Book of the Month: Masters of Death By Olivie Blake

What do you get when you mix a vampire real estate agent, a ghost with unresolved issues, and Death’s godson who may or may not be a total scammer? Pure chaos—and I loved every second of it.

Viola Marek is a struggling real estate agent. Also, she is a vampire. Her current problem is that the house she needs to sell is haunted. The ghost haunting it has been murdered, and until he figures out how he died, he refuses to move on. Her only help? Fox D'Mora. Fox D’Mora is a medium who also happens to be a bit of a scammer. However, he is not completely useless, especially since he is the godson of Death. When Viola asks Fox for help with her ghost problem, the two get tangled up in a situation that is much bigger than either of them expects. With the help of a poltergeist who throws tantrums, a gym-obsessed demon, a sarcastic angel, a reaper caught in a love spiral, and several other unusual beings, they find themselves navigating something far more intense than they signed up for.

This book surprised me in all the best ways.

It is such a strange, clever little masterpiece of fantasy. I could not put it down. The writing is so fluid and funny, and the characters are just weird enough to be delightful without ever feeling too far-fetched. Even though you are reading about vampires and ghosts and literal gods, they all feel so real and grounded. It is like fantasy but with strong "found family sitcom" energy.

The fantasy parts are executed in a way that is genuinely charming and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny. I would not call it traditional fantasy. If you are expecting epic battles and detailed magic systems, this might throw you off. But if you are looking for a cozy, character-driven fantasy story that sneaks up on your feelings while entertaining the hell out of you, this is it.

The plot builds slowly and sometimes meanders, but it always feels intentional. It takes its time in the best way. You get to hang out with these eccentric characters, learn their weird quirks, and slowly uncover the real emotional depth of their stories. When the drama hits, it really lands. And the ending is just lovely. Bittersweet, thoughtful, and surprisingly moving.

Olivie Blake does an amazing job making every character feel fully alive, even when they are dead. Viola is probably my favorite. She has this tired but determined vibe that I really loved. Fox is chaotic in the best way. Together, they carry the story with equal parts heart and hilarity.

I gave this book 4.5 stars. There is almost nothing I would change. It is smart, funny, a little weird, and completely addictive.

If you like books that are offbeat, full of heart, and not afraid to get a little existential while still being wildly entertaining, you should absolutely give this one a shot.