'Blood Debts' by Terry J. Benton-Walker

'Blood Debts' by Terry J. Benton-Walker - Book Tour & Review

1/30/2023

Continue below to read my review of the book and be sure to click this link - [TOUR SCHEDULE] to check out the rest of the stops on the 'BLOOD DEBTS' book tour brought to you by TURN THE PAGE TOURS, TORTEEN, and TERRY J. BENTON-WALKER!

Blood Debts
Terry J. Benton-Walker

Publisher: TorTeen

Pub Date:
April 4th, 2023

Genre:
YA Fantasy, LGBTQ

Synopsis:

Thirty years ago, a young woman was murdered, a family was lynched, and New Orleans saw the greatest magical massacre in its history. In the days that followed, a throne was stolen from a queen.

On the anniversary of these brutal events, Clement and Cristina Trudeau—the sixteen-year-old twin heirs to the powerful, magical, dethroned family—are mourning their father and caring for their sick mother. Until, by chance, they discover their mother isn’t sick—she’s cursed. Cursed by someone on the very magic council their family used to rule. Someone who will come for them next.

Cristina, once a talented and dedicated practitioner of Generational magic, has given up magic for good. An ancient spell is what killed their father and she was the one who cast it. For Clement, magic is his lifeline. A distraction from his anger and pain. Even better than the random guys he hooks up with.

Cristina and Clement used to be each other’s most trusted confidant and friend, now they barely speak. But if they have any hope of discovering who is coming after their family, they’ll have to find a way to trust each other and their family's magic, all while solving the decades-old murder that sparked the still-rising tensions between the city’s magical and non-magical communities. And if they don't succeed, New Orleans may see another massacre. Or worse.

r e v i e w
rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ (4 / 5 stars)

This book has all the earmarks of a great story.. a family steeped in tragedy, rich culture, a regional setting that always draws my attention, and plenty of societal intrigue. Well-written and moderately-paced, it moves well without leaving the reader behind.

Cris and Clem, the twins at the forefront of the Trudeau family, are both likable, easily relatable characters. Though they have strongly differing opinions at times and tend to bicker like only a brother and sister can, it's easy to see the bond between them. Their priorities align. Family comes first.

Both of the siblings have something they're struggling with and I found them to be sympathetic, but never weak.

The magic system is well thought out, inspired obviously by known ritual magics, but presented in an interesting way. Generational magic is a gift, not a guarantee by birthright. Not everyone can conjure and certainly not as strongly as everyone else, which leaves for some very vengeful rivalries.

The familial warmth is honestly my favorite part of the story. I had really hoped for more of that New Orleans feel, but what little ambience of the fabled city existed.. was a little late to the party for me and not a frequent enough visitor. Though it resulted in me being less immersed and invested, it was still enjoyable.

Photographed by Derek Blanks with CrowdMGT

About the Author:

Terry J. Benton-Walker writes fiction for adults, young adults, and children, which also means he spends a lot of time holed up in coffee shops. Terry is the author of Blood Debts, his magical young adult contemporary fantasy debut, coming from Tor Teen in the US on 4/4/23 and from Hodder & Stoughton in the UK on 4/6/23. Blood Debts is also publishing in Poland with Poznaski and We Need YA Books.

Alex Wise vs the End of the World, Terry’s apocalyptic middle grade contemporary fantasy debut, is also forthcoming from Labyrinth Road/PRH in Fall 2023.

Terry grew up in rural GA and holds a Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech and a Master's in Business Administration from Georgia State. He lives in Atlanta with his husband and son. When he’s not writing, he can be found gaming, eating ice cream, or both.

You can connect with Terry on Twitter (@tjbentonwalker), Instagram (@icecreamvicelord), or his website: https://www.tjbentonwalker.com.

AUTHOR LINKS: TJBENTONWALKER.COM | GOODREADS | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

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