A promising start to a series! Drama, family, old feuds, murder, and magic; with a New Orleans backdrop make this book unputdownable (not a word, but it is fitting). No doubt this book with take you for a ride and you'll be lining up to go again. Can't wait to see what these characters will do next!

Content warning: mentions of a dead family member (father), gun violence, necromancy, gore, body horror, blood, depression, anxiety, intergenerational trauma, catfishing, homophobia, depictions and discussions of racism, attempted sexual assault, attempted vehicular manslaughter, emotional and mental manipulation

Cris and Clem are twins and the heirs to a powerful magical legacy, which may or may not have been usurped in the aftermath of a series of murders which took place thirty years before the start of the story. Cris has distanced herself from magic, while Clem uses it to connect with his family and ancestors. But when it’s discovered that magic caused their mother’s sickness, not natural causes, they race against crimes of the past to protect their future and the ones they love.

Equal parts epic fantasy and contemporary fantasy, magic is a force not to be trifled with as a pair of twins come into their own despite the conflict and tensions circling the families around them.

If you really enjoy complex and twisty family sagas full of mystery plus the kind of drama and tension that can only take place in the twenty-first century, you’ve come to the right book. The magic meshes really well with the contemporary setting, in a way that feels organic to the entire notion that traditions don’t need to get left behind in modernity. And I also appreciate that this work commits to magic being real with escalating intensity as more spells are cast to undo past hurts. The magic system is clearly defined early on in the story and maps onto the power dynamics and struggles between the various magical families.

Benton-Walker also does a thoughtful exploration of the difference between gatekeeping and protecting oneself and their family from cultural appropriation, especially when consequences have been borderline deadly on more than one occasion. This is especially salient in Cris’s POV sections, because magic has meant so much to her but has seemingly backfired so thoroughly. I’m not going to speak more on the resolution of these tensions, as that will be spoilers, but the mystery and how it unravels comes to a satisfying and magically explosive head.

Every teen in this book deserves at least an f-bomb, and wow, does Benton-Walker deliver on letting them express their rage and hurt in ways that feel genuine both to the characters and to kids who had to grow up too quickly. The irony between both Cris and Clem’s internal monologues and the words they choose to speak to each other and others really make a book the perfect medium for this story. They’re both kids who saw grief way too young and have a family history of tragedy that echoes into the present day. There’s a lot of hurt that’s unaddressed and uncovered with each reveal. The emotions, both expressed and repressed, propel the story forward, and it’s satisfying to watch both of them come into their own power. It’s also neat that while Clem is gay, the story does not have a coming out subplot, which means he can just exist among all the other tension without having that hanging over his head (though there is some homophobia in his past).

The respect for women in this work is also something that really stood out to me. Each feminine presence, be it aunt, sister, mother, or otherwise, carries so much weight. They’re imperfect, they’re flawed, but none of that diminishes their power. Seeing the familial solidarity in several pivotal scenes made my heart both ache and sore. There is so much healing to be done and little agreement on how to seek justice, and it’s so, so compelling.

In short, if you like family sagas, magic that helps as much as it harms, and intense generational mysteries, definitely get this one on your TBR list.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Teen for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. The official pub date of this novel is on April 4, 2023.

In a city with a lush culture and history all its own, New Orleans sizzles with a sweltering heat and the delightful smells of creole food. In this contemporary fantasy world created by author, Terry J. Benton-Walker, that all remains true apart from the magic woven into the city’s history and people.

Clement and Cristina Trudeau are sixteen-year-old twins from a long line of powerful Generational magic wielders, but thirty years ago, their family’s reputation was tarnished by a murder accusation. Once the most powerful and tight knit family in the magical community, Clement and Cristina find themselves isolated from their peers and extended family, caring for their ailing mother all alone. As the thirtieth anniversary of the murder draws nearer, so does the one-year anniversary of their father’s death. Ever since their father died, Cristina refuses to touch magic, and Clement has no idea why his sister has pulled away from magic and himself.

After uncovering the truth about their mother’s illness, Clement and Cristina put their differences aside and work together to figure out who is trying to hurt their family and why. This investigation will start with unraveling the murder thirty years ago, but the secrets in their family and this city run deeper than either could have imagined, and they uncover deceptions around every corner - it seems everyone in New Orleans has something to hide.

Blood Debts incorporates magic into history, race, and politics in a realistic and plausible way. It is sad to say, but if magic were real, the depictions of attempted government regulation, political party affiliation, and racially and magically charged tension would play out exactly like this book. Gen magic wielders, ruled by the Moon, descended from those enslaved, forced to find some way to protect themselves from their white slave owners. Light magic wielders, ruled by the Sun, are people of white descent, also known as white mages. This magic system isn’t just wands and waving your hands though – it involves ingredients like crossroads dirt, moonlight, palo santo, candles, oils, etc. I felt like I was in a charms class reading about the characters going to local magic shops and gathering their tools.

When I first saw the cover, I was concerned that this book may be too young for me, but this is definitely on the older side of Young Adult – I’d classify this as New Adult because of explicit language, sexual content, some mention of non-consent, and drug use. I rated this book 4 stars – the setting was perfect, the mysteries kept coming and kept me interested, the magic system was so cool, and the representation (people of color, LGBTQ+, anxiety/depression, positive/consensual sex work, etc.) was phenomenal. Do not sleep on this contemporary fantasy debut. I cannot wait to read what Terry J. Benton-Walker does next!

I was really excited about this book and it mostly held up. I think the message of the book is important and the magic systems are incredibly interesting. I thought the story was really slow and, to be honest, a bit boring at the beginning. Really picked up for me about 50% of the way through. I struggled through parts of this but don't regret soldiering through.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This novel has a lot going for it. Atmospherically it is beautifully done, I loved the setting and the way that I as a reader was drawn right into the thick if it. I found the magic system to be interesting and intricate.. I was not as impressed by the characters and the overall writing as I wanted to be with a book that I was highly anticipating. There were way to many character pov that were struggling for the spotlight in this book. Which really had a tendency to be not only confusing but also made the plot seem disjointed. The switching between 1st and third also contributed to this issue. Keeping in mind that the main characters are 16 years old, I still really struggled with the overall tone of this book. The pettiness and childish disposition of the characters really through me off then the subject matter was so serious in nature. This may really have just been an instance where I have outgrown the YA genre. Overall I would still recommend this novel.

Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker is a tricky novel to review. On the one hand, it is a story about intergenerational magic, revenge, and power that is dark, dangerous, and seductive. On the other hand, the execution of the story could be more masterful than the plot suggests. There is much to love and, unfortunately, a lot that would make a reader set it aside unfinished. What you think about the book depends on your patience and willingness to ignore some unfortunate prose for a great plot. Myself, I struggled until the story engrossed me enough to be able to ignore its faults. 

To say that Mr. Benton-Walker's writing style is simplistic is to understate the issue. The problem with Blood Debts is that it reads like a young teenager, still in the throes of puberty young, wrote it. No matter their age, every character sounds like a whiny teenager complaining about not getting their way. While this makes sense for Clement and Cristina, who actually are teenagers struggling to find their identities, school bullies, boyfriends, mean girls, and other high school drama, it makes less sense for the adults in their lives. Even the oldest character sounds a bit like Regina George, crowing at her power over the entire school, or in this case, the council. In addition, each sentence is as basic as you can get. While it makes for easy reading, it does not make for the best descriptions. Mr. Benton-Walker's metaphors and similes are too prosaic and less poetic. It makes Blood Debts feel clinical, dry, and dull when the plot is anything but that.

Where Mr. Benton-Walker excels is his story. There is something magical about any story set in New Orleans, which he uses to his advantage. In Blood Debts, he takes NOLA back from Anne Rice's vampires and brings the focus back to the true magical heart of the area, its long history of magic in the hands of its Black citizens. In this case, it is the intergenerational magic given to formerly enslaved people by their gods as a way to break free from their oppressors. With its roots in Hoodoo, Voodoo, Haitian Vodou, and European witchcraft, the magic the Trudeau family practices is unlike what we usually expect when we hear the word "witch." Theirs is darker, more dangerous, and more prone to cause harm to the person casting the spell as much as to the intended recipient. 

The other impressive aspect of Blood Debts is that Mr. Benton-Walker highlights his characters' failings and uses them as character development tools for them to learn and grow. In Clement's case, he must overcome his severe anxiety and the trauma he feels upon the death of his father and his mother's failing health. While it happens more often, a novel in which a character's mental health is not just a convenient plot device but rather an integral part of the character itself is still rare. For all his writing faults, Mr. Benton-Walker makes Clement a likable character because of his mental illness and not despite it. Through Clement, we understand what it feels like to suffer severe anxiety, and we rejoice when he stops letting it hinder his ability to obtain his goals. 

I like Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker. The story is dark and bloody, and revenge stories never get old. Where I struggled, and where I see many people struggling, is with Mr. Benton-Walker's writing style. It does not match the nuanced and complex story he builds. Every voice is too immature, and each sentence reads like a middle-grade English textbook. Given that, I am still deciding whether to continue the series. I want to discover what happens to Clement and Cristina, but I wonder if I should put myself through the writing issues again.

I was very excited for this debut, but unfortunately it fell quite flat for me. I think my main issue lies with the writing style, which I couldn’t get into at all, rather than the magic system, which I found complex and interesting. I think other readers, especially younger audiences will have better luck with this book than I did.

Thank you to TOR Teen and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Before I get into the bulk of the review, I want to say a quick thank you to both NetGalley and the publishers over at NetGalley for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Blood Debts is a Fantasy novel set in New Orleans that follows twins Clem and Cris who attempt to avenge their family by solving a 30 year old murder. The book comes out on April 4th and is available for preorder now.

The book covers a lot of heavy topics such as magic, grief, generational trauma, family secrets, mental health, racism, and politics. For me, it felt like way too much for a book that is less than 400 pages long and action packed. A lot of the time I felt lost in the plot. Every character seemed to have their own thing going on and we never really got a moment to tie everything together. I would have loved it if the reason for all the action had been explained better and if we had gotten moments to breathe between all the chaos and drama. For me, it felt pretty reminiscent of CW teen dramas--which would lead me to believe I would enjoy it since a CW teen drama set in New Orleans and featuring magic was a show I loved watching a few years ago. But I was too confused by either the plot or the magic to fully enjoy it. I also felt like the author didn’t dive deep enough into the New Orleans setting/world building. There are some books when you can just feel the setting and see the world around you as the story unfolds but it wasn’t happening here which is sad given how much promise the premise of the story has. But, like a lot of the reviews I’ve seen, I can’t tell if it’s just me or a book problem.

I did enjoy the concept for this one and I thought the family had a lot of dynamics that I’d love to see explored some more. The book ended in such a way that another book could be in the offing, but also wrapped up well enough that it doesn’t have to have a sequel. Which felt pretty well done given how the plot felt leading up to the third act. I will say that the third act packed a punch and gave me a lot of the things I felt were missing in the first two. The third act is less than 50 pages so I don’t think it’s quite enough to redeem the book as a whole, but I was flying through the end of this novel. We got to see one of the twins really dive head first into revenge while another explored darker magic. We got a satisfying ending with the villain of the story. And we got to see some gods behaving badly (who doesn’t want that?).

Overall, I think this book is good for people who can picture things without needing to be led by the author. I also think it’s a good read for anyone who likes witches/witchy vibes. It definitely does that well. I wouldn’t say it’s perfect for those who want to see a character go there with their vengeful plots, but it’s good for people who don’t always want to see their favorites cross that line. This was still a pretty quick read and good to get you in the spooky mood.

I give this credit for having a plot that's fast-paced and without filler. The author does have the skills to keep the story moving well. There are moments in this book that grip you. I wonder if those moments will be different for different readers. I expect they may be, because this book is trying to be many things. It's trying to be a paranormal fantasy. It's trying to be an urban fantasy. It's trying to be a kind of depiction of what it's like to be marginalised. It's also trying to be a book about positive identity. There's probably more things it's trying to be than this, and I think it does a good job at the things I've mentioned at different times, and on different levels.

However, I feel that the plot itself suffers due to the author trying so hard to move those themes and concepts into the forefront so often. I'm not saying the themes and concepts are bad. On the contrary, I think they are powerful and worthy. My feeling is there may be ways to still have them prominent in a story, but not sacrifice the plot so much. Because, while the book is fast-paced, sometimes the story does go off on tangents that leave the main plot behind. Maybe that can also be a strength - the author is showing a multi-woven plot. True, that is a strength. However, some of the plot threads don't feel as powerful as others, at least me for. And that's where I think this book will mean different things to different readers.

Still, there is a lot to like about this book. I mean, we have magic and witches. We have intrigue, suspense, tension, twists, thrills, heroes and villains. We have a multi-level plot, where there are conspiracies and just plain acts fueled by bitterness, anger, or vengeance. There's a lot going on in this book, and the setting in believable.

The conclusion of this book left me in two minds. On the one hand, it felt awkward and rushed, but on the other hand it's left me wanting more. I need to know what happens to some of the characters after they learn about the events of this book. That's the sign that the ending make an impact. I must know more!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a free ARC of this book for an honest review.

Rating:3 1/2 Stars
Blood Debts tells a wonderful story of magic, New Orelans, and two siblings. However I think the book would’ve been better if the characters were more fleshed out.

Blood debts is set in modern times and is more of an urban fantasy. This book took a while to grow on me it wasn’t quite what I was expecting and I had to adjust my view of what I thought I was gonna be reading I didn’t find myself very attached to any of the characters and thought that a lot of the scenes felt forced and kinda cringy I did think the writing it improved as it got further along but overall I don’t think this was my for me.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review

I love when books start off with an author's note. When they are at the end, you don't see them until after you finish, and often the context really adds depth to the story they decided to create. So, I especially liked seeing Benton-Walker's note on how they used writing this story to process the world.

This is a modern, urban fantasy with a magic system inspired by voodoo. Two twins become "Black Nancy Drew" to try to uncover a 30-year-old murder that their grandmother was accused of (and lynched for) and whose fall out may have led to their father's recent death and mother falling ill. It was fun to watch the pieces come together and the pacing of the mystery kept the reader engaged. There were a few side-plot journeys the characters went through to come to terms with their recent trauma and family relationships that were beautifully executed.

One aspect that I did struggle with was the delineation between Clem and Cristina's POV chapters. The tone tended to blend together and found myself having to backtrack to remember whose chapter I was in. There were a few other POV chapters spliced in and I did enjoy those additions to the story.

Blood Debts combines a celebration of Black personhood and culture with deep questions about justice. With a very genuine New Orleans vibe, this book explores an imagined intersection of race and magical ability which provides a parallel to real dynamics in American society. The magic system had certain elements of freshness that should interest readers, though at times it was lacking in explanation.

Readers may struggle to distinguish between the twins' voices until further into the book or get lost in the multiple sub-plots. The sub-plots do not always complement each other, and because this is multi-POV, dragged the book down at times and made me question what the main story was about. There is definitely an extended level of suspension of disbelief required for this book, as in the span of two weeks the protagonists solve a 30-year-old cold case. I was frustrated by the level of "insta-love" between Clem and Yves, as I felt it undermined the emotional payoff and significance of that relationship, particularly given the end of the book.

Worth a read if you are a fan of magic, Black culture, the American South, and books that leave you wrestling with big questions through morally gray characters.

Trigger Warnings: knife, death of family member, illness, cursing,
gun violence, murder, homophobia, racism, sexual assault, sex, lynching, loss of bodily autonomy, bullying

Representation: Black, Gay, Twins,

Blood Debts is a young adult, queer fantasy. Clement and Cristina Trudeau are the twin heirs to a throne stolen from their family thirty years ago. When they accidentally discover their ailing mom is actually cursed, they must work together to figure out who is coming after their family. With tensions high in the city already, New Orleans depends on the twins to avoid another massacre or worse.

I want to start by saying this book was very good. It’s written well and very enjoyable. That being said, this isn’t my normal cup of tea. I struggled to get invested in the storyline but it’s not the book’s fault. I tried my best to keep an open mind but in the end, I couldn’t connect enough.

Overall, this is a great story- just not meant for me. The magic and setting are great, the writing is very clear and concise, the author gets so many things right with this one. I think any fan of this type of surreal fantasy will enjoy this story!

This is a knock out and sure fire smash hit! From the brilliant representation on the cover, to the action packed breathtaking events of the story itself - this will be a new favourite for my students, I have no doubt

What a stunning debut. Blood debts blew my breath away. To be honest, it’s more accurate to say blood debts knocked the breath right out of me and then gave me life again. I loved everything about this. The politics, the magic system, the characters, the allegory for racism. It was phenomenal. I love reading stories set in New Orleans and exploring voodoo because the culture is so rich and there’s so much to explore. I screamed during the plot twist and I need the second book NOW.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review of the book.

Blood Debts is an exciting new book in the YA space about reclaiming your power when it is unjustly taken from you. It started a bit slow for me but I’m glad I stuck with it as the story unfolded. Lots of lovely moments of first loves, sibling dynamics, and families working through tough times to cash in their “blood debt”. I did thoroughly enjoy the climactic scene- without any spoilers- justice was fully served.

A few things that fell a bit flat for me- that I will chalk up to it being a debut novel: dialogue was very basic and a bit choppy, a lot of the aunts felt a bit hollow (and I genuinely forgot about one of them until the last few sentences), and the pacing felt a bit off kilter.

Overall- would recommend and will keep an eye out for other books by the author

Actual rating: 3.5 stars
This was a really fun fantasy book. There were lots of parts that I loved seeing, like the magic system and the New Orleans setting. The author took care in writing this book and it’s definitely noticed throughout the novel.
I loved seeing the diversity in the characters, as well as seeing the difference in opinions and how they got to conclusions as well. It was very well done.
I feel that there were a few too many perspectives and it got confusing at points because of that, but other than that I enjoyed it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Teen for an eARC copy of this book.

DNF 25%

I tried so hard to get into this book. The concept is amazing, but what I didn't realize is how much of a young adult book this YA would be. The writing style is very immature, which was surprising considering the fact that the main characters are 17, there is talk of them fooling around with different partners, and it alludes to teenage characters having killed people.
I thought there would be more focus on what happened 30 years ago, to the adults, vs the current woe-is-me of the present time teenagers.

I found myself just trying to speed read the book to get it done with since I received an ARC from NetGally, but it's honestly not worth it for me so I'm DNFing it.

A note, I'm 30, so it's possibly that I've officially passed my ability to enjoy poorly done YA novels, so this might be for you.

First off, I wanna say I went into Blood Debts thinking it would be a historical fantasy. It is very much not 🤣

Secondly, I loved the concept behind the book, and think that the magic system is stellar. The execution though? Lacking.

Bummed I didn’t enjoy this as much as I hoped I would!