I enjoyed how different this story was from my usual reading and from what I would expect from a fantasy novel.
The magic system was unique and quite beautiful at times. The concept of moonlight being tangible and cable to be captured and contained in a jar was may even cooler by the fact that it can be drawn and manipulated in fluid way. The imagery that the author is able to invoke with words is stunning.
There were so many layers to every character that unravel slowly as the story progresses. I wasn’t sure how to feel about the plot as I listened to the audiobook over a period of a few weeks when I had a spare moment to listen. The author kept me engaged by revealing just the right amount of information well spaced out. By the last third of the book I was listening to much larger chunks of the story at a time because it became even more compelling and I had become deeply invested in the characters and their fates.
This story is ultimately about family, the bonds that hold them together and the things that could tear them apart.
The main mystery of the story is resolved by the end, but there is potential for so much more to come with an open ending. I look forward to learning more about how that could be resolved.
The opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for providing me with a copy of the ebook to listen to and review.

Thank you to TOR and NetGalley for the E-Arc!
I was so excited to receive this book, and I read it so quickly! The moment I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. Dear characters and representation in the story are phenomenal. I am always excited to see queer characters, and think the author did a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life. The magic and mystery are written very well, and I was on the edge of my seat throughout it.
This book had political intrigue, magic, mystery, murder, and wonderful characters. If you were looking for your next fantasy read, definitely give this a try. The audiobook adds an extra layer of feeling and environment. I am always a big fan of audiobooks, and this didn't disappoint.

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.

I struggled a bit through the opening of Blood Debts -- I found the way the worldbuilding was tied into the introduction of the characters clunked more than it wove the upcoming story. However, once I got to know Clem and Cris and their world I was hooked. Cris's struggles and power were inspirational and I LOVED the way New Orleans shone through Benton-Walker's lens. Three stars for me as a non-fantasy reader, but I recommend it to all readers of magical realism and lovers of powerful protagonists.

This book is incredible. What a way to set up a new series!

There was one character that I could have definitely done without their POV and then another was added in late and I am not sure why. Hopefully that will be explained in a later installment.

The old mystery was interesting, although like most my age, when I heard 30 years ago I kept having to remind myself that it meant the event occurred in the 1990s, not 1960s/1970s like my brain wants to go to.

I love the narration of this book and am really glad that I had the chance to listen to the audiobook version. I loved the New Orleans sound that played to indicate the next part of the story.

This books was absolutely fantastic! I loved the urban fantasy set in New Orleans. The new adult magic system based on gen magic. It was a beautiful way to express the feelings of race going on in our society today. I absolutely loved the characters…and can’t wait for the next book.

Okay so I have very mixed feelings. There were things I absolutely adored and things that left me feeling meh. First everything I loved: I listened to the audiobook arc and it was beautifully done, I adored the jazz music between parts and all of the voice actors did amazing. I also loved how every POV in this book felt like their own and each had a distinct voice so you always knew which POV you were in. I also loved how each POV was there for more than just aiding the story and it was obvious that in each perspective, they were the main character if that makes sense. Each character definitely had a purpose and I feel like there weren’t any characters who were introduced only to disappear which was definitely great. I also loved the overall idea of the book and the magic system being based in New Orleans since they do have such an extensive history in terms of magic, ghosts, and more.

I also felt it pulled in current issues and politics into the magic system which honestly helped in understanding some of the hatred and need for regulation by the white community in the book. I also loved how the need for regulation stems from white people being upset they don’t have gen magic since the same exact things are constantly happening within society today and in laws and politics. The fact the magic system was also born on the oppression of black people and dating back to slavery was great and I really appreciated the scene in the art exhibit that kind of walked you through the history without it feeling like info dumping. Overall, the magic system was really well done and I never really felt overwhelmed or confused by the magic system in any way.

In terms of things I wasn’t a fan of, it was mostly for the POV of Cris. I felt that she was really repetitive almost and just kind of kept bringing up the same things over and over again. She would relate everything back to her hatred of magic and her fathers death and while those were very obviously important plot points, it just became too much. I also felt she was really hypocritical towards her brother Clement and was upset when he wouldn’t open up to her when she had done the same thing for so long. Same thing with magic, she was upset with him using magic but then never really explained why she felt the way she did since their fathers death. Besides that, I’m not sure if I missed it while listening but I don’t really know what happened with the sisters and why they stopped talking besides obviously the mother and one aunt. I also felt this all happened in such a short time frame and so the relationship between Eve and Clem felt extremely rushed especially once I realized it all took place over the course of like 2 weeks.

Overall I really did enjoy this book but I just was not a Cris fan at all which ended up affecting my overall rating. I loved all of the other characters, even the ones we’re meant to hate because they were written so well. I also didn’t realize this was the beginning of a series so i’ll definitely be impatiently waiting until the next one comes out to read what happens next.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced electronic audio review copy of this wonderful book. I enjoyed the characters, loved the New Orleans setting of the story, and the magic. The plot dragged in places for me but it was a great read overall. The ending hints there might be a sequel, so am cautiously optimistic and looking forward to return to that world.

Seemingly being set up for a sequel, this book has a lot going for it! There’s mystery, murder, romance, representation, necromancy, and justice for a family that was wronged! What I enjoyed most was being immersed in New Orleans culture throughout the book - never having been there - this book was a fun way to explore that part of the US in a sense and through a story full of excitement and intrigue. That said, the actual writing was hard for me to fully get into. I’m probably not the target audience, but I found it a little too crass and immature for me. I also felt like at times there was just too much going on as if the author was trying to cram as much content into this book as possible. At times I felt like I was getting lost - but it wraps up for the most part in the end. Mostly.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Terry J. Benton-Walker is a fun, creative, and important voice in YA fantasy. The characters in Blood Debt give an in-depth look at what it is to be multi-marginalized in the US, The story covers some heavy topics like intergenerational trauma, racial violence, internalized homophobia, community suppression, etc. But at the end of day, the characters realize they are the drivers of their own lives, they struggle with and ultimately come to terms with self-acceptance. And perhaps most importantly there is a real push for community building.

I love the use of multi-POV in this story. Most of the characters don't view themselves as villains, as a matter of fact, most view themselves as victims. So the reader is left to grapple with the question of what really happened and where the truth really lies. So many characters are telling half-truths and hiding their secrets. So how could anyone be making fully informed decisions? How does this mindset further help the agenda of people in power, even if those people seem to be sympathetic to your cause? And ultimately what price are you willing to pay to right the wrongs in your history and to ensure the truth wins out, no matter what it may be.

The twins are the dominant voices, each grappling with their fractured family, their fractured relationship, romantic relationships, and the shame of their family's history. They are fully formed and fleshed-out characters. Their emotions are relatable. And the motivations are natural. I, however, similarly love the POV chapters of the other teens, with their harsh, cold voices and individual perspectives. They should feel like unsympathetic side characters, but instead, very much live as the main characters of their own stories. And just to make sure you don't think they are just naive and immature, they very much mirror the behaviors of their elders. The result of this set up is a sense of foreboding—no matter how much things started to look up...........you always felt like they were seconds from crashing down.

It was pretty decent YA. A little too sexually explicit for my taste in a YA book. It seems set up really well to be a series, and I’m intrigued by that.

The plot was pretty slow-paced.

Overall, it’s much needed representation in the fantasy genre.

The narrators worked really well together. Sometimes when there's different narrators for multiple POV's, None of the characters sound the same in any POV. That's not the case here. This is one of the few times I've enjoyed it.

TW: homophobia, racism, lynching, murder

Thank you Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC.

For some reason, I went into this book thinking it was going to be a historical fiction and we were going to solve a murder, so I was a little bit disappointed when I started it and realized it was set in the present day about a murder that happened 30 years ago. It was a good story, but I think I just would’ve liked it better as a historical fiction set in NOLA. The story was really good, but I felt like too much happened and some loose ends weren’t fully tied up.

The audiobook was incredible - I loved the intro music and all of the narrators were so good. I’m sure the physical book is great, but I would definitely recommend listening to the audiobook! Joenice Abott-Pratt always does such a great job and this is no exception.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ARC of Blood Debts in exchange of an honest review.

Blood Debts is a multi-POV story tells the story of a family feud that started several years ago with the murder of a woman. The families in the story are magic-yield families and they are fighting over the power of the city. Cristina and Clement are the twins that, after they discovered that their mother was hexed, decided to take upon themselves to figure out what happened so many years ago and fight for their right to the top of the chain.
Right away I want to say that I loved this book! It was fast-paced with no idle time! The mystery is captivating! Imagine a mafia book but instead of them being italians they are powerful magic-holding black familes in New Orleans!
Speaking of New Orleans.. You will be teleported right away to the city! It's particularly one of my favorite cities of the US and after this book I cannot wait to go visit it again! Bonus point if you get the audiobook because the narration is great, it has some jazz sounds and the amazing southern accent!
In addition, I liked how the magic in the book is intertwined with African religion! Coming from Brazil, Exu is no stranger to me and I loved this homage to the African culture and beliefs.
I also enjoyed the diversity of characters not only for them being BIPOC but also queer, Clement is so sassy and I love his relationship in the book.
Anyway.. I think it's a must read and I cannot wait to ring it to my book club!

This book was A LOT. I mean that in a good way, because there was so much to enjoy, but also really felt like it was two books worth in one. So much happens. The author really deftly presents the parallels to racism and classism in our society and the Magic system, without sacrificing any character development to do so. You’ll fall in love with so many of them - and there are many (a few too many though?). I loved the narrators for the audiobook - they were exactly what I’d imagine the voices to be!

I really enjoyed this debut novel by Terry J. Benton-Walker, I thought he did an amazing job of keeping the reader engaged from the very first page.

The family dynamics and generational magic keep the reader on the edge of their seat and that ending leaves them gutted!! The author’s descriptions of things, especially the city of New Orleans, make the readers feel like they are right there watching and experiencing things for themselves.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves magic, complicated but satisfying family dynamics, betrayal, and a little bit of mystery.

Thank you to MacMillan Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

Blood Debts is a brilliant story that reminds me of an interesting combination of Ninth House, sans the dark academia aspect, and Legendborn, with a sprinkle of New Orleans vibes (I thought immediately of the Princess and the Frog because I haven’t been to New Orleans but I hope the Disney movie got the vibe right).

I read this on audiobook and the narration was great.

Trigger warnings: Death, murder, violence, attempted rape, racism, homophobia, possession

Quick Synopsis: In an urban fantasy, where magic exists in our own world, generational magic is shared through familial bonds. Our main characters, Chris and Clem, are twins but could not be more out of tune with one another. Both working through their own traumas, dealing with the death of their father, and the impending death of their mother, the two continue to grow apart. Until, that is, Clem discovers a hex placed upon their mother, a hex that would have killed her had he not discovered it. The twins’ pursuit of truth to discover who wants their mother dead, leads to an unraveling of a decade’s old murder, the truth about their ancestors, and the drive to get justice for their family.

What I liked:
-Chris and Clem are incredible characters that go through so much character development as they grow separately and back together as twins.
-The varied familial relationships were very well-done and I loved how dynamic and complex they were. I also loved how their ancestors were brought in and referenced frequently.
-There are a lot of twists and turns and reveals but I was never overwhelmed. The pacing was spot on in terms of how much information we receive, when we receive it, and what is revealed.
-This book tackles racism in a way that made me, a white person, want to scream at my fellow white people on more than one occasion. In that way, I think it’s a book that more white people should read. Putting yourself in the shoes of a black person in America in particular, and also wanting to defend characters you have grown to love and adore from racist people, is a tough and eye-opening experience.
-There is a scene where Chris confronts a character that has done her wrong in one of the worst ways possible and that scene will live with me forever; I was rooting for her so hard and she didn’t let me down. Brava, Chris.

What I struggled with:
-In the beginning, Clem and Chris say that their mother doesn’t have any enemies and they can’t imagine who would hex her, and then a few pages later we have like 5 reasons listed why their mother would have enemies.
-Clem and Chris each have a personal struggle to reconnect with their twin. I wanted to see these two reconnect fully and we just don’t really get that. Maybe in the next book though.
-Chris goes through something incredibly traumatic and while Clem defends her, he doesn’t take the time to review how that prolonged experience could have been the cause of their strained relationship. It made me dislike him slightly throughout a portion of the novel.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel; and I’m very much now a Terry J Benton Walker fan and can’t wait for the next book.

Let's start by taking a minute to admire the cover. It's gorgeous.

I thought the characters were well written and I really enjoyed the family relationships. I have not read many books that feature a relationship between grandma/granddaughter and nieces, nephews/ aunts and I felt this book represented them nicely.

The magic system was also a joy to read about.

If you love Lengendborn, but we’re hoping for more dynamics between a Black family, you will love this book! This book has it all; betrayal, vengeance, love, generational trauma and healing, magic, and much more. It’s fast pace and keeps you guessing until the end, perfectly sets up the sequel and leaves you wanting more in the best way!

The multiple story lies made the overall plot a bit scattered and hard to keep track with. Each character seemed to have their own separate story but it all came together at the end. The magic and melanin were a perfect combination and the symbolism and metaphors throughout the story were not lost and well written.

4 stars for Blood Debts!

I genuinely enjoyed this so much. It felt a little slow at the beginning and it took me a while to get into it but once I did, I was rolling. I found the parallels between this magic system and real world issues fascinating and I found it helped me grasp the magic system so much quicker. The generation magic and politics was intriguing without being overly complicated and the relationship between Chris and Clem was one of the more realistic depictions of siblings I’ve read. Overall I would absolutely recommend this for its New Orleans setting, magical vibes and depictions of a family unit coming to terms with trauma and betrayal. I’m looking forward to what this author will bring us next!