Every year for the past fifty-four years, the residents of pinsburry port receive a mysterious letter inviting all gentlemen to compete for an esteemed scholarship to the all-male stemwick University. Every year, The poorer residents look to see what fancy parchment it's printed on. The wealthier look to see how likely their sons are to survive the dangerous competition. And rhen tellur opens it to see if she can derive which substances the ink was 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. In fact, when the poor of her seaside town begin falling prey to a crippling disease, she and her discredited Professor father are the ones who work desperately to find a cure. But when her mum succumbs to it as well, rhen decides it's time to pursue her future-not through the ordinary societal means but through the annual all-male scholarship competition. With her cousin, seleni, by her side, rhen dons a disguise and enters Mr. Holm's labyrinth to best the boys and claim the scholarship Prize. Except not everyone survives these games, and rhen must learn that her place in the world isn't determined by not fitting in but rather by belonging to the one person she believes in. Herself.Only then can she change the tides of tradition.
In the province of Caldon, where women train in wifely duties and men pursue 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 is ready for a girl who doesn’t know her place. And not everyone survives the deadly maze.

Welcome to the labyrinth.

Praise for To Best the Boys:

“Atmospheric, romantic, inspiring.” —KRISTEN CICCARELLI, internationally bestselling author of The Last Namsara

"Smart, determined, and ready to take on the world: Rhen Tellur is an outstanding heroine with every reason to win a competition historically intended for boys." —Jodi Meadows, New York Times bestselling author of The Incarnate Trilogy and coauthor of My Lady Jane

A “Hunger Games/Handmaid’s Tale mash-up.” —BN Teen Blog