Blood Debts is a magical story about twins Clem and Cristina that is set in New Orleans. They learn that their mother has been cursed and set out to figure out who would do that to their family. Along the way, they realize that the curse is also related to a 30-year old murder and other family secrets.

There were good and bad parts of this book. I loved the descriptions of the city and the way magic worked. However, it was a little messy explaining the intricacies of magic in this world and how different groups of people could access it. I also wanted more on how magic was public knowledge and politicized. It seems this was touched on throughout the book, but never enough to make it clear on how connected magic was with the rest of the world until the very end.

There were too many characters and some of them were not relevant to the story. I'm not sure why Zachary's character was included or useful to the plot point. I kept waiting for some of the plot points to come together at the end to make sense, but not all of them did. I was disappointed that there was so much going on and for no real purpose to the overall plot. It made it harder to keep up with the main part of the story. I feel like the author could have removed a few side plots to really focus on the main characters and storyline.

I enjoy a book told from multiple perspectives, and love that the audiobook featured multiple narrators. The writing style was a little odd because the chapters written for Cris and Clem were written in the first person, but chapters for all other characters were written in third person. I'm not sure the purpose of this, but it took me out of the book at times. Otherwise, I found the writing to be engaging and fun.

Overall, I would recommend this for older teens due to the excessive swearing throughout the book and the level of detail in the sex scene. However, I did appreciate the clear wording when it came to consent and safe sex practices from the teens.

I'm not sure what I was expecting from this book, but it ended up going in many more directions than I anticipated. There's drama, romance, death, violence, and more! The ending of the book definitely leads you to believe there will be a sequel, if not more.

Someone should really turn this into a television series because it would be excellent for that. Blood Debts is the start of a new YA fantasy series set in a magical version of New Orleans. It is a high-drama narrative filled with magic, intergenerational curses, political machinations, and deadly threats.

While there are several perspective characters, the main focus is on Black twins Clement and Christina Trudeau who are grieving the death of their father, dealing with hexes, and trying to manage their own love lives and exploring sexuality. Clem has been unlucky in love, but now there's a new boy he's crushing on and things seem promising. Christina is dating a white boy, but sometimes he seems too interested in her magic.

There is a lot of drama, many twists and turns that I won't spoil, but this is a very strong debut and a promising start to a series. I could easily see this being adapted by Netflix or the CW and it could be a hit. There were a could minor things that didn't totally make sense, and I think it might have been stronger with fewer perspectives, but overall I really liked this and wouldn't be surprised if a lot of other people do as well. Note that it is on the more mature side of YA due to things like violence and sexuality. The audio narration is done with a full cast and is excellent. I received an audio review copy of this via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

I will actually start a riot if this is not part of a duology. I need more information and more story because that ending? What the fuck, you can't leave it like that?!?!

This is a story set in current New Orleans about a family who practices magic. In this universe there are a couple different types of magic and this one follows a few different POVs and has a murder mystery and some generational family feuds. It was wild. And absolute ride.

There's a lot of really important discussions about racism and classism and queerphobia. Definitely one that I would recommend and I sincerely hope that there will be a second book.

Oh my one note is that there is a sex scene on page and there is no discussion of prep or lube or anything. And if you're going to include sex in a YA at least do it in a way that actually prepares teenagers and doesn't give them an unrealistic expectation of what sex looks like. You're for real telling me that you're going to portray first time anal sex with no prep or lube? Okay. Sure. I do want to mention too that it's not really an explicit scene because this is still young adult, but they go from kissing to doing it from one sentence to the other and It wouldn't have been difficult to add in a sentence about prep. It's an important part of sexual health and including conversations about consent and condoms in lube and STDs are all important aspects of sex education and it's a disservice to omit them from the story.

I was fortunate to get the audio copy of this from NG. I love a good familial witchy history. The narrators really good. I was afraid that the questions I had wouldn't get wrapped up, but they did and I'm sure (at least hopeful) there will be a sequel.

The premise of this story really intrigued me. Generational magic, New Orleans, mystery, a colorful cast of characters, deception and political intrigue - what's not to love! Ultimately I felt like this could have used a heavier hand with developmental editing. The pacing was off, it moved entirely too slowly and spent too much time on mundane transition scenes. Cris and Clem were well-developed characters but the rest of the cast felt flat and two-dimensional. The plot overall was interesting and kept me engaged enough to finish the book but it was predictable and a bit anticlimactic.

The narrators and overall production of the audiobook were very well done. They did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life and I enjoyed listening.

the audiobook is so fantastic with all three narrators being great!

but oh this was awesome! a riveting crime mystery set in urban fantasy new orleans. i could not stop listening and flew through this so fast! it was a bit confusing, but i’m crossing my finger for a sequel which i think i would love even more.

here’s some things you can expect from blood debts
- family drama
- dysfunctional sibling relationship
- 2 fantastic black leads
- gays solving mysteries while desperately yearning for each other (my favorite)
- generational magic with harsh consequences
- older side of ya
- political unrest and tension

overall this was a really great debut and i’m looking forward to seeing what this author does in the future

An impressive blend of magic and real life experiences. Though a little on the dark side for a YA fantasy, the thoughtful way the topics of racism, coming into one’s sexuality, and respecting sex workers were incorporated put this book at the top of my recommendation list. As a bonus, all of the narrators for the audiobooks really added to the story telling, skillfully drawing me into the magical New Orleans world of the Trudeau family.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for netgalley!

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan audio and Terry J. Benton-Walker for a complimentary copy of this audiobook to read and review!

This was a wild ride y'all. There are a lot of POVs to keep track of as well as tons of names. I had a hard time remembering who was who, and it was actually a bit jarring once I'd settle in one POV and then it would switch.

Overall this story was fantastical and gritty, but sometimes a bit confusing. An urban fantasy of this stature has a ton of world building to do and I felt lost at times. The magic system didn't make a ton of sense to me and I was confused at some of the side plots (why do they have so many aunts)

The ending when everyone came together was great! I thought the finale was great, the blood debt was paid and justice definitely reigned!

*One little TIDBIT that might just be a me thing, but since this is a YA, I found the love scenes way too much. As a 30 something year old who enjoys YA books, I don't want to read/hear about teens getting it on lololol I just wish the door had been mostly closed for those parts!*

Overall I enjoyed this book, but there were pieces that held it back.
Chris and Clem were fabulous characters and I enjoyed their story and development, however, all the other characters did not feel as developed.
The main story was interesting and addressed real issues in a great way, but I felt like there were too many subplots going on and I would get lost on a few.
I was also surprised by the many adult themes. It's not often that sex, drugs, and murder are listed as YA. While I personally don't mind those subjects, it was jarring compared to what I was expecting for this book.

I also highly enjoyed the narration for the audio book. They did a wonderful job bringing the characters to life

THIS WAS FANTASTIC! This better not be the last book because there are loose ends I need to know about. I’m so excited to see what else Terry comes out with. This was a story of familial love, of justice, and of the appropriation that has happened at the hands of white people. I literally cannot wait for this to release, because I thought this book was amazing.

I don't even know where to start. This book was SO good, I'm not sure I can even do it justice. I listened to the audiobook version. The narrators were born for this book. The voices were just as I would've pictured the characters. In my 52 years, I'm not sure I've read or listened to a book and audio quite this good.

The world building is amazing. There's not a dull moment. There's are a lot of characters and they all feel like they are the spotlight. That's the unique thing I found about the whole thing. And never have I read about a character and loved them, only to then read about their enemy and be able to also love them and sympathize with both sides. But there are also plenty of bad apples in the mix. And the magic, plus magic of the story, really feels like you're a part of it. And I'm so sad I'm not black during the whole thing! It's so beautiful! I loved Clem and his sister. The whole world.

What really blows me away is the author. He's so poetic. There's really no words good enough to use. The sentences flow like a tapestry in front of you. There were some really unique, and funny at times, ways he had with words. I was so captivated. I had to stop and see if he had a huge collection of other works because surely someone this talented has been at it a while.

I know it said it's for young adults but it's also so much for adults. What the young people in the book do and the decisions they make are very wise and beyond their years. Very brave. I do feel I have to warn you, there's hot sex. Stuff a little more revealing than what I would've thought for a young adult. But hey, I'm old, not dead. Thought I'd have to pull off the road a few times. You could easily skip these parts and read the rest if you like. I recommend this book to anyone who loves magic and stories of the real life fights for freedom and rights that are truly deserved.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher

This book was so good! I was totally enthralled by the writing and the story. I really enjoyed Clem and Cris and their growth throughout the book. The epilogue really made me hope for a second book because I want more of this magic.

I struggle with rating this book because in the end I did get invested, and I would read the next book. The production of the audiobook itself was very well done and I always enjoy a cast of characters to help distinguish the voice of multiple POVs.

But on the other hand the writing felt very middle grade, which would have been fine if the content allowed for it to be classified as such. Benton-Walker seems to finally find his stride near the end of the book and that’s unfortunate because had I not been given this audio arc I probably wouldn’t have finished it.

I also appreciated the inclusion of racism and oppressive systems in the book itself but I think it fell short of the impact it could have had.

I’m a big proponent of show me rather than tell me, but this felt like I was being beaten over the head. No subtly and no nuance. On one hand I think that it would be appropriate for members outside of the BIPOC community to get an understanding but for me it felt too forced. It didn’t have the opportunity to breathe and flow within the story so it felt jarring. I also feel he tried to cover so many complex issues in such a short book that half the book came across as structured talking points rather than a flowing narrative.

I wanted more about the magic systems and the clear rivalry between groups but so much of this books was focused on relationships. I’m also not a fan of the instalove trope but it gets a pass because they are teenagers.

I wanted spooky, NOLA, voodoo and instead I got thinly veiled allusions to the current political climate in the states. It’s not necessarily a bad thing but again I prefer a bit more nuance at above a middle grade level.

Overall a good premise, I look forward to seeing development in the sophomore novel but not my favourite. 3 stars because I think it just wasn’t meant for me.

This book was a riot! I loved the magic system and found it so interesting. I loved the relationship between clem and cris, it was always so obvious how much they loved each other even when they were arguing or fighting. I found the relationships between cris and clems mothers and all of the aunts confusing, I wanted to love them but was just confused more that anything.
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overall this was an enjoyable read, I just struggle with understanding different fantastic world, or magic systems sometimes.

Thank you for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook before the book is released. The audiobook voice narrators were truly fantastic and really helped me visualize the characters, the places and the story.
New Orleans is one of my favorite cities in the world and I was very excited to delve into this book and be surrounded by that ambiance and mystique.
I think the author did an overall good job, especially for a debut novel that is covering such serious subjects and social issues.
It did drag a bit in my opinion, but perhaps with a physical copy instead of an audio book I could've breezed through it faster at a pace more fitting for me.
This was a 3.5 star read for me, rounded to 4, but I think it will be 5 stars for some.
Again, thank you so much for the ARC and I wish you much success in your debut.

Let’s just get this out of the way: some of you will be appalled that this book is classified as Young Adult. There is bloody violence, abundant colorful language, sex, and (some off-page) drug use. I can see you clutching your pearls from here, aghast that Macmillan has set the age range from 13-18. Unclench. No one is saying your thirteen-year-old has to read it. If you feel this book is inappropriate for your young reader, save it for a later date. And I do mean save it because Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker is not a story to be missed. This novel is chalked full of representation and reckoning with the sordid history of racism in the United States, specifically NOLA. There are plenty of fantastical elements, but the story is grounded in the veritable experiences of the not-so-distant history of the South and the mark they have left on the present.

Christina (Chris) and Clement (Clem) are fraternal twins whose relationship has become strained after the death of their father and their mother’s severe and mysterious illness. But that is hardly the only trouble to befoul their family. This magical world of New Orleans in which they live is home to Generational or Gen magic and the seat of the magic counsel. A counsel of which their grandmother was the queen until she was dethroned and her family disgraced. But the reader quickly learns all is not what it seems. While misfortune has caused Chris to retreat from magic, Clem rejoices in it, becoming yet another source of conflict for the siblings. However, with trouble brewing all around them, they’ll need to find a way to unite.

This book is a love letter to Black folks. It is unflinching in its examination of oppressive systems while being a celebration of the grit and vibrant tenacity of the Black community. It validates all the feelings of culture, family, and frustration. It explores intergenerational trauma and the effect of present-day racism. The peruser gets to observe thoughtful characterization of intersecting identities. It lives up to the Author’s Note, in which the reader will have to sit and ponder the many nuanced issues introduced in this novel. And it does so in such a way that younger readers will be able to take part in these conversations about morality and liberation.

I am always super impressed when an author weaves multiple complex storylines into a cohesive and satisfying end product. Sure there are a couple of loose threads, but that has more to do with leaving the door open for a sequel. Clem and Chris feel like real teenagers, even with magic involved. The magical system that Benton-Walker created is rooted in Black spirituality and religious practices. The pantheon of gods is both helpful and meddlesome, and it will be interesting to see where Benton takes them in the next book.

Having the pleasure of listening to the audiobook, I really enjoyed the narration. Because there were so many characters (some with similar names), I had to go back several times to figure out who was who. Although not necessary to the story, I would have loved a glossary of the gods and magical terms. The language used throughout the book prioritizes authenticity and accessibility, so there is no flowery prose to be found here. And while I had no pages to turn, it certainly left me staying up later than I had intended wanting to know what happen next.

Blood Debts is the perfect read for those looking for BIPOC and queer representation who love magical realism and urban fantasy.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC!

I really enjoyed this one. I was slightly confused about the time period at first but I caught on quickly.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley and publisher for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed listening to this book. I think the story was unique and fast paced. I liked learning about all the characters. I enjoy generational stories. I liked the magic system, the sibling drama, and the action. It ended in a way that makes me think that there will be at least a sequel.

I was all set to purchase this for my school library until I got to the 70% give or take point (the sex scene). Even though it was consensual sex, and a positive experience, it was too graphic for our collection. We have been under a lot of scrutiny in our district and I cannot justify adding this to our shelves. or take the chance of having to remove it if purchased. And I am sad about that.

I’m very glad that I got to read this book as an audiobook. The narrators were absolutely fabulous! In terms of the story and writing, I thought that this book made important commentary on colonialism and how it has impacted racism in the present.

At times, I felt that there were too many characters and subplots. So although I enjoyed this book overall, I wish that the story was more focused.

Blood Debts is a magnificent debut book by Terry J. Benton Walker and if this is what Mr. Walker has to offer starting out, I wait with bated breath for the next book. Blood Debts is a story brewed in magic, steeped in family, and served up hot for those who adore fantasy, especially dark fantasy. I will warn readers that this book does cover darker conversation topics such as sex work and some other traumatic events. The magic system in the book is very intriguing and I want to learn more about it. The characters came alive with the wonderful narration of the book, in which some bias is here due to my love of Bahni Turpin. I enjoyed the twist and turns with each chapter and I know there will be more. I can't recommend this book for lovers of YA and dark fantasy. 5/5 for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the chance to enjoy this wonderful book.