The Change by Kirsten Miller
Published: May 3, 2022
William Morrow
Pages: 480
Genre: Fiction
KKECReads Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Kirsten Miller grew up in a small town in the mountains of North Carolina. At seventeen, she hit the road and moved to New York City, where she lives to this day. Kirsten is the author of the acclaimed Kiki Strike books, which tell the tale of the delinquent girl geniuses who keep Manhattan safe.
After Nessa James’s husband dies and her twin daughters leave for college, she’s left all alone in a trim white house not far from the ocean. In the quiet of her late forties, 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, which comes with special responsibilities.
On the cusp of 50, suave advertising director Harriett Osborne has just witnessed the implosion of her lucrative career and her marriage. She hasn’t left her house in months, and from the outside, it appears as if she and her garden have both gone to seed. But Harriet’s life is far from over—in fact, she’s undergone a stunning and very welcome metamorphosis.
Ambitious former executive 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, and finally comes into her power.
Guided by voices only Nessa can hear, the trio of women discover a teenage girl whose body was abandoned beside a remote beach. The police have written the victim off as a drug-addicted sex worker, but the women refuse to buy into the official narrative. Their investigation into the girl’s murder leads to more bodies, and to the town’s most exclusive and isolated enclave, a world of stupendous wealth where the rules don’t apply. With their newfound powers, Jo, Nessa, and Harriet will take matters into their own hands…
“Some forces in life are so strong that the only thing you can do is submit.”
Harriet was the best at what she did. She was intelligent, observant, and bold. But she was a woman in a male-dominated field, which meant she had her ideas stolen and watched as the men around her were promoted. Nessa lost her husband and had to raise her daughters alone. She devoted her life to making their lives memorable. She was quiet but wise and kind. Jo was a powerhouse. She quickly rose through the ranks and made a name for herself. Until her temper gets the best of her, together, these three women will change their town.
This novel makes me want to shout. What a beautiful nod to female empowerment and strength. I loved this book.
The characters were so well done. I loved the personalities, quirks, and confidence. I found Harriet, Jo, and Nessa the most unlikely of friends. But I adored their friendship. They were beautiful examples of women helping women.
This was a fantastic book. I am not much of a supernatural reader, but this was the perfect blend of mystical and thriller. The plot moves along at a quick pace. And the twists are never-ending.
I loved Harriet’s calm confidence. After years of being seen but not heard, she had enough. And she takes her life back. I loved Nessa’s compassion; she was a lover through and through. And I loved Jo’s passion. She was loyal and determined to protect the ones she loved.
The plot was well developed, and I enjoyed the way things played out. When you think things can’t get any crazier- they do. The twists and turns were unreal. And I loved how the story was told.
This was a fantastic book, with amazing characters, a great plot, and the twists played out well. I loved the idea of the truly guilty being punished.
This would be an incredible series, if done correctly. Tough women being everything they want to be? Loving that!
Pingback: May’s #BookBloggerSupport22 10 Book Blog Posts I’ve Recently Shared. @PagesUnbound | Rosie Amber