Okay, wow! There is so much to say about To best the Boys and much like the book I'll try to pack as much as I can in a limited space.

Pros:
- I loved Rhen, I thought she was the perfect main character! (YAY Queen)
- Loved the complex relationships between the characters (friendships, etc.)
- Mr.Holm! (We see you!)
- SCIENCE!
- The labyrinth is so so so so cool!
- The writing is really good, like really good y'all!

Cons (Where I have the same con just laid out 3 times):

- This book tries to do too many things at once, and sometimes part of the story falls short (It doesn't really matter anyways because the story keeps you hooked) but seriously this could have been split into a duology and it would have been a better fit.

- Other than the main character Rhen, I didn't really feel like I got to know the other characters really

- This book is heavily centred about the story itself so the world building becomes a little muddled. I wish we had more time to get settled.


Overall, I loved this book! So glad I was able to get my hands on an E-ARC (Thanks Edelweiss!). I think everyone will love this book, my only down side is that there really isn't enough of this book to go around and I want more!!

This was a quick, feminist fantasy read that hits all the YA fantasy tropes you would expect, but does it well. The writing is excellent and the world is well developed. Readers will love Rhen from the first page and root for her. I hope there are more adventures planned for her as this book left me wanting more of her story.

Well butter my biscuit, we have one heck of a book!

Not giving too much away because I'm a firm believe going into any book not knowing much is the best experience, we're following a name Rhen who is basically a scientist. Yup. A SCIENTIST! Grab ya wallet, grab ya credit card, grab ya preorder. Okay, back to the plot. She refuses to fit the small space the world leaves for her. Like the academy where only boys are aloud to attend and girls are expected to just marry and make babies and cook and clean and BLAH! Unfortunately her mother has fallen ill to a disease spreading amongst her people and Rhen wants to help her father find a cure. The only way to even have that chance is to compete in the Labyrinth where only boys are allowed and get a spot at the academy!

The prose was simply lovely. No matter how eager I was to turn pages after pages, I had to pause once in a while so I can reread some passages that were just beautiful. There were plenty of WTF moments, swoon-worthy moments, hair pulling moments, awe-inspiring moments and gasp-inducing moments. The ending was all of these combined. In truth, Mary Weber has a dangerous persona that concerns me, yet I'm beyond excited to read the next installment.

Highly unpredictable, imaginative and vividly woven, this book is the reason why I am reading fantasy novels.

I really enjoyed this book! Hunger Games-ish, without the totally messed up society, along with the theme that girls can be and do anything. The characters were likable and the setting was fun. Definitely recommend!

“I’m just tired of feeling like the way things are is the only way they can ever be” (136).

Rhen Tellur lives in a world of limitations. She is bound by her gender and by her class in a society that—despite its fantasy roots—feels all too real. Mary Weber’s standalone young adult novel To Best the Boys is a delight.

The premise centers on an annual competition: the boys of Pinsbury Point enter a labyrinth and vie to be the first to exit. The winner receives a full scholarship to Stemwick Men’s University. This opportunity is open to both the Uppers and the Lowers, the two classes in the kingdom of Caldon, and so it’s an equal chance for boys—but only for boys—to grab on to a potentially life-changing education.

At the opening of the novel, Rhen, the daughter of an Upper society mother and a Lower father, is fighting with her Da to find a cure for a crippling illness that is afflicting residents, including her mother, of Lower villages. She yearns to be seen by those in power, the ones who could make a difference for those who are suffering. She dreams of breaking out of the cage of her gender, which seems to have sentenced her to—at best—a life as a politician’s wife without choices who must hide her intelligence and scientific aptitude. She pines for Lute, a fisherman who wants only to care for his family and to make a simple living.

With her cousin Seleni, a member of Upper society, Rhen does her best to work toward each of these goals while respecting the bounds of her world. There is, however, a catalyst that causes her to make a leap, disguise herself as a boy, and enter the Labyrinth. To Best the Boys reminded me, at different times, of The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner, but it establishes a new angle on that YA trend.

Weber’s world building here is just brilliant, juxtaposing the science that consumes Rhen with a fantasy world containing sirens, ghouls, and basilisks. I so appreciated Rhen’s coming of age as she struggles to define who she is in a society that gives women few choices. Weber balances Rhen’s personality with her cousin Seleni’s desires, and we see Seleni focusing on a quite different life for herself. The right to carve one’s path, regardless of what that path is, is a major theme in the novel.

The writing is strong, and I found myself marking quotations and beautiful phrasing throughout the book. The book’s strength doesn’t lie in surprises—I found this type of plot, including the quest within the labyrinth, Rhen’s self discovery, and the romantic relationships, to be fairly predictable. Instead, the quality of the details of world and of the character distinguish this book from others like it.

A strong standalone novel that is both rich and complete, Mary Weber’s To Best the Boys will satisfy readers seeking fantasy, action, and some excellent feminism. Great YA read!

Thanks to NetGalley and @TNZFiction (#partner) for my free copy of this beautiful book.

#ToBestTheBoys #NetGalley

This book started out slow for me, kind of like trying to learn to swim, you just have to adjust and then you are fine. I am not sure where in the book was the turning point but it went from treading water to Olympic swimming in no time. This book may start slow, but it grows and blooms into a book that you can't put down. I love the relationship between Lute and Rhen. I love Rhen's character. How smart she is, how she loves her family, how she is a value and recognized in a world against her. Wonderful book!!


I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

Before I get too excited with my opinions, this novel focuses on the life of Rhen Tellur. She is a precocious and fiercely independent seventeen-year-old girl whose entire life mission is to bury herself in scientific experiments with her father to find a cure to a disease that is not only ravaging her community but her mother as well. Rhen realizes that their combined efforts are futile whilst using the rudimentary laboratory equipment and supplies she has access to, so she formulates a plan to disguise herself as a boy to enter the labyrinth competition for a prestigious scholarship to attend the all-male Stemwick University, which is sponsored by the mysterious and magical Mr. Holm (who is financially endowed).

I needed this book on so many levels. Rhen desires more than anything to prove herself as a scientist regardless of the fact that she is from a lower class and also a female. (Two things that painstakingly hit home for me.) She does not allow herself to be swept away by the voracious lifestyles of the upper echelon. Rhen only wants society to respect her for her mind and contributions (swoon!).

As far as my critiques go, this book is a slow builder. The first half of the story lays the foundation for Rhen’s character. You see her digging into the chest cavity of a cadaver, analyzing blood smears under a microscope, and analyzing concoctions to be injected into her rat subject, Lady. I think to most, this is the boring part since it’s more technical but without much “action”. As a fellow scientist, I was gripping my seat to know the compositions of her solutions and the findings under her microscope, but hey, not for everyone. Once Rhen enters the labyrinth, I could not read the pages fast enough. So much action happens in such a short time span, which left my head spinning trying to comprehend what I read. The assumptions that I had about other characters and the conclusion was not at all what I expected. This book is what girls who aspire to dream big in the stem fields have been waiting for. Bravo Mary Weber. This was truly an inspiring and heartfelt read.

My recommendation: 5/5 stars. If you know a girl who wants to know if she can survive in male dominated fields, give her this book!

Another fantastic by Mary Weber! This book was difficult to put down. I loved the fact that it was a cross between The Hunger Games (although without the death parts) and a magical escape room game. The characters are well fleshed out and I was hooked from the first page. Solid character motivation drove the book straight through to the end. Plus, who doesn’t want to read about girls standing up to societal stereotypes and breaking the mold? Rhen is definitely a strong, intelligent role-model. I enjoyed seeing Seleni come out of her shell and grow beyond what society expected, too. This is a clean YA fantasy adventure that I would recommend to ALL teens—boys included!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

When I first saw Mary Weber’s To Best The Boys on Netgalley, I immediately requested it because the summary of the book excited me in it’s description of a fantasy world heavily crossed with social/cultural aspects of our world today.

To Best The Boys is about a Rhen, a Lower girl who lives in the small kingdom of Pinsbury Port, a place that holds the annual competition for of age males to win a place at the prestigious Stemwick University at the highest importance. Tired of the traditional gender role values and the divide between the Lower and Upper (poor and rich) that hinder her dream of becoming a scientist and desperate to find a cure to the disease that is killing many of the Lower population including her Mum, Rhen decides she finally needs to take action and enters the Labyrinth to prove that she is just as good as any of the male competitors. But the people in the city are not quite ready to change their traditional social views…

Mary Weber’s portrayal of gender roles and the heirachy of the populace in terms of its social structure and value of the wealthy is even more compelling wihin the fantasy setting of Pinsbury Port, which includes magical/supernatural creatures such as ghouls and Basilisks and a touch of other magic, particularly in regards to Mr Holm, the overseer of the competition. The balance between the fantasy aspects in the setting and the social issues that are relevant in our society is compelling and entertaining.

As is the story and it’s characters. Rhen’s narration is readable and snappy. She is a witty and engaging character to follow as she sets out to make changes to her place in the world and to understand the needs of others close to her. Her cousin Seleni and the differences between them were really great to read. I found their relationship enjoyable because it showed how despite having different values, perspective and dreams, people can work alongside each other and support each other and that’s a really important element of a working society. Rhen’s relationship with a number of male characters was also really interesting and fun parts of the story. In particular, I enjoyed the scenes between Rhen and a certain character; their relationship was certainly a highlight for me.

For the most part, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I liked the slow build of the novel as Weber set up the world and introduced the characters and I really enjoyed the events of the competition and the aftermath. However, I felt that because most of the novel is only set over a couple days, there wasn’t quite enough set up and some elements of the plot felt rushed. I felt like I could’ve done with more build up, even more development of character over a longer period and perhaps even a lengthier version of the story. I just felt like I wanted more!

That said, To Best The Boys is a great read and very entertaining. I was enthralled by the story and always excited to find out what might happen next. I would definitely recommend picking up this book when it’s published and I plan to do the same.

This ARC was given by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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This book was very hard to get into. Straight off the bat, the dedication page was not a very good way to start off the book in my opinion.

I was hoping for a fun and riveting ride of a story, but I had to give up when the protagonist found herself staring too hard at a dreamy boy.

I might continue this in the future but for now I'm not particularly interested in picking this up again.

— DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Many thanks for this opportunity! —

Rhun is your average teenage girl in a rigid world reminiscent of the nineteenth-century. Well, except for her fondness for cadavers and a desire to study medicine. On a whim, she decides to enter a local contest for a scholarship to the (all male) unversity, realizing that the contest doesn’t actually specify any kind of gender...
Oh, what a wonderful fuck you to the patriarchy this book is! Without discussing modern issues directly, Mary Weber manages to evoke social struggles women still face - to a lesser extent than Rhun does in the story - today. On top of these fantastic messages, the story is well-written, in a way where every piece of the puzzle fits together exactly as they are supposed to. The characters all have their intrinsic motivation to be part of the story, which is rare, and one of my favourite things to discover about a book. The plot is driven, with little unnecessary fluff or padding, and connects together nicely.

Full review under https://libridraconis.wordpress.com/2019/01/01/to-best-the-boys-mary-weber/

To Best the Boys was a pretty good read by Mary Weber. I give it four stars and recommend it to other readers.

This is a 3.5 star book, but I'm rounding to 4 stars because I can.

This is actually my first book by Mary Weber (shameful, right? For shame, Faith!), and so I had no expectations whatsoever going in. I have a lot of friends who like this author, and I thought she was--okay? Pretty good? (Please don't kill me for not instantly jumping on the bandwagon! I need time to think! XD)

But anyway...let's review this thing.

LIKES:
-BERYLL. At first when he started screaming I was like "Is it a banshee or something?" but no. It's a guy. And Beryll is like the sweetest, yet still hardcore, guy in the world. I loved him SO MUCH. Definitely takes the spot for my favorite character from this book.

-Seleni. Yes, I liked Seleni better than Rhen, but only slightly. But the thing is--Seleni is that girl we've all been waiting for. She dresses up like a boy, disguises her voice, and goes into the maze with Rhen--but she didn't cut her hair because she liked her curls and wanted to keep them. She wasn't afraid of getting dirty, but she loved pretty dresses. She wasn't afraid of a dip in the sea, but she knew when was the proper time to do it. She braved the maze, one of the two first women to do so--but she wasn't interested in uni, she just wanted to do the right thing, protect her people, and hopefully end up getting her guy. She had so many dynamics and was so complex and I LOOOOOVED that.

-Beryll and Seleni. Because that ship was amazing. Top OTP of this book.

-Rhen was pretty cool too. She was dyslexic, per the author's note! And she was a scientist! And I loved that! Her personality started out not that different from most other YA girls, but by the end I was rooting for her and really enjoyed her journey. <3

-HURRAY FOR A YA BOOK WITH TWO PARENTS WHO BOTH LOVE THEIR DAUGHTER AND WHO LOVE EACH OTHER AND ARE JUST GREAT SUPPORTIVE PARENTS!

-The descriptions of the sea were really beautiful.

-The ending! No spoilers here, but since this is a standalone (I think), some plot threads had to get wrapped up nicely whilst others weren't resolved. And I loved the way that was done in this story. The right stuff was wrapped up, the stuff that didn't need to be stayed hanging, and there were enough questions to make room for a sequel while a sequel is still not REQUIRED. Perfect.

LESS LOVES
-The maze--I don't know, for some reason it didn't really feel intense enough? At least for me? I feel like I've read similar sequences a thousand times and it was just sort of the same thing all over again.

-Personal peeve here, but the whole villain thing, the true culprit of the book? EVERY SINGLE BOOK DOES THIS. And I understand why, but like...is it too much to ask to make the guy who's seemed bad the whole time be the bad guy? Or to NOT have a twist villain? I don't know, it just didn't work for me.

-Holm's identity. I wasn't expecting it, but again, I did not particularly appreciate it.

-The worldbuilding felt a little...bizarre. I guess that's just what you get for having a world where monsters are the norm, though. :P

OVERALL
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. I enjoyed this! Not as much as I was hoping to, but about as much as I expected to, and it was worth the read. If you like Mary Weber, you're looking for a story of female empowerment, or you want a labyrinth story, pick this one up. :D

This novel felt like a mix between a few popular sci-fi and fantasy novels that have already come out. However, that's not to say that it's not worth the read. I believe it takes the things that people seem to love in a YA fantasy and incorporates them all into one book. Given the mannerisms and culture presented in the book, it reads almost like a Regency Era novel. The romance is purposefully predictable but sweet; no unnessecary drama for the sake of suspense. More like a slight "starcrossed lovers" situation. And the main character is intelligent and awkward at times, which makes her relatable and also provides comic relief that doesnt seem out of place. She is also determined and ambitious without seeming impossibly arrogant and stubborn. The one thing that I do have to question though is the placement of the trials within the story. It felt as if most of the book took place outside of the trials that the boys (and girls) were supposed to attend, when I had expected for most of the story to follow them as they went through the trials. It felt a little short-lived. All-in-all, I would love to read a sequel expanding on the Rhen's time at the University, as well as her relationship with the boy she left behind.

I loved the cover and the premise of this novel so I was really hoping I'd like reading it. I mean, that cover is gorgeous! But, it fell flat for me. I love nuanced characters who are more than just one thing, but none of the characters felt well rounded to me. The dialogue was too on-the-nose, a bit cheesy and sappy at times (and I'm not personally a big fan of sap). The magic in the world (not in the labyrinth) didn't seem to have a set purpose for being there, it was just there and it didn't really affect the storyline, which I found rather odd. The ending was predictable, I mean the title gives it away, which is fine, but I didn't particularly enjoy getting to the end. I found myself skimming through a lot of pages. I did, however, enjoy reading about the labyrinth and the challenges therein. But overall, this book just wasn't my cup of tea. Other reviewers seem to like it so definitely give it a try if you're interested.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

"To Best the Boys" was everything I hoped it would be and more- I loved it! In this alternate world where ghouls and sirens exist, society is separated into Uppers and Lowers based on socioeconomic status, and all the politicians who make the decisions are, of course, Uppers. Women are also oppressed and cannot go to university but are good for wives/mothers. Rhen is a young woman whose Upper mother married a Lower father, leaving her disowned (the family's status goes with the man's, so an Upper man marrying a Lower woman would have been Upper). However, she has all the love she could ever want and is content with her lot in life.

The main problem plaguing Rhen is that an illness is spreading amongst the Lowers which paralyzes and kills the victims- and her mother has contracted the disease and only has a matter of time left. Rhen and her father are hard at work on a cure, but with their limited resources, it is difficult to develop and test. Rhen would love to be a scientist at the university, but it is not within the realm of possible, as she is a woman. Her cousin and confidante, Seleni, is an Upper and her aunt and uncle frequently invite her (but not her father) to their parties. Rhen finds the opportunities useful to try to convince the people in power to look into the illness, but her pleas are useless as the disease only affects Lowers thus far.

Every year, there is a scholarship contest to allow one "gentleperson" entry into an elite university, and the young men all compete. Holm, the person who runs the contest, is an enigmatic recluse and no one knows much about him, except that he is full of magic or inventions and then contest is unlike anything else. Of all the young men who enter the Labyrinth, only one will emerge the victor, usually an Upper. Occasionally, people will die in the course of the contest. This year, Rhen has decided to dress as a boy and try her luck, the invitation does not specifically exclude her. With Seleni by her side, they enter the contest not knowing what to expect or what will await them.

In a fascinating journey, we follow Rhen and the other characters as they face the mysteries and dangers within Holm's Labyrinth. This was impossible to put down and absolutely engrossing- I was fully enveloped in this world and contest. Rhen was a great character, but so were many of the side characters, including Seleni who is brave and fun and whose greatest desire is to marry Beryll, a young man of character whose parents are very picky. There is also some diversity in the cast, although the labels are not known by the characters, with Rhen being dyslexic and Lute's brother Ben seemingly autistic (I am assuming what the diagnoses would be as they are not named).

Additionally, a love triangle between Rhen and a Lower and an Upper adds an interesting element of romance to the story (though her desires are readily apparent). The romance was really beautiful and I won't give any quotes (though, oh my goodness, the swoon!) or details to avoid spoilers, but I really enjoyed it!

There are also a lot of interesting and relevant themes in the book, including the feeling of "other" in medical care (we don't get that disease so not worth bothering with), decisions made seemingly for good which can destroy livelihoods (restrictions on fishing made by Uppers which impact Lowers), socioeconomic divides, and sexism to name a few.

Overall, this was a really fascinating and wonderful adventure, and I am extremely eager to read the next book in the series. I highly recommend for all lovers of YA fantasy. Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS BELOW!

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

To Best the Boys was so freaking good! I honestly couldn't put it down! It definitely reminded me of previous books or movies that I've seen before. Plus, it kind of reminded me of like an escape room? Sort of? Mostly because of the questions/riddles they solve throughout the labyrinth.

In it, you will meet Rhen Tellur. She's a 16 year old who dreams of nothing but becoming a scientist. It took me a while to start to like her.. mostly because the first couple of chapters were a bit boring but once I got to a certain point, I was hooked! I loved her friendship with her cousin Seleni. I also really enjoyed how she had her own voice and how she used it. She, like many women, hate when people talk about them like they aren't there. Also, it doesn't help when they make decisions/assumptions about them either. Boys are stupid.

Besides them, I loved getting to meet Lute. He was just so utterly adorable. He's poor, kind of like Rhen is, and they were kind of made for each other. He was definitely more likable than Vincent.. who honestly sucks at taking hints. Plus, he was so freaking suspicious and evil throughout the book. Also super freaking shallow - which is a complete turn off!

Now this labyrinth had so many twist and turns. I liked the team work that went through the challenge but the thing that got me the most intrigued was Seleni and Rhen going in dressed as dudes. I never understood why girls couldn't/didn't participate.. because it just didn't make sense. I feel like all genders should be given the opportunity to join/participate. So, after the ending.. I'm hopeful that everyone would get the chance and not just tools or self-centered douche bags.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I'm very happy that I was given the chance to dive into it and fall in love when Rhen has a character. She's kind of like a little nancy drew, which is a plus in my eyes. I'm also hoping that Rhen and Lute have gone off into a happily ever after kind of moment. I will definitely look forward to another book by this author and I totally recommend this book to anyone who likes a good YA fantasy book.

Too derivative in plot and even the characters failed to genuinely become more than two-dimensional.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

What first attracted me to this book was its cover and the title. I knew I was going to like this. Oh boy, I was so wrong. I didn't like it, I "loved" it! The most important factor that makes a book perfect to me is that while reading a book, the words need to turn to images in my mind. From the first line till the last, this book took me to another world, I felt like I was with the characters there in the story. This is my first Mary Weber book and you bet I would read her books again.

It's always an amazing thing when you reach the end of the year and find yourself reading a book that blows all of the previously adored ones completely out of the water. I've found this to be a rather rare occurrence and as such cannot be more grateful for the fact that I found <i>To the Best Boys</i> by Mary Weber. A feminist tale about a girl in a world that favors boys, the novel follows Rhen as she navigates a world filled with social class hardships where the rich devalue, berate, and regularly impair the lives of the poor in a time where an illness is spreading through the lower classes and killing them off one by one. Young Rhen is a scientist, fighting hard to find a cure in order to save her bed ridden mother who is currently dying from the disease while simultaneously trying to find her way in a world of expectations based on her relation to a rather rich family.

And all the while a competition is just beginning, a fight through a labyrinth to earn a scholarship at the most prestigious university in the kingdom. The scholarship contest has primarily been open only to boys in the past, but as Rhen realizes no one with the finances to research and develop a cure for the disease are willing to even bother and as she does not have the materials she believes she needs, her efforts to find a cure would benefit greatly from winning the scholarship and being able to access the labs at the university. And so she takes it upon herself to enter the labyrinth contest disguised as a young man.

The big truth about this novel is that there is a lot to unpack from it. Now, while I deeply enjoyed this aspect of the book and find it was one of the reasons why I loved it so much, I can certainly see it as something that might deter some readers. Weber manages to weave an amazing story with an abundance of multi-faceted pieces that all somehow miraculously work together. I honestly don't think I could have been more impressed with any aspect of the novel than I already am.

And to top it all off, Weber even managed to catch me off guard, surprising me with a twist in the plot I didn't for a second see coming. That alone amazes me since it doesn't actually happen for me often anymore that I'm completely unable to predict a plot twist and so I'm always incredibly impressed when that happens.

I adored each and every single one of the characters, even the villains in their own way. The development was phenomenal and I found myself feeling exceedingly strong emotions for just about every single one. In fact, this strong emotional connection I felt lead to quite a number of 'on the edge of my seat' moments while reading about the adventures of the characters, particularly during the labyrinth portions.

Overall, this story was an amazing read. It's definitely jam-packed with an exceedingly well-built world in a way that can make the synopsis feel a little bit misleading, but I honestly loved every second of it. I wouldn't change a thing about this book and it's basically become one of my all time favorites. Keep an eye out for this one. It's golden.

<i>I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. </i>