Masters of Death

I’ll read Olivie’s shopping list if she’d let me. Her writing is just so perfect to me, I’ve never read a single one of her books I’ve not loved!

If you're in the mood for a delightfully witty and entertaining paranormal adventure, look no further than "Masters of Death" by Olivie Blake. This book is a unique blend of mystery, romance, and humor that will keep you hooked from beginning to end.

What I loved most about this book was the cast of characters. From the unruly poltergeist to the love-stricken reaper, each character is quirky, lovable, and adds a unique flavor to the story. The banter between Vi and Fox is also a highlight, as their witty exchanges are sure to make you laugh out loud.

Overall, "Masters of Death" is a well-written, fun, and engaging read. It's the perfect book for anyone who loves paranormal stories with a healthy dose of humor. I highly recommend it!

From the very opening, I was hooked on this book. Olivie Blake is a mind-blowing storyteller, weaving a complex and compelling urban fantasy.
The voices of the characters sung throughout and were the winning factor in my mind. With such a diverse cast, it can be easy for authors to get lost in the midst of such powerful characters, but Blake handles them all deftly. The wit sparkles and crackles on the page. The pace of the novel is expertly handled and never lagged at any point. Honestly, all I wanted to do was keep reading this novel, at the detriment of anything else happening in my life.
I'm immeasurably sad that this is a standalone, because all I want are more of these characters. Frankly, I would read them taking out the trash and be happy for it.

Masters of Death is a phenomenally brilliant book. Would I say it is one of the best things I have read for a long time? Absolutely yes. Would I say that this is possibly one of the best books I've ever read? Almost definitely. It is an intricate web of events and interactions between an array of the most wonderfully-formed characters and it will stay with me for a long time. I laughed, I cried, I thought of having multiple quotes as future tattoos... It's just impeccable storytelling.

Two of the characters mentioned above, and two at the heart of the story, are Death and his godson, Fox, and their links to the 'Immortal Game'. There is also a vampire real estate agent attempting to sell a house inhabited by a charming ghost, a reaper, an archangel, a couple of demons amongst others, who are all intertwined and involved in a sequence of events, where their choices, decisions, deceptions and risks will either save or cause the destructive of the world as it is known. Masters of Death also contains one of the most beautiful romances (romantic in a very unconventional way, mind you) that I have read about for a long time. (Names withheld to avoid giving spoilers.) I also loved the wider theme of mortality and the message it gives about the soul-destroying but heart-racing ecstasy of being able to feel and what it means to live.

As with the other Olivie Blake books I have read, this book requires and is worthy of your full attention. As you're reading, be prepared to not know or understand everything that is happening but trust that it will all be made clear. It will be and in the most fantastic and beautiful of ways, as all of the knots become unravelled, the plots join up and it is SO satisifying.

I have already re-read parts of it and plan to start re-reading the book in its entirety again, as soon as I've recovered from the first reading. Thank you Olivie Blake, NetGalley and Pan MacMillan in allowing me an early read in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, it's a f***ing perfect book. ("Band.")