I loved the alternating narrative, it really made for a complex world view that was really intriguing to read. It was a really emotional rollercoaster of a book but I enjoyed the ride!

I loved the varying genres throughout. It’s not normally a type of book I pick up, but I’m really pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. You might argue that it was rather complicated because of that, but I enjoyed the twists and turns that it took.

The story was so vivid and the ending was just perfect - it would make a brilliant adaptation. Perfect for fans of Practical Magic.

"No one teaches girls how to take care of themselves. We train them to be pretty and kind and polite right before we set them loose in a world filled with wolves. Then we act surprised and horrified when some of them get eaten."

Nessa James, Harriet Osborne & Jo Levinson couldn't be more different from one another. But one dead girl, and the mystery of her death, will being them together in ways no one could imagine. Nessa James has empty house syndrome after her two children left for college, that is until she starts seeing spirits, a gift that has run in her family for generations. Harriet Osborne lost her husband and her job in one fell swoop, something that would destroy most people, but instead Harriet re-built herself into something better, something bigger, something more dangerous. Jo Levinson has been the bread winner of her family for years, and has spent every single one of them at war with her body. Unable to control the fierce heat that roils inside her, the hot spikes of her menopause are sure to push her over the edge. When the three women find a dead body, and don't believe the official narrative surrounding her death, they start to investigate themselves, and what they find is a conspiracy years in the making, one that with little proof the police wont act on. So Nessa, Harriet and Jo will just have to take matters into their own hands.

This is a story filled with rage, and Miller shows this through our three menopausal MC's. Nessa is the softer of the three, the one whose job it is to speak for those who can't speak for themselves. Some would say she has the hardest job, having to look dead people in the eye and promise justice, which is exactly what she does to the nameless girl she finds on the beach. Harriet has been named the town witch, something she does nothing to disparage, after loosing her husband and job and leaving her garden to grow full of weeds and dangerous, sometimes lethal plants. She creates tonics and aids to help women, and punish the men that hurt them. Jo owns the only gym in Mattauk where women can go to actually work out and not strut around like it's a fashion contest, started because Jo herself needed somewhere to go when her heat became unbearable and she needed to run, or punch it off, that is until he learns to funnel that heat into something useful, something dangerous. Every single one of these women know pain, know what it's like to grow in a world built solely for me, and they are all more than willing to punish those men when the need arises.

Nessa, Harriet and Jo are brought together to investigate the death of a young girl, which turns out to be the death of multiple young girls going back years. They are the only ones not willing to believe the narrative set out by the police, that this girl who no one knows, no one has a name for, must have been a drug user and overdosed, never questioning how she ended up in a bin bag placed on the side of the road. But alongside this is the mystery of what is happening to our three characters. Miller changes the narrative around menopause, she ignores the taboo about taking about women's bodily functions and brings all the changes, good and bad to light. Shes uses the fantasy element to make these changes bigger and better, something to embrace, rather than shy away from. She shows that a woman's life doesn't end with their menopause, rather they metomophasize into something new and better.

It's hard not to get angry reading this story, seeing the slights and general uncaring nature of the police when a young woman gets murdered, especially if she comes from the wrong side of town. But what really makes you angry is knowing this kind of shit happens all the time. We live in a world run by men, who see women as lesser, as assets to be used rather than someone on equal footing, playthings to use and dispose of as they wish. But the thing she really brings to light in this book is that not all women are allies, most of us are, but there are others out there who are more than willing to throw others under the bus if it furthers their goals, and these women are almost worse than the men. It's blunt in parts, and almost over the top in others, but she uses these to show that women aren't going to go down without a fight, and I loved every single bit of it.

I've been eager to get my hands on this book since it was announced and it's fair to say it hit the spot for me. This is the latest in angry feminist fiction I've been reading lately and I am loving reading characters and stories that validate my feelings, that make me understand there are other people out there who feel the injustice of the world just as much as I do. You should read this book if you like your fantasy on the subtler side, characters who aren't defined by society and who absolutely kick ass when needed, and a heartbreaking mystery to get your teeth stuck in to. An easy 4/5 stars, and I can't wait to see what Miller has in store for us next.

The Change by Kirsten Miller is a marvellous contemporary crime suspense that held my attention from the start.
The novel is about women – women who share the same goal, to protect the innocent from all those who mean harm. Women who band together, a sisterhood, each with a unique gift that is needed to defeat the evil that walks alongside.
We witness cold cases mounting up as the land and sea give up their secrets.
Kirsten Miller has written a unique novel that was a departure from my usual reads but one that totally consumed me. As the novel approached its conclusion, I read on with baited breath and a big gasp!
Over the years women have had to battle to achieve equality with men – and they have had to battle through bodily changes. This novel celebrates the strength of women. Together we are stronger.
We see a developing friendship between three very different personalities with three very different strengths. I particularly like the description of one character – “You’re the light that holds back the darkness.”
Although there are some dark themes, there are also some very humorous moments that literally had me snorting and laughing out loud.
The Change is not a read for the fainthearted. I, however, was thoroughly engrossed in the action. Kirsten Miller has a talent for writing intriguing, unique stories that are well crafted. She is masterful in her writing. I look forward to much more from her.
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
A word of caution: there are themes and language which some will not like. This is not a cosy mystery.

Part thriller, part magic-realism fantasy this pacy feminist novel throbes with justified anger.

Lives are good in Mattauk, a coastal New York commuter town. Sure, the reality of family life means that most of the women no longer work, their degrees and experience funnelled into the PTA, and sure the chairman of the HOA is a power-hungry idiot imposing his standards aggressively, and sure, as the women turn forty they find they need to start turning a blind eye to their husband's late meetings in the city because no one wants to find themselves menopausal and alone after all, do they? But lives are good. But like all good fictional American towns there's a dark underbelly and when retired nurse Nessa can't ignore the voices calling to her any longer she finds the body of a young girl dumped on the beach. And that, she realises, is only the start...

Joined by Jo who has found her perimenopausal anger literally burning out of her and Harriett, former advertising high flyer tossed aside by firm and husband in her forties and now commanding ever growing natural abilities, Nessa sets out to find and name the missing girls. But the forces against them are bigger than they know and soon everyone they love is in danger.

Unforgiving, unrelentless, justifiably furious and a biting satire, The Change is a mustread, no matter what your age or sex and a call to arms amongst over forties women. I loved it.

This was highly entertaining and as a woman of 50, I may be biased but it was extremely satisfying as well.
I liked all of the characters, especially our three protagonists, but even the bad guys were interesting to read. Yes, there were numerous cliche’s but unfortunately that’s the nature of the beast.
I felt sorry for Nessa as I think her gift was the most taxing, and I honestly don’t know if I would choose to be Harriet or Jo, given the chance but probably Harriet. I often feel Jo’s anger and have experienced the damnable hot flushes so can relate but not sure if I could be trusted with her power. Harriet however seems to be the happiest with embracing all the aspects of her gift.

I absolutely loved this book! It's almost 500 pages long but the story was so absorbing that I'd finished in no time and didn't feel the pace dragging at any point.

Its hard to know what genre this book would fall into as it has a little bit of everything. It's a mystery, womens fiction, with some magical realism all rolled into one. There are some violent scenes and difficult topics but it's peppered with humour to balance out the darkness.

The three main characters in this book have all come into powers now they've reach "that certain age" and join together to solve the murders of young girls in their town. So there is a feminist element to this story that is very topical at the moment. However the author doesn't fall into the trap of making all her male characters bad and turning the story into a man hating rant. There are some great supporting males in this story too like Jo's husband. My favourite character though has to be Harriet, I just love her and her humour.

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Change
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: N/A
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Kirsten Miller
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 3rd May 2022
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5


“I just want to make the world a safer place for my daughter,” Jo said. “Yes, but are you sure you’re willing to do what it takes?” Harriett asked. “What if the world as it is will never be safe for her? What if you realize you have to burn it all down?”

Very rarely have I read a book that resonates so much with my soul that I feel the need to give the author a well deserved pat on the back and some flowers for letting me experience such a triumph.

I knew from approximately 11% into this book that it would be one to remember. Every page is filled with righteous prose, demonstrable incredibly powerful female characters, and some friggin’ good points.

”How hard had she tried to fix things that simply refused to be fixed? So much fury had built up inside Jo. But at last she’d identified the true enemy. She’d been waging war with herself since she was fourteen years old. But the problem wasn’t her body. The problem was the companies that sold shitty sanitary pads. Otherwise reasonable adults who believed tampons stole a girl’s virginity. Doctors who didn’t bother to solve common problems. Birth control that could kill you. Boys who were told that they couldn’t control themselves. A society that couldn’t handle the fact that roughly half of all humans menstruate at some point in their lives.”

When I realised I was pregnant, straight away I wanted a boy. Simply because it’s a man’s world and to navigate as a woman is to be dismissed, objectified, and disadvantaged. Having a boy meant I wouldn’t have to worry so much. Parents shouldn’t have to worry about the gender of their unborn child because of a predatory world.

Kirsten Miller identifies this world, describes this world, and makes a convincing argument to burn it all down. Honestly, this book was incredible. It’s everything I could ever want and everything I didn’t know I needed in a contemporary feminist mystery.

Kirsten Miller, let me just get my match sticks, I’m ready to follow you into your world and set some fires.

🧚🏻‍♀️

This is was such a fast read!!! I loved it although it felt a bit forced at times. It is a powerful book and such amazing characters. The narrative alternates between MC, and we are given some background on another characters that are relevant at the moment. This is part fantasy, part mystery, part social commentary. But it is also fun, emotional, and heartwarming. Between Harriet, Jo, and Nessa, I can't choose my favorite, maybe because I feel like a bit like all of them. Harriet is intriguing, Jo is a hot head and likes to take thinks with her own hands. Nessa probably is the most 'normal' of them all, besides the fact she sees dead people, of course. The Change is a fantastic book filled with magical realism, female friendship and female empowerment. Highly recommend it!!

I reviewed The Change for book recommendation site LoveReading. I have chosen The Change as a LoveReading Star Book and Liz Pick of the Month. Please see site for review.

This was a fabulous read and the characters of Jo, Harriet and Nessa are engaging, interesting and send a message of inspiration to women everywhere. This book had quite a disturbing plot line of murder and serial killers, which wouldn’t have been my usual choice, but the female characters were such a force of nature that I found myself hooked. I loved how these women empowered others to make themselves heard and to stand up for themselves in a misogynistic world.
The book was well written and the plot twists keep it interesting throughout. Thanks to the publishers and to Netgalley for the opportunity to enjoy this book before publication date.

Original read with 3 strong, intelligent, inspirational midlife women, hence the title. Positive elements - good storyline, part mystery, part magic. Less positive elements - very long - I found it dragged in parts, and lots of men bashing - it seems like every man they ever met was a bad egg, and it got somewhat tiresome. 3 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I didnt know whether to cheer these ladies on or put on my big girl pants and go and help them!

I really wanted Harriet, Nessa and Jo to succeed in everything they did. Theres been a few openly targeted female empowerment books out lately and I did wonder if The Change was going to find a direction that was different enough to make it unique, It didnt let me down. Sometimes this book felt like I was sitting listening to friends telling me their stories, other times it felt hard to accept what was happening. The book just flies by and I would reccommend it to anyone nad everyone.

I really enjoyed the thriller part of the story, following our three heroines on their quest to solve the murders in their town. I loved the modern twist on the magic and witches.
I also found the backstories of the three women really interesting. The stories about their womenhood and difficulties in the world of men. The injustice and struggles of being a woman.
..but i didn't enjoy those two aspects of the book together.
The backstories really slowed down the thriller part and the thriller part felt like it was interrupting some serious feminist manifest.
I found myself cringing a lot and forgetting the main plot at times.

A beautifully written feminist piece which pieces together a story of a crime, with a chilling twist at the end. It was wonderful to watch the growth of the characters, as they came into themselves and grew with their abilities.

I was gripped from the start, and even with the magic intertwined into the story, the plot felt very real, and alludes to the dangers that happen to women all over the world. It was difficult to read at times, to know these things do truly happen but it added to the thrill of the story and was a very interesting read. I loved the strong female characters and I look forward to reading more from the author.

A refreshing look at the menopause, and the empowerment it gives three women to seek the truth about the deaths of various young women. Part revenge, part truth-seeking this book ensures that all get their comeuppance. I was going to give it 5 stars but I found the ending a little too close to home with a few (most likely unintentional) details similar to the Jeffrey Epstein / Ghislaine Maxwell grooming of young women, and that left me chilled to the bone.

I don’t think I can say what genre this book falls in to and I love it all the more for that-why be pigeon holed?!

Generally I shy away from anything with a supernatural element but the characters and the mystery element kept me interested.

I really enjoyed reading these women’s stories and will be recommending.

Loved, loved, LOVED this book about the phenomenal power of the mid-life woman. Echoes of Carrie and The Power but far more relatable than either. I will be buying it for all my friends.

This was a really different read for me so I enjoyed it very much it was wonderfully written with some very acerbic wit that made me laugh out load. The characters of Harriet, Jo and Nessa tell the story through alternate chapters and I thought this made what is quite a long book fly by and worked very well. There is a lot going on but the book was easy to follow I found and kept my attention throughout but I do have to say there is some pretty hard subject matter at times so just a mild warning.
So overall a book that was different, enjoyable, sad and funny it has something for everyone it’s a book you could talk about for hours it has so much and much praise to Kirsten Miller for a fabulous read.
My thanks to NetGalley and HQ for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Nessa has a gift, one she’s tried to hide, but now the voices of the dead won’t let her be, they need her to speak for them. Jo is filled with rage, that makes her want to explode, but she needs to find a way to channel it. Harriet seems to have had a breakdown, but in reality she has found her way to a new life, in tune with nature. The trio come together to stand up for the voices. When they find a body, they are determined to carry on their search for the murderer after the police have written it off.

3 women of a certain age, together they make a formidable team. They each have their part to play, in different ways, but together they can make a difference. I like the idea of there being three stages in a woman’s life, and just because a woman can no longer have children, they shouldn’t be written off. This book also tackles the great divide between the very rich and those who have to struggle to make ends meet, particularly young, poor women. How some people, mainly men, think that the world owes them everything they want, just because they have money, and that what anyone else wants, needs or feels is irrelevant. A powerful read that had my attention right from the start. I loved the idea that together these women have such incredible power inside them. And it’s also a really good Murder-mystery,

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect going into this book, and it's quite difficult to pin down its genre, but it had an interesting synopsis and good reviews, and I was in the mood for something fun. And oh wow, this delivered.

It's well-written, fresh and original. It's very perceptive, addressing some very big, dark issues with a superbly deft, light touch. It doesn't shy away from making a point, but there are great dollops of humour that help avoid it ever feeling preachy. It's a fairly long book - nearly 500 pages - but it flies along and feels half that length.

The three central characters are strong, interesting, bright and lively - it's rare to see women over 40 portrayed this way, so that in itself was a treat. The whole book manages to be strongly feminist without ever falling into the too-common-in-fiction trap of feeling anti-men. The supernatural element is handled wonderfully, without ever seeming twee, or heavy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and would highly recommend it.