A Spell for Change is set in the small Appalachian town called Chatuga. Here, Nicole Jarvis weaves a moving tale that centers on three characters, Nora Jo, Kate, and Oliver. Each of them is haunted in their own way. Nora Jo by the magical family legacy she never learned. Kate by cryptic visions of the future. Oliver, a war veteran, haunted by the memory of his best friend’s death, and the invisible scars of a battlefield he can't escape. Together they try to navigate the burdens of expectations and the mysterious forces they don't understand.


Nora Jo is determined to maintain her independence. She is passionate about teaching and believes an education will better the lives of the children of Chatuga. Unfortunately, her modern ideas put her at odds with the conservative community which eventually leaves her without a job. In her darkest moment a mysterious man offers to take her as his apprentice and teach her the ancestral magic she never had a chance to learn. Nora Jo, desperate and out of options, accepts.


Oliver, known as Junior to most, returns from World War I carrying invisible wounds: trauma, damaged lungs from mustard gas, survivor's guilt. He also brings back something stranger—an ability to see the dead. His parents don't understand; his father wants him to take over the family business while his mother thinks all he needs is a good wife. Oliver struggles to make a place for himself in a world he no longer fits in.


Kate has seen visions for as long as she can remember, flashes of a future she doesn’t always understand. Some are terrifying, others hopeful. When her family announces their plan to move to Nashville for a better life, Kate tries to find a way to stay. Taking on extra work to help make ends meet and chasing the romantic visions she has.


Each protagonist wrestles with the roles their community tries to force on them. For Nora Jo and Oliver, marriage is presented as a cure-all. For Kate, escaping to the city is seen as her only hope. But each of them resists these “solutions” and tries to find their own path.


This book felt shorter than it actually is. Once through the introduction, the chapters fly by. I cared deeply for Nora Jo, Oliver, and Kate—not just because they were well-written, but because they felt so real. I wanted them to succeed, to find peace, to be happy. While I can’t say I was completely satisfied with how Jarvis concluded each of their stories, the endings felt honest and earned.


I recommend A Spell for Change to readers who enjoy historical fiction that contain just enough magic to remind you that wonder still exists.

Thank you NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me with the ARC.

A Spell for Change takes it's time introducing it's readers to a handful of misfits in 1920's Appalachia, it's a story told in a slow methodical manner and as such, readers get the opportunity to really understand and empathize with out three FMC'S

I did personally find the pacing to be somewhat problematic. We spend so much time getting to know our three main players individually that when their plot lines converged, when the story really begins, I found my interest sadly waning. Once we did find some movement in the converged story-line, it felt more rushed than need be. Other than the pacing issues, I did fine that the work put into the characters introduction was throughout and well thought out. They each felt nuanced and flawed in ways that were relatable. The atmosphere was a lovely addition to the story, painting Appalachia in a way that felt evocative and tangible.

All in all, A Spell for Change was a fine story plagued with some pacing issues. I do think in a world where Appalachian tales are having a moment, it's hard to write something that really stands out. I do fear that this is one that will fade from memory rather quickly, but was a worthy read none the less.

Kate sees the future, Oliver sees ghosts, and Nora is a witch. These three collide in post WWI Appalachia. Kate falls in love with Oliver, a white man who served in WWI and is struggling, Their love story is mixed in with Nora's involvement with a wizard. This leans in on racism and homophobia as well as on the atmospherics of the region. Know that it does go a bit sideways on the demonic forces but that Jarvis never loses control. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. For fans of the genre.

I have only read a few historical fantasies but I have to say I think this one is my favourite to date. The first thing I adored was the writing and the second was the plot and setting. A post World War 1 Appalachia was an interesting and ultimately perfect setting.

Our three main characters are all interesting and most importantly well developed and believable. I particularly liked Oliver but all the characters were interested and well developed. I enjoyed how each was a sort of outsider who found themselves with a certain abilities. This was a perfect mix of historical and supernatural for me and I adored every minute. If you enjoy historical fantasy this is definitely one to try.

A Spell For Change is a new historical fantasy set in 1920s Appalachia. It focuses on three characters who live in the small town of Chatuga, Tennessee, and have different magical abilities. Each character is struggling under the pressure of society at the time, and each character wants to carve their own path.

The first character we meet is Nora Jo. Nora Jo is an independent young school teacher. Both her mother and grandmother were witches, but she doesn't think she's capable of magic. She is soon approached by a man who wants to teach her magic. She loses her job shortly after and realizes that his offer may be her only chance to remain independent. Others in town want her to settle down and let a man take care of her, but Nora isn't interested in men and is not interested in doing what people want her to.

Our second main character is Georgia Kate, the eldest daughter in a large black family who live on the edge of town. Kate learns that her family may soon have to relocate away from Chatuga since white people moving into the area are being prioritized for mill jobs, causing her father to have his hours reduced. She has visions of the future that others think must come from the Devil, but Kate is kind, tough, headstrong, and hardworking. She takes on more work to help her parents while waiting to meet the white boy her visions tell her will be an important figure in her life.

Oliver, sometimes called Junior since he shares his name with his father, is the son of the wealthiest family in town. He recently returned from serving in WWI and is struggling with new, chronic health issues and trauma from the war. His father wants him to start work at the family's mill and prepare to take over the family legacy, but Oliver's illness and new ability to see ghosts make things more difficult.
This book is very atmospheric with sprinkles of Horror and Southern Gothic vibes. This isn't a fast-paced adventure fantasy, this is a slow-moving character study about characters trapped within the confines of the patriarchal, sexist, and racist era (and area) that they are living in. This book is also quite dark with deaths, ghosts, and horrors (both real and magical).

There are two main relationships in the book. Nora Jo has a (Sapphic) love interest, and Kate/Oliver. Both relationships are forbidden at the time, and both pairs know they won't be allowed to be together openly. Though the relationships get some focus and are pivotal to the characters' story arcs, this is not a romance, and a happy ending is not guaranteed.

I enjoyed reading this book. I loved the theme of the powerless in society getting their own power, and I loved to see the three main characters each have a moment to stand up and finally be able to take charge of their own lives. Kate's arc was my favorite in the book, but every storyline had great moments.

I recommend this most to fans of Historical Fantasy and Magical Realism that examine heavy topics in thoughtful ways. Fans of character-focused fantasy may also really enjoy this.

Thank you to Netgalley and Titan books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 stars

I really loved the writing of this book. It was very slow-paced at the beginning, but you could feel things building up as you kept reading which I loved. The author did a great job setting the tone and atmosphere of the book. I also appreciated the queer representation in the book, and found the queer romance to be sweet, but I did wish it was built upon more. I especially loved Oliver as a character. He was loveable and his heartbreaking backstory during the Great War really hit my heartstrings.

I would have liked to have Nora Jo's POV more intertwined with the other two main characters. She felt like she was very separate during almost the entirety of the book compared to Kate and Oliver whose POVs greatly intersected. The "twist" at the end wasn't that much of a shocker, but that may just be because the foreshadowing to me was pretty obvious. I do wish more action happened earlier in the book, but I did find the ending of the book to be very satisfying and a nice conclusion.

An historical fantasy set in post-WW1 Appalachia.

We following three main characters, each struggling with their places in society and with a supernatural "gift". Nora Jo, who uses small spells learnt from her mother and grandmother, is a schoolteacher who loses her job because the community think it’s inappropriate for her to not be married. Kate, is trying to earn enough money to keep her family from moving away from the increasingly hostile and racist town, suffers seizures that come with visions of the future. And finally, Oliver, the only son of the local wealthy family, has returned from the Great War traumatised, suffering the debilitating effects of breathing in gas, and with the ability to see ghosts. Slowly we delve more into their stories and it becomes clear that something is amiss in their town, and a darkness is lurking.

The setting and atmosphere is excellent, the slow development of the characters stories allows you to get a feel of the time and place. All three of them felt distinct with their own life issues outside of the magic/supernatural elements: racism, sexism, family expectations to make traditional life choices, etc.
However, it took far too long for all three of the characters and their plotlines to come together. This was particularly detrimental to Nora Jo's storyline which feels like it should be the most important but was less engaging than Kate and Oliver's intertwined plot. The ending felt a little abrupt in it's change of pace and focus. I also wasn't keen on the reveal of what was the cause of the danger - it just didn't feel like it quite matched with the magic experienced by our MCs.

An atmospheric and engaging historical supernatural fantasy, that didn't quite keep me gripped until the end but was still an entertaining read.

Thank-you to NetGalley, Titan books and the author Nicole Jarvis for the eARC of A Spell for Change.
A Spell for Change is a historical fantasy set in post-WW1 Appalachia and we follow the perspective of three society outcasts in small town Chatuga - each with unique magical abilities. The two main characters Kate and Oliver were heavily involved in each other’s storyline, while Nora-Jo, the third main point-of-view, was rarely mentioned in the other perspectives. I would have enjoyed there being more connections between all three characters since two were intermingled and one remained aloof to the others until near the end of the story. Another issue I had with the novel was the pacing. It was extremely slow paced and only started to pick up towards the end but even the climax of the story was lacking tension. This was due to the ending being not only predictable but also broken up by slower paced chapters.

The author was talented at describing the surrounds and situations since I was able to easily visualise the entire novel. There was well established character development as they stayed true to themselves while also growing and being open to change.

Overall, I enjoyed the plot and characters, but the slow-paced novel has not provoked a lasting impact on me as a reader.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me - I just couldn't get on with the writing style. I was intrigued by the plot, but just found that I wasn't engaged. I will try again and update if the timing is right for a read in future. Apologies.

The story takes place in 1920s Appalachia where three young people are each touched with a specific type of magic. Kate, an African American teen, has explosive fits where she sees glimpses of the future. Oliver, a veteran of WWI with lung disease brought on by exposure to mustard gas, sees ghosts. Nora Jo, a teacher who's just lost her job, has the ability to become a powerful witch.

Kate foresees a relationship with Oliver, the son of the town's wealthiest white family. The two meet and slowly develop a close friendship. Now unemployed, Nora Jo is approached by a mysterious male witch who begins to teach her how to bring forth her magic.

All of this moves toward violent and disturbing final chapters in which dark forces are unleashed on the three.

The writing, character development and historical background are all strong in this rather lengthy book. I would have preferred more action sooner, but what we get in those last chapters is very intense and keeps the reader going. The ending is both sad and satisfactory.

Highly recommended.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

I really enjoyed the writing style, it felt very vivid and fit the historical vibe. Definitely recommended for fans of small-town magic and the supernatural. I always prefer a more natural-based danger than demonic, but it worked out well for the plot.

I liked this well enough at the start but Nora Jo quickly began to irritate me.

The writing style was lovely but I was halfway through and had grown so bored I decided to DNF. Thanks for the opportunity to read but this one just wasn’t for me.

I'm always thrilled to find a story that pays homage to the beauty of my home region. Jarvis paints Appalachia in exquisite, loving detail, never neglecting the role of the environment in her this multifacted, historical fantasy. As much as I enjoyed Jarvis' writing, I struggled to connect with the characters. The POV switches and third-person narration made it difficult to stay in one character's head for too long. As a result, some of the romance plotlines felt a bit unmotivated. I wish the focus had remained more squarely on the three girls and their parallel (and eventually intersecting) journeys. Similarly, this is an incredibly slow-paced story that takes time and attention to pay off. It would have been a little easier to read if I had felt closer to the characters, but I nonetheless enjoyed a fantasical take on an incredible region.

A Spell for Change by Nicole Jarvis is a compelling historical fantasy with a hint of darkness that I absolutely loved. Set in the post World War 1 Appalachia the book quickly grabbed me and held my attention from first page to last. I loved the setting and immediately fell for the character of Nora Jo Barker, a young woman who is determined to make something of herself and loves her job as teacher in the small local school. Her grandmother and mother were witches but both died before Nora Jo could learn how to use her own powers and so they have remained undeveloped. When a strange man comes to town and singles her out as someone with power she at first has no intention of taking up his offer of a magical apprenticeship but when her unorthodox teaching methods cause her to fall foul of the narrow minded local community and she loses her job his offer becomes more appealing.
Oliver is the son of the local mill owner and has grown up in relative wealth and privilege but that was not enough to save him from the nightmare of trench warfare, he has returned from his time on the front traumatised, able to see the dead and feeling immense guilt about the death of his best friend.
Kate Mayer is the eldest daughter of a poor Black family whose visions of the future disturb not only her but also her family, especially when so many of them come to pass. When she meets Oliver one night in the woods she realises that he is the mysterious man she has been seeing in her dreams but what kind of future could they possibly have, especially since he is hostile and wary of her intentions.
As the stories of these three characters are deftly woven together by the author I was transported to another time and place and I found myself gripped by the story that was unfolding. The pacing was on the slower side, especially in the first half of the book but never in a way that bothered me, rather in a way that let me acclimatise to setting and warm to the characters. The pace does pick up and things definitely take a turn for the darker in the last third or so of the book, and it times it veered into horror territory, so reader be warned there are some brutal and bloody moments. There are a couple of romance sub plots but neither are particularly well developed, so if that is something you look for in your reading this might not be the book for you. On the other hand if you like character driven story telling with a good sense of place this might be right up your street. I appreciated that the author used three characters who were to one degree or another outsiders to explore trauma, identity and belonging and the importance of community and while this was my first book by Nicole Jarvis, I will definitely be reading more from her in the future.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Three young people with supernatural abilities are caught up in a demonic plot in post World War II Appalachia. Atmospheric with interesting characters and storyline, but the writing is repetitive and holds the characters at arm's length, meaning the reader never fully engages with the. Not one for me.

I thought A Spell for Change was a good book with an interesting historical perspective woven between the pages. On top of that, there was a hint of paranormal and spooky vibes, which kept me wanting to read more. The story starts slow, with tension building up and introducing the three main characters. From there, things start to unfold, eventually leading to a spectacular finale.

I really liked the writing style, It's very vivid and descriptive: "The taste of licorice lingered on her tongue, heavy as riverbank mud." I loved this!

At times, I wished the historical aspects were explored a bit more deeply, what was life like back then? That said, several historical themes were addressed: the role of women in society, racial segregation and the mental toll on soldiers returning from World War I.

Overall, this book was a refreshing change and I would definitely recommend reading this one.

Thanks to NetGalley, Nicole Jarvis and Titan Books for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review.

I loved the unique setting of this story very much (more historical fantasy set in Appalachia please!) but found the pacing and the characters kept me at a bit of a distance.

A Spell for Change by Nicole Jarvis, was my first historical fantasy book I have ever read. Being a lover of historical fiction and fantasy, when selecting this book, I thought it would be the perfect one, and I was not disappointed.

This book has 3 main characters: Oliver, Kate, and Nora Jo. Each have their own struggles, trauma, and hard decisions to make due to life and societal norms and expectations. Something everyone can relate to in some type of way.

Magic is woven into the character’s lives, something sinister is lurking, and eventually fate comes knocking on their door. While the story’s plot slowly builds throughout the book, you develop a deep understanding and love of the characters. The character development is excellent, and so is the plot development. Nicole Jarvis is a talented writer. I found myself rooting for the characters, hoping they found the strength to claim their happiness despite the odds against them, and was invested in the outcome.

I got this as an arc on Netgalley and it will come out in May. I loved this book but also how very dare. This book destroyed me. The way it woven the impact of a past in which only cishet white men had rights with the supernatural was so interesting.

3.5 stars!

This is a really beautiful book but my feelings are a little more mixed than I expected considering I love historical fantasy, queer characters, and anything set in Appalachia.

Despite feeling like an outsider, Nora Jo is content with her life as the town's schoolteacher until a stranger shows up at her door offering to mentor her in powers beyond her imagination. Everyone knows that Kate has fits, but few know of her prophetic visions and the handsome young man that keeps showing up in them. Oliver returns from the war traumatized and struggling with his new ability to see the dead, crushed under the weight of his father's expectations. Pretty much everything about this book sounded up my alley. As mentioned, I love historical fantasy, queer rep, and Appalachia as well as multiple POVs so I was so ready for this. For the most part, it's a really great book. The characters have a ton of depth and you spend a lot of time focusing on their individual lives and journeys. The setting was also one of my favorite parts, with all of the small-town tension and the imagery of the changing seasons. Having said that, this book is immensely slow-paced. Very little action happens until the last 30%, and even then it feels like a lot of slow scenes momentarily broken up with a lot of action. The twist was also very obvious, so much so that I assumed it was a red herring. I don't feel like I wasted my time, but I don't think the payoff is quite worth the build-up.

If you like deeply character-focused slow-paced stories, this is probably going to be more up your alley. Just don't expect some explosive payoff at the end of the story.

Thank you to Nicole Jarvis and Titan Books for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!

Happy reading!