Thanks you to William Morrow, BiblioLifestyle, and NetGalley for the gifted copy of The Change! All opinions in this review are my own.

After a little more than 150 pages, I've decided to DNF this book. It started out really strong and I loved the atmosphere of it. Unfortunately, things have kind of stalled. After reading some reviews, I don't know if it will pick up enough again for me to finish it.

This book was so good! I enjoyed the witchy feel. This a great book for this season. The ultimate woman not putting up with a man that fine her wrong story. So glad I got read it on NetGalley.

The Change by Kirsten Miller is an interesting take on friendship and relationships in middle age, especially for women. Harriet, Jo and Nessa cone together when a young women is found in a garbage bag on the side of the road. Each is in a transitional part and life discovering who they are and realizing the power each has separately and collectively.

I liked Nessa, but didn’t like or connect with either Harriet or Jo. And most of the men in this book were awful!

I really was wanted to love this book but it was just ok for me. It’s very long and I, for one, did not need all the back stories which were sometimes confusing and just added length to the book.

That being said, I would definitely read another book by Ms. Miller if offered, but probably wouldn’t go seeking one.

Thank you to #netgalley and #williammorrowbooks for the advanced e-copy of #thechange .

This had it all. Phenomenal characters, unforgettable truly, magical realism, taking down men in power, getting justice, ghosts, avenging the dead, witchy vibes, poisonous plants, getting back and revenge. It was just so freaking good.

Nessa, Jo, and Harriet are three amazing characters. They are strong, powerful and can we talk about these bad ass menopausal women more! Like damn, I cannot say enough good things about this book. Harriet was my favorite. She is what us witchy women aspire to be. Maybe she was a little harsh but like I freaking loved it. Jo was a momma boss lady you don't wanna mess with. And Nessa was such a sweet lady that understood some times you gotta burn shit to the ground (literally).

A huge thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Kirsten Miller for an advance copy of The Change in exchange for an honest review.

Alright, why the heck did I wait so long to read this one?! It's literally chefs kiss 💋 perfection. I loved following the woman and their special abilities while they attempted to take down all the bad man around them. That final twist at the end was unexpected and upsetting but it worked with the story flawlessly.

Do yourself a favor and pick this one up ASAP, while it may not be a thriller, the witchy vibes it gives off makes this one absolutely perfect for spooky season.

"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."

It's rare for my book club, which has very diverse taste, to all like a book but this was one we all loved. The story of three women who enter menopause and find their super powers is powerful, funny and inspiring. I loved seeing women at an age when they're typically overlooked becoming who they are truly meant to be and taking back the power from the men who tried to keep them and other women down for so long. What could have been a stereotypical revenge story is so much more in Miller's deft hands, and I rooted for these badass women to prevail and to show the world they will not be ignored. As they so justly put it - "It's not over. It's time."

4.5 stars

Thanks to William Morrow for the copy to review.

I really enjoyed this, and read it as a buddy read with a friend. Even though this was a major book club choice, I don’t think it received the attention it deserved. Deftly written, clever, well imagined dialogue and intriguing protagonists made this book such a win for me. I love mysteries and thrillers, and unfortunately this was marketed as such—it is really more magical realism with a literary fiction wing. I think if more people had known that, it might have received a better reception! I did a shelf talker for it at our store and will absolutely hand sell it as I truly enjoyed it.

This book was such a ride! So unique with tons of twists and turns, feminist vibes, and an original storyline. The characters were relatable and badass, I desperately wanted to jump into the plot with this group of witches. It felt sort of like The Lost Apothecary - but done so much better! I truly loved each of the three main characters and their storyline. I also enjoyed some of the minor character storylines and some of the background that we got on them as well.

However, I didn’t feel like the story wasn’t fully fleshed out. It felt like it was 50 (100?) pages too long and there were lots of events (so many descriptions of people rushing from one place to another, and just talking about having to be somewhere else?) and characters (why so many “bad guys”?) that could have been entirely erased and the book would have kept it’s intrigue.

Summary: 4 stars
Solid read with a really unique and gripping premise.

I will start this review by saying this book is on my all time favorites shelf now and I think everyone should read it. It a genre bending fantasy book that is so much more than just witches on a small island.

We follow three women who are going through a midlife crisis and each are ready to stop becoming the shell of the women that society has molded them to be. Nessa's gift runs deep in her blood passed down through generations. She is able to see ghosts of women who are lost and haven't been found. Jo's hot flashes are beyond anything she has ever imagined. She can actually feel the heat coming off of her body and melting/burning things around her. And Harriet, who left corporate America and has shifted all her focus on the roots.

These three women are drawn together to solve the mystery of the missing girls that are on Mattauk, Long Island. The powers that these three women have found take some getting used to but they realize that they can use it to their benefit to destroy the men that have always looked down on them, made them feel smaller, and held them back from being their true selves. The investigation continues to build and it is up to these amazing women to bring down the patriarchy and stop the evil men that seek to hurt women. Will they be capable of coming into themselves fully to bring them down?

This book is almost flawless in my opinion. Kirsten Miller included just enough back story for the women that you really got to see who they are. It is both a character and plot driven book that makes you fall in love with the three women, especially Harriet and realize that how you perceive men, isn't just in your head. The mystery in this book is just enough and I was shook at the end. I will recommend this book to anyone. This book will live rent free in my head and I will be re-reading it just to fall more in love with the characters.

**Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the Advanced Reader Copy**

Magical Realism isn't my favorite sub-genre but when it's done right, it can really transform the book. First off, I have to say that I love this twist on the Witches of Eastwood. Loved the characters and all of the feminist vibes, rage and power! The ending was super satisfying. I thought the writing was excellent but I thought the book was just a tad too long. I love long books but nothing really happened the first half the book and it bored me to tears. Once the book started picking up, I really enjoyed the book.

Rating: 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4).

Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow, for the eARC in exchange for my honest reviews.

I simply loved everything about this book especially the amazing characters, each of their stories and what caused them to become friends. The magical realism is a fantastic aspect of the story that's filled with relatable moments which instantly made me invested in Nessa, Jo ,& Harriet. I loved this story and definitely recommend it, a stunning story that grabbed a hold of my attention from start to finish.

Loved this book and the characters. The women were complex and flawed and fun to read. I didn’t always love them but I always cheered for them.

Before this book I had not read anything by Kirsten Miller. I am glad that I read this one. In the beginning I wasn't sure I was going to like this book, I got lost a few times. But as I continued reading I got more hooked.

This is the story of three women, Harriet, Jo and Nessa, each of them is going through their own Change, or have fairly recently gone through the change. What they didn't know is that entering menopause was more than just an end to their monthly cycle. Each one was given a power they now have to learn to deal with.

I really liked the characters from the start. I had a little problem keeping track of who was going through what. But despite that, I really enjoyed the story. I really enjoyed the mystery the women were working to solve. It followed the themes established by the characters. I struggled with the second part of the book, it kind of dragged.

Over all this was an engaging powerful read. Although I struggled with parts, overall I would recommend this book for anyone who's looking for their own power.

Thank you to NetGalley for opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Change had been on my TBR for such a long time and I’m so glad I finally took the time to read it. An amazing story that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

I may be one of the few who did not care for this book. The story felt repetitious and too long. I do not mind long stories as long as the story keeps my interest and is going somewhere. For the pacing, it was sometimes too slow, but mostly, it was decent. I liked the way the author blended the paranormal with the real world, and there was enough to get a taste and make sense.

There are three major characters in this story: Nessa James, Jo Levison, and Harriett Osborne. Each one brings something different to the table. They were all written well for the story and their character arcs were great. Each one did change from the beginning to the end of the story in multiple ways, big and small.

My favorite is Nessa. Her determinedness kept my interest in wanting to find the killers. Her struggle with seeing the dead and feeling as if she was not worthy of her gift felt close to home (no, I cannot see dead people lol). In this story, I felt like Nessa was the most grounded out of the three. She may have been the quiet one, but she had a better head on her shoulders than the other two. Nessa could probably be the voice of reason out of the three.

Jo was someone who is strong and felt like the hot head. She opened a gym strictly for women and held different classes. I think this was the thing I liked most about Jo. She helped women by letting them come to a safe place and let off some stem. Everyone needs somewhere to go. The one thing I did not understand was what the point of her power. If the author explained it, I missed it. Out of the three, Jo was the muscle and what felt like the recruiter.

Harriett, I am not sure how I feel about this character. She felt like the leader with a hidden agenda. She became obsessed with plants in more ways than one. Which is cool because plenty of people, me included, are into herbology. This was a big part of her character I liked. What I did not like was her personality. I understand the reasonings behind Harriett’s change and the author did a great job capturing this.

What I did not care about was all the man bashing. I have never cared for bashing of all kinds. Having it a little here and there does not bother me. But in this story, it felt like it was constantly in every chapter. For myself, it gets tiresome and overly abundant. Now, I did like the whole women helping each other out, no matter their background. I think that should happen all the time in real life and not tearing each other down, especially when we get older.

Overall, it was difficult for me to rate this. There was still some curiousness how everything was going to come together, but that was the only reason that I held on. I was in a debate about finishing. I do not want this to scare people from reading this story. There are plenty who do, and my taste may not be the same as yours. If you are interested in women’s fiction, mystery, magic realism, paranormal, and contemporary fiction, this story can be for you.

Wow didi dislike this book. I literally forced myself to finish it :( I usually love a good feminist magical realism read, but this was not it. I found the characters thinly written, their personalities left so much to be desired. Could this be the book for you sure, but it was just not my cup of tea.

Wow, just wow! What a brilliant read!
This book is about three women from different paths of life with unique “talents” that join forces to solve mysterious disappearances and murders of young girls in the Long Island oceanfront community of Mattauk.
I loved how the author showed us that middle-aged women can still be strong, powerful and that our life does not end when menopause starts 😊
If you like a good feminist story, mystery with a little bit of magical realism this book is for you. Very well written that will keep you interested and engaged until the end.
Thank you NetGalley, William Morrow and the author for a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5

I went in to this one pretty blind. It was a very entertaining read! I enjoyed it. This was a #readspinrepeatbookclub read and I think the reviews were all positive. There was a bit of a range I think from 3.5-5 stars.

Basically- a story about three women trying to solve a mystery surrounding a prestigious neighborhood near their town. They each have different powers that help with their mission.

Thank you to @bookclubgirl and @harpercollins for free copies for our club.

Also thank you to @netgalley for an advanced copy.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me a free e-reader copy of “The Change” in exchange for an honest review.

If “The Witches of Eastwick,” “Big Little Lies” and Naomi Alderman’s “The Power” had a love child, it would be this book. Funny, wicked and subversive, this novel is part mystery, part “f*** the patriarchy” feminism and part Thelma and Louise (if Thelma and Louise had a best friend who was an especially talented horticulturist).

Widow and single mom Nessa, former ad exec Harriett and hotel manager turned gym owner Jo all have a history of being looked over and overlooked while men take the credit for their work. When the friends hit menopause, each discovers she has a particular gift. Together, they make a formidable team. And something is very rotten on The Point where they live.

I was all set to give this book a solid four stars when a twist I never saw coming absolutely whalloped me and took the ending in an unexpected direction. A beautifully executed book from start to finish levelled this up to five stars. I can’t wait to see what Kristen Miller writes next. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a phenomenal book! I absolutely loved it. Even though I received a free ebook version for this review, I bought a physical copy of my own the day I finished it. What better endorsement is there than to spend my own money on it?

The Change is the perfect feminist novel for our time, wrapping in a lot of current events and culture with long-held beliefs (incorrect and not) about what women are, should be, are capable of, can do, and more. I was skeptical of the longer page count for a contemporary novel but it’s well-worth the space. There’s no extra here as every chapter hits hard and deserves to be there.

All three of the main characters are glorious. Nessa, who feels so deeply but never lets the emotions crush her. Jo, determined to fight the world into submission for girls like her amazing daughter Lucy. Harriet, an actual force of nature who reclaims what the world of men has taken away. There are a handful of good men but this book shines a spotlight on the cruelty of man as a sex and what they have wrought as the ‘leaders’ of this world. If you’re looking for a Prince Charming, I encourage you to enjoy the protective, if vengeful, witches instead!

I was surprised to find so many chapters from other female character points of view, some only one chapter but incredibly impactful. Their stories linger on in your mind both because they’re so well written and because they’re familiar. You know women like these and the things they’ve lived through. Claude is a particular standout to me. If you read it, you’ll immediately know why! (I gotta keep spoilers away but I so wish I could say more!)

The fantastical element was interesting too. It’s not a magic system per se in the usual fantasy novel sense, it’s more paranormal and nature-based than it has rules. I thought it fit seamlessly with the story and characters. It didn’t need to be a full-blown thing on its own, it served the story and that’s what fit best.

I think The Change is a triumph. I cannot recommend it more highly and I’ve already done so to all of my sisters and the women in my family. I’m confident it’ll end up being one of the best books of 2022.

Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.