I love this book so much! I completely fell in love with the three main characters. Each were unique badass women with “special powers”. I really liked how the author made the characters and events very believable. I could not put this book down because something kept happening to keep me reading! I think if you’re a feminist, like mysteries, and witches then this book is definitely for you!

Slow beginning, very exciting once you're in. Reminded me of Southern Bookclubs Guide to Slaying Vampires. Instead of vampires, they're going after rich, white men. I'm a fan!

I love this book. It’s as if someone finally figured out how to take the best pieces of YA literature and work them into real life adult situations. There are strong female characters. There’s a sense of individual powers that require a suspension of disbelief, but also a stance that we all might have some sort of power if we tapped into it. And there’s certainly a message that women have been held down in myriad ways in our society, and it’s an all our best interest to power forward with the strength and determination so I’m by the women in the novel. The concepts of right and wrong get a revision on the equality rather than misogynistic definition of inherent in our society. But it’s also just fun and engaging and a great mystery.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for this ARC!! The blurb says “a gloriously entertaining and knife-sharp feminist revenge fantasy about three women whose midlife crisis brings unexpected new powers” and I think that fits perfectly. Jo, Nessa, and Harriet come together to battle the evil in their neighborhood. This truly was laugh out loud funny at times but with a good mystery.

Brilliant, stunning, gripping and utterly unputdownable! I did not want this story to end! Nessa, Jo and Harriet have not met before, but when they do meet, discover each has a ‘special’ gift. They turn out to be amazing badasses! Several young girls go missing over a number of years and these three women discover the link. They are determined to find the bodies and find peace for the girls and the families.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 rounded up.
The Change was such an entertaining read and I really enjoyed this book!

Witches seem to be having their moment right now (I’m not mad about it), and this was such a unique take on that theme. The three women at the heart of this story could not be more different from one another, but each was raised knowing they possess a certain gift. When a body belonging to a young girl is discovered and the police brush it off as just another runaway, the women take matters into their own hands. Soon you’re not sure just who you can trust.

I loved the characters in this novel. Harriet in particular was my favorite character, but they all were interesting and well developed. I loved the flashbacks sprinkled throughout so we really got to understand who they were and what made them that way. The mystery was thrilling and definitely kept me guessing.

This would make a great book club book and think it could lead to a lot of interesting discussions.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for a review copy.

I am squarely in the demographic for this novel, a murder mystery solved by some kick-ass middle aged women, with a healthy dose of magical realism and unapologetic feminism, so I had some pretty high expectations. It will be impossible for any woman over the age of 40 to read this without nodding in recognition at the mirror that this book holds up to “reality” (even if I am still waiting for my mid-life super power). I loved reading about the friendship that formed between the strong protagonists, and the author did a great job portraying the polarized beach community where the mystery unfolds. There were lots of twists and turns I did not see coming, and I could tell that the author took great care in constructing the plot. That said, the concept was a bit better its execution. This would have been a five star book for me if there had been less telling and more showing; some of the moralizing was a bit too heavy-handed, even for someone like me, who is in the target audience and can't get enough of feminist fiction. I did enjoy it very much, though - huge thanks for the review!

This book is pretty un-put-down-able and very enjoyable. A few weakness in the writing and characterization don't detract significantly from a cathartic story with many twists for readers.

First off, those of us women who are of a certain age definitely know what "the change" is. alluding to. Secondly, we women of a certain age would love for this season in life to help us refine ourselves and help us become the bada$$es that we were meant to be. I mean, we might actually look forward to aging if this were the case. But I digress. Lucky for us, we can live vicariously through 3 intelligent, determined and very different women who are all in their "third stage" in life, who serve as the main characters in this book.

"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 to protect those who are weaker. This third stage, which you have entered, can be one of incredible power."

Once you start to learn more about the three main characters, Harriett, Jo and Nessa, the book captivates you and you won't want to put the book down. I'll warn you now - the book starts with what feels like a lot of male bashing and I was worried that was going to be the whole story. But do not fret friends, it is necessary to set the stage and help the reader to feel the motivations behind these three women, exploring their newly found "powers." Nessa has known since her youth that she has a special ability to hear those who have passed on, but need her help to be "found." This gift, passed down through the generations, does not come to fruition until the woman holding the gift reaches the third stage in her life.

"You're the light that holds back the darkness," Harriett said. "Women like you have always existed. Without you, the world would be thrown out."

Jo is able to harness her hot flashes into physical heat and strength and Harriett has become somewhat of a healer with her plant concoctions designed to help, or in some (maybe many) cases, hurt. Together they balance each other out. One searches for the lost, one fights for the lost, and one holds the responsible party accountable. Full of twists and secrets - just when you think one person just might get away with their crimes, justice is served..

Does it sound like I am being vague? I am. I don't want to give any of this story away. If you feel like the story drags a touch at the beginning - keep going. I promise you this story is worth the read! This story is going to make quite a splash!

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the advance copy to read and review.

The beginning takes a meandering path to introduce the characters and it takes a bit to understand what the point is. What follows is a unique story. The characters are fantastic. The mystery is engaging and keeps you guessing. I love the midlife genre featuring strong females. I also enjoy the supernatural aspects. Female empowerment is great to finally see happening in books today. This one is a bit heavy handed though. Almost every male character is an ass. There are a couple who are great but they are like footnotes. Overall this was a great story.

This book is GREAT. It is not even my typical genre (I don't read many thrillers) and I LOVED it. The Change is about 3 STRONG, BADASS, FEMALE main characters who are all over 40. As each character begins menopause a magical power awakens within her. LOVE. TO. SEE. IT. A serial killer is murdering girls in Mauttak, Long Island. Jo, Nessa and Harriet quickly learn that those in power - men - aren't going to do a thing about it. So it is up to the trio to solve the crimes and protect young girls.

This book is a great read for everyone, but it will especially resonate with women. There were countless moments where the MCs came up against misogynistic men where my inner voice was saying, "Uh huh. Been there! I feel you." I never annotate while reading, yet this book had me so excited that I put it down at one point to note "This is an anthem of female power and empowerment."

Ghosts, magic, a murder mystery, women taking down the patriarchy, and often humorous, this book has so much to love!!! It's described as feminist revenge fantasy and I need more stories like this please and thank you!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Change is out tomorrow, May 3. Add it to your TBR now!

Thank you to @williammorrowbooks and @netgalley for the eARC.

The Change by Kirsten Miller is a unique feminist revenge novel with a touch of fantasy elements. It follows three women in midlife who develop powers that enable them to find the bodies of several teenage girls. When the police write the girls off as runaways and addicts, the women take matters into their own hands to get revenge.

I selected this book when it was a "Read Now" option because it had been blowing up on bookstagram. It was getting rave reviews, so I was excited to dive in. Unfortunately, for me, this one just didn't live up to the hype. I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it.

First, I'll dive in to some of what I liked:
- I liked the diversity of characters in this book compared to other books. It seems like most books don't focus on female characters over 40, so it was great to see 3 main characters fitting that description in this.
- I liked the focus on feminist issues in the real world. The commentary on equality in the professional world was very interesting and provides a lot to discuss.
- The last half. I flew through the last half. The first half felt a little long but the last half had so much packed into it.
- The mix of genres. I like the work in of fantasy elements into the story.

Some of what didn't win me over:
- Hard for me to connect with any of the characters. I'm not sure why this was the case, but they just didn't feel that relatable to me. This book had very serious topics, but none of the MCs brought any levity except Harriet, who did it through being high and being quirky. They felt a little one-dimensional.
- While I liked the feminist narrative in this book, oftentimes it felt a bit heavy handed, especially in the first half. This gave off vibes of all men being bad, and not just bad, evil. The 2nd half got a bit better, but it just seemed to lack the nuance of men and women working together for equality.
- Felt a little longer than it needed to be

I enjoyed the read, but overall it just didn't work for me like it has seemed to for other people. The characters, the villains, and the conspiracy were all just a bit over the top. Still a fun read though!

At first, I wasn’t sure what to expect as you come to know the three main characters, all strong mature woman that you don’t want to mess with. But I loved it and could not put this book down. Different than other suspense stories, there is an element of paranormal and superhero qualities. Nessa, a widow, is gifted with the sight to see dead people and the responsibility to help them to the other side. Jo has a temper for injustice that when ignited is quite explosive. Both are possessive mamas and fiercely protective. But it is Harriet who is thought to be a witch, stepped on by all the men in her life given to emotional abuse. Her decision to take control of her life with a vengeance that makes her formidable with her newfound knowledge of plants and poisons. These three women together set out to exact justice for some young girls found murdered in a small ideal coastal town. The title, The Change, is apt as the saying goes: “if you want to see the change, you have to be the change”. That is certainly true for these women as they finally see their purpose in life to right the wrongs of the world they were taught to accept to live in.
This story keeps you reading from the first page to the last. While you think you know where it is leading, there are twists and turns and surprises around the corner. The characters are well developed and the setting makes you feel like there is something sinister that needs cleansing. I enjoyed reading this a lot.

Many thanks to #netgalley #thechange #kristenmiller for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I enjoyed this one so much! The premise is three middle-aged women getting magical powers later in life and putting those to use to fight evil in a rich beach town. The best part is how fed up these women are with the patriarchy and how bad-ass they are. I loved the back stories of how these women got to the point they are at and how they stood up for the voiceless and all the delicious revenge. It's dark and empowering and I think i'll be recommending it for a long time!

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the arc of this one!

#TheChange:⁣
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“It depends how you define poisonous. There’s a very fine line between what cures and what kills.” ⁣
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When I read this was magical, but mothers with drama, I was there. Y’all. This book is unlike any other. It’s so much more. It’s a bit dark, but hilarious. This is a hefty read (and listen) but a 5 🏃‍♀️ read.⁣
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These three amazing and badass women are basically drawn together and form an unlikely friendship. They all have their own magical capabilities that compliment each other. They find a body and refuse to believe it’s an overdose. They start to open their own investigation with their talents and what happens next is more sinister than they could have imagined. ⁣
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This almost read like a dozen short stories into one. Each chapter was a new story, especially the ones with the backstory of how each woman became who they are now. I’d put the audio off to go do something after a chapter, but could pick off with the new flashback without being confused. They all flowed so well together. The ending had me in shock! ⁣
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Let’s talk audio. It’s January Lavoy y’all. One of my favorite readers, I knew I’d be in a treat for this. So many times I was thankful she was the reader because of how much emotion she can exhibit and being the book to life. From the icy, yet hilarious, comments of Harriett to the fear in Nessa, it was amazing. ⁣
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This book is definitely more dark than I anticipated, and I loved it. We touch on some really heavy topics (TW: sexual assault) and there’s a few gruesome moments, but this book is just a wow. I can’t even describe it. I know others are saying it’s Witches of Eastwick and Big Little Lies, but it’s giving me Cackle - Rachel Harrison feels not the sinister actions with the hilarious banter to level it out. I loved this book so much. Thank you @harperaudio @williammorrowbooks for the gifted copy. The Change is out tomorrow! It’s also a BOTM add-on that I HIGHLY recommend.⁣
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QOTD: I could only picture Harriett as Angela Bassett. Tell me an actor/actress that you’d want to play a book character.

I love a good feminist revenge book, this book was witty and fun! I devoured it over one weekend. The characters were well written and the plot really picked up about 1/3 to 1/2 way through. Thanks, NetGalley and William & Morrow for providing me with a copy in exchange for my review!

What started off as a fun, witty mystery turned into a slog in the final quarter of the book. It felt like no movement was happening and could have been trimmed down significantly.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: May 3, 2022

As 3 women enter their own mid-life crisis, they discover certain abilities that start us on this entertaining journey of paranormal feminist revenge in their Stepford-type town!

This book was a chunker, but still a quick read so don't be put off by the length!

Harriet, Jo and Nessa are living in a New York oceanfront community. All are going through "the change" and discover that with that, they have acquired some new powers. Nessa inherited a special gift from her grandmother which she knew would come with large responsiblity, but in her late forties she starts to see and hear the ghosts and knows she must help! Jo has spent her entire life hating her body and what it brings out in men, and she channels her hot flashes into a way to protect. And lastly, and my favorite character, Harriet, who has lost her husband and her career and is now referred to by the neighbors as "the witch" and she has no issue handling out punishments to those who do wrong. These three become unlikely friends and Nessa's calling leads them to find the dead body of a teenage girl off Danskammer beach. The police call it an OD by a sex worker and move along.

The women know there's more to this story, so they begin an investigation of their own. This will lead them to more bodies and the fact that there may be a serial killer among them who has been killing for years!

I loved going along for the ride with these three badass women who were determined to find justice, even if they had to do it themselves.

A book with revenge, strong women, humor and some bad language that was a fabulous read! And can we talk about that cover?!

Many thanks to Netgally and William Morrow for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

As women , we go through the Change. We never know what to expect and how different it can be for everyone. Harriet, Jo. and Nessa have powers that become fully developed. They learn to control it and use it to right the wrongs in the world.
Young girls have been disappearing in their little town. Runaways the police say. But then the bodies are found because the dead contact Nessa. Harriet is the town witch. Beware her garden or is it your friend? No is very helpful to women she opens a gym for women only. It helps her to lower her burning rage.
The book gives you their history and how they came to have these powers. I loved all the back stories went back and forth trying to guess who was involved. I took until the end to determine if I was correct. It is a book for the times. I kept thinking of Jeffrey Epstein.
I gave this five stars because I couldn't give it more. This review is my honest opinion. Thank you, NetGalley.
This would make a terrific miniseries!