good book overall, just really not my cup of tea, I could not find any of the characters likable and it made me struggle to finish it

Innovative, clever, and lots of fun! Blood Debts is a magical teen fantasy with lovable and relatable characters, you'll be challenged not to finish it in one go.

Twins Clement and Cristina face familial challenges set against the magic and mystery of New Orleans, Louisiana. Blending teen fantasy with notes of mystery, this book is sure not to disappoint anyone looking for either or both in a breakout novel. The world-building was convincing, logical and easy to follow. Benton-Walker didn't shy away from complex social issues like systemic racism and black representation and handled them gracefully and effectively. Definitely pick this one up!

Many thanks to Tor Teen and NetGalley for this ARC ebook!

This book was one of my highest anticipated reads for 2023, and I'm grateful to have received an arc from the publisher. I think this book had a really interesting premise, but I don't believe that I was the intended audience for this book, so it fell short for me. I decided to put this book down at roughly 70%. The writing style felt off to me, and a lot of the progression of the story felt either forced or rushed, I also struggled a lot with reading due to the flow of the story and the dialogue threw me off at a few points because of it felt unnatural at some points, making it hard to connect with the story.
However, I want to praise the author for how well-done the inclusion and representation in this story was. Along with this, I felt that the magic system in the story was very complex and consistently made me want to learn more about magic and its rules as the story progressed. The way the magic worked in this book was a refreshing take, and I really liked watching it progress.
I think there is a lot of potential here and I would be interested in reading other works by this author as time goes on because I did enjoy the world they created!

Not the book for me but I would recommend it and by it in for the library. And I truly hope it dose well.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of the e-book!!

First I want to point out the heartfelt dedication. I love what the author wanted to achieve with the book and who Terry J. Benton-Walker had dedicated the book to.

Now for the review - though I can't go too in depths since the book isn't out yet.

I was really excited when I got the arc, I was waiting for it and hoping I would get a copy. But unfortunately, while the plot was interesting (especially from the summary), the writing really put me off. It felt a bit childish during the internal monologues and then the used obscenities made it worse.
The character were well developed, and we have two siblings who aren't really a fan of each other but have to work together. And while I was expecting them to actually hate each other for stronger reasons, instead in the first chapters, they argued like all siblings do and then made up for a second or two then argued again.
As for the world building (magic system) we immediately get an intro in the prologue with a news article which I found it to be a pretty interesting way to introduce a new world to the reader.

Overall it was a pretty enjoyable read. I'm glad i got a chance to review it before it gets published.

I made it about 20% into this book, and while I can see the intrigue, there were too many voices that sounded the same, and the writing wasn't enjoyable. There was a disconnect with the characters acting more like mid-20's, (there was a lot of unnecessary swearing and implied sex for being 16)

The magic system sounded like it could be interesting and I could see the build up in how White people already have access to light and dark magic, and appropriate this generational magic, but overall I found myself bored and not wanting to pick this up.

I don't usually leave stars on books that I did not finish, because I'm only rating what I managed to read, so please consider this 3 star as: I don't want to affect the overall rating in any one direction.

This was such a good magical book! While the beginning was a little slow for me, once you get into the mystery and more of the magic it starts to pick up and sucks you in. There are plenty of secrets that kept me in my toes. The past and present are weaved together by all these secrets that Cris and Clem are trying to unravel. I enjoyed seeing how they each tried to solve it in their own way while also working together. And while their relationship is complicated you can tell that they do love each other. I also really enjoyed the magic in this book. Both Cris and Clem’s relationship with their magic changes throughout the story and the ending left me wanting more. Really hoping that there’ll be a second book because I have some unanswered questions and I also want to continue Cris and Clem’s story.

Overall, this was a great book full of magic and mystery and recommend that you read it when it comes out!

Read if you’re looking for…
•Magic
•Decades old mystery
•Complicated sibling relationships
•multiple pov

I loved the black rep and LQBTQ+ rep. It’s my first book with both of those actually! I was loving it and then in the middle it was still interesting but it was slower for me to follow a long then it sped up a bit. I guess you can say it was back and forth for me personally but I enjoyed this so much! That’s a lot coming from a person who isn’t much into magic and stuff like that. It was a fun and interesting read definitely! And the ending was what I was hoping to happen to one certain character lol 3.5 stars.

Took a little bit to get into Like two chapters. But once I was into it I was hooked. I wish part of it ended differently but it sounds like a second book is on its way(not fast enough though) it was nice to read a book about voodoo but in a different view point than most books about voodoo magic. I did get the impression the author had a lot of amber writing this book. Yves is my favorite character but I don’t like to give spoilers. If you like books about magic and revenge this is a boom for you!

A wonderful fantasy story, with characters that will grow on you throughout the book. The challenge of family history struggling against new love is always a classic, and this had twists and intrigue. I read it in one sitting as I just didn’t want to put it down. The characters all feel real, and they have heart and soul and background, you really understand them and their viewpoints. And that makes you feel for them! The magic system is interesting, and adds a little something extra to the plot. Whole at first there are a few plot points thrown at you, it’s worth sticking with the find those answers, but the real stars, as I’ve said, are the characters. Definitely worth a read!

This story takes us New Orleans where two 16 year old twins, Clement and Christina, are caring for their sick mother. By chance they discover she is not truly sick but cursed.

Clement and Christina are part of a powerful magical family that once ruled but tragic events lead to the dethroning of a Queen, their family member. With the discovery of the curse placed on their mother and the anniversary of the events leading to the dethroning, the twins decide to investigate to clear their family name and get their titles back.

If I wasn't reading this book to review I would have ditched it early on. With a great cover and interesting write up I expected so much more from this book.
But there was so little to like. The writing was boring and I had to trudge through. The characters were under developed which made it difficult to connect with them. And I won't even get started on the politics of this book.

Would I read a sequel? That's a no. Would I give this author another chance? Also a strong no. One star.

This book did an excellent job of creating a vibrant world with a very interesting magic system. The two leads were very well-developed. Each has a very distinct and fully formed personality. It was enjoyable getting lost in this version of New Orleans. I would like to see more stories set in this world. This is a wonderful read that I will purchase when it is released. Thanks to NetGally for the ARC copy.

It’s always a shame when the pieces are there but the final product is not.

“Blood Debts” takes us to New Orleans where old wounds run deep between feuding families which is only amplified when it becomes clear that Clem and Cris’s mother’s illness was a result of a hex bag. Uniting their family and uncovering the truth that allowed power to shift hands the twins unknowingly set in motion a series of events that will threaten to undo it all.

Beginning with what I enjoyed I think the dynamic of the family was really special and emphasized the fluidity of emotions and loyalties that come with such a large group of people bound by blood. The relationship between the twins both sweet and sour which parallels that of their mothers relationship with her own sisters and furthermore acts as a sort of foil to that of the rival Savant family.

I thought the magic system was interesting and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wish for more of it as we moved through the book. I liked the concept of the scales and how everything done will also have some kind of consequence if not fully justified.

What missed the mark for me the most was the writing. There were a lot of moments that seemed very forced or otherwise not really the way most people talk so we sacrificed this realism for that of exposition that could have easily been given to us in a different more impactful way. There’s multiple point of views in this book which is however a lot of the new chapters have a background summary of what we just read without offering new insight with the pov change making it all seem boringly redundant.

I had a lot of high hopes for this one and I’m sure the rest of the series will smooth out some of the problems but for me it’s a one and done.

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

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<p>Review copy provided by the publisher.</p>
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<p>Every family relationship has its ups and downs, and twins Cristina and Clement are definitely in a low point. Instead of bringing them together, their father's death has pushed them apart--and their mother and her sisters are going through much the same thing. Inexperienced Clem got more interested in the generational magic that is their birthright, while his accomplished sister rejected it. They can't seem to meet in the middle. But they're going to have to, because the powers that be in their city are not willing to leave their family alone.</p>
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<p>The New Orleans Benton-Walker imagines for us here is just next door to our own universe. This is not a tourist's NOLA, though it has tourists in it, but one drawn from thought about the history and culture that shaped the area--and ways they could have gone somewhat differently. Benton-Walker isn't trying to write about every person or group in his imagined New Orleans. Instead he makes sure that the people clustered around the centers of generational magic power have a vividly drawn world and relationships within it.</p>
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<p>This is not a stand-alone. Benton-Walker has more story than he can fit in this one book--the characters' relationships aren't done, and the worldbuilding <em>definitely</em> isn't done. But there's a satisfying climax here, a barnburner that left me wanting more.</p>
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unfortunately, I decided to DNF this. The book opens with the significant other of the main character getting kicked out of his room and I just can’t wrap my head around parents allowing teens to spend the night while they’re home. I also think the writing could use some polishing/editing bc there were a couple of awkwardly placed f-bombs.

I liked so much about this book - the world, the magic, complex + emotional characters - Clem + Cris were such interesting perspective characters. I loved the setting in New Orleans, which supports the best magical spooky vibes and the history of the magic, the allegory for race relations that were introduced. I thought the story really moved and there was a lot of action to keep a reader's attention. However, I felt like the story maybe tried to go a few too many places. It felt like there were moments that had been set up that didn't tie up in a way that felt satisfying or that were introduced and wrapped up too quickly to be impactful. Still a good read!

This was such an incredible book, and the way it handled difficult topics was amazing. I loved every second of this book and so many of the characters. I can’t wait to see what comes next from the author and will be purchasing it and this book as soon as I can. I would also love to read more books with these characters and this world. I would highly recommend this book to everyone.

Blood Debts follows the story of twin teenagers Clement and Cristina Trudeau in an enthralling story of mystery, betrayal, and revenge. At the center of the maythem around them are two pillars: magic and family. Even if they weren't always perfect pillars the twins use them to prevail against all the obstacles and injustices that stand in their path. 

What shone the most in Blood Debts is that all the characters are messy in the best possible way. It is refreshing to read a book, especially YA, that portrays teenagers as teenagers. With the complicated and messy emotions and thoughts and actions. The narrative gives the characters a non-judgemental space to think and feel whole ranges of emotions. From the pure joy of first love to the anger and pain of feeling abandoned. It only ramps up as the POV switches between different characters and different parts of the story come to light or secrets that are influencing their behavior towards one another are revealed internally but not spoken aloud. The amount of times I just wanted to somehow take Clem and Cris' hands and tell them it's okay and just to talk to each other just made them much more real and truthful to how I remember being a teenager was.

Another aspect of this beautiful debut, beyond the grace given to the characters to be human, was the careful and intentional portrayal of magic. Especially a magic system inspired by voodoo. So often in media voodoo (or magic inspired by it) is portrayed in one of two ways. Either it is evil and is portrayed using countless harmful caricatures or it is good when used by predominately white people and is boiled down to just aesthetic with meaning and history stripped away. I would say that reading a voodoo-inspired magic system focusing on family, nature, and intention as well as being portrayed by people of color was an act of magic in itself, however that would take away from the obvious care, work, and research that Terry Benton-Walker did in creating not just this magic system but also this magical story.

This book is so heavily focused on racism, so as a white reviewer I will not be writing a review. I shouldn’t be speaking over black reviewers on a book that has a lot of talk about race. Instead, I will be listening to black reviewers on whether or not this book has good representation.

Blood Debts was an immensely enjoyable read. Its characters were charming, the pacing on point, and the magic system fantastically creative.
This was one of the most fun urban fantasy books I’ve read. It actually looks at history and our present day issues and questions how magic would interact with that. Unlike the many more modern fantasy books I’ve read, it had no need to make hamfisted metaphors for Trump with magic haters, but instead looked thoughtfully at who would have access to magic, in whats, and how might minority groups get impacted in a world where we people have magic. It was delightful worldbuilding that absolutely felt plausible.
The characters were both enjoyable and I appreciated the distinct differences in perspective. The use of two narrators allowed for the secrets within the book to feel exciting and often a confusing emotional reaction later would be elaborated upon with a different narrator.
The side story with the love interest really only became interesting until the end, but I appreciate the build up throughout the story. I suspect if I were a teen I would enjoy it more. Overall, it was certainly just a matter of taste for me, as the love interest bonds rather quickly and the relationship gets serious fast, which isn’t my preference but definitely doesn’t detract from the book.
My only issues with the book would be my confusion over the 1st person and 3rd person narration. It did take me out of the story a bit with the switching. That and Valentina felt rather underdeveloped and distinctly more childish than the protagonists. In particular, I found it slightly unenjoyable and unrealistic her constant use of “Daddy” for her distant father.
Other than that, I really enjoyed the characters and the world. It looks like this book is setting up for a sequel and I really hope it gets one. I can only see this story getting better with further elaboration. I’d recommend this book to people who enjoy urban fantasy, mystery stories, and multiple narratives. If you enjoyed Cemetary Boys, this is definitely something you might like.