Blood Justice - (Blood Debts) by Terry J Benton-Walker

About the Book

Cristina and Clement Trudeau have conjured the impossible: justice.They took back their family's stolen throne to lead New Orleans' magical community into the brighter future they all deserve. But when Cris and Clem restored their family power, Valentina Savant lost everything. Her beloved grandparents are gone and her sovereignty has been revoked--she will never be Queen. Unless, of course, someone dethrones the Trudeaus again. And lucky for her, she's not the only one trying to take them down.

Book Synopsis

Blood Justice is the hotly anticipated sequel to Terry J. Benton-Walker's Most Anticipated debut Blood Debts.

Praise for Blood Debts: "A conjuring of magnificence." --NIC STONE - "A force." --ROSEANNE A. BROWN - "An extravaganza." --CHLOE GONG - "Powerful." --AYANA GRAY - "Sings with hope and rage." --TJ KLUNE - "An unforgettable thrill ride." --J. ELLE - "Steeped in magic." --ALEXIS HENDERSON - "Crackles with mystery and ferocity." --MARK OSHIRO

Cristina and Clement Trudeau have conjured the impossible: justice.

They took back their family's stolen throne to lead New Orleans' magical community into the brighter future they all deserve.

But when Cris and Clem restored their family power, Valentina Savant lost everything. Her beloved grandparents are gone and her sovereignty has been revoked--she will never be Queen. Unless, of course, someone dethrones the Trudeaus again. And lucky for her, she's not the only one trying to take them down.

Cris and Clem have enemies coming at them from all directions: Hateful anti-magic protesters sabotage their reign at every turn. A ruthless detective with a personal vendetta against magical crime is hot on their tail just as Cris has discovered her thirst for revenge. And a brutal god, hunting from the shadows, is summoned by the very power Clem needs to protect the boy he loves.

Cris's hunger for vengeance and Clem's desire for love could prove to be their family's downfall, all while new murders, shocking disappearances, and impossible alliances are changing the game forever.

Welcome back to New Orleans, where gods walk among us and justice isn't served, it's taken.

Most Anticipated from Publishers Weekly, Bookpage, TheGrio, and more!

Review Quotes

"A supernatural force of satisfying fury." -- Kirkus Reviews

Praise for Blood Debts:

"Riveting and relevant." --Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"Steeped in spiritual lore that takes cues from the rich cultural history of the Black diaspora, Walker paints an evocative picture of an enchanted New Orleans as earthly as it is divine." --Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"Benton-Walker creates a fantastical thriller and deftly weaves in historical and current-day social issues, including racism, cultural appropriation, sex work, mental health, and homophobia. A complex and intriguing fantasy that is sure to be popular with teens."--School Library Journal

"Blood Debts takes on issues of racism, intergenerational trauma, assault, and homophobia through the fantastical lens of magical families in conflict, but it also finds joy in the power of reclaiming lost knowledge and rebuilding community." --NPR

"Blood Debts is flooded with Southern culture and a magical system inspired by Afro and Afro-Latinx rituals and practices." --Shelf Awareness

"Fully charged with magic and mystery. Blood Debts is an extravaganza from start to finish, weaving age-old family history alongside the tender feelings of new love. Terry J. Benton-Walker will have you breathless by the end." --Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

"Riveting. Unflinching. Powerful. Truly, a masterful debut." --Ayana Gray, New York Times bestselling author of Beasts of Prey

"Blood Debts is a force and Terry J. Benton-Walker is truly an author to watch." --Roseanne A. Brown, New York Times bestselling author of A Song of Wraiths and Ruin

"Benton-Walker has crafted a narrative that moves as swiftly and, at times, as devastatingly as a forest fire. Blood Debts sings with hope and barely disguised rage. Fantastic from start to finish." --TJ Klune, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Cerulean Sea

"Blood Debts is a beguiling family saga, steeped in magic that's every bit as dark as it is moving." --Alexis Henderson, author of The Year of the Witching and House of Hunger

"A stunningly complicated, delicious family drama that readers are going to devour. Clem and Cristina are beautifully nuanced, real characters, and the world they're in crackles with mystery and ferocity. The real magic is this book--don't let it slip through your fingers." --Mark Oshiro, author of Anger is a Gift

"The intricately woven threads of magic, intergenerational trauma, and well-placed social commentary make it impossible to ignore or deny one very simple truth: even those perceived as the-least-of-these are deserving of true justice." --Nic Stone, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin

"Sharp and searing, Blood Debts is an unforgettable thrill ride bristling with intrigue, magic, and justice. Impossible to put down." --J. Elle, New York Times bestselling author of Wings of Ebony

About the Author

TERRY J. BENTON-WALKER grew up in rural Georgia and now lives in Atlanta with his son, where he writes fantasy and horror for adults, young adults, and children. He has an industrial engineering degree from Georgia Tech and an MBA from Georgia State. When he's not writing, he can be found gaming, eating ice cream, or both. Blood Debts is his first novel. Benton-Walker is also the author of Blood Justice for teens, Alex Wise vs. the End of the World for middle-grade readers, and editor and contributor of The White Guy Dies First anthology.