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Masters of Death
From the internationally bestselling author of The Atlas Six , Masters of Death by Olivie Blake is a gripping, page-turning fantasy.
'Olivie Blake is a mind-blowing talent' - Chloe Gong
This book is about an estate agent. Only she’s a vampire, the house on sale is haunted,
and its ghost was murdered.
When Viola Marek hires Fox D’Mora to deal with her ghost-infested mansion, she expects a competent medium. But unbeknownst to Viola, Fox is a fraud – despite being the godson of Death.
As the mystery unfolds, Viola and Fox are drawn into a quest that neither wants nor expects. And they'll need the help of a demonic personal trainer, a sharp-voiced angel and a love-stricken reaper. And it transpires that the difference between a mysterious lost love and a dead body isn’t nearly as distinct as you’d hope.
This edition features beautiful interior illustrations from Little Chmura.
'Coolly horrific, brilliantly brainy and utterly compelling' - Daily Mail on The Atlas Six
'Olivie Blake is a mind-blowing talent' - Chloe Gong
This book is about an estate agent. Only she’s a vampire, the house on sale is haunted,
and its ghost was murdered.
When Viola Marek hires Fox D’Mora to deal with her ghost-infested mansion, she expects a competent medium. But unbeknownst to Viola, Fox is a fraud – despite being the godson of Death.
As the mystery unfolds, Viola and Fox are drawn into a quest that neither wants nor expects. And they'll need the help of a demonic personal trainer, a sharp-voiced angel and a love-stricken reaper. And it transpires that the difference between a mysterious lost love and a dead body isn’t nearly as distinct as you’d hope.
This edition features beautiful interior illustrations from Little Chmura.
'Coolly horrific, brilliantly brainy and utterly compelling' - Daily Mail on The Atlas Six
417 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 30, 2018
6061 people are currently reading
136136 people want to read
About the author
Olivie Blake
46 books17.2k followersOlivie Blake is the pseudonym of Alexene Farol Follmuth, a lover and writer of stories, many of which involve the fantastic, the paranormal, or the supernatural, but not always. More often, her works revolve around what it means to be human (or not), and the endlessly interesting complexities of life and love.
Olivie has penned several indie SFF projects, including the webtoon Clara and the Devil with illustrator Little Chmura and the viral Atlas series. As Follmuth, her young adult rom-com My Mechanical Romance releases May 2022.
Olivie lives in Los Angeles with her husband and new baby, where she is generally tolerated by her rescue pit bull.
Olivie has penned several indie SFF projects, including the webtoon Clara and the Devil with illustrator Little Chmura and the viral Atlas series. As Follmuth, her young adult rom-com My Mechanical Romance releases May 2022.
Olivie lives in Los Angeles with her husband and new baby, where she is generally tolerated by her rescue pit bull.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 10,802 reviews
August 3, 2018
I write this comment in direct response to the unbelievable 1 star rating below.
No, this book is not for those who seek a linear storyline with a main character, a love interest and best friend. It's for people who love complex, interwoven stories, where characters are not two or three-dimensial in function of their relation to one another. Everyone has a story and feelings and qualities and flaws, and all of those must be explored.
No, this book is not for people who want a plotline to be served to them on a silver plate on page 1. It's for people who like to be kept on their toes, who like to be surprised and amazed, and especially for people who love the "OH SHIT"-factor of a story. It's a story that comes together, it unfolds, chapter per chapter, and as readers we are taken on an adventure. Every single sentence has meaning, we just discover it along the way. It's a hell of ride.
No, this book is not for people who want some light summer reading (well no actually it is) and who don't want to be made to think (that it definitely is not). It makes you think, it makes you wonder, it makes you F E E L so many things. It makes you laugh, and cry, and be amazed and bemused. No truth is whole, and no lie is devoid of truth. You have to think think think think and then. You get it. Or you don't.
This book is filled with everything that is good in the literary world: fleshed out characters, exquisite dialogue, incredibly deep thought-provoking phrases, sheer hilarity, very confrontational truths and pain and in my opinion, above all, the most elegant and sophisticated writing style; Olivie Blake commands the intricacies of the English language better than most best-selling authors I've read.
This book is about vampires. And demons. And Death. And love. And truths. And lies. This book is simply brilliant.
No, this book is not for those who seek a linear storyline with a main character, a love interest and best friend. It's for people who love complex, interwoven stories, where characters are not two or three-dimensial in function of their relation to one another. Everyone has a story and feelings and qualities and flaws, and all of those must be explored.
No, this book is not for people who want a plotline to be served to them on a silver plate on page 1. It's for people who like to be kept on their toes, who like to be surprised and amazed, and especially for people who love the "OH SHIT"-factor of a story. It's a story that comes together, it unfolds, chapter per chapter, and as readers we are taken on an adventure. Every single sentence has meaning, we just discover it along the way. It's a hell of ride.
No, this book is not for people who want some light summer reading (well no actually it is) and who don't want to be made to think (that it definitely is not). It makes you think, it makes you wonder, it makes you F E E L so many things. It makes you laugh, and cry, and be amazed and bemused. No truth is whole, and no lie is devoid of truth. You have to think think think think and then. You get it. Or you don't.
This book is filled with everything that is good in the literary world: fleshed out characters, exquisite dialogue, incredibly deep thought-provoking phrases, sheer hilarity, very confrontational truths and pain and in my opinion, above all, the most elegant and sophisticated writing style; Olivie Blake commands the intricacies of the English language better than most best-selling authors I've read.
This book is about vampires. And demons. And Death. And love. And truths. And lies. This book is simply brilliant.
April 9, 2025
This was tedious. I felt like I was reading about a bunch of squirrels bickering with increasing angst.
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June 16, 2022
Rated 4.5/5 stars!
This was basically 350 pages of sassy, thoroughly unimpressed not-quite-dead people being unwilling to admit they care for other people while very clearly doing so and it was very entertaining.
This was basically 350 pages of sassy, thoroughly unimpressed not-quite-dead people being unwilling to admit they care for other people while very clearly doing so and it was very entertaining.
September 17, 2021
the writing is, as expected from Olivie Blake, beautiful, but i often find it too verbose that it distracts me from the main idea. my main issue was the dialogue because, while humorous, it's quite exhausting for me to follow. i feel like all the characters love to hear themselves talk and wax poetic about the mundanity of life lmao
i like the concept, but the execution is just okay; it could be done better for sure. the characters are unique, but they weren't too compelling for this kind of the story, and honestly they're a bit underdeveloped, because the narration did not balance with the dialogue. the structure made the story confusing at times (i don't mind this much) and i find the storytelling to be a bit rough, but it came together eventually, hence 3 stars and not 2.
overall, an alright read. it's mostly uneventful (took me 3 weeks to finish) but if you like the characters enough, the inconsistencies and slow parts can be overlooked.
i like the concept, but the execution is just okay; it could be done better for sure. the characters are unique, but they weren't too compelling for this kind of the story, and honestly they're a bit underdeveloped, because the narration did not balance with the dialogue. the structure made the story confusing at times (i don't mind this much) and i find the storytelling to be a bit rough, but it came together eventually, hence 3 stars and not 2.
overall, an alright read. it's mostly uneventful (took me 3 weeks to finish) but if you like the characters enough, the inconsistencies and slow parts can be overlooked.
August 19, 2023
There were so many characters and so much chaos that I couldn’t even tell you what I was reading tbh.
Also, I did not vibe with the writing style at all. I had a hard time focusing on the words and found myself rereading the same pages over and over.
Also, I did not vibe with the writing style at all. I had a hard time focusing on the words and found myself rereading the same pages over and over.
January 16, 2024
“Hello children. It’s time for death.”
5 Brilliant Stars!
I've said it before, but I'll say it again. There is something about Olivie Blake's prose that is so incredibly captivating and alluring that it demands attention. Her words live in my mind long after I finish one of her books and I find that I can't stop thinking about them. She's brilliant.
In Masters of Death we follow Viola, a vampire and a struggling real estate agent. If she wasn't already struggling, the house she needs to sell is haunted. The ghost haunting the house was murdered and in order to move on, he needs to solve his murder.
We have a lively bunch of characters that are a hysterical motley crew if you will - including a cranky ghost, a well-meaning vampire, a pair of annoying angels, a sly demigod and the godson of Death. Death with a capital D. While the characters are all supernatural and for the most part immortal, the book is really about humanity. They re all longing for feeling and human connection and the sensitivity of time.
There is just something very interesting regarding discussions of morality within Masters of Death. The discussions around pain and how it ends up that it's life that allows us to feel anything at all was something that I really enjoyed reading about. Every theme explored was done so brilliantly, in beautifully constructed moments and captivating conversations.
“I wish to feel something much, much larger than I am, the girl’s heart replies. I wish to stand on the edge of ruination and defeat, to leap into a chasm full of danger. I wish to feel my blood turn cold with fear and my cheeks burn bright with shame; I wish to feel joy that fills my lungs, and sadness that swells within me like a current. I wish to feel so much and so deeply that it washes over me in waves. I wish to drag myself towards something; I wish to lose pieces of myself along the way. I wish for hunger that drives me, for passion that fulfills me, for sensations of taking and having and losing and wanting, and I wish for all of it to come with a price, and a steep one—and then I wish for the courage to pay. Isn’t it all good because it’s something? she asks. Isn’t it all bad because beneath it—any of it, her wish sighs—I may collapse? Mayra”
“But two centuries of anger had not served him nearly as well as one day of honesty.”
“To love, to forgive, to lose, to live - it was always a choice, and thus, the fact that he was a mortal was finally one worth celebrating. Because it would end! Maybe that was the entire secret, and therefore the whole thing was actually astonishingly simple. That over and over, he was presented with the same impossible decision - live and suffer, love and grieve - but still, every time, with all his being, his answer was and would always be yes. It would be difficult and painful, and however it ended, it would end - but still, he could choose it. To live, to love; it was always a choice, and inherently a brave one, to face down certain doo, with open arms.”
“Things are so much sweeter when they have an ending; things are so much more painful when they can be ripped away.”
There is just something about supernatural and immortal creatures being thrown into the modern day world that, when done masterfully -I enjoy a lot. Masters of Death is a masterclass in showing, not telling, and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.
✦•······················•✦•······················•✦✦•······················•✦•······················•✦✦•······················•✦•······················•✦
Olivie Blake has so easily become one of my favorite authors- LOVE THIS.
RTC - After work. 💗
5 Brilliant Stars!
I've said it before, but I'll say it again. There is something about Olivie Blake's prose that is so incredibly captivating and alluring that it demands attention. Her words live in my mind long after I finish one of her books and I find that I can't stop thinking about them. She's brilliant.
In Masters of Death we follow Viola, a vampire and a struggling real estate agent. If she wasn't already struggling, the house she needs to sell is haunted. The ghost haunting the house was murdered and in order to move on, he needs to solve his murder.
We have a lively bunch of characters that are a hysterical motley crew if you will - including a cranky ghost, a well-meaning vampire, a pair of annoying angels, a sly demigod and the godson of Death. Death with a capital D. While the characters are all supernatural and for the most part immortal, the book is really about humanity. They re all longing for feeling and human connection and the sensitivity of time.
There is just something very interesting regarding discussions of morality within Masters of Death. The discussions around pain and how it ends up that it's life that allows us to feel anything at all was something that I really enjoyed reading about. Every theme explored was done so brilliantly, in beautifully constructed moments and captivating conversations.
“I wish to feel something much, much larger than I am, the girl’s heart replies. I wish to stand on the edge of ruination and defeat, to leap into a chasm full of danger. I wish to feel my blood turn cold with fear and my cheeks burn bright with shame; I wish to feel joy that fills my lungs, and sadness that swells within me like a current. I wish to feel so much and so deeply that it washes over me in waves. I wish to drag myself towards something; I wish to lose pieces of myself along the way. I wish for hunger that drives me, for passion that fulfills me, for sensations of taking and having and losing and wanting, and I wish for all of it to come with a price, and a steep one—and then I wish for the courage to pay. Isn’t it all good because it’s something? she asks. Isn’t it all bad because beneath it—any of it, her wish sighs—I may collapse? Mayra”
“But two centuries of anger had not served him nearly as well as one day of honesty.”
“To love, to forgive, to lose, to live - it was always a choice, and thus, the fact that he was a mortal was finally one worth celebrating. Because it would end! Maybe that was the entire secret, and therefore the whole thing was actually astonishingly simple. That over and over, he was presented with the same impossible decision - live and suffer, love and grieve - but still, every time, with all his being, his answer was and would always be yes. It would be difficult and painful, and however it ended, it would end - but still, he could choose it. To live, to love; it was always a choice, and inherently a brave one, to face down certain doo, with open arms.”
“Things are so much sweeter when they have an ending; things are so much more painful when they can be ripped away.”
There is just something about supernatural and immortal creatures being thrown into the modern day world that, when done masterfully -I enjoy a lot. Masters of Death is a masterclass in showing, not telling, and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.
✦•······················•✦•······················•✦✦•······················•✦•······················•✦✦•······················•✦•······················•✦
Olivie Blake has so easily become one of my favorite authors- LOVE THIS.
RTC - After work. 💗
December 24, 2023
"i would love him still, even if he left me again. i would love him through several lifetimes, i think, and i would love him in every world."
honestly couldn't tell you what the game was about but besides that this was so fun & funny, surprisingly but, then again, it's olivie and she writes (possibly) the best banter ever.
➢ cal & mayra- so sweet so cute, wish we got more cutesy moments between them.
"mayra, it's worth it," he begged. "a moment with you is far more worthwile than an eternity of paradise."
➢ fox & brandt- they're married in my world
"will you still love me, do you think? if we were ever to be old and grey."
"yes," he said. "what kind of life could have ever been enough if i had never confessed that i would love you, fox, for every day that i walked this earth?"
➢ vi & tom- cuties, def lots of potential for a great love story.
✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧
can we take a moment of silence for the fanart pls
January 23, 2024
So you're a vampire real estate agent trying to sell your latest house, but it's haunted by the ghost of its former occupant. And the only way to help the ghost move on is to contact a well-regarded medium who just so happens to be the Godson of Death?
ANYWAY this was just good fun all around. Fantastic dialogue between our characters and a deeply layered story with such a satisfying payoff. Certainly the most fun I've had with a book in awhile. Full review to come!
Read my mini review here
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ANYWAY this was just good fun all around. Fantastic dialogue between our characters and a deeply layered story with such a satisfying payoff. Certainly the most fun I've had with a book in awhile. Full review to come!
Read my mini review here
Follow me on Instagram
October 17, 2023
2.5 stars Continuing my October losing streak apparently 😭
I usually vibe with Olivie Blake but this book was a fever dream. No plot, totally random, literally every imaginary character one could think of including Count Dracula for no apparent reason whatsoever. A subpar main love story and even less fleshed out secondary character relationships. The only positive was Daddy Death and his Godson's relationship bc yes, we ALWAYS love a good Daddy Death and this one was no exception, he was hot too but it still was not enough to make this read worth it. So disappointing.
I usually vibe with Olivie Blake but this book was a fever dream. No plot, totally random, literally every imaginary character one could think of including Count Dracula for no apparent reason whatsoever. A subpar main love story and even less fleshed out secondary character relationships. The only positive was Daddy Death and his Godson's relationship bc yes, we ALWAYS love a good Daddy Death and this one was no exception, he was hot too but it still was not enough to make this read worth it. So disappointing.
July 4, 2023
"No", Fox replied, chewing his lip. "I love him, Papa. I forgave him the moment he came back. I would love him still, even if he left me again. I would love him through several lifetimes, I think", Fox determined, resigning himself to the truth, "and I would love him in every world."
the problem is, that this could have been so good... had it not been written by a squirrel on crack.
read as part of 202-Queer 🌈✨
the problem is, that this could have been so good... had it not been written by a squirrel on crack.
read as part of 202-Queer 🌈✨
December 1, 2023
This was one of the most annoying books I have ever picked up in my entire life. Somebody else called it squirrels bickering, and I don't think I could summarize it any better than that.
January 19, 2024
4⭐️
THE PLOT
Fox D'Mora is a fraudulent medium who also happens to be Death's godson. Viola Marek is a vampire real estate agent who is trying to sell a house that is haunted by the ghost of it's previous owner. Viola seeks out Fox as a way to get rid of the ghost, only while this happens, Death is kidnapped and held hostage. The only way to get him back is by playing the immortals game in a tournament. It is only Fox who can save Death. The only things standing in the way are lies, truths, and pure intentions of the soul.
MY THOUGHTS
This book has really developed a special place in my heart, it really has. This book was so magical in every sense of the way and I just couldn't put it down. This book made me ugly cry. 😭 Was I expecting it? NO. Did it happen anyways? YES. I'm gonna go crawl into a hole and sob for eternity.
The Characters: It was so hard not to love almost every character in this book. Fox, in the beginning, is very stand-offish but too relatable I loved him from the start. Viola...I didn't really feel an attachment to her at any point in the book. We got plenty of background information about her but still...she wasn't one of my most liked characters. Brandt...oh Brandt...my heart hurts. In the beginning we weren’t supposed to like his character but I think I did because I like morally grey men. He was straight up just portrayed as this horrible thief who broke Fox's heart. But we learn later on he had his motives and once it was explained, I understood. Understood so well it made me CRY. Tom (the ghost) and Viola's relationship just filled me with laughter and happiness Honestly, ALL the side characters made me laugh. This book is filled with so much funny banter and serious jokes; I always found myself laughing and giggling.
The Plot: Okay, right off the bat, there was SO much going on in this book. It first started off with just Viola and Fox trying to get Tom out of the house, which then turned to Death missing, which then turned to the immortals game...IT WAS SO MUCH! There was always something new going on almost every chapter that I felt, at times, were hard to keep up with. However, the actual plot of the book was amazing. It was gripping, it was enticing, it was everything a good story needed. This is one of those books where you really have to read slower and process more because of not just the plot, but also the language and story progression. If you skim it at all, you'll miss key points to the plot that you'll then have to go back and read again. With this book being only just short of 400 pages, Olivie really stuffed as much as she could. My only advice when reading this is to pay attention!
The Writing: The writing style in this book is absolutely impeccable. It was magical, it was lyrical, it was so. well. written! My only complaint would be that it is VERY hard to understand going straight into it, for me at least. It took me quite a while to understand everything, as you're kinda just thrown into the deep end. But the words Miss Olivie puts on paper...stunned. Amazed. In love. I could read her writing forever. It's so deep and meaningful as well. AHHH I just love it.
One thing that really stuck out to me was the theme of this book. The overall theme would be that even immortals want the basic feelings that humanity deals with every day. Love, loss, grief. Immortal life is timeless, and that's not always a good thing. As mortals, you'll feel sometimes that you just don't...want to feel. Olivie does an amazing job of showing just how amazing and precious mortal feelings and life can be. It's not always about having everything you could ever dream of, but more so how you choose to live the life you have and surrounding yourself with those who make you happy. She really tackles this mortal dilemma we face every day and it definitely altered my outlook on life and processing my own emotions.
Overall, this book was so amazing. I'm so sad I won't be able to read this for the first time again. The emotions I felt...by the end of the book I felt so warm and touched to the soul. I would definitely be recommending everyone to give this a shot. It will be very confusing at first but stick through it. It's beyond worth it. 🩷
FAVORITE QUOTES AND SCENES
Do you know what it really takes to make someone immortal? Rid them of fear. If they no longer fear pain, they no longer fear death, and before long they fear nothing, and in their minds they live eternal.
Where does Death reside?
In the dead, of course, and in the souls of the living; in their fears of the future and in the losses of their pasts.
To believe a wish is always pure and good is to embrace a misconception.
To glimpse what a person's heart beats for, though, is to understand who they are.
"Eternity itself is nothing. Meaningless really, unless you do something with it."
"I didn't want to feel. But nobody could ever do anything about that. No amount of sex or thrills or number of lifetimes could stop it, any of it, and--I wish I could just stop feeling."
"Love is a rather mortal concept, don't you think? It can be born; it cannot exist alone; it can die. Love itself, then, is mortal."
"Well, I underestimated him. I have a long history of doing so."
"Of underestimating Tom?"
"Of discounting morality. Had I sorted that out long ago, I'd have been far better for it."
"Mortals have nothing on the gods or creatures for power, but we know a thing or two about self-destruction.
Pain.
Loss.
Regret."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
First Olivie Blake book! I hope it's nice and enjoyable <3
THE PLOT
Fox D'Mora is a fraudulent medium who also happens to be Death's godson. Viola Marek is a vampire real estate agent who is trying to sell a house that is haunted by the ghost of it's previous owner. Viola seeks out Fox as a way to get rid of the ghost, only while this happens, Death is kidnapped and held hostage. The only way to get him back is by playing the immortals game in a tournament. It is only Fox who can save Death. The only things standing in the way are lies, truths, and pure intentions of the soul.
MY THOUGHTS
This book has really developed a special place in my heart, it really has. This book was so magical in every sense of the way and I just couldn't put it down. This book made me ugly cry. 😭 Was I expecting it? NO. Did it happen anyways? YES. I'm gonna go crawl into a hole and sob for eternity.
The Characters: It was so hard not to love almost every character in this book. Fox, in the beginning, is very stand-offish but too relatable I loved him from the start. Viola...I didn't really feel an attachment to her at any point in the book. We got plenty of background information about her but still...she wasn't one of my most liked characters. Brandt...oh Brandt...my heart hurts. In the beginning we weren’t supposed to like his character but I think I did because I like morally grey men. He was straight up just portrayed as this horrible thief who broke Fox's heart. But we learn later on he had his motives and once it was explained, I understood. Understood so well it made me CRY. Tom (the ghost) and Viola's relationship just filled me with laughter and happiness Honestly, ALL the side characters made me laugh. This book is filled with so much funny banter and serious jokes; I always found myself laughing and giggling.
The Plot: Okay, right off the bat, there was SO much going on in this book. It first started off with just Viola and Fox trying to get Tom out of the house, which then turned to Death missing, which then turned to the immortals game...IT WAS SO MUCH! There was always something new going on almost every chapter that I felt, at times, were hard to keep up with. However, the actual plot of the book was amazing. It was gripping, it was enticing, it was everything a good story needed. This is one of those books where you really have to read slower and process more because of not just the plot, but also the language and story progression. If you skim it at all, you'll miss key points to the plot that you'll then have to go back and read again. With this book being only just short of 400 pages, Olivie really stuffed as much as she could. My only advice when reading this is to pay attention!
The Writing: The writing style in this book is absolutely impeccable. It was magical, it was lyrical, it was so. well. written! My only complaint would be that it is VERY hard to understand going straight into it, for me at least. It took me quite a while to understand everything, as you're kinda just thrown into the deep end. But the words Miss Olivie puts on paper...stunned. Amazed. In love. I could read her writing forever. It's so deep and meaningful as well. AHHH I just love it.
One thing that really stuck out to me was the theme of this book. The overall theme would be that even immortals want the basic feelings that humanity deals with every day. Love, loss, grief. Immortal life is timeless, and that's not always a good thing. As mortals, you'll feel sometimes that you just don't...want to feel. Olivie does an amazing job of showing just how amazing and precious mortal feelings and life can be. It's not always about having everything you could ever dream of, but more so how you choose to live the life you have and surrounding yourself with those who make you happy. She really tackles this mortal dilemma we face every day and it definitely altered my outlook on life and processing my own emotions.
Overall, this book was so amazing. I'm so sad I won't be able to read this for the first time again. The emotions I felt...by the end of the book I felt so warm and touched to the soul. I would definitely be recommending everyone to give this a shot. It will be very confusing at first but stick through it. It's beyond worth it. 🩷
FAVORITE QUOTES AND SCENES
Do you know what it really takes to make someone immortal? Rid them of fear. If they no longer fear pain, they no longer fear death, and before long they fear nothing, and in their minds they live eternal.
Where does Death reside?
In the dead, of course, and in the souls of the living; in their fears of the future and in the losses of their pasts.
To believe a wish is always pure and good is to embrace a misconception.
To glimpse what a person's heart beats for, though, is to understand who they are.
"Eternity itself is nothing. Meaningless really, unless you do something with it."
"I didn't want to feel. But nobody could ever do anything about that. No amount of sex or thrills or number of lifetimes could stop it, any of it, and--I wish I could just stop feeling."
"Love is a rather mortal concept, don't you think? It can be born; it cannot exist alone; it can die. Love itself, then, is mortal."
"Well, I underestimated him. I have a long history of doing so."
"Of underestimating Tom?"
"Of discounting morality. Had I sorted that out long ago, I'd have been far better for it."
"Mortals have nothing on the gods or creatures for power, but we know a thing or two about self-destruction.
Pain.
Loss.
Regret."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
First Olivie Blake book! I hope it's nice and enjoyable <3
July 2, 2025
1.5 stars
I can now rest easy knowing that my decision to stop reading this author's books was the right one. This marks my second attempt at engaging with her work, and unfortunately, I find myself increasingly frustrated with the way she constructs her characters and their complex relationships.
Initially, I was drawn into the story, captivated by the premise of a fantastical world and the intriguing setting that promised adventure. However, as the plot progressed, it became overly convoluted, crammed with subplots that felt unnecessary and distracting. My patience wore thin, and I found myself desperately hoping the book would quickly reach its conclusion. Although I wanted to like the characters, I ultimately found them to be quite infuriating and inconsistent. The lack of character development left me feeling disconnected and by the end, I realized I knew little about their motivations or the intricacies behind their decisions.
If only I had found the character Fox more compelling, perhaps my experience would have been different. Unfortunately, I found him to be deeply unlikable, which significantly dampened my overall enjoyment of the story. The author seemed to intend for Fox to be a charming and sort of good character in contrast to the others, but he ultimately ended up being the least appealing of them all.
The dynamics between the characters were equally disappointing and, at times, downright infuriating. I initially liked Vi and Tom; their banter felt lively, engaging, and rich with potential. However, once the game scene unfolded, the chemistry that had previously existed between them fizzled out entirely, leaving their relationship feeling flat, uninspired, and unconvincing. The potential for an intriguing connection between the angel and the reaper was sadly squandered, as we spent far too little time exploring their complicated dynamic and the moral implications of their roles.
But the relationship that truly left me seething was between Fox and Brandt. The toxicity of their dynamic was overwhelming, overshadowing any redeeming qualities the story may have had. While I can appreciate complex, toxic relationships in books, this one was depicted in such a damaging way that it stripped away any enjoyment I could glean from their interactions. Although Brandt is not portrayed as a good person—his cruel and manipulative tendencies are on full display—by the end of the book, I found myself believing he deserved far better treatment than what Fox afforded him. It's ironic, considering I didn’t even like Brandt that much either, but at least there were moments that hinted at his deeper, more vulnerable side. What the book attempted to depict as love felt, to me, more like a harmful entanglement riddled with selfishness and emotional abuse. The way the story concluded only reinforced my belief that their connection was rooted in toxicity rather than any semblance of genuine affection.
In conclusion, this author and I aren't compatible.
I can now rest easy knowing that my decision to stop reading this author's books was the right one. This marks my second attempt at engaging with her work, and unfortunately, I find myself increasingly frustrated with the way she constructs her characters and their complex relationships.
Initially, I was drawn into the story, captivated by the premise of a fantastical world and the intriguing setting that promised adventure. However, as the plot progressed, it became overly convoluted, crammed with subplots that felt unnecessary and distracting. My patience wore thin, and I found myself desperately hoping the book would quickly reach its conclusion. Although I wanted to like the characters, I ultimately found them to be quite infuriating and inconsistent. The lack of character development left me feeling disconnected and by the end, I realized I knew little about their motivations or the intricacies behind their decisions.
If only I had found the character Fox more compelling, perhaps my experience would have been different. Unfortunately, I found him to be deeply unlikable, which significantly dampened my overall enjoyment of the story. The author seemed to intend for Fox to be a charming and sort of good character in contrast to the others, but he ultimately ended up being the least appealing of them all.
The dynamics between the characters were equally disappointing and, at times, downright infuriating. I initially liked Vi and Tom; their banter felt lively, engaging, and rich with potential. However, once the game scene unfolded, the chemistry that had previously existed between them fizzled out entirely, leaving their relationship feeling flat, uninspired, and unconvincing. The potential for an intriguing connection between the angel and the reaper was sadly squandered, as we spent far too little time exploring their complicated dynamic and the moral implications of their roles.
But the relationship that truly left me seething was between Fox and Brandt. The toxicity of their dynamic was overwhelming, overshadowing any redeeming qualities the story may have had. While I can appreciate complex, toxic relationships in books, this one was depicted in such a damaging way that it stripped away any enjoyment I could glean from their interactions. Although Brandt is not portrayed as a good person—his cruel and manipulative tendencies are on full display—by the end of the book, I found myself believing he deserved far better treatment than what Fox afforded him. It's ironic, considering I didn’t even like Brandt that much either, but at least there were moments that hinted at his deeper, more vulnerable side. What the book attempted to depict as love felt, to me, more like a harmful entanglement riddled with selfishness and emotional abuse. The way the story concluded only reinforced my belief that their connection was rooted in toxicity rather than any semblance of genuine affection.
In conclusion, this author and I aren't compatible.
May 12, 2023
this book is the definition of trust the process.
no one can say Olivie Blake lacks ingenuity. i don’t know how to even describe the two books by her that i have read other than each altered my brain chemistry and have left a deeply fond, if not slightly bewildered, impression upon me.
she writes with such intent. every word is handpicked and interwoven together to create such a purposeful piece of prose that will gut you in a single sentence. you can tell she truly nurtures her craft and that’s why i will keep coming back to her writing.
no one can say Olivie Blake lacks ingenuity. i don’t know how to even describe the two books by her that i have read other than each altered my brain chemistry and have left a deeply fond, if not slightly bewildered, impression upon me.
she writes with such intent. every word is handpicked and interwoven together to create such a purposeful piece of prose that will gut you in a single sentence. you can tell she truly nurtures her craft and that’s why i will keep coming back to her writing.
So then it was a curse, existence. Life was a death sentence, after all, and even the sweetest of loves would still always end.
July 27, 2018
If you don't know her, let me introduce her by saying that this author has written several incredible fanfiction. She started off writing very angsty stuff that didn't float my boat at all, and then came up with a short-ish anthology-style piece that blew my socks off. Yes, it was that amazing. It really was. It was completely anonymous, meaning no original characters' names were given. Each chapter started from the viewpoint of a different character, and that character used well-known literary tales to correspondingly name each person in their chapter. A psuedo-mystery. The first half covered the same week, while several in the latter half covered the second week. Each chapter was broken up by days and the times that certain events happened. In general, it was an account of how in two weeks, all these people paired up and there was even a mystery/conspiracy/crime that set off the whole story and was resolved by the end. It was vastly creative. It was completely in present tense, which isn't my preferred style to read, but it was effective and not jarring at all, so that was another thumbs up there.
Here's what I found. That sort of tale is difficult to recreate with original characters. An ensemble cast only works if the reader is equally invested with each character. It also only works if the reader is prepared for what will happen in the story. As such, the blurb to this book is a dismal failure, because I could not have guessed what was going on in a million years. I actually still don't know what happened.
Viola Marek is a vampire real estate agent and the house she wants to sell is haunted by Thomas Parker III. She goes to a medium called Fox D'Mora, who's the godson of Death, although he has no special abilities aside from that distinction. This makes it sound like Viola is the main character. She isn't. The main character would maybe have to be the doomed(?) love affair between Fox D'Mora and this demigod whose name I've forgotten. This relationship is harped upon, dissected, examined, reexamined, cross-examined, and rehashed, including all the other affairs they each had while they were pining for the other person. Too much? Yes, I thought so too, because I could not give two snaps of the finger about their doomed love affair, not having been prepared for it at all. I really wish the blurb had revealed this, because I'm sure there are readers who are drawn into such plots, but I'm not one of them and I wasn't.
Another failure is that every time you are really getting into the story (for example, why was Thomas Parker III murdered?), the viewpoint changes to someone else's inconsequential back story that, again, I could not give two snaps about. It was an overused device. Like a series of cliffhangers until you just wanted to throw the book over the cliff.
The biggest issue I had was the big buildup of the "game" that they all play at the "tables," where the God of Chaos has Death in a stranglehold, and so Fox has to step up and play. The problem with this was the buildup to the explanation of the game took much too long. I still have no idea what the game was, except it involved two people staring at one another across the table while memories they shared played around them. Then they say something, and someone is declared the winner. That is all I got out of the game. Seriously. At one point, Death and Fox stare at each other. Death says, "I love you." Fox says, "I love you too, Papa." And then, Fox is declared the "winner." What??? Yeah. I don't know either.
What was interesting about this book was that it was a collaboration with an artist, so all the characters are illustrated in between the chapters. Even though the drawings are beautiful, I don't personally like drawings for my books. But that was an interesting addendum.
Here's what I found. That sort of tale is difficult to recreate with original characters. An ensemble cast only works if the reader is equally invested with each character. It also only works if the reader is prepared for what will happen in the story. As such, the blurb to this book is a dismal failure, because I could not have guessed what was going on in a million years. I actually still don't know what happened.
Viola Marek is a vampire real estate agent and the house she wants to sell is haunted by Thomas Parker III. She goes to a medium called Fox D'Mora, who's the godson of Death, although he has no special abilities aside from that distinction. This makes it sound like Viola is the main character. She isn't. The main character would maybe have to be the doomed(?) love affair between Fox D'Mora and this demigod whose name I've forgotten. This relationship is harped upon, dissected, examined, reexamined, cross-examined, and rehashed, including all the other affairs they each had while they were pining for the other person. Too much? Yes, I thought so too, because I could not give two snaps of the finger about their doomed love affair, not having been prepared for it at all. I really wish the blurb had revealed this, because I'm sure there are readers who are drawn into such plots, but I'm not one of them and I wasn't.
Another failure is that every time you are really getting into the story (for example, why was Thomas Parker III murdered?), the viewpoint changes to someone else's inconsequential back story that, again, I could not give two snaps about. It was an overused device. Like a series of cliffhangers until you just wanted to throw the book over the cliff.
The biggest issue I had was the big buildup of the "game" that they all play at the "tables," where the God of Chaos has Death in a stranglehold, and so Fox has to step up and play. The problem with this was the buildup to the explanation of the game took much too long. I still have no idea what the game was, except it involved two people staring at one another across the table while memories they shared played around them. Then they say something, and someone is declared the winner. That is all I got out of the game. Seriously. At one point, Death and Fox stare at each other. Death says, "I love you." Fox says, "I love you too, Papa." And then, Fox is declared the "winner." What??? Yeah. I don't know either.
What was interesting about this book was that it was a collaboration with an artist, so all the characters are illustrated in between the chapters. Even though the drawings are beautiful, I don't personally like drawings for my books. But that was an interesting addendum.
September 6, 2024
࿐ Isn't forever a terrible blessing, and a terribly blissful curse?”
ᝰ.ᐟ 5 stars
There's something so incredibly captivating and alluring about Olivie Blake's writing. It takes my breath away. As someone who has always loved words and beautiful, lyrical prose, I am constantly in awe of Blake's ability to come up with sentences that completely shift my world and make me think, "There it is. There's something I've always thought about but didn't know how to put into words". Her writing is fascinating and thought-provoking and you have to be able to read between the lines to fully grasp the meaning of each sentence. I just love the way Blake is able to explain things and still leave something open to interpretation.
── .✦ “Things are so much sweeter when they have an ending; things are so much more painful when they can be ripped away.”
This book is a brilliant case of "show, don't tell” because you're not given everything on a silver platter, the narrative is not linear and doesn't follow any particular guide. You go back and forth in time, you're given different points of view, and little by little you start to put together all the pieces of the puzzle that you need to understand the story. I was confused most of the time, feeling lost and having no idea what the big picture was, but once the puzzle was complete it all made sense. And something that seemed so complex turned out to be very simple.
The characters are brilliant and intriguing and I became very attached to them in a short amount of time. We have an angel, a reaper, a demon, a vampire, a ghost, a demigod and the godson of Death. Oh, and Death himself, who I think is the funniest character. There's also a pair of really annoying angels who have a nasty habit of finishing each other's sentences and talking in circles. These characters are very complex and each one exists in their own right and not just to support another character's arc. I love them all, but I have to say that Fox and Brandt stole my heart. Their love story was angsty and heartbreakingly beautiful, it made my heart ache in the best and worst way possible.
── .✦ "What life could we have had where I never told you that I loved you?" Brandt begged, and it was wretched, and undignified, and all of it, every breath of it, for Fox. "What kind of life could have ever been enough if I never confessed that I would love you, Fox, for every day that I walked this earth?”
The writing is witty and sarcastic, raw and emotional, and it made me feel so much. I cried at the end, and it was so unexpected, but something about this story was oddly comforting to me, in a way I can't really explain. What starts out as a mystery ends up as a gripping tale about mortality and humanity. Despite the full cast of supernatural and mostly immortal beings, this is a very human story. We often wish we had more time, we want to do so much and live forever, but is immortality really such a wonderful thing to dream about?
There's a lot to be said about the themes explored in this book, brilliantly done in my opinion, and the stunning conversations the characters have, but I'll sum it all up in this sentence: life only has meaning if you can feel it.
── .✦ To love, to forgive, to lose, to live it was always a choice, and thus, the fact that he was a mortal was finally one worth celebrating. Because it would end!
Masters of Death grabbed my attention from the first sentence and kept me enthralled until the end. I'm sure I'll be thinking about this story and these characters for a while.
If you decide to read this book, go into it blind (although reading the synopsis reveals absolutely nothing) and don't give up, it will all make sense. But this is also one of those cases where you either get it or you don't. I sincerely hope you do.
── .✦ To have lived is, as he tells it, reward enough in itself.
May 22, 2025
Masters of Death is a story that makes you think, whilst also entertaining/intriguing you. Not a quick read by any means, I was wanting to stop to take notes a lot. The philosophical elements of the story were much appreciated by me.
It had all the elements to be a 5 star read to me, but I have awarded it 3.75 stars, because the plot did feel somewhat convoluted at times and it is very dialogue-heavy. This meant it was quickly swapping back and forth between the cast of characters.
The interactions between Fox and Brandt are great however.
Vampires. Ghosts. Angels. Demons. Even Death himself, are all found within the pages of Masters of Death.
Viola Marek has a problem - she is a struggling real estate agent who wants to sell a house. The only problem is, it’s haunted. And this ghost is pretty stubborn and refusing to move on unless they find out the mystery behind who murdered them. Oh yeah, she is also a vampire.
Fox D’Mora is a fraud psychic medium, but also the godson of Death. Viola tracks him down to ask for his help regarding the whole haunted house situation. As their situation escalates, they begin to realise there is somehow not much difference between a long lost love and an annoying dead body.
The dead are just as lively as the living within these pages.
It had all the elements to be a 5 star read to me, but I have awarded it 3.75 stars, because the plot did feel somewhat convoluted at times and it is very dialogue-heavy. This meant it was quickly swapping back and forth between the cast of characters.
The interactions between Fox and Brandt are great however.
Vampires. Ghosts. Angels. Demons. Even Death himself, are all found within the pages of Masters of Death.
Viola Marek has a problem - she is a struggling real estate agent who wants to sell a house. The only problem is, it’s haunted. And this ghost is pretty stubborn and refusing to move on unless they find out the mystery behind who murdered them. Oh yeah, she is also a vampire.
Fox D’Mora is a fraud psychic medium, but also the godson of Death. Viola tracks him down to ask for his help regarding the whole haunted house situation. As their situation escalates, they begin to realise there is somehow not much difference between a long lost love and an annoying dead body.
The dead are just as lively as the living within these pages.
December 21, 2024
“I wish to stand on the edge of ruination and defeat, to leap into a chasm full of danger.”
The concept of this book—a vampire (aswang, to be exact) real estate agent selling the house of a murdered rich man (who is now a ghost), her (probably evil) demonic best friend, said rich-boy ghost who was just murdered, the (mortal) adopted son of death (who is also a fake medium), his immortal ex-lover, and his two guardian angels (one from heaven, one from hell, both definitely not supposed to be in love with each other) get roped into playing in the gambling ring set up by Death (where Death can never lose, but you can maybe win) when Death himself goes missing—might just be my favorite premise of an Olivie Blake book. And the parts that were about this gambling ring, the banter between the aswang and ghost, and the overall dynamic of the characters were very fun and interesting; it felt like a reality tv show, while still having a very impactful ending. However, one of my favorite aspects of Olivie Blake books are her romances: I do not like a lot of romance books, and the way she writes relationships really hits for me. The only romantic relationship that I seriously cared about was that between Fox’s guardian angels—Cal, a soldier of Lucifer, and Mayra, an angel of the lord—and they were a background relationship—the third most important, with barely any screen time. The main relationship (between Fox and Brandt) didn’t make me feel anything except slightly annoyed? Part of it was definitely the way their relationship was presented in flashbacks, interrupting the linearity of the story, but I honestly just never connected to them (or really felt anything for them).
This is a really enjoyable book, with a lot of great banter and an eclectic cast of characters and plot with Death and the gambling tables was really interesting. It also had some very funny moments. I would have preferred if we focused a bit more on that and a bit less on Fox and Brandt. Additionally, the story is told in a bit of an off-putting way that made it harder for me to connect with the characters. I would still recommend checking it out, especially for the ending and Cal + Marya, but I don’t think it’s the best place to start with Blake’s work.
3.5/5
The concept of this book—a vampire (aswang, to be exact) real estate agent selling the house of a murdered rich man (who is now a ghost), her (probably evil) demonic best friend, said rich-boy ghost who was just murdered, the (mortal) adopted son of death (who is also a fake medium), his immortal ex-lover, and his two guardian angels (one from heaven, one from hell, both definitely not supposed to be in love with each other) get roped into playing in the gambling ring set up by Death (where Death can never lose, but you can maybe win) when Death himself goes missing—might just be my favorite premise of an Olivie Blake book. And the parts that were about this gambling ring, the banter between the aswang and ghost, and the overall dynamic of the characters were very fun and interesting; it felt like a reality tv show, while still having a very impactful ending. However, one of my favorite aspects of Olivie Blake books are her romances: I do not like a lot of romance books, and the way she writes relationships really hits for me. The only romantic relationship that I seriously cared about was that between Fox’s guardian angels—Cal, a soldier of Lucifer, and Mayra, an angel of the lord—and they were a background relationship—the third most important, with barely any screen time. The main relationship (between Fox and Brandt) didn’t make me feel anything except slightly annoyed? Part of it was definitely the way their relationship was presented in flashbacks, interrupting the linearity of the story, but I honestly just never connected to them (or really felt anything for them).
This is a really enjoyable book, with a lot of great banter and an eclectic cast of characters and plot with Death and the gambling tables was really interesting. It also had some very funny moments. I would have preferred if we focused a bit more on that and a bit less on Fox and Brandt. Additionally, the story is told in a bit of an off-putting way that made it harder for me to connect with the characters. I would still recommend checking it out, especially for the ending and Cal + Marya, but I don’t think it’s the best place to start with Blake’s work.
3.5/5
December 19, 2025
I stand by my original rating 🫡
4.5⭐️
Whatever you think this book is, it’s not what you’re thinking.
It was beautiful, funny, and confusing at times (which is why I docked .5 off my rating). I truly loved all the characters (Death was my favorite tbh). I laughed out loud several times, because the dry humor was right up my alley! I cried at the ending, because it truly was so beautiful.
Definitely not a book I’d recommend to everyone. It’s very character/relationship driven, has a little bit of a confusing plot, and is a slow moving at times. But all it worked for me in this instance!
4.5⭐️
Whatever you think this book is, it’s not what you’re thinking.
It was beautiful, funny, and confusing at times (which is why I docked .5 off my rating). I truly loved all the characters (Death was my favorite tbh). I laughed out loud several times, because the dry humor was right up my alley! I cried at the ending, because it truly was so beautiful.
Definitely not a book I’d recommend to everyone. It’s very character/relationship driven, has a little bit of a confusing plot, and is a slow moving at times. But all it worked for me in this instance!
November 6, 2023
Reading Vlog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gED7b...
This is going to be complicated, but hear me out.
This either needed to be 800 pages long or a 5 book series. I'm sorry, am I Katie Colson saying that? I'm as shocked as you.
Every character, plot point, relationship, backstory, magical element, supernatural element, character dynamics with each other, and motivation were 5 stars for me. This book took everything I love, mixed it in a bag and poured it into a novel.
HOWEVER, there's way too much shoved into far too few pages. I had to read the first 75% of this twice just to get all the characters straight and map out how they were connected to each other. It's there on page, it's just blink-and-you-miss-it type storytelling. Which is so sad because every element was so fascinating but never given the time to properly shine.
I swear, I would've been on stand by for 4 additional novels if she'd made this a series. I hope she writes something like this in the future that is more fleshed out.
This is going to be complicated, but hear me out.
This either needed to be 800 pages long or a 5 book series. I'm sorry, am I Katie Colson saying that? I'm as shocked as you.
Every character, plot point, relationship, backstory, magical element, supernatural element, character dynamics with each other, and motivation were 5 stars for me. This book took everything I love, mixed it in a bag and poured it into a novel.
HOWEVER, there's way too much shoved into far too few pages. I had to read the first 75% of this twice just to get all the characters straight and map out how they were connected to each other. It's there on page, it's just blink-and-you-miss-it type storytelling. Which is so sad because every element was so fascinating but never given the time to properly shine.
I swear, I would've been on stand by for 4 additional novels if she'd made this a series. I hope she writes something like this in the future that is more fleshed out.
November 26, 2023
do you ever just read a book & feel like you didn’t just read the book bc you have no idea wtf happened in the book you just read???
dnf @ 27% bc of that
dnf @ 27% bc of that
July 15, 2024
When they say i love you and forgive me but brandt solberg put all humankind at risk just to tell fox the truth and make him forgive him and then say things like this:
I may not have fully understood how the game work and some other parts but i enjoyed it nonetheless! The banter was the funniest thing ever i loved itttt!! I loved all the characters even the evil ones. As always olivie blake never disappoints me 🤍🤍
” what life could we have had where i never told you that I love you? What kind of life could have ever been enough if i never confessed that i’d love you, fox, for every day that I walked this earth? Immortality is empty without you, eternal youth is nothing, fox, without you.”
I may not have fully understood how the game work and some other parts but i enjoyed it nonetheless! The banter was the funniest thing ever i loved itttt!! I loved all the characters even the evil ones. As always olivie blake never disappoints me 🤍🤍
August 1, 2023
2.5 stars rounded up
This might be the first time I didn't love a book from Olivie Blake. Masters of Death has some things going for it- a fun and quirky premise alongside a fun and quirky cast of characters ranging from a vampire real estate agent to a fraudulent medium who doesn't age and is the godson of Death. Not to mention a privileged ghost, cranky and corrupt angels, a deceptive demi-god and more. The real estate agent hires the medium to help her get ride of the ghost in the house she's trying to sell and difficulties ensue!
I really enjoyed the beginning of this, but I just feel like the book is too long and convoluted for me to get on super well with it. There are so many different perspectives and timelines and plotlines that sort of run together. To be fair, she approaches other books in a similar way and it's worked for me, but in this case I think I wanted a snappier pace to go along with all the silly quirkiness. I liked this okay and will certainly read more from her, but it's not the one I would most recommend. I'll admit I had an audio copy for review and while the narrators did a good job, it's possible that with all the things going on I might have been better off reading it physically. I received a copy of this book for review via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
This might be the first time I didn't love a book from Olivie Blake. Masters of Death has some things going for it- a fun and quirky premise alongside a fun and quirky cast of characters ranging from a vampire real estate agent to a fraudulent medium who doesn't age and is the godson of Death. Not to mention a privileged ghost, cranky and corrupt angels, a deceptive demi-god and more. The real estate agent hires the medium to help her get ride of the ghost in the house she's trying to sell and difficulties ensue!
I really enjoyed the beginning of this, but I just feel like the book is too long and convoluted for me to get on super well with it. There are so many different perspectives and timelines and plotlines that sort of run together. To be fair, she approaches other books in a similar way and it's worked for me, but in this case I think I wanted a snappier pace to go along with all the silly quirkiness. I liked this okay and will certainly read more from her, but it's not the one I would most recommend. I'll admit I had an audio copy for review and while the narrators did a good job, it's possible that with all the things going on I might have been better off reading it physically. I received a copy of this book for review via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
August 18, 2023
4.25/5
There is a game that the immortals play. The stakes are impossibly high, and yet laughably low. There is only one secret: The more you have to lose, the harder it is to win. There is only one rule: Don't lose.
This book was phenomenal! With every book I read of hers, I fall more and more deeply in love with Olivie's writing and her prowess as an author.
This book was much more whimsical than the others that I've read by her. It still boasts her staples: elegant writing and a cast of complex characters. However, its tone is more lighthearted. It reminds me a lot of Good Omens with its immortals and deities, angels and demons, and all number of absurdly entertaining creatures and characters. It's a brilliant book that's increasingly addictive to read, you won't want to put it down!
What is the holiest place you have been? A place of righteousness, a place of austerity, of gravity? Surely not amongst the clouds. No, the holiest place you have been is solid, from the floors to the walls to the authority, to the assurance of consequence; and perhaps it is expansive, but it isn't free, is it?
We follow Fox D'Mora (a fraudulent medium and godson of Death), Viola Marek (a vampire real estate agent trying to sell a house haunted by a particularly annoying ghost), and a large cast of incredible characters (consisting of said annoying ghost, a demonic personal trainer, a strong-willed angel, a love-stricken reaper, and a mysterious godling).
They are all full of such heart, Olivie Blake continues to flaunt her skills as she makes her characters feel so immensely real. They're spilling over with wants and dreams and desires, their fears and failings coming to haunt us alongside them as we grow to care for them.
It would be useless to try and hate them, it would be pointless to try and want them to fail. You can't help but root for them. Olivie Blake is extraordinary at weaving this spell across all her characters—they are unceasingly fascinating.
"You care about nothing."
"I'm not built to care. Only to last."
I adored the discussions of mortality within this story. I adored the discussions around pain and how it ends up that it is life that allows us to feel anything at all. Every theme explored was done so brilliantly, in beautifully constructed moments and captivating conversations.
Each character is forced to face their deepest regrets, but—perhaps, more torturously—they are also made to reconcile with their deepest desires. It is a game that has only one rule: Don't lose!
Maybe that was the entire secret, and therefore the whole thing was actually astonishingly simple. That over and over, he was presented with the same impossible decision—live and suffer, love and grieve—but still, every time, with all his being, his answer was and would always be yes.
As are all Olivie's works, this book is so fresh and so unique. If you're looking for a book to wholly engross you and transport you somewhere magical and mystifying then this is definitely the book for you! You'll fly through it.
It's the type of book that makes the real world feel disconcerting when you look up from the pages. The type that makes you think, how could I possibly be in the real world when I was with these characters mere moments ago? The type of book that consumes you for a pocket of time, introducing you to a story you'll never want to leave.
(Though a sad fool you are indeed, to play the immortals' game.)
Thank you Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
And for you, for being here, when so many Otherworlds are calling.
There is a game that the immortals play. The stakes are impossibly high, and yet laughably low. There is only one secret: The more you have to lose, the harder it is to win. There is only one rule: Don't lose.
This book was phenomenal! With every book I read of hers, I fall more and more deeply in love with Olivie's writing and her prowess as an author.
This book was much more whimsical than the others that I've read by her. It still boasts her staples: elegant writing and a cast of complex characters. However, its tone is more lighthearted. It reminds me a lot of Good Omens with its immortals and deities, angels and demons, and all number of absurdly entertaining creatures and characters. It's a brilliant book that's increasingly addictive to read, you won't want to put it down!
What is the holiest place you have been? A place of righteousness, a place of austerity, of gravity? Surely not amongst the clouds. No, the holiest place you have been is solid, from the floors to the walls to the authority, to the assurance of consequence; and perhaps it is expansive, but it isn't free, is it?
We follow Fox D'Mora (a fraudulent medium and godson of Death), Viola Marek (a vampire real estate agent trying to sell a house haunted by a particularly annoying ghost), and a large cast of incredible characters (consisting of said annoying ghost, a demonic personal trainer, a strong-willed angel, a love-stricken reaper, and a mysterious godling).
They are all full of such heart, Olivie Blake continues to flaunt her skills as she makes her characters feel so immensely real. They're spilling over with wants and dreams and desires, their fears and failings coming to haunt us alongside them as we grow to care for them.
It would be useless to try and hate them, it would be pointless to try and want them to fail. You can't help but root for them. Olivie Blake is extraordinary at weaving this spell across all her characters—they are unceasingly fascinating.
"You care about nothing."
"I'm not built to care. Only to last."
I adored the discussions of mortality within this story. I adored the discussions around pain and how it ends up that it is life that allows us to feel anything at all. Every theme explored was done so brilliantly, in beautifully constructed moments and captivating conversations.
Each character is forced to face their deepest regrets, but—perhaps, more torturously—they are also made to reconcile with their deepest desires. It is a game that has only one rule: Don't lose!
Maybe that was the entire secret, and therefore the whole thing was actually astonishingly simple. That over and over, he was presented with the same impossible decision—live and suffer, love and grieve—but still, every time, with all his being, his answer was and would always be yes.
As are all Olivie's works, this book is so fresh and so unique. If you're looking for a book to wholly engross you and transport you somewhere magical and mystifying then this is definitely the book for you! You'll fly through it.
It's the type of book that makes the real world feel disconcerting when you look up from the pages. The type that makes you think, how could I possibly be in the real world when I was with these characters mere moments ago? The type of book that consumes you for a pocket of time, introducing you to a story you'll never want to leave.
(Though a sad fool you are indeed, to play the immortals' game.)
Thank you Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
And for you, for being here, when so many Otherworlds are calling.
August 19, 2023
3.75⭐️ I’m conflicted. I liked this, but I also didn’t. Initially I was intrigued by the story and wanted to know what would happen next, but then I stopped caring…something just wasn’t clicking for me.
October 1, 2023
This is a standout read of the year for me. I love Olivie Blake's writing, especially its wit and character exposition. I read this because she wrote it. And it was a good choice.
I went in with a chuckle, as the premise is a vampire realtor trying to sell a haunted mansion in modern-day Chicago. She hires the godson of Death (who happens to be a con medium), to help her get rid of the ghost. Oh, and the realtor's friend is a demon, and Death's godson has both a guardian angel and a reaper who follow him around. They all end up at the mansion one evening, only to learn that Death has been captured. So they, in league with a godling who happens to be robbing the mansion on the same evening, team up to rescue Death by playing "The Game" against other immortals, to win his freedom. It sounds bizarre and it is. It's also a GREAT time.
I thought through the first half of the book that I'd probably give it four stars for its humor and punchy dialogue, mostly delivered in chaotic ensemble scenes that felt like a comedic stage play. As the story progressed, I felt the primary four characters became more layered, and then "The Game" was presented, and I was completely swept away. "The Game" is brilliant in its simplicity—at once a clever and effective plot device, as well as fertile ground for emotionally evocative character work. It was stunning. I cried. Fox and Brandt are beautiful character studies, and the final scene with Death is smart and funny, but also moving and profound in its own right.
I was delighted, moved, entertained, and immersed in this story. I'll reread again and again, and recommend to everyone. So good.
I went in with a chuckle, as the premise is a vampire realtor trying to sell a haunted mansion in modern-day Chicago. She hires the godson of Death (who happens to be a con medium), to help her get rid of the ghost. Oh, and the realtor's friend is a demon, and Death's godson has both a guardian angel and a reaper who follow him around. They all end up at the mansion one evening, only to learn that Death has been captured. So they, in league with a godling who happens to be robbing the mansion on the same evening, team up to rescue Death by playing "The Game" against other immortals, to win his freedom. It sounds bizarre and it is. It's also a GREAT time.
I thought through the first half of the book that I'd probably give it four stars for its humor and punchy dialogue, mostly delivered in chaotic ensemble scenes that felt like a comedic stage play. As the story progressed, I felt the primary four characters became more layered, and then "The Game" was presented, and I was completely swept away. "The Game" is brilliant in its simplicity—at once a clever and effective plot device, as well as fertile ground for emotionally evocative character work. It was stunning. I cried. Fox and Brandt are beautiful character studies, and the final scene with Death is smart and funny, but also moving and profound in its own right.
I was delighted, moved, entertained, and immersed in this story. I'll reread again and again, and recommend to everyone. So good.
dnfed
October 3, 2023DNF at 79%. I saw another reviewer compare reading this book to watching a group of squirrels squabble with mounting angst and I think the comparison is apt. it's just been hours of them blabbering away and I can't take anymore.
No rating.
No rating.
April 22, 2024
jamás me imaginé que el primer libro 5 estrellas del año iba a ser de la mismísima olivie blake… (los seis de atlas no me gustó).
que libro HERMOSO, empezando por el hecho de que es genuinamente gracioso, cosa que no me esperaba ni en pedo.
los diálogos, los personajes, las situaciones eran realmente muy elocuentes, se me han escapado unas buenas risas.
la última parte del libro que se puso más profunda me conmovió completamente… estaba en lágrimas.
el romance entre fox y brandt… me cuesta mucho creer el amor en los libros y este me hizo sentir mariposas en el estomago.
y lo mejor de todo, es la ambientación. ¿un mundo igual al nuestro en el que, los ángeles, los demonios, los vampiros, la muerte, dios y el diablo son reales? ME ENCANTA, y aún más me gusta que sea sencillo de comprender.
entré a este libro pensando que iba a ser pesado como los seis de atlas y me lleve la sorpresa de mi vida… tenes que cerrar el estadio.
que libro HERMOSO, empezando por el hecho de que es genuinamente gracioso, cosa que no me esperaba ni en pedo.
los diálogos, los personajes, las situaciones eran realmente muy elocuentes, se me han escapado unas buenas risas.
la última parte del libro que se puso más profunda me conmovió completamente… estaba en lágrimas.
el romance entre fox y brandt… me cuesta mucho creer el amor en los libros y este me hizo sentir mariposas en el estomago.
y lo mejor de todo, es la ambientación. ¿un mundo igual al nuestro en el que, los ángeles, los demonios, los vampiros, la muerte, dios y el diablo son reales? ME ENCANTA, y aún más me gusta que sea sencillo de comprender.
entré a este libro pensando que iba a ser pesado como los seis de atlas y me lleve la sorpresa de mi vida… tenes que cerrar el estadio.
August 2, 2023
I honestly wish I could understand the hype around Olivie Blake's novels. I love her writing, even though it's really wordy and full of purple prose to the point where the plot (or lack thereof) becomes muddled and obscured.
But this one... I just can't, honestly. The premise sounded so cool. The FMC is a vampire cat. (lol) There are all sorts of cool paranormal characters. There was an actual plot, albeit very thin and loose.
But nothing made sense to me. Vi, the FMC, is trying to sell a haunted house. And then there's a ledger or something that the paranormal cast of characters are trying to get. And then there was an immortal game run by the angels Gabriel and Raphael? That's all I understood.
There were times when I actually liked the prose and the characters and the plot, but they were rare occasions. There were too many characters to keep track of, and their conversations sounded like a paranormal circle jerk. There were so many scenes where I wondered, "Wtf is the point?"
Steve West, the audiobook narrator, knocked it out of the ballpark, as usual. But even his lovely narration couldn't save this mess.
I love Olivie Blake as a person. (I've been to two of her bookstore events.) I really liked The Atlas Six because the characters were so unique and her writing style is so exquisite. But I think she's become that niche author where you either get it or you don't. And to me, she might even be a one hit wonder.
But we'll see. I'm still open to reading more of her work. Idk why I can't give up on her.
Anyway, I really wish I understood the hype.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this arc.
But this one... I just can't, honestly. The premise sounded so cool. The FMC is a vampire cat. (lol) There are all sorts of cool paranormal characters. There was an actual plot, albeit very thin and loose.
But nothing made sense to me. Vi, the FMC, is trying to sell a haunted house. And then there's a ledger or something that the paranormal cast of characters are trying to get. And then there was an immortal game run by the angels Gabriel and Raphael? That's all I understood.
There were times when I actually liked the prose and the characters and the plot, but they were rare occasions. There were too many characters to keep track of, and their conversations sounded like a paranormal circle jerk. There were so many scenes where I wondered, "Wtf is the point?"
Steve West, the audiobook narrator, knocked it out of the ballpark, as usual. But even his lovely narration couldn't save this mess.
I love Olivie Blake as a person. (I've been to two of her bookstore events.) I really liked The Atlas Six because the characters were so unique and her writing style is so exquisite. But I think she's become that niche author where you either get it or you don't. And to me, she might even be a one hit wonder.
But we'll see. I'm still open to reading more of her work. Idk why I can't give up on her.
Anyway, I really wish I understood the hype.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this arc.
June 19, 2024
I don't know how I feel about this one. At times I loved it and at others it was boring af. It was a bit confusing and I didn't understand anything until half of the book. Before that, I was doubting whether dnf it or not.
The love between the male characters was my favourite part but it was developed in so few chapters that I was disappointed.
To sum up, it got exciting almost by after half of the book so I can't really say I enjoyed the journey, but the ending compensates it, I guess.
The love between the male characters was my favourite part but it was developed in so few chapters that I was disappointed.
To sum up, it got exciting almost by after half of the book so I can't really say I enjoyed the journey, but the ending compensates it, I guess.
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