I think my experience with this book comes down to unmet expectations. Based on the cover and synopsis, I thought this book was going to be a deep dive into old New Orleans magic. I was surprised when I realized it was contemporary. I probably would not have requested this ARC if I had a better picture of the content.

In terms of things I enjoyed, I loved the way that anxiety had a presence in the story and there was a positive representation of mental illness. I appreciated that Terry J. Benton-Walker normalized anxiety and going to therapy.

The magic system was confusing. I felt that more time could have been spent exploring the magic and where it comes from. I honestly could have done without some of the POVs. I guess that comes back to my hope for this book. I wanted to love this book but the pacing issues, unexplained magic, and overabundance of POVs made it difficult to read. I didn't care about Clem or Cris (or any of the other characters honestly). They seemed incredibly immature, even for teenagers.

I think that there will be people that truly love Blood Debts! Unfortunately, I'm not one of them. I enjoy a lot of YA, but this one was maybe too young for me. Younger readers will likely enjoy it more than I did.

Thank you to TOR Teen and NetGalley for an ARC of Blood Debts!

Final Rating: 3.5

I’m not sure how I feel about this book. On one hand, I love the magi and the messages t his book has, and I can tell the author put their heart(and rage) into this book and I love it for those reasons. However, the pacing was off and I found myself just wanting things to get to the point a bit faster. The characters kept going from point A to point B and back and forth, with not a whole lot actually occurring as far as the plot goes, and I feel like more could’ve been accomplished if it was cut down to one trip to get information rather than to a boat and back home to research. Then back to the boat and back to research. I also think that for me and the age I’m at now, this read a title too young for me and I couldn’t get a grasp on how old the characters actually were. I liked how fleshed out the twins were, although I disliked Clem’s POV. The side characters though felt really flat and I couldn’t even tell you the names of all the aunts because some of them don’t actually have anything to do with the story. Finally, this is listed everywhere as a standalone, but it reads like the first in a series and leaves on a cliffhanger and there are so many plot threads that aren’t wrapped up that I ended up pretty frustrated by the end.Although the big climax at the end was pretty satisfying. It’s a book full of contradictions for me, and I’m not sure how I feel overall.

Blood Debts is an interesting story. I love the alternate reality Louisiana. Reading from different characters perspectives helps build the story and leaves you ready to see what happens with the character from the previous chapter. Clem and Christina are typical teenagers who love their family but also think the world revolves around them. The magic system is fresh and uniquely American. I love the humanity of the Gods in the book. The mystery kept me wanting to read and find out who was behind everything. Please tell me our author is busy writing the sequel. I need to know Clems fate. The voice actor for Christina had me thinking of Riley from the Boondocks when she would do Clems part.

So I am not quite sure how I feel about this book. I love the idea of generational magic. I also love the idea that there are different types of magic not just one. As always with magic though working together with all the different styles can be difficult. I also love Christina and Clement as separate individuals and their personalities. Yet something was lacking from this book that really drew me all the way in and kept me engaged. The cliff hanger leaves me wanting to read more, but at the same time I could leave this world and be okay. I do think the story will resonate with some readers but I am not sure I am that reader. I will have to ponder it some more.
Thank you so much to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Intergenerational curses and potential massacres should be enough to keep you interested in this. There are multiple POVs so the pacing can take sometime to get used to, but it's worth it!

Thank you NetGalley and Tor for the advanced copy of this book!

Blood debts was a very interesting book. The magic system and racial divide within those systems was a powerful statement. I loved the intricate background and world building that was provided. However, the writing itself felt entirely too young for me. It could be because I’m old? But some of the dialogue was so forced and juvenile that I had a hard time with it. Don’t get me wrong, I’d recommend it to folks but it aged me.

Thank you to the publisher for an ARC of Blood Debts!
I loved this book and thought it was the perfect mix of magic, fun, and drama, while grounded in a way that I love! Intertwined into a world of fantasy world-building, are the very present realities of systemic racism and family dynamics.
I have seen a lot of reviews mentioning the twins as unlikeable, but I love a messy main character, and they're teens! Be messy my darlings!
I enjoyed reading this as an adult but if I were a teen I can imagine the obsession would have been very real!

Blood Debts was not at all what I had expected when I went into it. It was much darker and devious and I was pleasantly surprised. There was so much scheming for power and not everyone was who they seemed, which made me feel unsure of who to trust. I enjoyed trying to figure out who was behind the curse and who was in league with whom.

I loved the world building and magic system. I think both twins’ characters were well-developed and full of flaws which made me care for them even more.

I also really enjoyed the political aspect the push to control magic users and I am very anxious to see how that plays out in the sequel.

Thank you so much to Tor Teen and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I really liked the south gothic, New Orleans vibe. Blood Debts jumps right into a fast moving plot dealing with family history and magic. Defiantly leans more YA. Great job with anxiety and mental health representation. Also the cover art is beautiful.

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Blood Debts is such a beautifully written YA fantasy. The world-building is outstanding. The story is well written with an enchanting storyline and well-developed characters that engage from start to finish. The world is atmospheric and feels real with vivid descriptions and rich imagery. I cannot get enough. Highly recommended. Be sure to check out Blood Debts today.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Teen for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Young adult twins Cristina and Clement struggle to find themselves, heal from their shared trauma, and protect their family as magical politics threaten those they hold dear. This novel is a celebration of family and its complex dynamics and contains a sweet queer love story at its center. It is set in the rich history of New Orleans and it has enough sprinkled throughout to make one yearn to visit.

I enjoyed the characters; they were all deeply complex people and contained their own thoughts, goals, and fears rather than just feeling like secondary characters. Clem's struggles with anxiety and intrusive thoughts were wonderful representations and Cris' guilt in her grief was also very realistic. However, most of the adults seem distinctly not helpful and the weight of the plot rests entirely on the two young adults. The history within the story was wonderful and I greatly enjoyed the mystery. I adored the lore, the ancestors, the gods, and the magic.

My biggest complaint was the pacing. There were also a few times that things happened because the plot needed it to and it seemed a bit too convenient. The middle of the book drags a bit and the ending seemed rushed and slightly incomplete (so I hope there will be a sequel). The revenge plot isn't as satisfying so much as it is vaguely sad given that we are given glimpses into the 'villains' with their own POV chapters. It was difficult to root for the main characters at times given that. I suppose it suits the story being more nuanced, but I'm not sure if that was intended.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. I loved the generational magic and the lore contained within the story that is tied to the history of New Orleans.

I actually really wanted to like this, but unfortunately the writing was too immature and basic for me to be able to enjoy it. Very disappointing since the cover and synopsis were really promising.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

An absolutely stunning and magical debut I was enraptured from start to finish! Cannot wait for the sequel!!

The representation in this is excellent in its discussion of mental health, trauma, systemic racism, LGBTQ+ romance, and family dynamics, and I love the introduction of a new magic system; however, the book feels bloated in an effort to cover all of these topics. For me, it became tough to engage with the story because of how much the book jumps from one plot point and theme to another.

While I wish the execution had been better, I do appreciate the topics the book covers, and for that alone I'd recommend trying it.

Blood debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker
“Our family can’t peacefully coexist in the same room for five minutes. We’re all going to die.”
~~
Y’all, 30 (or so) year old murder mystery, New Orleans magic, family, representation, “payback is a witch.” I ate this book up!!
Murder mysteries aren’t really my cup of tea, but this one flavor made me drink the who thing. (Don’t judge me for my words.)
Let’s also point out the fact that how much Benton-Walker brought to light the amount of social injustice. There is a lot to unpack in the this book. It maybe fictional but we got a lot of realism here yall.
But I finished this in a day. I loved the FMC coming into her power, and then that cliffhanger. Yeaa, that was… Imma need to be reassured that there will be a second book. Cause that ending!!
🩸Blood Debts releases April 4,2023! Preorder now! 🩸

A super fun AND thoughtful YA fantasy. It reminded me of the witches of The Originals, so if you've ever been into the TVDU, this book will be a perfect read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The story follows 16 year old twins Clement and Cristina Trudeau. The twins are still dealing with the death of their father when their mother starts to fall ill. After finding out the real reason their mother was sick the twins come together to work to reconcile their family that has become estranged. before this Clem was embracing his family’s magical powers while Cris wanted nothing to do with them. I was instantly drawn to this book because of it being in New Orleans. I did enjoy the story and the fact that it’s left open that there could be a second book.

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillon-Tor/Forge Publishing for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

First I would like to thank Netgalley and Macmillian Publishers for sending me this e-arc in return for an honest review.

Honestly this book was for me, the pacing of the writing wasn't my style, the bickering between the two siblings was frustrating. And what seemed to be promising storyline did not hold up for me. If all the writing was hard to get into it most of all.

I was so excited to read this book and it definitely did not disappoint. I enjoyed everything about this book: the characters, the atmosphere, the magic and the mystery. It all accumulated together to create an incredibly interesting story.

I especially appreciated Benton-Walkers take on magic and I loved the setting of New Orleans. Clem and Cris were such interesting characters and although I didn't always agree with their decisions; I was still rooting for them to succeed. You also had some classic characters you just love to hate (*cough cough* Lenora and Valentina) so it's just so satisfying when they get finally get their comeuppance. I will say the story ended on a but of a cliff hanger so I am now anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.

Blood Debts was a fantastical YA debut with lots to love and lots to look forward to. Can't wait to see where this story goes!

Honestly this book was really difficult to get into. I was so excited to read it because of all the representation and diversity however there was so much going on I was confused. I could not focus and what was happening and it was like a brain overload. There was also a lot of unnecessary moment that could have been taken out. I am so sad because I really wanted to enjoy this book