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The Bones Beneath My Skin

The Sunday Times bestselling story of found family in peril

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The Bones Beneath My Skin

By: TJ Klune
Narrated by: Kirt Graves
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Summary

 ‘The sci-fi romance adventure you never knew you needed’

Jennifer L. Armentrout, author of Fall of Ruin and Wrath

An action-packed supernatural road trip featuring an extraordinary young girl and her two unlikely protectors. The Bones Beneath My Skin is a gripping, heartfelt story that explores what it means to be human – by bestselling author of The House in the Cerulean Sea, TJ Klune.

He lost everything. Then he found himself . . .

In the spring of 1995, Nate Cartwright is at a loose end: his parents are dead, his older brother has disowned him, and he’s been fired from his job. Looking for a sense of direction, he returns to his family’s summer cabin in Oregon.

The cabin should be empty – but it’s not. Inside is a man named Alex, and an extraordinary little girl who calls herself Artemis Darth Vader. There’s far more to Art than meets the eye. But as Alex and Nate bond over just how special she truly is, they discover that powerful forces are closing in – forces that want nothing more than to control her.

As danger draws near, Nate decide whether to drown in the memories of his past, or fight for Art and a future he never thought possible.

With his uplifting tales of hope and redemption, there is a TJ Klune story for every listener.

* * *

Praise for TJ Klune

‘Will renew your faith in humanity’ – Terry Brooks, author of The Sword of Shannara on The House in the Cerulean Sea

‘Glorious, a thoroughly entertaining and deeply stirring journey’ – Chuck Tingle, author of Camp Damascus on In the Lives of Puppets

‘His novels are a radiant treat’ – Locus Magazine

In the Lives of Puppets was a No. 1 Sunday Times HB Bestseller w/c 24/04/2023

 Fantasy Romance Science Fiction Heartfelt
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Critic reviews

This is the sci-fi romance adventure you never knew you needed. TJ’s characters are broken but they are so full of heart and hope that you will lose yourself entirely to their story (Jennifer L. Armentrout, New York Times bestselling author of Fall of Ruin and Wrath)
It was both cute and emotional. I definitely didn’t expect to cry at the end, but here we are . . . (5* NetGalley Review on The Bones Beneath My Skin)

I loved it. It is like being wrapped up in a big gay blanket. Simply perfect

(V. E. Schwab, author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue on The House in the Cerulean Sea)
The House in the Cerulean Sea is a modern fairy tale about learning your true nature and what you love and will protect. It’s a beautiful book (Charlaine Harris, author of the Sookie Stackhouse series on The House in the Cerulean Sea)
Full of faith in the goodness of people . . . It broke my heart with its unflinching understanding that grief never goes away, never empties, only settles into the room of your soul like a strange souvenir. And then it healed me in the next breath (Cassandra Khaw, author of Nothing But Blackened Teeth on Under the Whispering Door)
All stars
Most relevant
I adored every bit of this beautiful action packed love story. It will lift your soul

ET for adults

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I cannot get enough TJ Klune stories. Without doubt, the best author I read. Deeply effecting and so original.

The emotion that thos amazing writer brings through his words.

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Set in the spring of 1995, this story follows Nate, a disgraced journalist who wants to escape the world for a while. He heads to the remote cabin he spent summers in as a child, which he recently inherited. He expects to find the cabin empty, so he is not pleasantly surprised to come across Alex, a gruff, injured man who holds Nate at gunpoint, demanding to know who sent him. There's also a very odd young girl named Artemis Darth Vader, who is more than she seems and the reason Nate's life takes an unexpected turn.

I don't know what it is about Klune's writing, but it works its way beneath my skin and settles in my chest, making it ache in the best of ways whenever I've picked one up, and this was no different. I went into this expecting a typical Klune book in the sense of it having a slow-burn romance with found family dynamics and LGBTQIA+ representation. While that was there, alongside it was an unexpected blend of sci-fi, thriller, mystery, and action and adventure that was all intertwined with a deeper narrative of what it means to be human, grief, and the lengths we would go to for those we love.

The writing is vivid and multilayered, with characters that feel tangible. The romance element of this takes a backseat to the rest of the goings-on, so I would say it is more of a subplot. Don't go into this purely for the romance, as it won't deliver what you're looking for. There are sections where the pacing meanders a bit, but those moments serve to deepen the connection of these characters as the overall storyline moves forward with moments of heart-racing adrenaline as the danger surrounding them creeps closer. Kirt Graves' narration is immaculate, in my opinion; his voice embodies the writing style, and he delivers a heartfelt and whimsical performance that only adds to my experience of Klune's writing.

Overall, I had a fantastic time with this book, but there were elements that felt unfinished, and I was left with questions I wished had been answered. I missed the intense romantic chemistry between Nate & Alex that has been present in previous couples Klune has written (looking at you, Green Creek), and it's for those reasons this book gets the rating it does. 🌶🌶

Great

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The characters are always strong and well written, the story wasn’t as original or imaginative as his other books but still fun

Enjoyable

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but then it became too dramatic. like a soap. the narrator didn't help either. he was too emotional, self pittying and it seemed he was about to cry.

it started nice

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