THE CHANGE :: Kristen Miller

Kristen Miller's The Change is not a book that would normally be on my radar, but I joined an Instagram buddy read group and this was their selection. I could have skipped it, but it sounded like it could be a bit of fun. I was so wrong - this book was SO MUCH FUCKING FUN! I understand some readers felt it was heavy-handed on the feminist front, but first, why the hell not? We certainly have plenty of heavy-handed books with women as the forever victim. Second, the heavy-handedness is, from my perspective, done intentionally and very well by Miller.

At its base level, The Change is about three women "of a certain age" taking their power back. They discover each other at the right time in their lives where they are ready to take control and take charge. While the plot is serious (young girls have been murdered), large parts of the goings-on are underpinned by fantasy and social commentary.

Harriett is a former advertising exec who is responsible for her husband's success while he gets the credit. She left the corporate world and is now divorced, tending to her outlandish garden (that breaks every HOA rule to hilarious end) and "helping" people with her plant-based potions. No surprise she's known as a witch. She is the embodiment of a strong woman who does what she wants, takes no prisoners and suffers no fools ("That’s why I choose vengeance. She’s the only mistress I serve.").

Jo used to work in the hospitality industry, but now runs an all-women's gym where she can rage-run to her heart's content. When she gets angry, her power manifests in extreme strength and heaven help those who piss her off.

Nessa is a former nurse who inherited the family legacy of being able to hear and see the dead. Her gift is what sets off the action, as the women discover a dead body surrounded by more dead young women and are bound and determined to figure out what's going on in their neighborhood.

The book was not without its flaws, and at one point I thought it was over, but it still had quite a few pages left. Some of the characters' intentions and true colors were telegraphed, but honestly, it just didn't matter. These issues didn't detract enough to keep me from finding this a fantastically enjoyable trip.

I'm a sucker for good character work and Miller's is stellar. Each of the women is multi-faceted and fascinating in her own right, with backgrounds and issues that kept the narrative fluid and on point rather than dragging it down. I wanted to know more about these women, especially Harriett, who is someone I would want to hang out with any day.

I'm so glad I was convinced to read The Change and will definitely seek out more work by Miller. It was by turns moving, hilarious, serious, outlandish, educational, motivational, and fun. A definite E-ticket ride.

This book was so fun! There were a lot of characters to keep track of but it was manageable! Will for sure be reading more Kirsten Miller books in the future!

Bravo–5 big shiny stars

I love my thrillers with a side of social commentary so this was right in my wheelhouse, and I loved it so much I ordered a copy for permanent residence on my shelf.

This book not only questions society’s perspective of women over 40 but levels up and shifts that view to consider–what if women of a certain age were able to tap into their own gifts/powers? How magical would that be if aging was an empowering experience and not something to “fix” with diet culture and beauty standards?

The story introduces us to three women from disparate backgrounds and circumstances and we learn about their gifts they may have had all along, but are now only recognizing to their full potential due to experiencing ‘the change’ and shaped due to their own personal experiences with misogyny. These women come together and use their newly evolved powers to not only solve a crime but take down those responsible.

I am certain this book will be a top read for 2022 for me, and I urge you to check it out. I had no idea when I picked it up what it was even about, except that the cover was gorgeous and I plucked it off NetGalley when it was recommended to me a few days before pub date, based almost entirely on blind faith that they know me by now and it said something about Big Little Lies meets Witches of Eastwick. When I got far enough in and found out how it got its title I went OOOH THAT CHANGE! How clever.

Clever for sure, but what’s more it really makes you think about society’s expectations of women and perception on aging. The events in the book seemed especially timely in light of recent women’s rights being taken away, and how women don’t always support each other but rather work against one another at times. I think it speaks to women of all ages and it has been my go to recommendation for a book club read over the past month.

Thanks to William Morrow, Netgalley and Kristin Miller for the early electronic copy in exchange for my review of this book.

This was so different than anything I’ve read lately and drew me in from the start. I loved the strong female characters, the elements of magical realism, and the depth of storytelling! Can’t wait for more from this author.

Menopause — the change has three women find themselves in mid-life and unexpected experiences that cause them to get together to solve a dead teenage girl body on a remote beach. Nessa’s husband has died and her two daughters leave for college, she begins to hear voices. she Remembers she got the gift from her grandmother. The gift is hearing the voices of the dead. Harriet has just experienced the loss of her husband and career. She also experiences a special power unknown to her. Jo has spent thirty years at war with her body. She finds a power that was hers but unknown — now she knows and control it. What are their powers. The police when they found the teenager’s body write it off as a drug addiction. The ladies don’t agree. Nessa, Harriet and Jo are going to solve the girl’s death. They discover that there are more deaths and they appear to be related to the wealthy where rules don’t apply.

.The author has written a suspenseful, story with perfect pacing and an engaging voice. It is a page turner! I consider this being partially crime fiction and a satire about sexism and ageism mixed together giving the reader a read that I enjoyed reading.

I loved this book. It was so refreshing to read a book where the women were over a certain age. As a mid forty year old I can appreciate a book that gives power to women that the rest of society ignores. My favorite character was Harriet. To have her zen for life but also fearlessness....wow

🌟 🌟 BOOK REVIEW🌟 🌟 💫

A huge thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow and Kirsten Miller for an Arc of The Change.

A magical realism, fantasy or a women's fiction- leave it up to you to choose the genre- what Kirsten Miller delivers is an absorbing cracker of a book with 3 strong female characters at its core who are bound to question everything around you.

“They live alongside us, she thought. Some work with us. Some fuck us. And some do both. And yet they seem to know absolutely nothing about us”

The setting is an oceanfront town of Mattauk where Nessa James, with her secret gift, uncovers a string of murders of young girls belonging to less well-to-do backgrounds. She finds able accomplices in Harriett Osborne (I don’t think I will find a better character written this year) and Jo Levison, each undergoing metamorphosis of sorts after similar experiences in a male-dominated corporate world.

“Hoodoo belongs to the people down here. But there are women all over the world who can do what you and I do. They’ve got different names for it in other countries, but we all share the gift.”

While Jo channels her rage into her entrepreneurial role, Harriett uncovers the secret powers of nature while being amidst it and surrendering to its magic. What follows is 3 women who uncover the truth behind the murders and a major syndicate in the town and in the process, destroy the barriers set by the society in this come-of-age women empowerment thriller come drama.

The thriller/mystery aspect though pretty great in its own right, it’s the voice of each of the ladies, especially Harriett which made this book stand out for me. I can’t believe I took this long to pick it up but once I started, this was a start-to-finish fun ride. Highly recommended.

“The species wasn’t entirely corrupt, Harriett observed. Once in a while, one of them would surprise you. Such actions never redeemed them completely, of course, but it did make Harriett wonder if they really deserved to be wiped off the planet”

This book is all over social media. Some of the biggest accounts are raving about this one. Sadly I couldn't get into it. I think its just the timing of the book. I am a total mood reader and if it doesn't feel right I can't finish.. So I am setting aside to come back to at a different time when it fits my mood.

I will update with new review when read fully.

Thank you NetGalley and Kristen Miller for giving me the opportunity to read this book. I really do look forward to reading it.

The star rating is not my final rating. NetGalley makes you put a start rating. I will rate this honestly after I read it.

I couldn't plod through this cesspool of a story. I was only a few chapters in when it became blatantly obvious the author has clearly been wronged by one too many men, and has spilled all her vitriol into a vengeful diatribe that has not a single male character with any redeeming value whatsoever. And I'm saying this as an old dyke who's been called a 'man-hater' many, many times over the course of my life.

This stereotypical mess of a book is the epitome of what is apparently a trend since the #metoo movement. It's a valid topic that could have been handled way better with a better writer and more believable characterizations, tossing a few atta-girl moments in to make a point. Not every man (or woman) is an a@@hole, but they are in this fantasy world. Slush pile.

Wow, what a breath of fresh air. Kirsten Miller's The Change is a modern day take on a witch story and full of female empowerment. Harriet, Jo and Nessa are all women of a certain age who have just later in life come in to some special powers. Nessa, a widow, has inherited a special gift from her grandmother to hear the dead calling. Harriet has become the neighborhood witch and can use her powers to punish. Jo, who owns a gym for women, has been able to harness her hot flashes into something much more powerful and protect others. The three women come together to find the body of a young woman that Nessa could hear calling for her. This is such a fun story and the description of a "feminist revenge fantasy" is spot on!

I was immediately hooked with this story. I loved that it had magical elements but still felt realistic. Harriet, Jo and Nessa are amazing characters. I laughed several times at the dialogue. I enjoyed the mystery aspect a lot. The ending felt a little rushed to me but I was happy how it ended.

Loved it! I get the hype, the rave reviews, all the buzz! This is female rage, empowerment, and friendship at its best with some magical realism thrown in that makes this one of the most entertaining reads of the year for me. This book put all the parts I loved about The Power, The Husbands and Nightbitch into one story with better characters, an intricate plot and witty dialogue. Highly recommend this one!

I was influenced into reading this book, and I’m so glad. Jo, Nessa, and Harriett are just badass women. Superheroes in their own right. Their friendship and characters make this book worthy of 5 stars.

While the ending didn’t catch me by complete surprise, it also didn’t make me want to throw my kindle (so that’s a win).

Claude- I kept hoping my intuition was wrong. Shame.

**I received this advance copy free from William Morrow, Harper Collins Publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

✨Book Review✨
The Change by Kirsten Miller
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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I recommended this book to like ten people before even finishing it, if that gives any indication of how much I loved it.
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This book was not perfect, but oh my gosh I loved the characters more than anything! I want to be Harriet when I grow up. This book was the perfect amount of magical, and the women were complete badasses. This book makes me look forward to getting older, as it does such a brilliant job fighting ageism and showing that women after menopause continue to be strong, sexual, independent, and capable of taking care of themselves.
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If you like books about strong women fucking over shitty men, and the idea of magical powers that emerge with menopause intrigues you, stop what you're doing and read this book NOW! It will without a doubt be in my top books of the year. It might even make its way into my top books of all time. Loved it!

If you only read one thriller this year, make it this one! This is the best book I’ve read in a long while!
Three women, each strong in their own way, find a dead body near the beach. As they begin to put the pieces together, things get more complicated.
This book had major plot twists and a great ending!

THE CHANGE review

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

🍄I’ve seen a loooooot of hype for this one so I knew I wanted to check it out for myself! I had really similar vibes to The Lost Apothecary (but an even more insane storyline). I’ve seen this book described as magical realism, but it felt more like straight up fantasy to me (not a bad thing, just not what I was expecting).

🍄Here’s a summary of the plot:👇
In the community of Mattauk, three women discover that in their midlife changes they’ve all developed unique powers. Jo, Nessa, and Harriett must work together and use their powers to uncover the town’s darkest secret. But other members of the community seem intent on keeping the secret buried. They decide it’s up to them to take matters into their own hands…

🍄This one felt super loooong. I enjoyed the story, but would have enjoyed it more if it was a little more fast paced. I felt like the ending was super predictable, but this one was still a fun read. Plus I always love a good revenge storyline. I didn’t love it, didn’t hate it, but it was a fun read different to what I’m used to!

🍄Thanks @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for my arc of this one!

Three women brought together by their own separate identities. Each has their own power.
After the body of a young girl is found and then more, the women follow in each others footsteps to discover who the murderer in their small quaint town is.. Fabulous book!

The Change is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year. Harriet, Nessa and Jo are three very different women who end up becoming not only best friends but so much more. As they fight to right wrongs that have been perpetuated in their town, they find themselves up against an enormous web of evil. I loved how this story played out and was almost disappointed that my suspicions about a certain character turned out to be correct as I really liked the person. Overall this is a phenomenal book that I could not put down. I highly recommend this book!

The Change follows three women, Harriett, Nessa, and Jo, as they work to solve the case of several murdered girls in their town. When the police prove to be of little help, they take it upon themselves to get justice for the girls that society turned its back on. Along the way, they each develop different powers that help them to achieve this justice. These ladies couldn't be any stronger. The subject matter may be hard to read at times, but it is also so empowering to see them take things into their own hands. Read this one!

The Change explores the power of menopausal women and the poignant strength of friendship; supplies satisfying revenge fantasies and camp; and winds it all through our middle-aged heroines' satisfying solving of a disturbing set of mysteries.

“Why do you think women are designed to outlive men? Why do we keep going for thirty years after our bodies can no longer reproduce? Do you think nature meant for those years to be useless? No, of course not. Our lives are designed to have three parts. The first is education. The second, creation. And in part three, we put our experience to use and protect those who are weaker.”
In Kristen Miller's novel The Change, set in Mattauk, Long Island, three women cope with various challenges surrounding aging, change, and unexpected new beginnings.
Nessa's husband has died, and her twin daughters have left for college. The former nurse is coping with loneliness--but then she begins hearing voices like her grandmother once did. They're making insistent suggestions about what she should do with her life, and Nessa realizes they're coming from the dead.
Harriett's career and marriage have fallen apart, but she's also undergone an incredible metamorphosis she can't ignore--and her abilities are overwhelming to anyone who was expecting her to stay quiet and contained.
Jo has battled with her weight and struggled with her body image her whole life. She has a loving husband and a wonderful young daughter she adores. When she is terribly wronged at work and her career is cut short, she realizes that her hot flashes can be channeled into power, and she reinvents herself while exploring her dramatic strength and the potentially useful fuel of her fury.
Nessa, Jo, and Harriet work together and use their newfound abilities to try to solve the mystery of a missing girl, along the way uncovering dark, disturbing patterns of abusive power and shining a light on the horrifically effective shields provided by money and privilege.
The tone of The Change is largely campy, as middle-aged women heroines unite against the book's sometimes caricature-like, purely evil bad guys by using their new-found fantastical powers. The revenge-fantasy element is particularly satisfying.
But what I loved most about The Change was the unapologetic embracing of the frequently fraught menopausal stage of life. Miller allows the frequently dreaded and bemoaned middle-aged shifts and changes to lead her female characters to realize their terrific strengths. Separately they're formidable, but together, they build a collective power that is the community's only hope to right terrible, horrible, longstanding wrongs.
I received a prepublication digital edition of this book courtesy of William Morrow and NetGalley.