Blood Justice is the follow up to Blood Debts by Terry J Benton-Walker..Blood Debts was ome of my favorite reads of 2023 and Blood Justice was just as amazing. It had me up until after midnight gripping Kindle as each twist hit.

Thanks to Terry J. Benton-Walker and Tor Publishing Group for sending me an ARC to one of my most awaited sequels! Blood Debts was a wild ride, so I was extremely delighted to read this.

“Systems created by corrupt leaders cannot be reformed. But they can’t be ignored either because they won’t allow us to exist in peace and harmony without their interference. It’s stifling… and suffocating… and… hopeless. And I’ve had it.”

We’re back in New Orleans! Blood Justice is officially out on April 23rd, and it’s as insane as the first one. Set nine months after the tragedy on the Montaigne Majestic that killed Lenora and Felix Savant, Valentina is left to deal with her grandparents’ demise while Cris and Clement are faced with new enemies that could threaten their future on the Gen Council. This book is madness come to life, with betrayal and lies slowly resurfacing from the past, spun within the elements of a profoundly unique magic system more emphasized than before. This New Adult Fantasy book that follows the story of Blood Debts intimately discusses white supremacy, racism, and is a brutal and honest take on how prejudice continues to oppress POC and queer communities. The storytelling is both hilariously dark and uncanny, with lots of unpredictable twists.

I would 100% recommend this! The pacing of this book will make you feel a bit dragged as this was unexpectedly a long read, but Terry’s writing has significantly improved, and is so much easier to follow. If you’re looking for badass and queer Black characters who can’t be bothered to fuck with a moral compass, then Blood Justice is for you!

Blood Justice emerges as a remarkable sequel that surpasses its predecessor. The plot unfolds with gripping twists and turns, weaving a narrative that keeps readers hooked from start to finish. Character development shines brightly, with protagonists and supporting cast alike evolving in nuanced ways, adding depth and richness to the story. With its seamless blend of suspense, and captivating world-building, Blood Justice is a must-read for fans of the series.

in this sequel to blood debts, we follow cris and clem as they encounter enemies at every turn and valentina as she’s determined to take back her sovereignty.

i adored blood debts when i read it last year, so i was highly anticipating this book! i liked how many points of view we got, and i think it was balanced well with the twins still being at the forefront and the other points of view being woven in. i loved seeing clem and cris’s character growth and i can’t wait to see where the next book takes them!

This was my most anticipated sequel of 2024 and it did not disappoint!! The emotion jumps off the page and made me cheer for even the villains (except Zachary Kingston, f that guy still) I love Valentinas character, she reminds me of the boujee girl from the Proud Family (showing my age here lol)

All of the things I adored about the first book are here in the sequel plus Terry's writing has matured and the plot has thickened!!

A must read for fans of the genre!

Amazing follow through from the first book. All of the connections and threads from the first book and carried over. There's vengeance and a focus on justice as well the consequences of using magic depending how it's used. Great pacing and great character building as well. If you read the first book then you should for sure read this one!

I received the book as an ARC from Netgalley.

From the author’s note to the opening pages of the novel, the themes of equity and confronting systemic oppression are clear. This book is told through the lens of a magic system and teenagers. However, I found - as a 30-something who loves fantasy and YA novels - it easy to relate to because of our current environment and the relevant commentary on social justice topics of today.

Following Blood Debts, this book asks you to examine the world being experienced by vulnerable communities in America and asks you to dive into how generations of people are being impacted by systemic oppression.

Through Cris, we explore the perspective of a frustrated person who is perhaps pushed to a level of vigilantism. Her character says: "But what happens when the oppressed stop being nice? What will y'all do when Black women collectively, across the world, all wake up and decide we're no longer taking y’all’s bullshit? What if we choose violence instead of forgiveness? Then what?”

Blood Justice makes you grapple with your thoughts and feelings about how far is too far; what approach you would take to make change; and how you can show up (and stand up) for your friends, family, and community.

While I enjoyed the book, Blood Justice fell a little flat for me. I want to be clear: The writing is sensational. The anger and tension is palpable. Clem’s entire storyline is *chef’s kiss*. Perhaps, I was thinking about another series, but I thought this was a duology. So, as I got closer to the end of the book and I didn't feel plot resolutions coming together or see much growth of certain characters, I began to get a little frustrated. It reminded me of going into a movie and not knowing it would be split into two parts (looking at you Dune and Across the Spider-Verse). However, I truly think the next book will make me look at this book as an even stronger entry in the series and will make me appreciate Blood Justice even more.

Beyond that minor criticism - I really loved my experience reading Blood Justice. The continued worldbuilding of the magical community and additional backstories of the gods was so interesting and well-crafted. Terry J. Benton-Walker has a magical (pun intended, but just let me have this one) way with words.

Thank you to Tor/TorTeen and NetGalley for the eARC. Blood Justice publishes on April 23, 2024, and is available for pre-order now!

I have never in my life been so emotionally gutted by a book. 😭 This book was an intense rollercoaster and I LOVED every second of it! I read Blood Debts immediately before this and immensly enjoyed how it flowed seamlessly into this one. This book was full of magic, vengeance, and, again, a total emotional rollercoaster. I pray to the gods (I hope you're listening Eshu) that there is a book 3! If you haven't read this book, stop whatever you're doing and read it! (And book 1, also!)

This book was a wild ride. I had to reorient myself with Blood Debts to get on board with this sequel but once I did, it picked right back up where it left off. There were a lot of moving puzzle pieces going on throughout this book. This story is full of magic, betrayal, death, gods, revenge, and surprises. If you liked the first book, you’ll most likely enjoy this one too. And the ending definitely set us up for a third book! Thank you Tor for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

2SLGBTQIA+ BIPOC YA Fantasy following twin magicians who might have their throne back but their enemies are gathering and their hunger for revenge and desire for love could be their downfall.

1/5 stars: This is the second entry in Benton-Walker's Blood Debts series which is a 2SLGBTQIA+ BIPOC YA Fantasy and features twin teens who may have taken back their family’s stolen throne but their enemies are coming at them from all directions. With plenty of twists and turns, Benton-Walker has crafted a multiple POV story. Benton-Walker's character work is excellent; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. Due to the tough topics tackled, take care and check the CWs. As this is a continuation of the events that occurred in book one, Blood Debts, if you haven't read it first I would strongly suggest picking it up before reading this one. I was really looking forward to this but unfortunately this was a miss for me; leading me to DNF it at 48%.

I received this eARC thanks to Tor Publishing Group, Tor Teen in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

"Murder can be righteous when done in the name of blood justice."

This book is such a great book, one that touches on anger, pain, grief, revenge, family, rivalry, honor, discrimination, strength, and love, all the while incorporating magic which I loved so darn much! There are quite a few characters and povs in this story, which can make it difficult to follow at times, but it did add dimension to the story.

Cristina and her twin brother Clement Trudeau have taken back their family's throne and in the midst of doing so have gained many enemies.. many people have done them wrong. Cristina is tired of the injustice and is determined to make everyone who has caused her pain pay. She is out to seek blood justice. Meanwhile her brother, Clement, is just trying to hang onto the boy who he loves the most- Yves. Yves was fatally shot and killed one night and Clement went through great extents to bring him back, although he has only succeeded halfway. There's a lot of deceit in this story, dealing with grief and the anger that comes with it, vengeance, malicious gods, an upcoming spiritual war, moon magic, dark magic, and severed grandma heads! This book is GOOD.

And the cliffhangers (multiple).. ! I am already on the edge of my seat, anticipating Terry J. Benson-Walker's next book!

Thank you NetGalley and Terry J. Benson-Walker for this incredible ARC!

Blood Justice DESTROYED ME in the Best Ways!

Blood Justice picks up right where Blood Debts left off. The Trudeau family has experienced massive changes to the overall structure of their lives, but this also means they have more enemies than ever coming after them. This book kept me on the edge of my seat from page one. Not only did I not realize that I missed Cris and Clement, but I was desperately missing the gen magic and all the world-building. Also, dare I say that I was missing Valentina's devious self. Where we left her last, life is in flux and although my heart broke for her at the end of Blood Debts, she isn't planning on staying sad for long.

This book had me by the THROAT! It refused to let me sleep, it didn't let me sleep, and anytime I tried to put it down my heart was racing because I needed to know what happened next. Just like Blood Debts, this is a fast-paced thrill ride. Many of the things that happened in this novel had me shocked. Lines were drawn in the sand, then redrawn, and then probably redrawn one more time. You don't know who is working for who and I think that was a great part of this story. Because this is such a character-driven story you will be desperate to know who is going to make it out alive. [ALSO THE REVEALS IN THIS STORY HAD MY JAW ON THE FLOOR]!

Words cannot express how excellent this book is! They say that lightning doesn't strike the same place twice, well obviously that is not true, because the world that Terry J. Benton-Walker has created and established is truly exceptional. I love this series and am desperate for anything that comes next!

Blood Justice immediately drew me in and I found it difficult to tear myself away from its pages. The magical storyline and well-developed characters evoked a range of emotions in me. From being angry right along with them to wanting to shake some sense into them (especially Cris). It's been awhile since I've highlighted and annotate passages but with the many gems dropped I found myself doing so quite frequently. My only frustration is that I now have to wait for the next installment to find out what happens next. This author has easily become one of my favorite writers, and I can't wait to spend more time with Cris and Clem.

Justice is served! Terry knocks it out of the park again with this second book in his series. Honestly I absolutely love his characters. His magic system is very interesting and the lore just sucks me into this world. Really looking forward to the next book and whatever else he comes up with.

"Blood Justice is the hotly anticipated sequel to Terry J. Benton-Walker's Most Anticipated debut Blood Debts.

Cristina and Clement Trudeau have conjured the impossible: justice.

They took back their family's stolen throne to lead New Orleans' magical community into the brighter future they all deserve.

But when Cris and Clem restored their family power, Valentina Savant lost everything. Her beloved grandparents are gone and her sovereignty has been revoked - she will never be Queen. Unless, of course, someone dethrones the Trudeaus again. And lucky for her, she's not the only one trying to take them down.

Cris and Clem have enemies coming at them from all directions: Hateful anti-magic protesters sabotage their reign at every turn. A ruthless detective with a personal vendetta against magical crime is hot on their tail just as Cris has discovered her thirst for revenge. And a brutal god, hunting from the shadows, is summoned by the very power Clem needs to protect the boy he loves.

Cris's hunger for vengeance and Clem's desire for love could prove to be their family's downfall, all while new murders, shocking disappearances, and impossible alliances are changing the game forever.

Welcome back to New Orleans, where gods walk among us and justice isn't served, it's taken."

Power is always so hard to maintain.

I got the arc for the first book of this series, so of course I had to request for the second book too. I had a hard time understanding the motivations for the characters or the way they react to certain events. It made it hard to relate to the characters more. That being said, their feelings are valid. Although I don't quite resonate with anyone in this book, I still enjoyed the overall story. There's a lot of impulsiveness within these characters that are deep-rooted in the hardships that they go through. I feel like I learned alot more about black cultures and their history and connection to magic. I definitely enjoyed this book more than the first one.

This was so unputtdownable and wild from
Start to finish!!! I absolutely loved it. The characters felt so real and I was really into the story. The author did such a great job at creating this world and making the reader feel like they’re witnessing everything.

An absolutely incredible sequel to Blood Debts! There is not a moment wasted in this book. This was a non stop thrill ride because I love these characters and everything they stand for.

With more family drama, more magic, and tons more encroaching forces trying to take what belongs to Cris and Clem. With this book, we get so much more of these powerful twins. I adore these characters completely, flaws and all! There is a much richer story on top of the continuation from Blood Debts. There are forces human and inhuman that are thrashing to get power, and Cris learns just how far she is willing to go to protect her family and her magic.

Meanwhile, Clem is going through an evolution of sorts. He is still trying to make up for past mistakes, even those made in the name of love.

The convergence of forces against the Trudeau family (and the magic these Black families hold) is coming fast and the stakes are high. With rich world building and complex character relationships, this was a pure delight to read!

Ahhh! What a masterpiece. Terry somehow took everything in Blood Debt and turned it up to an eleven! This book is sitting at the top spot for the year and I feel like I'm going to be hard pressed to find something that knocks it out. I can't stop thinking about it and definitely need book 3 ASAP

Blood Justice is the incredible sequel to Blood Debts! In Blood Justice, the rich magic system and complicated politics are expanded on even more. There is a strong focus on the importance of justice and characters must fight to dismantle systemic racism. One of my favorite parts was the character growth from Cristina, Clement, and Valentina. One character’s descent into a more morally gray character as she deals with injustice was masterfully executed. Cris and Clem have an excellent relationship, but are still keeping secrets from each other that are bound to come out.

In Blood Justice, the characters deal with themes of grief and the many ways that it can manifest. I loved the found family and LGBTQ+ rep. Blood Justice is a compelling sequel that promises additional magical stories to come. Readers who enjoy Liselle Sambury (Blood Like Magic), fantastic LGBTQ+ rep, and spellbinding magic will love this book. I would highly recommend this series to anyone. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Thank you to Terry J. Benton-Walker, Tor Teen, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Instagram, Storygraph, Amazon, Barnes & Noble etc.