Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing a recent re-release from TJ Klune, The Bones Beneath My Skin. The book was originally self-published. However, Tor re-published it earlier this week. I’m a huge fan of Klune’s writing and have been looking forward to this one. You can find more of my reviews of his other work here. Read on to see my thoughts about this new, old story!

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.

***Thank you to Tor Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

I’m a huge fan of Klune’s work and have read so many of his books. No one writes found family quite the same as him. I always find myself falling in love with his characters and the heart-warming relationships they create. The Bones Beneath My Skin was no exception. If you enjoy the found family trope, I’m sure you will love the family of odd balls that Klune brought to life in this story.

Artemis Darth Vader stole my heart immediately. She was smart, kind, and incredibly funny. I didn’t think the mystery surrounding her was really much of a mystery, but it was entertaining following along with the POV character as he tried to wrap his head around the truth of her. The two other main characters, Nate and Alex, were also compelling and complex. I enjoyed seeing the story through Nate’s eyes as he struggled to deal with his anger and grief over past trauma all while trying to understand Art and Alex. Alex was king of the grumps with a heart of gold, and I had fun watching Nate slowly crack him open.

The Bones Beneath My Skin explored so many great themes. I was particularly moved by how the story portrayed the complexity of grief. All of the characters had experienced immense loss, but each of them dealt with it in unique ways. Alex was wracked with guilt and shut himself off from his emotions. Nate was angry and adrift. Artemis distracted herself with books and shenanigans. Over the course of the book, the healing power of love and connection was on display in beautiful and profound ways.

The Bones Beneath My Skin also did a really good job of providing commentary on what it means to be human. Emotions are such an integral part of the human experience, and the story illustrated that concept beautifully. It showed that the difficult emotions are just as important as the positive ones in making us who we are and shaping how we interact with the world. Above all, this story was hopeful at its core. Despite all of the bad stuff that may happen to us, there is always still the potential for love, belonging, and a brighter tomorrow. That is an important message, especially in this moment.

Despite having strong thematic and character elements, the plot of The Bones Beneath My Skin was pretty simple. A man gets wrapped up in a fugitive’s flight from the federal government after sort of being kidnapped. It was a bit more complicated than that. However, most of the story is just the three characters on the run. It provided plenty of space for beautiful character moments, but I do wish there’d been some plot developments that weren’t quite so obvious.

All in all, The Bones Beneath My Skin was another compelling piece of work from TJ Klune. The found family stole my heart, and the story had a great message. I may have even shed a tear or two from time to time. The plot was interesting, if a bit simple. All things considered; I rate it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

There you have it! My ruminations on the latest TJ Klune book. Do you plan to read The Bones Beneath My Skin? Let me know down in the comments!