Okay, so Steve West is marvelous at narrating. I am so impressed with the range he gets with so many different characters and how he makes them all so vivid.
But I made it 50% and threw in the towel. It shouldn’t take that long to get things going; the characters were hard to keep straight because there are so many here; and the jumping in the timeline left me confused more than once. This was my first Blake and I think I’ll try her again, this just needed to be a tighter story.

Although this wasn’t my usual choice for a book, I really enjoyed it! There are a LOT of different characters to keep track of and how they all manage to intersect (and not realize it), but it was fairly easy to follow along. I thoroughly enjoyed the humor and snark! Steve West was a great narrator (especially for death)!

Viola is a real estate a gent and is desperately trying to sell a house, unfortunately it appears to be haunted and only Vi can see him. She seeks the help of Fox, a medium to help her with her problem. Did I mention that Viola is a vampire and that Fox is the godson of Death? They become embroiled in a quest along with demons, angels, a siren, a poltergeist, the ghost and other other worldly creatures as they discover the truth about love and the sacrifices you are willing to make.

This was a great audiobook. Full of quick, snappy dialogue and great characters. It was a fun story and I enjoyed it a lot. It was very fast paced, almost too fast. I wish it had been a little bit longer.

4 ⭐️

{3.5 stars}

Tom Parker is a ghost trapped in his mansion when a realtor comes to sell it. He doesn't want that to happen but can't move on from it until he solves his own murder. The realtor can see Tom because she is a vampire and she decides to contact a medium to get him out. The medium happens to be the godson of Death himself and things get wackier from there. Together with a few others they must play a game against a demon to win the power to accomplish their goals.

Blake is hit or miss for me. Her stories are always entertaining but I'm not always sure I 'get' them. This one was a found family story about friendship and love in a world run by death and including immortal monsters of all sorts. It's banter-y and interesting as the group figures out each other's motivations for playing the game and then coming together to figure out how to win it. I enjoyed it but definitely felt equally overwhelmed and disinterested at different points. I often struggle being thrown into a story without much world building and exposition, especially in an audiobook so there might have been several factors that made this just a meh read for me.

Read this one if you liked the Atlas Six series or Shanghai Immortal.

Thanks to Macmillian Audio for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.

This was a fun book. There were times when the phrasing and progression devices became a bit repetitive, but overall I was consistently entertained. Thank you Tor and NetGalley for the review copy

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this audio book! First of all, the narration is amazing. It’s such a good cozy fall read- full of gut busting comedy, mystery, spooky vibes, and lore from several different cultures.

-a vampire real estate agent trying to sell a haunted house
-a witty ghost
-paranormal mystery and games
-lgbtq romance
-a support group for mythical creatures
-diverse group of characters with big personalities
-complex writing.

The writing is creative and beautiful. I loved this! Perfect for spooky season ☺️

Review posted to goodreads. Physical book recently bought and will feature on ig and Tiktok for spooky season reading recommendations. Thank you again for the ARC! Also can’t wait for the bookish box edition I subscribed to 😊

**Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this title**

This was my first book from Olivie Blake, and having seen the Atlas books everywhere I was looking forward to this one.

I definitely feel as though I would have enjoyed this more as a physical book, but listening to the audio was taxing and I didn't find it all that enjoyable for my commute. The dialogue was just repetitive and I had a hard time caring what the characters were saying after a certain point.

I enjoyed the plot of this book and will definitely give the author another chance! Check Masters of Death out if you like fantasy, especially of the paranormal/supernatural variety. The gothic and haunted house elements of this were also pretty cool!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review!

I had to go back and forth on my thoughts on Masters of Death. On one hand: I wasn't sure where the story was going since it veered off from the synopsis by 25%-30% mark. I thought it was a little convoluted on the narrative. On the other hand: I was here for the character's relationship drama, tension, and angst, especially between Fox and Brandt. I just let Olivie Blake's writing and Steve West's narration to guide me through this story.

There was a lot going on but I think it mostly made sense by the end. I was surprised on the genre tags because I would not figure it out based on the synopsis. This is an unconventional character-driven fantasy romance standalone where it is 60% fantasy and 40% romance. I was rooting for one of the romantic pairings moreso than the others, and I wished one romantic pairing had more page time. Steve West was not my preferred narrator but a good job in bringing certain characters to life, especially Death, Fox, and Brandt.

This will not be for everyone. The story is convoluted and a lot to follow. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it.

Content warnings: abandonment, (gambling) addiction, death, murder, infidelity (minor), death of parent (minor)

Viola Marek just wants to sell a house. Unfortunately, she has to contend with its previous owner, who just so happens to be dead. Thomas Edward Park IV does not remember exactly how he died, or under what circumstances. Viola believes that if she can help Tom with this missing piece of the puzzle, he'll move on. So she looks to help from Fox D'Mora who can purportedly talk to the dead and is also the godson of Death.

Turns out that Tom's death is connected to bigger circumstances beyond his control between beings far more powerful, and Fox ends up being pulled into a conflict he's not interested in being apart of. But, you know, only the fate of humanity rests in his hands so he just might have to make an effort.

Honestly, this is the first book I've read by Olivie Blake. I've heard of her before this, but I've never dived into her writing before. As I understand it, this is a re-release of a book originally published in 2018.

The book surprised me in the best way possible. I felt like it was so much more than the surface level of it's description, and it's been way too long since a book has truly come out of left-field and surprised me in this way.

Narrator sounds like, and hear me out here, the Ghost Host who narrates the Haunted Mansion ride in Disney World. I'm here for it! This kind of booming diabolical omniscient voice.

I loved how slow-burn everything was. How each character and their backstory is built up in a non-linear way until you understand all the moving parts of the story. The very precise way that information is conveyed then later brought up again with more significance makes you think you're in on the secret. Connecting the dots is such a wink wink.

Fox is a non-traditional hero because he starts out seeming a little blasé about life, but it takes going through the entire story to understand where he's come from. I think it's an interesting rumination on life and death and the personification of Death really lends itself well to the topics at hand as well as all the various Creatures featured that kind of skirt around the laws of death in their own way.

Now, I listened to the audiobook of this story and it was superb. Narrator Steve West does a fantastic job of filling out this huge cast of characters and giving them each their own voice and making their personalities pop. Our omniscient narrator has this wonderful "Ghost Host" vibe and I'm totally here for it! There's also a long of back-and-forth dialogue which quick movements from one character to another to another and back again. Steve West handles this with such perfection, you really get lost in the story.

For all that, there were some instances early on where it was difficult to determine scene cuts. In particular, there was an instance where a character was having a recollection, but this wasn't inferred that we were listening to a flashback. This is where reading the words and seeing the structure of the story would help immensely, but once you understand that structure and you can anticipate that this is how the story is going to go, then it makes identifying these moments easier. All this is to say that the audiobook is exceptionally done and should not be skipped.

This may have been the first book by Olivie Blake that I've read (listened to), but I'm excited to pick up another book and only hope it's a commonality in her writing to experience just as much depth and surprise.

I am a fan of Olivia Blake audiobooks. I like that this one had a academia vibe with vampires in involved. It was a fun read and really enjoyed the accent of the narrator. I can't wait till my physical copy of this book arrives!

I absolutely love the premise of this book and Blake's writing style and humor are very much in the vein of books I usually devour. Unfortunately parts of the story just really dragged for me and it was difficult to keep pushing through at times.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC!
The premise of this story was very interesting, for me i had a hard time with all the characters ( i love multiple pov just sometimes i get confused )
I loved that their were gods, monsters and the undead based all around gambling! i also felt like it dragged a bit in some parts but even when this is a 3 star i still enjoyed my time listening to it.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and Tor Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Hello, children. It’s time for Death.

Oh, you didn’t I spoke? I do.

I’m fantastically verbose, and transcendently literate, and quite frankly, I’m disappointed you would think otherwise.”

"Masters of Death" is a brilliantly intelligent and entertaining novel that deftly tugs at heartstrings and elicits genuine laughter. Olivie Blake's writing is not only impressive but also weaves a complex tapestry of storytelling. The non-linear narrative, multiple perspectives, intricate world-building, and various interludes demand intentional reading, rewarding readers who immerse themselves fully.

While there were moments when the story felt a bit dragged, particularly in the lead-up to understanding "The Game," the author's skill in revealing, connecting, and delivering numerous "aha!" moments more than compensates for any lulls.

This book caters to those who love a chaotic yet mind-blowing narrative and revel in sarcasm and continuous humor. Beneath the chaos lies profound exploration of themes like truth and self-confrontation. The revelations and lessons throughout the story are captivating and caused me to reflect on my own life and perspective.

The audiobook's narrator was truly exceptional, showcasing remarkable talent. Given the story's abundant dialogue and constant interplay with all characters engaged, the narrator's ability to effortlessly transition between voices was impressive. He ensures clarity and seamlessness and I feel fortunate that our narrator possesses such skill. Each character has a distinguishable voice and pizzazz that the dialogue requires.

The characters, each with their distinctive charm, became close to my heart, invoking genuine laughter (especially Isis). The book caught me by surprise, and Olivie Blake's prowess left a lasting impression. And yes, in the end, "Masters of Death" deepened my affection for Death and Fox D'Mora even further.

This book had such an interesting premise but I wasn't a huge fan of the narrator and felt the story dragged more than it needed to. I had a hard time keeping interested and ending up DNF'ing at about 25%. I might try to pick it up again at a later time but it wasn't the book for me right now. Would still recommend to fans of paranormal romance stories or books like The undertaking of Hart and Mercy. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Considering this is a first for me with Olivie Blake, I had an amazing time with her writing style. The dry and sarcastic humor was straightttt up my alley and I loved the premise behind each character and how they all tied together. Deaths narration in this book was the perfect way to bridge the story along and the narrator did an amazing job.

One thing I always know I will get with an Olivie Blake book is an utterly unique story. I absolutely love her creativity! This book is full of snarky dialog, interesting characters, and it’s a really fun read. The writing is very clever and smart, but at times it’s a bit too much and becomes tedious. Ideas are over stated, words and phrases are repeated (and repeated) for emphasis and wordplay, and the witty dialog drags on a touch too long. However, her storytelling absolutely draws me in and I was very entertained the entire book.

I had both the audiobook and a physical copy, and while the narration by Steve West is amazing, this story is a little hard to follow on audio only. It’s non linear with the POV constantly shifting so you need to pay close attention to figure out what is going on. I’d definitely recommend either version, but it might help to have a physical copy on hand for reference.

Thanks Tor Books and Macmillan Audio for the finished copy and ALC!

Thank you NetGalley for giving me an audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

This. Was. INCREDIBLE.

Let me start off by saying there was a lot more romance in this than I thought there'd be. And sweet romance, not spicy or crude, but actually, genuinely sweet. Which I didn't expect and ended up endearing me to every character in this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed every character, from our ghost to our vampire to our demon and godling and angel and reaper and deaths godson... the cast was definitely unique, to say the least. The stakes felt both low and high, and maybe it's because this was a more lighthearted read (especially compared to her other books) but it left me with such happiness that I cannot wait to reread this one.

Olivie Blake is fast becoming one of my favorite authors, and I find myself looking forward to the next book more and more each time I read them.

I love this author, and still I did not expect to love this book as much as I did.

It's dark and light like chocolate mousse, it's deep and mysterious like a cavern... it's an awesome book and I've already preordered more than one copy. So. If that's not enough

This is a book about people and how they affect each other long term, short term, how they affect the world and how the world affects them. There are angels and demons and lovers and it's both a love story and just a really good story and aren't those the best kind?

I listened to this as an audiobook and I loved the narrator, I'd absolutely trust him to tell me a tale anytime.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review, it was as always a pleasure.

This book was a ride. Everyone came out to play: vampire, reaper, demon, angel, Death, godlings, and more.
The dialog had me chuckling, cringing, and swooning. I am not typically a fan of angst or betrayal, but the emotions between Fox and Brandt were so well done. Their story is told through some time jumps -- which were a bit confusing at first on audio - that brought their characters to life and made their decisions/behavior understandable.
All the extra characters could've been overwhelming, but Blake gave them each enough time to be integral, without taking over. The found family was lovely as were the secondary love stories.

Steve West is one of my favorite narrators and he did not disappoint. I'm so glad I listened to this one.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Masters of Death
Olivie Blake

Plot: .5
Writing: 1
World Building: .5
Characters: 1
Themes: 1
4/5

Audiobook: 5/5

What you can expect:
- Non-linear storytelling
- Cast of different creatures and immortals (archangels, demons, etc.)
- Part mystery, part love story, part forced proximity for the found family
- LGBTQIA+

I think it's really entertaining to read the banter between immortal gods. From stealing Time's watch to all the different creatures, it's a good time.

This is a true Olivie Blake book. Similar to Addie LaRue, it doesn't follow a linear storyline and goes mostly by vibes. It was confusing sometimes, jumping around back and forth in time. I would say it's in the Addie LaRue, The Night Circus realm of literary fiction/low fantasy.

Though the pacing is slower, I enjoyed the banter and how everything unfolded.

What's the game? Why is it so vague? Is it Chess??
"There's only one rule: Don't lose."
That doesn't help me AT ALL.

This isn't my favorite from Olivie Blake, I struggled to get through a good chunk of the middle, but I still love the writing and leave feeling positivity and wistfulness from my experience.

The audiobook was phenomenal. I highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an Advanced Listening Copy of Masters of Death and to Edelweiss and Tor for an eArc.