To Best the Boys by Mary Weber

Title: To Best the Boys
Author: Mary Weber
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: March 5th 2019
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Every year for the past fifty-four years, the residents of Pinsbury Port receive a mysterious letter inviting all eligible-aged boys to compete for an esteemed scholarship to the all-male Stemwick University. Every year, the poorer residents look to see that their names are on the list. The wealthier look to see how likely their sons are to survive. And Rhen Tellur opens it to see if she can derive which substances the ink and parchment are created from, using her father’s microscope.

In the province of Caldon, where women are trained in wifely duties and men are encouraged into collegiate education, sixteen-year-old Rhen Tellur wants nothing more than to become a scientist. As the poor of her seaside town fall prey to a deadly disease, she and her father work desperately to find a cure. But when her Mum succumbs to it as well? Rhen decides to take the future into her own hands—through the annual all-male scholarship competition.

With her cousin, Seleni, by her side, the girls don disguises and enter Mr. Holm’s labyrinth, to best the boys and claim the scholarship prize. Except not everyone’s ready for a girl who doesn’t know her place. And not everyone survives the maze.


I loooved To Best The Boys. I’m not surprised because I’m a huge fan of Mary Weber’s writing.

Rhen Tellur has an untameable mind, that doesn’t fit well in a society where women are expected to know their place. That being as wives and homemakers. The world is interesting because it consist of an upper and lower port but also has some fantasy elements. Like ghouls and sirens that haunt the kingdom of Caldon. There is also the Labyrinth that runs a test every year to pick someone to earn a scholarship to the University. This has been traditionally participated in by men but when Rhen’s mom life declines because of the disease she is plagued with. Rhen takes matters into her own hands.

I loved Rhen and Seleni and their friendships. They are cousins but Rhen lives in the Lower Port and Seleni in the Upper. They don’t let their differences have any affect on how they feel about each other. They support one another no matter what. I also like how they both want different things for their lives and it doesn’t make either of them less. Just because Rhen wants to pursue studying Science and Seleni wants to marry and have a family. They don’t knock the other dreams. I love that both sides are represented. It’s something important to me because it’s something my mom infused in me. That either path is the right path if it’s what you want.

I also love Lute and his relationship with Rhen and how she totally calls him out on things he assumes. She’s like seriously you are going to think that without asking me. It’s awesome. I also like how he just likes her for who she is and they are just cute. Just way to cute. I really like them together.

There are also just some lower port characters and of course Beryl that I really liked. Maray Weber always does a great job with side characters.

The plot is fast paced and interesting the entire time. I loved the test in the Labyrinth they weren’t overwhelming or boring. It really kept the book moving. Just a really great story.

So I loved To Best the Boys and if you haven’t read Mary Weber’s other books. I love them all and you should check them out if you enjoy this story!



Hi. I write books. I eat things. I kiss things. I believe in mermaids.

I'm also the author of the Storm Siren Trilogy, The Evaporation of Sofi Snow series, and the March 2019 release, To Best the Boys. When not working, I sing 80’s hairband songs to my three muggle children, and ogle my husband who looks strikingly like Wolverine. We live in California, which is perfect for stalking aging movie stars while wearing fanny packs and sweatpants.

For those who like to know such things (mainly my mom), Storm Siren was featured in the Scholastic Book Fair and my novels have been endorsed by such nice humans as Marissa Meyer, CJ Redwine, Shannon Messenger, and Jonathan Maberry (in fact, Marissa Meyer and I have a fun interview in the paperback of her book, CRESS). Also, Boba tea & sweatpants are life. {We can chat about life (in sweatpants over tea, obviously) in my Newsletter.

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GIVEAWAY
Prize: Win 1 of 2 finished copies of TO BEST THE BOYS by Mary Weber (1 INTERNATIONAL winner & 1 US ONLY winner)

Start Date: 25th February 2019
End Date: 11th March 2019
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