Review of Story Thieves by James Riley

Advance Review of James Riley's Story Thieves

Release Date: January 20th, 2015

Synopsis as found on GoodReads.com:

Life is boring when you live in the real world, instead of starring in your own book series. Owen knows that better than anyone, what with the real world’s homework and chores.

But everything changes the day Owen sees the impossible happen—his classmate Bethany climb out of a book in the library. It turns out Bethany’s half-fictional and has been searching every book she can find for her missing father, a fictional character.

Bethany can’t let anyone else learn her secret, so Owen makes her a deal: All she has to do is take him into a book in Owen’s favorite Kiel Gnomenfoot series, and he’ll never say a word. Besides, visiting the book might help Bethany find her father…

…Or it might just destroy the Kiel Gnomenfoot series, reveal Bethany’s secret to the entire world, and force Owen to live out Kiel Gnomenfoot’s final (very final) adventure.

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When reading the synopsis for this book, I was a little hesitant in starting it. It sounds an awful lot like the premise of Inkheart. Well, in Inkheart, the main character can read characters into or out of a book, where as in Story Thieves, the main character can pull people or characters into or out of the book with her. Seeing as how I am a huge fan of Inkheart, I didn't want to be comparing the two stories the entire time I was reading. Sometimes I find that when I see a similarity, comparing is the only thing I can do. For this review, I will attempt to not compare as much as possible.

To middle schooler, Owen, nothing is more exciting than opening up one of his favorite books & imagining himself a part of the story... but it isn't until he discovers his classmate Bethany can go in to the stories she is reading that his dreams actually start seeming like they may come true. All he has to do is trick her into bringing him into his favorite series, Kiel Gnomenfoot, so he can save the day and become the hero he knows he is. While all Bethany is trying to do is find her missing father.

But little does he know, nothing ever happens exactly like you imagine. In a serious of accidental events, the characters from the story are released into the real world & the only way to make sure that the story goes on is for him to disguise himself as the main character, Kiel. His every dream is coming true... adventure is on the horizon. But adventure is NOT all its cracked up to be.

While Owen is off gallivanting at being a hero, Bethany is stuck trying to round up fictional characters in the real world before someone finds out her secret. 

One part Inkheart, One part Harry Potter, & One part Steampunk, Story Thieves is sure to appeal to the middle schoolers and older who are looking for a good release into action & adventure. If you have ever dreamed of being a part of the stories you have read & love, then this is a great book for you to pick up.