Happy Release Day

Sorry I have been gone so much lately. Life has been busy! I am having DD #2 in just less than 3 weeks, and having a 3 yr old and being hugely pregnant my life has been torn apart!

But I had to remind everyone that today is the release day for Lisa Mantchev's SO SILVER BRIGHT, book 3 in the Theater Illuminata series!



If you recall we were lucky enough to give you a first peek at the cover, reveal the cover and review the book! (all linked)

Congrats Lisa! We love you and your books!

And readers be sure to come back tomorrow because I am actually reviewing another book that came out today too! ;)

Review: SO SILVER BRIGHT by Lisa Mantchev

So Silver Bright
by Lisa Mantchev
Hardcover, 320 pages
Expected publication: September 13th 2011 by Feiwel & Friends

Placement in the Pile: Reaching New Heights

Summary:
All Beatrice Shakespeare Smith has ever wanted is a true family of her own. And she’s close to reuniting her parents when her father disappears. Now Bertie must deal with a vengeful sea goddess and a mysterious queen as she tries to keep her family – and the Theatre Illuminata – from crumbling. To complicate it all, Bertie is torn between her two loves, Ariel and Nate.

Review:
The whole cast of The Theater Illuminata is back for their final curtain call.

It always takes me a bit to get back into her style of writing, and the thick of the story, but once I'm used to it again, I can't put it down. I particularly loved the faeries in this one, their comic relief was perfect and so well written.

Bertie's journey to try to reunite her family, and decide where her heart truly lies doesn't run smooth, that's for sure. I don't want to be spoilery, so let's just say this book ups the ante again, and finally answers all of the questions raised in the last two.

A fast-paced, satisfying conclusion to the series. I won't comment on my feelings about which love interest she ends up with, since anything I said either positive or negative would reveal the outcome to anyone who remembers which team I was rooting for. You'll just have to find out when the book is released!

SO SILVER BRIGHT Cover Reveal Fragment 3!

Hi everyone! I am SO excited to be able to share this bit of the cover for SO SILVER BRIGHT by Lisa Mantchev, book three in the Theater Illuminata Series! Here is some info about the book:

SO SILVER BRIGHT
by Lisa Mantchev
To Be Published September 13th 2011 by Feiwel & Friends (as listed on Goodreads)

Summary:
Bertie thinks her quest is almost done. With the help of Ariel and the rest of her friends, she has managed to find her father and rescue the kidnapped pirate, Nate, from Sedna the sea goddess. Now all she has to do is reunite her father, The Scrimshander, with her mother, Ophelia, and she will finally have a true family of her own.

However, things are never easy for Beatrice Shakespeare Smith. Her father has vanished, Sedna is out for revenge, her own actions have trapped the Theatre Illuminata, the only home she’s ever known, into a strange kind of limbo, and the stress of her in-between state is tearing apart the fragile threads of her mother’s sanity. Bertie’s best hope for salvaging the situation may lie in the summons by Her Gracious Majesty, Queen of the Distant Castle and hope of winning the magical boon given to the most pleasing performance. Bertie is caught between her growing responsibilities to home and family and the dream of flying free, just as her heart is torn between her two loves, Ariel and Nate.

With so many forces pulling on her, how will Bertie be able to choose which wish to make come true?

And with no further adieu, here is a bit of the cover!



Amazing right? I am so excited! Let us know what you think in the comments. And be sure to come back on Friday to see the entire cover revealed!

Review PERCHANCE TO DREAM by Lisa Mantchev

PERCHANCE TO DREAM

by Lisa Mantchev

Details: Published: May 25th 2010 by Feiwel & Friends (first published 2010)
Hardcover, 384 pages

Placement in Pile: Reaching New Heights

Summary:

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?

Once again, LISA MANTCHEV has spun a tale like no other—full of romance, magic, adventure, and fairies, too—that readers won’t want to put down, even after the curtain has closed.

REVIEW:

It took me a little while to get back into the world Lisa has created (which, in my opinion, is somewhat confusing at times with the combination of modern and historical elements and magic and everything else). I remembered that EYES LIKE STARS was different, but I didn't seem to remember just HOW different her writing/world building was. Once I got back into it though and remembered more of the details from the first book, I was sucked right in to the craziness, romance, and suspense of the Theater Illuminata books. A unique story, wonderful characters of all sorts (aren't the faeries hysterical?), and a complicated love triangle. (I know who I'm rooting for!) The way this one ends I have no idea who she's going to pick or how, but I can't wait for more. And I really am craving some cupcakes. Or just cake. Or anything with sugar.

Cupcakeathon! Mini Candy Cupcakes!

Here is my day's activities participating in the cupcakeathon for the release of PERCHANGE TO DREAM by Lisa Mantchev!!!

First I gathered my ingredients. I couldn't keep it a secret any longer, the second the fairies heard I was pulling out the devil's food cake mix they were right there!

Here I am doing a little batter licking...notice the hair, I added my green hair Bertie style! ;) It was fun to channel her.

Piping them into Mini-muffin tins!

Oh, what is the candy for you ask?

With the help of the fairies we "smashed them with a hammer!"

Yeah when all was said and done there were 85 cupcakes! YES EIGHTY FIVE!!!

The fairies didn't let me have the frosting batters to myself. They swarmed!

All of them..mostly, it was so hard to get them ALL in one shot!

And they stood watch....

Cause I covered EVERY one of those 85 cupcakes with home-made butter cream frosting and crushed candy of some sort. These are the butterfinger ones! Mmmmm.

The tower of mini-candy-cupcakes. There are Reeses Peanut Butter Cup, Heath Bar, Oreos, Butterfinger and mini chocolate chips!!!

Taste testing!

Then I had to go find PERCHANCE TO DREAM out in the wild! Good thing I went when I did, they are near extinction in the wild up here in Utah! I got the LAST copy at my B&N!

PERCHANCE TO DREAM in the wild!

My book accompanied by all those cupcakes and fairies!

I am so excited to sink my teeth into this book....and even more excited to let the fairies and some of my friends sink their teeth into those cupcakes! Oh yes, and my FB is on Pirate Mode in honor of Nate! Go team Nate! Let's see if I will still be team Nate after this book... ;)