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

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

I received a free copy of this eBook from Netgalley and Tor Teen in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Stars: I loved it

Genre: YA, Urban/Contemporary Fantasy, Horror

TW: Death, SA, Violence, Homophobia

You may like this book if you like:

• American Horror Story: Coven
• The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste
• The Craft (I’ve actually never seen this movie but based on vibes it seems similar)
• Twitches (but make it horror)
• Revenge

Summary: On the anniversary of their ancestors’ bloody dethronement, twin heirs Cristina and Clement, mourn the loss of their father while caring for their sick mother. After their mother is given days to live the two find out that their mother isn’t sick, she’s been cursed. Hellbent on finding the person who cursed their mother, Cristina and Clement undergo an investigation of the magical (literally) community of New Orleans and call in debts that are owed to them.

Thoughts: I devoured this book. I loved the family dynamics in this story. When the story begins, we’re told that the family used to be close but they’re not anymore. The way the book is written I could feel that and I was longing for them to resolve their issues. It’s one thing to be able to write about something present but it’s another to be able to write about the absence of a thing. 

This book brings up a myriad of social issues sometimes using magic as a metaphor and sometimes not. I thought the way the author handled these topics was cleverly done. They were subtle and obvious when necessary.

I’m looking forward to the sequel in April!