about the way Klune writes that gets me on so many levels.
I think one of the main reasons the characters always stand out for me is because of the dialogue. I’ve read several of Klune’s books, and the dialogue is always impeccable. Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, and always heartwarming, the dialogue feels effortless and natural and adds so much to the character development.
With powerful themes, lovable characters, and story with a lot of heart and some interesting and thought-provoking sci-fi intrigue, this is another touching read by TJ Klune. Special thanks to NetGalley and Tor for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
“Somehow, we’re all made of dust and stars.”
But fear can be a funny thing. 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.
“You made me a home out of nothing. Out of a place where one should not exist.”
- found family
- slow burn romance
- age gap
TJ KLUNE is a Lambda Literary Award-winning author (Into This River I Drown) and an ex-claims examiner for an insurance company. His novels include The House in the Cerulean Sea and The Extraordinaries. Being queer himself, TJ believes it’s important—now more than ever—to have accurate, positive, queer representation in stories
