Book of Dark Magic (Familiar Kitten Mysteries #4) by Sara Bourgeois

Book of Dark Magic (Familiar Kitten Mysteries #4) Reviews

• 
  Giselle Schneider

  Different and Full of Prophecy
  
  Finally! The prophecy is playing out! There are satanists, an evil book, possibly more evil books, and Kinsley is pregnant with a witch/vampire a group called The Order desires. I have to wonder if Azriel is behind all this. And what exactly does Kinsley see in the crystal ball in regards to her child?
  
  Issues:
  1. Soooo... This is super funny... I originally thought Thorn Jr. was the baby girl Thorn Sr. had in Wicked Witches of Coventry. Then here (book 4) I learn Thorn Jr. has a sister and a half-brother. Most likely the sister is half, too. I am calling this an issue because at no point is it indicated Thorn Jr. has siblings, yet Kinsley apparently knows. It comes off as the author trying to fix an error. Let's just throw in siblings!
  2. In Wicked Witches of Coventry, there is a character named Amelia Stackhouse. In this series, we meet an Amelia who is Thorn's sister. So now we have 2 Amelia's and 1 Amelda.
  3. I cannot stand the use of "they" and "them" to refer to a single unborn baby. I keep thinking more than one. It drove me nuts!
  4. Not much investigation being done in regards to the murder mystery part of this story:
  a) Kinsley goes to the victim's funeral, only she talks to no one of importance and suspects no one. Later, after having lunch with Thorn and Amelia, Kinsley tells Reggie how she is involved in a case and had to go to the funeral. Doesn't sound like she is that involved. She doesn't sound involved at all.
  b) For a brief moment, Kinsley suspects Amelia due to a phone conversation she overhears, except she never thinks about the woman again until Dave shows up and reveals Amelia has been cheating on him. Suspect off list just like that, and with no sleuthing.
  c) Kinsley and Reggie sneak about Al's house and find what appears to be clues, but they aren't because they make no sense based on timeframes. No further intrusion into the man's life from here.
  d) Esadora. She comes off as a suspect to me. She stalked the victim, may have been the reason Al "almost" hit the guy outside the bar, and is seen at Al 's house. Suspicious, right? Not enough to look into, apparently.
  e) There are roses and a dagger that Kinskey comes across, but all she does is take pictures of the roses and hides the dagger. She in no way looks into the rose clues, and when she turns over the dagger at last no answers turn up. Although the rose situation fixes itself at the end when the murderer reveals himself.
  This story just follows one disaster after another, disasters that connect to a prophecy, and then Kinsley miraculously comes across the murderer by the end with little involvement. The prophecy is great, as I said earlier, but the murder mystery is nonexistent. The author basically dropped one plot for another rather than weave them together.
  5. Deputy Fontaine asks Kinsley if he should release Thorn, who has been arrested for murder. Kinsley says, no, to protect him and breaks Thorn out herself. It isn't clear what she has in mind or if she figures out the mystery, but she is obviously surprised when the bad guy appears and starts dishing out his plot all cliche-like.
  6. Large stash of secret money? What money? This is in the first line of the epilogue. Is this referring to the money in Hangman's House?
• 
  Candice's Library

  Love this series
  
  When I first started this series my hopes weren't exceptionally high. But I have loved each little supernatural cozy mystery book. This book by far was definitely one of the better of the series, although the endings usually feel a tad rushed I always read the next one in the series. There is something about how the author puts the story together that I almost wish it was a tv show. It plays like one in my head as I read each chapter and imagine the quirkiness of the characters. Meri is by far my favorite and I love Thorns character. Kinsley I have a love hate relationship with because in some of the earlier books she just seemed so whiny but this showed a different side to her, one that wants to finally embrace who she is. Can't wait to read more of this series!
• 
  Dharia Scarab

  Warning spoiler alert... Read at your own risk.
  
  I wanted to like this series, I really did, but Kinsley was just irritating in that meddling cozy mystery way where she kept messing with evidence and expected her law enforcement bf to clean up the mess.
  
  Also not a fan of how the author kept having her flipping back and forth between the two guys in the same book, Then repeating the pattern in each of the first three books, only to paint one as the villain that manipulates her, proposes and “marries” her, only to disappear the next morning after searching parts of the house and of course dropping a bun in her oven. All in the last part of the book.
  
  The book 4 tries to white wash all the controlling, dismissive, and jealous behavior of the remaining guy so they can get back together. I pretty much skimmed through book 4, just to see if the author redeemed the way book three’s ending went down in flames, but unfortunately it was not to be.
  
  If I bother with anymore of the series, it will probably be just to check out if the relationship fiasco gets corrected. And only if it’s on KU.
• 
  Emily Pennington

  Thorn was told about Kinsley’s pregnancy and, although he took it kind of well that Azriel was the father, he went off to a cabin to spend some time alone thinking about things. But things are never quiet around town. Richard Jordan, the town drunk, is found dead in the woods outside of Coventry. The problem was not just that he was murdered, but it appeared like a Satanic ritual murder. That, of course, made people focus uncomfortably on the town's paranormal occupants who always tried to keep a low profile.
  
  Kinsley Skeenbauer is starting to notice some strange people in town that had a dark energy around them, darker than the magic of the town, even darker than the Voodoo curse she was familiar with. Meri confirmed that it was demonic energy when two of them came into Kinsley’s shop. These guys were dressed in all black, just like the guy she saw watching Richard Jordan as he had looked through the bottles of booze when she had gone to get cilantro at the store. She had assumed the guy was a security guard, but maybe not? Their “goth” look was actually scary, and their tattoos were of evil things. These guys thought messing with demons would make them more powerful. But actually they would just wither away while the demons took their energy. But Kinsley knew by the malicious twinkle in the one guy’s eye, who taunted her to try to stop him from going to the witch-only part of her shop, that he would pay no attention to her warning.
  
  As Kinsley climbed the stairs of the porch at home, she spotted a mysterious black book lying there. She stopped and Meri went over to check it but didn’t find anything overtly dangerous. Apparently it was ancient and in a witch language Kinsley didn’t recognize. Even the pictures were odd and seemed to shift if you looked hard at them. She didn’t think it was something good but just wasn’t sure. Could it help in solving the crime, or is it much more dangerous? Is this the event that Kinsley was prophesied to stop? Are these strange people coming to town to continue the ritual that started with Richard's murder?
  
  I am so glad to have this wonderful series to read. Kinsley and Thorn have lots to deal with this time. Something evil is coming to town. Kingsley will need her magic and the help of Meri to stay safe! The story line was good, suspenseful, and the characters are just what the reader would hope for. Grab your copy and see what’s going on in town!
  
• 
  Jerry Walch

  In my reviews of Books two and three, I said that this is one of those series where the book should be read in the order in which they were written. This time I’m going all the way and say that you must be read in the order in which they were written. Although each book comes to a satisfying conclusion, they also set the stage for the book to follow. If you haven’t already read books one, two and three, you need to read them before reading this one. These stories, in some respects, remind me of the old movie serials that ran between the first feature and the main feature films, along with the cartoon, newsreel and coming attractions. Like those serials of olden days, these stories end in a cliffhanger, giving the reader just enough taste of what’s coming to make him/her rush right over to Amazon to download the next book in the series. If you are as hooked on this series the way I am, you’ll download all the volumes at once.
  
   In Book three we found Kinsey and the Skeenbauer Coven fighting Voodoo priests and Priestesses, a fight in which Kindsey was stabbed in the back with a cursed dagger. Kinsey lay near death when the vampire Anzriel arrives and gives her some of his blood which counteracted the curse on the dagger. As Book of Dark Magic begins, we find Kindsey pregnant with Anzriel’s baby while Anzriel is no where to be found. Kindsey gets back with Thorn, the mere mortal sheriff that loves her and promises to care for and love the baby like it was his own. In this episode we find Kindsey, the Skeenbauer Coven, sheriff Thorn and their friends battling satanist who want to take over the town. Once again we find Kindsey battling forces greater than hers and those of the Skeenbauer Coven and seem doomed to defeat until some of her ghostly ancestors rise from their graves to lend a hand. The way this episode ends… well, go read it for yourself.
  
   I’m off to read Book 5: A Taste of Magic.
• 
  Sassy Beta Reading & Review

  With this book and series you will find yourself under the spell of a well written Paranormal, Cozy Mystery. Each book in this series can be read as a stand alone, but the underlying story line is progressive and best if you read each book and in order. The book series is so good, I would recommend reading the whole thing anyway. Also, check out the previous series that this is a spin off from....SO GOOD!!!
  
  This one had some unexpected twists and turns that I was shocked to read, but not disappointed. I was sad for a moment or two, but it was all handled so beautifully, that I'm okay with it now.
  
  Love the characters, the story line, just everything about this book and the series. Written as a 1st person, single pov with a completed mystery ending.
  
  Would I recommend this book? Yes
  
  Would I read more from this author? Yes
  
  Sassy Beta Reading and Review
  
  I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
• 
  Catherine

  Compulsive Reading
  
  Always a thrill when a new Familiar Kitten Mystery is available. Kinsley finds herself expecting a little Skeenbauer witchling. But Thorn is not the bio-dad. Still, he wants the father role after assuring Kinsley of his love. Meanwhile, some Goth punks are trying to intimidate the people of Coventry, a mysteriously seductive book of ancient magic appears on Kinsley's porch & the town drunk is killed in what appears to be a ritualistic killing. Just another day in Coventry? There's a surprise waiting at the end of this story.
  I was happy that Kinsley's mom & dad make an appearance in the story. I've missed them. Since 2020 has been an incredibly difficult year, I really appreciate this author's stories that allows for a chance to escape into another world for awhile.
• 
  Mike Lewis

  Great supernatural cozy mystery series
  
  A great supernatural cozy mystery series. An awesome cast of characters and a bit dark but exceptional storyline. The town of Coventry is the home of a powerful family of witches. There are many human residents of the town but there is a veil over the town that makes them forget or miss remember any magic They see. Follow along as the head of the skin bar Kevin and the rest of the witches protect the town from evil and darkness. There’s always some evil trying to infiltrate and cause problems in the town. Our young Coven leader and her boyfriend the town sheriff and her familiar a very old but little black kitten named Mary are there to help her save the town. Along with all of her aunts cousins great grandmother parents etc. Check it out
• 
  Darla Taylor

  This is because the murder scene seems to be that of a Satanic cult's doing. There are people in town who have something to do with dark magic and a book of really dark magic is left on Kinsley's doorstep. The book is obviously dangerous and seems to affect Kinsley in an unnatural way.
  
  I have really enjoyed this series and this book is fun although it's not quite what the previous ones were. I was drawn into the story from the beginning and was entranced throughout the book. I look forward to the next book in the series which seems like it'll be a good one if it lives up to the hints at this book's ending.
• 
  Anne-Marie

  Another excellent story....
  Kinsley is in the thick of another murder and guess who is one of the suspects for a brief time...yep Kinsley!
  I can't say enough about this spin off series. They are just as good as Wicked Witches of Coventry...
  With a baby on the way, her boyfriend (not the baby father) is off thinking about things, and to add to the mix some shady characters have reigned terror on Coventry...
  Kinsley and Meri have their work cut out for them...
  Great clean and fun paranormal mystery
  I received a digital ARC of this book from Booksprout for an honest opinion and this is it!
  Really enjoyed it
• 
  Christina M Condy

  OMG Sara Bourgeois you're killing it!
  
  I'm really enjoying this series. Yes the mysteries themselves sometimes make me cringe and the stupidity that happens. But yet I'm always happy when I see they come out in the end.
  
  This book... I'm meant to be reading other books, yet I keep grabbing the next book in this series because I want to see how it progresses! And sure enough... I'm doomed to have to grab the next book to see what happens next!
  
  And again... Meri... what can I say about that cat!
• 
  Linda

  These books are good, but they are too short, and there are a lot of misspellings and grammatical errors. I am enjoying them, and I'll plow my way through all 23, but I probably won't read any more books by this author.
  Kinsley hesitates to ask the Coven for help when she should. Her mother didn't have a problem with asking, and it brought a new dimension to the story. The Coven is a family of sorts, and she shouldn't hesitate to go to them when she's in over her head. I think it would bring a lot to the story.
• 
  Jodi Sweet

  Omg! I’m so glad this came just as I finished the last book! Kinsley and Thorn have a lot going on in their town. Plus a baby on the way! There is some bad evil growing there and even the ones that are supposed to be good have a hidden evil side. Good thing Kingsley has her magic and Meri to help her. I hope the next book comes quickly!
  
  I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
• 
  Christine

  ARC Review I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Now that Kinsley is pregnant and her and thorn are back together . Their is a murder ,Satanist and so much more going on in this story . I love how these books give a case to solve.Awesome
• 
  Robin Resch

  A storm is coming
  
  I normally don't get to picky about to much but I have a problem with with the pregnancy. Throughout the book the baby is referred to as either 'peanut' meaning one or 'they' meaning more than one. So what is it?
• 
  Danielle

  Hey I didn't see that coming
  
  Just when you think you have everything figured out, she tools you. I like we are starting to see more development of characters than Kinsley. Is love to learn more of the back story on Lilith.