5 Stars or Less in 5 Sentences or Less

4 star

Words, Theater, Shakespeare, Plays, Friendship, Family

Bertie may be maturing but her problems are definitely growing right along with her. Sedna the Sea Goddess, her separated parents, the Theatre itself, her own feelings, and a crazy queen make for a lot of turmoil—but her spunky fairy friends and Bertie’s wordplay result in a perfect balance between danger and humor. This book manages to tie up loose ends while still introducing new adventures and characters. A perfect end to the trilogy (you might even shed a tear or two).

The third in the Théâtre Illuminata trilogy that includes Eyes Like Stars and Perchance to Dream.

4 star

Theater, Shakespeare, Plays, Friendship, Self-Sufficiency, Family, Love

In act two, Bertie ventures forth into the world to find her kidnapped comrade and discover the truth about her family—but along the way she finds a lot more than she bargained for. A story full of humor and heart, Perchance to Dream is almost as good as the first book, though the constant switching between magic and reality can make your eyes cross after a while. Mantchev does a great job of blending Bertie’s strength and willpower with her love for her friends, and the strange company that she travels with are a quirky and complicated bunch. A fun, suspenseful, and magic-filled romp.

The second in the Théâtre Illuminata trilogy that includes Eyes Like Stars and So Silver Bright.

4 star

Theater, Shakespeare, Plays, Friendship, Self-Sufficiency, Belonging

Beatrice Shakespeare Smith lives in a magical theater where the building itself comes to life and all of the players are really their characters. She has no idea how she arrived there but now, after one too many hijinks, the Theater Manager wants to throw her out: she must gather her wits and her friends and put on a show the likes of which the Theater Manager has never seen—all while preventing one of the characters from destroying the theater itself. Beatrice is a saucy heroine with a plethora of fun sidekicks (the fairies from A Midsummer Night’s Dream) and her relationships with the other characters are realistic and fascinating—particularly her romantic feelings for the pirate and the air spirit. The pace is quick and the cast of players will be sure to delight fans of Shakespeare.

The first in the Théâtre Illuminata trilogy that includes Perchance to Dream and So Silver Bright.