I did not enjoy this book. I felt it was more for YA audience. I was especially disappointed after all the hype – – I felt the "girl power" and this was very contrived. Clearly I am in the minority as most people seem to be enjoying this book.

A well written story of the power at the heart of all women, and those who choose to use that power for good. I literally could not put this book down. It grabbed my attention and never let go. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

▪️REVIEW▪️

The Change ~ Kirsten Miller

🙏🏼 Thank you to @williammorrow for this advanced eARC COPY

▪️READ IF:
* You consider The Witches of Eastwick a classic!
* You are ready to be totally wowed.
* The power of female friendships has sustained you.

▪️SUMMARY: In a quiet Long Island town, three women start to experience the changes that mid-life brings and soon realize that with change, comes strength.

Harriet Osborne, Jo Levison, and Nessa James are friends bound together by special powers and fierce determination. When a teenage girl’s body is found on the beach, they attempt to seek justice but learn that a narrative has already been spun, far from the truth. They soon realize that the only way to save these girls and rewrite the rules is to take matters into their own hands…

▪️REVIEW: I don’t read fantasy and long books make me nervous - but I read this and my god, I cannot stop talking about it!! This book was everything I didn’t know I needed - steady beautiful storytelling, fierce female friendships, and some feminist tricks and thrills that gave me major Jeffrey Epstein chills. The fantasy elements were enthralling, the characters were bad ass, and the message oh so relevant.

The chapters fluctuate between the present but then also include anecdotes about the characters and how got to where they are - little intermissions that give insight and set the stage for the next scene. I thought a brilliant move on Miller’s part for what some will say is a long read.

The Change is being described as “Witches of Eastwick,” meets “Big Little Lies” with some “Stepford Wives” vibes and I was HERE. FOR. IT. Will easily be one of the best books I read this year - an anthem for women who most certainly get better with age and experience! I don’t do star ratings anymore but ALL THE STARS!

I really wanted to love this book bc there was so much hype about it, but it wasn’t for me. I thought about not finishing it, but plodded through hoping there’d come a point it would grab me…but it did not. It was unbelievable, was hard to follow & seemed to drag on. I am from eastern LI & was so excited to read a book set on it’s seashore, but there is no town called ‘Mattauk’ & that threw me. If you’re a ‘man hater’ maybe this will appeal to you.

Oh, friends. This is a fun one! I know this book has been flooding your Instagram feed lately, especially since it was selected as a Good Morning America book club pick for May. I must admit that I had very little desire to read this one until absolutely EVERYONE on bookstagram was raving about it. I read “feminist revenge fantasy” and wasn’t sure if it was the right book for me. Naturally, I had to give it a try because you know, FOMO. It was definitely a #bookstagrammademedoit moment! I am so glad that I picked it up because I ended up really enjoying it! The hype was real for me, and I highly recommend the audiobook! It was very well done. I adored all of the badass, strong, and confident women in this novel. Harriet was by far my fave, and I kinda wanna be just like her when I grow up. Ha! And holy smokes! That ending! What in the world? Definitely blew my mind a little. I could use about a million different words to describe The Change, but I’m just settling on a handful today:

Wicked
Brilliant
Smart
Sexy
Satisfying
Shocking
Twisty
Disturbing

If you’re looking for some juicy entertainment, give this one a go! 4/5 stars for The Change!

The Change. Wow. This book was like nothing I have ever read. At the heart of The Change is a story of women. Women who have been passed over, overlooked, told to be quiet or made to feel small. Women who have been discarded and cast aside. It is a story of when women have had enough.

Harriet, Jo, and Nessa are three very different women with very different pasts. But they all end up in the same small beachside town. While living in this town they each discover a unique gift. Oh, and did I also mention they discover a body? The three unlikely friends band together to investigate who is killing girls in their town. What they unleash will not only aid in the efforts of finding a serial killer but also in the metamorphosis of each woman.

The book is part thriller (hello...serial killer), part Witches of Eastwick (dabble of magic), and part a tale of friendship and belonging (I kept thinking of Idgie and Ruth). The three elements combined made a book that I could not put down. It was unique and compelling and everything I didn't know I needed in a book.

I really enjoyed the beginning and middle of this book which is a fusion of several genres including thriller, romance, and supernatural. All three main characters Nessa, Jo, and Harriet had fascinating back stories and all three characters had qualities and strengths that complimented each other. The three use their strengths together to help solve a murder mystery in a small beach town on Long Island. I was a bit disappointed in the end as I feel it did not lead up to the hype from the beginning and middle of the story. however, the book itself while a little long was still very entertaining and certainly worth a read!

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley

I can see why this one got so much press. It's sold as a feminist revenge story and it does fulfill that promise, but it's so much more. It's an ode to the power of women and what can happen when they stick together. It's also a reminder that, despite what our male-driven society might say, women get more powerful and wonderful with age.
The national news this book is based on is very obvious, so the big reveals weren't that big when they happened if you're at all familiar with it, but getting there was still a pulse-pounding, powerful story. Miller not only created a group of relatable and engaging characters, but she also put them through the wringer in a series of expertly-paced events. I loved that she also takes the time to explore the women's pasts and how they shaped who they are at the time of the story. It shows how they come into their power and makes the compelling message of the story even more impressive.
I walked away from this one both sad that it's not just fiction and happy to think that it might inspire women to take their power into their own hands (minus the murder, but you know what I mean).

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the thought-provoking read!

Kirsten Miller's The Change is the epitome of Girl Power, women supporting eachother and witchiness and I loved the overall message. There are not many times I read a book and feel such a profound sense of intrigue from the first page. The atmosphere and settings within this book are beautiful and I think I want to live in Harriet's vine and plant covered house with her magical garden and bees that do her bidding. This book reminds me of The Witches of Eastwick, but darker and with a greater sense of wit, charm and a focus on taking down the patriarchy. The story focuses on 3 women who come into their powers. Nessa can hear the voices of the dead and must locate their bodies to help them move on. Jo is extremely powerful and strong. Harriet is knowledgeable in herbs and plants and can communicate with and control nature. We follow their journey of chasing down a serial killer and pooling their powers to change their world starting with their corrupt community.
The Change is a powerful story that will stay with you long after you read it. It was such a thrill to read and I loved these women so much. Read it. It's amazing!

Kirsten Miller’s The Change is guaranteed to be one of the biggest books of the summer, possibly of 2022. It is a well written mystery/thriller/witch novel about three women going through menopause who aren’t going to let that, or the men in their lives, control them.

The characters are extremely well developed. I kept turning the pages because I had to know what happened next. I figured out the whodunit part early on, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment and there were still some surprising aspects.

I gave this book 3.5 stars though because I felt it was a bit long and could have used some editing. Additionally, the flashbacks got frustrating and the timeline wasn’t entirely cohesive. But, overall a great book that I will be sure to recommend to my friends.

I loved the garden witch Harriet, but I disliked how the minor characters had chapters that contributed so little to the story. Still, it has a really unique plot and premise and was good kick-ass feminine fun.

This is probably one of the most talked about books on Instagram in the past couple weeks, so I was super excited to read it.

I read The Mercies and Hour of the Witch earlier this year thinking they were about witches killing men but they were mostly women accused of witches and prosecuted which left me angry, so imagine my excitement when I learned this book is about feminists revenge and witches killing men!!!

I really enjoyed the first half of the book, it was intriguing to read about Nessa, Harriet and Jo's stories, their abilities and the murder mystery they're trying to solve. But I gotta say the book kind of lost its steam towards the end, the last 20-30% of the story kind of kept repeating similar stories and just dragged, there were also some loopholes and loose ends that were not addressed.

I still enjoyed it overall and would recommend to everyone because it's pretty unique and god we just need more angry feminists books!

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the free e copy in exchange of my review!

Thanks to William Morrow for the advanced copy. This was a great time to read a book about badass women who kick butt and don’t let the men around them take advantage of them (considering what’s going on in the US). I also loved the theme of post menopause being a time for women to find their superpowers instead of withering away. Minus a star because it ran about 50-75 pages too long.

Unfortunately I I only give my feedback based on the synopsis and cover because the ebook won't work for me. I've hit download and send ro kindle and net galley shelf I don't know how many times but it won't pull up the ebook it says it's a broken link.

Anyway, I feel for the right crowd this book will be a major 5 star read. It deals with three woman and the undesired need of a man in their lives. Huge feminism and woman empowerment read. Based on the cover I feel like maybe quite possibly there will be some "witchcraft" of some kind but for good and not evil. Deep purple like that always gives me witchy vibes.

If I am to get the opportunity when the book is released physically to read this I will do so with a warmth in my heart because ot saddens me that I couldn't get the link to work. When I do get a physical copy either as purchase or on loan I will gladly revisit and do a formal review after reading.

Therefore my guess on the star rating would be 4.5 almost 5 I feel this story may lack just a little of something but I am unsure of what.

Miller conjures a tale of righteous retribution delivered by three unlikely superheroes, all middle-aged, slightly menopausal women. Harriet Osborne, unceremoniously dumped from her hard-earned executive position, now spends her time cultivating long-neglected Wiccan skills. Fitness trainer Jo Levison has the ability, when provoked, to deliver third-degree burns with a molten hot flash. Nessa James has a gift for seeing and hearing dead people, or more specifically, murder victims crying out for justice. The engaging plot unfolds when Nessa and friends follow the ghostly voice of a girl who leads them to her discarded body. And Nessa sees the ghosts of other girls there too, also missing, who the local police simply dismissed as runaways. The women don’t buy it, and the creative, home-grown justice that follows is oh so satisfying. This is a very unusual story where tragedy and humor collide, and the revenge is honey sweet. A very fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow & Company, and Kirsten Miller for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book could not be published at a more perfect, more relevant time when woman and control over their own lives is under such unprecedented attack.

The Change is a story about three women of menopausal age who, quite frankly, have had enough of men making them invisible. Artfully balanced with a sense of mystery and magical realism, these three women embark on a mission to uncover the secrets and lies that envelope their small, wealthy town.

Full of humor, wit, and a strong sense of feminism, this novel is for every woman over the age of 40 who has ever been belittled, assaulted, or made to feel inferior to men. It’s time we rake back control. It’s time for The Change.

4.5 stars

The Change is a magical book for women to take to the beach this season!

In the oceanfront community of Mattauk, three different women discover midlife changes like no order. After Nessa James's husband dies and her twin daughters leave for college, the former nurse begins to hear voices. It doesn't take long for Nessa to realize that the voices calling out to her belong to the dead--a gift she's inherited from her grandmother. Advertising director Harriett Osborne has just witnessed the implosion of her lucrative career and her marriage. Now she hasn't left her house in months, and she and her garden have both supposedly gone to seed. But Harriet's life is far from over; she and her plants have taken on a new kind of life. Last, but certainly not least, gym owner Jo Levison has spent thirty long years at war with her body. The free-floating rage and hot flashes that arrive with the beginning of menopause feel like the very last straw until she realizes she has the ability to channel them.

Nessa leads them to a girl buried in a trash bag off the beaten path. The police have written her off as a prostitute and druggie. But her ghosts keep telling Nessa that isn't the case. Their investigation into the girl's murder leads to more dead girls and to the town's most exclusive neighborhood. The men there manage an obscene amount of money while keeping their families at arm's length. The women must reveal the truth before they, themselves are killed.

I really liked the supernatural feminism of this book. It reminded me of Such a Pretty Smile except that The Change is much clearer about the story and how it relates back to feminism. Such A Pretty Smile left me confused. Also, The Change does have good men peppered it in with the many shitty men. This makes its point a little more hopeful: women still have to take up for themselves but not every man is trying to tear her down.

I have actually read Kirsten Miller before. I found a copy of The Eternal Ones at the Dollar Tree and was quite fascinated. I haven't gotten to read the sequel. Where that book had more of a YA while The Change is pure adult. This book may virtually be better than The Eternal Ones. But I sincerely enjoyed both.

This is a great feminist book sprinkled with magic and a few good men. I would absolutely suggest you throw this book into your beach bag this summer.

3 women each navigating a midlife crisis work together to solve the crimes of a Long Island town -- seems like a book right up my alley! I wasn't sure how I would feel about the superpower/magical aspects of this book and I ended up not minding that so much! I love the premise (Go Feminism!), but as I kept reading I found myself skimming the book to finish it faster. I tried to figure out why I felt this way, because this book has gotten such high ratings and is recommended by many Bookstagrammers I love! I think in the end, the dialogue between the characters slowed down the storyline and was somewhat unrelatable (as in it didn't feel that's how normal people talk to each other) for me.

✨ Review ✨ The Change by Kirsten Miller

YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK!

Wow! This is one of my favorite books of the year so far and I loved every minute of it. THE CHANGE follows three middle-aged women on Mattauck, a Long Island community, who have started manifesting decidedly witchy powers. When they discover the bodies of lost girls, they start using their powers to try to find the killer and to set things right in the wake of a wealthy patriarchal system that abuses and discards women.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: magical realism / fantasy, literary fiction, thriller/suspense
Location: Mattauk (Long Island)
Reminds me of: The Collective, Notes on an Execution, When Women Were Dragons, The Power (But this book does it even better!)
Pub Date: Out Now

This book was the testament to female rage I've been looking for! Miller's evocative writing will make you rage and laugh and cry with the ways she explores the depths of patriarchal power (you'll laugh as she finds such fitting ways for the characters to emasculate some of the men challenging them - the neighborhood lawn enforcer was one of my favorites!). I think it executes a story of angry women who then go on to make positive changes because of that rage in an impactful way.

I also loved how this tackled the "Dead Girl Industrial Complex" by critiquing a system that loves talking about murderers but doesn't love talking about the girls that they harmed. Interjecting narratives about trauma inflicted on side characters throughout the story is a brilliant way of showing the far reaching impact of men's actions and abuse.

Miller's writing is funny and emotional and full of the rage these characters manifest. Pick this book up ASAP for a journey you won't soon forget!

Thanks to William Morrow and @bibliolifestyle for a copy of this book!

Thank you to William Morrow and Netgalley for an advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This fast paced read centered around 3 woman "of a certain age" is like a darker Practical Magic meets Big Little Lies. It is so quick and witty and entertaining that it is hard to put down.

Recommended for readers who will enjoy cheering for some bad A women putting the world right.