TW// <spoiler> racism, murder, lynching, gore, anxiety, depression, grief, homophobia, mentions of bullying, mentions of drug overdose, car accidents, death of parents, brief mention of sex trafficking, sexual assault (including the magical equivalent of drugging), mention of underage drug use, underage alcohol use, mention of cheating, brief child abuse scene (father hitting son), brief domestic violence scene (wife slapping husband) </spoiler>

I feel bad for not liking this book. It’s clear that Terry J. Benton-Walker put a lot of time, effort, and love into creating this book. However, I found that Blood Debts just did not work for me.

My biggest issue with this book was how it was both too slow and too fast at the same time. There were tons of intricate plotlines that wove together in complex ways. It made it so that a lot of action was happening and you had to keep track of every little detail. This should’ve made the story really fast paced and to some extent it did, but then the writing style came in and slowed everything down. The writing was dull and it constantly dragged. I kept yawning from how slow and boring the book was. I really needed the fastness and the slowness to come together in a way that would make the pacing enjoyable for me, but it didn’t do that at all.

I hated all of the characters in Blood Debts except for Aurora but her time in the book is so tiny that it couldn’t save the story for me. Most of the chapters are from Cris and Clem’s perspectives. I found both of them to be unlikeable. They constantly fought over petty things and their arguments made me angry. I wish they would’ve just stopped trying to win every fight so that they could work through their issues and become close again. I had an issue with Clem’s romance, too. He talks a lot about not wanting to have sex because he wants to meet the right person, but then he decides to have sex with someone he’s been dating for less than a week. It didn’t make sense at all. There were also some POV chapters from some extremely terrible side characters. It was hard to read those chapters. I hated all of the other characters besides Aurora as well. I kept hoping that some of them would redeem themselves and become more likeable, but unfortunately none of them did.

There were way too many loose ends in this book for my liking. If this had been marketed as a series, I would’ve been okay with it, but as of writing this review, Blood Debts currently appears to be a standalone. I wanted resolutions to Zac, Yves, Auguste, Valentina, and Jacquelyn’s story arcs. The story left with unsatisfying conclusions for these characters and it even went so far as to leave the book on a cliffhanger. I hope this book gets a sequel so that fans of Blood Debts won’t be left without satisfying conclusions to all the different plotlines.

There was a lot that I hated in this book, but there was one positive thing I liked: the treatment of mental health problems. There are characters in this book who use anti-anxiety meds and who go to therapy. While the mentions of therapy and anxiety med usage only take up a small portion of this book, I’m glad that Terry J. Benton-Walker attempted to normalize these topics, especially since the primary audience for his book is teens.

I hope that this book will find an audience that loves it and can appreciate the work that Terry J. Benton-Walker put into writing the story, but I am not part of that audience and I did not enjoy my time reading Blood Debts.

<i> Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an eArc of this book. </i>

On paper, this book is everything I would want to read. A fantasy novel about a Black family set in New Orleans and rooted in the history of the city with a bit of mystery sounds like such a great book and something that would really interest me. When reading it though, it fell flat. I did not realize it was set in modern times when I first got the book and then it was an urban fantasy where magic is known and that is never a facet of a book I enjoy. I personally prefer if is is urban fantasy that the magic be part of a hidden world in some way. Nevertheless, I tried to persevere and really dive into this book but when you fundamentally do not enjoy a trope it is hard to enjoy the book. I think it is well written and well-crafted with intriguing plot points and mystery, but it is simply not the book for me.

I really loved this book. It was thoughtfully constructed and really enmeshed you in the world. It was sometimes difficult to read, but given the subject matter it should be. And yet, it wasn't a copy paste of the real world conflicts that are ongoing. I would absolutely recommend this book to teens and adults. Cris and Clement are deeply intriguing characters and I hope to see them return in a sequel!

This was a nice easy story with a surprise ending. I could definitely see a sequel coming from it. Not exactly a page turner, but did keep you reading to find out who really did it.

I think this book was compelling and interesting enough for me to finish it, but had some major flaws in my opinion. My biggest personal issues were that there were too many characters, too many plot lines, and some of the language chosen was very modern and slang-y, which I just don’t personally love. It was definitely hard to follow at times and I don’t think I could make every character and their role in the story because there was simply too much going on to fully ingest the story. I thought about DNFing it a few times but in the end there was enough going on to lead me to the end. I believe this is the first in a series, so I can forgive it not wrapping up as neatly as I would have liked, but I don’t think I’ll keep going with it.

I went into this expecting to love it and instead I am annoyed. This has so much potential but I think it needed more time being edited. I did get an ARC so *maybe* some things were fixed but it needed a lot. The writing was very clunky and not cohesive. Some of it was overly descriptive and others too simple. I read a good amount of YA & YA fantasy and I almost always understand the teenage motivations and mistakes because there is usually a reason. A good amount of naivete is expected but there was so much here that I was rolling my eyes and muttering "duh" at their little revelations. Like <spoiler> "my boyfriend I totally love is totally using me and it is so obvious but it's good my twin brother isn't getting involved with anyone because he doesn't need the drama". Really? Really? And guess what - boyfriend was totally using her. “I find it kinda fishy Lenora gave testimony against our grandmother and then took over the throne she helped her lose.” They never suspected that their grandma might have been set up until now?? </spoiler> And the big plot reveals had the same effect. Like <spoiler> The dead body went missing and he is in his lover's house after necromancy is just explained. </spoiler> Cris & Clem are supposed to be 16, but that age just doesn't make sense with the lack of parental involvement through the story. Marie doesn't appear neglectful, just nowhere to be seen. Almost like a Disney show - the parents come out for life lessons and to provide funny one-liners and then the kids otherwise do whatever they want. Why not just make the kids 18? The ending leaves a lot of loose ends and last minute reveal without conclusion so this must be setting up for a sequel or series. This also left me annoyed at the end. I kept reading to see how it was all going to come together since the basic premise and magic system were interesting. Now I have expectations for another book - maybe, someday? *sigh*

E-ARC generously provided by Tor Teen via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!

4 stars. Both gritty and gorgeous in its exploration of magic in a contemporary setting, Blood Debts is a solid contemporary fantasy that is a promising debut from an author I am sure to look out for in the future.

2.5 stars
I received an advanced copy from netgalley in exchange for feedback.

What I Liked
The author kept me hooked and turning the page. It was an interesting read. I loved the magic in a modern, urban setting, especially in New Orleans. I also liked the different types of magic; it's a unique type of magic system. A good set up for the series, but I'm not sure if I'll continue reading.
The ending surprised me in the fact that it didn't hold back and try to make things PG.

What I Disliked
The different POVs. I only liked Clem's and was annoyed by the others, especially his sister's. (her whining)
A lot of the book felt under developed/half-baked: the plot, worldbuilding, and romance. I wasn't buying a lot of it.
The plot: it felt predictable and it was a mystery, but NOT a mystery b/c everyone knew what was up. So the ending felt a little flat/anti-climatic for me.

I feel awful. Every other reviewer I know who got this one early has absolutely loved it. I am just not in the majority. I really wanted to like. The writing was really well thought out and the messages were really hard hitting. I just couldn't connect that well with the characters. I'm not sure if that has to do with my reading tastes or my age. I think that this one just wasn't my cup of tea. However the story was good and the writing was very great for a debut author. I've definitely read some really bad debuts. This was a good book but just not for me anymore. My tastes are different so I just didn't connect well. But if your looking for YA magical stories set in New Orleans look no further, this is for you.

The cover of this book was beautiful, and this book was originally already on my to read list, but thank you netgallery for giving me an arc so I could get a head start. I love the concept of magic in books and the addition of BPOC/LGBT representation was amazing, This is more of a personal problems, but the beginning was a little slow for me, but it definitely picks up once I got further in because I love the drama, There are a little too many characters/POVs so I got a little lost along the way with so much Info but otherwise it was a nice read.

**I received an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.**

Terry J Benton-Walker presents Blood Debts, a YA contemporary fantasy centered on generational magic. Using a magic system inspired by Voodoo, Benton-Walker builds a story that highlights family, betrayal, and a quest for justice. Readers follow twins Clem and Cristina as they seek to discover the truth about the deaths of their father and grandmother even as they discover an ongoing threat to their mother's life.

Benton-Walker crafted the magic system with care, mindful to keep the story entertainment-minded rather than in any way devaluing the sacred practices the magic is inspired by. Even the gods presented were treated with equal care. The ways that various characters interact with magic was appreciated rather than keeping the views more surface level as is commonly seen in YA.

I also appreciated that the queerness depicted was casual and accepted without issue. Clem and his various love interests along with queer characters of earlier generations (Jean-Louise and Rosalie) were never questioned by their families, though Clem faced some issues in school earlier in his life. Clem and Yves were among my favorite characters in the book, in part from the sheer joy of having them share a page.

While there is so much of Blood Debts to enjoy, I, unfortunately, also found that a good portion of the book fell a bit flat for me. The pace of Clem and Christina's investigations had no real drive, even when there were meant to be lives at risk. As such, I found myself putting the book down for days at a time and forgetting to pick it back up. There was nothing I particularly disliked about this story, but nothing that really gripped me either. Ultimately, the big culmination point, the "unmasking" sort of situation, felt lackluster and a bit like a hurried tidying of loose ends.

I am left feeling generally positive about my reading experience, and pleased that there is a lot of room for Benton-Walker to continue Clem and Cristina's stories. I would certainly still recommend this work to interested readers, and look forward to the author's future works.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 4/5 stars.

It took a while to get into it, but then I couldn't put it down. I liked how it alternated between Cris and Clem as they set out to settle what are ultimately blood debts. The magical society is integrated into New Orleans (and the world?) and the relationships are well done. I also liked the side plots each of the siblings had. There were some POV chapters from other characters that probably weren't needed....but I felt myself slowly engrossed with the story as it unfolded. There's trickery and hexes and moonlight magic and it's really, really well done especially when the generational magic is tied into Blackness and ancestors.

It's left pretty wide open at the end, so I'm assuming there are more books coming. The plot in this book is tied up by the end, a classic whodunnit plot, but there are a LOT of ways the story is left open for more.

Let me start this off with one sentence: If I were younger and a teen, this book would be so fun. Sadly, as I go through my 30s, I just find a hard time getting into YA books. BUT.
This book was good. The thing that pulled me in was the cover. But also the synopsis.
Clem & Cris are twin siblings living in a world where Generational magic exists. The first chapter right away pulled me in. It's a very interesting world and truthfully, the "news article" that starts off the story had me invested pretty quickly.
I didn't find it hard to understand what was going on at all which was great considering so many stories in my opinion struggle to pull you in. Things did start to slow down a bit for me and dragged some. But a lot of books can do that so I don't really count it as a negative.
My only real issues came from the characters themselves. I get it, Clem & Cris are teens, but there were some instances where they just come off very childish but then other times where they come off almost older than they are? If that even makes sense. Some characters really blended together for me. Personalities were too similar. Or I just had a hard time trying to figure out who the person really was other than just someone who showed up.
The author did a great job I think at getting you to dislike Valentina super early on and girl, I was raging about her. If you can hate the bad person so early into a book, it really helps things carry on!
This definitely seems like the first book in a series and while it may not be perfect, I look forward to more. I always enjoy when series only get better as they go.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!

I haven’t read a YA fantasy in a while and I’m glad I picked this one. The story revolves around Cristina and Clement who committed a murder, but not the logistics of how. It was quite different than a typical fantasy or a typical mystery novel. Unfortunately, the speed in some parts is pretty slow, causing me to want to skip ahead. Grief is a heavy with grief but the author writes it well. I was not a fan of the narration used because it was difficult to discern who wrote what section. Overall, this book had beautiful magic and mystery and I would recommend it to others

Thank you NetGalley for the early copy. All reviews are my own.

Plot: 8/10
This was a great combination between magical realism and mystery, bringing in healthy elements of each. The magic played a real and necessary role in the story, but it never overshadowed how important unraveling the mystery was. It was also a little unique in that the question wasn't who but how and why. Clement and Cristina know from the get-go who committed the murder, they just need to prove it to the public.

I also really like the magic of this story. It felt just more down-to-earth than the sweeping, dramatic spells that typically come with fantasy. There's a lot of detail about how certain spells work and how components contribute to that, and it feels like the author is familiar with the practice, or at least did a lot of research. The take on gods and their interactions with humans is also quite refreshing. The gods are involved in human life in a way I don't often seen in fantasy, with them appearing in bars and on people's doorsteps. Still, they don't lose the power and otherworldliness that would typically be associated with a deity.

One thing that I found difficult about this book was a general lack of urgency. While there are many great scenes with good tension, the moments were Clem and Cris are just researching or talking or anything, the momentum stalls. This is mostly because while this is a very important thing to the twins, there is ultimately no time limit. They aren't trying to get ready for an event or beat the clock on a spell or anything like that. As such, the tension, which is quite good in individual scenes, is lost in the in-between moments.

Characters: 8/10
Cristina and Clement are twins and share most of the narration, but they're pretty distinct in terms of personality. They have different ideologies concerning a lot of things, such as magic and morality, which generates a lot of conflict. Cristina was my personal favorite, just because I found her guilt and flexible morality quite interesting, and her arc felt complete. Not that I didn't like Clem, I just prefer my protagonists willing to commit murder, though he seems on his way by the end of the book. The way this book deals with grief is quite good, and Clem bears the brunt of it.

My favorite side character was probably Valentina. Don't get me wrong, I despised her, but I found her to be a great character with a lot of insight into the other side of things. I'm really interested to see how she develops in the next book considering what she's going through at the moment. Jean-Louise, who gets one chapter from his perspective, is incredibly complex, but it doesn't seem like we'll be getting more of him, which sucks. The other perspective side character, Zachary, can rot in hell, I don't want to see anything about him.

While I appreciated how complicated things were in Cris and Clem's family, I feel like it isn't addressed enough. Their mother and aunts have been estranged for quite a while, and while this is only the first book, Mama and Aunt Ursula have a reconciliation that seems rushed. I also feel like the only aunt I really know is Ursula—the rest are barely there.

Writing Style: 6/10
The writing itself didn't particularly stand out to me. There was nothing bad about it, but nothing took my breath away either. I think there's a good balance between the more archaic, flowery writing associated with magic and fantasy and the modern, casual speech of today. There are very few pop culture references, and they are kept vague enough that it won't date the material. I think the pacing was good; other than those stalls I mentioned earlier, the build is steady and feels like a natural progression.

My major gripe is probably the style of narration, in that it has little variation. While Cris and Clem are very distinct in terms of personality, their narration is very similar. I often found myself flipping back to the chapter title to check who was speaking or checking which twin was actually getting called by their name since it was in first person. My final issue is with the texting. There is no indication as to who is sending which text, and sometimes people were double- or triple-texting, and I basically had to make educated guesses as to who was speaking.

Meaning: 8/10
This book isn't as focused on modern issues as other contemporary stories are, but it by no means ignores it. Cris and Clem are Black, which affects their day-to-day lives significantly, and the backdrop of the story is filled with 'Redeemers', those who advocate for regulating magic. Gen (generational) magic is specifically a Black practice, born from necessity during American slavery. White people have their own magic, light and shadow magic, but the desire of certain white characters to be involved in gen magic plays a huge role in the story, especially how gen magic is targeted more than light or shadow.

My one issue is that I can't really pinpoint how the author wants us to feel about the Redeemers. It is an obvious issue that their efforts are the result of a long-ago murder of a white woman (that ended in a lynching) and inordinately targets gen magic. However, direct comparisons are drawn between it and gun control, which makes me inclined to support at least some restrictions, especially considering how magic is utilized for truly horrible means in this book. The characters never outright say how they feel about the Redeemers, but it seems to be mostly negative, which I am hesitant to side with.

Overall: 8/10
I think this is a good book. The plot is interesting with a unique take on magical realism, the main characters are complex, and it addresses some important issues with magic as a stand-in for all kinds of cultural practices. I have my issues, mostly with the lack of urgency, narration, and unclear message, but they are by no means dealbreakers. The cliffhanger is attention-grabbing, definitely enough to get a reader to want to read the next book, and I just love Cristina so much. This book comes out on April 4th, so be sure to give it a shot!

Blood Debts is a really great debut novel. Chris and Clem are complex and dynamic main characters. I really liked the magic system in the story. The books is rooted in the story of their family dealing with racism and generational trauma. I flew through this book and can’t wait to get the next installment. I will be getting a physical copy of this book when it is released because I really want this one on my bookshelf!

A purely magical YA fantasy full of family history and magic. This novel was so good and I loved the setting in New Orleans.

I think this was a good book, wrong person situation. I expected more of a historical fantasy set in New Orleans, and the immediate use of modern day language and slang threw me for a loop. However, I think if you go in with the right expectations, this could be a great book!

I have so many mixed feelings after finishing this book. This is this authors debut novel and there was a lot to unpack in these pages.

This story mainly follow twins Clement & Christine as they are navigating life following their dads death and a family that has been torn about by murder and secrets. Their lives are filled with magic whether they like it or not.

Given the way this book ended this is sure to be the start of a continued series. I loved the magic in this world and the characters themselves it was hard not to like them and see them come to life on the pages. I enjoyed the importance’s placed on family and bringing them back together. I loved Yves & Clement & my heart ached for them so bad.

What is not clicking with me at the end of this book as I sit here and reflect is there were so many great ideas and plot points but i was just too much for this to be book 1 in the series. It was so hard to keep up and things that started off so interesting fell flat for me. The climax I felt like was so rushed. I just think a lot of the stuff that was jam packed in this book could have been stretched out across the series. Like book 1 could have been stretched to book to to give time to develop everything more.

I still enjoyed it and will be checking out book 2 to see where this goes because that ending had me like what??

Let’s start with the things I liked:

I felt like the twins were both incredibly likable and their humanity was at the center of every decision they made. They both love really hard (each other, their mother, their family). I liked that they each had their own journey. And I would really like to continue along with their stories and find out where things are headed in a sequel.

I didn’t love how rushed the ending felt. Some things just felt sort of unexplained in the last few chapters. I wanted a little bit more world building as far as the magic systems and the history of the different types of magic. Maybe a book 2 can do that?

Overall it was a fun read and I really enjoyed the New Orleans culture and style that permeated the story and the ties of the family.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.