As far as a Shakespeare retelling, this was a lot of fun. There's drama, intrigue, fantastic characters, and great action. Give it a try.

Funny and fun, this is a romp of a book, especially for readers who really enjoy asynchronistic stories (like My Plain Jane, referenced in the description).

This smart and well written novel had me engaged from the beginning. It’s premise was wholly original and i could not get over all the twists and turns in this story.

I think my favorite part about this book is the insanity it paints around the original productions of Shakespeare plays. Constant changes to the text during rehearsal. Men dressed as women and, at times, playing up that reality. The historical context of the plot to assassinate the queen was certainly interesting but it couldn't hold a candle to the image of Shakespeare wandering around like a madman, needlessly inventing words.

Historical is one of my least read genres. Although people and events from history are interesting, if I read historical, I don't want an exact recounting like a textbook. I want something that adds to the past and makes it unique and fun. Assassin's Guide takes people you know such as Queen Elizabeth I and Shakespeare (who are two of my favorites already) and adds danger, intrigue, romance, sass, humor (a must-have for my historical reads!), along with original characters who feel real and an original story based on real life events.

One of Assassin's Guide's greatest strengths is newcomers Toby and Katherine. Not only do our narrators have clear, distinct voices and well-rounded characterizations, they fold very easily into the Elizabethan world. They feel like they could have been real. And good heavens, the tension between them is AMAZING.

I love romance in most of my books because if done well and not forced for the sake of having a romance, it adds a layer of complexity to the story. That's how it is with Toby and Kit. Because on the one hand spycraft and intrigue, assassination and the prevention thereof, but on the other, TENSION and KISSING and FEELINGS. And for these two, it's even more complex because of Katherine's disguise as a boy and Toby's attempts to understand his bisexuality. AND THEY'RE PUTTING ON TWELFTH NIGHT, WHICH IS ABOUT THESE THINGS. Shakespeare would be so proud of this story!

I also think Shakespeare would be proud of the way Virginia writes the historical figures. Shakespeare and Elizabeth made me smile every time they were on page. Shakespeare is the flighty, mood-driven artiste. He's got a keen eye and a sharp tongue, and I LOVE how he's written. Elizabeth is equal parts powerful ruler who suffers no fools (as we all know) and naughty old lady. She's so saucy, especially in her scenes with Toby, but she still displays the steel backbone history shows us she possessed.

Like the My Lady Jane series, An Assassin's Guide to Love and Treason shakes up history and creates something new and slightly irreverent. It's based on reality and historical fact creates a solid foundation for this unique story that adds a twist to one of Shakespeare's best works. With humor, religious tension, romance, and intrigue, Assassin's Guide is a fabulous addition to bookshelves everywhere!

Full review TK for Teenreads.com. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this incredible book.

Set in Elizabethan England, AN ASSASSIN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND TREASON is a fantastic and intriguing read. I was awed by the way Virginia Boecker wrote in real characters--I was entranced by her Shakespeare, her Queen Elizabeth and the various other "real" characters in the novel. Though Toby and Kit were at different sides of a plot that could have changed history, I felt myself so drawn into their story and their intertwined narratives. I was spell-bound, spending long periods of time so completely enthralled by the story that I missed opportunities and forgot responsibilities for a bit--the best kind of distraction! I hope that there is more to this story--I was so charmed by Toby and Kit that I can't imagine never reading about them again!

A fun story that touches on history with a couple of twists and turns. I loved the setting and time period and I enjoyed the aspects of the story that had to do with the play and wish there would have been more on the spy craft. I found the characters a little harder to connect with, even though we read from their points of view. I can't quite put my finger on why, but something just held me back from really feeling invested in their story.

Overall, once the story hit it's stride, I enjoyed myself but I don't see myself keeping this on my shelf or picking it up for a reread. However, I would want to check out other books by this author.

My rating is 3.5 out of 5 stars. This review is based off an arc provided by Netgalley in exchange for honest reviews.

As a fan of Shakespeare and historical fiction in general, I was itching to get my hands on the books from the moment I read the blurb. An Assassin's Guide to Love and Treason has to be one of the most entertaining YA historical fiction novels I have ever read. It's a wonderful take on classic Shakespearian tropes that I can see many, many people enjoying.

A royal spy and an orphan out for revenge on the people who killed her father, Toby and Katherine could not be more different. One is out to prevent the people who are plotting to kill Queen Elizabeth and the other out to assassinate her. Katherine disguises herself as a boy, Kit, and auditions for a play which is being put for the queen in order to assassinate. The play itself is actually being put on by Toby who is using it to Lure the assassins in and stop their plotting. Over the course of the novel the two start to develop feelings for each other, and, of course, drama ensues. I really enjoyed both characters, and the similarities with the play which is being performed, Twelfth Night. I loved how we got to see Katherine grow and find herself over the course of the novel, and I found her story to be very relatable and empowering. Toby was so passionate and funny--he's a character that you can't help but like. The only real issue I had with this book was the pacing. I felt that there were a lot of things that could have been sped up such as all of the plotting, the investigating, even the relationship between the two main characters. The ending though, that definitely made up for the pacing issues. It was fun, exciting, and the perfect way to tie up the novel. One thing I really need to give props for is how well researched this book was. Reading it, I could tell that Boecker actually put effort into trying to make things as historically accurate as possible which is something that not every author does.

In conclusion I give An Assassin's Guide to Love and Treason four out of five stars for being a fun-filled read as well as one of my new favorite YA Historical Fictions. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone, but especially to fans of Shakespeare.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I started to read An Assassin’s Guide to Love and Treason. The beginning was slow, there was a lot of information thrown at me in, causing me to almost DNF it, but on the recommendation of a friend, I kept on reading. I’m glad that I kept with it.
The story revolves around two point-of-views, Katherine, and Toby, who don’t realize that they are in opposition of each other. After the death of her father, Katherine decides that she wants to kill the Queen, and goes undercover as an actor in order to perform in a play that is to be performed in from of the Queen. Toby, is a spy for the queen sent to the theatre to find out if there is an assassin plotting to kill the queen at William Shakespeare’s new play.
I loved the romance in this book, and while the beginning was a lot of setup for the main story, I fell in love with the characters as well. Overall, this was a fun read that is perfect for fans of Shakespeare.

Fun Shakespearian romp, if your idea of a romp includes an assassination plot. But honestly, the assassination plot keeps the plot going even though the really interesting part is watching Kit and Toby's relationship develop. It's fun to be in Shakespeare's theatre, as the gender-swapping of the characters heightens the gender-swapping that is taking place in Kit's real life. I did not completely predict the ending as there are so many twists and turns, you can't quite figure out what twist or turn the characters will wind up in. This also provides a very enjoyable idea about the existence of Twelfth Night, a weird play for Shakespeare. I think romance lovers and Shakespeare nerds unite with this title.