This was not what I expecting.

It makes it really hard to review as it was so different from my expectations that it made it hard to read. The writing wasn't great, but it was tolerable. I honestly had a hard time with the characters and the world building.

In a word: Derivative.

I was skeptical of this book because the title was so hokey, even by YA standards, but the concept seemed decent so I decided to keep an open mind.

Unfortunately it was even more disappointing than I feared. Every single element of the plot of this book is derivative of something else in the genre. There is nothing here that you haven’t seen before.

The writing and pacing are fine, but the plot (in addition to being wholly unoriginal), is not engaging and a weaker version of every story it borrows from.

The riddles in the contest are, for lack of a better way to put it, stunningly stupid. They don’t really make sense, they’re not clever, and atmospherically, the environment of the contest fails to evoke much of anything.

And what was the point of all this? That a girl won a contest meant only for boys? Yay, I guess, but hardly groundbreaking in modern YA, where the ladies get the best of their male counterparts plenty often. That concept is satisfying when it’s done well, but this book fails to make the reader care much about anything.

I guess it’s a nice reminder to go back and reread Goblet of Fire or Gilded Cage or the Hunger Games or The Maze Runner or any of the many, many other books which it rips off that utilized the same concepts.

*ARC provided by NetGalley*

"Don’t let the beliefs of a backward system define you."

A fun and empowering read that shows how women should not be underestimated and to fight for what you believe in.

SUMMARY
In Pinsbury Port, there is a mysterious sickness running rampant through the lower class and killing them. Rhen Tellur has been assisting her father in investigating illnesses and creating cures for years. When Rhen's mother falls to the sickness, the clock begins ticking to find a cure. Every year for the past 54 years the citizens have been receiving a mysterious letter inviting young men to participate in a labyrinth competition for the chance to win a scholarship to the most prestigious all-male university. Rhen decides to pose as a boy and win the competition so that she can have access to the high-tech science equipment that will allow her to further her research into the illness. However, not everyone survives the labyrinth and no one is ready for a woman to participate.

REVIEW
I had a lot of fun reading this book because I am a huge fan of novels that include science and medicine. It started off very strong and Rhen's ambition gripped me immediately. She was a fierce main character and she had solid character development. I really enjoyed that she stood up for herself and didn't allow men to put her down. She was very relatable and Weber's writing allowed you to easily connect with her.

I also adored the female friendship between Rhen and Seleni that was woven into the story line. It was so pure and beautiful and you do not see enough of it in YA. Rhen wants to be scientist and doesn't particularly care about her social standing, while Seleni desires to be a housewife and keeping herself feminine. However, they are both equally strong and fierce women who support each other nonetheless. Their friendship was a highlight and I loved that Weber didn't just make it seem like a woman can only be strong if she castes away her femininity.

I also want to say that Beyrll had the most character devlopment and while I disliked his character in the beginning, I came to adore the heck out of him by the end.

My biggest issue and the reason why I had to bump down the star rating is the fact that the "main plot" does not even begin until halfway through the novel. You do not get to spend a lot of time in the labyrinth either - it was quite disappointing . There was not enough action and I expected a lot more suspense from the competition. All in all, the plot fell flat and moved very slowly - it really inhibited my enjoyment of the novel.

Overall, this was a fun read but nothing too special.

I found this book unfortunately unreadable. I couldn't get more than a few pages in without succumbing to confusion. Something about the sentence structure or word choice made it so difficult to follow along. Run-on sentences abounded. Inserted clarifications and asides cluttered up every description. The dialogue was baffling. Everything seemed to race along like a train going through a neighborhood, too fast to catch any meaningful details, everything blurring together. It was way too much work trying to imagine correct punctuation and sentence structure where there wasn't any.

I feel so guilty giving this two stars after the publisher was nice enough to give me a copy, but this just wasn’t my cup of tea. When I read the description for this book, I was expecting a high-stakes, action-packed adventure about a girl who enters a contest and kicks butt to the top. I thought I would be struggling to read the text through all my feminist tears. And although it is a very girl-power-y story, which I really appreciated, it was soooooooo not what I thought it was going to be. This felt more like a historical fiction novel with a fantasy twist and the action was in low supply. All of this necessarily isn't a bad thing and I can see why a lot of my friends love it, but it was just so different from what I had expected.

Some of the characters were great, especially Rhen who has a flair for science and the morbid, but everything was just so low key that I had a hard time getting into it. Plus, the romance aspect of the story felt very predictable and trope-ish to me. I almost wish it hadn’t even been a factor so we could put a bigger spotlight on Rhen.

I think I’m feeling this way because I had built it up in my head, which is my own fault, so maybe I’ll come back to it later and feel differently. But for now, this book just wasn’t my cup of tea.

YA with a strong female lead who tries to get ahead in a male driven society.
Every year in Pinsbury Port, a mysterious letter is sent out to all eligible-aged boys inviting them to compete for scholarship at the all-male Sternwick University. The poor and the rich alike look to see their name and how likely it is they will make it. Rhen Tellur opens to see if she can decide which substances the ink and parchment are created from. Even though Rhen is a girl, she wants to be a scientist like her father. She wants to help find a cure for the disease ravaging their town. When the disease hits home, she decides to compete for the scholarship. With the help of her cousin, she disguises herself to get the best of the boys competing and get the prize. Not everyone is willing to accept a girl in this competition and things turn dangerously deadly before things are over.
While this book started very slow for me, I think it is a good book for girls looking to find empowerment in their mind and academics, especially math and science. I had trouble connecting with the characters at the beginning and unfortunately that stuck with me through a lot of the story. I did enjoy the fact that we see a strong female leading not letting the men and their idea of what a woman should be limited to keep her from following her passion and helping others. Rhen, the main character, is strong and determined but also a little scared with what could happen if she isn’t able to accomplish what she sets out for. The story reminded me in a way of The Hunger Games but set in a much different time and location with characters that were big into girl power and advancing their status in a much different way. Once part way into the story, the plot picked up and the characters came to life in a way that kept the story going till the last page. I think if readers can make it past the first few chapters that were a struggle for me they will find an enjoyable read. I recommend this to young readers that are patient and willing to keep turning the page for a story they will enjoy.
I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

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.

For the girl who’s been told to quiet down, calm down, sit down, or just leave it to the men-this is for you.

The cover? Gorgeous, like I've said before I'm a sucker for book covers!!

The characters? loved them!!

In one word explain what I think overall of the storyline:: EMPOWERING for females.

You take this world and make it what it should be. And don’t let the beliefs of a backward system define you. You are the one who has to live with the future, baby girl. So you live it. You understand?
-To Best The Boys


*Thank you to the author and Netgalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

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.

To Best the Boys was a great YA Fantasy. The MC was likable and well-developed. I loved that there wasn't a romance that overshadowed the story.