Tome Topple Round 13 Wrap Up

Definitely going to count this round of the Tome Topple Readathon a success! I was able to complete 1 book during the two weeks that had over 500 pages! I definitely had hoped that I would be able to read more but I’ve had a busy couple of weeks and alas was unable to commit enough time to complete any more tomes. But like I said in my TBR even if I only read one of these books it would still count as a success and this book I had been meaning to read for AGES now so I am happy!

The book I completed for the Tome Topple is:

The Toll by Neal Shusterman

End of Year Book Tag

I did this tag at the end of last year and I felt like this is a fun tag that I could potentially do around this time every year!

I am going to interpret this as a series I started this year that I need to finish and for that I am going for The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty!

I don’t really have seasonal books that I read every year, that’s just not how I function. But as we are going into summer here in Australia I am going to try and pick up some more contemporaries. So for that I am going to pick A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow!

I am highly anticipating Lightbringer by Clarie Legrand

Blood and Honey by Shelby Mahurin, The Toll by Neal Shusterman & The Girl and the Stars by Mark Lawrence

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I still haven’t read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Scwab and I just have a feeling that I am going to LOVE it!

No…One this I did more this year was just mood read throughout the months and just pick up book when I was in the mood for reading, so I think I will definitely be continuing that for 2021!

The Toll Review

It’s been three years since Rowan and Citra disappeared; since Scythe Goddard came into power; since the Thunderhead closed itself off to everyone but Grayson Tolliver.

I really enjoyed how we see the story unfold over various timelines within the three years since Endura sank. There was a lot you kind of had to wade through and at times I did find it a bit dense but still captivating and engaging me in a way that propelled me to keep reading.

I just loved the way Citra and Rowan have evolved over the course of the series and how they started off as quite innocuous characters to being some of the most beloved and infamous people in the world. I loved how we see how the decisions they make over the course of the storyline has such an impact on their society and the Scythedom. They are separated for the majority of the series so when they are reunited it almost feels like fanservice because it what I have been craving for so long.

We are again introduced to a plethora of new characters and a few different perspectives that kept the narrative fresh and interesting. We spent some time outside of MidMerica and we get to see how some of the other factions within this world operate and how they all differ from one another whilst still maintaining this social order, it was compelling. Also seeing how everyone is scrambling to try and survive without being able to communicate with the Thunderhead to do their unsavory statuses was entertaining.

I have to admit the Tonists and Greyson’s perspective was my least favourite out of them all. I honestly wasn’t all that invested in their religion or how it operated. I was curious as to why the Thunderhead chose Grayson out of every to still communicate with but I was way more interested in what was happening with Rowan and Citra as opposed to The Toll though he was a defining character in the grand scheme of the book.

I think this was meticulously planned and put together in a way that really captivates you from the start and has you questioning every single detail. Wondering what the Thunderhead was planning and how it was able to get around his rules to keep humankind safe but still continue to not meddle in Scythe business. I had my doubts about him since the start, I don’t know why but I never trust AI in books but this time I was pleasantly surprised!

⭐️4/5 stars a very gratifying ending, definitely exceeded my expectations!

Tome Topple Round 13

I know without a doubt that I will not be finishing all the books on this TBR, but I have high hopes I will at least get to 2-3 of them and cross off some books that I have been meaning to read for AGES now! This readathon is run by Thoughts on Tomes on booktube and runs from Nov 14th to Nov 27th and if would like to see the announcement video click HERE!

Tome on TBR the longest & Tome in a genre you don’t usually read – The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Tome you started in another round – The Toll by Neal Shusterman

Tome in a series you haven’t read in a while – The Blinding Knife by Brent Weeks

Read 1 tome – Heart of Flames by Nicki Pau Preto

Seasonally colored tome – Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare

Most recently acquired tome – American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Tome by an Indigenous author – Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse