The Bones Beneath My Skin

Carol

A most wonderful book with so much heart

"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*** ["

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October 23, 2018 Verified Purchase

Belen

Recommended

"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. ["

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October 30, 2018 Verified Purchase

D J

A storyline of depth of love, kindness and human vulnerabilities. A Great READ!

"I have read everything this author has written and look forward to the next book in the pipeline. All of the author's work is exceptional in the depth and breadth of the storylines, and this book is not exception. The narrative is very realistic, the dialog between all of the characters is very impressively real and the storyline is crisp and clear...even though some of the goings on were not clear at all...more like mud for this reader. But having read all of the author's other literary works, I knew that all would be revealed at some point. I refuse to give you readers a inkling as to how the storyline moves, but I will tell you that it involves love, and kindness, and human vulnerabilities (physical, mental, and emotional) bind the three main characters together through the entire story. It is TJ Klune's best book that I have read, and I can honestly say that some of them have been "as weird" as this one, although I don't think any of them are "weird". But each book does make you think about issues and events that are not discussed or thought about very often, if at all. Read the book...enjoy! Reasons I enjoyed this book: 5 Stars out of 5 (Would give it a ten if I could do that!) Wonderful characters /Great world building /Unpredictable /Action-packed /Original /Page-turner /Entertaining /Romantic /Haunting ["

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March 10, 2026 Verified Purchase

Janice

A beautifully uplifting story of hope and redemption.

"The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune is a stand-alone novel completely unlike anything this author has written before. Set in 1995, it pays homage to much of the weirdness that was the mid-90s and the events that both defined and changed the world. It twists what was essentially a crazy, sometimes frightening period in history into the type of study of the times that we didn't even know we needed.... Nate Cartwright is a twenty-seven year old journalist who, having made a huge error of judgement, has been fired from his Washington DC newspaper. A promising career has ended, his parents are dead and his older brother wants nothing to do with him. Nate’s sole possessions are a truck his father left him and a cabin on a lake bequeathed by his mother. Some solitude at the cabin and the opportunity to regroup feel like his best option. The last thing Nate expects to find is two squatters hiding out. He has no idea who or what they are, warring with himself, and the mysterious ‘guests’, about how to proceed. Should he call the police? Should he trust his instincts? Can he trust anything they say? One thing’s for sure, Nate’s life has taken a very strange twist and solitude is the last thing he’s going to find. Alex Weir hasn’t had an easy life. Tragedy and a series of utterly unexpected events have changed him and his world view completely. Finding himself hiding out with Artemis Darth Vader, an extraordinary young girl with an unimaginable secret, Alex will stop at nothing to protect her. The unexpected arrival of Nate has the potential to be disastrous, or something else. Alex must learn to trust his instincts, and his heart, if he and his protectee have any hope of survival. The Bones Beneath My Skin takes the reader on a fast paced action adventure with three unforgettable MC’s. 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. TJ Klune had me on the edge of my seat throughout this novel, willing these three beautiful souls on to the HEA they so richly deserve. This author has such a gift for writing that he pulls you into the story within the first chapter and doesn’t let go until the very last page. His characters are multifaceted and the plot-line is never predictable, making for an extraordinary reading experience. This is a novel that will stay with me for a very long time and will no doubt be read again and again. Highly recommended. ["

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October 26, 2018 Verified Purchase

Craig Parsons

Worth a read, but a bit predictable

"True to form. The if you've fallen in love with Klune, he doesn't disappoint with this one. Sweet (slightly predictable), but well-written and a fun read. While his more sexually graphic books don't bother me, I appreciated the more subtle, slow burn romance that sits just beneath the surface of this story. ["

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February 3, 2026 Verified Purchase