A review by tanya_tate
Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

 Book Stats 
Stars: 4.5Stars 
Start Date: 04/12/24 
Ending Date: 04/30/24 
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy 
Form: E-Arc/ Audiobook 
Page Count: 416 
Publishing Date: 04/04/23 
Point of View: Dual 1st Person, 3rd person 
Setting: New Orleans, La 

My Blog: https://tanyasreading.wordpress.com/2024/05/13/blood-debts-by-terry-benton-walker/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6037376035

  Thank you Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for the Audiobook Arc exchange for an honest review. 

Blood Debts is about twin 16 year magical siblings, Christina and Clement Traudeu, who are caring for their sick mom after the tragic death of their father. They made a discovery after a doctor visit that she wasn’t sick at all but was cursed by a person who does Generational Magic. As they trying to figure out who cursed their mother, that are unraveling the secrets of a 30 year old murder which took their lives of their grandparents who was killed by a lynch mob of a murder they didn’t commit. It all comes ahead as they figure out not only the secret they took from their grandparents and who cursed their mom but who stole their grandmother’s throne as the head of the Generational Council.  As they try to clear their grandmother's name and take everything that was stolen from their family back. 

Love this one for the most part but it needs more world building and political/court intrigue which is why it didn’t get a full five stars from me. They are both in the book which are done pretty well for the part but it needs to be more done in explaining the Gen council. It’s the fact it only feels like two families that are actually fighting for the Gen Council throne instead of multiple gen magical families. The author describes this book as the “Black Game of Thrones” but in Game of Thrones, you had multiple families fighting for the Iron Throne. Also you had houses allying with each other and also betraying each other to get more power and closer to the throne. It needs to be more of wheeling, dealing and scheming in the second one and not just two families doing it. The formation of the magical system and is explained is solid.  I love how they do incarnations and the fact you have different gods that help them. 

I should have read this one like last year when I had the arc. I really enjoyed the family, magical, mystery and political aspect of it. I always feel like what makes a good book is that if you can take the fantasy out of it and still put it towards real life and relate to it, it is this book. I think any group of people who face adversity can understand this and relate to this book but this book is really a love letter to Black and Queer Community. Certain things in this book you wouldn’t truly understand if you are not a member one or both because it is so deeply rooted in our culture. I am most definitely reading the second one!