A very fun read with mature women, magic, friendship, and murder. Harriet, Jo and Nessa discover the "change of life" has given them new powers as they come together in an unlikely friendship to solve a string of murders in an affluent community. It was fun to see them evolve and become stronger, especially stronger together. Female empowerment from start to finish.

4.5/5 stars rounded up to 5.

I LOVED this fun fantasy book filled with great magical realism and female empowerment-which made for a super fun and awesome read!

This is not my usual go-to genre of choice, but I was so glad I decided to read it. It is a larger book, but I found myself so engrossed in the story, the writing, and the characters that I had no issues reading it or finishing it.

I loved the little bit of mystery that was weaved into this story, and at times it was dark and violent, but I loved every bit of it!

I highly recommend this book to everyone, and I am looking forward to reading more books by this author in the future!

This is a badass feminist revenge fantasy/mystery mashup that kept me turning pages despite its long length. It was a delight to witness the likable MCs dark, violent, gritty take down of the detestable men who commit violence against young women in a small town and those that enable them.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These thoughts are my own.

Loved the witchy story and the strong female cast! Revenge is sweet, Kristen Miller has crafted a fun plot with a cast of characters who jump off the pages!

This book reminded me of The Witches of Eastwick minus Jack Nicholson. The story of three women who come into their power as they age and use it to right the wrongs of the world. Fun characters handling serious topics.

3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4

There's a lot to love about The Change and I can see why it's getting so much hype. It's a book with some serious female empowerment. It’s being described as Big Little Lies meets The Witches of Eastwick and I have to say I agree with that! It’s feminist revenge at its finest with a splash of magical realism, too.

The book is about 3 new friends who all live in Mattauk, a ritzy area of Long Island. The women (like most women) have all been scorned by society and/or men in different ways and as they get older, they find they have various powers that are growing. When a body of a missing girl is found and other girls are also suspected to be missing (you'll see why when you read it), the women team up to figure out what's going on.

I mainly picked this one up because of all the hype and while I enjoyed it and loved the concept of it, I don’t think I enjoyed it quite as much as lots of other people seemed to. It was a bit too long (and you know I generally LOVE a long book) and seemed to take me forever to read. There were also a lot of convenient and coincidental things that happened in order to move the plot along, which tends to drive me a bit nutty.

Overall I think it’s a good read and a lot of fun! It won't land on my favorites list, but I can see why so many love it.

The Change is a magical realism feminist revenge story. Three women with unique abilities come together to find and bring down a serial killer. There was a great balance of humor and darker moments, and wonderful character development. It was a little long, but the story keeps moving and I thoroughly enjoyed the journey.

The Change is a feminist witchy revenge fantasy featuring three middle aged women who come into their powers amid their mid-life crises. When they come across a girl's murdered body on the beach, they set out to investigate and reveal the truth even when the powerful think rules don't apply to them. This is an empowering read perfect for fans of Practical Magic and The Craft. It's murder mystery meets magical realism with a dash of humor. Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of “The Change” by Kirsten Miller. This was a 5-star, women empowering, total powerhouse of a novel! I fell in love with the three main female characters who fall into friendship based on their desire to find the killer of young girls in their small town. The execution of the timeline and character arcs were well done and I truly enjoyed every page. My favorite character is Harriet and for good reason. 💯💯💯 recommend!

“Somebody’s been killing girls.”

Powerful. What a powerful, terrible, beautiful, frightening, empowering novel. That is what it’s like being a woman, at times, and this novel captures it perfectly. The Change is a contemporary novel with fantasy elements, but I firmly believe my friends who don’t like fantasy novels will LOVE this book. Especially my menstruating friends; this book has taken menstruation and menopause and turned them into superpowers for these women. Rage turned into super strength, a woman’s intuition turned into a supernatural ability to see the dead, the metamorphosis of menopause turned into innate power. Beautifully, thoughtfully done, Kirsten Miller. This doesn’t mean that other people can’t enjoy this novel, they absolutely can. It’s just that a topic that people usually view as taboo (for some ridiculous reason) is made to be the driving force of this novel. It is just the starting point, and then the book is completely taken to new heights from there. As I read it, it was done with a subtle hand. I didn’t go into the book knowing what the basis was, and I was in awe at the genius when realization overcame me.

“The epiphany came as the blood flowed freely down her legs. She should never have tried to fight it. How many years—how much energy—had she lost trying to control something that could not be controlled? How long had she feared being outed as female? How much frustration had she endured, inhabiting a world that wasn’t designed for her kind? How long had she prayed to be seen and accepted as more than a body? How hard had she tried to fix things that simply refused to be fixed? So much fury had built up inside Jo.”

These powers lead Jo, Nessa, and Harriet to each other… and to dead girls. This story takes in an “Epstein island” type of turn. They discover that there is a community where a bunch of rich men live, where women are disappearing from. When the police prove to be little help, the women use their powers to investigate and the road it leads them down is a crazy one.

“Every variety of girl was represented. Rich girls, poor girls, good girls, badasses. It was the makings of a formidable army. She would teach them everything. She would make them invincible. This was the generation that would finally turn the tables. Maybe when their own daughters were born, they wouldn’t need to spend their days fighting fear.”

Though there are very sad themes in this novel surrounding the mistreatment of women from a young age, there’s also so much empowerment. I loved the above quote and moment in this novel; it reminded me of the first time I watched Buffy Summers train a league of slayers. An absolutely iconic moment in my memory that has stayed with me, and I think this book will do the same. I also loved that the author turned mundane moments in our lives into something mystical and omnipotent. Cooking, fitness, gardening, and more.

“Think of it as a recipe for the last thing you’ll ever need to bake,” Harriett told her. “But the truth is, Ms. Rocca—and I suspect deep down, you know this—every recipe is a spell. And all cooks are witches.”

I could quote this whole book but I’d love for you to read it for yourself! The Change is relevant and so easily devoured. It is a mystery, a thriller, a fantasy novel, and a declaration of love for the innate power of women all wrapped in one. There’s so much more to this novel than I could ever put into words. Thanks to William Morrow on Netgalley for providing me with a review copy!

✨ The Change ✨⁣
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⁣Ohhhhhhh I really enjoyed this book! ⁣
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⁣Three women unite to take down those responsible for committing heinous acts against young girls. Harriet, known as the neighborhood with, is a former executive who now has a passion for gardening. Jo, a former hotel executive, now owns her own gym where she channels her rage through intense workouts. Finally- there is Nessa, a former nurse, and who heads dead people. The book alternates between each of their perspectives and backgrounds. ⁣
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⁣It reminded me a little bit of the sarcasm in The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires… Add in some magical realism bits and a murder mystery and you get The Change. Super unique and witty! ⁣
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⁣This book is long (480 pages), but kept me entertained and interested! I loved the female empowerment and enjoyed this story. ⁣
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⁣Four stars! Read this if you’d like to kick the ass of some neighborhood creep! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
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⁣Thank you to @netgalley and @WilliamMorrowBooks for a complimentary copy of The Change in exchange for my honest review.

The description of this book made me want to read it. Three women who previously had never met, find themselves drawn to each other. Nessa has a gift for hearing the voices of the dead. Harriett, recently divorced and passed over for a top job, has found her calling as a talented gardener with a tendency to grow plants that can destroy those who have done wrong. Jo has an intense power that heats up into a volatile strength and heat. When they discover a dead girl on the beach, they decide to take things into their own hands when they seem to get nowhere with the law.
As I started to read the book, I was occasionally put off by how almost every man is portrayed as an absolute evil predator. It was definitely a very feminist novel with a strong push of anti-men. However, the writing and the plot were really good, and I found myself enjoying it despite the man hate. It was a long book, but I never got bored or wanted to stop reading. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a book with strong female characters and who enjoy mysteries with a suspenseful edge to them. I received an e-book from NetGalley.com.

“Every recipe is a spell, and all cooks are witches.”

This quote stuck with me due to my love for cooking but isn’t necessarily significant to this book. This story is a true delight and a fun twist on feminism. In their own ways, the three main characters are relatable.

The book surrounds the mystery of missing girls that are discovered through Nessa’s ability to sense dead women. As the clues of how these girls died unfolds, Harriet’s unique power for “natural” revenge starts impacting people in the community. When the “Bad Guys” start to get upset with the women’s discoveries, Jo is there to protect them with her strength.

This book is full of magical realism that is a pure delight in this suspenseful book. The author does a great job weaving the lives together of the witches, the bad guys and the dead girls. There is an underlying lesson to daughters of women to trust their instincts and fight for themselves. The only real drawback was the length of the book.

4.5 stars – Rounding to 5 stars for Goodreads.

Thank you to @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is the patriarchy revenge fantasy we all need right now! I loved these characters and never wanted this book to end.

The change is a witchy middle aged Craft magical realisim murder adventure! It hooked me in from page one and the story flew by. Strong girl power vibes and a fun and light darker book (if that makes any sense!)

Kirsten Miller's novel, "The Change," is an utter delight. It's a fun, feministic romp of a story with just the right touch of magic, and it was the perfect pick-me-up read while I recover from COVID.

The three lead characters -- Nessa, Jo, and Harriet -- are lovable and extremely relatable. Harriet is the most intriguing by far, and I loved the grayness of her moral compass. She always left me guessing, and I often wondered whether I should truly be rooting for her.

The story moves along at a punchy pace -- I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. The novel does feel a little long, though, and I think some pages could've been chopped from it. But this is a minor complaint, really, because I enjoyed every minute I spent with these three ladies.

I would be ecstatic if Miller one day returns to these characters. If she doesn't, no big deal. "The Change" is nothing short of satisfying, all on its own.


My sincerest appreciation to Kirsten Miller, William Morrow, and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions included herein are my own.

I loved this book. As a late-40s woman I love the idea of superpowers that come with “the change”. This book was so fun and satisfying. Well-written, unforgettable characters, original and fascinating plot. Highly recommend!

What a powerful book! Magical realism is not my genre but this also included themes of female friendship and female empowerment. It was a long book (over 500 pages), but seemed to keep my interest rather well. The book was quite violent and graphic at times. But it was all part of the story and had to be there. A lot of the characters were not likeable but... once again, it was all part of the story.

I really liked the cover art too. It was bright and really made me want to read and request this book.

Short synopsis: Three women discover they get more than they bargained for when they hit menopause. When the buddy of a young girl is found the women band together to use their powers to find who is responsible.

My thoughts: This is full of magical realism with a twist of mystery and thriller. I was pulled right in to this one from the first few chapters. Although it is a long one (almost 500 pages) it reads really quickly. It has a little bit of everything, Badass women, witchy powers, murder mystery, and a fight against men who do wrong.

I loved the relationships these women built with each other, and how they used their abilities to make a better world. There were good reminders in the lessons taught to the daughters of the women about trusting their instincts and fighting for themselves.

Read if you’re a sucker for:
* Strong female protagonist
* Plants used to harm or heal
* Mystery and suspense
* Magical realism

Harriet Osborne is a character who hits you right out of the gate and instantly inspires. Jo, Art, and Lucy have a strong family bond. Celeste is in search of *something.* Nessa is summoned by voices. There are so many different threads to pull in this book, and they are all fresh and uncommon. It's rare to find a book like this, and if you are interested in women finding power, this might be the book for you.