Shakespeare Shake-Up Part 2

 Title: Still Star-Crossed
                                     # of Pages: 352
                                     Author: Melinda Taub
                                     Previous Work: None.

                                     Summary: Still Star-Crossed picks up where Romeo and
                                     Juliet leaves off. The Montagues and Capulets have sworn to
                                     uphold peace, but riots still ring out in the streets. Prince
                                     Escalus decides to marry Benvolio (Romeo's best friend) to
                                     Rosaline (Juliet's cousin) to try to keep the peace. The two set
                                     off on a quest to avoid marrying each other and along the way
                                     realize the murders seem almost... planned. Can they finally
                                     bring about peace in fair Verona?
                                     Rating: 5
                                     Awards: Kirkus Starred Review

                                     Opinion: This book is not told in poetry, although the
                                     characters' dialogue was told in a Shakespearean style (thee,
                                     thou, anon, etc.). This is a great book for those who enjoy
                                     Shakespearean plots, but not the flowery poetry. As for my
                                     personal opinion? This book was amazing. The characters were
                                     multi-layered, and you felt like you were solving the murders
                                     with the protagonists. Once I picked up this book up, I couldn't
                                     put it down.

Shakespeare Shake-Up Part 1

 Title: William Shakespeare's Star Wars® - Verily, a New
                                     Hope
                                     # of Pages: 174
                                     Author: Ian Doescher
                                     Previous Work: None, but there will be sequels.

                                     Summary: I believe the book trailer for this work best
                                     describes the book, showing both the prose and a glimpse of
                                     what Star Wars® is about.
                                       Rating: I give this a 4.5.
                                     Awards: None

                                     Opinion: This book is only for those that like Star Wars® 
                                     and love Shakespeare. It is told entirely in prose as shown in
                                     the trailer. I like the insight into the characters that the
                                     movies can't necessarily show. R2-D2, especially, talks to the
                                     audience about his plans. He, of course, still talks in blips and
                                     bloops around other characters. The one bad thing is that if
                                     you don't play close attention, the action scenes are
                                     confusing.

Drama Geek Heaven Part 1

For this section I'll be doing my first series review (so exciting!) and reviewing a stand alone book. This is for all the drama geeks like me out there.
Title: Théâtre Illuminata Trilogy-
                                                 Eyes Like Stars
                                                 Perchance to Dream
                                                 So Silver Bright
                                       Author: Lisa Mantchev
                                       Previous Work: These books are the only ones she's 
                                       written.  
                                       
                                       Summary: Welcome to the Théâtre Illuminata, where the 
                                       characters 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. Beatrice Shakespeare Smith 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.  

                                       In this series Bertie and her friends must save their Theatre,
                                       and in some cases their lives, with the help of Bertie and her 
                                       hidden magical power to write things into existence. She 
                                       herself has many challenges to overcome along the way. Does
                                       she love the pirate, Nate or the mysterious air spirit, Ariel? 
                                       Who are her parents? And where does she come from?
                                       Rating: I give this series a definite 5.
                                       Awards: (For Eyes Like Stars)
                                       Nominated for- 
                                       2009 Andre Norton Award for 
                                       Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy

                                       2010 Mythopoeic Award for 
                                       Children's Literature

                                       Has a Kirkus starred review

                                       Opinion: These books were amazing. I learned so much 
                                       about famous theatrical characters and was enthralled with 
                                       Bertie. The story is so in depth, you feel as though you know
                                       the characters by the series' end. I highly recommend this 
                                       trilogy, not only to drama geeks, but to any one who loves
                                       reading.