This was good fun! I'm not a normally a devoted YA reader but wholly enjoyed this. It definitely resembles the Maze (I have seen the movie) and offered me 3-4 hours good reading fun. Recommended for this genre lovers.

I really didn't expect to love this as much as I did! It's such fun, enjoyable fantasy with a strong female lead, which I always look for. There's also a bit of sci-fi thrown in there, which made it more interesting.
Rhen and Seleni were charming characters and I loved the relationship between them.
It's also hard to find books that capture you from the first pages, and this was one of them.
I read it very fast and had a lot of fun, totally recommend if you love YA fantasy!
Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

To Best The Boys is a story that gives you a strong, intelligent, brave, aspirational female character, loads of understandable science, growing relationships and ardent friendships, humanity, and extreme thrill and anticipation.

The plot is exciting with a lot of things at stake and the evident imbalance of respect between the Uppers and Lowers urging Rhen, the daughter of a scientist father and a mother who is bed-ridden with the 'crippling disease' (a lung disease that gradually kills), to win the scholarship competition and enter the Labyrinth.

The best theme explored in this book is certainly feminism. Rhen's attitude to the societal norms is challenging and gives her a fiery aura to stand tall and strong in a competition that has only ever been played by boys. Not only this, her parents and friends never suspect her energy for equality and in fact, support her feministic views by pitching in their own righteous thoughts.

Another strength of the story is its relationships. Whether it's Rhen and her parents or Rhen and Seleni (her best friend and cousin), the characters have tons of strings attached and no reader can complain because it pulls all the emotions out of you. The science is nothing that one can't understand and not because it's 'easy' but because it's wonderfully incorporated into the plot and explained through excellent writing that makes it easy to understand. Being a fan of adventures and puzzles in books, I found the race through the maze to be a stunning collection of thrilling incidents and surprising events.

A brilliant light fantasy with a strong female lead and a bit of sci-fi. I adored the friendship between Rhen and Seleni and how the author also potrayed other relationships too was a treat to watch.

First five star of the year.

Couldn't find any faults in this one.

Oh what an interesting read. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this book, but I’m so glad that I read it. It follows a young girl, Rhen Tellur, as she is living her life. She is a scientist and works with dead bodies frequently (cool, I know). There is a contest to gain a scholarship to a prestigious university, one that historically only men have entered. But Rhen, tired of her lack of options, has a different idea. She enters as a boy, trying to conceal her gender. The story follows the contest from beginning to end and all that happens in the time leading up to it and the aftermath. I liked this book for the most part. I thought that the plot was interesting and moved at a good pace. Everything about the world was fleshed out just enough, though I was hoping to know some more information. There was just a lot about the world left out that I would have liked to know. But I just didn’t like reading the voice of the main character. She just seemed a little annoying. This could be entirely a me problem. I would highly recommend this book to another person looking for a competition type book, where girls take charge of their own futures.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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

This book started off with mischief and I knew I would love it! We've got girls in disguise showing the boys how awesome they are, same girls being awesome at math and science, puzzles, adventure and a mysterious labyrinth. An excellent formula for a very entertaining read!

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

I think it's safe to say this book is going into my Top Reads of 2019.
The first thing I want to say regards the genre of this book: it's listed as YA Fantasy, but I honestly feel like it doesn't belong to this category. At least not entirely.
The fantasy elements in this book are very few: the are some sirens, basilisk and ghouls that get named once or twice, and there's a bit of magic to the maze itself, but apart from that this book feels more like YA fiction. Now that I think of that, I almost feel like those elements could've been removed because they don't add anything to the story. They make a good excuse for one or two scenes, but I feel like they could've been easily replaced by something non-magical. One of the main themes of the book is science, which makes me firmly believe that also the magic happening inside the Maze could've been replaced by something similar, but scientifically explainable - like in The Maze Runner.
It is said to be perfect for fans of Caraval, but I feel like it could be truly appreciated by fans of The Hunger Games. What makes Caraval special is the unique magic that surrounds everything, while THG - and TBTB - is more focused on the main character and its actions.
If you like the idea of an untamable girl taking part in a contest she didn't mean to attend in the beginning, a contest that will test out her knowledge, but also her personality, than this is the book for you!

Mary Weber's writing style is phenomenal. She has a way of making you feel involved with everything that is going on that I truly appreciated. There isn't a single character who doesn't feel complex and three-dimensional, which really surprised me! She has a way of portraying them that makes even the most background character feel real and almost necessary, even if - in reality - he isn't. I loved how she added little characters - inhabitants of the village - to give some depth to the village life, I think it's that little something that makes the reader feel completely projected in the world he's reading of.
I appreciated the variety of characters so much, especially their diversity.
One more thing that really surprised me was the romance: Rhen has a little crush from the first pages, which means we get to see a more light and easy romance building from what we're used to. We don't have to wonder too much about how and why the main character falls for a specific person, we just know that she has feelings for this guy and that's it. It could sound shallow and hasty, but I can assure you it isn't.
As soon as we start to know more about this guy, we immediately understand why Rhen has a crush for him and we can enjoy reading about these feelings becoming more and more strong with every page, without struggles or obstacles. Well, there are some struggles to be honest, but they're little and they get easily exceeded.

Another thing I really care to talk about is the perfect balance between the first part of the book - in which we start to understand the world building, we meet the characters, we learn a little bit about their story, and we prepare for what's coming - and the actual focus of the book - the action part in which we get to see the MC facing difficult decisions, obstacles, fighting for whatever she's fighting for.
Sometimes the explanatory part of a book can be a bit boring and annoying, while this isn't the case for To Best The Boys. There wasn't a single page where I didn't feel completely involved with what was going on!
Even if the main focus of the book is the Labyrinth contest, I loved how prominent the background story was and how well it was developed in order to hit almost every character, even the last one you would've thought of.
Honorable mention goes to the friendships/relationships in this book: they're all so pure and genuine, beautiful to witness.

The main themes of this book are feminism, gender role and social classes, and I loved how Mary Weber portrayed them. I admire her so much for being able of writing a book that empowers all kind of women - from the feminine ones to the more wild, from who dreams of being a wife to who aspire to build a career.
It's not something I'm used to seeing, especially in the YA section.
I would honestly make my 12 years old daughter - which I don't really have, just to be clear - read this book, to let her understand that she can do whatever she wants with her life and no decision she makes will ever make her less than the others.
Even though I loved this book, I still have a few things I'd like to criticize: I would've liked for the Labyrinth part of the story to be more complex and detailed, with more tests, more obstacles... I wanted a bit more of The Hunger Games in it. In my opinion, what should've been the center of the story ended up feeling a bit hasty.
I also would like to point out that yes, I get that every boy in the Labyrinth is too preoccupied with trying to understand how to exit the maze, but at the same time I feel like it was almost impossible for Rhen and Seleni to not be recognized. Beryll knows them since they were kids, how could he not know? That's the only thing I found a bit unrealistic.
I was thinking of writing a more detailed review for every single character - as I usually do - but, in this case, I don't feel like it. I think you need to meet them for yourself, without me spoiling even the tiniest bit of their personality. The only thing I can say is that they're beautifully written and they're lovely, especially Rhen and Seleni.
I hope this review was helpful for who hasn't read the book yet. If you did read it and you would like to discuss it further, feel free to contact me whenever you want!

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the way the characters interacted, I also loved the whole idea of competing for a scholarship. It was definitely something I felt like I could connect with even if theis was a little bit more violent. It still feels like its very apropriate for this day.

To Best the Boys is like a mix between Caraval and The Hunger Games (without as much death) and it was really good! I enjoyed the story and this STEM labyrinth competition. I am sad that it seems to be a stand-alone for now. I want to know what Rhen is up to next!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson through NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this title for review. . Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The “crippling disease” is affecting the poor in the province of Caldon. It is taking lives by slowly making the host immobile and shutting down their vital organs. Seventeen year old, Rhen Tellur with the help of her father has set out to find a cure for it. Otherwise, the next life this wretched disease takes will belong to Rhen’s mother. And Rhen simply cannot let that happen.

Although her father is a doctor and she is his star pupil, they still don’t have the resources they need to fight a disease of this magnitude. Their lab and supplies are subpar at best. Therefore, Rhen decides to find another way to get what they need and ultimately save her mother. She decides, with her cousin Seleni by her side, to compete for the revered scholarship to attend Stemwick University. A scholarship that if received, would give Rhen access not only to the education she desires, but to the labs and scientific equipment needed to develop a cure. The only problem is the competition and the University is limited to males only.

I truly enjoyed this book. Rhen is a multi-faceted character who is smart, and talented yet deals with dyslexia. The author spent just enough time describing Rhen’s difficulties with letters and numbers to let the reader understand her disability. Otherwise, the author paints Rhen to be strong and independent in a society that is made to cater to males. She is fierce. Normally, I am not a huge fan of fantasy books. However, in my opinion this book didn’t flow like a normal fantasy book at all. And I was happy that it didn’t end with a cliffhanger. I think it will be great for fantasy and science fiction readers alike. I believe this will be a hit amongst my middle school students. I am excited to add it to our library shelves.

A book for those who just love a good adventure book with a awesome girl lead that you just can't help but love. A book that just has you feel with her, and have fun!

Mary Weber is just a amazing writer and someone who I have to keep my eye out for other books because if this was was this amazing I can't imagine other ones! I mean, I can, I can see it in my bookshelves collection growing!

10/10 recommend!

Unfortunately this book didn’t appeal to me once I read a few chapters. I do hope to give it another shot in the future.

To Best The Boys
The main character is Rhen Tellur,a female who is struggling within a gender and class inequality world. Instead of excepting her fate, she she takes charge of her own future . She dons a disguise and enters a yearly competition in a dangerous labyrinth maze along with her female cousin. Fast paced and exciting to read . Weber keeps you on the edge of your seat . Subtle Romance and a little feminist viewpoint makes for an enjoyable read. Great character building, faced paced. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of Mary Weber books.


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

Mary Weber delivers a heart pounding, plot twisting novel that kept me up way past my bed time and into the early morning hours. The characters are flawed, relatable human beings with goals and dreams that we explore with them. Rhen and Seleni are two girls that I would undoubtingly follow without hesitation. The world Weber weaves keeps you on your toes, and devouring the story. The writing is top notch - delivering excellent pacing, once you've made it past the first few chapters - and the character's keep you rooting (or screaming) for them. I would recommend this to anyone who loves books involving puzzles or games that last to the death! 5/5 stars!

For a full review, visit my blog www.secondhandpages.com

This book was a lot more dry than what I was expecting. I assume others will like it just fine but it just wasn't for me.

This is the first Mary Weber book that I've read though I've heard great things about her writing, To Best the Boys didn't hit the mark for me. It was just a little too slow for me and the plot didn't catch my interest. The characters are interesting and the world building was good. The world kind of reminded me of a cross between The Handmaid’s Tale and The Hunger Games.

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

The thing that I really loved about this book was the characters that Weber created. I wanted to root for Rehn the whole time and found myself not wanting to put the book down because I needed to know what happened to her. I found her to be delightfully sassy and outspoken. I also enjoyed the cast of supporting characters, including the villainous tending ones. I also loved the labyrinth part of the story, although it seemed much to short a part of the book for my tastes. I wish the competition section had been longer to really build the setting. I feel like for once a book lacked some of the world building I like to see. Weber tells us there are monsters but we don’t see any of the effects of that in the story. The town doesn’t seem to need protection from them, there is no talk of their effect on jobs or lives. I think delving into that a bit more would have added more atmosphere to the book. Overall it was a really fun read that I would recommend to anyone looking for a girl power YA fantasy read that is quick. This book would also be suitable for middle grade readers.

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This doesn't affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Oh my! I lost myself in Mary Weber's latest book To Best the Boys. It’s been a long time since I could say that! I loved the setting and characters, the main storyline and how relatable it is to today’s world. To Best the Boys is about a young woman who wants more education and joins the annual scholarship competition that is just for boys. From start to finish, this book will have you on the edge of your seat. Now let’s break this story down from this sentence in the blurb: "The task is simple: Don a disguise. Survive the Labyrinth. Best the boys."

Don a Disguise
Rhen Tellur is a fantastic character who I instantly fell in love with. She is driven, smart, and a little quirky. She lives with her father and very sick mother in what can only be described as the slums of her town. She works with her father in his small home laboratory, learning all she can about science, health, and disease…especially disease. A plague has struck her community, and she is desperate to find a treatment. I loved how focused she is on her research, how evident she loves what she does. When the letter for the scholarship comes around as it does every year, Rhen makes a daunting decision. If she can’t get the help and equipment she needs as a girl, she’ll enter the contest and win. I love that she doesn’t even hesitate to cut off her locks, steal a dead man’s clothes, and walk right into the labyrinth.

Survive the Labyrinth
The labyrinth reminded me a lot of Caraval and the maze featured in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. It mostly messes with your mind, putting the characters in situations where they are terrified but must think intelligently to make it to the next round. I loved the puzzles and mystery surrounding the Mr. Holm, the nobleman responsible for the maze and scholarship. It kept me engaged and on edge throughout the book.

Best the Boys
There are basically two boys in Rhen’s life that are causing some complications. Vincent is her childhood friend, one she would have considered her best friend if not for the way he is currently acting. Basically he plans to marry Rhen (even though she doesn’t want too) and use her research for his own gain. Y’all I can’t say what I’d call him 😉 The other is Lute, a local fisherman who Rhen grew up with and has been nursing a crush on for a long time. I loved Lute. He respects what Rhen does and doesn’t hold her back. We all need a Lute.

My Final Thoughts
Overall I really enjoyed To Best the Boys. The setting, which is comparable to our late 1800s-early 1900s, is perfect for the fantasy Weber created. The subtle feminist viewpoint was also perfect. I loved that the author shows two feminists with different life goals and (guess what!) they supported rather than tore each other down. (Y’all I didn’t mention Seleni in my review, but she is the opposite of Rhen and a fantastic character). This notion that a woman can pursue a career and have a family at the same time is relevant in today’s society, and I love how it was shown here. If you enjoy historical fantasy, a touch of romance, and a lot of suspense/action, I highly recommend it.

“I’ve always known the unexplainable is possible here.”

I flew through this book! It was not what I expected at all and I loved it all the more because of that! The actual contest doesn’t take place until we’re over 50% of the the way through book, which was definitely unexpected. But this worked so well, because we as readers then have a better understanding and love of the characters who are entering it. We know all too well what’s at stake and really feel for them.

The story mainly follows two heroines, Rhen and Seleni, who although cousins have been raised with very different lifestyles. Rhen in the Lower class, Seleni in the Upper. The friendship between these two was so strong - and rather then in spite of their differences, I believe it was strong because of their differences. They had so much respect for each other, and gave each other devoted support in their separate goals:

“I’ve always wanted the life of a wife, and mother, and helpmate to my husband, and I know you may not think much of that, but it’s what I want. And I’d be proud of it.”

It seems as though women who want to have a family life and be homemakers are being looked down on more and more in YA fiction, in favour of women who want big careers. The fact that Mary Webber wrote Seleni as a strong, independent female, who knew her mind and knew that raising a family was what she wanted, is so commendable and admirable! My hat goes off to you Miss Webber!

Really though, all of the characters were so individual and well thought out. I loved Da and how he interacted with Rhen (and her Uncle, if I’m honest!) Holm too was such an intriguing and satisfying character.

Rhen’s inner dialogue throughout the book was so beautiful and descriptive at times, painting such a vivid picture of the atmosphere:

“My lungs and stomach fight the urge to run back outside. Where the air doesn’t feel like a shroud and my dread doesn’t sound so loud.”

Really, there are so many quotes I could use. The final sentences in the book are plastered on my mind as so encouraging and inspiring. But because they contain spoilers, I’ll use this one instead:

“You take this world and make it what it should be.”

Also, the fact that this was in the acknowledgements:

“Jesus. Because you are all this heart exists for.”

It’s always such a joy to have Christian authors on the field. Especially ones who can write like this.

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

**4.5 Stars**

To Best the Boys was a powerhouse of a novel meant to uplift and challenge the beliefs and restraints of womanhood. Weber’s atmospheric storytelling brought the port side province to life and gave great depth to the main character leading the charge. The portrayal of a society split by class and then by gender was spot on in its closeness to reality, making it easy to become Rhen—to fight with and for her. And within its borderline gothic-y feel, the story of a girl fighting for a chance at becoming something was truly the most powerful and enjoyable element.

I admired the gumption and brains and progressiveness of Rhen’s character; how she wasn’t just one thing, but many. The intrinsic nature of being flawed, smart, and selfless both served and hindered her journey in equal measure by building tension, and I loved every second of it. For a story about female empowerment, the subtle romance never once detracted from it—instead simply adding another wonderful layer to Rhen’s journey. The beautiful slow burn of it felt effortless and sweet, and as the action grew so did their ingrained connection to one another. To Best the Boys was an enticing character-driven tale that will force you to devour it.