Sympathetic Magic

Familiar Kitten Mysteries #3

by Sara Bourgeois

When someone close to Kinsley is cursed, she turns to a Voodoo Priestess to help her break the awful spell. This seems to be the right solution… until the Priestess turns up dead.

A police officer from New Orleans arrives in Coventry, determined to prove that Kinsley had something to do with the murder.

Worse yet, the Priestess’s husband, and fellow Voodoo Priest, rolls into town the next day, but he’s not looking for justice. His eye is on revenge. But, is he as innocent as he claims to be? After all, most people know that most of the time, it’s the husband that did the deed…

But the suspect list doesn’t end there. A few Coventry residents didn’t like that Kinsley brought a Voodoo Priestess into their town. Did it make them angry enough to kill?

Kinsley and friends are a pinprick away from danger while working to solve this case. Can she conjure the truth? Or will Kinsley end up caught in a killer’s bedeviled snare?

Come along as the intrepid residents of Coventry solve this crime one spell at a time.
Sympathetic Magic is book three in the Familiar Kitten Mysteries cozy mystery series. You'll find no swearing, gore, or adult situations, but you will find magic, mystery, and a hint of lighthearted mayhem.

Genres: Mystery, Fantasy, Paranormal, Cozy Mystery, Witches, Fiction, Cats

208 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 22, 2020

About the author

Sara Bourgeois is a Midwesterner through and through. She spends her time writing, reading, herding cats, and standing in her driveway during tornado warnings. (You can't see them from the basement.)

Reviews

[L.A.L. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want to like this series, but in the end, it's not a well developed story. On top of that, the whole love triangle between two terrible choices. Why, after such a horrible marriage, would she even put up with a man who treats her so disdainfully and one who consistently manipulates her? And then I could not figure out why, as the head of the coven, does she not ask the rest of her coven for help? At least ask your mom, a powerful witch in her own right. But Kinsley's mom and Aunt Lilith only come into the story for a rather minor scene.

The story is also not fleshed out enough. Things happen too fast because the story is too short to manage everything that's crammed into it. And the characters are too wishy-washy. Kinsley has dreams and premonitions about a dead body in the graveyard, but can't see the manipulative intentions of the vampire? WTF.

This series had potential, but it's like the author didn't know what type of paranormal story she wanted to write, tried to cram too much into too short a story with no planning or thought of story development. A good editor and some more thought might have made this a better series.

[Lise · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won’t be continuing with this series since the more I read the less I liked it. I got the first three books in a set and will stop here. For a woman who is supposedly the “strongest witch ever” she really never uses her craft except to heal someone if they are injured. For a witch series there’s very little magic in it. She also has decided to be the doormat for not one, but two men who treat her like crap. She bounces back and forth between them as they take turns manipulating her, mistrusting her, toying with her emotions or outright ignoring her. I hoped by this third book she’d grow a backbone and come to value herself but she doesn’t. She’s wishy washy and third & fourth guesses herself to her own detriment.

She also routinely messes with crime scenes, steals evidence and hinders police investigations. And while doing all of those things she is clearly aware she’s doing it as she often thinks to herself “I know I shouldn’t do this but...” Kinsley doesn’t seem that bright to the point it’s irritating.

And lastly the fact that she feeds her cat Meri almost nothing but bacon (38 times!) for three books (he did get salmon twice & steak once) is just ridiculous. If you know nothing about cats don’t put them in your damn books! Per the authors’s profile she has cats but I must confess I sincerely worry for their health.

So if you want a MC who’s a doormat that bungles crimes scenes and investigations, one that doesn’t understand cats need a healthy diet, one who makes stupid, sometimes life threatening decisions to further muddle the plot, then this series is for you.

[Dee Currey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Please find her different boytoys!!!

Between the sheriff and the bad boy vampire. Got tired of the bickering. Could you find her a nice guy that's a witch?

[Brenda . · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do like the series, however (and I am no writer) I feel like other than the main character, the development of other characters in the book leave a lot to be desire. The main love interest , Thorn, for one. And the family. Nothing is really said about the family and supposedly it is a big family and the main character has been away for years and no one thought to flesh those characters out a tad? Just a lot of holes in things.

[Jerry Walch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sara Bourgeois has created a winning series with the Familiar Kitten Mysteries, but this is a series that does need to be read in the order that they were written. Each new story builds upon the ones that preceded it. Each story is complete in its own right, but you have to read the books beginning with Book One: Black Magic Kitten, to understand and appreciate the relationships between the characters.

 Sympathetic Magic begins with Kinsley finally accepting the position and responsibility of being the leader of the Skeenbauer witch coven and being the most powerful witch in the world. Kinsley is the most powerful witch in the world, but, as she soon discovers, her powers are no match for those of voodoo priest and priestesses. Kinsley confronts the powers of voodoo when her best friend, Remmy, comes under a voodoo spell and she hires a voodoo priestess to lift the spell. Soon afterwards the priestess ends up murdered in the graveyard across the street from Hangman’s House, Kinsley’s home. As the body count mounts, attempts are made on Kinsley’s life.

 Sympathetic Magic’s plot has more twists and turns than a Sidewinder leaves in the desert sand. As the plot thickens, they make a final attempt on Kinsley’s life when she is stabbed in the back by a voodoo priest with a cursed dagger. Kinsley’s self-healing powers are powerless to combat the voodoo curse. As she lay dying, she cries out to her father, mother and aunties for help. Will help arrive in time to save her? I will not tell you. Go read the book to find out.

 I’m off to read Book 4 in the series: Book of Dark Magic. They have bewitched me.

[Giselle Schneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Cozy Witch Mystery

I don't know what to say except... YOU MADE ME LIKE AZRIEL! YOU MADE ME ROOT FOR HIM AND KINSLEY! YOU MADE ME BELIEVE! That evil blood sucker! How could you? Lol!
Anyway, this is an amazing mystery that had be glued to my tablet. It is different from anything I have read before. And that ending... Is what Meri observes true?

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series seems to be turning into too much of a romance. We'll see how book 4 is.

[CarolKat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever since her boyfriend Jeremy left for special training and then deployment Kinsley's best friend Reggie has been having a run of bad luck. First the AC went out in her home and normally Jeremy would fix it, she's had to call for repairs twice and now it's out again. She's staying with Kinsley since it's been so hot, and Kinsley is going to fix it magically for her. She's also become clumsy, tripping and falling over nothing or in odd circumstances.

Kinsley notices a dark aura around Reggie, and it seems to be getting darker it's not coming from inside her but more wrapped around her. Meri determines it's not demonic, but neither him nor Kinsley can seem to remove it. At the shop Kinsely determines that it's Voodoo and Meri confirms they'd need a practitioner to remove the curse from Reggie.

Reggie gets a recommendation from Reverend Zombie's House of Voodoo in New Orleans and sends off an email with Kinsley's phone number. Liberty Bloodstone calls Kinsley and arrangements are made for Liberty to come to Coventry to remove the curse since it must be done in person. The requirements are a first-class flight on top of her fee. Kinsley also arranges for a car to bring her to Hangman's House.

While they are waiting Kinsley brings up the obvious questions of who could have done this to her and why. The only person Reggie can come up with is Jeremy's ex-girlfriend. She's tried to get Reggie to break up with him, even though he has no interest in her. She's even driven by the house, but the question is does she know Voodoo.

Liberty removes the curse and is impressed with Hangman's House and the tree where many died. She tells Kinsley she's going to do the whole tourist thing while she's here.

Kinsley has a nightmare starring the witches from the cemetery and wakes to go find Liberty's body in the graveyard. Thorn and his new assistant Lincoln come to investigate and take her statement. Lincoln is not a fan of hers and his whole attitude is terrible.

Then we have Detective Chance Devereaux, he's from New Orleans and investigating Liberty and now her death. Definitely something up with him, I just don't know what.

The Liberty's husband shows up and things get very tense. Dante Bloodstone appears to be seeking revenge from anyone who had anything to do with his wife.

Thorn has been distant again or is it still and after Dante's appearance at Hangman's house Thorn pays Kinsley a visit at her shop.

That explosive ending to the confrontation gives an entrance to Azriel. This turns very interesting in many ways.

Several suspects, plenty of motive to go around and many twists and turns. Not only in the murder investigation but also in Kinsley's love life.

I am already reading the next book; I can't seem to stop myself.

[Faerietygers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Repetition is not always,a good thing

I wanted to like this series, I really did,but in the end, it's not A very well thought out story. I almost didn't read this one due to the love triangle. The first book started out great. She had a horrible marriage, comes back home after not seeing her family for thirteen years. But then the story kind of went downhill from there. The whole remorse about being gone for thirteen years and feeling guilty flies right out the window. Then she immediately starts a relationship with the most boring sheriff in the world. Then meets a vampire and it becomes a love triangle. And It continyes in this book where athough she hasn't practiced magic in forever, she's the strongest witch in the world yet can't Take on voodoo magic? ---Spoiler alert---
She gets stabbed, gets healed by a vampire, then gets married to him in one night, only to find out he tried to have her killed, and he disappears and now she's pregnant? Then Thorn is right back at her side, even though they broke up (for the millionth time in the world)She sucks as the most powerful witch in the world, has no intuition for whose good or bad, and while I Like Meri, he left her mother to be her familiar, yet acts like he hates her, and can't figure out the vampire's intentions? For that matter, neither can her family. I can't read anymore. There was so much potential, but it's like the author didn't know what type of paranormal story she wanted to write. It's too bad.

[G.S. Renfrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This starts out as a fun series. It's imaginative and most of the characters are appealing with reasonable chemistry. The kitten, Meri, it the best of them but alas, he doesn't get enough read/play -time. The first book I found to be the best and rated it as a 5 star. The second book was good and a fun read, but I didn't find it quite as appealing and rated it as a 4.5 Star. This thrid book was slightly less appealing and rate it as a 3.5 Star.

I found my interest in the series waning with each book (I'm only up to #4 at this writing so that may change). The main character, Kinsley, proves to be annoying as the books progress as she makes too many dumb decisions and creates too much drama as a result to be charming or in any way appealing. Ultimately I didn't find her believable. I found Kinsley to be the kind of friend you like and want to hang with, but might find too troubling unless you're into drama. I'm not and it's not what I like in a cozy mystery. This may just be me, though, and the first three books are fun and worthwhile reads, though you may need to dismiss Kinsley as being a bit of a ditz to cope with some of her decisions. I highly recommend them and that you decide for yourself RE the subsequent books.

[Dharia Scarab · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Beth Shares · Rating 3 out of 5]

Familiar Kitten mysteries book 3 - errors a plenty in this book

Although the storyline was fairly well written, there were too many spelling and grammar mistakes within it.
This was not the only book that had these issues. They were also in the first two.
It was and is sad to find a series that had and has such potential to be really good, but either the author, editor, or publisher failed by omitting words, misspelling words, using the wrong pronoun in a sentence, or using incorrect punctuation.
This reader had to reread several sentences because of this. It was annoying to be reading along and then come across errors that took away from the sentence based on the word choice written.

The story was …
Somewhat humorous in place.
Reggie got cursed by voodoo priestess hired by a crazy ex.
Adriel may not be what we thought.
Thorn was a jerk but may be redeemed.
Meri may be small, but a mighty cat.
Kinsley continued to be more confusing in her role.
Auntie Lilith … just wow!

Not a book I would recommend nor reread.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reggie, Kinsley's best friend and work colleague started having a spell of bad luck, a rather long spell, of rather a lot of bad luck. So much so that Kinsley was convinced that magic was involved and sure enough, someone had cursed her. With a Voodoo curse. Something that Kinsley as a witch could not undo. So hunting around on the internet, Reggie found a voodoo priestess who was prepared to undo the curse, of course for a rather large fee which Kinsley was prepared to pay to help her friend. What she was not prepared to do was to get involved in the murder of the said priestess.

Good, exciting read with Kinsley and Meri, the kitten. Interesting storyline. My heart goes out to Kinsley, who is only trying to help and somehow gets caught in the middle of the mess, with another more personal mess of her own. No spoilers, but I am really looking forward to the next one to see how things turn out.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Reggie, Kinsley's best friend, can’t seem to get rid of all the bad luck she’s been having, it turns out that she has been voodoo cursed! Kinsley can’t help with that, so Reggie finds Voodoo Priestess Libby Blackstone to break the curse. Unfortunately, the Priestess turns up dead.

Although this was not at all Kinsley’s fault, people start showing up, putting her right in the middle of it. A New Orleans detective arrives and tries to prove Kinsley was somehow the cause of this. Then the Priestess’ husband – who also happens to be a Voodoo Priest – shows up looking to get “revenge”! Then some of the Coventry townspeople blame Kinsley for bringing this Voodoo Priestess to the town! So who is really to blame for the murder? Can Kinsley find out before she is held accountable for something she didn’t cause?

Grab your copy and see if you can discover the culprit along with Kinsley! Good story line, lots of new characters, and a mystery that needs solving fast!

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not really into the voodoo stuff so it being the focal point of this book made it less enjoyable. It was decently written though and the new characters weren't bad.
***SPOILERS***
I was actually happy about the split between Kinsley and Thorn. After him meeting a woman & wanting to see where it goes then all of a sudden nothing happened with this woman & he's all lovey to Kinsley again, just no. What happens the next time another woman captures his attention? As for Azriel I was so excited about the hand binding ceremony and then he disappears also it appears he was behind the stabbing but that's a cliffhanger. So now she's not only pregnant by Azriel but 2 ahole men in her life that claim to care but don't seem too. Hopefully the next book is a little better and it would also be nice if there was an option 3 for a guy for Kinsley because (in my opinion) neither Thorn or Azriel deserve her.

[Anne-Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great cozy mystery from Sara Bourgeois!
Absolutely loved it

Someone close to Kinsley has a voodoo curse on them....Kinsley helps by hiring a woman from Lousianna that is a voodoo priestess to break the spell...
When the priestess turns up dead, of course Kinsley finds her and is somewhat a suspect by an outside detective...

Of course Kinsley gets involved into the investigation...and that doesn't sit well with Thorne...and Kinsley finds herself in the arms of another...what is going to happen? You have to read the book

There is no swearing, adult situations, but you will find magic, mystery, a tad of mayhem.

Please if you like clean cozy mysteries...you need to read this series...but to get a good background read The Witches of Coventry series...you won't be sorry!

Thank you to Sara Bourgeois and Booksprout for allowing me to read an advanced digital copy of this book....THIS is my honest opinion!

[Susan Otto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story about a witch and a magical cat

Kinsley wanted to help her best friend Reggie who is under a spell of by a voodoo priestess. So she hire a voodoo priestess to take spell off her friend paying her a lot of money. The priestess was murdered and Kinsley found her. Thorn has doubt about their relationship since met another woman.

After more problems kept cropping up, Kinsley handcrafted to the vampire. Will they find the killer?

The plot has many twists and turns that the reader doesn't discover until the end of the story who the killer was and the reason why. The unique characters have definite personalities that makes them quirky, emotional, and at times hilarious. This story is funny, charming, and enjoyable in every way. Highly recommended.

bookwormsuzy

[Darla Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Kinsley's best friend is cursed, she hires a voodoo priestess to remove it. All's going well until the priestess is found murdered in her graveyard. When a detective from New Orleans shows up, he seems determined to prove Kinsley guilty then the husband of the priestess comes to town and he seems bent on revenge. Can Kinsley stay safe while helping to find the killer?

I have really enjoyed this series and this book is no exception. However, that being said, I found this book to be a bit slow in the beginning and there were some errors in the first few chapters which took away from the story for me. I was finally caught up in the story maybe a third of the way through and from there I was hooked until the end. I'm really looking forward to the next book. I highly recommend both book and series which I suggest you read in order.

[Mike Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining supernatural cozy mystery series

Entertaining supernatural cozy mystery series. A great cast of characters and an entertaining story line. This is the next generation a powerful witch is in Coventry. After the last series ended and Kinsley grew up she is now the head which in Coventry. Her mom is in her 60s and her great aunts are in their 80s and her great grandmother has to be well over 100 at this point. If they are all still around and I’ll still involved.
Follow along and everybody has a new mystery or murder or danger comes along and Kinsley and her familiar cat Mary who has been reborn into a kitten body figures everything out. Very entertaining check it out.

[Lucrecia Tolbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sympathetic Magic featured more of Kinley's family than any other book so far in the series. Kinsley has to help her best friend fix the situation that she's in all the while solve the newest mystery. This book is a page turner and can be completed in a matter of hours causing the reader to desire more. I'm sure that the reader will get more from this series, but hopefully not too fast. Kinsley's life is not only complicated but seems to be going extremely fast. I like fast, but I would like to grow more with Kinsley as she navigates her world.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[☆Dani☆ ☆Touch My Spine Book Reviews☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am so freakin torn about this series suddenly!!!

I was rooting for Azriel!!! I hate how Thorn acted and how his jealousy is! Also the ultimatums, the worst and I felt so swept away with the series and that sweet and amazing moment and the author tore that all away?! Omg! This series was turning into a favorite and wanted to brag about it everywhere after some book therapy of binging the first three books in 24 hours and now I am left with this big heartache on how things turned out and don't know if I even want to continue and want to cry about how this book ended! Oh the feels!!!

[James Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a curse, the cemetery ends up on fire, there's a dead woman and it looks like voodoo may be involved. There's also something stolen from a library. The husband of the dead woman shows up , there's an aunt named Lilith and she works on finding out who paid for the curse.

Then there's an attempted murder, another murder, an agreement to be married and do a handfasting and it seems that there may be a reason for one woman's stomach-churning illness. Or is it an illness after all?

Another pretty good novel in this series. Considering how many people end up getting killed in this series, though, it's surprising that there's a town left at all.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't really read any mystery novels so this was perfect to introduce me to the genre. The only thing I don't like is how quick certain events take place. Some parts should have gone into deeper detail. I am enjoying the romance aspect in the story. I hope that in the next book we will fins out what Azriel was looking for and why he did what he did to Kinsley. I was rooting for their relationship to work but clearly Azriel had ulterior motives. Overall I give this book a rating of 4 out of 5

[Theresa · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 Star... Unfortunately, this will be my last read in this series... The story development is lacking and the decisions of the MC are absurd at best... The attempt by the author to create a love triangle is wrought with eye rolling moments and insane decision making... On top of that, readers are not provided timely information to make the storyline credible leaving it feeling chaotic and choppy... I tried to give this series a chance, but this one just left me annoyed and disappointed... Not for me:(

[Cyl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this story 4 stars only because I am beginning to notice along with other readers some flaws with the stories on Kinsley and her friends. I like the stories but she is one of the most powerful witches in the world but doesn't come off like she can do anything; she got out of bad marriage to fall for two men who treat her offhandedly. I think Kinsley needs some self- help books on not needing men to fulfill her life.

I am getting ready to read the 4th book but have not made decisions on the others. I'd like to see her come to her own power without a man holding her hand.

[Doreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kinsley Skeenbauer's bff Reggie cursed by Voodoo priestess who Kinsley brings to Coventry to remove curse. Kinsley finds priestess' dead body in cemetery at 3 AM. Curse was paid for by ex girl friend of Reggie's boyfriend Jeremy who is deployed. The resulting story involves Jeremy's ex girl friend Lottie, the violent husband of the priestes-Dante, Kinsley's mom and dad and family, Sheriff Thorn, and Azriel the vampire biker, Suki a witch from another coven. A handfasting, stabbing, and a stone throwing attack on Kinsley's house. It all makes for a very involved and fascinating story.

[Jodi Sweet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, just, wow! I laughed, I cried...right alongside Kinsley. So many things were going on! A curse, jealousy, death, marriage, betrayal, so much! This series just keeps getting better! And that is saying a lot since this is a spinoff from an already great series! I cannot wait for more! Especially after the surprise at the end!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Debby Chastain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Loved It!

Like the first and second book, I loved book three! It seems as the series continues, the author becomes more comfortable with the characters and where they’re going. This one ends with a surprise that had me buying book four within seconds of reading the last line. Since I knew from the first book that this was a series I don’t feel tricked by the sort of cliffhanger.

[Jessica Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uh what?

The ending on this one left too many unanswered questions. It explained nothing! I get there was a twist but I reread the last few chapters several times trying to figure out if I missed something and I'm completely baffled. I understand cliffhanger s but this felt like more. It seems like the characters know what's going on but I have no clue lol. Hopefully we find out more in the next books.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kinsley is all over the place with her love life. It's kind of superficial because it's like she loves whoever is giving her attention at any given time. The vampire left, but she's pregnant, so I think he'll show up again in a later book. So the vampire abandoned her. The vampire that was the love of her life, so what does she do? She decides that Thorn is now going to be the love of her life. Shallow.