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!

I was actually quite surprised by this book, but it still wasn't anything noteworthy. I thought the plot was intriguing but it just didn't have much sustinous.

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!

I'm only giving this 5 stars because I couldn't access the download sent to me by the publisher and therefore couldn't read and accurately review the book.

I enjoyed this book far more than I expected to. The main character was great, I loved her attitude and personality and I liked how all the others characters had distinct personalities too. It may be a little simplified perhaps with the world not really exported very in depth but I think we got enough for a good story and a quick read. Solid 4 stars.

To Best the Boys is Weber's most recent novel tells the story of Rhen Tellur, a girl that decides to take on the challenge of defeating a labyrinth as much as take on the challenge of destroying the nature of Pinsbury Port's male dominated society. In Pinsbury Port the women are taught wifely duties and responsibilities while the men are left to pursue anything they wish as long as they have the proper income. For the past fifty four years eligible aged boys receive a letter offering them the chance to compete for a scholarship to the all male Stemick University. Each year the residents if poor look to see if their sons will be on the list as the rich look to determine the survival rate of their sons. For Rhen, the letter is a new experiment and test to unravel the mystery. Rhen wants nothing more than to become a scientist, which is against everything the province of Caldon encourages, while her once friend seeks her hand in marriage. Rhen wants nothing of this especially when the poor in Caldon are dying from a mysterious illness. Rhen becomes only more determined to overlook the demands of her gender's place in life when her mother becomes infected by the same mysterious illness.

Driven by a desire for answers and a cure, Rhen faces the labyrinth to claim the scholarship. She and her cousin Seleni disguise themselves as boys to enter the labyrinth Mr Holm's has created to win and prove that not every girl and not every boy is meant to fit in a perfect cookie cutter of what the town expects of them. During Rhen's venture into the labyrinth many unexpected secrets are discovered just as paths never once made available to women are suddenly made available because of Rhen's chosen path. Her actions lead the way to forge a new hope for option and choice to the future women of Caldon. If anything the title of the story holds true, as Rhen surely knows the way to Best the Boys. I certainly won't spoil the story and the outcome for you. I can tell you there is adventure, suspense, friendships, women that overcome the obstacles society presses upon them, and of course a splash of romance. The presence of so many of these characters left me wanting more. At the end I found myself wanting to know more of what happens to Seleni, Rhen, and Rhen's love interest, Lute.

But don't let a little bit of love and longing detract you, and certainly don't let the notion of a girl standing up for herself put you off. To Best the Boys is not a book to throw romance or the Feminist movement in your face. Not in the least. Instead it is a twisted, crafted labyrinth of prose that leaves the reader pursuing every unexpected turn and pause with a delightful eagerness. Even when the reader exits the labyrinth of words that Weber has created they find themselves looking behind them to the pages past as much as flipping through those final blank pages for a tease of something more. Much like the Labyrinth cakes Rhen herself delivers to those waiting for them, every word in to Best the Boys is simple, sweet, and lovely. Fingers crossed for a sequel! But until that time comes... happy reading!

In the process of previewing books for schools, I read many that are adequate. I knew this book stood out when I found myself choosing it over the other books I'd started. Weber's characters come to life and her imagined world is intriguing. This title didn't quite rise to the level of the Sofi Snow novels, but even though I found the plot somewhat predictable, I still couldn't put it down. Edgy but not graphic, this is a book I can easily recommend to all types of teen readers.
Review based on an ARC received through NetGalley.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I enjoyed reading this. An interesting story with fun characters. Well written.

What a beautiful, uplifting novel!

The book starts off with our main character Rhen, in a morgue dissecting a dead body! If that doesn't set the mood of this book my dudes. Rhen is 16 and the daughter of a scientist father and upper-class mom turned lower-class when she married. Women in this sea-side town are meant for one thing and that is to be a wife and do wifely duties. But that is not the life Rhen wants. When her mother contracts a deadly virus that is sweeping through her town, Rhen and her father are furiously searching to find a cure before it takes their beloved wife and mother. But with time creeping up on them and no cure in sight, Rhen decides to enter into The Competition- an all-male scholarship competition in hopes of winning and furthering her education and finding a cure for the horrid disease.

"Society's more likely to embrace cross-stitch as a sport than toss out its long-standing history of gender roles."

Rhen and Seleni, Rhen's cousin, decide to put on disguises to make them appear as boys and enter into the famed but deadly competition. Put on by the elusive Mr. Holms, the game tests a person's strengths and weaknesses and the girls find themselves fighting for their right to be there at every twist and turn the labyrinth throws at them.

" 'Any young men you specifically hope will win, Rhen?' the old cat biddies ask. 'No.' Because Seleni and I aren't men."

To Best the Boys was an amazing girl power novel! I inhaled this story in pretty much a sitting and was so invested in Rhens story I was a bit disoriented when I was finished with it. Not only do we have girl power, but there's also a fantastic romance( OMG LUTE I LOVE YOU) and plenty of fantasy elements-ghouls, sirens, and BASILISKS oh my! Also, villians! and magic!

"Whoever said the female is the weaker of a species never tested that theory against the draw of a woman's love."

This was a beautiful journey of finding your place in a world that keeps pushing you down and developing the courage needed to stand up for your rights. I give it 5 stars.

This was a quick read because I could not put it down. Our main character is courageous and strong willed, fragile and fierce. Rhen doesn't care that she is a Lower or that her cousin Seleni is an Upper. She only cares about finding a cure for the horrid disease that is killing her Mom and others as well. Rhen is not like other girls, she has dreams of mixing chemicals and evaluating microscope slides while your average female looks for a smart match and a good marriage partner to help and support. While Rhen is being pursued by Vincent, once friend now a politician in the making she decides that she will do some pursing of her own. The Holm's Scholarship somewhat deadly labyrinth competition. This test of will and wits is open to all boys wishing to attend the University, after all that is what the Upper boys do and the Lower boys aspire. Rhen has plans of her own, to win the contest and attend the University giving her access to state of the art equipment needed to advance her and her father's research and find a cure for the deadly disease that is ravaging her Mother's body. There is much that Rhen could lose in addition to a few inches of her hair but so much more that she could gain. With the help of her cousin who joins her in the maze if for no other reason than to keep her eye on Rhen and Seleni's easily appalled beau Beryll.. Rhen doesn't need a husband to propel through the ranks of parliament but rather a partner to navigate life. An excellent book and if at all possible I would love to see a sequel written as well.

Although I received a copy of the ARC from NetGallery, it wasn’t until I got a copy in March’s Fairyloot box that I actually got around to reading this book. Which was more due to a lack of time than anything else, because this was a book that I’ve been eager to read for a long time now.

I really like stories about girls joining a man’s world and proving their worth, so this book caught my attention straight away. And I was really impressed with it!

However I wasn’t sure about the book at first. There were a lot of errors still remaining in the ARC which made it a little hard to read, so I switched to my Fairyloot copy quite early on. But even then the writing style was different and a little hard to get my head around at points.

But the plot was wonderful! It was full of magic and betrayal, action and suspense and I was hooked from the moment Rhen and Seleni decided to enter the maze.

I was also hooked on the romance in this story, both Rhen’s and Selini’s which were both adorable. The characters were lively and believable, and I especially liked the girls in STEM aspect of the plot.

My favourite part of this book was the fact that it represented disability. Disability is something we don’t see a lot in fantasy, and although Dyslexia is more commonly represented, this is the first time I have seen Down Syndrome and Autism represented in a Fantasy before and that made me instantly like this book for that.

I can say I was surprised by this book, although a lot of it followed what was given in the book description there were a few unexpected twists that I didn’t see coming. It was also set in a world that was surprisingly historical with a hint of magic, and I really liked the idea of the divide between the fishing port and the ‘uppers’ which created a lot of depth to the world Weber created.

I can’t give this book five stars, it didn’t stand out enough for me. And although I enjoyed the characters and the plot, I did struggle with the writing style, and I found some parts a little predictable. However the world was well crafted and the characters well rounded, and I did enjoy the overall reading experience.

I wanted to love this, I really did but it fell flat for me. Like a few others I thought this would be a Hunger Games meets Tri Wizard Tournament. Pretty much you go through a maze to win a scholarship. A major catch? You need to be male to compete. So in an effort to win the scholarship Rhen dresses as a boy to take control of her fate. There were romance moments that didn't quite seem to fit the rest of the book. While the writing was good I feel like the romance and plot left a bit to be desired.

Going in to To Best The Boys, I was expecting action and adventure and something resembling the Tri-Wizard Tournament because the blurb literally says she is entering a contest. But that didn't happen until literally halfway through (yes I was disappointed BUT it definitely worked out in the end). So what did happen? The first half of this novel builds background and the various characters so once the competition (finally) hits, everything falls into place like a well constructed line of dominoes.

It introduces us to Rhen, the strong female protagonist who refuses to bow down to the patriarchy, a determined teen out to prove her value in a society where women belong in the kitchen not the laboratory. She is so intent on helping to discover the cure to a mysterious illness plaguing the lower society, she refuses to play her part in civilised society by pursuing a husband and learning to be a good wife.

Rhen's best friend/cousin Seleni is all things family goals, assisting Rhen in basically all her misinformed endeavours. She is soft and squish but also a strong female, potentially throwing it all away in order to support her cousin and boyfriend in any and all adventures. Which brings me to the men.

Now, Weber could have easily painted all the men within this novel with the 'asshole' brush. Instead within the male population, there is a wide array of personalities. In Lute the reader gets a caring and compassionate man, wrapped in a hard fisherman exterior who is just trying to ensure his family stays afloat in hard times. Vincent, Rhen's betrothed (kind of) and competitor within Holm's Labyrinth starts out pleasant but by the end shows his true colours. Kellen, an old man and mysteriously disappearing visitor, is cryptic to say the least, seeming to have a secret that is yet to be shared.


Earlier in the piece, I mentioned that the actual competition around which this narrative revolves does not start until more than half way through. Although it is mentioned and from literally the first page, the reader knows it is about to occur, a vast percent of the initial portion of TBTB is mostly centred around world- and character-building. While it is not implicitly stated, it has an 1800's type vibe whereby women are still treated as property but small sectors of society are coming around to the idea the women can do amazing things. Most female characters are portrayed as homemakers or working towards learning how to be a good wife. The main character Rhen is ignored when she raises the issue of a new and deadly disease and is even more looked down upon when she suggests she may be integral in discovering its cure. But there is still light to be found in the opinions of a few key men, especially the opportunity to compete in Mr Holm's Labyrinth. Although it felt old and dank for the most part, this simply enabled the latter half to shine when a beacon of hope arises for Rhen.

The actual story arc has a little bit of a Caraval type feel with its simple magic and abundant illusions. Early on, it is a tale of friendship and familial love with Rhen determined to move mountains to help her mother and community in their time of need. Once the contestants finally reach the Labyrinth itself, the vivid imagery and creative storytelling gave me Harry Potter in the Triwizard tournament/Hunger Games-esque vibes with it being outwardly obvious that some players will do anything to win Holm's game and coveted scholarship to Stemwick University. There were moments that pulled at the heart strings throughout while Weber portrayed all her women as powerful, despite the fact that some were not physically strong.

Just quickly, I the ultimate hater of all things romance, actually got warm fuzzies near the end. Yes, there is a kind of triangle but not really because at least one party is not voluntarily involved BUT its so well placed and surrounded by other events that it was not overbearing. And I mean he gave her the chance to just be friends even though he would look after everything *insert soft blubbering here*. My heart has been melted and its wrong but oh so right.

Basically To Best The Boys is a fantastical trip through oppression and the underestimation of the female gender, all told in a kind of Victorian era society with a twist. The women are powerful and loyal, the men run the gamut and the magic included within gives the reader something just a little fantastic to season this amazing tale. The romance portion is fairly understated and fits within the entirety of the tale in a genius way so as to not be on the nose for even the greatest hater of anything resembling emotion. Definitely worth a read.

DNF @ page 55

ARC received from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All of my opinions are my own, and are in no way affected by the exchange.

I have been reading this off and on for what feels like forever. I am really upset that I could not get into this as it was one of my most anticipated releases. I dont know what it was that made me not be able to get into this. I might try again later but for now it's a no from me.

Because I didnt get into this book, I dont think it's fair for me to rate it.