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Story Thieves #4
Pick the Plot
When Owen finds himself stuck in a Pick Your Own Plot story, things get more complicated than ever in this fourth book in the New York Times bestselling series, Story Thieves�which was called a “fast-paced, action-packed tale� by School Library Journal�from the author of the Half Upon a Time trilogy.
Being able to jump into books used to seem like the greatest thing in the world to Owen Connors. But now Owen’s trapped in a time travel book where readers—that would be you—decide how the story goes.
As if that weren’t enough, Owen’s also stuck in a prison for time criminals in a prehistoric era. He’s surrounded by bizarre fellow prisoners, including Kara Dox. How does Kara recognize Owen if they’ve never met before? She seems to think they’re old friends, but that can’t be possible. Still, Kara might just be the only chance Owen has to escape. And he has to find a way out to save his friend Bethany, who’s still in grave danger. Because unless Owen can stop him, Nobody is going to split Bethany into two, separating the fictional and non-fictional worlds forever.
Will Owen be able to convince you, the reader, to help him find his way back to Bethany? Or will you feed him to dinosaurs just to teach him a lesson? It’s all up to you when you Pick the Plot.
Being able to jump into books used to seem like the greatest thing in the world to Owen Connors. But now Owen’s trapped in a time travel book where readers—that would be you—decide how the story goes.
As if that weren’t enough, Owen’s also stuck in a prison for time criminals in a prehistoric era. He’s surrounded by bizarre fellow prisoners, including Kara Dox. How does Kara recognize Owen if they’ve never met before? She seems to think they’re old friends, but that can’t be possible. Still, Kara might just be the only chance Owen has to escape. And he has to find a way out to save his friend Bethany, who’s still in grave danger. Because unless Owen can stop him, Nobody is going to split Bethany into two, separating the fictional and non-fictional worlds forever.
Will Owen be able to convince you, the reader, to help him find his way back to Bethany? Or will you feed him to dinosaurs just to teach him a lesson? It’s all up to you when you Pick the Plot.
385 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 26, 2017
254 people are currently reading
1,926 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
September 27, 2022
4.75 Golden Stars
3rd Best of 2021
wow! the end(s) gave me goosebumps! now I don't know I should go to the next book or just stare at the wall.
Pick the Plot (literally!)
Sci-fi themed
it was such a fun Interactive book, exciting experience as I followed all the options!
& it really felt like Owen talking to me! AWESOME!
I laughed a lot! every book, I noticed I really missed Owen!
At first it was a little confusing, then, especially after the challenges, it paced up! (the first part was great too, but the second, was just BRILLIANT!) full of twists & surprises that I didn't see them coming! like at all!
I enjoyed it a lot!
Wow! I love this series!
so Unique!
every book has a sub-genre theme inside this whole general fantasy.
I just can't say how much I loved it!
-
P.S.
& it was the best choice to read as I am in Loki fangirling mood! (& it was kind of fun because it published 4 years ago, but had the same vibes. even its end, like the Loki finale) you see what I mean if you read it & watched Loki :D
3rd Best of 2021
wow! the end(s) gave me goosebumps! now I don't know I should go to the next book or just stare at the wall.
Pick the Plot (literally!)
Sci-fi themed
it was such a fun Interactive book, exciting experience as I followed all the options!
& it really felt like Owen talking to me! AWESOME!
I laughed a lot! every book, I noticed I really missed Owen!
At first it was a little confusing, then, especially after the challenges, it paced up! (the first part was great too, but the second, was just BRILLIANT!) full of twists & surprises that I didn't see them coming! like at all!
I enjoyed it a lot!
Wow! I love this series!
so Unique!
every book has a sub-genre theme inside this whole general fantasy.
I just can't say how much I loved it!
-
P.S.
& it was the best choice to read as I am in Loki fangirling mood! (& it was kind of fun because it published 4 years ago, but had the same vibes. even its end, like the Loki finale) you see what I mean if you read it & watched Loki :D
February 27, 2019
I'm still reeling . . . like always after reading James Riley's books.
October 8, 2017
A great book that truly engages the reader. A must read for fans of the first three books, read if you enjoy choose your own adventure books or pick the plot books. A great book by far, enjoy!
October 9, 2017
When Owen wakes up in prison, he only knows he needs to escape quickly in order to help his friend Bethany. His only ally is Kara, a girl his own age who seems to know him even if he doesn’t remember her. Owen quickly realizes that Nobody has actually trapped him in a Pick the Plot book. That means he needs your help to escape. Are you up for the challenge?
This is a very creative way to advance the Story Thieves series forward. Yes, every few pages we get a choice, but the wrong paths lead us back to the correct story. We do get parallel paths at one point, which is unfortunate since both do provide some good series info before the story comes back together. We don’t see much of the other series characters, but Owen and Kara carry the story well. It’s a fast, creative book that will please series fans.
Read my full review at .
This is a very creative way to advance the Story Thieves series forward. Yes, every few pages we get a choice, but the wrong paths lead us back to the correct story. We do get parallel paths at one point, which is unfortunate since both do provide some good series info before the story comes back together. We don’t see much of the other series characters, but Owen and Kara carry the story well. It’s a fast, creative book that will please series fans.
Read my full review at .
September 30, 2017
I swear James Riley’s books get better and better each time. Writing wise, and plot wise.
Pick the Plot was so good and now I want to re read the whole series. If I could rate this above 5 stars, I would.
Pick the Plot was so good and now I want to re read the whole series. If I could rate this above 5 stars, I would.
December 31, 2018
So Kara is now my all time favorite fictional character and I really have no regrets
July 22, 2018
The whole Story Thieves series has been pretty clever so far, but Riley raises that cleverness a notch by turning the fourth novel into a choose-your-own-adventure story. Since the series frequently breaks the fourth wall for Owen and Bethany's adventures, Riley brings the reader in as an important character in the story, which makes sense, since most of the CYOA books were written in the second person. Pick the Plot, though, is not.
This time around, Owen is trapped in a time prison back in prehistoric times, and the prison is set up so that it resets at the end of each day, putting the prisoners back on their first day there, with no memories of what happened in the previous day. Since the story sometimes sends the readers back to the beginning of the story to pick the next choice in a situation, the conceit works well, even if it means the story is pretty much on rails. As I was reading, I cheated with some choices so I could make sure I read the whole book, but it turns out that Riley will still steer you in the direction he wants you to go. There is a divergence in the story that alters part of the plot, but it reconnects with the ending so there's still only one complete plot. For a book in a series, though, this is to be expected; if there were different endings, it would affect the next book.
Speaking of which, it looks like Story Thieves is coming to an end with the next book. While I wouldn't mind seeing more stories set in this universe, I'm glad that Riley is working toward a known ending, instead of carrying the series out through too many books. It's been a fun ride, thanks in part to how clever it's been, but it feels like it will be going out on a good note. I'll be starting the final book immediately after this one, so I'll let y'all know.
This time around, Owen is trapped in a time prison back in prehistoric times, and the prison is set up so that it resets at the end of each day, putting the prisoners back on their first day there, with no memories of what happened in the previous day. Since the story sometimes sends the readers back to the beginning of the story to pick the next choice in a situation, the conceit works well, even if it means the story is pretty much on rails. As I was reading, I cheated with some choices so I could make sure I read the whole book, but it turns out that Riley will still steer you in the direction he wants you to go. There is a divergence in the story that alters part of the plot, but it reconnects with the ending so there's still only one complete plot. For a book in a series, though, this is to be expected; if there were different endings, it would affect the next book.
Speaking of which, it looks like Story Thieves is coming to an end with the next book. While I wouldn't mind seeing more stories set in this universe, I'm glad that Riley is working toward a known ending, instead of carrying the series out through too many books. It's been a fun ride, thanks in part to how clever it's been, but it feels like it will be going out on a good note. I'll be starting the final book immediately after this one, so I'll let y'all know.
December 31, 2018
I finished book 3 in this series and knew that I had to get the next 2. Luckily, I'd put book 4 on hold after reading book 2. (I got books 2 and 3 for Christmas) I forced my mom to go to the library to pick it up.
CONS OF PICK THE PLOT
None.
PROS OF PICK THE PLOT
James Riley did book 3 (yes that's not a typo, I mean 3) so well that I actually was getting stressed out that I would kill Owen. NOT KIDDING.
Kara is super awesome! I love her personality. (Not sure if I ship her and Owen or Owen and Charm now... Hmmmm...)
This was actually the best pick the plot book I've ever read! Admittedly, I haven't really read any... but pfffffft not the point! I really loved that it literally was important to the plot that this was a pick the plot book. At first, I was sad that it was, but then... it got super awesome.
Woah that ending! I need book 5! (It's in transit... ugh.)
OVERALL
LOVED IT
LOVED LOVE LOVED IT
Or, more importantly, Owen. (Look at that, Fowen! He got to be the hero in his own book!)
CONS OF PICK THE PLOT
None.
PROS OF PICK THE PLOT
James Riley did book 3 (yes that's not a typo, I mean 3) so well that I actually was getting stressed out that I would kill Owen. NOT KIDDING.
Kara is super awesome! I love her personality. (Not sure if I ship her and Owen or Owen and Charm now... Hmmmm...)
This was actually the best pick the plot book I've ever read! Admittedly, I haven't really read any... but pfffffft not the point! I really loved that it literally was important to the plot that this was a pick the plot book. At first, I was sad that it was, but then... it got super awesome.
Woah that ending! I need book 5! (It's in transit... ugh.)
OVERALL
LOVED IT
LOVED LOVE LOVED IT
Or, more importantly, Owen. (Look at that, Fowen! He got to be the hero in his own book!)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2017
This book is so clever and fun. So many things to love:dinosaurs, time travel, choose your own adventure, super complicated plot that questions your own existence, super powers, magic, and a lot of villains. You might think that all of that is too over the top, but it is executed so well, that it is just awesome.
October 1, 2017
This was so good! I was so busy this week, but when I had a break I read this. I'm super excited to see how this finishes, but I don't know how long I can wait!
March 24, 2023
Honestly, this one annoyed the crap out of me. It just kept repeating the same phrase over and over for the longest time.
March 28, 2025
This book was unexpectedly awesome
April 6, 2025
That was an amazing book!!! Confusing ngl, but amazing! I love this series so much cuz it's such a new and different idea than anything I've ever read before. 10/10
January 13, 2025
I know this is a kids book. So I can’t rly complain. I jsut hated flipping through pages unnecessarily. But I would’ve liked it better as a kid
May 21, 2018
I thought the previous book was meta enough.
But no~ James Riley has surpassed his own level of metaphysical narrative, and made perfect use of the nature of a pick-the-plot book to its full advantage and potential.
Unlike other pick-the-plot titles, in this book, you as a reader does not only follow pre-assigned routes of the story.
You ARE a character in the grand scheme of things.
Owen will speak to you, often pleading for your aid in his journey to rescue Bethany.
And you WILL play an important role to help Owen and Kara Dox.
And I love how Half Upon A Time makes a brief cameo here!!
If you only have time for a quick yet unforgettable read, pick this series up. The fictionals and nonfictionals will thank you.
But no~ James Riley has surpassed his own level of metaphysical narrative, and made perfect use of the nature of a pick-the-plot book to its full advantage and potential.
Unlike other pick-the-plot titles, in this book, you as a reader does not only follow pre-assigned routes of the story.
You ARE a character in the grand scheme of things.
Owen will speak to you, often pleading for your aid in his journey to rescue Bethany.
And you WILL play an important role to help Owen and Kara Dox.
And I love how Half Upon A Time makes a brief cameo here!!
If you only have time for a quick yet unforgettable read, pick this series up. The fictionals and nonfictionals will thank you.
July 7, 2018
I couldn’t update my progress on this book because it was in a literal pick the plot format. I couldn’t tell if I was nearing the end or not. It was really interesting because you got to pick the course of action that Owen and Kara took. Each discussion the reader made led to a different page, which kept me engaged the whole time. The last book of the Story Thieves series isn’t a pick the plot book, but I am still looking forward to reading it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2019
I don’t have words for this review. My mind is honestly still reeling from trying to comprehend it all! I mean, it was written in a choose your own adventure style of writing, there’s still the whole aspect of nonfictional people in fictional worlds, then throw in some time travel, too...plus it all still moved the storyline forward even with the reader (me) making choices. That was wild. I need to sit and think for a bit, haha!!
December 12, 2017
I've never done a pick-the-plot book before, but this was fascinating. I really enjoyed how--despite me making most of the choices--the characters and story moved in a smooth arc. Every book in this series is an adventure, and the form this book takes just makes it more interesting. Can't wait for the next one!
September 20, 2021
This book was so good! I have been waiting literal years to read this book, so I can not express how happy I am that I finally got around to it. We are just going to get right into this one. I, of course, loved the characters! No character went downhill, and I feel like all the ones that we had the pleasure of seeing again grew or developed in some way. I also liked the new characters that we got to meet. There is one specific character that I am really hoping we get to see in the final book, and I don't think that there is any reason that she shouldn't be there. Having said that, there were a few old characters, one in particular, that I missed. I'm also hoping that all of these characters return for the finale. I thought that the plot was really good. Reading a pick the plot book really took me back to my childhood, and there was definitely a part of me that loved it. I will admit that I was skeptical going into this book because I didn't know how James Riley would make a book pick the plot and then somehow have the same storyline happening for the next book, but, by Jove, he did it! I liked how everything went down, and I was definitely entertained for the entirety of the book. My only comment is that I'm not sure how necessary this book was. I just feel like not a ton happened that mattered in the grand scheme of things. Then again, I'm sure that Jame Riley will tie everything together and I will see the light when I read the next book. I'll also admit that the whole pick the plot thing threw me off for one reason, and that was how long it took me to finish the book. Due to the fact that I was jumping around constantly because of the format of the book, it was impossible to tell how far away from the end that I was. It kind of threw me for a loop, and I didn't really love it. However, maybe this was a good thing because it will teach me to let loose a little more when reading. There wasn't any cursing in this book, and there wasn't any sexual content. There was some violence, but nothing that I would deem too much. This book, and series, fit best in the Middle-grade category, but I think that people of all ages should read these books. I think that it is possible for any person to enjoy these books. I highly highly recommend this series! I love not only this series but also James Riley. I think that he may be one of my all-time favorite authors; he's at least one of my favorite middle-grade authors. You do need to read these books in order unless you wish to be extremely lost. I will 100%, finally, be finishing this series, and I am so excited to do so. Maybe a little bit sad as well, but mostly excited!
August 19, 2021
I really liked this one. I was hesitant about the choose your own adventure angle, but it worked so well for this book, especially in the time prison, and Riley really leaned into that aspect and made it an important part of the story. Also, the focus on Owen was much appreciated in this book, since he's always been a bit overshined by Bethany in the others. I like him much more now than I did in book 1. Unsure how I feel about the worldbuilding in this one, but overall this series has impressed me so much.
January 30, 2024
I always start these books and for the first third of the book I can't figure out where it's going or how it all ties together with the previous books. Then it all starts to become clear by the half-way point or so and I'm rather impressed and intrigued. I do feel like sometimes the key events need to be more clearly explained or reviewed (but that could be due to my multi-tasking while listening to the audio book). Which, side note, this IS a pick-the-plot (Choose Your Own Adventure) book. Which is super fun (and nostalgic) and I was impressed with out Riley managed to weave the various options together. But it IS rather difficult to do via audio book. And definitely not one to listen to while doing important things (like driving!) because you're constantly having to hunt around for the next chapter to read, so can't let the audio book progress on its own. Not a negative per se, just be aware that it's not something to listen to while driving.
But, Riley always comes up with interesting concepts and fun characters and leaves me curious to see where the next book goes!
But, Riley always comes up with interesting concepts and fun characters and leaves me curious to see where the next book goes!
July 26, 2022
This book was interesting, especially because it was written exactly like a Pick The Plot book. There are different outcomes according to the choice you did in the book. There were so many routes in the book, so many things to read about, so many things to connect. So, it was a creative and great book to read.
November 29, 2024
not as bad as I remember but still not great. no kiel & no bethany is so tragic honestly but owen was less annoying here. I think my main issue is just that this installment is boring (likely because owen is the most boring of the main trio sorry about it) and so most of my enjoyment solely came from flipping back and forth through the book making different decisions
also WHY must I sit through the middle grade version of the 'all female characters really like the main male character despite him being the most boring mf ever' trope ughghgh
also WHY must I sit through the middle grade version of the 'all female characters really like the main male character despite him being the most boring mf ever' trope ughghgh
May 27, 2023
I hate choose your own adventure books because I don’t like reading stuff out of order. And I really hated that book 4 of this series was written this way. Wasn’t a fan but I’m sure kids would love it 🤷♀�
April 22, 2025
This is the best book out of the series, easy. I LOVED it when I got to make Owen punch himself in the face☺️🥰 It was also very exciting and funny!
October 3, 2017
This was an interesting concept for the author to use in this series. If you're fond of choosing your own adventure books, you'll really enjoy this one.
Middle grade readers will love moving through the options as the plot unfolds.
Middle grade readers will love moving through the options as the plot unfolds.
November 11, 2019
While I'm not much of a fan nowadays of "Choose Your Own Adventure", or "Pick the Plot", books as I was back in childhood, this wasn't a bad book. It stuck with the previous novel in the serious and continued on with Owen at the end of Secret Origins.
That being said - I dislike having to flip back and forth through books like that. I'm not sure how I feel about this whole series dragging us readers into this whole mess with the fourth wall breaks and all that. When I'd started this series, I had a different idea of what this was about. I'm not disappointed, per se, and I will finish this series (one left).
That all being said, this books is good for its position in the Story Thieves series and definitely a break from the first three (even if it's not a format I would have liked to read).
That being said - I dislike having to flip back and forth through books like that. I'm not sure how I feel about this whole series dragging us readers into this whole mess with the fourth wall breaks and all that. When I'd started this series, I had a different idea of what this was about. I'm not disappointed, per se, and I will finish this series (one left).
That all being said, this books is good for its position in the Story Thieves series and definitely a break from the first three (even if it's not a format I would have liked to read).
October 6, 2018
I don't think I've ever read a pick the plot book before. I know I've flipped through some when I was younger, but I don't think I ever decided to read one from start to finish.
As with the rest of this series, I have enjoyed Riley's take on the whole fictional VS nonfictional aspect and it was fun to see how he played with the genre (as well as entertaining to flip back and forth as I investigated each branch of the story).
Within the series, this book focuses primarily on Owen as he was thrust into the Pick the Plot story and we don't see most of the other characters from earlier on. I found Kara to be a welcome addition and I wonder if she'll also play a role in the final book. The different endings leave us hanging in a jam. Hopefully Owen & Bethany can beat Nobody at the end.
As with the rest of this series, I have enjoyed Riley's take on the whole fictional VS nonfictional aspect and it was fun to see how he played with the genre (as well as entertaining to flip back and forth as I investigated each branch of the story).
Within the series, this book focuses primarily on Owen as he was thrust into the Pick the Plot story and we don't see most of the other characters from earlier on. I found Kara to be a welcome addition and I wonder if she'll also play a role in the final book. The different endings leave us hanging in a jam. Hopefully Owen & Bethany can beat Nobody at the end.
October 26, 2017
This fourth book in the Story Thieves series is even more meta than the third, which I didn't think was actually possible. Set up like a Pick a Plot (Choose Your Own Adventure) story, the reader gets to help Owen escape from Time Prison in order to rescue Bethany. Except that it's not exactly like a Pick a Plot book, because eventually you follow the path Riley set up and work through his story line. It is brilliantly designed and will have the reader flipping pages back and forth frantically. This is a must-read for fans of the series, and seriously, you need to read them in order. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.
April 19, 2018
IT WAS SO INCREDIBLY UNBELIEVABLE! The story was SO FUN to play with! I ended up killing Owen... a lot. I was a little bummed that since you picked the plot you wouldn't read the whole thing, and I like to be thorough so I went back and tried ALL the choices. It was tedious, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you couldn't stand not knowing. (which I couldn't) Overall, I thought it was great. The story was meh compared the the third book, but his style was enough to keep you intrigued! The next book, I KNOW, will be interesting though. I've already started a bit of it. It's a wild ride with this crazy author, but you'll have fun on this time stopping adventure!
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