There's so much going on there are murders, errant gods and mysteries/magic galore. Cristiana is still trying to find her way but with her mother charged with murder her brother Clement still trying to find a way to bring back his beloved they both are facing challenges while also facing enemies and gods seeking to have them in their service.

Cris was UNGINGED!! On a straight warpath. Valentina too. Oh this was better than the first which is saying a lot because book one wax phenomenal.

So much pain. So much grief. So much suffering. The Blood Debts series gets a dark sequel, filled with anger and injustice.

After the events of this first book, twins Clem and Cris have to face the mind numbing aftermath. Clem is riddled with guilt and grief, while Cris is fueled by anger and revenge. Betrayal taints the old magical city of New Orleans.

I’ll admit, I was put off with the characters in the first book, the dialogue didn’t seem to work for me. This book is different, and the plot takes center stage. It’s dark, complicated, and almost drowns you in emotion. If you enjoyed the first book, you’ll love it’s sequel.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Teen for this ARC.

Very inventive! Gave me "The Originals" vibes with all the magical factions in NOLA. Wish there had been a bit more fleshing out of setting, given the colorful history and culture of New Orleans.

This second book in the magical Blood Debts series had just as much (if not more!) mystery, deadly drama and amazing queer characters as the first one. The story was even darker and the characters even more morally grey, and there were even more subplots and ethical dilemmas that made it a whirlwind of revenge, mayhem and pain.

The Blood Debts series is a rich contemporary YA fantasy with powerful magical families, a unique world building full of Southern mystic and deadly drama in New Orleans. In this second installment, we get to follow the twins Cristina (Cris) and Clem as they deal with the consequences from the family blood justice collecting in the first book. Clem is struggling with guilt and how to bring all of his boyfriend’s soul back from the dead, while Cris is just angry and wants revenge. Overall, there is a lot of rage and anger in this book; at the systems and the injustice, racial oppression and dehumanization of black people, at old betrayals and evil pacts, as well as pain and hurt from being abandoned or abused.

There is so much going on in this book, so many layers and so many heavy subjects that it was a literal whirlwind reading it. While I’m utterly impressed by Terry J. Benton-Walker for the creativity and the amazing story, it also made it a little slow to read with all the different subplots and all characters, compared to the first book. I still loved the diverse characters and how they were all so fleshed out, morally grey and relatable, but I struggled a little bit with rooting for them this time. Especially Cris who did a lot of bad and seriously questionable things in this book. At times I wasn’t sure I wanted her to succeed in getting the throne.

But all in all, this was a very well executed second installment in a series I can’t wait to continue. This series has such a unique mix of urban fantasy, mystery, heavy topics of oppression of black and queer people, mental illness and trauma, love, friendship, healing and forgiveness that I look forward to exploring even more in the next installment. The jaw dropping cliffhanger certainly indicates that the story will not get less addictive or complicated in the next book…

Disclaimer: I received a review copy for free via NetGalley, but I am leaving my honest review. Many thanks to Tor/Forge and Terry J. Benton-Walker for the opportunity!

So so so grateful to Tor for the digital ARC of my most anticipated sequel of the year.

Y'all, this did NOT disappoint. Everything I loved about Blood Debts came back for more, with bigger stakes and bigger emotions and bigger danger. As much as I adore the protagonists, the character I truly can't stop thinking about is the antagonist. Without giving away spoilers, I'm blown away by how complex she is. Benton-Walker masterfully crafted her, and every piece of her made sense, from her origins to her anger to her motivations. THIS is what all writers should aspire to with their antagonists. If your villain isn't this fleshed out and nuanced, I don't want them.

Genuinely truly just in awe of this series and can't wait for more from someone who is clearly a master writer of our time.

Blood Justice by Terry J. Benton-Walker
Publication Date: April 23, 2024
Genre: YA Contemporary Fantasy

I was fascinated by the book. It is engaging, fierce and honest. The story is multi-layered with heavy subjects such as racial oppression in the black and queer community. It touches on the struggles of mental illness as well as emotional trauma. Terry’s writing is authentic, moving and expressive.

The sequel to Blood Debts resumes nine months after the Trudeau family is dealing with the consequences of collecting on a family blood debt. Twins Cristina and Clement find themselves navigating their own rage and grief through different avenues. Gen Magic is once again being jeopardized by the magical council, the racist Redeemers, villainous Valentina Savant and evil forces.

What I Liked
⚖️ The main characters continue to evolve in mature and complex ways.
⚖️ There are multiple twists and the ending is jaw dropping!
⚖️ It will be relatable to many readers.
⚖️ The magical system is creative and unique.

What Could Have Been Improved:
⚖️ A few of the characters made a brief appearance but could have been more involved such as Justin and Karmine.
⚖️ It took awhile for Cristina to fully realize the consequences of her actions. I wish she recognized her unethical practices sooner.

Final Thoughts
I definitely recommend this book but young readers should be aware it deals with some difficult situations and violence.
Self empowerment is vital for change and healing. To be heard and seen, seeking justice has many forms that speaks differently to every person. We must be aware of how our poor choices of words/actions could have dire consequences while we also try to maintain our integrity.

Thank you to Tor/TorTeen and NetGalley for the eARC in return for an honest review.

This sequel to Blood Debts finds twins Cris and Clem Trudeau and Cris's frenemy Valentina Savant dealing with the aftermath of the change in the gen magic community. Cris still feels rage seething inside and is determined to demand justice from the people who tried to destroy her family; Valentina vows vengeance for her family's fall from grace; and Clem struggles to take care of his boyfriend. And on top of that, the Redeemers are trying to shut down gen magic, including through a new push to register magic users.

There's a lot going on in this book, with all these threads slowly coming together, but I found it a little more difficult to get through the web of subplots at times. The main characters actually feel a little flatter in this book than in the first, chiefly because each of them is so focused on their own path. It takes quite a while for Cris and Clem at least to face some of the ethical dilemmas of what they do, and certainly the reader can attribute this to the trauma they have faced as well as Clem's anxiety, but consequences are slow to come.

The author specifically notes at the beginning of the book that he hopes to encourage Black queen people to stand proud and stand for justice, and some of the justice handed out here has a certain visceral appeal -- but it's still difficult to read. And this definitely sets up a third book, which I did not expect. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you, Tor Teen and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.

Okay, now that I've put my brain together, the best word I can think of for the sequel to BLOOD DEBTS is unflinching. There is so much rage here, the healing and the hurting kind. Anger at people, anger at systems, anger at respectability politics and dehumanizing of Black people and the ineffectual actions one can take to fight against it all.

Cris and Clem have seen dark things that take them to darker places. Valentina's scheming and buried sensitive underbelly are richly drawn. And through it all, the many narrative threads of the rot at the core of not only New Orleans but the international magical community are woven together so seamlessly the only words I could say when I finished was, "Holy shit."

This is a book that will haunt you for ages, in all the best way.