#giovanni lawson

[honeysunspots]

“You were made to bring happiness. You are alive in ways we are not. You are soft and fragile. But you are complex and disturbing and sometimes foolishly brilliant.”

In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune

#in the lives of puppets #tj klune #victor lawson #HAP #rambo #giovanni lawson #collage #art #under the whispering door #the house in the cerulean sea #collage art #book art #fan art #klune #tjklune

[sharry-arry-odd]

"It feels like . . . a memory. Like something I've forgotten. What do you do if you've forgotten all you know?" Dad opened his eyes. He was silent for a moment, as if carefully choosing his words. "You start again from the beginning."

In The Lives of Puppets, by TJ Klune

#page 130 #in the lives of puppets #tj klune #t.j. klune #scifi #science fiction #sff #robot #hap #hysterically angry puppet #giovanni lawson #music #memory #feeling #starting over #quote #quotes #literature #book #booklr #reading

[literal-trash-book-club]

I got an arc of The Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune and I must say, this is the cozy fantasy I wanted from the author of House in the Cerulean Sea.

10/10

Someone please do fanart of our merry band when this hits the shelves

#the lives of puppets #tj klune #hysterically angry puppet #giovanni lawson #victor lawson

[azurejacques]

I loved in the lives of puppets so much, but I do just have thoughts! Like idve loved to have seen more development of their new home at the end, but also it wasn’t a bad length. I think the thing I’d really have liked to see would be a longer journey in the first half. What do they discover on their trek? More fleshing out of the world would be neat. More time for Hap and Victor to develop a relationship maybe? I’m not gonna say I dislike how it actually was written, I’m just musing. I do, however, quite like the way the ending leaves things open; especially since one of the big things Victor decided for himself is that he isn’t the savior of mankind or god or anything like that. We can assume they eventually start to engineer more humans, but he doesn’t make it his burden to remake humanity, he just focuses on being alive and with those he loves and being human and all that. Will he fall victim to the same mistakes as his blood before him? Maybe, maybe not, but he wants to be better than those that came before him. Alright I’m gonna end this tangent here. All in all, loved it, totally recommend it. Are there bits where I’m like “hmm idk if I love the pacing/plot choices here” but it’s not early enough to break my immersion.

Edit: I am once again shifting some opinions and I do actually agree that I would’ve liked to see more about what happened to like,,, all of robot society after the Big Ol’ Wipe, like I kind of went with the way it was written like sure but also like,,, a little more even just like thought on it from victor might’ve been nice? Like there are a lot of implications there and like he does weigh that decision like was that right of him to do, but I think it’d’ve been worth taking more time to explore.

#in the lives of puppets #tj klune #itlop #victor lawson #hap #hysterically angry puppet #nurse ratched #rambo #giovanni lawson #once again I offer you my followers a stream of thought text wall #I don’t expect it to do numbers like my house in the cerulean sea one did but I’m not aiming for that I’m just thinking out loud #victor being ace is such a great part of his character #sex is great and all but also just the sheer intimacy of touch like the love in every look they exchange I need it injected in my veins #i hope that wording didn’t come across weird

[torpublishinggroup]

This advertisement is for In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune. It’s a book that invites you deep into the heart of a peculiar forest and takes you on the extraordinary journey of a family assembled from spare parts.

The art featured in this image is by Rosiethorns88.

WHAT’S IT ABOUT

In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots—fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They’re a family, hidden and safe.

The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labeled “HAP,” he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio. When that past catches up and splits up the little family, Vic must decide for himself: Can he accept love with strings attached?

#in the lives of puppets #tj klune #rosiethorns88 #artwork #new books #tbr #sff #booklr #team robot

[mysteriouslybluepirate]

Queer Book Recommendations!!

I haven't really read a book book in years. Due to money problems and a lack of free time, audiobooks and AO3 were a MUCH cheaper option for me. But now that I'm struggling to fully read text posts on Tumblr I realize my attention span is shot. Reading novels is helping me tune out and focus in again. So I'm turning to queer novels written by my 'queer elders'.

For anyone who is struggling to get back into long form content after reading Fic for years, I highly recommend the books of TJ KLUNE (summaries of what I've read under the break).

If you are a fan of the 'escaping a shitty life and being welcomed into a found family' fanworks, this is the writer for you! All his stories center on home and feeling welcomed and loved. Of middle age and finding out who you are. Of finding love for others and yourself. He makes you hunger for that type of romantic and platonic love where people just know the real you. His stories also float by so quickly, there are so many things he does that I want to emulate his writing into my work.

Someone on Tumblr described the romances as: “what if a real life disney prince fell in love with the human equivalent of a wet paper bag?” and I agree 100%. All his protagonists are just like that, and I love them all.

(Also, this man definitely had an office job he hated, and writes office work culture as a death sentence in every one of his novels and I love it).

If you have any queer novels you love, don't be afraid to leave me a recommendation! (Especially WLW that isn't 'One Last Stop')

HAVE READ: The House in the Cerulean Sea : [An amazing love fantastical found family story (with a hint of romance)! I listened to the audiobook on Audible and absolutely loved it! I can't wait for the sequel coming out next year.]

Linus Baker is a lonely case worker for a governmental organization which manages orphaned kids who are magical beings.

One day, he's given a secret assignment to assess a special orphanage on the island of Marsyas, run by a man named Arthur Parnassus, who has secrets of his own. Among the six unique children living there, one of them is Lucy, short for Lucifer, who just happens to be the Antichrist.

Despite his initial reservations, as Linus's days pass in Marsyas, in this idyllic setting among a coterie of magical children, Linus finds himself coming across a little romance, an unlikely family and possibly even a home.

Currently Reading: Under the Whispering Door. [I know this is going to be heartbreaking, but I'm loving it, only on page 50/373. Will likely post something vague about how it made me cry lol]

When a reaper comes to collect Wallace Price from his own funeral, Wallace suspects he really might be dead.

Instead of leading him directly to the afterlife, the reaper takes him to a small village. On the outskirts, off the path through the woods, tucked between mountains, is a particular tea shop, run by a man named Hugo. Hugo is the tea shop's owner to locals and the ferryman to souls who need to cross over.

But Wallace isn't ready to abandon the life he barely lived. With Hugo's help, he finally starts to learn about all the things he missed in life.

When the Manager, a curious and powerful being, arrives at the tea shop and gives Wallace one week to cross over, Wallace sets about living a lifetime in seven days.

Planning on reading: In The Lives of Puppets(The book is on my shelf).

In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots—fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They’re a family, hidden and safe.

The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labelled “HAP,” he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio–a past spent hunting humans.

When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio’s former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. So together, the rest of Vic’s assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommission, or worse, reprogramming.

Along the way to save Gio, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap, Vic must decide for himself: Can he accept love with strings attached?

#They are utter delights #dont be surprised if my next long Izzy fic is inspired by 'under the whispering door' lol #Under the Whispering Door #The House in the Cerulean Sea #tj klune #Sometimes I just want to read a sweet queer love story with people older than 20 god damn it

[grandvhs]

lista de nomes masculinos que estava no meu bloco de notas e eu só lembrei agora

starting with A ;;

aaron.

adair.

adam.

aiden.

ajax.

alec.

alfie.

allistar.

anderson.

andrew.

andy.

angus.

antonio.

anthony.

archer.

archibald.

archie.

aries.

arlo.

arthur.

ashley.

ashton.

austen.

avery.

axel.

starting with B ;;

bailey.

beau.

beckham.

beckett.

bellamy.

benjamin.

bennett.

bentley.

blade.

blake.

blaine.

blaise.

blue.

bobbie.

bodhi.

brad.

brandon.

braxton.

brayden.

brent.

brett.

brock.

brody.

brooke.

bryson.

starting with C ;;

caleb.

callum.

calvin.

cameron.

carlisle.

carlos.

carson.

carter.

casey.

chad.

chandler.

charlie.

chase.

chaz.

christian.

christopher.

cody.

colby.

cole.

cooper.

colton.

connor.

conrad.

corbin.

corey.

starting with D ;;

dakota.

dallas.

damien.

damon.

dante.

darian.

darron.

darryl.

david.

dawson.

declan.

demetri.

dennison.

denver.

derek.

diego.

diesel.

dimitri.

dixon.

dominic.

donovan.

drake.

drew.

dustin.

dwayne.

starting with E ;;

eason.

eaton.

eddy.

edmund.

edward.

elijah.

elior.

ellias.

elliot.

ellis.

elyas.

ember.

emerson.

emery.

emilio.

emmett.

enzo.

eric.

ernie.

ethan.

ethaniel.

evan.

everett.

everson.

ezar.

starting with F ;;

fabio.

fallon.

farah.

felix.

fernando.

ferris.

felton.

finn.

finnegan.

finnick.

fitz.

fitzgerald.

fletcher.

floyd.

flynn.

foley.

forest.

francisco.

franco.

frankie.

franklin.

fraser.

frasier.

freddie.

fredrik.

starting with G ;;

gabe.

gabriel.

gale.

gallagher.

garcia.

gareth.

garrett.

gary.

gavin.

gene.

george.

gerard.

gilbert.

giovanni.

glenn.

gordon.

grady.

graeme.

grant.

greggory.

gregor.

greyson.

griffin.

gus.

guy.

starting with H ;;

hadley.

hale.

haley.

hamilton.

hamish.

hansel.

harley.

harris.

harrison.

harry.

harvey.

haven.

hayes.

heath.

hector.

hendrix.

henrik.

henry.

holton.

howard.

hudson.

hugh.

hugo.

hunter.

hyde.

starting with I ;;

ian.

ibrahim.

icarius.

idris.

igor.

iman.

immanuel.

imran.

indi.

indiana.

indigo.

indra.

inrique.

irwin.

isaak.

isaiah.

isaias.

ishmael.

isobell.

israel.

ivan.

ivey.

ivor.

ivory.

izzy.

starting with J ;;

jack.

jacob.

jagger.

jai.

james.

jamie.

jason.

jaspar.

jaxon.

jaydon.

jed.

jeremy.

jesse.

jett.

joel.

jameson.

jonathon.

jordan.

jose.

joseph.

joshua.

jude.

julian.

junior.

justin.

starting with K ;;

kade.

kai.

kalen.

kameron.

kane.

kasey.

kayden.

keaton.

keegan.

keenan.

kellan.

kendall.

kendrick.

kevin.

khalil.

kian.

kiefer.

kieran.

kingsley.

kingston.

klaus.

kohen.

konrad.

kristoff.

kyle.

starting with L ;;

lachlan.

lamar.

lambert.

lance.

landon.

langston.

lawrence.

lawson.

leeroy.

lennon.

leo.

leonardo.

levi.

lewis.

liam.

lincoln.

lionel.

logan.

lorenzo.

louis.

luca.

lucas.

lucky.

lucis.

luke.

starting with M ;;

mackenzie.

madden.

maddox.

malaki.

malcolm.

manuel.

marco.

marcus.

marley.

marshall.

martin.

mason.

matteo.

matthew.

max.

micah.

michael.

miguel.

mike.

miles.

miller.

milo.

mitchell.

morgan.

moses

starting with N ;;

nadir.

naiser.

nasir.

nate.

nathan.

nathaniel.

naveen.

naydon.

ned.

nico.

neil.

nelson.

nero.

nicholai.

nicholas.

nila.

niles.

nixon.

noah.

noel.

nolan.

norman.

north.

nylan.

nyle.

starting with O ;;

oakley.

ocean.

octavius.

odell.

olaf.

oliver.

ollie.

omar.

omari.

orion.

orlando.

osborn.

oscar.

o’shea.

osten.

oswald.

otis.

otto.

owen.

oxley.

starting with P ;;

pablo.

page.

palmer.

parker.

parrish.

patrick.

paul.

paulo.

pax.

paxton.

payton.

penn.

percy.

perry.

peter.

phineas.

phoenix.

pierce.

pierre.

prescott.

presley.

preston.

prince.

princeton.

puck.

starting with Q ;;

qadim.

qadir.

quain.

quenby.

quill.

quimby.

quincy.

quinn.

quinten.

starting with R ;;

randy.

raymond.

reese.

reid.

remy.

reuben.

rhett.

rhys.

richard.

richie.

ricky.

riley.

robert.

robin.

roger.

roman.

romeo.

ronan.

ronnie.

ross.

rowen.

ryan.

ryder.

ryker.

rylan.

starting with S ;;

sage.

sailor.

salem.

samson.

samuel.

sascha.

sawyer.

saxon.

scott.

sean.

sebastian.

seth.

shane.

shiloh.

simon.

sinclair.

skyler.

sonny.

spencer.

stanley.

stefan.

steven.

stevie.

storm.

sullivan.

starting with T ;;

tamir.

tanner.

tate/tait.

tatum.

taylor.

teddy.

theo.

thomas.

timothy.

tobias.

toby.

todd.

tommy.

tory.

trace.

travis.

trent.

trevor.

trey.

tristan.

troye.

tucker.

tyler.

tyrone.

tyson.

starting with U ;;

umair.

umar.

urien.

usama.

starting with V ;;

valentine.

valentino.

vance.

vaughn.

victor.

vincent.

vinn.

vinnie.

vladimir.

starting with W ;;

wade.

walden.

wallace.

walter.

warner.

warren.

warrick.

waylan.

wayne.

wendall.

wes.

wesley.

west.

whitley.

wilbert.

william.

willis.

wilmer.

windsor.

winslow.

winston.

wolf.

wren.

wyatt.

wynter.

starting with X ;;

xachary.

xan.

xander.

xavier.

xeno.

ximen.

xylon.

starting with Y ;;

yahto.

yakub.

yasin.

yasi.

york.

ysrael.

yuri.

yusef.

starting with Z ;;

zachary.

zahir.

zander.

zane.

zavier.

zed.

zeke.

zion.

zolten.

#name ideas #male names #nomes masculinos #rpg #prompt #writing help #list

[paperbackd]

Book review: In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune

Klune is the king of ‘comfy’ queer fantasy and this might just be his best work yet. Set in the far distant future, In the Lives of Puppets follows Vic Lawson, son of Giovanni Lawson, a reclusive inventor. Together with a sadistic medical machine and an anxiety-riddled roaming vaccuum they live deep in the forest, in complete isolation from the outside world. But when Vic rescues a mysterious andriod named HAP from the scrapheap, dark secrets from his father’s past come to light.

‘Scifi Pinocchio retelling’ is a great enough concept, but Klune delivers an even greater twist - the android inventor’s son, Vic, is already a real boy. In fact, he’s the only human in the forest. Vic knows that he isn’t the same - mentally or physically - as his android family, and he struggles to understand and accept his place in a world of machines. Klune writes Vic’s character arc so beautifully and with such kindness, and I’m absolutely in love with the found family Vic creates for himself.

I knew to expect good queer representation from Klune, but I was pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of an asexual protagonist. Vic’s asexuality is even more meaningful considering that he’s the only human member of his family - a clever inversion of the outdated and insulting asexual robot trope. Vic’s asexuality also leads to worthwhile conversations surrounding consent and healthy communication as he develops romantic feelings for HAP. Best of all, Vic’s robot family are 100% supportive towards Victor and his identity is never treated as something strange or unnatural.

If I have one critique of In the Lives of Puppets, it’s that it did seem unnecessarily long. Not that I particularly minded spending extra time with these characters, but there were a few points where I felt that the plot was dragging.

That’s a minor issue though, given how much I genuinely loved the heartwarming, cozy vibes of this book. Equally heartwarming and hilarious, It’s the perfect rainy day read.

Many thanks to Tor Books for providing a review copy. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Publisher: Tor Books Rating:  4 stars | ★★★★✰ Review cross-posted to Goodreads

#book review #in the lives of puppets #booklr #the house in the cerulean sea #tj klune #r: tj klune #genre: scifi #genre: retelling #genre: lgbtq #4 stars

[readerbookclub]

Hello everyone, I finally have a new book list! So sorry this is so late, I've started uni again this month, and things were a bit hectic. Anyway, this theme has been requested for a while, so I hope you enjoy!

As always, please vote for your favourite book using the link at the end of the post :)

Still Life, by Sarah Winman

Tuscany, 1944: As Allied troops advance and bombs fall around deserted villages, a young English soldier, Ulysses Temper, finds himself in the wine cellar of a deserted villa. There, he has a chance encounter with Evelyn Skinner, a middle-aged art historian who has come to Italy to salvage paintings from the ruins and recall long-forgotten memories of her own youth. In each other, Ulysses and Evelyn find a kindred spirit amongst the rubble of war-torn Italy, and set off on a course of events that will shape Ulysses's life for the next four decades.

As Ulysses returns home to London, reimmersing himself in his crew at The Stoat and Parrot -- a motley mix of pub crawlers and eccentrics -- he carries his time in Italy with him. And when an unexpected inheritance brings him back to where it all began, Ulysses knows better than to tempt fate, and returns to the Tuscan hills.

With beautiful prose, extraordinary tenderness, and bursts of humor and light, Still Life is a sweeping portrait of unforgettable individuals who come together to make a family, and a richly drawn celebration of beauty and love in all its forms.

The Bone Maker, Sarah Beth Durst

Twenty-five years ago, five heroes risked their lives to defeat the bone maker Eklor—a corrupt magician who created an inhuman army using animal bones. But victory came at a tragic price. Only four of the heroes survived. 

Since then, Kreya, the group’s leader, has exiled herself to a remote tower and devoted herself to one purpose: resurrecting her dead husband. But such a task requires both a cache of human bones and a sacrifice—for each day he lives, she will live one less.

She’d rather live one year with her husband than a hundred without him, but using human bones for magic is illegal in Vos. The dead are burned—as are any bone workers who violate the law. Yet Kreya knows where she can find the bones she needs: the battlefield where her husband and countless others lost their lives.

But defying the laws of the land exposes a terrible possibility. Maybe the dead don’t rest in peace after all.  

Five warriors—one broken, one gone soft, one pursuing a simple life, one stuck in the past, and one who should be dead. Their story should have been finished. But evil doesn’t stop just because someone once said, “the end.”

In the Lives of Puppets, by T. J. Klune

In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots--fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They're a family, hidden and safe.

The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labelled "HAP," he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio-a past spent hunting humans.

When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio's former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. So together, the rest of Vic's assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommission, or worse, reprogramming.

Along the way to save Gio, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap, Vic must decide for himself: Can he accept love with strings attached?

Author TJ Klune invites you deep into the heart of a peculiar forest and on the extraordinary journey of a family assembled from spare parts.

Empress of Forever, by Max Gladstone

A feminist Guardians of the Galaxy—a smart, swashbuckling, wildly imaginative adventure of a rag-tag team of brilliant misfits, dangerous renegades, and enhanced outlaws in a war-torn future.

A wildly successful innovator to rival Steve Jobs or Elon Musk, Vivian Liao is prone to radical thinking, quick decision-making, and reckless action. On the eve of her greatest achievement, she's trying to outrun those who are trying to steal her success.

In the chilly darkness of a Boston server farm, Viv sets her ultimate plan into motion. A terrifying instant later, Vivian Liao is catapulted through space and time to a far future where she confronts a destiny stranger and more deadly than she could ever imagine.

The end of time is ruled by an ancient, powerful Empress who blesses or blasts entire planets with a single thought. Rebellion is literally impossible to consider--until Vivian arrives. Trapped between the Pride, a ravening horde of sentient machines, and a fanatical sect of warrior monks who call themselves the Mirrorfaith, Viv must rally a strange group of allies to confront the Empress and find a way back to the world and life she left behind.

A magnificent work of vivid imagination and universe-spanning action, Empress of Forever is a feminist Guardians of the Galaxy crossed with Star Wars and spiced with the sensibility and spirit of Iain M. Banks and William Gibson.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, by Sangu Mandanna

A warm and uplifting novel about an isolated witch whose opportunity to embrace a quirky new family--and a new love--changes the course of her life.

As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don't mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she's used to being alone and she follows the rules...with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos pretending to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.

But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and...Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he's concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.

As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn't the only danger in the world, and when a threat comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn't know she was looking for....

Please vote using this link.

[mercerislandbooks]

Book Notes: In the Lives of Puppets

Those of you who have had the pleasure of coming to our bookstore in person may have noticed squares of cream-colored cardstock crammed full of scribbled writing, fluttering about on the shelves and attached to books via bright orange strings. These are our recommendation cards. When we love a book so much that we need everyone to know about it, we write a recommendation card. This is what happened when I finished Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune, shortly followed by The House in the Cerulean Sea, both of which became two of my favorite reads from 2022. As his new book draws close to its release day (Tuesday, April 25), I knew I had to share what a delight it was with all of you.

In the Lives of Puppets is a futuristic Pinocchio retelling with robots. One of the things I love most about TJ Klune's adult novels is the eclectic mix of characters finding a home and a family in one another, characters who are real and quirky and heartfelt. In the Lives of Puppets is no different.

There is a house in the woods. In this house lives a family. An odd, pieced together sort of family, but a family nonetheless. Giovanni Lawson, inventor and android. Nurse Ratched, a caring nurse robot with a sadistic streak. Rambo, a small vacuum full of love and in need of attention. And Victor Lawson, Giovanni's human son. Their life in the woods is small, but good. Giovanni tinkers while Victor leads Nurse Ratched and Rambo on hunts through the Scrap Yards. It is on one of these hunts that they find HAP, an android in terrible condition. When Victor brings HAP home to be fixed up, he unknowingly kick-starts a chain of events that will dredge up Giovanni's dark past and lead to the destruction of their small world as he knows it. Populated with quirky characters and small kindnesses, this book left me itching to dive back into a reread.

With all of the important hallmarks of a proper Pinocchio retelling—the Blue Fairy, a circus (of sorts), a great big whale, and, of course, a wooden puppet—this book was both not what I was expecting and more. A warm hug in trying times, it is full of compassion, understanding, and forgiveness (while often being hilariously irreverent). In the Lives of Puppets comes out on April 25, 2023 and is available to preorder here. TJ Klune's other books are also available in paperback and are just as delightful. We will have copies of In the Lives of Puppets on its release day, and you can expect a recommendation card to show up shortly after. Happy reading!

—Becca

#island books #becca oman #tj klune #in the lives of puppets #under the whispering door #the house in the cerulean sea #pinocchio #booknotes

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 5/5

Book Blurb: In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots—fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They’re a family, hidden and safe. The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labelled “HAP,” he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio–a past spent hunting humans. When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio’s former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. So together, the rest of Vic’s assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommission, or worse, reprogramming. Along the way to save Gio, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap, Vic must decide for himself: Can he accept love with strings attached? Inspired by Carlo Collodi's The Adventures of Pinocchio, and like Swiss Family Robinson meets Wall-E, In the Lives of Puppets is a masterful stand-alone fantasy adventure from the beloved author who brought you The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door.

Review:

Wall-E meets The Adventures of Pinnochio with a touch of Swiss Family Robinson in this story about the last human on earth and his makeshift family consisting of a sadistic nurse macine, a neurotic vacuum, a robot father, and a new mysterious android labeled HAP. Victor Lawson is the last human on earth, he is the son of Gio Lawson, a robot who has raised him. Victor loves repairing things and when he discovers and repairs an unfamiliar android labelled “ HAP” he soon discovers what his father has been hiding from him this entire time: that Gio was tasked with creating machines... and that Hap was one of them... and he was programmed to hunt and kill humans. Yet Hap has no memories of his past and now he is something new When Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams and Victor must stay hidden or else the other robots will kill him. Victor now must go on a journey with his family and new android in order to save Gio while discovering what it means to love and if he can love someone who could betray him. This was the most adorable, sweet, and fun story ever. I adored Nurse Ratched (nurse machine) and Rambo (vacuum) so much, they were such a fun pair to read about. The story itself was sweet and such a gorgeous read. The romance was light and the story also really focused in on the love we have for our family. it honestly was such a touching read and I would definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a fun read with a funny and quirky cast of characters who go on an adventure!

*Thanks Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group, Tor Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

#book review #bookish #tj klune #lgbtq reads #lgbtq books

[wolfythoughts]

Book Review: In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune

A science fantasy reimagining of Pinocchio where Pinocchio is a “real boy” surrounded by robots (puppets) with a m/m (or, rather, male, male robot) romance added in. Summary:In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots–fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention.…

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#Book #book review #fairy tale retelling #fantasy #in the lives of puppets #las vegas #lgbt #m/m #pacific northwest #pinocchio #Review #robots #sad reads #science fantasy #scifi #t.j. klune

[sharry-arry-odd]

Sometimes, it's the smallest things that can change everything when you least expect it.

In The Lives of Puppets, by TJ Klune

#page 20 #in the lives of puppets #tj klune #t.j. klune #scifi #science fiction #sff #robot #giovanni lawson #change #love #meaning #simplicity #quote #quotes #literature #book #booklr #reading

[rockislandadultreads]

Hot Summer Reads: Fiction Recommendations

In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune

In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots--fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They're a family, hidden and safe.

The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labelled "HAP," he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio-a past spent hunting humans.

When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio's former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. So together, the rest of Vic's assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommission, or worse, reprogramming.

Along the way to save Gio, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap, Vic must decide for himself: Can he accept love with strings attached?

Rogue Justice by Stacey Abrams 

Avery Keene is back, trying to get her feet on solid ground after unraveling a conspiracy that took down the President of the United States in While Justice Sleeps. But as the sparks of impeachment hearings and political skirmishes swirl around her, Avery is approached at a legal conference by Preston Davies, an unassuming young man and fellow law clerk to a federal judge in Idaho. Davies believes his boss, Judge Francesca Whitner, was being blackmailed in the days before she recently took her own life, and he gives Avery a file, a burner phone, and a fearful warning that there are highly dangerous people involved. Moments later, Avery is shocked when she witnesses Davies being murdered.

After breaking the encrypted file Davies gave to her, Avery reveals a list of names--all federal judges--and, alarmingly, all judges on the FISA Court (the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court), also known as America's secret court. It is this body that grants permission to the government to wiretap American individuals or corporations suspected of terrorism. Avery knows Judge Whitner had been extorted, but as she investigates the names and cases associated with other judges on the list she begins to see a frightening pattern--and she worries that something far more sinister may be unfolding.

This is the second volume in the “Avery Keene” series.

The Nigerwife by Vanessa Walters 

Nicole Oruwari has the perfect life: a handsome husband, a palatial house in the heart of glittering Lagos, Nigeria, and a glamorous group of friends. She left gloomy London and a dark family past behind for sunny, moneyed Lagos, becoming part of the Nigerwives—a community of foreign women married to wealthy Nigerian men.

But when Nicole disappears without a trace after a boat trip, the cracks in her so-called perfect life start to show. As the investigation turns up nothing but dead ends, her Auntie Claudine decides to take matters into her own hands. Armed with only a cell phone and a plane ticket to Nigeria, she digs into her niece’s life and uncovers a hidden side filled with dark secrets, isolation, and even violence. But the more she discovers about her niece, the more Claudine’s own buried history threatens to come to light.

The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane

Malcolm Gephardt, handsome and gregarious longtime bartender at the Half Moon, has always dreamed of owning a bar. When his boss finally retires, Malcolm stretches to buy the place. He sees unquantifiable magic and potential in the Half Moon and hopes to transform it into a bigger success, but struggles to stay afloat.

His smart and confident wife, Jess, has devoted herself to her law career. After years of trying for a baby, she is facing the idea that motherhood may not be in the cards for her. Like Malcolm, she feels her youth beginning to slip away and wonders how to reshape her future.

Award-winning author Mary Beth Keane’s new novel takes place over the course of one week when Malcolm learns shocking news about Jess, a patron of the bar goes missing, and a blizzard hits the town of Gillam, trapping everyone in place. With a deft eye and generous spirit, Keane explores the disappointments and unexpected consolations of midlife, the many forms forgiveness can take, the complicated intimacy of small-town living, and what it means to be a family.

#new fiction #fiction #summer reading #new library books #Popular Books #popular titles #popular reads #Library Books #Book Recommendations #book recs #Reading Recs #reading recommendations #TBR pile #tbr #tbrpile #to read #Want To Read #Booklr #book tumblr #book blog #library blog

[whimsicaldragonette]

ARC DNF Review: In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune

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Publication Date: April 25, 2023

Synopsis:

In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots--fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They're a family, hidden and safe. The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labelled "HAP," he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio-a past spent hunting humans. When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio's former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. So together, the rest of Vic's assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommission, or worse, reprogramming. Along the way to save Gio, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap, Vic must decide for himself: Can he accept love with strings attached? Author TJ Klune invites you deep into the heart of a peculiar forest and on the extraordinary journey of a family assembled from spare parts.

My Rating: ★★

*My Review below the cut

My Review:

This was a miss for me. I was wondering at 5% if I should DNF because I was bored, didn't care about the story, and found the too-quirky characters to be incredibly annoying (especially the middle-school bathroom humor that undercut every interaction). I was wondering the same thing at 12%. At 35% I realized I still felt exactly the same about it and decided to cut my losses and say that this book isn't for me. Part if it may have been the narrator, as the voices he chose for each character tended toward the whiny and irritating. He also tended to overdo the drama. He also voices Vic very young, and he is written very young, and I have to keep reminding myself that it says in the text he's 21 because he seems about 14. It's disappointing because I think I *could* have loved Rambo and Nurse Ratched if there hadn't been quite so much middle-school bathroom humor in their every scene. And they had a lot of scenes. I actually still don't have a very good sense of Vic, and he's the main character. But his extremely quirky robot companions get most of the lines and page time which is weird. I read through the big twist / reveal and I think it was supposed to be heartbreaking, but I didn't really feel anything? I didn't feel Gio was there enough as a character to make me care about what happened to him. Which is the same thing I feel about Vic, now that I'm thinking about it. Since my feelings about the story haven't changed from 5% to 35% I think I can safely say that they aren't going to and it's just not for me. *Thanks to NetGalley, Tor/Forge, and Macmillan Audio for providing an early copy for review.

#netgalley #shilo reads #arc review #arc dnf review

[torpublishinggroup]

This advertisement is for In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune. It’s a book that invites you deep into the heart of a peculiar forest and takes you on the extraordinary journey of a family assembled from spare parts.

WHAT’S IT ABOUT

In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots—fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They’re a family, hidden and safe.

The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labeled “HAP,” he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio. When that past catches up and splits up the little family, Vic must decide for himself: Can he accept love with strings attached?

#tor books #in the lives of puppets #tj klune #new books #sff #tbr #booklr #team robot