Release-Day Review: Bayou Blues by Sierra Dean (Genie McQueen #1)

Bayou Blues (Genie McQueen #1)
Sierra Dean
Published: March 20, 2015 (Sierra Dean)
Purchase: Amazon
Review source: copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review

Reviewed by: Amy

Rating (out of 5): 4 stars

Three years ago Genie’s sister (some of you may know her: Secret McQueen) averted the apocalypse and in the process the supernatural community was outed to the general population. Being werewolf royalty, Genie McQueen has tried her hardest to remain “normal.” She’s been given her freedom to live away from her pack and attend college. She has a human boyfriend, human friends. I suppose the moral of the story should be that you can’t run from what you are.

When a local church starts garnering attention and support for their dislike (putting it mildly) of supernaturals, Genie is asked to return home for safety. When the church ups the ante by kidnapping a member of the pack, Genie, along with the victim’s brother, Wilder, head out not only to save their pack member/brother, but also to stand up for all werewolves. In the process, Genie figures out the things she thought she wanted, that “normal,” is not the same—that she’s not the same person she used to be.

Everything about Bayou Blues just clicked for me. I haven’t read the Secret McQueen series (I know, for shame!), but from references in Bayou Blues I’m assuming Genie makes an appearance in that series. Rest assured nothing is taken away by not having read the predecessor series.

Instead Bayou Blues felt to me very much like an introduction to Genie despite what may already be known about her from Secret’s series. Readers go along on the journey with Genie as she learns what it is she truly wants out of her life as opposed to what she believes others want for her. I loved her character. I loved the snarky quips that would fly out of her mouth so smoothly I would find myself rereading the dialogue to make sure I read it right. I loved that while many people underestimate her and see her as weak she is anything but.

Being both a werewolf and having magic gives Genie the potential for extreme power. In Bayou Blues we get to see that Genie still struggles with how to harness all that power. We see times throughout the story where the magic has the opportunity to overwhelm Genie, but it speaks to her strength and personality, that she uses every resource available to her to make sure that she doesn’t lose herself within the magic even though that would mean becoming the ultimate power.

One of the things I like doing with a new series is trying to pick out the relationship. Well, the sparks between Genie and Wilder are pretty apparent from the first moment they’re on the page together. When I’ve read a lot of paranormal romances in a row, I forget how nice it is to see a relationship develop over the course of a few books. With both of them being alphas, and the way they seem to be able to keep each other on their toes, things are going to be interesting.

Bayou Blues really sets Genie on the path she wants to take with her werewolf side. We understand what her goals are in that regard. Based on instances in the story, I’m really interested to see how her magic side shakes things up for her and if she really will be able to reconcile both parts of herself.

Sexual content: Kissing, references to sex