The Surface Trials by H.M. Waugh

'It's like an interplanetary version of Survivor meets The Amazing Race, but with way more death vines and alien venom.' Better Reading

Three days, three clues, one hungry planet.
Constant surveillance.
The entire universe watching every move.
Some will shatter. Most will fail.
A select few will make it through, instant celebrities.

Welcome to the Surface Trials. The only way into Starquest Academy.

For Amethyst Antares, Starquest Academy offers an escape from the prison of her home planet. For Rian - the uber-famous and expertly disguised heir to the universe's two greatest dynasties - failure to get into his own academy is not an option. And Deneb? Well, he's an outlier...

But this year not everything goes to plan, and Amethyst and her squad find themselves playing for more than Starquest admission. To survive, they'll have to outsmart carnivorous creatures, share dangerous secrets, maintain trust and embrace the most shocking truth in the galaxy.

Set on a fascinating yet hostile alien planet, this pulse-pounding, high-stakes, elimination-quest novel will have readers on the edge of their seats.

'HM Waugh writes completely unputdownable stories that will keep you up late - if she's writing it, I'm reading it.' Amie Kaufman, NYT bestselling author