What a brilliant novel from start to finish! I loved absolutely everything about it. From the characters; Clem, Cris, Jean Louise, and Valentina (kinda have a love-hate relationship with homegirl), to the family's plight, and drive to clear their name. As a queer black man; young queer love was something I longed for when I was a young adult, to finally see it on a page, and written so beautifully, brought tears to my eyes. We need more queer black boys in fiction like Clem and Yves. The intricate magic systems were well thought out and planned. I also loved the sprinkle of the Gods we get in this book. It's a different take on the meddling gods trope, something we don't usually see in black stories. The family dynamics were ever-changing and just pure gold. What I loved most about Blood Debts was how brutally honest it had regarding family dynamics, race, and sexuality. To tackle those subjects in a supernatural story--that doesn't pull you away from it, yet manages to reflect a mirror to the real world was executed perfectly in a way that a brilliant writer like Terry Benton-Walker could only do. I give this book all the stars!! A perfect debut by Terry Benton-Walker!!!!

I love the idea, concept, and setting but couldn't get into it and I found it a little hard to follow. I thought this was a historical fiction/ fantasy but this actually takes place during todays modern age. liked the darker parts of this book, the gods, the queer representation tho.
If you're a fan of YA novels and NOLA settings with voodoo and hexes, give this novel a try.

This book was amazing I finished it in one sitting. This book follows twins Christina and Clement who are two kids who lost their father and have a mother who is deathly ill and is soon to die to. Until they realize that there mother has been hexed and with this being revealed more secrets come to light that includes secrets there family has been hiding from them, as well as secrets that could prove that a murder of their ancestors decades ago was murdered for a crime they did not commit. This book follows the journey of two twins who have drifted apart and realize that if they want to protect their family their going to have to regain the bond they have so that they can gain back what is there’s and let the truth be set free. But overall this book was full of adventure, many plot twists and twist and turns, and the voodoo aspect and I loved that for this to be the authors debut novel he did amazing and I can’t wait for everyone to read this book and I can’t wait to see what more Terry J Benton Walker has to offer because he is off to a great start.

The setting and the magical system were just phenomenal, not to mention the immaculate writing style. I often find that fantasy novels are hard to follow but “Blood Debts” was enjoyable and understandable– a true page-turner that will surely end up on my favorite list!

This was a wild ride of a book. My reading has been absolute trash so far this year. I haven't really been in the mood to read anything so I was reading this book in chunks, but this was also the only book I was reaching for. Thank you NetGalley for this eARC for review.

Admittedly, I was a little confused at first. I thought this was going to be a historical paranormal/fantasy story and then details of modern-day technology was mentioned and that thew me off a little. It took a couple of chapters for things to really pick up, but once they did they did not slow down.

The characters were also great. They were all well-rounded characters, and the antagonists of this book were also. I wanted to feel some kind of sympathy, or pity, or something for Valentina because she was clearly being manipulated by her Grandmother. But, also she was a really horrible person who did awful things she even knew her Grandmother would disapprove of, so I couldn't really feel anything for her. Other than hoping karma caught up to her.

There are a number of POVs in this book, most alternate between the twins, but there are some other POVs sprinkled through to add more context and perspectives to what is happening with the characters. At first, I wasn't sure about it, but they are needed perspectives since it's also in first-person and the twins, Clement and Cristina, wouldn't know any of that information.

The magic was a little ambiguous, but I think it's kind of meant to be. I've read a handful of fantasy books in the past couple of years that talk about and explain Gen-magic so it wasn't too confusing for me. Although this book's focus doesn't really require having a full understanding of how the magic works as it's more about the characters, the magic is more of a backdrop to what is happening with the characters. Secrets, lies, betrayals, and cover-ups.

I don't know if this book will have a sequel or not, but I would be interested in reading more set in this world.

*Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review*. I was not sure what to expect when I read the blurb for the book other than it sounded interesting, but I was honestly very surprised how much I actually liked it, That magical world building was very detailed and interesting. The detail in the book was very descriptive and easy to picture, The family dynamic in this book, and the familial bonds drove this book just as much as the magic, which made me read on even more. The part I struggled with was the romantic relationship. They're very immature, and intimate scenes and rushed and it seems the either the author might not be comfortable writing them as they were rushed and not well written, they would have been better to fade to black. All in all though, I enjoyed the book.

Book was pretty average to me. I didn't truly connect with any of the characters or find myself wanting to move to the next page or feel pulled into the story. Parts of it I felt that I had to push through to continue reading the book. I did enjoy the new aspect of gen magic as it is not a highly represented type of magic in the YA field, the setting being in NOLA, and the representation of Anxiety.

DNFing this one at 30% - I really liked the beginning, but I can't bring myself to care and I keep getting taken out of the story by the wild amount of Gen Z lingo!!!!

Thank you to netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I'll admit I was surprised that this novel was set in a modern age and was an urban fantasy novel. I guess I made the assumption going off the summary that it was going to be a historical fantasy. Which was a bit disappointing as I can be quite picky with urban fantasy. Although I did try my best to give it a chance. The problem is I didn't care for the setting, enjoy the characters or the plot. I will say what it has going for it was the representation of anxiety and mental health. This speaking from my own personal experiences with anxiety. Even though I personally did not enjoy this one, I can see that others will immensely!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

black and beautiful! family dynasties & DRAMA, twisted history, intergenerational trauma, magic & mystery. queer! i enjoyed this & was totally immersed in cris & clem’s world. i love these two characters so much. great debut and I can’t wait for more of their story. i absolutely love that this was equal parts murder-mystery as it was historical fantasy and magic.

Thank you so much for Tor Teen and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy!

I would describe Blood Debts as the darker side of the disney movie "Princess and the Frog" meets the vivid atmosphere of New Orleans! You can almost hear the music while reading the book.

This book has everything that an enchanting new fantasy needs: family connections and curses from your anchestors, drama, corruption, deadly magic, power plays, sibling rivalry. Magical and refreshing!

I loved following the bickering between Clem and Cris as they set themselves on the quest of restoring their family's reputation, saving their mom and kicking asses in the city.

I really recommend this book to anyone who is looking for family driven YA fantasy novels, one where unfolding the past is as important as the present.

BLOOD DEBTS floated across my inbox from Booklist Delivers, and I am SO GLAD it did. NetGalley provided a galley in exchange for an honest review and this book rules. A fuller review will be posted to Mzinigan Mshiiken, but brief incredible points:

- fascinating magic system
- political intrigue, both mundane and magical
- New Orleans
- LGBTQIA+ representation and love
- messy family ties

The only reason this gets 4 stars rather than 5 is because the writing at times was a little tough to get into. It was a little bit like getting a firehose of description to the face, and I found myself having to re-read sections to parse what was being said. Granted, the chapter titles helped a lot with perspective and the character changes were fascinating. Others have noted that the beginning is slow and I agree - that said, the latter half of the book had me on the edge of my seat for the few hours it took me to speedread. I think teens will really like this book (although a few scenes are a liiiiiittle more explicit than I like to recommend), and plenty of adults will too. I'm excited to see what comes next in the series!

Blood Debts will capture your heart. With a focus on intergenerational secrets and mystery, the short chapters will leave you telling yourself, "just one more" until you're done. This fantasy has one of the most compelling and intriguing magic systems. I am amazed at the depth of the world, the magic, and the history of the magic within these pages. I can't pick what I loved more, the action or the characters. But the action, the way the twists and secrets are revealed, seem masterful.

I was not expecting some of these twists which all speak to what we will do for family. For those people who only anger us the way family can. The ones we want to prove ourselves to above all else. Those mistakes, fights, and resentment which can be put aside to save our family. Blood Debts is full of complex relationships of all sorts. Friendships that break under the strain, or relationships that fight against fear, and family which fail to see us for who we are.

A book about siblings bonding trying to save their family from imminent danger. We love to see it. 5 star book right here people! Like I’m not kidding, this should be the book of the year. The writing is phenomenal.

How does Terry make me want an entire prequel on Cristine Duparte and the sisters when we are still just learning about them? I want more from this book, this world. The book actually sets up for a sequel and I am so ready for it.

The magic system was also very well thought out using basic moon and sun but done right for once with complimenting styles and race based parameters. With the White mages mainly being whites and Gen mages being those of color. The author gives credit to their voodoo studies and i feel that’s reflected masterfully in this writing. The family dynamics were sewn in so beautifully. This mystery is the first to truly keep me on my toes and wanting to learn more and more.

I highly recommend picking up this book in April 2023. Preorder it now. Support black own voices especially those who write fantastical books and can give us the prequels we want!

If u loved the Brooklyn Brujas series, this is for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Teen for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

Thirty years ago, Cristine Dupart, the Queen of the Generational Magical Council of New Orleans, was implicated in the murder of the mayor’s daughter and the massacre of eleven non magical persons who went to lynch her and her husband. Following her presumed death and the death of her husband, the lives of her descendants have been shrouded in darkness.
Cristine and Clement, 16 year old Black twins, have had their father recently die, their mother ill and bedridden, and their entire family having a fractured relationship with each other who can’t be in the same room together, until they figure out that the twins’ mother, Maria Trudeau, has not been sick… she was hexed.
In an effort to protect their family, the twins decided to put their differences aside to figure out who crossed their mother, which then snowballs into investigating the death of their father, what really happened thirty-years ago, and many other mysteries that pop up along the way. Is there someone pulling strings behind the scenes to make sure the Dupart/Trudeau family stays out of magical power?

Throughout my entire reading, I thought this was a stand-alone story. I originally had issues with the pacing, amount of magic, and quick ending; however, after finishing the book and finding out it’s supposed to be part of a trilogy, everything made sense. The pacing in the first half is a bit slow, but still super interesting to read because of all of the drama, the fleshing out of Cristina and Clem, and the introduction of a magic system without the use of information dumping. There’s not a lot of magic that takes place in the first 50-60% of the book, just a little sprinkled here and there and alot of discussion about it, but the trajectory makes sense. And the climax was a bit quick, but it made sense that there were lose ends and a false-sense of security.

I really loved how fleshed out Cristine and Clem are.
Cristine is straight-forward pretty much about everything, except for the extreme guilt she feels in the possibility of being responsible for her father’s death. This guilt led her to hate and give up practicing gen magic, despite her talent and prior dedication.
Clem has extreme anxiety, grief, and fear of abandonment and has used hooking up with guys and magic as a way to cope, but a new love-interest steps in to ease his pain.

This book had so many great elements! Particularly the origin of the magic practiced by the twins and the commentary on racism in America.
Generational “Gen” Magic is rooted in community and the power of the moon. It was created by Black ancestors to survive colonialism, slavery, and lynching and given to Black descendants for protection, healing, divination, fortune, and revenge through talismans, spells, concoctions, and symbols. There seems to have been great inspiration drawn from Voodoo, particularly in what seems to be an homage to Marie Laveau in the naming of the matriarch of this family.

The story hit on the very real aspects of racism and what it means to be a Black person, regardless of gender or sexuality, in America right now, including a movement focusing on harassing/targeting black people (specifically gen folks instead of “white ladies who practice light magic”), commentary on “reverse racism,” intergenerational trauma brought on by white oppressors, cultural appropriation and obsession, a woman’s worth not being tied to the ability or obligation to conceive, caucastic irony, white entitlement, and the ability to trust a white person and their motives.

Even though there are some heavy topics that are addressed, it’s done in a very organic way and balanced with humor, romance, and magic. Terry J. Benton-Walker’s writing is INCREDIBLE. I have SO many quotes highlighted, specifically regarding anxiety (which I will have at the bottom). He’s able to navigate between casual conversation, insightful metaphors, and beautifully-crafted sentences. Even though he’s not a fellow Louisianan, Terry is a Southern, Black gay man, so he still was able to give me the little taste of home I was hoping for, and it lends a more personal and authentic aspect between Clem and the author. I also love that he was inspired by Game of Thrones to write a Fantasy and that there is queer and neurodivergent representation as well as Black and Afro-Latino representation.

One aspect that didn’t work for me were the chapters that weren’t from the perspective of Cristine or Clem. I believe the tiny details we learned from them were either revealed in another way or could have been revealed elsewhere. I definitely understand that the purpose for these was for dramatic irony, but it broke up the narrative and was a bit off-putting. I do think without these insights, some of the reveals might have had (and might have) a larger impact.

I am a bit confused why Blood Debts hasn’t been marketed as the first of a series. It also makes me a bit concerned for future readers, because my original review would not have been the same and my rating would have been lower if I didn’t do some digging to find out it wasn’t a stand-alone. I hope the articles I read aren’t wrong, because I need closure for this story and need more of Terry’s writing!

I love the idea, concept, and setting but couldn't fully immerse myself into the story. A lot was going on but it wasn't as fleshed out as I would like, especially with the side characters.
Overall, a decent read. If you're a fan of YA novels and NOLA settings with voodoo and hexes, give this novel a try.

This book is absolutely phenomenal. Soaked in magic, history, trauma, and joy, this mystery is going to keep you on the edge of your seat. From the first page, you'll need to know what happens next. Terry J. Benton-Walker has written a must-read mystery with a lot of tension and plenty of heart. I already need book #2!!

I went into this book thinking it was going to be a historical fiction. Needless to say I was a little bit confused when I started it and realized it was set in the present day.
I found it jarring at times and I had to remind myself that it wasn’t historical fiction when the characters would pull out a phone.

The book was well paced and is rich with black culture and societal intrigue, and although it has a long cast of characters, they were all fully fleshed out and each bearer their own unique effect on the plot, no two were close to being the same.

With generational magic, family blood guess and two twins each seeking their own justice the book was packed with content.
I loved the magic system, inspired by Voodoo Afro and Afro-Latinx rituals, and the inclusion of powerful, black rage was beautiful to witness.

This book really explores human connections and the ideas of justice vs vengeance and who gets the right to seek out those paths of closure.

Thank you Tor Publising Group, Terry J, Benton0-Walker, and NetGalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed this book. It is written for the young adult crowd. I've always been interested in New Orleans and the magic around there. There are different kinds of magic Gen magic which is what the two main charachters have and white magic. There is the mystery of there mom, grandma, and tryingt to figure out who the next queen is.

There is a lot going on this book and sometimes it is hard to follow. I had to go back a couple times to remember a charachter or follow the plot line.

There is a lot of betrayal and decit in this book. If you are looking for a magical mystery then this is the book for you.

This was such an interesting YA fantasy! A main theme of YA is usually 'justice' and what that means for the protagonist, and this is no different. However, it also speaks on topics of generational trauma, bullying, homophobia and racism, which are some heavier hitting topics that YA tends to shy away from. The magic system is also very well thought out!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.