I went into this book expecting a kind of Hunger Games/labyrinth-esque story and wasn’t disappointed. Although the first person narrative if off putting at times, especially during the opening scenes, it’s quite natural throughout the novel. Characters are interesting and well thought out and Rhen is a great heroine that isn’t too ‘Mary-Sue’ as often YA heroines can come across.

One of the best feminist books I’ve read in a long time. I devoured this book!
The opening scene of this book was so insanely epic and kept me hooked the whole time!

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my review in any way, and the thoughts expressed are my own.
A new mysterious, action-packed contest sees young men competing in an incredibly dangerous competition for a university scholarship. But little did they know a new competitor was entering; Rhen Tellur, a girl. Set in a fantasy period similar to the Industrial Revolution, women are expected to care and serve their male family members and only aspire for a good match. But Rhen wants more.
You couldn’t find a greater motivation than Rhen’s; she wants to learn in hopes of creating a cure to save her mother’s life. Her mother, as well as many others in the port, have caught a mysterious illness that renders them weak, continually fatigued, and bedridden. As the condition progresses, they have seizures, inability to sleep and eventually die. Rhen and her father have been working for years to create a cure, but every time the cure fails. Horribly. I have a medical condition that makes me fatigued, very weak and often bedridden, so I understood their struggles and found this story particularly emotional.
While Rhen leads mischievous adventures, she is accompanied by her cousin, Seleni Lake. Unlike Rhen, Seleni’s family is rich and live in the wealthy upper side – making her an Upper – and Seleni acts as the perfect young lady; modest, proper manners and social etiquette, content with her roll in society. However, as the story continues, it’s obvious she has more in common with Rhen than anyone expects. She is determined, strong and very intelligent and more than willing to fight for what she believes.
Seleni’s boyfriend Beryll is conservative and obsessed with proper etiquette, e.g. referring to Seleni as ‘Miss Lake’. Though despite his appropriate behaviour, it’s obvious he cares for Seleni as much as she does. It was a nice comparative to see their relationship compared to Rhen’s love life.
It’s no surprise Rhen has a variety of suitors. Vincent King is an Upper who pursues Rhen. Though she comes from a Lower family, her intelligence makes her an excellent prospect for a wife, a tool he could use to boost his career, or so Vincent thought. It was clear after a few chapters with him what kind of man he was, a small-minded, ambitious, misogynist who only sees people as tools he could use. I really hated him though he and his friends made for good villains. I couldn’t wait for Rhen to show them up!
But he isn’t her only option. She has always been drawn to Lute, a fisherman boy a few years older than her. Just like Rhen, he has a family to care for; a single mother and a younger brother with downs syndrome. Rhen and Lute can understand each other, their struggles and responsibilities. There’s a real spark between these two and I couldn’t wait for them to admit it. They belonged together despite all their troubles they could be genuinely happy. And I don’t know many people who wouldn’t pick happiness over money. To make it even better, Lute and Rhen can’t just simply be together like regular teens, they have more responsibilities than many adults. This was a realistic display of how love can be complicated, not only because of the two people but the rest of their lives, yet if it is strong enough and worked on enough then it can develop into something more profound.
This world is full of dangerous monsters and beasts. Ghouls that stalk through the fog in the night. Sirens that patrol the waters. Basilisks that rule the mountains. I loved the danger in this world and that these creatures were displayed as being just another natural element to avoid just like thunderstorms. No one seemed bothered by the fact that these monsters hunted in their streets every single night. It’s a fact, nothing to worry about unless you’re stupid. Know the rules, and you’ll be safe. Honestly, if I lived in this world, I’d spend every night staring at the front door, shotgun in hand.
The division between the Uppers and Lowers was a central theme in the book. Sadly, like real life, those who were wealthier had almost all the control over the city and the people that live there. Right before the Labyrinth competition, the Uppers restrict the fishing regulations, thereby cutting the fisherman’s income. And when people’s livelihoods -and ability to support their family- are endangered things become volatile. Rhen’s family places her in the middle of the upheaval, she has lived in the port with the Lowers but regularly spends time with her wealthy cousin. It was a clever technique at having the main character placed within the conflict without making them at fault or dependant on the results.
The pace ideally suited the plot. It was fast, action-packed and full of riddles and surprises. It was like watching an action movie with amazing twists similar to the Hunger Games. The twists leading up to, during and after the climax were incredible and had me reeling with shock. They were incredible! If it wasn’t already obvious, I loved, loved, loved this book! I give it 5/5 and hope the author will do another book set in the same world or somewhere similar.

I am really fond of the cover. I like the labyrinth in the back, the girl inside and the genuine placing of the title.


The writing style was fluent and easy to read. Through the first-person-perspective of Rhen it was easy to commiserate with her.


I must admit, from reading the short description, I would have expected a slightly different story. I was expecting something like Panem or Fire&Flood or something alike. However, here I got something else and I do not want to evaluate my expectations, but what I really got - although it is hard to keep this to parts apart. The story was nice. The world the author created was mysterious and it was nice to get an idea, what life meant there - especially for a girl. The Labyrinth was quite far from my expectations, but held a lot of mysteries and secrets, which where surprising and enthralling.


Rhen was quite a nice main character. Living in a quite patriaracharl world with interest in sience and medicine and wanting to be able to learn more about that was a challenge, which she mastered quite well. During the story, I got to know here smartness, but also her bravery. She certainly is a warrior, but has her heart at the right place. The side characters were also quite nice. Lute was a nice boy. Vincent was a great opponent and in some way a stereotopic macho. Although Seleni was fine with the life like it was for women, she allways was a great cousin to Rhen.


The end of the story was a little open, but quite hopeful. At the end there are also some open question included, to review especially the political aspects of the story, which was a nice addition.


Fazit:

Although I expected something different, I liked the characters and the adventure of exploring the secrets of the labyrinth with them - I give the book 5 out of 5 stars :)

3.5 Stars

I thoroughly enjoyed Mary Weber’s last couple of books (The Evaporation of Sofi Snow and Reclaiming Shilo Snow) and the cover of her 2019 release is just amazing. Plus, what gal’s interest wouldn’t be piqued with that title? Yet there was one thing about this book that didn’t quite click with me in To Best the Boys.

The build up to the labyrinth took too long. The book was halfway over before the players entered the maze. Yes, I understand the need for some of the background and introduction to Rhen and her group but it slowed the beginning down meaning I didn’t get pulled into the story as quickly as I had in Weber’s other reads.

That said, the pace most definitely picked up once the challenge begins, and everyone is fighting for the prize. I loved that the tasks in the maze were psychological as well as tests of intelligence and character. I also appreciate the diversity of the characters and their abilities. In and out of the maze, the supporting cast deal with some learning and physical disabilities.

As Rhen takes a stand against the oppression her society harbors toward women, she gives girls—both young and old—a message of empowerment through her actions.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

What a ride! Rhen is the girl we all wish we could be, smart, determined and willing to do whatever it takes. The writing and pacing were superb and believable. I threw myself completely into To Best The Boys.

Mary Weber has done it again by creating a story that is riveting and I became an instant fan of the this new-to-me writer.

Though I loved the concept of this book, and thought it had some good moments, it ultimately fell flat for me because of the poor world-building and the lack of characterisation.

As other reviewers have mentioned, there is a lot of set-up at the beginning of the book before the main character gets anywhere near the maze, which means that there should be a really good chance to show us the kind of world in which Rhen lives. This is a sort of gaslamp, slightly steampunk fantasy world in places, but it was patchily described, and in places felt too high-fantasy, and in others too modern. It's definitely not a world you can look at in any great detail - I was confused as to how this world had come to be the way it was, and it felt like it was a vehicle for the story. This lack of cohesive world-building would have been tolerable if it were a faster-paced novel, but with the first third of the story spent in the port and the ordinary lives of the characters before the plot takes off, there was a lot of time to notice the holes.

I also found that the much-vaunted feminism was rather lacking, with Rhen letting a lot of misogyny slip past and participating in a fair bit of internalised sexism herself. Where the feminism did come out, it was rather heavy-handed (in a large group of boys in the competition, the *only* person who can solve *any* of the puzzles is Rhen?). She was super-powered because the story required it. Her characterisation also seemed to rely on the "not like other girls" trope, which I admit I am sensitive to as I particularly dislike it. The romance felt unnecessary, and further slowed the pace of a book I had already expected to be much faster.

What I did like was the puzzles in the maze, and the showcasing of women having STEM interests and skills, as well as the investigation of the issues of highly delineated class systems. As a light read, the competition section would have been fun, but I don't think there was enough substance to hold up the wider worldbuilding or subplots. To compare this book to The Hunger Games seems disingenuous to me, as it is very weak in comparison, but it's not a bad book. It just felt a little meh among the current crop of great feminist YA fantasy.

It's been a hot second since I read this book (I finished it mid-March) but I still vividly remember how much I loved this book.
I was hooked the second I read the first sentences. Which, honestly, kinda surprised me.

Now, I was obviously intrigued by the premise, otherwise, I wouldn't have requested it on NetGalley. But I wasn't prepared to like it that much! I am always a little hesitant going into books that claim to be feministic. Not because I have anything against feminism (on the contrary) but I'm not that fond of books that hit you over the head with their agenda/message however good that message may be. But I needn't have worried. It is expertly woven into the story. Subtle but still unquestionably there!


If you wanna know the tone of the book I think that is best explained through the dedication at the beginning.

'For the girl who's been told to quiet down, calm down, or just leave it to the men-this is for you. And to those who told us such things? Watch. Us. Rise.'

Rhen is an ... unusual girl in her small town. She helps her father with his science experiences and isn't repulsed by blood or corpses. She is very pragmatic and hands on. And while that gets her a few glances her cousin Seleni is always at her side and therefore so is Beryll. What Rhen lacks in squeamishness he has plenty.
I was fascinated by Rhen from the get-go and I loved the dynamics between the trio. All so very different, Seleni being very social and bubbly, Beryll being a little stuck up and conservative but loyal and kind at heart and Rhen with her dedication and courage, her stubbornness and unwillingness to expect how things have always been.

Rhen's despair over the spreading disease prompts her to challenge the way things have been handled so far. She tries to talk to people to get them to investigate the disease but has to learn that people in power tend to not care for those who are poorer. 

Her reactions to the deteriorating health of her mother were so genuine, sad and real. I loved her defiance in accepting that she can't do anything and how she struggled to actually face her mother. 

But what I loved most about this book is the support, friendship and trust between Seleni and Rhen. They're very different and want very different things from life, come from different places despite being cousins. Seleni's family has money and good social standing, while Rhen lives in the poorer part of Pinsbury Port and her father is a little looked down upon. 

But they've always been friends and Seleni enters alongside Rhen only to support and help her. I truly appreciated this and I would love to see this kind of friendship more! 

There is a romance in this book but it doesn't take over the plot and I absolutely adored how the ending was written. I'm not gonna say anything about it to not spoil you, but I loved it! 

All in all, I can only recommend this book. You should all definitely pick it up if you haven't already! 

(Oh and the cover is beautiful as are the details in the book)

I wasn't expecting anything picking up this book but I totally enjoyed it! This book is full of wit and humour. I'm so glad to read a book with empowering characters. Definitely an enjoyable read!

I loved this book! This is definitely something to read if you are looking for a woman standing up against all odds. Even if it means pretending to be a man. Loved loved loved. Thanks to netgalley for allowing me to review this book. .

Right from the first word I was completely hooked on this book. The writing had enough personality on it's own to keep me turning the pages. I love it when I pick up a book and read something that does not "sound" like every other book I have read. This one has a VOICE. I loved both Rhen and Seleni (and Will, Sam, and Lute. And oh, sweet Beryll! Ladies, for reals. That fella is a keeper) and the different angles on womanhood that they represented and brought to the story. And how Seleni both supported her cousin and claimed the right to choose a different path for herself. To Best the Boys is the best kind of girl power book. It lifts girls up. All kinds of girls with all different kinds of goals and dreams and plans. And it does it (are you listening here?) WITHOUT TEARING THE BOYS DOWN. I have a daughter. I adore her. I want her to live the life of her choosing without any restrictions put on her simply because of her gender. But I also have six sons. And I want the same thing for them. Thank you, thank you, Ms. Weber.

For 54 years in the province of Caldon, the town of Pinsbury Port has received an annual invitation for their university aged sons to compete in a treacherous labyrinth of wits in hopes of winning a scholarship to Stemwick University sponsored by the elusive Mr. Holm.



Rhen Tellur is tired of helplessly watching a mysterious mutating disease drain the life of her mother and that of those she loves. She is tired of the Uppers disdain and indifferent to the seriousness of the plague. Rhen is gifted with a knack for numbers and the sciences, but in a world where gender roles are strictly defined, going to university or studying the arts and sciences is forbidden. Rhen decides to take matters into her own hands with her best friend, Seleni, by her side, she steps into the maze.



Set in a fictional realm that is like something out of a Jules Verne novel with a heightened element of illusion and strict social adherence to stereotypical gender roles and expectations. Intriguing, with a fascinating premise, the story begins by setting the scene, but it isn't until about 1/3 of the way through the book that it really takes off. When I hit the 1/3 mark I couldn't put it down.



Strong themes of friendship, courage, and coming of age run through this story, and I especially liked the friendship between Rhen and Seleni. But I was disappointed that while published by Thomas Nelson it gave no indication of being a Christian read, despite being technically "clean" depending on the age of the audience--comments about a female character's body are made, males make suggestive comments, and women are talked about as if they are conquests. I feel that this book would have been a better fit with HarperCollins' Blink imprint, which is more of a clean teen reads division of their brand.



I admired Rhen for her devotion to her family, she is level-headed in tense situations and is willing to stand apart from the crowd. Seleni is her best friend and confidant, she doesn't want to fight the societal norms, but rather be there through thick and thin for her friend. Seleni and Beryll are one of my favorite things about this book. I enjoyed the imaginative setting and camaraderie between some of the contestants, as well as the at times witty dialogue. Fraught with tension and adventure, the pages kept flying by. This was an enjoyable high stakes adventure, with a strong heroine with the courage to blaze her own path.



I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

When I initially read the synopsis of To Best the Boys, I found it to be intriguing. Girl enters an all boys dangerous labyrinth competition to win a scholarship by pretending to be a boy.

I didn't realize that our heroine Rhen was actually an amazing scientist and that this world is one in which women are only really able to be wives and mothers.

I really enjoyed the scientific aspects and would have loved even more.

I'm so happy there were a few really good hearted characters like Lute and Seleni, and that they came from different ends of the spectrum, one a lowly fisherman, and the other a rich society girl.

Rhen, Seleni, and Lute were all extremely likeable characters and I enjoyed spending time with them. I'm a little sad that this novel is a stand alone. I would have liked a sequel.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing for the advance copy!*

I love how empowering this was to girls in their own capabilities and also the difference of culture and social status. This book really gave the underdog a very believable stance rather than out of pure luck or the chosen one type of trope. I love how she knew what she wanted and really went for it.

Well. What a wild ride! From start to finish Ms. Weber certainly kept me on my toes. And I am not complaining either. Adventure, romance, and awesome characters, what's not to like?! :) I was swept up from the first pages until the last and am only just now catching my breath.

I will say that there were some slow spots. Times that I sort of skimmed my way through until things got a little more interesting. But that didn't take away from my overall enjoyment. Ms. Weber just knows how to create a world that will catch my attention. She did it with her Storm Siren series and she did it here. Now I just need to get to her other books! Because I am certain I will enjoy them likewise.

Facing many obstacles before her causes our main character, Rhen, to have quite the journey. Watching as she pushes through each one with determination to keep right on going was fun! I think that's one of my favorite things about Ms. Weber's stories, they are just a lot of fun. Rhen will make you laugh and perhaps even cause you a bit of exasperation and, ultimately, be quite unforgettable! Now. Don't mind me as I go back to reread all my favorite parts again. :) Read it when you get the chance, reader friends!

**I received a copy via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

The premise was promising and the loved the “show but don’t tell” feminism in this story. I just couldn’t connect with Rhen, or Lute, Seleni or Beryll. There were times I wanted Rhen to speak up against some misogynistic comment but she didn’t. Even the “hunger games” style competition felt lacking its thrill somewhat. I don’t know what to tell you. There isn’t any LGBTQ or POC representation but Lute’s brother is disabled and I loved their interaction.

Overall, I recommend this book if you loved Mary Weber’s previous books, or are looking for a light read with quite feminism vibes, great interactions and unique curses(Yes, you read that correctly).

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was very pleased when I got this novel from NetGalley and started it right away. But when I got notice it would be in my Fairyloot as well, I wanted to wait for that even though I was immediately intrigued. I'm always in for a good feminist novel haha. Really liked this one, lots of adventure, interesting setting.
I also liked the plottwist at the ending of the game. But was not a big fan of the other plottwist at the end... I dunno, it came too sudden and too easy.
But all in all a very entertaining novel, awesome ! Maybe I need to pick up some of her other novels as well.

The cover:
I didn’t actually see this cover properly until I went to write this review and damn this is cool. It ties so well
The intro:
I really like the introduction to this, I thought the world was set up really well with a good balance of description and action. The very first few pages – where Rhen is inspecting dead bodies – as weird as it sounds was brilliant! It was something so new and fresh(?), and you know immediately that this protagonist is not going to be a run-of-the-mill character.
The premise was explained well too, and I was really intrigued from the first few pages. Though it took a while to get to the maze there was plenty of build up of tension to keep the reader engaged.
The middle:
I think this book dipped in the middle – some scenes in the maze felt a little rushed, and I kind of expected a more drawn out competition. Nevertheless it still kept me entertained and this also made room for new characters to be introduced making the competition seem more real and raising the stakes much higher.
It also was the point where many of the characters showed their true colours, and allegiances change – think the hunger games but on a much shorter time-frame. For me this was the point where I really started to make my mind up about many of the characters.
I was a little confused as to why Rhen had to enter the maze as a boy when it’s pointed out in the story that any “gentle-person” not “gentle-man” may enter the maze. A minor point but one that bugged me a bit.
The end:
I felt like this rounded off nicely, and I am overall content with the ending to this book. And I think this is a standalone though the ending does leave room for a sequel – not in the sense that it feels unfinished but in that there are some loose ends which can go untended but can also be developed upon in later books. I’ll be excited to see if anything does come of those threads.
The characters:
They contrasted Rhen and Seleni really well with the latter being much more soft in comparison to her strong-willed best friend.
And Beryll – okay well he annoyed me at the start a bit, and later on I still didn’t think he was good enough for Seleni, but towards the end of the book I just kind of came around to this whole mindset that Beryll and Seleni were the real OTP of this book, and well…. he’s just a bit of a cinnamon roll really.
Rhen:
She’s just awesome. I love her outlook on life and I really appreciate her family’s support and love that was clear from the first pages. So often in YA there’s a rift in the family, or the parents just aren’t around but no, here they are both very much engaged and supportive of their daughter’s dream of being a scientist.
General comments:
The pace of this book was well suited to the target audience, and at no point did it feel like it was running out of steam. The middle dipped in terms of story quality, but I felt that maybe this was to make room for the action in the maze and new characters. Introducing them all at the beginning would’ve likely been hugely overwhelming and since Rhen had no reason to interact with them before the maze it would’ve been silly to have them introduced earlier. Though I think taking more time to explore the maze would’ve made it that bit more “real”.
Overall I’m awarding this book 4.5/5 – apart from being rushed in parts and one small continuity query I have I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. It reminded me a bit of The Hunger Games during the middle but the encompassing story is truly remarkable and unique. And YAY for female scientists!

Thank you to Thomas Nelson for my copy of this book via Netgalley. I also got a copy in the March Fairyloot box. I loved the premise of the book. A bit of magic and fantasy mixed with beating the boys. What more could a girl ask for?

This was a really fun book. I loved the challenges. It had a real Hunger Games vibe but, you know, without the deaths. Rhen was such a good character. She was smart and way beyond the times she lived in. I hope that Rhen is a real inspiration to young audiences. She is so determined and outwitted the boys at every turn.

The other characters I really loved was Sam, Seleni and Beryl. They were such good supporting characters to Rhen. She really has a good support system around her. I loved how different her and Seleni were yet they still respected each other's life choices.

Mary did an excellent job of describing Pinsbury port. Not only the location but also the class divides. It was quite shocking to me how Rhen's mum was treated by her family because of her choice of husband. I was quite disappointed with them.

One of my favourite scenes was the trip to the island. It was so clever! I won't say any more than that though

My only complaint was it was too short and I have so many more questions. Mary, please write a sequel!