Eyes like stars by Lisa Mantchev

Rating : 5 / 5

Goodreads : 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

My review : Eyes like stars may be one of the best books I've read since I started blogging. It was so magical and well written... The plot is absolutely brilliant and original... The characters were well developed. Yes it's THAT good !  I have not read anything like this book...

I love everything. Starting from the amazing reactions of the characters outside the plays, till the story of Bertie herself and how she want to stay in the theater even though she do not belong there, it’s her home and she has to keep it safe and never let a hand touch The Book.
There is so much going on and you can be a little lost sometimes, you can be confused. Also, you can't pin point a setting or a time for the book (for exemple patrons arriving both in carriage and limousine...). But I liked that confusion. It reminded me of all the stories a child can create when he is playing, stories that  often didn't make any sense.
Several Shakespearean stage production are referenced but also non-Shakespearean plays including Peter Pan, Les Misérables, The little mermaid.
Oh and I'm still torned between the seductive air spirit Ariel and the pirate Nate. We'll see in the next book!

Eyes Like Stars is a fun-filled fantasy adventure that I am sure you will enjoy reading. Lisa Mantchev is an amazing storyteller and I can't wait to read more of her.

Playlist
Dance of the sugar plum fairy - Tchaikovsky