This YA book was much heavier than I originally thought it was going to be, and yet I still found myself enjoying it immensely. The narrators were so well done; they kept my engaged the entire time.

Wasn't able to put this book down! The characters were written amazingly and so complex. The suspense will have you on the edge of your seat!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for an ALC and B2 Weird and Tor Teen for a physical hardcover in exchange for an honest review and promotion. All opinions are my own.

Y’all. This book! This fucking book is incredible 🤩. I read an eARC late last year and completely fell in love. And this afternoon I finished my reread via audio and I can say I loved it just as much the second time around.

Blood Debts is a YA urban fantasy/murder mystery that follows Black twins as they uncover what happened to their grandmother and navigate their own magical powers. The magic in this book is so cool and I hope we only get to see more of it throughout the series.

I love the twins so much. Clem is so sweet and I want to protect him at all costs. Cristina’s fears and anxieties were something incredibly relatable to me. Her whole arc was amazing and I am really digging the vengeance look. The way the series plot has been set up has me so intrigued and I cannot wait to see how everything will play out! This one is definitely a new favorite of mine!

Rep: Black cast. Black Gay cis male MC with anxiety and depression, Black cis female MC, Afrolatine side characters, various queer side characters.

Clement and Cristina are twins. They are decendants of a royal black magic family in New Orleans. But the crown was taken from their grandmother and they don't know anything about what royal life would be like. Their father died suddenly and ever since there has been some mystery around their family. Their mother has been sick and all of their family has become disconnected. Clement and Cristina spend the whole book investigating what is happening to their family. Their is romance and friend drama. Clem is interested in men and there is an intimate scene with his partner. There are occasional chapters from their "nemesis" that give another perspective and insight to the story.
I listened to this on audio and they alternated narrators for the different characters chapters. While I like the idea I found that the narrator's voices did not match the character they were voicing and/or didn't match when they were talking about other characters and it was jarring. I didn't like the explicit sex scene. I didn't like the amount of unnecessary family drama. I did like the interesting magical lore that the author built.

I spoke about this audiobook during a bookhaul video while speaking about the physical copy. This audiobook so so SOOOOOOOOOOOO much and the narrators were absolutely brilliant! I am beyond excited for the next book.

am so happy that I received this audio book from NetGalley. The voice actors were superb, and really brought the characters to life. The Story focuses on twin siblings, Clem, and Chris, who both have the ability to use Jen magic, but Chris has turned her back on it. They used to be close until their father died, and there was a slight rift between them, but when they find a hex down under their mothers bed, they joined forces to figure out what happened, and how they can make sure to save her life.

For the most part, I enjoy the pacing of the story, but I found it a little jarring to throw in new characters well, past the halfway mark. It was a little harder to care about those characters when others were already so solidly established. At the same time, I understand that this was done in order to set up another book, which I for sure will read. I will be back at my favorite character is Clem and my heart broke when something tragic happened to someone cared about. I really hope that there is happiness to come in his future but I worry that his path might end up beating down a darker turn.

Another thing I want to point out about this book is that it is written from a POC point of view and does touch on the injustices that occur to a person of color. It does also touch on people trying to appropriate their magic. And there was a scene where cops were involved that I really worried for one of the characters. I found it very refreshing to read a book that did not shy away from social injustices. this is a very real struggle for POC and I’m glad to see that it was put in a book where the leader would have to put themselves in their shoes.

If you were looking for a fantasy novels with magic rounded in our reality I definitely recommend this book. I personally can’t wait to see where the series goes!

This book sounded right up my alley and I was so excited to dive in when I received it. However, I was so disappointed to learn that it wasn’t a historical story but rather set in modern times. I loved the dual POVs and thought the actual story was very interesting. There was a lot to unpack and really think about which I enjoyed.

The book fell flat for me with the magic system and the pacing. It was reading like a stand alone book up until the very end when it seemed like there was a pivot to a much larger plot.

The narrators really saved this one for me. Both narrators breathed so much life into these characters. They felt like they were telling me a story and speaking directly to me.

I’d read the next book in the series eventually but it’s not one that’s super high on my TBR. When the next book comes out, I’d want to listen to the audiobook version.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

From the very first page, Benton-Walker's writing hooks you, drawing you into a world where danger lurks around every corner. The author expertly weaves together a complex web of interconnected characters, each with their own motivations and secrets, creating a story that keeps you guessing until the very end. The pacing is relentless, with twists and turns that will leave you on the edge of your seat, eager to uncover the truth.

One of the standout aspects of Blood Debts is its well-developed characters. Each protagonist and antagonist is distinct and multi-dimensional, bringing a depth to the narrative that keeps you invested in their fates. Their flaws and vulnerabilities make them relatable, and you find yourself emotionally invested in their struggles and triumphs. Benton-Walker does an excellent job of exploring the psychological complexities of his characters, adding an extra layer of depth to the story.

This is not my go to genre but OMG this was such a engrossing #audiobook experience! It was hard to tear myself away. It was long AF but the voice artists brought this to life. There is a second book coming in this series and I can not wait! I loved every minute of it!
#Fantasy #magic #LBGTQ #NEWOrleans #MentalHealth #FamilyDrama #Blood Debts #NetGalley

Thank you to #Netgalley for the opportunity to review this in exchange for an honest review. This was a fantastic listen. The characters and setting were awesome. One of the main things I liked was that I did not figure out the story prior to its conclusion. I cannot wait for the second book in this series.

General Overview

Great magic system representative of real world politics. This made it easier to understand since we have a real-world reference. As is usual with many YA books, the author takes poignant real-world events and puts a fictional twist on it. This is great for getting teens involved in discussions. It also serves as an accessible medium to make them aware of current political and social climates. Benton-Walker outlines several important talking points, some of them very well done (ex. intergenerational trauma, police brutality, systematic racism, etc.) and others not so much (eg. sexual assault).

I decided on a rating of 2.5 stars. While it did its job and ultimately entertained me, I still felt myself yearning for it to just be over already and getting easily annoyed. Maybe it's time to accept that I've grown out of YA.

Characters

I got whiplash from character mood swings within a sentence. One moment everyone is getting along and having a normal conversation, the next moment they're at each other's throats. This is a repeating pattern throughout the entire book.

The female characters are caricatures, always one extreme trait and nothing else. I find this is an issue with a lot of male authors. Women tend to be plot-points rather than fleshed out characters. Like damn, go take the tike to talk to, listen to, and get to know some women. We've got more than one personality trait, have likes, dislikes, hobbies, etc. Our lives don't only exist while being viewed by men.

Plot

43% in and what's the plot exactly? Same question at 75%. There's a lot of running around New Orleans ans lots of subplots but no discernible overarching plot. There turned out to be so many subplots that I can't even remember if they were all resolved or not by the end.

There's constant bickering between the siblings with no rest. One minute they're friends, the next they're not. Like fuck. If that's what you have to rely on to keep your plot "exciting", should you really be publishing the book in the first place? Flesh out your damn plot.

Also, there's an on-page sex scene between minors??? Creeps me out that a grown-ass man was imagining teenagers having sex.

In my opinion, the story would have been so much better if it were an abtebellum or civil-war historical fiction in which Cris and whats his fuck (the brother, I cannot for the life of me remember his name right now) are fighting their oppressors with magic. The modern-day setting lowered the stakes, especially considering all the leads were heirs to their covens. But hey, I'm not American and I'm unsalted white bread so I really don't know what's best.

And last but most upsetting, we have yet another male writer that uses SA against a woman as a motivator for her to "fight back". It's not until Cris is SAd by her boyfriend that she decides enough is enough and she's going to get involved with magic again. Her mother's attempted murder wasn't enough for her noooooo we all know the only motivators in a woman's life come from the words and actions of men, right? I wish men would stop trying to twist SA into something that empowers women. Fuck.

Blood Debts is a gripping and magical story set in New Orleans, filled with mystery, political intrigue, and several characters, each with their own motivations. The premise of Blood Debts was exquisite, and while I thought the execution could use some work, overall, I think it's a great story, with great potential for the sequel.

Before we get into the plot of the story, I want to discuss the audiobook! Because this story followed several POVs, each one was narrated by a different person. These narrators all did a great job of embodying each character, in my opinion. I also liked that there were different narrators for the characters. This helped me keep track of whose point of view we were in, since all of their voices were so distinct.

As for the story itself, I thought the characters were all really well-rounded, and I could always understand where their motivations came from. Some of the characters could be unlikeable at times, but I think this was intentional. Since they're teenagers, it makes sense that they're messy and imperfect. It made the story feel much more genuine.

In regard to the plot, I loved the idea of a magical New Orleans. It's the perfect setting for a story like this, so I couldn't wait to read it. And overall, I thought it was done really well. The magic system itself was intricately designed and thoroughly developed.

My main issue with Blood Debts came from all of the plot points. There were so many of them that I had trouble keeping track of what was happening and how each event was connected. I feel the book would have been significantly strengthened had it focused more on fewer main plotlines and worked to thoroughly expand on those. Then, the rest could be explored in the sequel.

Despite this, though, I did still enjoy the premise of Blood Debts, and I'm interested to see where it's going in the sequel, so I'll definitely be continuing on with the series!

This book was fine. I'm happy so many people are finding this book enjoyable, but it just wasn't for me at all. I think it moved much slower than I wanted it to, unfortunately.

This was a fast paced YA novel with lots of mystery elements that I really enjoyed! We start out knowing basically nothing about the main characters, their family, and their family's past and history. But as you keep reading the mystery really starts to unfold.

I loved the urban fantasy elements, but almost wish there was even more magic. Because ultimately this is a story about family and not magic.


The only reason why it's four stars is because something about it just didn't click with me.

The alternating voices in this audiobook really helped build the character arc for Cristina and Clement.

The story reminded me of Blood Like Magic by Liselle Sambury. It almost feels like both books exist in the same world with very similar characters.

DNF @ 25%

It’s not you exactly, it’s mostly me. I have a very low tolerance for books where everyone feels angsty and no one really likes each other. I maxed out on teen angst watching The OC in 10th grade. Now I’m in my 30s and I need my characters to have at least one champion that absolutely adores them. This is obviously a personal preference and probably these characters start to like each other more? Or like someone? Eventually?

I also have a hard time with multiple POVs that are too similar. If all the characters are the same age I tend to get characters of the same gender mixed up. A lot of this has to do with me being an audiobook listener.

The narrators were fantastic and the audiobook was very well done.

Not all books are for all people, so this might be for you if you like really atmospheric fantasy. It seemed like it would be a fun tour around a magical New Orleans.

I will update my review if I decide to come back to this one.

This was a very slow moving book with a lot of world building for a fantasy set in an actual location, New Orleans. Luckily, the characters and plot are compelling enough to keep you going. Otherwise I would not have finished.

I have feelings about this book, and they are interesting. First of all, when the plot finally kicked in, I was super interested in the plot, and listened to the rest of the book on a roll.. However, It took me quite a long time to actually get into the plot. Most of the first half of the book was character development, getting to know the characters and their families and the drama. I know that this is important, but it was just.... a lot. and long. This is a story that needs to be told, and its important. Honestly, thats the main reason why I kept going, and finished it. I definitely recommend this book to people who like character based books, but something about it just didnt click until much later in the novel. Its important though, and a story of black excellence and families coming together and the solving of murders. So yeah! read it!

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
The book is told mainly from twins Chris and Clem's point of view, with the occasional chapter from other characters. Because this is meant to be a series, there are unresolved plot points at the end of the book. Some of which I thought could have been addressed with chapters from different characters, because that was how they were brought up in the first place. Overall I thought that the book was interesting and I look forward to reading the next in the series.

New Orelans' magical world is governed by different magical and their rulers. Christina and Clement are the two 16-year-old former heirs, their grandmother having been dethroned. As they are coming into their own relationships with their magical powers, good and bad, they must also reckon with the constantly changing political landscape, an attempted murder in the family, the anniversary of their fathers' murder. And it all seems connected somehow.

This is a YA urban fantasy book that's got a complex magical and murder mysteries hidden within it. The main characters suffer from the typical drama, angst, pettiness, and decision making of their age all the while mired in a very political magical world and they turn to their family and ancestors to try to solve their problems. I enjoyed it overall and would've loved to see more of the other parts of the world to see the connections between them better. This book sets up well from the next in the series definitely showing that there is more of be revealed.

Thank you to TorTeen for partnering with B2Weird for a book tour and for the gifted book!