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We Burned So Bright
Husbands Don and Rodney have lived a good long life. Together they’ve experienced the highest highs of love and family, and lows so low that they felt like the end of the world.
Now, the world is ending for real. A wandering blackhole is coming for Earth and in a month everything and everyone they’ve ever known will be gone.
Suddenly, after 40 years together, Don and Rodney are out of time. They’re in a race against the clock to make it from Maine to Washington State to take care of some unfinished business before it’s all over.
On the road they meet those who refuse to believe death is coming and those who rush to meet it. But there are also people living their final days as best they know how–impromptu weddings, bright burning bonfires, shared meals, new friends.
And as the blackhole draws near, among ball lightning and under a cracked moon in a kaleidoscope sky, Don and Rodney will look back on their lives and ask if their best was good enough.
Is it enough to burn bright if nothing comes from the ashes?
Now, the world is ending for real. A wandering blackhole is coming for Earth and in a month everything and everyone they’ve ever known will be gone.
Suddenly, after 40 years together, Don and Rodney are out of time. They’re in a race against the clock to make it from Maine to Washington State to take care of some unfinished business before it’s all over.
On the road they meet those who refuse to believe death is coming and those who rush to meet it. But there are also people living their final days as best they know how–impromptu weddings, bright burning bonfires, shared meals, new friends.
And as the blackhole draws near, among ball lightning and under a cracked moon in a kaleidoscope sky, Don and Rodney will look back on their lives and ask if their best was good enough.
Is it enough to burn bright if nothing comes from the ashes?
6 pages, Audiobook
First published April 28, 2026
1760 people are currently reading
70619 people want to read
About the author
T.J. Klune
70 books63.9k followersTJ KLUNE is a Lambda Literary Award-winning author (Into This River I Drown) and an ex-claims examiner for an insurance company. His novels include The House in the Cerulean Sea and The Extraordinaries. Being queer himself, TJ believes it's important—now more than ever—to have accurate, positive, queer representation in stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,495 reviews
May 1, 2026
4.5! Rodney & Don are on an end of the world cross country road trip because a black hole is days away from swallowing the earth whole. We don’t find out the full reason of “why” they’re on the trip until the last chapter (which will ~fyi~ physically rip your heart out of your chest) and we follow their race against the clock journey and alllll of the characters they meet along the way. 180 pages of perfection
May 10, 2026
This is one of those rare books that leave you utterly speechless — the kind that makes you exhale a long, trembling sigh, your gut wrenched, your eyes burning with tears. You sit there, staring at the wall, unable to move or even find words because they’re all lodged somewhere deep in your throat. I truly loved this book as much as it hurt me. It’s devastating, poetic, and breathtaking all at once — an epic romance at the end of the world, where love becomes both a compass and a curse.
The story follows Don and Rodney, two men who have spent forty years together, surviving a lifetime of battles — from social stigma and political pressure to the loss of dear friends during the HIV crisis. Rodney, the tougher and more analytical one, and Don, the sentimental and outgoing half of their pair, have built a life defined by love and endurance. Now, in their mid-seventies, they face the one obstacle no one can overcome: the end of everything. A black hole is approaching Earth. Humanity has only weeks left.
Instead of waiting for the inevitable in the quiet safety of their home, Don and Rodney decide to hit the road in their battered old RV — a vehicle that’s seen better days but still carries decades of memories. Their mission? To fulfill one last promise. But what exactly are they searching for — a person, a destination, a final act of love? The answer unfolds slowly, and the mystery surrounding their journey makes every mile feel achingly precious.
This isn’t a fast read — nor should it be. Every chapter deserves to be savored, every encounter lingered on. Don and Rodney meet strangers along their road to nowhere: a pregnant woman clinging to hope, a young girl who’s lost her first love in a massacre, a queer couple trying to survive in chaos, violent souls lashing out in despair. Each story adds another layer of heartbreak and humanity. And then there’s Jeremy — his part of the book completely shattered me. I screamed, I cried, I sat in silence. The encounter with Amelia filled me with unbearable tension and sorrow, amplifying the emotional gravity of their already haunting journey.
By the time I turned the last page, I knew — without hesitation — this book deserved five blazing, end-of-the-world stars.
It’s tragic yet tender, reflective yet raw — a meditation on love, mortality, and what it means to hold onto someone when the universe itself is falling apart. Get ready for a good, ugly cry. Keep a mountain of tissues nearby. This novel will break your heart open, but it will also remind you how beautifully fragile being human truly is.
Overall:
Powerful. Sentimental. Unforgettable. A masterpiece of love, loss, and the quiet bravery of choosing to live — even when the world is ending.
A huge thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for providing this ARC of such a deeply emotional and soul-stirring novel by one of my favorite authors, in exchange for my honest review.
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The story follows Don and Rodney, two men who have spent forty years together, surviving a lifetime of battles — from social stigma and political pressure to the loss of dear friends during the HIV crisis. Rodney, the tougher and more analytical one, and Don, the sentimental and outgoing half of their pair, have built a life defined by love and endurance. Now, in their mid-seventies, they face the one obstacle no one can overcome: the end of everything. A black hole is approaching Earth. Humanity has only weeks left.
Instead of waiting for the inevitable in the quiet safety of their home, Don and Rodney decide to hit the road in their battered old RV — a vehicle that’s seen better days but still carries decades of memories. Their mission? To fulfill one last promise. But what exactly are they searching for — a person, a destination, a final act of love? The answer unfolds slowly, and the mystery surrounding their journey makes every mile feel achingly precious.
This isn’t a fast read — nor should it be. Every chapter deserves to be savored, every encounter lingered on. Don and Rodney meet strangers along their road to nowhere: a pregnant woman clinging to hope, a young girl who’s lost her first love in a massacre, a queer couple trying to survive in chaos, violent souls lashing out in despair. Each story adds another layer of heartbreak and humanity. And then there’s Jeremy — his part of the book completely shattered me. I screamed, I cried, I sat in silence. The encounter with Amelia filled me with unbearable tension and sorrow, amplifying the emotional gravity of their already haunting journey.
By the time I turned the last page, I knew — without hesitation — this book deserved five blazing, end-of-the-world stars.
It’s tragic yet tender, reflective yet raw — a meditation on love, mortality, and what it means to hold onto someone when the universe itself is falling apart. Get ready for a good, ugly cry. Keep a mountain of tissues nearby. This novel will break your heart open, but it will also remind you how beautifully fragile being human truly is.
Overall:
Powerful. Sentimental. Unforgettable. A masterpiece of love, loss, and the quiet bravery of choosing to live — even when the world is ending.
A huge thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for providing this ARC of such a deeply emotional and soul-stirring novel by one of my favorite authors, in exchange for my honest review.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The BIGGEST thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an ALC of We Burned So Bright by TJ Klune
Easiest 6🌟 ever!
Id read Mr. Klune in a crowded room, Id read Mr. Klune alone on the moon and honestly at this point I would clear my schedule to read this man's first book report. After the way The House in the Cerulean Sea books had my heart and soul in a chokehold, the nanosecond I saw this brilliant man had another book out my thumb did a swan dive to the request button.
I really wish the way this man sees the world could be bottled and sold. There's just something about his books. They make you feel this type of raw emotion you thought you'd never be able to feel again once puberty hit and life started "lifing".... Like being held against a giant comfort bosom..Even while reading a book about really hard topics such as addiction, grief, and, ooh I don't know, the legitimate world ending! There's this level of peace ,serenity, and comfort in the way he writes. As if there's the smallest chance that everything in life might be OK after all.
Needless to say I absolutely loved it here! I was crying by 15%, my heart swelled by the end of the first sentence, and by the last word I was left speechless. AKA the standard TJ Klune experience.
I know there is an army of people that seem to enjoy making his books political. May y'all find the therapist who loves a good challenge that you so desperately need. I'm sorry (I'm never that sorry) but the world has enough ugly where we don't need to go looking for it. Just accept the pockets of peace we're given.
*ADHD side note, the narrator was absolutely perfect for this!
Until next time,
Hades
🩵
Easiest 6🌟 ever!
Id read Mr. Klune in a crowded room, Id read Mr. Klune alone on the moon and honestly at this point I would clear my schedule to read this man's first book report. After the way The House in the Cerulean Sea books had my heart and soul in a chokehold, the nanosecond I saw this brilliant man had another book out my thumb did a swan dive to the request button.
I really wish the way this man sees the world could be bottled and sold. There's just something about his books. They make you feel this type of raw emotion you thought you'd never be able to feel again once puberty hit and life started "lifing".... Like being held against a giant comfort bosom..Even while reading a book about really hard topics such as addiction, grief, and, ooh I don't know, the legitimate world ending! There's this level of peace ,serenity, and comfort in the way he writes. As if there's the smallest chance that everything in life might be OK after all.
Needless to say I absolutely loved it here! I was crying by 15%, my heart swelled by the end of the first sentence, and by the last word I was left speechless. AKA the standard TJ Klune experience.
I know there is an army of people that seem to enjoy making his books political. May y'all find the therapist who loves a good challenge that you so desperately need. I'm sorry (I'm never that sorry) but the world has enough ugly where we don't need to go looking for it. Just accept the pockets of peace we're given.
*ADHD side note, the narrator was absolutely perfect for this!
Until next time,
Hades
🩵
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2026
4.5 stars rounded up💔💔
Did I finish this book in less than 4 hours ? Yes I did because when I started, I simply could not stop🤧
This story follows an elderly gay couple on a journey to a specific destination because the world is ending in 30 days. On the way they meet people from all walks of life with different stories and different ways of viewing and reacting to the end of the world. This was just simply beautiful, slightly preachy at times, but poignant and impactful nonetheless.
I spent the entirety of the final 10% sniffling and crying🤧 The ending, while somewhat predictable because of the whole premise, was still an emotional gut punch💔
I think anyone can resonate with this book; gay, straight, single, married, with children or without and everything in between. You were so wrong TJ, this book was for all of us and not just you❤️🩹
_____________________________________________________
pre-read:
TJ said that he wrote this book for him and he feels like many readers probably won't like it. I think TJ really underestimates how much his readers love his quirky brain💔
Did I finish this book in less than 4 hours ? Yes I did because when I started, I simply could not stop🤧
This story follows an elderly gay couple on a journey to a specific destination because the world is ending in 30 days. On the way they meet people from all walks of life with different stories and different ways of viewing and reacting to the end of the world. This was just simply beautiful, slightly preachy at times, but poignant and impactful nonetheless.
I spent the entirety of the final 10% sniffling and crying🤧 The ending, while somewhat predictable because of the whole premise, was still an emotional gut punch💔
I think anyone can resonate with this book; gay, straight, single, married, with children or without and everything in between. You were so wrong TJ, this book was for all of us and not just you❤️🩹
_____________________________________________________
pre-read:
TJ said that he wrote this book for him and he feels like many readers probably won't like it. I think TJ really underestimates how much his readers love his quirky brain💔
May 9, 2026
Most of this book is made up of monologues on the meaning of life when unfortunately, all I wanted to read about was the black hole
April 30, 2026
TJ Klune is at his best when he has the space to reflect on humanity and what it means to be human. Paired with his signature voice, it really lands here. This one isn’t as whimsical as his usual work, but it still leaves you with that expansive, almost infinite feeling.
It’s a quiet, powerful exploration of grief told through small, meaningful connections at the end of the world. The pacing is phenomenal. I haven’t been this captivated in a long time, and at just 176 pages, it delivers a surprisingly tight emotional punch.
I’d recommend this to anyone. Truly a beautiful story.
It’s a quiet, powerful exploration of grief told through small, meaningful connections at the end of the world. The pacing is phenomenal. I haven’t been this captivated in a long time, and at just 176 pages, it delivers a surprisingly tight emotional punch.
I’d recommend this to anyone. Truly a beautiful story.
May 4, 2026
I've lost count of how many times this week this popped up on my feed in here...So I grabbed it..Not going to lie I had feelings of trepidation tiptoeing into this one, but I sat down, opened it up, and the rest is history, I got pulled on an emotional journey which had tears falling at the end.
What was surprising about this, is usually this genre which is one I jump on obsessively, authors usually throw the dark side of the end of the world at us, whereas this one moved gently with sprinkles of confetti thrown haphazardly, you weren't really thrown into the thick of things. There were off handed comments about what was happening in the cities, and some unnerving encounters with others along their journey, and with those came a few alarming situations.
Such a unique book, I can’t compare it to anything, the people they met along the way to their final destination resting point, which seemed fitting and perfectly executed, a profoundly emotional journey towards that point.
What was surprising about this, is usually this genre which is one I jump on obsessively, authors usually throw the dark side of the end of the world at us, whereas this one moved gently with sprinkles of confetti thrown haphazardly, you weren't really thrown into the thick of things. There were off handed comments about what was happening in the cities, and some unnerving encounters with others along their journey, and with those came a few alarming situations.
Such a unique book, I can’t compare it to anything, the people they met along the way to their final destination resting point, which seemed fitting and perfectly executed, a profoundly emotional journey towards that point.
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April 13, 2026Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the audiobook via NetGalley.
We Burned So Bright was an emotional, character-driven listen. This is definitely more of a quiet, reflective story than a fast-paced one.
What stayed with me most was the grief running through it and the way the story handled love, family, and loss with so much care. There is a sadness to it, but it never felt empty. It felt human. More than anything, this felt like a story about what remains when people are trying to carry heartbreak and still keep going.
We Burned So Bright was an emotional, character-driven listen. This is definitely more of a quiet, reflective story than a fast-paced one.
What stayed with me most was the grief running through it and the way the story handled love, family, and loss with so much care. There is a sadness to it, but it never felt empty. It felt human. More than anything, this felt like a story about what remains when people are trying to carry heartbreak and still keep going.
May 5, 2026
3.5 ⭐️ this was different from what i was expecting, which i suppose affects how i feel about it overall. it was incredibly sad, but also lovely and resonant in parts — maybe just not as whimsical and funny as i thought it would be based on my limited experience with other tj klune books (and my rawdogging tendencies left me unprepared for what this actually entailed).
i’ve only read the green creek series by this author and i loooooved it, and some of those were 4+ star reads so i couldn’t go too high on the rating for this one, relatively speaking. those books also emotionally eviscerated me along with the fun, and i just felt more connected to the story and characters there than i did here. unfortunately, i do benchmark sometimes within an author’s catalogue 🙈. having said that, there was still plenty to like.
it’s a speculative short book (more like a long novella, really) about an elderly gay couple embarking on a road trip in an RV, on their way to a specific destination they just HAVE to get to before the world ends. they encounter various people along the way who are dealing (in different ways) with the knowledge that life is about to be snuffed out for all humanity, and i found the varying reactions and approaches quite interesting to read about at times.
my favourite thing about this was don and rodney’s relationship 🥹 — i found them to be so endearing and wonderful together. i don’t get to read many, if any, romantic stories (even though this isn’t really a genre romance) with characters as advanced in age as they were. it was so nice to feel their love, comfort and connection acutely, as well as all the years they’d spent together, without necessarily having all the build-up. the author did a really good job bringing that across with the limited real estate used to do it. i loved rodney’s character especially — he was so grumpy and funny in a dry and subtle way. i was charmed.
i also really liked the representation of queer relationships and a bit of history along the way, and i could appreciate the existential messaging of the whole piece — that life is short, sometimes we wait too long, that it could all come to an end tomorrow and there’s nothing we can do to stop that, so we shouldn’t wait to live rather than just exist. sometimes it did get a bit religion-y, which i didn’t love, but overall i liked this aspect to the story, as well as the fantastical elements tj klune weaved into the novella to convey that the world was ending.
naturally, the arc surrounding jeremy was very stirring as well. this was where i felt most gutted (in a good way) by the story. while i am not a parent, i can see how this aspect is tragic and impactful in equal measure and i think many readers will connect with this part, regardless of their own parental status.
on negatives, i got bogged down a bit by some of the content in the side quests, and the amelia character and the situation surrounding her insert left me highkey perturbed in a way i’m not sure i was comfortable with. overall, i just wish that i’d felt more deeply for the whole story before the last chapter of the book stabbed me in the chest.
otherwise, this was still pretty good and tj klune has a style of writing i really like. this didn’t feel as magical and evocative as the green creek books for me, but it was still a solid read ❤️🩹.
i’ve only read the green creek series by this author and i loooooved it, and some of those were 4+ star reads so i couldn’t go too high on the rating for this one, relatively speaking. those books also emotionally eviscerated me along with the fun, and i just felt more connected to the story and characters there than i did here. unfortunately, i do benchmark sometimes within an author’s catalogue 🙈. having said that, there was still plenty to like.
it’s a speculative short book (more like a long novella, really) about an elderly gay couple embarking on a road trip in an RV, on their way to a specific destination they just HAVE to get to before the world ends. they encounter various people along the way who are dealing (in different ways) with the knowledge that life is about to be snuffed out for all humanity, and i found the varying reactions and approaches quite interesting to read about at times.
my favourite thing about this was don and rodney’s relationship 🥹 — i found them to be so endearing and wonderful together. i don’t get to read many, if any, romantic stories (even though this isn’t really a genre romance) with characters as advanced in age as they were. it was so nice to feel their love, comfort and connection acutely, as well as all the years they’d spent together, without necessarily having all the build-up. the author did a really good job bringing that across with the limited real estate used to do it. i loved rodney’s character especially — he was so grumpy and funny in a dry and subtle way. i was charmed.
i also really liked the representation of queer relationships and a bit of history along the way, and i could appreciate the existential messaging of the whole piece — that life is short, sometimes we wait too long, that it could all come to an end tomorrow and there’s nothing we can do to stop that, so we shouldn’t wait to live rather than just exist. sometimes it did get a bit religion-y, which i didn’t love, but overall i liked this aspect to the story, as well as the fantastical elements tj klune weaved into the novella to convey that the world was ending.
naturally, the arc surrounding jeremy was very stirring as well. this was where i felt most gutted (in a good way) by the story. while i am not a parent, i can see how this aspect is tragic and impactful in equal measure and i think many readers will connect with this part, regardless of their own parental status.
on negatives, i got bogged down a bit by some of the content in the side quests, and the amelia character and the situation surrounding her insert left me highkey perturbed in a way i’m not sure i was comfortable with. overall, i just wish that i’d felt more deeply for the whole story before the last chapter of the book stabbed me in the chest.
otherwise, this was still pretty good and tj klune has a style of writing i really like. this didn’t feel as magical and evocative as the green creek books for me, but it was still a solid read ❤️🩹.
April 2, 2026
This made me cry in a cafe.
We Burned So Bright tells the story of Rodney and Don, a couple who, when they are told they have 30 days left until Earth is destroyed by a black hole, set out on a final journey in their RV.
This is a physical journey, to finish something they started many years before.
But it is also an emotional journey, as they come to terms with each other, and the lives that have led them to this point in time.
At its heart, this is the story of the best, and worst, of humanity.
The best of us, the small miracles, the beauty seen in the everyday and the hope that we all live with inside us at all times that shines a light on the darkness that can surround us. Which is all too prevalent.
But it also tells of the worst of us. The depravity, the senseless violence and animosity that ignorance, fear and unchecked ignorance can cause. There are some truly horrific points in this, and it doesn’t shy away from the horrors of man.
TJ Klune writes human emotion and experiences so well. Juxtaposing the transcendent love that can be found, with the grief and devastation of humans at their lowest.
A dystopian tale of love, loss, grief, and hope.
I loved this, but parts of me hated it. Not for being bad, but for highlighting just how real a dystopia our world can be at times, and how ignorant we can be as a species.
This is a sad book. But it is also a hopeful and happy book.
Thank you to both Pan MacMillan and TJ Klune for an advanced copy in exchange for an unbiased review.
4.5/5.0 (rounded up as it was as close to 5 stars as it can get)
We Burned So Bright tells the story of Rodney and Don, a couple who, when they are told they have 30 days left until Earth is destroyed by a black hole, set out on a final journey in their RV.
This is a physical journey, to finish something they started many years before.
But it is also an emotional journey, as they come to terms with each other, and the lives that have led them to this point in time.
At its heart, this is the story of the best, and worst, of humanity.
The best of us, the small miracles, the beauty seen in the everyday and the hope that we all live with inside us at all times that shines a light on the darkness that can surround us. Which is all too prevalent.
But it also tells of the worst of us. The depravity, the senseless violence and animosity that ignorance, fear and unchecked ignorance can cause. There are some truly horrific points in this, and it doesn’t shy away from the horrors of man.
TJ Klune writes human emotion and experiences so well. Juxtaposing the transcendent love that can be found, with the grief and devastation of humans at their lowest.
A dystopian tale of love, loss, grief, and hope.
I loved this, but parts of me hated it. Not for being bad, but for highlighting just how real a dystopia our world can be at times, and how ignorant we can be as a species.
This is a sad book. But it is also a hopeful and happy book.
Thank you to both Pan MacMillan and TJ Klune for an advanced copy in exchange for an unbiased review.
4.5/5.0 (rounded up as it was as close to 5 stars as it can get)
May 7, 2026
4.5 stars. This was a very emotional read, and I was 😭😭😭 by the ending of Don and Rodney’s "end of the world" road trip. I totally agree with the authors TW's - grief, mental illness, and trauma. A quick read which was very meaningful & will stay with me a while...
anticipated-books
September 28, 2025Read the blurb and that book sounds fire! 🔥 Plus, I'm obsessed with the cover. So hyped for the release date!
April 28, 2026
This rating absolutely breaks my heart but unfortunately it lacked the TJ Klune magic for me 😢
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May 10, 2026LGBTQ+ Fiction
End Of The World
🎧Narrated by Kirt Graves🎧 💗 Kirt Graves deserves 5 stars for this book. He’s one of my favorite narrators and he made me feel sooo much. I’m not sure I would have cried like I did had I read this but the way this man can narrate emotion made this book even more heart wrenching.
It’s been almost 2 weeks since I finished this book and I still can’t figure out how to rate or review it. I have unfinished drafts everywhere and can’t figure out what I want to say so this is going to be a bit unhinged. You’ve been warned. This is rated as 3 stars because netgalley will make me rate it and since I can’t decide if this is a 1 star or a 5 star book, middle of the road it is but I very much do not want to rate it.
This book is about the end of the world so I think some things should be obvious like the fact this is not going to have a HEA. I knew this of course but there was so much more to this story than the world ending and I wish this author had listed TWs so I could have been better prepared. This book has now been released and the warnings are very vague which is not fair to readers. If you want to pick this up please protect your mental health. The last 30% of this book is devastating and not because the world ends. If you want spoilers, most of the 1 star reviews list them out or use my instagram handle at the top of my GR profile and dm me.
The solar system is about to collapse because a black hole is swallowing the planets and Saturn has just been taken when this book starts so scientists believe Earth has about a month left. Elderly couple Don and Rodney have been together over 40 years and have one more thing they must do before it’s all over. They have bought a RV, grabbed the stuff deemed most important and are on their way to Oregon from New Jersey. I figured out almost immediately what the purpose of their trip was but that did not ruin the book however it also didn’t prepare me for what was the come. The way this book is set up, every chapter is a new place they are either driving through or staying at for the night and each one has a new set of people they meet. Everyone is dealing with the end of the world differently and I enjoyed reading those different stories even if some were bleak af. Some were definitely doing better than others and it kind of reminded me of Covid just in the sense there were believers and those in denial and everything in between. I watched a post on Klune’s insta about how he had a lot of questions during Covid and that this book was his way of asking the hard questions. He also said he didn’t think people were going to like it very much because he wrote it solely for himself and his thoughts. 🤔
In some ways Klune was right.
I loved this book and I also hated this book. I want to 1 star it but I also want to 5 star it. I want to 1 star it because there are parts that felt incredibly preachy. It felt like Klune was pushing his views on me and the fact I didn’t agree with them made me the problem. It had a very conservative main character who says so himself at one point and it made it hard for me to like him even though I wasn’t in his headspace at all in this book. At first I thought it felt this way because Don and Rodney were in their mid to late 70s but no there was an undertone to this book that made me wildly uncomfortable. If Klune wrote this book for himself does this mean he’s a gay conservative? Are these his thoughts? But I also want to 5 star it because I learned so much reading this. These two meet a lot of characters in this book but my favorite was a young lesbian couple. Queer recognizes queer and they choose to spend the night learning from each other. Our MCs share their journey in the 80s with the Reagan administration, the AIDs crisis being “gay cancer” and losing a lot of friends to it. I learned why the LGBTQIA+ acronym is in that order and I had tears in my eyes the entire time. They mentioned Stonewall and how trans people played a pivotal part in the uprising, that LGB couldn’t survive without the T. They went into the 90s discussing Matthew Shepard and went all the way to gay marriage being legalized. This part was incredibly moving to read and made me want to read more non-fiction. It was such a beautiful part of the book and the only part I truly enjoyed.
At about 70%, our MCs arrive at their destination and the entire tone of the book changes. It almost felt like this was two books in one due to us leaving present day and being thrown into the past. I cannot really talk about this part without major spoilers so this will be vague but this last part of the book was devastating. To learn the backstory to why we were on this trip was more heart wrenching than anything I’ve read in years. The last time I cried this much reading a book was in 2024 when I read Every Breath After and it’s ironic that both characters who absolutely gutted me are named Jeremy. This is the part of the book that I think needs more in depth trigger warnings because it was seriously traumatic and for the author to pack that much emotion and turmoil into a 176 page book focusing on a character that only shows up on page in the last 30% is a feat. Every single thing that unfolded in the past was worse than the next. I wanted to stop listening but I also wanted to hear it. I love angst but for me to read it, I really like to be healed by the author before the book ends and having so much pain, so much turmoil, devastation and ruin happen before the world literally ends was too traumatic for me. I couldn’t handle it and when I finished the book, I sat there and sobbed for 15 minutes. I don’t know why but I decided finishing it on the 1 year anniversary of my cat’s death was the best plan ever 🙄😭 and even though I hadn’t cried all day, even when I looked at pics of her, the emotional bs from this book tore my heart apart and left me drowning. All the crying flared up my asthma too and I needed my inhaler which I only need during fire season 😂
I was trying to tell my friend about it this book a few days later but was tearing up just typing it out and a book that brings that kind of emotion out of me is usually a 5 star read hands down but all the preachy, conservative views pulsing through it made me feel angry despite being so damn sad. And at the end of the day, I really wish I had never requested this book. I’ll never listen or read it again and the inner turmoil I felt listening to it was not worth it. TBH I don’t think I’ll ever read this author again because this one was enough for me.
#The52BookClub-Provokes Intense Emotion
End Of The World
🎧Narrated by Kirt Graves🎧 💗 Kirt Graves deserves 5 stars for this book. He’s one of my favorite narrators and he made me feel sooo much. I’m not sure I would have cried like I did had I read this but the way this man can narrate emotion made this book even more heart wrenching.
It’s been almost 2 weeks since I finished this book and I still can’t figure out how to rate or review it. I have unfinished drafts everywhere and can’t figure out what I want to say so this is going to be a bit unhinged. You’ve been warned. This is rated as 3 stars because netgalley will make me rate it and since I can’t decide if this is a 1 star or a 5 star book, middle of the road it is but I very much do not want to rate it.
This book is about the end of the world so I think some things should be obvious like the fact this is not going to have a HEA. I knew this of course but there was so much more to this story than the world ending and I wish this author had listed TWs so I could have been better prepared. This book has now been released and the warnings are very vague which is not fair to readers. If you want to pick this up please protect your mental health. The last 30% of this book is devastating and not because the world ends. If you want spoilers, most of the 1 star reviews list them out or use my instagram handle at the top of my GR profile and dm me.
The solar system is about to collapse because a black hole is swallowing the planets and Saturn has just been taken when this book starts so scientists believe Earth has about a month left. Elderly couple Don and Rodney have been together over 40 years and have one more thing they must do before it’s all over. They have bought a RV, grabbed the stuff deemed most important and are on their way to Oregon from New Jersey. I figured out almost immediately what the purpose of their trip was but that did not ruin the book however it also didn’t prepare me for what was the come. The way this book is set up, every chapter is a new place they are either driving through or staying at for the night and each one has a new set of people they meet. Everyone is dealing with the end of the world differently and I enjoyed reading those different stories even if some were bleak af. Some were definitely doing better than others and it kind of reminded me of Covid just in the sense there were believers and those in denial and everything in between. I watched a post on Klune’s insta about how he had a lot of questions during Covid and that this book was his way of asking the hard questions. He also said he didn’t think people were going to like it very much because he wrote it solely for himself and his thoughts. 🤔
In some ways Klune was right.
I loved this book and I also hated this book. I want to 1 star it but I also want to 5 star it. I want to 1 star it because there are parts that felt incredibly preachy. It felt like Klune was pushing his views on me and the fact I didn’t agree with them made me the problem. It had a very conservative main character who says so himself at one point and it made it hard for me to like him even though I wasn’t in his headspace at all in this book. At first I thought it felt this way because Don and Rodney were in their mid to late 70s but no there was an undertone to this book that made me wildly uncomfortable. If Klune wrote this book for himself does this mean he’s a gay conservative? Are these his thoughts? But I also want to 5 star it because I learned so much reading this. These two meet a lot of characters in this book but my favorite was a young lesbian couple. Queer recognizes queer and they choose to spend the night learning from each other. Our MCs share their journey in the 80s with the Reagan administration, the AIDs crisis being “gay cancer” and losing a lot of friends to it. I learned why the LGBTQIA+ acronym is in that order and I had tears in my eyes the entire time. They mentioned Stonewall and how trans people played a pivotal part in the uprising, that LGB couldn’t survive without the T. They went into the 90s discussing Matthew Shepard and went all the way to gay marriage being legalized. This part was incredibly moving to read and made me want to read more non-fiction. It was such a beautiful part of the book and the only part I truly enjoyed.
At about 70%, our MCs arrive at their destination and the entire tone of the book changes. It almost felt like this was two books in one due to us leaving present day and being thrown into the past. I cannot really talk about this part without major spoilers so this will be vague but this last part of the book was devastating. To learn the backstory to why we were on this trip was more heart wrenching than anything I’ve read in years. The last time I cried this much reading a book was in 2024 when I read Every Breath After and it’s ironic that both characters who absolutely gutted me are named Jeremy. This is the part of the book that I think needs more in depth trigger warnings because it was seriously traumatic and for the author to pack that much emotion and turmoil into a 176 page book focusing on a character that only shows up on page in the last 30% is a feat. Every single thing that unfolded in the past was worse than the next. I wanted to stop listening but I also wanted to hear it. I love angst but for me to read it, I really like to be healed by the author before the book ends and having so much pain, so much turmoil, devastation and ruin happen before the world literally ends was too traumatic for me. I couldn’t handle it and when I finished the book, I sat there and sobbed for 15 minutes. I don’t know why but I decided finishing it on the 1 year anniversary of my cat’s death was the best plan ever 🙄😭 and even though I hadn’t cried all day, even when I looked at pics of her, the emotional bs from this book tore my heart apart and left me drowning. All the crying flared up my asthma too and I needed my inhaler which I only need during fire season 😂
I was trying to tell my friend about it this book a few days later but was tearing up just typing it out and a book that brings that kind of emotion out of me is usually a 5 star read hands down but all the preachy, conservative views pulsing through it made me feel angry despite being so damn sad. And at the end of the day, I really wish I had never requested this book. I’ll never listen or read it again and the inner turmoil I felt listening to it was not worth it. TBH I don’t think I’ll ever read this author again because this one was enough for me.
#The52BookClub-Provokes Intense Emotion
November 1, 2025
ARC for review. To be published April 28, 2026.
4 stars
My enjoyment of TJ Klune continues to baffle me. I don’t really enjoy much fantasy and I don’t like overly sentimental stories. Klune’s are generally both but, for me, he gets that mixture EXACTLY right, I guess, and this new book, out in April, is no exception (I only read Klune at all as part of the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge and if I remember correctly I ended up reading two different books, two consecutive years. Challenges are fun!).
Don and Rodney are a gay, married couple who have been together forty years. They are charming, if a tiny bit stereotypical. They are making a cross-country trip in their old RV from their home in Maine to Washington state to do something Very Important regarding their son, but we, the readers, don’t know what that is.
Oh, and did I mention the world is ending? Soon. Within a few weeks. We’ve known for about a year that a black hole will be coming to take everything in our solar system. The book tells of Rodney and Don’s final journey and it’s both sad, scary, sweet (a little too much? Yes, of course.) and ultimately triumphant. Really enjoyed getting to know these gentlemen, their fellow travelers and the book.
4 stars
My enjoyment of TJ Klune continues to baffle me. I don’t really enjoy much fantasy and I don’t like overly sentimental stories. Klune’s are generally both but, for me, he gets that mixture EXACTLY right, I guess, and this new book, out in April, is no exception (I only read Klune at all as part of the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge and if I remember correctly I ended up reading two different books, two consecutive years. Challenges are fun!).
Don and Rodney are a gay, married couple who have been together forty years. They are charming, if a tiny bit stereotypical. They are making a cross-country trip in their old RV from their home in Maine to Washington state to do something Very Important regarding their son, but we, the readers, don’t know what that is.
Oh, and did I mention the world is ending? Soon. Within a few weeks. We’ve known for about a year that a black hole will be coming to take everything in our solar system. The book tells of Rodney and Don’s final journey and it’s both sad, scary, sweet (a little too much? Yes, of course.) and ultimately triumphant. Really enjoyed getting to know these gentlemen, their fellow travelers and the book.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Headlines:
Sci-fi meets dystopia
Older gay couple
The depth of sadness
Welp, just extracating my heart from the grater and de-puffing my eyes.
Don and Rodney took me on a sad and wonderful journey in their RV as society fractured over the impending end of the world. Through their long-standing relationship, the huge ups and downs of their life, they embarked on a last-ditch quest. The aim of the quest was kept for the end of the book and believe me, you are not ready for that reveal; I was not ready.
You could expect this story to be utterly steeped in sadness but I was surprised about the upbeat feel to the first three quarters. The people they met on the way prompted a reflective frame of mind for Don and Rodney. I loved these two characters; Don was softer and warm, whereas Rodney took zero shit and was grumpy as hell. They loved each other fiercely.
Klune wrote this story with grit, realism and tackled some tough subjects. I especially admired the realism to the theme of adoption. Where it ended up was both revelatory and freeing.
I don't think I'll ever forget this book, it leaves a mark of preciousness and impact.
Thank you Tor Books for the review copy.
Sci-fi meets dystopia
Older gay couple
The depth of sadness
Welp, just extracating my heart from the grater and de-puffing my eyes.
Don and Rodney took me on a sad and wonderful journey in their RV as society fractured over the impending end of the world. Through their long-standing relationship, the huge ups and downs of their life, they embarked on a last-ditch quest. The aim of the quest was kept for the end of the book and believe me, you are not ready for that reveal; I was not ready.
You could expect this story to be utterly steeped in sadness but I was surprised about the upbeat feel to the first three quarters. The people they met on the way prompted a reflective frame of mind for Don and Rodney. I loved these two characters; Don was softer and warm, whereas Rodney took zero shit and was grumpy as hell. They loved each other fiercely.
Klune wrote this story with grit, realism and tackled some tough subjects. I especially admired the realism to the theme of adoption. Where it ended up was both revelatory and freeing.
I don't think I'll ever forget this book, it leaves a mark of preciousness and impact.
Thank you Tor Books for the review copy.
May 8, 2026
4 stars!
I'll be sending TJ Klune my therapy bill for this one
The world is ending in a few weeks, a black hole is sucking up our solar system. Don and Rodney have been together and in love for over 4o years, and they need to make it from Maine to Washington in just a few weeks before everything is gone. Along the way they meet friends and danger, and race against the clock to do something they should have done many years before.
This was a hard book for me, the concept of it feeds deeply into some of my deepest fears and anxieties. But once I got past that, this book is just a small ball of love. It's an examination at human nature, what we would do if we knew for certain that the end was here. It reminded me of a way more intense version of Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (a film from 2012 if any of you remember it), but a sweeter version of that too. Klune does a really amazing job of analyzing human nature and asking the question are we truly good or bad? In the end, does that even matter? I would answer yes myself.
If you decide to read this book, be sure to read some trigger warnings and go in prepared. While this book could be sweet and funny, it was also at times upsetting and intense.
I'll be sending TJ Klune my therapy bill for this one
The world is ending in a few weeks, a black hole is sucking up our solar system. Don and Rodney have been together and in love for over 4o years, and they need to make it from Maine to Washington in just a few weeks before everything is gone. Along the way they meet friends and danger, and race against the clock to do something they should have done many years before.
This was a hard book for me, the concept of it feeds deeply into some of my deepest fears and anxieties. But once I got past that, this book is just a small ball of love. It's an examination at human nature, what we would do if we knew for certain that the end was here. It reminded me of a way more intense version of Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (a film from 2012 if any of you remember it), but a sweeter version of that too. Klune does a really amazing job of analyzing human nature and asking the question are we truly good or bad? In the end, does that even matter? I would answer yes myself.
If you decide to read this book, be sure to read some trigger warnings and go in prepared. While this book could be sweet and funny, it was also at times upsetting and intense.
May 7, 2026
4.5 stars
The last chapter was heart-breaking.
The last chapter was heart-breaking.
May 9, 2026
Wow this one hurt. It was beautiful and heart wrenching.
Pre-read:
New TJ Klune book!!!!!!!
Pre-read:
New TJ Klune book!!!!!!!
April 28, 2026
We Burned So Bright
by TJ Klune
Apocalyptic Pre-Apocalyptic
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Apr 28, 2026
Tor Publishing
Ages: 16+
After spending forty years together, Don and Rodney have one last unfinished business to take care of before the world ends. A black hole is coming for Earth, and in a month, it will be gone, and they have to go from Maine to Washington State.
Braving the highways of pre-apocalyptic America, they cross paths with a variety of people, some in denial and some living their final days.
This is a short story, and not as cozy as some of the author's other books. This one is more serious as Don and Rodney drive across the country. Sure, there are some cozy parts, but the reason for their trip isn't really described until much later in the story, and because I had no idea why it was important, I wasn't connecting with the characters, so it was a slow read. When I finally discovered why, there was a connection, but it was so late in the story that it didn't affect me as much as it would have if I had known in the beginning, and it didn't change my feelings for the book.
As for the trip itself: the author.... spoiler.... and I had a hard time... spoiler.... Sorry, but I think my feelings would probably give away the story.
There is minimal violence and no adult content, but because of the trip's purpose, I don't think a lot of readers under sixteen would really understand its significance.
Overall, it was a good story, but.... (besides the already mentioned) there was a lot of telling instead of showing, including 'summing' up this and that. Plus, I would think that traveling across the country would include... spoiler...
2 Stars
by TJ Klune
Apocalyptic Pre-Apocalyptic
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Apr 28, 2026
Tor Publishing
Ages: 16+
After spending forty years together, Don and Rodney have one last unfinished business to take care of before the world ends. A black hole is coming for Earth, and in a month, it will be gone, and they have to go from Maine to Washington State.
Braving the highways of pre-apocalyptic America, they cross paths with a variety of people, some in denial and some living their final days.
This is a short story, and not as cozy as some of the author's other books. This one is more serious as Don and Rodney drive across the country. Sure, there are some cozy parts, but the reason for their trip isn't really described until much later in the story, and because I had no idea why it was important, I wasn't connecting with the characters, so it was a slow read. When I finally discovered why, there was a connection, but it was so late in the story that it didn't affect me as much as it would have if I had known in the beginning, and it didn't change my feelings for the book.
As for the trip itself: the author.... spoiler.... and I had a hard time... spoiler.... Sorry, but I think my feelings would probably give away the story.
There is minimal violence and no adult content, but because of the trip's purpose, I don't think a lot of readers under sixteen would really understand its significance.
Overall, it was a good story, but.... (besides the already mentioned) there was a lot of telling instead of showing, including 'summing' up this and that. Plus, I would think that traveling across the country would include... spoiler...
2 Stars
April 29, 2026
3.5⭐️
“𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚔𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚁𝚘𝚍𝚗𝚎𝚢’𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚢. 𝚆𝚎’𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚊𝚜 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚖𝚢 𝚘𝚠𝚗.”
Thank you @torbooks + @macmillan.audio for the ARC/ALC ♡
https://www.instagram.com/p/DWyuYpXlgKN/
A black hole is tearing apart the solar system, one planet at a time. “Elder Gays” Rodney and Don are on a mission, a sunsetting of their life together, a road trip to the end of the world, to fulfill one final quest for their salvation.
As with many novellas, I felt that many characters (in particular Jeremy) were underdeveloped, but developed well given the page count. But we don’t get to stay long enough with most of them to love them, and felt a bit slow to start and rushed to finish. This is a me-problem with novellas.
This is a contemplative read about grief, loss, and the end of times. I found it extremely bleak, though it felt very honest. Although this is my least favorite of his works, it still imprints his signature heart and soul in the final chapters.
If the end of the times was upon us, I’d want to go out like this, with my love of 40+ years beside me.
▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||။|• 🎧 A short novella at 6 hours on audio or 165 pages in print, this one can be easily read in a couple of sittings. Kirt Graves as usual was a fantastic narrator for the audio edition.
“𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚔𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚁𝚘𝚍𝚗𝚎𝚢’𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚢. 𝚆𝚎’𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚜 𝚊𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚊𝚜 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚖𝚢 𝚘𝚠𝚗.”
Thank you @torbooks + @macmillan.audio for the ARC/ALC ♡
https://www.instagram.com/p/DWyuYpXlgKN/
A black hole is tearing apart the solar system, one planet at a time. “Elder Gays” Rodney and Don are on a mission, a sunsetting of their life together, a road trip to the end of the world, to fulfill one final quest for their salvation.
As with many novellas, I felt that many characters (in particular Jeremy) were underdeveloped, but developed well given the page count. But we don’t get to stay long enough with most of them to love them, and felt a bit slow to start and rushed to finish. This is a me-problem with novellas.
This is a contemplative read about grief, loss, and the end of times. I found it extremely bleak, though it felt very honest. Although this is my least favorite of his works, it still imprints his signature heart and soul in the final chapters.
If the end of the times was upon us, I’d want to go out like this, with my love of 40+ years beside me.
▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||။|• 🎧 A short novella at 6 hours on audio or 165 pages in print, this one can be easily read in a couple of sittings. Kirt Graves as usual was a fantastic narrator for the audio edition.
April 28, 2026
Thanks to Netgalley and Tor Books for the pre-release copy of We Burned So Bright by TJ Klune. Below you'll find my honest review.
I love TJ Klune. He's weird. He's creative. He's queer. He's got so many fun ideas.
This is not one of those ideas. It's not fun. It's tragic, and it's dark, and it's brutal, but it's also full of joy and full of unexpected moments with random strangers, and most importantly, it's about finding that light in the darkness and grabbing hold of it with everything you've got.
I loved Rodney and Don. Experiencing their journey with them was an honor.
Further proof that TJ Klune knows how to write people well and with depth.
HIGHLY recommend. Pick it up! Just be warned that it's not pony rides and rainbows - it's facing down imminent and unavoidable death with joy, forgiveness, grief, and love.
I love TJ Klune. He's weird. He's creative. He's queer. He's got so many fun ideas.
This is not one of those ideas. It's not fun. It's tragic, and it's dark, and it's brutal, but it's also full of joy and full of unexpected moments with random strangers, and most importantly, it's about finding that light in the darkness and grabbing hold of it with everything you've got.
I loved Rodney and Don. Experiencing their journey with them was an honor.
Further proof that TJ Klune knows how to write people well and with depth.
HIGHLY recommend. Pick it up! Just be warned that it's not pony rides and rainbows - it's facing down imminent and unavoidable death with joy, forgiveness, grief, and love.
May 2, 2026
I can’t breathe. 6 stars.
“He said that I’m to love you forever.”
“And you can’t stop?”
“Can’t. Won’t. Not now. Not ever.”
An elderly gay couple make a road trip during the end of the world to complete one last promise they made. Along the way they meet a bunch of people dealing with this tragedy in their own human ways. It is captivating, charming, reflective, soul crushing, devastating and heart warming through every single page. I cried the entire book.
“How lucky are we?”
“How do you figure?”
“You said that’s what the universe is. Luck and happenstance. There’s no fate. No destiny. Sometimes it’s horrible, devastating. But sometimes, it could lead to a life we couldn’t predict. A good life, even if it hurts.”
This masterpiece of a book will have you holding onto your life with both of your hands and screaming to never let go. It will have you looking at the world differently. All the beautiful, tragic, twisted, serene, horrific and wonderful things that make this world this world. Never take a moment of joy for granted. Not for one second.
“Do we live to be remembered? Or do we live to live?”
Not much else to say but it is life changing in its power and will sit with me for the rest of my life.
“He said that I’m to love you forever.”
“And you can’t stop?”
“Can’t. Won’t. Not now. Not ever.”
An elderly gay couple make a road trip during the end of the world to complete one last promise they made. Along the way they meet a bunch of people dealing with this tragedy in their own human ways. It is captivating, charming, reflective, soul crushing, devastating and heart warming through every single page. I cried the entire book.
“How lucky are we?”
“How do you figure?”
“You said that’s what the universe is. Luck and happenstance. There’s no fate. No destiny. Sometimes it’s horrible, devastating. But sometimes, it could lead to a life we couldn’t predict. A good life, even if it hurts.”
This masterpiece of a book will have you holding onto your life with both of your hands and screaming to never let go. It will have you looking at the world differently. All the beautiful, tragic, twisted, serene, horrific and wonderful things that make this world this world. Never take a moment of joy for granted. Not for one second.
“Do we live to be remembered? Or do we live to live?”
Not much else to say but it is life changing in its power and will sit with me for the rest of my life.
January 2, 2026
“We're all in this moment together. For perhaps the first time in human history, we're all experiencing the same thing. It doesn't matter what color you are. Your background. Your beliefs. Your heritage. Who you love. Everyone, right now, is all the same. There's something beautiful about that."
When the literal end of the world is mere weeks away, what lengths would you go to in order to fulfill a promise? This is exactly what Don and Rodney grapple with as an errant black hole threatens to rip the earth to shreds. We follow them along their cross country road trip, meeting a variety of people along the way who struggle in their own ways to come to terms with the end of the world.
Despite the urgency in their journey, the book’s pacing and tone are more slow, solemn, and contemplative. We are privy to Don’s internal thoughts, as well as flashbacks from the past that shed light into what the family has endured. In true Klune fashion, the writing made me feel so many things as I read, and I’ll fully admit I devoured the entire book in one sitting!
Thank you so much to Pan Macmillan Export and Tor/Forge for the advanced copy of this book!
Content warning: there is some heavy adoption trauma that occurs in the book, so be aware of that going in
When the literal end of the world is mere weeks away, what lengths would you go to in order to fulfill a promise? This is exactly what Don and Rodney grapple with as an errant black hole threatens to rip the earth to shreds. We follow them along their cross country road trip, meeting a variety of people along the way who struggle in their own ways to come to terms with the end of the world.
Despite the urgency in their journey, the book’s pacing and tone are more slow, solemn, and contemplative. We are privy to Don’s internal thoughts, as well as flashbacks from the past that shed light into what the family has endured. In true Klune fashion, the writing made me feel so many things as I read, and I’ll fully admit I devoured the entire book in one sitting!
Thank you so much to Pan Macmillan Export and Tor/Forge for the advanced copy of this book!
Content warning: there is some heavy adoption trauma that occurs in the book, so be aware of that going in
May 1, 2026
I love this so much. It's emotional, engaging, and I love the characters. While absolutely fictional, it's palpable in it's realness, how everything feels possible in it's absurdity. There are some dark themes covered, though, so please check TWs/CWs before jumping in. You know you best.
February 23, 2026
This one honestly hurts to write because I have truly enjoyed every T.J. Klune book I’ve read. The House in the Cerulean Sea was an easy five-star read for me—full of heart, warmth, and that hopeful tone I’ve come to associate with his work.
But We Burned Bright is very different in tone, and that shift just didn’t fully work for me.
There’s no denying it’s well written. Klune’s prose is thoughtful and intentional, and you can feel the emotional weight behind the story. However, I found myself struggling to stay engaged. The pacing felt slow, and at times the story felt heavy and bleak rather than immersive. Instead of feeling moved, I often felt worn down. It lacked the sense of comfort and emotional uplift that I’ve loved in his previous books.
I listened to the audiobook, and unfortunately that experience didn’t elevate it for me. The male narrator voicing the female characters felt distracting, and at times the delivery came across as abrasive rather than natural. It pulled me out of the story instead of drawing me deeper in.
I truly respect what the author was trying to do here, and I know many readers may connect with the darker, more somber tone. For me, though, this just didn’t have the magic or emotional resonance I’ve come to expect from T.J. Klune.
Not a bad book by any means—just not the right fit for me.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Macmillion audio for allowing me to listen to this advanced copy in return for an unbiased review.
But We Burned Bright is very different in tone, and that shift just didn’t fully work for me.
There’s no denying it’s well written. Klune’s prose is thoughtful and intentional, and you can feel the emotional weight behind the story. However, I found myself struggling to stay engaged. The pacing felt slow, and at times the story felt heavy and bleak rather than immersive. Instead of feeling moved, I often felt worn down. It lacked the sense of comfort and emotional uplift that I’ve loved in his previous books.
I listened to the audiobook, and unfortunately that experience didn’t elevate it for me. The male narrator voicing the female characters felt distracting, and at times the delivery came across as abrasive rather than natural. It pulled me out of the story instead of drawing me deeper in.
I truly respect what the author was trying to do here, and I know many readers may connect with the darker, more somber tone. For me, though, this just didn’t have the magic or emotional resonance I’ve come to expect from T.J. Klune.
Not a bad book by any means—just not the right fit for me.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Macmillion audio for allowing me to listen to this advanced copy in return for an unbiased review.
April 28, 2026
🎉Pub Day Review🎉
I’m such a moron guys, because I thought his books were all rainbows and butterflies lol. Boy, was I wrong 🤣.
The world is supposed to end in exactly one month. Don and Rodney, an old married couple decide to take a trip in their RV. They have one last thing to do before the end of days.
During their trip, they meet all kinds of people. Some fun and some a little scary. This was actually way darker than I expected and I absolutely loved that!!!
The purpose of the story is to question the life you lived. Sure, you’ve made mistakes. You’ve also lived some great times. But, if your time was up in one month, what would you do?
I loved the story! It’s extremely thought-provoking. When I got to the end, I even shed a tear. 😭😭😭I highly recommend this one for dipping your toes into his work.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m such a moron guys, because I thought his books were all rainbows and butterflies lol. Boy, was I wrong 🤣.
The world is supposed to end in exactly one month. Don and Rodney, an old married couple decide to take a trip in their RV. They have one last thing to do before the end of days.
During their trip, they meet all kinds of people. Some fun and some a little scary. This was actually way darker than I expected and I absolutely loved that!!!
The purpose of the story is to question the life you lived. Sure, you’ve made mistakes. You’ve also lived some great times. But, if your time was up in one month, what would you do?
I loved the story! It’s extremely thought-provoking. When I got to the end, I even shed a tear. 😭😭😭I highly recommend this one for dipping your toes into his work.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 25, 2026
God this fucking hurt me in the best way possible. I’ll think of Rodney and Don and Jeremy for awhile!!
Kurt Graves narration is insane per usual!
Kurt Graves narration is insane per usual!
February 25, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC copy of this title!
Wow… What a beautiful and horrifically tragic story this was.
I’ve always enjoyed this kind of apocalyptic storytelling. The kind that ponders what human kind would do in a world destroying event. But this one really did it. Don and Rodney are such interesting characters to follow. The pain, the sorrow, the joy, the love; all of it truly felt encapsulated in this journey to resolution in their lives.
Please read this. It’s sad, and will have you thinking existentially, but it’s so worth it.
Wow… What a beautiful and horrifically tragic story this was.
I’ve always enjoyed this kind of apocalyptic storytelling. The kind that ponders what human kind would do in a world destroying event. But this one really did it. Don and Rodney are such interesting characters to follow. The pain, the sorrow, the joy, the love; all of it truly felt encapsulated in this journey to resolution in their lives.
Please read this. It’s sad, and will have you thinking existentially, but it’s so worth it.
May 1, 2026
Where to begin, where to begin?? As soon as I see a TJ Klune book, I wants it, precious. I was lucky enough to get an early copy of this, and it was…beautiful, sad, and at times, laugh-out-loud funny. This is a must-read!
It’s the story of an older gay couple ruminating about the forty years they’ve spent together, and it is also a haunting love letter to all LGBTQIA+ folks who have fought for their right to love as they choose, *despite* all of the bigotry, hatred and unfairness shown to them throughout history. Rodney and Don have been a couple for more than half their lives. They’ve lived a long time in Maine, and both of them are now retired and looking forward to their golden years.
Well, they *were* looking forward to them. Not anymore.
For the world is soon to be no more, thanks to a black hole on an unfortunate trajectory. Life on Earth will cease to exist in thirty days, more or less. You’d think that Don and Rodney would hunker down in their peaceful home and wait it out with their good friends and neighbors.
You’d be dead wrong. You see, the two elderly men have something they need to take care of, and it is unfortunately located all the way across the country in the state of Washington.
What to do? Why, buy a decrepit don’t-know-if-this-will-break-down-at-any-given-moment RV and take a roadtrip! What could possibly go wrong?
As they make their way across the United States, the two men have some encounters that make an impression—some good, some bad, and some off the spectrum completely. The reader learns a lot about human nature, both in the present and in the past.
I can’t say anymore without spoilers, but know this: You will be touched immeasurably if you read this.
I certainly was.
5 out of 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest feedback.
It’s the story of an older gay couple ruminating about the forty years they’ve spent together, and it is also a haunting love letter to all LGBTQIA+ folks who have fought for their right to love as they choose, *despite* all of the bigotry, hatred and unfairness shown to them throughout history. Rodney and Don have been a couple for more than half their lives. They’ve lived a long time in Maine, and both of them are now retired and looking forward to their golden years.
Well, they *were* looking forward to them. Not anymore.
For the world is soon to be no more, thanks to a black hole on an unfortunate trajectory. Life on Earth will cease to exist in thirty days, more or less. You’d think that Don and Rodney would hunker down in their peaceful home and wait it out with their good friends and neighbors.
You’d be dead wrong. You see, the two elderly men have something they need to take care of, and it is unfortunately located all the way across the country in the state of Washington.
What to do? Why, buy a decrepit don’t-know-if-this-will-break-down-at-any-given-moment RV and take a roadtrip! What could possibly go wrong?
As they make their way across the United States, the two men have some encounters that make an impression—some good, some bad, and some off the spectrum completely. The reader learns a lot about human nature, both in the present and in the past.
I can’t say anymore without spoilers, but know this: You will be touched immeasurably if you read this.
I certainly was.
5 out of 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest feedback.
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