Review : Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

Title : Eyes Like Stars
Author : Lisa Mantchev
Publisher : Fiewel & Friends
Genre : Young Adult
ISBN : 978-0312380960
Series : Theatre Illuminata #1
Release Date : July 7, 2009
Rating : 5/5 - Loved It

Description from Goodreads : 

Enter Stage Right

All her world's a stage.
Beatrice Shakespeare Smith is not an actress, yet she lives in a theater.
She is not an orphan, but she has no parents.
She knows every part, but has no lines of her own.
Until now.

Welcome to the Théâtre Illuminata, where the characters of every place ever written can be found behind the curtain. They were born to play their parts, and are bound to the Théâtre by The Book—an ancient and magical tome of scripts. Bertie is not one of them, but they are her family—and she is about to lose them all and the only home she has ever known.

Lisa Mantchev has written a debut novel that is dramatic, romantic, and witty, with an irresistible and irreverent cast of characters who are sure to enchant the audience.

Open Curtain

Review : 

After being away from reviewing for some time, I'm going back and reviewing books that I read a long time ago and never got around to writing a review for.  Thankfully I no longer have a full-time job, so I can dedicate more time to reading and reviewing.  I wish that were the case back when I had read this book, because in all honesty, it was my favorite read of 2010.  I literally wanted to call off of work, with the risk of being fired, to stay home and read this book.  Knowing how that job treated me when I found out I was pregnant, makes me wish I had done just that.

Bertie was a fantastic character, this much I remember. I loved her from the very start, including her wild ways.  I hated how the Theater Manager treated her, and he quickly became my least favorite character because of this.  Her friends were always there for her though, especially her hysterically funny fairy friends.  They were always doing something outrageous and I couldn't help but laugh myself to tears.

The Theater Manager gives Bertie an ultimatum.  Either she makes herself useful somehow for the theater, or it's time for her to leave.  So Bertie has to figure out what kind of job she can do, before she loses the only home that she has every known.  My personal opinion on that is that it's horrible, why would anyone push someone out of the only home they've ever known, away from the only family they've ever had?  The only clear explanation to me is that he's heartless.

This book was a breath of fresh air for me.  I'm not one to go back and re-read titles, but I can see myself picking this book back up in the future.  Unfortunately I lent my only signed copy to a friend and never received it back.  That's the last time I lend out a book that I want to keep my hands on for a good long while.  I do hope I can have the honors of owning another signed copy of this book someday, because it's something I would love to save in my collection.

Where did I get this book? : 

I won my copy from another blog in the blogosphere.  It's been so long that I don't remember which one it was, but I'm eternally grateful that I was given the chance to read this book.

Amazon Affiliates : 

Clicking on title links in this post will redirect you to Amazon.com.  If you happen to make a purchase after clicking these links I will receive a small percentage of the profits.