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The Bones Beneath My Skin Hardcover – February 4, 2025

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,882 ratings

A spine-tingling standalone novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune―a supernatural road-trip thriller featuring an extraordinary young girl and her two unlikely protectors on the run from cultists and the government.

There's nothing more human than a broken heart.

In the spring of 1995, Nate Cartwright has lost everything: his parents are dead, his only 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 ten-year-old 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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From the Publisher

The Bones Beneath My Skin TJ Klune
The Bones Beneath My Skin TJ Klune Jennifer L. Armentrout Library Journal quotes
The Bones Beneath My Skin TJ Klune
Under the Whispering Door TJ Klune
Under the Whispering Door
In the Lives of Puppets TJ Klune
In the Lives of Puppets
Wolfsong TJ Klune
Wolfsong
Ravensong TJ Klune
Ravensong
Heartsong TJ Klune
Heartsong
Brothersong TJ Klune
Brothersong
Customer Reviews
4.4 out of 5 stars
17,199
4.3 out of 5 stars
3,942
4.6 out of 5 stars
8,970
4.6 out of 5 stars
4,140
4.7 out of 5 stars
3,506
4.7 out of 5 stars
3,254
Price $9.56 $13.48 $10.80 $14.98 $14.99 $14.99
Heartwarming Fantasy, Queer Romance, and More from NYT Bestselling Author TJ Klune A New York Times bestseller that is A Man Called Ove meets The Good Place. Death is only their beginning. Inspired by The Adventures of Pinocchio, and like Swiss Family Robinson meets WALL-E, this New York Times bestseller is a masterful fantasy about a family assembled from spare parts. This is the first book in the Green Creek series, the beloved fantasy romance sensation about love, loyalty, betrayal, and family. This series is for adult readers. The second book in the Green Creek series. This is Gordo Livingstone's story. The third book in the Green Creek series. This is Robbie Fontaine's story. The final book in the Green Creek series. This is Carter Bennett's story.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Even as the character arcs pack emotional punches and the plot builds with intensity, the story is balanced with the humor and wry character introspection Klune (In the Lives of Puppets) is known for... This reissued stand-alone solidifies Klune’s reputation for skillful prose and worldbuilding." ―Library Journal, starred review

"Are we going on an adventure? Yes, yes we are! 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 and find that they will continue to remain in your heart long after you have finished.” ―Jennifer L. Armentrout,
New York Times bestselling author of Fall of Ruin and Wrath

For
The House in the Cerulean Sea
A
New York Times, USA Today, and Washington Post Bestseller!
An Indie Next Pick!
An Alex Award-Winner


"I loved it. It is like being wrapped up in a big gay blanket. Simply perfect." ―V.E. Schwab, #1
New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

“This book is very close to perfect.” ―Seanan McGuire,
New York Times bestselling author of Every Heart a Doorway

“An utterly absorbing story of tolerance, found family, and defeating bureaucracy.” ―Gail Carriger,
New York Times bestselling author of Soulless

“A modern fairy tale about learning your true nature and what you love and will protect. It's a beautiful book.” ―Charlaine Harris, #1
New York Times bestselling author

"It will renew your faith in humanity.” ―Terry Brooks,
New York Times bestselling author of the Shannara series

“It’s a witty, wholesome fantasy that’s likely to cause heart-swelling.” ―
The Washington Post

"Readers will revel in Klune’s wit and ingenuity." ―Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Remarkable.” ―
Amazon Book Review

For Under the Whispering Door
A
New York Times, USA Today, and Indie Bestseller!
An Indie Next Pick!

Under the Whispering Door is a kind book. It broke my heart with its unflinching understanding that grief never goes away. And then it healed me in the next breath.” ―Cassandra Khaw, USA Today bestselling author of Nothing But Blackened Teeth

“There is so much to enjoy in
Under the Whispering Door, but what I cherish the most is its compassion for the little things―a touch, a glance, a precious piece of dialogue―healing me, telling me that for all the strangenesses I hold, I am valued, valid―and maybe even worthy of love.” ―Ryka Aoki author of Light from Uncommon Stars

“Klune's latest is a sweet tale of grief and second chances, and a ghost story about not giving up on even the most lost of souls.” ―
Booklist

“Tenderness, wit, and skillful worldbuilding elevate this delightful tale. Fans of queer fantasy won’t want to miss this.” ―
Publishers Weekly

About the Author

TJ KLUNE is the #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today bestselling, Lambda Literary Award-winning author of The House in the Cerulean Sea, Under the Whispering Door, In the Lives of Puppets, the Green Creek Series for adults, the Extraordinaries Series for teens, and more. Being queer himself, Klune believes it's important―now more than ever―to have accurate, positive queer representation in stories.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tor Books (February 4, 2025)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250890438
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250890436
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.02 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.75 x 1.3 x 8.6 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,882 ratings

About the author

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TJ Klune
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TJ KLUNE is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling, Lambda Literary Award-winning author of The House in the Cerulean Sea, Under the Whispering Door, In the Lives of Puppets, and the Green Creek Series for adults, the Extraordinaries Series for teens, and more. Being queer himself, Klune believes it's important—now more than ever—to have accurate, positive queer representation in stories.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
1,882 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy the engaging story with its right blend of adventure and intrigue. They find the characters charming and the themes of love, faith, and humanity thought-provoking. The emotional content is heartwarming and profound, with moments of levity sprinkled throughout.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

102 customers mention "Story quality"102 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's story and characters. They find it worth reading, with a mix of happy, sad, magical, and depressing moments. The adventure and slow-burn feel of the story are enjoyable. Some think it would make a great movie or miniseries.

"...not be what you might normally expect in the genre, but it's a classic TJ Klune book with angst and heart and so much love. <3 ***..." Read more

"...to go awry at several points, but instead TJ Klune always kept the narrative steady: in its message, pacing, and obvious love of the characters...." Read more

"This is a gorgeous book. It is engaging, profound, and wise in its portrayal of what it means to be human...." Read more

"...The story is thoughtful, engaging, mesmerizing, funny, dramatic, and thoroughly charming. These are people you want to know and love." Read more

42 customers mention "Adventure"42 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the adventure in the book. They find it engaging with charming characters and heartfelt storytelling. The book is intense with moments of levity, and the author's imagination is appreciated. Readers appreciate the quirky, lovable characters and the sense of curiosity that weaves throughout the story.

"...This book is intense, with some much needed moments of levity sprinkled in throughout. This book is a romance, and it does end in a HEA...." Read more

"This is a gorgeous book. It is engaging, profound, and wise in its portrayal of what it means to be human...." Read more

"...The story is thoughtful, engaging, mesmerizing, funny, dramatic, and thoroughly charming. These are people you want to know and love." Read more

"...It is a mystery, a thriller, a love story and so much more. I adored all three MC’s, but Artemis will forever hold a special place in my heart...." Read more

41 customers mention "Suspense"35 positive6 negative

Customers enjoy the book's suspense. They find it a well-balanced tale of love and discovery with adventure and intrigue. The book is described as action-packed, dramatic, and charming. Readers appreciate the author's skill in describing relationships. Overall, they describe it as a sci-fi book with a twist.

"...But, everything before and after is so fresh and exciting, that the book kept me on my toes trying to figure out what the end-game was...." Read more

"...The romance is quiet, and only a handful of moments, but it makes sense in a way that trying to make it bigger would have been a mistake that TJ..." Read more

"...The story is thoughtful, engaging, mesmerizing, funny, dramatic, and thoroughly charming. These are people you want to know and love." Read more

"...This book (like all of TJ Klune’s books) is about finding love and acceptance...." Read more

38 customers mention "Character development"35 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the book's characters. They find them engaging, wise, and lovely. The book is a sci-fi/adventure with gay main characters. Readers love Artemis and how she views the world around her.

"...And speaking of lovely people in this book, not only are Nate and Art totally precious characters who I want to wrap up in blankets, but Alex is the..." Read more

"...kept the narrative steady: in its message, pacing, and obvious love of the characters. “This is stupid...." Read more

"This is a gorgeous book. It is engaging, profound, and wise in its portrayal of what it means to be human...." Read more

"...scenes of suspense and action, the focus is more on discovery and character growth. It's told in third-person perspective focused on Nate...." Read more

31 customers mention "Thought provoking"31 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking and heartwarming. They appreciate the author's beautiful soliloquies about the human condition. The writing draws readers in with its fantastical moments that are beautifully offset by the normal, everyday. The story is uplifting and sweet, though a bit scary at times.

"...She has some beautiful soliloquies about the human condition, from the viewpoint of an outsider who is becoming human herself...." Read more

"...The writing is smooth, engaging, and prosaic. The story unfolds at its own pace and is not rushed...." Read more

"...But inside all of this is a story of love and loss, devotion and hope. One of the best books I’ve read...." Read more

"...He has a way of writing strange Dynamics, characters and relationships that take you on an ADVENTURE. I absolutely adored this story...." Read more

30 customers mention "Emotional content"30 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's emotional content engaging, profound, and wise. They describe it as a good sci-fi thriller with real heart. The themes of breaking emotional barriers and connecting to others through common humanity resonate with them. The book has a healthy dose of overt sentimentality but also with a prickliness. It's not too angsty and doesn't focus on romance.

"...And when I say "nice," I mean both completely heart-wrenching as it pertains to one book in particular, and very interesting when it comes..." Read more

"This is a gorgeous book. It is engaging, profound, and wise in its portrayal of what it means to be human...." Read more

"...Once again, Klune has stolen my time by having me so completely emotionally invested in a story that I can’t put the book down until finished...." Read more

"...The world. The characters. The glimpses into the broken human psyche. The pull to build us into a better humanity. It’s all here. And it’s beautiful...." Read more

27 customers mention "Humor"27 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the humor in the book. They find it entertaining, lighthearted, and a slapstick romantic comedy. The book makes them smile and remember 1995 better.

"...Also, I very much love her love for bacon. It's hilarious and wonderful...." Read more

"...Even more, probably.” There's some humor (it's hard to imagine a TJ Klune book without some humor), some action, and two men hardened by..." Read more

"...The story is thoughtful, engaging, mesmerizing, funny, dramatic, and thoroughly charming. These are people you want to know and love." Read more

"...novel isn't one of my favorites, it was still really good and quite entertaining." Read more

19 customers mention "Writing quality"19 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book. They find the author talented, with a deft hand at dialogue. The grammar, punctuation, and editing are used properly. Readers appreciate the novel's stand-alone nature and the author's versatility as a writer.

"...The writing is smooth, engaging, and prosaic. The story unfolds at its own pace and is not rushed...." Read more

"...His writing is so refreshing. And, as I read his older stuff, I’ve realized it always has been. He’s a master character builder...." Read more

"...I’m so glad the author improved his conversation writing skills in his newer books...." Read more

"...As always, TJ created a great story, the way he writes is just amazing, so maybe the genre is part of the problem, however, the ending of this book..." Read more

Brilliant!
5 out of 5 stars
Brilliant!
I could not love this book more!"I'm glad you found us," she whispered, her breath on his face. "I think we needed you to."'The Bones Beneath My Skin' is sublime in that way that only TJ can write. It's everything and nothing like what you'll expect; Nate, Alex and Art are incredible characters thrown into a dangerous scenario and you'll be taken on a journey like none you've taken before.This is guaranteed to be one of the last of TJ's books that is initially only known in the MM world. With Tor already signed on for a number of future releases, including a YA trilogy, TJ is on the cusp of true author fame.Some of the notes I took down as I read The Bones Beneath My Skin:• God I adore the way TJ integrates music in his books. It immediately evokes an emotion, an atmosphere or cements the moment.• I remember March 31, 1995. The death of Selena. It's a whole lifetime ago now. The mid-90s were odd but so defined by some pretty incredible events.• That moment you enter Roseland, and Big Eddie's, oh my heart! And Benji? Aaahhhhh...❤❤❤• So many Easter Eggs! I love it!• "I am Artemis Darth Vader," she said, enunciating each word slowly. "And that is my Alex Delgado."An exceptional book, guaranteed to please (& maybe make you cry just a little). Recommended.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2018
    I love this book SO much. The Bones Beneath My Skin is such a lovely story that is filled with the unexpected and SO MUCH HEART. This book does work as a standalone, but there are some nice Easter eggs for fans of the author's books early on in this story. And when I say "nice," I mean both completely heart-wrenching as it pertains to one book in particular, and very interesting when it comes to others. I guess TJ Klune's contemporaries all exist in the same universe, so I really like spotting the Easter eggs. I didn't know who the main character was as a person, but you can bet by page two I was already crying because an unexpected character shows up in the story. 

    This book takes place in 1995, in Roseland, Oregon. Quite frankly, I don't really know much about the early 90s since I was still a baby, but it seems like a very weird time in history where anything could happen. In the case of this book, Nate Cartwright was feeling a little burned out from his DC job and when he found out his dad passed away and left him two things, a truck and their family cabin in Oregon, he packed his bags and made the drive west.

    When he discovers people living in his cabin, he doesn't really know what to do. He wanted to go to the cabin as a place to rest and reflect in solitude as to what he wants to do with his life, and finding a man and a little girl in the cabin is literally the last thing he could ever have expected to happen.

    And this man and the little girl will forever change his life.

    This book starts off a little slow as the story unfolds. Because what seems quite ordinary and mundane slowly starts to unravel and reveal itself in unexpected ways. Who is this man called Alex and why does the little girl call herself Artemis Darth Vader? I wouldn't really say I was shocked by the reveal, because it kind of reminds me of another book (which I won't mention here because it would be a huge spoiler and I don't think the author would appreciate me comparing his book to this one another book even though it is kind of similar in this one way lol). But, everything before and after is so fresh and exciting, that the book kept me on my toes trying to figure out what the end-game was.

    This book is surprisingly action-packed, but also has a way of hitting you right in the feels out of NOWHERE. I think Nate's relationship with his brother is so heart-breaking to me, but like many of TJ's books, he's more about found family than the one you're born into and that's evident here.

    I don't even know how to tell you guys how much I LOVE Art. The author has a way of writing the loveliest children characters, and even if you don't really like children, I feel like you will always wind up loving the kids in his books. Tyson in the Bear, Otter, and the Kid series is one of my favorite child characters, and Art is definitely RIGHT there in terms of my love for her. Also, I very much love her love for bacon. It's hilarious and wonderful. Especially when there's this one scene with Nate, who is absolutely bewildered that there are two people in his cabin and that he should be throwing them out, winds up making a full breakfast for them because that's just the kind of person he is.

    And speaking of lovely people in this book, not only are Nate and Art totally precious characters who I want to wrap up in blankets, but Alex is the BEST. He's so selfless and gives everything to looking after Art and I'm just UGH WHY ARE YOU SO PERFECT? I love him a lot, you guys. This is a darling ragtag group who gets caught up in something they never would have expected and I love them so, so much.

    This book is an absolute page-turner that makes it very hard to put down, because you just HAVE to figure out what's going to happen next. This book is intense, with some much needed moments of levity sprinkled in throughout. This book is a romance, and it does end in a HEA. The journey there just might not be what you might normally expect in the genre, but it's a classic TJ Klune book with angst and heart and so much love. <3

    ***Thanks to the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review***
    23 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2018
    The Bones Beneath My Skin had the potential to go awry at several points, but instead TJ Klune always kept the narrative steady: in its message, pacing, and obvious love of the characters.

    “This is stupid. Like, this is the stupidest thing that’s ever happened to me. I can’t even begin to express how stupid this all is. You have to realize that, right? How ridiculous this sounds?”
    “You’ll get past it,” Alex said. “I was where you are at one point. I thought the exact same things you’re thinking right now. Even more, probably.”

    There's some humor (it's hard to imagine a TJ Klune book without some humor), some action, and two men hardened by grief working towards a greater goal. 

    But mostly...there's love here. The love of found family, and a love that grows between two people brought together through the most awesome of circumstances. The romance is quiet, and only a handful of moments, but it makes sense in a way that trying to make it bigger would have been a mistake that TJ Klune handily avoids.

    Yeah. He understood heartbreak, all right. It was all dust and stars.

    As for Artemis Darth Vader...a little girl who is far more than she seems, who is being hunted by those who would use or attempt to destroy her, she was a pleasure to read.

    It’s almost impossible to understand. None of us could get that. Not until they felt a heart beating in a chest like I have. Not until I felt the 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. I think we’d forgotten that. And I don’t know if you ever knew that to begin with. How can you be alone when we’re all the same?”

    Told in Nathaniel Cartwright's single, third person POV, The Bones Beneath My Skin is science fiction with twists of action, a thread of romance, and a compelling plot.

    You have the power for such destruction within you. And such joy. It’s a dichotomy that shouldn’t exist, and yet here it is. Within you. Within all of you.” She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. Each cheek. The tip of his nose. “I’m glad we found you. I’m glad he has you. Remember that when you look up at the stars.”

    I can hardly wait for this to be released on audio! 

    Recommended.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2024
    This is a gorgeous book. It is engaging, profound, and wise in its portrayal of what it means to be human. In the beginning, I wanted Nate to get with the program a little sooner, but the psychology of his character well enough to understand why he seemed to be dragging his feet. This is a much more realistic take on an encounter of the 'seventh' kind. The depth of human insight that goes into all of the characters is quite astounding. And then there is the perspective on humanity offered by Artemus Darth Vader. She has some beautiful soliloquies about the human condition, from the viewpoint of an outsider who is becoming human herself. As a trans and intersex woman, an outsider transcending the limited notions of gender, I can appreciate the validity of truths observed from different perspectives.

    I have to tell you, I balled my eyes out at the end. I haven't cried so much since the unexpected death of my partner of over twenty year. I had to put the book down, and every time I picked it up to read another line, the tears would start flowing again. I can only imagine that the author was crying as he wrote these lines. The best authors bleed a little in their ink, and Mr. Klune certainly did while writing this book.

    After this book, I am a confirmed fan. I expect I will read all of his books in time, and I'm looking forward to it. Thank you, Tj Klune, for giving us such a wonderful book.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Bianca Polenzani
    5.0 out of 5 stars Out of my comfort zone, but in a good way
    Reviewed in Italy on February 23, 2024
    This book is absolutely out of my comfort zone as a genre. I don't read thriller, I don't read sci-fi. Nevertheless, I loved this book deeply. I won't spoiler anything, let me say that I understand why many Klune fans may not like this book, but I think it's one of his best. It goes beneath your skin and encompasses your soul in a warm hug smelling of home
  • Maartje
    5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful
    Reviewed in the Netherlands on April 24, 2021
    This is such a powerful book. It illustrates perfectly how humans react to anything that is alien, and the dangers that this reaction brings. It tells you to be kind, to listen, to be patient and not rush to judgement. I thoroughly loved it and highly recommend it.

    Trigger warning: this book contains descriptions of a suicide cult.
  • SHL
    5.0 out of 5 stars More than I expected it would be
    Reviewed in Canada on February 17, 2020
    I had heard good things about this book and read many positive reviews, so I went ahead and downloaded it. It took me a couple of weeks to get around to reading it, though, because I wasn't convinced it was my type of book, based on the synopsis. Once I started it, though, I could hardly put it down.

    This was a longer book than I've been reading these days, but the pacing was good, and I think the "surprises" were revealed and just the right times. The characters were very well written and, depite the subject matter, very believable and easy to identify There were many times that the story made me teary-eyed.

    Overall, this was a very well-written book with well-developed characters. It's the first book I've read by TJ Klune, but it certainly won't be the last.
  • lalo-re
    5.0 out of 5 stars Heartwarming
    Reviewed in Mexico on November 13, 2019
    this book reached my heart and talked to him, sometimes when you feel alone and just want something or someone, anything to tell u your not alone you are loved and you gonna be ok this is exactly it. love it
  • JVA
    4.0 out of 5 stars Crazy and lovely
    Reviewed in Brazil on September 1, 2019
    This book is about family, not the one you're born into but the one you make along the way. Among that we have an adorable alien in the body a little girl, a soldier and Nate, who is as lost as every twenty-seven-years old is, trying to find himself and his place in the world. The three of them make for the most unconventional family there is, and they love each other immensely. Also, we have subjects as negligence, homophobia, misoginy, depression and other heavy stuff that blends with the hopeful message of the rest of the book.
    The plot is crazy and I mean that in the best of ways, you don't always know what's going to happen, and in those moments you do know, the writer has a nice pace that'll make you keep reading.