Review: Eyes Like Stars (Théâtre Illuminata #1) by Lisa Mantchev

All her world’s a stage.

Bertie Shakespeare Smith is not an actress, yet she lives in a theater.

She’s not an orphan, but she has no parents.

She knows every part, but she has no lines of her own.

That is, until now.

Enter Stage Right

NATE. Dashing pirate. Will do anything to protect Bertie.

COBWEB, MOTH, MUSTARD SEED, and PEASEBLOSSOM. Four tiny and incredibly annoying fairies. BERTIE’S sidekicks.

ARIEL. Seductive air spirit and Bertie’s weakness. The symbol of impending doom.

BERTIE. Our heroine.

Welcome to the Théâtre Illuminata, where the actors of every play 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

I waited a while to start this series but now that I have I can say that Lisa Mantchev put out a cute and quirk read. The imagination that went in to this book, the setting, and the characters were all a lot of fun. It was a little slow in the beginning for me, but picked up quickly and kept pace from there.


Bertie and her "family" of characters from all the classic plays were very entertaining to follow. The four fairies from A Mid Summer Night's Dream were mischievous and hilarious to listen to. Nate, the well mannered gentleman pirate (I know right?) had me rooting for him and Bertie to get together right from the start. And Ariel, while completing the love triangle, did not win my vote. He did have his moments at times throughout the story but for the most part I didn't understand why Bertie was so pulled in by him?


With the second installment, Perchance to Dream, out in stores and currently on my shelf at home, I've got to dig in and find out if Bertie can save Nate and whether or not she'll come to her senses in the romance department! Please Bertie.....


I gave Eyes Like Stars (Théâtre Illuminata #1) 3 shamrocks!!!