A generational magic mystery set in New Orleans.

I really enjoyed the family bonds and the mystery that entwined through this book.
Characters face many significant trials and decisions, and the choices they make felt realistic to them and what we know of their personality.

The magic was interesting - needing both the correct ingredients and confidence to work - and I loved the presence of the minor gods and their tattoo identifiers.

For me, the pacing was slightly off. I found the first half of the book a bit slow, and felt that some of the conflict with her ex-best friend was more for the plot of the sequel and didn’t add much to this book.

Overall, I enjoyed Blood Debts and will probably continue the series when the next book is released.

Someone should really turn this into a television series because it would be excellent for that. Blood Debts is the start of a new YA fantasy series set in a magical version of New Orleans. It is a high-drama narrative filled with magic, intergenerational curses, political machinations, and deadly threats.

This is a story that follows the Dupart family, a Black magical family in NOLA that has been torn apart thanks to racism, betrayal, and deceit. 30 years later, twins Clement and Cristina are determined to uncover the truth behind their grandmother’s death while hoping to bring their family back together.

I can’t even begin to describe all of the emotions that I went through while reading this book.

I absolutely loved Clem and Cris even when they were making the dumbest of decisions. I couldn’t help but root for these Black babies to keep them protected at all costs.

There is a lot of drama, many twists and turns that I won't spoil, but this is a very strong debut and a promising start to a series. I could easily see this being adapted by Netflix or the CW and it could be a hit. There were a could minor things that didn't totally make sense, and I think it might have been stronger with fewer perspectives, but overall I really liked this and wouldn't be surprised if a lot of other people do as well. Note that it is on the more mature side of YA due to things like violence and sexuality.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Hodder&Stoughton for providing me with this ARC!

Absolutely gorgeous! Loved every character and love love loved the prose. I cannot wait to read the author's upcoming works!

Really wanted to like this as I had heard such good things but I just don’t think the writing style was for me, and I didn’t love the presentation of magic in this either.

Blood Debts gave me all the messy family drama, and I loved it! The strong sense of family and Clem and Cris’ own sense of community were well done, relatable and one of my favourite aspects of this book alongside the different mystery threads. The magic system was also intriguing and compelling and Benton-Walker’s writing is vivid and immersive that I felt grounded in this magical New Orleans.

I enjoyed Clem and Cris’ individual arcs. Cris’ internal conflict with her magic and guilt (and overcoming it) and discovering more about her grandmother were a pleasure to read about, even though there were times when her decision making irked me. Clem’s vulnerability and openness with Yves was heartwarming, and despite insta-love not being a favourite trope of mine, here it worked well. YA fantasy has a notorious habit of excluding parents, so it was refreshing to read about their love for their parents, the depths they were willing to go to for their mother and to have a prominent Black family aspect.

There were certain aspects that impacted my personal enjoyment and engagement of the story. A lot happens in this book, which definitely kept me turning the page, but for me, events happened too close together and too quickly that it didn’t quite give some of those events time to breathe, for conflicts to be developed in a bit more depth or space for emotional resonance to be explored. There were occasional petty moments that I didn’t always feel were needed. With all that takes place in this book, there were personally too many POVs. Although it took some time for me to be invested in Clem and Cris in the first sections of the book, after that I was rooting for them on their journeys and solving the several mysteries at work.

Blood Debts was an highly enjoyable debut read that sets up well for a sequel.

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for an eARC. All opinions are my own.

I started reading it, loved it and preordered. It's an excellent urban fantasy that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Well plotted, fast paced, interesting characters and world building.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Many thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for giving me the chance to read Blood Debts early! 3/5 ✨

I haven't read fantasy in a while, so I was eagerly waiting to read this book! I ended up having mixed feelings about the story, but Blood Debts was a good read nevertheless. I really enjoyed seeing the journey of Clementine and Christina to get to the bottom of their grandmother's death. The plot was fascinating ~ especially because of the magic system! I liked how the book had a modern setting. I don't think I have read a fantasy set in a contemporary timeline before, so that aspect was refreshing!

What disappointed me about Blood Debts was the irregular pacing. A lot of important events kept happening all at once, so it was difficult to grasp the momentum of the story at times. I also felt like we didn't get to know the characters on a deeper level. The twins were really immature too. I couldn't connect to them properly, and that took away a LOT from me enjoying the story. I was looking forward to the whole *generational trauma and healing* plotline, but it wasn't executed properly either, sadly. :(

Blood Debts had a lot of potential, but felt short for me. I hope I'll enjoy the author's next books more!

This book has a bit of everything - it's magic, murder and mystery, politics and race, romance and family. The story itself is built around generational magic, and a mystery around a race riot thirty years earlier which resulted in a change of the ruling council after several brutal deaths. It picks up with the younger generation, seeking to find the truth about what happened and cement their places in the community.
While the plot is varied and interesting, there are so many threads weaving in and out, and so many characters (across multiple generations!) that it can be hard to keep it all straight. Definitely not a book to pick up when you're tired - you need your full faculties!
An interesting read though, and hopefully there will be a sequel to answer the remaining questions!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a chance to review an e-arc of this book in exchange for an independent review.

One of my most anticipated releases this year but sadly it didn't reach my expectations:/ It still is a great debut and I am glad to have read it (thank you Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley) but there are a few things I didn't like about the writing and story.

The first major one is the pacing, which was a bit choppy in my opinion - for example the part of Clem and Yves' relationship and the arc of Cristina and her relationship with magic. There was so much going on in such little time and none of the plot was fully fleshed out, which is unfortunate because I really did love the concept. I'm usually okay with info dumps but the thing is those info dumps didn't help me whatsoever in understanding the plot? The second one is the characters. Due to the pacing and how quick the plot progresses, the characters also weren't fleshed out as well as I would like and it gave me whiplash on how quick their thoughts would switch up.

Blood Debts has one of the prettiest covers I've ever seen, and an amazing premise, but sadly it didn't deliver on what it was supposed to.

The writing immediately stuck out, and I'm glad to see it's not just me. In most books I don't notice it, it's fine, etc. But in some books it either blows me away with how good it is, or it keeps taking me out of the story with how bad it is.

It's not quite at that level here, but the writing really didn't work for me. Like others have said, it's very immature and kept getting on my nerves.

This book is almost too modern for me? The way the characters speak doesn't really fit into a fantasy novel, even an urban fantasy one.

I liked the setting though, and I wish we saw more of it. I don't think it was used to its full potential.

I also like the magic system, and the plot, even though the latter was predictable. There were two things that surprised me, but neither was a huge plot point.

As for the characters, I'm not sure how I feel about them. I can't say that I liked or disliked anyone, except Aurora who was my favourite.

Clement and Cristina are the main characters who both have PoVs in first person, but we also got PoVs from other characters in third person.

I think the first person ones were written better than the third person ones. In the third person PoVs, the writing style's faults were even more evident, so that made me think that the author was probably more comfortable writing in first.

The ending wrapped up some loose ends, but not all of them, so there'll probably be a sequel in the future. I can't imagine it just ending like this.

Oh, and I have to mention the ONE steamy scene which I wasn't expecting in a YA novel? It's kind of out of nowhere, I don't mind that it's there, but Clement's character didn't seem like he would just up and do that so fast...but yeah that scene was different from the rest of the book.

Bonus points for all the LGBT rep.

*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

3/10

Honestly, this cover was the most reason for me wanting to read this book, and Unfortunately, the cover was the only its had!

I hate writing a negative review and if I didn't receive it from NetGalley (Thank you Hodder & Stoughton), wouldn't say anything about it, and probably drop it!

You may see many positive reviews about it so I strongly encourage you to read those, don't read mine.

The idea was good, white mages, black magicians of New Orleans, an old murder case and a family who lost their dears and want to clear their name.
But...
BUT with a huge B, they are not likable, they are terrible, they fight, there is no respect; Sisters, Cousins, Aunts, and Twins seem to hate each other.
The story is not engaging, the characters are too childish, the end was obvious, ok...
I'll stop!

I think all the gaps can full fill if only I could love the characters. Let me tell you something, I am the only child and always, the relationship between siblings fascinates me, always like to see how they have each other back; AND my mother has two other sisters, they live in 3 different countries, in one case, another continent, however, they are close, kind to each other, really really care...
Why am I telling this?! well, now you know why I didn't like this! People may like arguing and name it "oh, she/he never let anyone pry or interference"
But I prefer reading about people who show love and respect for each other and are loyal, I like reading about siblings who put each other first, so I was sorry this wasn't a book for me, I really tried but NO...

Blood Debts is set in a magical version of New Orleans. Since I read Interview with the Vampire I have been obsessed with New Orleans and it is on my travel bucket list and I love anything set there.

There is a lot held within these pages from a complex magic system to well thought out characters with depth and purpose. Just quickly while talking about the magic system there is an acknowledgement at the end of the book explaining how the magic system was adapted from Afro and AfroLatinx beliefs and I thought it was a nice respectful touch. This book is 416 pages and the story confronts generational trauma, the controversial nature of love spells (love spells are NOT consent people), the very real costs of an eye for an eye (an eye for an eye makes the world blind), and racism.

While there are several perspective from different characters through out this book the main focus is on twins Clement and Christina Trudeau. I felt for the twins, you really can’t help but want to give them a peptalk and just be friends with them. That being said I am probably showing my age dear Reader but it is very clear they are teenagers, they make mistakes we all do, but I may have given them a verbal “Don't! Even think about it" more than once. There is violence in this book, but I will say it was done tastefully and enabled the story to develop rather than the shock factor.

Personally, I think this is a very strong and promising start to a series. A lot could have gone wrong combining so many different elements into a book, but Terry made it work. A must read for magic lovers and people who love New Orleans.

I've never been to America. I'm not entirely sure if I'm interested in visiting America. However, if there's one place in America I'd wanna visit it's the city of New Orleans. I've been falling in love with the city over countless books and tv series and movies. One day I wanna just walk around there. So, when I saw this magical book set in New Orleans on Netgalley I had to request a review copy and I'm glad Hodder & Stoughton granted me one!

In a way this story could have been set anywhere and yet this story can't be set anywhere but in New Orleans. The politics, the magic, the community. It's everything I know New Orleans to be and a little bit more. Because this is very much a story about the black community finally getting the glory and recognition they deserve. This entire book is about justice and in a casual way it's also telling us white people what it's like to be black in this world.

What I absolutely loved about this book is that the characters are so beautifully real. They make mistakes and mess up. They keep secrets. They take risks or refuse to share information. And yet it's easy to understand why they do so. Because we see how afraid they are. We see that they understand that mistakes can have horrible consequences when it comes to magic. And we most of all see how they learn and grow during the story.

I also loved the magic in this story. It's clearly rooted in well known rituals and ceremonies even though a lot of it is made up too. The magic has rules and yet it never becomes stifling. Characters are free to experiment and try and see where their limits are. The author also shows us beautifully how magic in itself isn't bad or wrong, not even the worst kinds of magic. Because sometimes even the worst forms of magic can be used out of love.

I'm sure this isn't the last book starring these characters and this world, since there are still some unanswered questions. I can't wait to discover what's gonna happen next!

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

I was so intrigued when I came across this book on NetGalley! Blood Debts is about a magical family that got dethroned thirty years ago. It just so happens that this family is currently highly dysfunctional with all sorts of drama with Clem and Cris at the reigns as our two main characters. A murder mystery team is assembled as they try to find out the truth about what happened thirty years ago in order to survive the dangers of today.

As a white person, I'm not part of the intended audience perhaps, but I'm just here to provide my unbiased thoughts.

I really, really, really liked Blood Debts! I loved the magic system that is inspired by Voodoo and the hierarchies in the story. I thought it was well-thought out and well-fleshed out. I was never left wondering about something because an answer was directly or indirectly given to me, and I loved how easy it was to understand the complex nuances in the world-building.

Cris, one of our main characters, is tenacious and loyal, devoted to her brother and mother. She always pushed forward with an admirable strength, despite the enormous guilt she was drowning herself in. Clem, the other main character, was relatable and very likable. His coping mechanisms to use humor to deal with quite stressful situations made me feel seen as the portrayal of his anxiety did. According to my experience with anxiety, I found that the representation of anxiety was excellent and very similar to mine. It was very authentic, and I appreciated it a lot. However, I think his character description was misleading in the summary. He messed around with guys but it's not like he hooked up with half of New Orleans. What I found jarring was that we went from him fooling around with guys to meeting Yves by accident, a guy he suddenly remembered he had a crush on and couldn't get out of his head. In addition, I'm a very private person, and I just didn't understand why Clem was so obsessed with "investigating" Ursula's past. Don't get me wrong; it was helpful to the plot later on, and Ursula needed some resolution, but at the moment he was investigating he didn't know any of this. It felt to me like he was too curious and wanted to know his aunt's secrets, and that didn't sit well with me personally. And although I understand that the Yves character arc gives way to Book Two, I just: whyyyyy, why make my Yves hurttttt

As I said earlier, their family is dysfunctional with all sorts of drama, and for me, it was a bit too much. Much of the drama was just pettiness that could be resolved with "We're different people but let's get along in order to survive". Enter a comment about someone's belly that bordered into "This is insulting" territory and a YA-spoken language I haven't encountered (I repeat, I'm a white European), reading the book left me thinking that this could have been much better.

Despite my few critical points, I did enjoy this book a lot.

In any case, Nic Stone's blurb is so amazingly accurate: 'Intricately woven threads of magic, intergenerational trauma, and well-placed social commentary'. These three elements were outstanding and stole the show by a longshot. The social commentary was brilliantly-placed and necessary given the tremendous intergenerational trauma the book explored. It was thought-provoking and evocative.

If a book two is released, I will definitely read it. And when the author publishes another book, I'll definitely read that, too.

Blood Debts is a gorgeously intricate and nuanced story that will captivate readers.

PS
If you liked the background of Legendborn's root magic, you'll like this book, too!

Blood Debts is one of the most intriguing YA fantasies I have read for a while.

I am always such a character-driven reader and Cris and Clem were two characters that I fell utterly in love with. Cris’ character arc over the course of the book is just brilliant to witness. I love watching a woman come into her power once more, especially coupled with some feminine rage. She is very confident and headstrong, but learns her vulnerabilities and starts to reconnect with her passions. Clem was someone I instantly adored, charismatic and persuasive but with a loving heart. His arc is one that really hit home for me. Benton-Walker really digs into grief and the desperate lengths to which we will go to in order to protect our loved ones. This is a book that hinges on the central question of justice and vengeance. What costs would we bear upon ourselves and how far would we go to seek what is rightfully ours?

This has such an incredible magic system and power dynamics. Every page is dripping in tension and suspense, be that the present calamity or the historical events that have set everything in motion. I enjoyed how this was a mesh of fantasy, mystery and a dash of romance. The central whodunnit and whydunnit plot lines kept me hooked and the pacing of these was spot on. Benton-Walker keeps you guessing with plenty of brilliant plot twists. I think these especially thrived in the deeply personal revelations, with unexpected character connections and hidden motivations that upend everything. It sets up such a fascinating clash that I am sure will unfold over however many more books Benton-Walker wants to write. All I know is that I will definitely be keeping an eye and picking up the next book.

Blood Debts kickstarts what promises to be a bloody and brilliant new YA series.

In a nutshell? The ideas are good, but the writing is not good enough to do them justice.
The characters were shallow and underdeveloped, the plot was confusing, and the stakes were all over the place - there were moments of levity within quite serious moments, and then shocking violence amidst periods of calm. And not enough New Orleans either!
I would love to see this adapted into a TV show though, with a more tightly written plot and well rounded characters.

Thank you, Netgalley and Hodder & Stroughton for an advance copy in exchange for a honest review.

On paper this book was everything I wanted, New Orleans setting, diverse black rep and tackles a bunch of important issues from race, grief and consent, it quite quickly got added to my most anticipated reads of the year. Whilst it started out strong, I quickly found the pettiness of a lot of the characters including the adults draining to read. Im a massive fan of YA books (and is probably 80% of my reading) but this was particularly YA in its writing despite the consent use of the F word-not a bad thing but something to note.

There are a lot of convenient plot lines that set up the book which continue throughout. Which either made the story kind of predictable at times. The whole story takes place across a 2 week timeline so the love story side of it felt very rushed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced copy of this book.

I am sorry to say that this was not my book. The writing was decent and the story was interesting. It was too slow for me though to really enjoy it, and I felt really old while reading this for some reason.

The magic was complicated and the love interest a bit rushed. Overal the writing was decent but it’s not for me.

Gonna be honest, it's been a while since a book let me down so spectacularly as this one. I feel so bad for saying that! While I was initially so excited for a magic mystery set against the backdrop of New Orleans, I ultimately didn't enjoy this book.
From the less that mediocre writing to the over abundance of bland characters. This book had the simutanious problem of nothing of note happening and yet still having too much going on to the point where I forgot what the characters are even meant to be working towards. I really didn't feel like I could buy into any of the characters themselves either. They all felt underdeveloped. I espeically didn't like the insta-love aspects of Clem's relationship and how he literally turned to necromancy for a guy he'd known barely two weeks.
If I wasn't so effected by how dissapointed I am with this book, I probably wouldn't remember anything about it in a month or two from now.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'Blood Debts' by Terry J. Benton-Walker.

This was on my anticipated reads because of the concept and this gorgeous cover. I will stay firm in my belief that this concept by Benton-Walker is gorgeous and its a 10/10 but I just didn't enjoy the book itself. Sadly, I wish I did. I don't know why, I just didn't get into the book as much as I thought I would hence the 3. Maybe in another life, it'll be the book for me.