This was such a witty and fun book. The use of all different God's, legends, and myths was entertaining. Death might have been my favorite character. This could be a short series.

Masters of Death started out really fun as a paranormal mystery which I always love to read as a genre. Right off the bat, I really enjoyed the switch between POVs amidst a mystery and loved the breadcrumbs we get in learning the world and characters slowly. I especially loved the linguistics and how clearly the author enjoys putting effort into each sentence and word they type. This is a clearly well thought out plot, with a lot of moving parts and reveals, however for me the pacing was the number one struggle. I felt like it really started to drag around 25-30% and unfortunately I just couldn’t find myself excited to pick it back up each time I returned to it. I kept listening to it on faster speeds hoping to get to a reveal faster and realized that while the topic and bones were great for me, the pacing just wasn’t. Again it’s a great book and has a lot of humor and wit, but the pacing for me personally felt like it would never get to the culmination. I made it to about 60% and decided to DNF because I really wasn’t looking forward to finishing it.

Now for the narration, I thought it was fantastic and it actually was the main reason I hung on as long as I did. The narrators voice has so much depth and range and lends itself well to both mystery and the paranormal. I’d love to listen to this narrator for any book especially a PNR or Romantasy!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to arc read this audiobook

Forever is a gift and a curse

Back on my pushing for Olivie Blake with "Masters of Death." This is a fun one that might take a little bit to slide into place what it is. But we have a Vampire real-estate agent trying to sell a haunted house, the adopted godson of Death, an Angel and a Reaper definitely not in love, a thief, a demon, and angelic management trying not to catch the blame. Oh and a game decides who has control over Death.

Narrated by Steve West, really loved the sardonic to angry changes.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for providing copies!

Reasons to read:
-Stand alone story so it's all on the table
-FUN take on a lot of tropes and pairings
-Banter, and I'm a banter slut
-Good Omens vibes
-Things made me think
-Interesting stance on eternity and mortality

Cons:
-Now I'm in a banter drought

I want to start of by saying I absolutely loved the narrator for the audiobooks! I thought he did a great job of giving all the different characters a unique voice and really enjoyed the listening experience. I did like the cast of characters and learning how everyone was connected/ their pasts. Unfortunately the overall story leaned a bit too speculative for my personally tastes. I think fans of the night circus would absolutely adore this story

I enjoyed this book overall. The narration was perfect but there were times that I felt a little lost in the story so it is possible that I would have been better served to pick up a print copy instead of the audio. I actually made it to the halfway point and was so confused that I went back to the beginning and started over. Things seemed to click the second time around and I think that my confusion came from the fact that this story isn’t always linear. Once I got things straight in my head, I found this to be a very entertaining book.

I really liked the cast of characters featuring a ghost, a vampire, a demigod, and even Death himself. Basically, if you can think of a supernatural character, it was probably included in this book. Viola, a vampire and real estate agent, has a house that she needs to sell. Unfortunately, the house has a ghost in residence so she needs some help. She enlists Death’s godson, Fox, to help her out and things get just as crazy as you would think they would.

Steve West is a fantastic narrator and he did an amazing job with this book. He handles a large diverse cast of characters incredibly well creating a distinctive voice for each of them. I found his voice to be easy to listen to for hours at a time. I do believe that he added to my enjoyment of this story.

I will definitely be recommending this one. I had a good time with this quirky story filled with amazing characters. This is the first time that I have read Olivie Blake’s work and wouldn’t hesitate to pick up more of her work in the future.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Macmillan Audio.

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.