BAYOU BLUES is book one in Sierra Dean's new Genie
McQueen
series, a spin-off from the Secret McQueen series that I
love. Genie is Secret's little sister, and we've seen her
in action before in the wonderful urban fantasy setting of
Secret McQueen, where snarky witches and vampires butt up
against werewolves.
Because this series focuses on Genie,
who is attending university in New Orleans, this book
feels
more Young Adult UF than the Secret books, but I'm good
with
that, because it's got everything else I love about Dean's
writing. There's witty repartee, great pop culture
references, and loads of action. There's even super
creepy
supernatural happenings that I will leave you to be
surprised by. BAYOU BLUES is a rollicking ride from start
to
finish. And don't worry, if you haven't read the Secret
books, you can follow this story without a problem.
Princess Eugenia "Genie" McQueen is the niece of the King
of
the South. Genie's twin brother Ben is being groomed to
eventually take over Uncle Callum's place. Genie is both
a
werewolf and witch who recently helped her sister Secret
stop a group of necromancers from taking over the world
and
saved NYC from the brink of annihilation, so she's
something
of a celebrity. But poor Genie would like to just hunker
down and pretend to be human, going to college to get a
degree. Callum has allowed Genie some length in her leash
for a false feeling of freedom, but when Church of Morning
threatens all weres, that thin veneer is destroyed as she
is
yanked back home where her uncle feels she will be safe.
But Genie is not known for doing the safe or smart thing.
When a fellow pack member Hank is kidnapped and held by
the
Church, Genie escapes with Hank's hot brother Wilder on an
illicit rescue mission. There's a lot of action packed
into
these 247 pages, and its great fun.
Genie is a lot of fun. She's young, so we can forgive a
lot
of her stupidity on the basis of not knowing any better
yet.
I like how she's trying to be honorable in her
relationships, but I feel confident in who will be her
long
term love interest in the series. And I really love how
she
stands up not only for herself, but for those around her
who
can't stand up on their own- that's a true hero, and I
love
that it's the female who's fulfilling that role.
There are several factions of bad guys poised to cause
problems for Genie and her pack. The Coalition for a Pure
America (CAPA) is prejudiced against shapeshifters and
other
supernaturals, and is advocating for legalized bigotry.
Now, the cult-like Church of Morning has appeared and is
promoting violence against shapeshifters as well. With so
many human forces ranged against Genie and her allies, the
fur flies in this tale. Genie's twin Ben is an ass, and
I
get the feeling that Genie is going to end up maturing
over
the course of the series and ascending to Queen of the
South, displacing Ben. I can't wait to see that
sanctimonious bastard Ben get his come-uppance! There are
a
few points where my willing suspension of disbelief is
strongly challenged, but I thoroughly enjoy BAYOU BLUES,
and
am definitely on board for this next set of adventures to
come from the fabulous author Sierra Dean.
When your sister has saved the world, you have a lot to
live
up to.
Genie McQueen thought she’d seen it all after helping her
big sister Secret stop the Apocalypse. The dead walked,
New
York City burned, and things nearly went to hell in a hand
basket. After it was all over, the world knew about
vampires
and werewolves, and Genie’s life would never be the same.
But now, three years later, someone doesn’t want
werewolves
or any supernatural creatures to live alongside humans. A
new anti-werewolf church with a charismatic leader and a
cult-like following has declared open season on Genie’s
whole species. When a member of her pack is kidnapped, she
decides it’s time to stop going with the flow and to step
up
and fight for her people.
Tagging along for the ride is a handsome troublemaker,
Wilder Shaw, a pack outsider who just wants to save his
brother, but will leave Genie’s head spinning in the
process.
Equally troubling are the ghosts of her past she can’t
quite
shake, the nightmarish figures who haunt her even when
she’s
wide awake, and a dark magic inside her she hasn’t yet
learned to tame.
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