Ill Met by Moonlight

Rating:
Summary: Delightful! Can't wait to read the sequel....
Review: What a wonderful idea for a book! Ill Met By Moonlight is an enchanting blending of fairylore, history, fantasy, the ballad Tam Lin and Shakespearean themes. It is chock full of quotes from Shakespeare and I love how cleverly Hoyt fits them in with the action of her tale. In Ill Met By Moonlight Hoyt daringly uses William Shakespeare as her main character. Shakespeare's wife and daughter have been stolen by the "good people" and with the help of a gender changing elf named Quicksilver, Shakespeare has to save them ala Tam Lin. The Hamlet like Quicksilver must also bring about the downfall of his traitorous brother who has stolen his throne from him. This is a wonderfully original story full of engaging, sympathetic characters, an exciting, compelling plot and a good dash of humor and sex. It's a fantastic first novel and I am eagerly awaiting the sequel.

Rating:
Summary: Tangled in magic
Review: Young Will Shakespeare finds his wife and daughter missing, and soon learns they've been taken by the elf king Sylvanus. The elf prince Quicksilver (who can switch between male and female forms) wants to use Will as a pawn to reclaim his throne and avenge the murder of his parents. When he begins to fall in love with the mortal, he finds himself at a crossroads that might change the lives of everyone, both mortal and magical. Imagining Shakespeare's inspirations for his famous plays, Sarah Hoyt delights readers with this tale of intrigue, fairies, vengeance, and love. While the overly ornate language is sometimes distracting, I do think the book as a whole is quite enjoyable.