Perchance to Dream

Again, I'm sorry about my absense. I have a feeling my goal of reading 150 books this year will not be reached, because I am already ten books behind where I was last year. Also, I am skipping Teaser Tuesday this week because I'm still reading One Butt Cheek at a Time (yes, I'm terrible). But, here is my review of a great sequel of 2010!



Title: Perchance to Dream



Author: Lisa Mantchev



Pages: 333



Rating: ****



Summary (from Goodreads): The stuff that dreams are made on.
Act Two, Scene One.
Growing up in the enchanted Thèâtre Illuminata, Beatrice Shakespeare Smith learned everything about every play ever written. She knew the Players and their parts, but she didn’t know that she, too, had magic. Now, she is the Mistress of Revels, the Teller of Tales, and determined to follow her stars. She is ready for the outside world.
Enter BERTIE AND COMPANY.
But the outside world soon proves more topsy-turvy than any stage production. Bertie can make things happen by writing them, but outside the protective walls of the Thèâtre, nothing goes as planned. And her magic cannot help her make a decision between—
Nate: Her suave and swashbuckling pirate, now in mortal peril.
Ariel: A brooding, yet seductive, air spirit whose true motives remain unclear.
When Nate is kidnapped and taken prisoner by the Sea Goddess, only Bertie can free him. She and her fairy sidekicks embark on a journey aboard the Thèâtre’s caravan, using Bertie’s word magic to guide them. Along the way, they collect a sneak-thief, who has in his possession something most valuable, and meet The Mysterious Stranger, Bertie’s father—and the creator of the scrimshaw medallion. Bertie’s dreams are haunted by Nate, whose love for Bertie is keeping him alive, but in the daytime, it’s Ariel who is tantalizingly close, and the one she is falling for. Who does Bertie love the most? And will her magic be powerful enough to save her once she enters the Sea Goddess’s lair?



Review: I'm a huge fan of the Thèâtre Illuminata. I adored Eyes Like Stars (You can read my review here), and Perchance to Dream was no disappointment. The characters were just as likeable and funny, and this sequel does a great job of showing Bertie as she adjusts to her newfound power.

Ariel is the only person on Bertie's "Rescue Mission" who has ever been outside the Thèâtre, and it is nothing like the rest of them could have imagined. Bertie's magic doesn't work the way she expects it to out in the real world. The romance it the book is great until the end; Lisa does a great job of showing the love triangle. I thought the romantic ending left something to be desired; hopefully that'll be cleared up in the next book?

This book has a lot more magic in it. There were some parts I read four times, but still didn't quite understand what had happened. I liked it for the most part--it added flair and mystery. I thought some parts could have been a bit clearer.

Perchance to Dream keeps the originality of Eyes Like Stars going; I have yet to read anything close to Lisa's world.

Overall, much more fantasy than Eyes Like Stars. It answers some questions, but also brings up new ones.

Perchance to Dream will be released May 25, 2010!



Recommended for: Fantasy lovers, those who believe in the power of words