The Change by Kirsten Miller is a powerful and empowering book. I was captivated throughout the entirety of the hefty novel. I had no problem connecting with each story, and I felt very attached. I never felt confused, considering that there were many interwoven subplots and mini-plots throughout the book. Kirsten Miller is a master wordsmith to maintain such a smooth and consistent story. I cannot emphasize enough how impactful all of the women are in this book. They each had a unique voice and a beautiful arc, and they all moved concurrently to build a tremendous momentum leading to an epic ending. ALL THE STARS!!!

Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow, for the ARC.

Anyways, let’s talk about The Change. I requested a copy of this book from @williammorrowbooks after seeing @fantasyfrenemies rave about it. For those who aren’t aware, The Change is marketed as a modern, feminist retelling of The Witches of Eastwick, which I loved as a high school student.

I honestly don’t know how to feel about this one. The writing, pacing, and plot of this novel were all EXCELLENT. But I personally had trouble connecting with this particular book. I don’t know exactly why that is, because I typically love a magical feminist revenge story. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that this book was just too close to your typical domestic thriller for me. That being said, I don’t want to discourage others from picking up this one. It’s a great book, and I think that fans of the Practical Magic series will really enjoy it!

I enjoyed so much about this book. I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump and this book brought me back to life. I found myself looking forward to seeing what would happen next in the murder mysteries of Mattauk, where three women found they were more powerful than they knew and joined forces to put an end to the violence against women. Aside from the murder mystery in an affluent area, which was a strong whodunit plot, there were strong female leads all around and so many women illustrated ways to be strong and survive in a male dominated world. I loved that each woman represented a different personality type but not in a stereotypical way, and each had “had it” with some kind of male standard. There was a sprinkle of romantic interest but this didn’t interfere with or take over the main storyline. I loved that even the supporting women characters came together with Harriet, Jo and Nessa in the end. I’m always happy when there’s some real biology or in this case botany involved in creating the drama. I looked up many of the plants Harriet allowed to thrive in her garden and they were all real and had the danger and salve properties described. It strengthens my opinion of an author and book when that type of research has clearly been done during the creative process and it’s not total fiction. Most of all, I loved that this book created female heroes who were at a stage in life when so many women think their lives are winding down. Instead this showed how much more there is to celebrate (of course we’re not becoming witches, but..). There are still friendships to be forged, ways to harness your unique strengths that you might not even have explored yet. This was such a fun book!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for giving me the opportunity to read this!

This title was recommended to me by an online book club and I could not put it down! Intrigued by the idea of the neighbor who fell into disgrace with the neighborhood, what I got from this book was more than I could have bargained for.

Harriet, Nessa, and Jo become just the friends each other needs. Each one brings their own powerful voice and strength to the table- and that's needed on the adventure that's about to overtake them. The metamorphosis of the women, combined with their girl power energy leads them on a trip no one saw coming and brings an ending that no one thought possible. I thoroughly enjoyed this one!

In The Change, three strong women with magical powers discover that someone has been murdering young, poor girls throughout the town. They set out to figure out who is committing these murders and why.

The Change was just ok for me. Reading it was like a roller coaster; some of it was fast and I couldn’t wait to figure out what came next, other parts dragged. This book is a bit long and probably could have been shorter. Strong messages of issues women face on society but it became a bit “us vs. them”. Overall it was ok but did not understand the hype.

3.5 stars-This story grabbed my attention at the beginning, learning about each character and their powers- Harriett, Nessa, and Jo. Harriett is a former marketing executive, now known as the witch in her community. She’s able to grow anything in her garden, but especially poisonous plants. Nessa, a widower with twin college girls, has inherited the family trait - the ability to see ghosts, specifically dead women. She believes it’s her job to let the families of these dead girls know what happened to them, so the dead girls can rest in peace. Jo runs the local woman’s gym and runs hot, in fact her hands can heat up and start fires. These 3 ladies find a dead girl’s body in a trash bag in some scrub by the beach highway. Then, Nessa sees more dead bodies, so they know more girls were killed. Is it a serial killer or is there some sort of conspiracy with the super-rich community right next door? The ladies work to uncover what happened to all these girls. This is where the story started to bog down and lost it’s pace. However, the ending sped things up again. Although I thought it was predictable and not surprising to find out who was behind everything. Overall a decent read, but about 100 pages too long. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for my review.

At an age when women start being ignored in our society, the women of The Change develop powerful magic that allows them to take on the patriarchy the way they’ve wanted to their entire lives.

This book was an immense amount of fun. A strong voice, a compelling story, immensely likable characters and a perfect pace combine for a satisfying thriller about the power women can wield. Minus a half star because I did clock the ending fairly early, but I still enjoyed every second of the ride.

Very unpopular opinion alert because I’ve seen countless 5-star reviews for this book. I do not ever DNF (did not finish) but there were a few times while reading this that I considered it. At almost 500 pages, I felt it was about 200 pages too long and found myself bored throughout. It was well written which probably makes my star rating a little confusing but this book just was not for me.

This book was a fantastic look into feminist fantasy with a twist of mystery - think Big Little Lies but the characters are given a special gift to help them solve crime. The characters were rich, creative and lovable and the story itself was 500+ pages but fast and entertaining. There are many truths spoken in between the lines of the story and a bigger message in the fantastical prose. My on hold back from 5 stars was that some of the scenarios in the story were solved and explained “too easily.” But I will recommend this book over and over nonetheless.

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Three women come to realize their supernatural powers and then come together to help other women against toxic men of the their town. They come together to solve a murder but end up finding more dead bodies which in turn pushes them to dangerous situations. It started off as a fun read and I loved the attitude of Harriet especially. She shines all the way and her sassy remarks are both entertaining and empowering at the same time. The only issue was it was a bit long and the pace drops midway. If not for the lags, it would have been even better.

4.5 Rounded to 5

Whelp. I haven't had this much fun reading a book in a while. Dark. Violent and Dangerous Women. Yup this is my cup of coffee 😂

This was nowhere near what I thought when I requested this, but then that's what happens when you never read the synopsis 😂 I think this was better, for me anyway, going in blind. I was blown away with the direction this took and LOVED every second of it.

I had a very hard time putting this one down and can't recommend this one enough. This is definitely a FUN one for those who like to see those who deserve it, get their comeuppance...in a very unique way. 🐝🏌️‍♀️🪴

The dynamic between Harriet, Nessa and Jo was great! I love their humor and conversations. I was laughing a lot when they got going. This definitely makes for a great buddy read too. Go grab this, grab some friends, and have a blast.

I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a review copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.

Gosh, I don’t even know where to begin with this one. I started reading it shortly before the Supreme Court news broke, and it feels like this book could not have been released at a better time. Cleverly addressing important and timely women’s issues, The Change follows a trio of women of a certain age as they plot to take down the privileged men in the gated community of small town after several young girls go missing.

Fantasy novels are not my typical go-to read, but I couldn’t put this one down. It’s nearly 500 pages long, but reads like a fun conversation between friends. I adored all three women and appreciated the way in which their unique powers were used together for the good of the community. I especially loved Harriet and the way the author brought her personality and garden to life. In a time where women’s rights are under attack, it was refreshing to see this character throw caution to the wind and be her own woman.

The book balances darker themes of rape, misogyny and torture with dashes of romance, sarcasm, and humor that makes for a satisfying read. This book is going to be the talk of the summer. Get it. You won’t be disappointed.

you to NetGalley, William Morrow and Kirsten Miller for an advanced copy of this book.

I typically stay away from any hint of paranormal anything in books I read, however this book was getting excellent reviews and being called 'the book of the summer' so I had to join the hype. I am also interested in the Long Island serial killer case, which this book seemed somewhat inspired by. I'm glad I joined the hype.

I think The Change is well written and I enjoyed all the characters. I appreciated all the characters and their stories, which can be challenging when it alternates between 3 points of view. The story veered in a way I didn't quite expect (probably due to my LISK intrigue) but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Small details about Long Island were not quite factual (like, trains to Long Island originate at Penn Station, not Grand Central) but have no influence not he story.

I'll be recommending this to friends and family.

The Change by Kirsten Miller was a welcome and refreshing take on one plight of women. I really enjoyed the premise and the character development. It was thoughtful, perceptive, knowledgeable and at times hilarious. I hope these characters and their special talents will show up in future books. Thanks for the opportunity to read this lovely book.

This was easily one of the best books that I've read this year! It was refreshing, original, and kept my attention from start to finish.

Three middle-aged women are at a changing point in their lives. Nessa, raising two college aged daughters after her husband's death, has discovered that she can hear voices of the dead. She becomes an advocate for those who can no longer speak for themselves. Jo, an ambitious gym owner and mom, learns she has the ability to use her strength for a greater good. Then there's Harriet. She may be the most interesting of them all in my opinion. She's changing in so many ways. She has freed herself from worrying what others think and has taken an interest in gardening. Not your everyday type of gardening however. Harriet grows plants that can be used for a large variety of purposes and she's not afraid to use them when she feels necessary.

When the women discover the body of a teenage girl in a black garbage bag during a walk, they are called to action to use their special abilities to seek justice for this young girl and many other forgotten girls just like her.

I loved this book for a variety of reasons. First, can you say strong female voices all around? It was so nice to read a book where women felt empowered to make changes and stand up for what they believe in! Second, this book showcases how strong female friendships can be, regardless of how different the women may be. Third, I enjoyed how the mother-daughter relationships in this book are portrayed.

Beyond all the positive aspects in the portrayal of women, the book also had a strong plot that kept me turning pages. There were unexpected plot developments and at times I wasn't sure what was going to happen next. This is definitely a character driven novel that spotlights the disparities women often face in the real world. It accurately highlights how race and class play a pivotal part in how cases involving missing women are often handled.

Finally, this book sets out to make a statement! From the very clever title to the actions that the women take throughout the novel, nothing felt held back in this story.

If I had one criticism, it would be that almost all of the men were portrayed in in a very poor light. To me, this felt a little off balance. Other than that, I can't say I had any other complaints!

I would definitely recommend this book to others (especially women in the 40 plus age group)! I look forward to reading more from this author (and hope this will be the first installment in a series!).

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advanced readers copy of this book to read and review.

Wow! This book blew me away, it’s been awhile since I read a book that enchanted, engrossed and just plain made me pump my arm up in the air! Kirsten Miller has turned into an auto buy author for me.
The three main pov’s are Harriett, Nessa and Jo. These ladies form the most amazing friendship/sisterhood that I’ve read in years! I could picture the movie in my head the whole time I read it, in one sitting! Laura Dern, Viola Davis and Nicole Kidman would be amazing in these roles! I sure hope someone is smart enough to buy the rights to this book…
This is a thriller, vengeance, revenge story at heart in my opinion. Each of these ladies are at the time in their lives where menopause comes into play, if you are over 45 you will feel like someone finally sees you in a book! The 3 each have a special gift, a witch, an individual that can see ghosts and a hot flashing bad ass super woman. They live on Mattauk where some shady rich men are doing evil things, young girls go missing and the police department just doesn’t care. They care and the story takes off.
I really hope you read this one, any age will be cheering these bad ass women on, they are amazing!
I hope they are featured in another book! We need more books like this one! 5 plus stars!!
Give it a go!

This was the ultimate female super hero story. I wasn't sure what to expect, but there is magic, a murder, and women coming into their own. I finished this book in less than a day it was so good. You will be pulled into the lives of 3 women, all very different but their lives were destined to cross. When the body of a young girl is found in a trash bag by the ocean it becomes a race to find the killer. Each of the women has something to overcome as they find their powers growing and they have to decide what they want out of life. This is a new author for me but I will definitely be looking for more from her.

Kirsten Miller’s The Change is my most recent read and I loved it. I thought about it all day at work yesterday and was counting the minutes until I could get back home and finish reading it.

The book is about women of a certain age. Oh the horror- mid life! That time when women begin to become invisible, when they are no longer thought of as beautiful or sex objects. But what Miller examines so well here is that it is the time when a woman is at her peak. She has confidence and she knows what she wants and she could care less about what other people think. She is at the peak of her powers so to speak. And in this book powers are literal. Each of the three women develops their own individual magic so to speak. Harriet has a way with plants- especially poisonous ones. Jo channels her hot flashes into the palms of her hands and can create electric fire. And Nessa can speak to the dead and it is through her gift that the three women discover there is a serial killer targeting young girls in their small coastal town.

I loved this book it has satire, mystery, humor and pathos and even a little romance. It’s The Witches of Eastwick meets The First Wives Club and it is so much fun! It also has a serious side that looks at the vulnerability of young women and the marginalization of women of a certain age, race and social class. This book makes you think and laugh and all within the parameters of a good mystery. This is a book about empowering women to find their individual strengths and about feminine sisterhood and I absolutely loved it. Thank you to @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for this advanced ebook in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 rounded up.

I honest to god wanted to love this book. So many of my book friends raved over how much they adored this book. I went in expected it to be a five star read. Maybe that’s where I went wrong.

There was soooo much to love about this story. A witch, a medium, a protector. They were so awesome and badass. They each had backstory and character. I really enjoyed learning about these three women. I loved watching them fight against the men of this world, and anyone who says their struggles are not believable have clearly never lived as a woman. I would have loved a story that centered around them, doing what they do, that was maybe 100 pages shorter. .
This book lost me when it rambled about side characters who didn’t peak my interest. There were so many chapters explaining every side character’s back story and I really could have cared less. I would be so sucked into the plot and then it would be a chapter long about something sooo monotonous that I almost put the book down every time there was a flashback. This book is an example of why I am very wary of flashbacks. I craved to read about Jo and Nessa and yet I would find chapters about a random neighbor and fell out of love with the book.

This book is such a feminist powerhouse that it does hurt me to have negative thoughts about it. I wanted to stand on the roof and scream along with my sisters while reading this. I’ve lived these moments. I’ve had these men laugh in my face. I FELT it. But it was just too long and had me getting distracted from what I loved. The characters were strong and authentic, the story was intense and I didn’t know what would happen at the very end. I was VERY upset with the ending. It is always wonderful to see rich men get their just desserts. This story was satisfying. Just if it were up to me, it would have focused strictly on the main 3 women and the girls they tried to save, and less on people who didn’t make an impact on me whatsoever.

I wanted so badly to get into this book but I just could not. It’s also super long and I think that’s one of the reasons why I couldn’t.