When I finished Blood Debts, I was on the fence about picking up the sequel. Ultimately, the first one managed to be bingeable even though I wasn't crazy about it, so I figured I wouldn't have any issues getting through the second one. As a recap, Chris and Clement are twins blessed with Generational magic that's been passed down from their ancestors. Their story is set in modern day New Orleans, and they're deeply involved with their magical community. They've saved their mother from almost certain death and exacted their revenge, but they still have a host of problems on their hands.

Aside from some of the magical history, the book didn't feel very New Orleans to me. And don't get me started on Chris's narrator's accent or her pronunciation of beignets (ben-gays, in case you were wondering). It was off enough that it really pulled me out of the story.

This book ended up being way more family and political drama than magic. I'm not mad about that, but some of my favorite parts of the first book were there beautiful descriptions of gen magic and the rituals around it. Without that, I definitely felt some of the ambiance and richness missing from the sequel.

I also felt that sometimes the character behaviors and decisions didn't make a lot of sense. For instance, the end was a bit of a mess. Why did he just give up on the plan he'd been hatching the entire book? I will say, eating the gun was pretty dope, tho.

Overall, I enjoyed this fine and I may pick up the third one just to round it out, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend this series.

Absolutely stunning book. I LOVED book 1 and i was holding out hopes book 2 would be just as good. I was not disappointed! Highly highly recommend this series. This book universe completely sucks you in.

"Blood Justice" by Terry J. Benton-Walker, narrated by a talented ensemble including Bahni Turpin and Joniece Abbott-Pratt, offers a gripping continuation of the story introduced in "Blood Debts." Set in magical New Orleans and steeped in African American culture, this YA fantasy explores themes of generational curses, power dynamics, and justice.

The audiobook format shines with its multiple narrators, each bringing depth to different characters and enhancing the immersive experience. The story delves into complex family histories and political intrigue, weaving together the lives of various families with a long and tangled past.

Listeners will appreciate the rich world-building and the expansion of the magical system, which draws from Conjure, Hoodoo, and other African Traditional Religions. The characters, including LGBTQIA+ representation, grapple with themes of justice, power, and identity amidst a backdrop of societal imbalance.

While the story is action-packed and engaging, it's recommended to start with the first book in the series to fully grasp the intricate plot and character dynamics. Overall, "Blood Justice" delivers a compelling narrative with vibrant characters and thought-provoking themes, leaving listeners eager for the next installment.

This book was just as good as the first in the series "Blood Debts" and it left me wanting more! I have no idea how many books there will be in this series but I cannot wait for book 3!! A side note about the narration of this audiobook, Clem's narrator spoke so softly at times I had no idea what was said and then sometimes it was so loud I had to lower the volume. However, it did not take away from the story at all.

Spoiler Talk:
Is it bad that I side with the Moon King? Maybe I shouldn't entirely but he is right. The world is messed up and no one gets the justice they deserve. ALSO UM HELLO GRANDMA?!?!!! That's all I'm going to say about that. And lastly, YVES!!! ♥♥♥ My heartttt!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC! ♥

3.5 Rounded up

Okay, first off, I really enjoy a lot of what this book is doing. BUT, I have the same issue with this as I did the first, just so much is going on, its hard to really care about everything. Obviously things are already established so at least the set up was out of the way, but the constantly going back and forth between all these different issues and characters and obstacles felt a little tiring. NOW all that being said, my full rating is completely dependent on how the series ends and since several threads have been mostly solved I'm hoping the next/last book will be a little more focused.

Oh also another issue I had was how over the top and dramatic the writing felt. It kinda felt like a cheesy teen drama. I didn't love that, but also, didn't hate it and feel like it can totally be a vibe if you know what you're getting into. I was listening to the audiobook (which I was lucky enough to get an ARC copy from netgalley and the over the top responses were really noticeable in some scenes with the way the narrator read it.)

I AM excited to continue the series AND if everything ties up nicely I might consider boosting the rating of this one a little bit. But as it stands right now, it was just a little too much and too over the top which made it hard for me to want to continue even though I think the ideas are strong and I really like so much of whats going on.

I was ecstatic to receive an ARC for the sequel to Blood Debts, Blood Justice. Magic, family drama, murder, political intrigue? Blood Justice has it all. The Trudeau family has reclaimed their rightful place as the head of the Gen Council but they are fighting to keep it. Reeling from the events in Blood Debts, the Cris and Clem are dealing with their own issues. Clem is trying to save the boy he loves, but what cost and Cris is tired of the injustices and sets about enacting her own Blood Justice. All while, murders are happening and they must figure out who the murderer is before their family faces the the same injustices that her grandparents experiences. I love the development of Cris and Clem, while they still do not make the best decisions, they are stepping into their own. The plot keeping me going, racing to see what happens and the twists are cliffhangers! I can't wait to continue the series. The listened to Blood Justice on audio and the narrators enhanced the storytelling and honed in on the emotions and actions of characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ALC.

Dammit 5 stars.

I didn’t know how Benton-Walker was going to top Blood Debts but HE DID THAT. I am just lost for words now. I devoured this book in like 6 days. What am I gonna Do how??

Reading sequels can be hard if you don’t remember everything from the previous but TBW did a great job of recapping the story in a way that wasn’t repetitive or annoying. The characters continued to persist through issues they had in the first book but how they continued to deal with them was interesting. Cris’ rage, Clem’s anxiety, Valentina’s revenge, all so well done.

I love the characters in these books. They get more complex as the pages go. I love their varied personalities which you would think is hard to keep up with since there are so many! I loved the mystery in the story and each character putting together the pieces.

The ending to this book was just like ugh chefs kiss jaw dropping idk. The Moon King?! OZ?? August??? Detective Summers? Like there are so many questions.

I saw the author mention he envisioned this story with five books and tbh I need all 5. I want all the stories told til the end. I need these complex queer Black characters!!!! I need to know how this story ends but I won’t rush it.

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

As soon as I finished reading Blood Debts, I was counting down the days for this sequel! There was so much packed into Blood Justice; rage, revenge, family ties, horror elements that actually creeped me out, Game of Thorne level schemes!

After I finished this book, I just laid in bed staring up at my ceiling just trying to take everything in. With this sequel, Terry J Benton-Walker has officially become an auto-buy author for me.

That cliffhanger had me SCREAMING. I can't wait for the next book. If you have a chance to listen to the audiobook, I highly recommend it. It was absolutely captivating and added so much to the whole experience of this book.

What to expect with this series:
Witches
New Orleans
Mystery
Murder
Family Drama
Generational Magic
Rage

From the introduction, I knew this was going to be a five star read. I cannot be more appreciative of Terry J. Benton-Walker and his craft than I am now. He has a way of writing that just fully engulfs you in the fantasy. His writing outlines the intricacies of magic and the nuances of the culture surrounding this magical alternative reality for NOLA. I found myself feeling so seen on all pages, while fully grasping the fantasy of this story and its implications.

Blood Justice picks up right after Blood Debts, with the Trudeau grappling with their newfound fate. They have reclaimed their rightful place on the throne and it was not easy. It’s still not easy. With a series of killings happening in NOLA that they may or may not be at the middle of, the family finds themselves struggling to prove their innocence. The family is also enduring typical family drama, multiple missing persons, some undead friends/family, and more. This story is the most beautifully written chaos you can find. I have heard Benton-Walker compare the drama in this story to that of Game of Thrones, and I couldn't agree more. It is magical and scary and beautiful. It feels like the biggest hug from the black community, and a love letter to black queer kids in the best way.

I found myself invested in these characters even more than I was in the first book of this series, Blood Debts. I did not even think that could be possible. I felt their rage, I saw the faults, and I wanted the best for them as I do for myself. The audiobook and its cast only added to this feeling. I found myself imagining them telling me their stories–wanting to hug them when they were upset. And the writing here doesn’t stop with just TRULY hearing these characters. I also found myself understanding them. As much as I wanted to just outright hate Valentina and Zach, I could feel their pain. I could see how they rationalized their wrongdoings. I could almost sympathize. Terry J. Benton-Walker knows how to put humanity in even the worst characters, while making sure you still can identify where ALL characters do wrong. There is always more to unpack than their actions. Their feelings, thoughts, hopes, and even prayers are all laid out.

I could easily write essays – plural – about this story and about each of these characters on their own. If you love magic and fantasy, this is the book for you. If you find yourself wanting to peak behind the curtain at others' motives and realities, this is the book for you. And if you have ever felt alone and scared for tomorrow, this book is for you. Brava, Terry J. Benton-Walker. Brava! I would give it 6 stars if I could.

I understand what the author is doing and why, but it isn’t really the story I was hoping for. There was more vengeance and secrets than I was wanting. It is a good book, but not really for me. If you liked the first one and the battle between the families, you will like this one.

I came at this sequel without having read the first, and while it was not a problem at al, I will definitely be reading the first now. The numerous relationships were natural and flowing I wasn't confused about who was whom to whom - skillfully done, and the audiobook was brilliantly read.

I had been waiting for this sequel since reading Blood Debts and it did not disappoint! Book 3 better be getting here sooner rather than later.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the audio arc! There is soooo much I love about this book.

1. Magical drama! If/when this book gets picked up for TV I will be sat.

2. The very clear emphasis on social justice when it comes to black women, queer, trans, and unhoused people.

3. The all-star black audio cast! I adore when a book has a full cast of characters and hearing some of my favorite narrator voices made the experience 10x better.

I would love to know how many books are in the series, each book leaves me yearning for more, like there is some other mystery to be solved. There’s a lot of story I feel could be expanded on a so many POV’s so I hope there is clarity in the next book (mostly with Valentina) Everyone in this series has KILLER intent, a little past justice imo but I’m here for it.

Overall, the voice actors were acting, the story continues growing and maybe one day the adults in this book will pay some real attention to these teenagers running around doing magical crimes (but I hope not).

Blood Justice took me on such a crazy journey! It’s been a while since I read Blood Debts, but I feel the author did a great job integrating the past details with this book that all the previous details came back to me so easily. The secrets, plot twists, and “justice” ran rampant throughout the story. The things the characters did for said “justice”, the ones they loved, and their family was admirable but also concerning. I think the characters were impulsive but I also think with their age, it made sense for them to react with their feelings.
I couldn’t stop reading because I didn’t want to miss a detail. The final 10% of the book literally had my heart racing!! The way Clement and Cristina were so in sync for majority of the story, the new wrinkle in their relationship will be interesting. Like who can *eye* trust?!Awesome job on this one!

The full cast was superb and brought this story to life!

I enjoyed this sequel to Blood Debts. I am looking forward to the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio Select for allowing me to listen to this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5

A solid sequel to Blood debts. I'm not sure if I loved this quite as much as the first book but there was still lots of drama, racial injustice, magic, political maneuverings, queer romance, blood family and found family, revenge and so much more. The full cast of narrators were top notch and really made the audio experience great. Would definitely recommend for fans of authors like Liselle Sambury and Tracy Deonn. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review! My only complaint was that this was almost a 20 hour listen!!

I really have no idea how I’m supposed to write a review for this without spoilers. This book was so good. Both Cris and Clem were trying to get Justice for their family, when it seemed like they were just trying to get revenge. And I was there for it lol This whole book was a bunch of mess lol And I couldn’t stop reading it.

Ok so I was most changed by Cris. She became RUTHLESS. When it showed her first scene? Lordt I was clutching my pearls. She was bad ass and I was excited that she was not letting any of them make it. As she shouldn’t have. And that one person deserved it. The sad thing is, you don’t even know which one I’m talking about. This was Cris’ book and I loved seeing her learn and grow and recognize when things went off the rails. It took her a minute, but she got there lol

On the other side of this Clem was also going through it. I wanted to hug him. I felt bad that things were happening the way they did. It was just a series of unfortunate events for him and it just kept getting worse. The prom scene was cute, but Lordt the talk about hugging him? Lol I’m not sure I could deal. But that moment and the time they spent together was tender and still showed them able to have these types of moments. This also worried me because I am now super scared when it comes down to it what will happen when this is no longer an option.

Last and certainly not least, the ending. Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy do you do this to me Terry? Yeah we on first name basis this time lol Why do you make me think we getting answers and then open up a whole new can of worms? So basically I been waiting for this book since I closed the last one and now I’m waiting on the next one soon as I cut this one off. Why did you give every character in this book a cliff hanger? Why are you mad at me? What did I do? lol And the way each one had a plot twist before it was a cliff hanger is making me crazy. What was the visitor doing there? I’m not gon lie, I listened to that part like 4 times to make sure I heard what I thought I heard. And what they said to someone else?! I was pacing and muttering to myself and everything because of this book lol Lordt just give me the next one already ok?

As far as the narration, it’s a full cast narration. And my Lordt, have you seen the full cast I listed up there? They bodied this book. There is no other way to say this. And the way I thought I heard the author in there and it turns out it WAS him, was pretty cool. I’m so glad I got to read this with my ears. He told me in a comment that the audiobook was “an experience” and he was 100% right.

This book was so good and I can’t wait for the rest of y’all to read this. When I said in my Tiktok I was hiding because the plot was twisting, I meant it. I can’t wait for y’all to pick this up on Tuesday. Tellme what you think about it. I’m dying to talk about this with someone.

This book is just as good as the first one, maybe even better. Loved the representation and the whole world. Super intriguing and fascinating. Brought newer aspects to the world that didn’t drag it down but build upon it from the first one. Can’t wait for the third!

I really enjoyed this book! If you liked the first book I think you'll love this one, and I'm anxiously waiting to hear if/when we'll get the next installment.

Loved the cast reading this story. They did an excellent job and the book is spellbinding. Keeps you on the edge of your seat. Can’t wait for the next book