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BLOG TOUR: The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune

Published February 6th, 2025 by Tor
Science Fiction, Contemporary Fantasy, Gay Ficiton, Paranormal Fantasy

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for this heartwarming and extraodrinary story. Thank you to Stephen at Black Crow PR for inviting me to take part and to Tor for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘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.

**ALL first edition hardback copies feature delightful designed sprayed edges – available while stock lasts**


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 book for every reader.

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“I didn’t get that. Not before. I don’t think any of us did. Not until they felt a heart beating in a chest like I have. Not until I felt 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 .”

Witty, weird and wonderful, The Bones Beneath My Skin is another hit from master storyteller TJ Klune. It is a story of a strange and extraordinary little girl and her two unlikely protectors, following them as they embark on an action-packed road trip to safety. A story of found family, love, hope and what it means to be human, this book warmed me from the inside and I devoured it in under a day. I’ll admit, I’m not usually a sci-fi girlie, but I know I’ve loved everything I’d read so far by Mr. Klune so I decided to give it a chance. And I’m glad I did. This story is truly original and like nothing I’ve read before. It has a bit of everything: romance, mystery, sci-fi, fantasy and coming-of-age saga, all perfectly blended together to create a compelling tale that kept me on the edge of my seat. 

The story starts in March, 1995. Nate Cartwright’s life is a mess. His parents just died and he’s been fired. So he decides to spend the summer in the secluded cabin in the woods that his parents left him, hoping it will help him find a new direction in life. But when he arrives the cabin isn’t empty. Instead he’s confronted by a man with a gun and a little girl who says her name is Artemis Darth Vader. But Art is no ordinary little girl. She is special, strange and endearing, while Alex is standoffish and overprotective. But over time Alex and Nate bond. And when the people Alex is trying to protect Art from track them down, Nate decides to flee with them on a road-trip fraught with danger and an unknown destination.

The three main characters are richly drawn, fascinating and unforgettable. Nate is the ‘everyman’ who most of us will find easiest to relate to, but I loved reading gruff Alex and quirky Art, too. I had a particular soft spot for Art and loved this astonishing young girl. I liked that even though the three of them are so different they come together to create a heartwarming found family that anyone would love to be part of (minus the gun-wielding men chasing them) and I was rooting for them to get Art to safety. 

A remarkable and moving story for anyone who has ever felt like they don’t belong, I highly recommend this book. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

TJ KLUNE is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling, Lambda Literary Award-winning author of The House in the Cerulean SeaThe Extraordinaries, and more. Being queer himself, Klune believes it’s important—now more than ever—to have accurate, positive queer representation in stories.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*these are affiliate links

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Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

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