Oh goodness! If ever there was a book that will raise your spirits and make you feel better about the state of the world, Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller is it. This book came out Tuesday, but I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC through Net Galley. The story takes place in the small town of Troy, Georgia which is much like you would expect a small town to be, complete with a statue of a 150 year old Confederate General, by the name of Augustus Wainwright. There are a lot of the typical small town people and goings on, but there are also, book banners, Nazis, homosexuals and well, some really good people. Lula Dean has been holding a grudge since high school. Her husband is dead, her children have fled the nest and she is ready for revenge. She forms a committee to remove books from school libraries and is ready to burn them when they are rescued by Beverly Underwood (nee’ Wainwright) a local school board member and arch nemesis of Lula Dean. What happens next is a roller coaster ride of books placed in different covers, a DNA test, a book of obscene cakes, a 30 year old crime brought to light, and a postman who knows a lot more than people think. I promise, you will laugh out loud, get angry and sit right on the edge of your seat, but you will not be able to put it down.

I thoroughly enjoyed every word of this serious, yet hilarious, story of a small town bigot bested by her own little free library, Lula Dean loved taking things away from others, especially those whom she viewed to be different than she. Her latest act in her crusade to keep her small town exactly the way it was is to cleanse the public library of all books she personally viewed as dangerous and likely to corrupt the morals of the town's impressionable youth (though she had read none of these books herself, of course). And, in her desire to provide the town with more appropriate literature, such as "The Art of the Deal," "Chicken Soup for the Soul," and "The Southern Belle's Guide to Etiquette" Lula fills a Little Free Library in her front yard with, in her view, the wholesome books the townspeople should be reading. After a prank leads to the swapping out of Lula's approved books for titles that were banned from the public library, books such as "The Diary of Anne Frank," "Beloved," and "Are You There God? it's Me, Margaret" start to make their way into the hands of residents whose lives are changed forever. Though some in the town continue to cling to their prejudices and fears, a subtle shift toward acceptance and love begins.

"Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books" was absolutely delightful from start to finish. I was thoroughly enchanted. Though laugh out loud funny at points, this book deals with some serious subjects such as racism, sexism, and rape. Above all, it is an ode to the magic of books and a testament to their power to change not only the lives of individuals, but the fate of an entire community when they are accessible to all. This is a book that real life book banners do not want to be written or read.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the privilege of reading an advanced copy of this utterly captivating read!

Absolutely loved the way this story was told. Usually in small town stories, we get many characters and they are sometimes confused with one another but in this story, everyone had a distinct voice and purpose for being in the story. Each character that we are introduced to are pretty well fleshed out throughout the book. The story ends how you might expect it to so there weren't any big surprises but all in all it was very well done and I enjoyed the book throughout.

This is a book about banned books and lots of social issues. I overall enjoyed the book but found at times with all the characters was confusing. This book has an important message and the thoughts from the author are an important part of this book. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

I cannot shout loud enough how much I loved this book. I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would. There are a lot of characters to keep track of but it all wraps up so well. It’s my first Kristen Miller book but I already ordered another of hers.

It does have a lot of trigger warnings for people that may have them.
Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advance copy in exchange for a honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley, BookClubGirl, and William Morrow for this copy of "Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books."

I wish everyone could read this book as it shows how books can connect us, not divide us.

It's so fun and cleverly written with the cast of characters in Troy, Georgia being hysterical, lovable, scary, and sometimes heart-breaking.

Lula Dean is on a rampage to ban what she feels are inappropriate books from the library. She sets up her own little library in front of her house, stocked with books of which she approves.

But someone replaces Lula Dean's books with "banned books," slipping them inside the "approved" dust jackets.

There are so many poignant statements made about books opening eyes, granting courage, and exposing crimes, and how some people might find that idea dangerous. But the residents of Troy learned they couldn't stay silent any longer.

A wonderful story about the power of books to change peoples minds and lives.

In a small southern town in Georgia, a woman decides that certain books must be banned. Lula still wants to support books and builds a small free library on her property filled with acceptable titles. Someone in towns decides to switch out the books with banned ones while leaving the covers of the acceptable books on.

As the townspeople start to read some of these books, secrets unfold, lies are revealed, and lives disrupted. The stories are all interconnected. A town learns to come together. Dealing with multiple issues affecting people today, it shows how books and knowlege can be their own power.

The Change by Kirstin Miller is one of my all time favorite books so Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024. It was fine.

Something I’ve come to learn about myself as a reader is that heartwarming books aren’t really my thing. There were parts within this book that I really loved and I fully support the overall messages - but in a lot of places the execution just fell a little flat for me.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free book to review.

While this book did have some humorous moments, it also dealt with a number of serious topics, such as: book bans, white supremacy, racism, intolerance, and abuse (sexual, physical, and emotional).

While there are some heavy topics discussed, this is a lighthearted take on society, and it does have an underlying theme of kindness. The topic of banning books, particularly by someone who hasn't even read the books, is quite spot on with current events, as is the concept of the little free libraries. The cast of characters is diverse, and each chapter introduces readers to a different local resident who is struggling with their own issues and finds solace in the banned books. The author does a wonderful job of showcasing the power of books.

Big thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Deftly balancing humor and heart, this whip-smart novel pulls back the curtain on a small Southern town’s intolerant actions. Actually, scratch that…it tears the curtain down and refuses to hang it back up, addressing not only book banning, but racism, misogyny, homophobia, white supremacy, gun violence, and more.

In some author's hands, a book covering that many timely topics could be overwhelming. But Kirsten Miller found a way to make it work (really well!) thanks to a rich cast of characters, her use of satire, short & engaging chapters, and a hopeful ending.

The one drawback is that there were a LOT of characters to track. Thank goodness for the Kindle search function because I had to look up several names to keep everyone straight!

Despite the amount of characters, I loved how the novel explored their motivations through the books they pulled from Lula’s library. Each chapter focused on a specific title and used that book to examine a character’s experience within the town. Love them or hate them, they all felt so real.

After reading The Change last year, I became a huge fan of Kirsten Miller. But THIS book has officially placed her on my favorite authors list!

I wasn’t sure what to expect going in to this one, but overall I did enjoy it. It’s quite thought provoking, and it does manage to inject some humor into a serious subject. The cast of characters is memorable, and I think most everyone will find somebody relatable to them. I sped through most of it, but maybe about three quarters of the way in it started to feel like it lost momentum. Ultimately, I think it’s a good story about the importance of access to information, taking an honest look at yourself, and about how you treat others. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I haven’t laughed as hard as I did reading this book in a long time! "Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books" is a satirical gem for anyone who has ever wondered about how things have spiraled so out of control to lead to outrageous book bans across the country.

When Lula Dean takes it upon herself to rid her small town libraries of what she deems “inappropriate” books, the head of the school board’s daughter Lindsay is having none of it. In the middle of the night, she swaps out the “wholesome” books in Lula Dean’s little free library with the banned books — but leaves Lula’s dust jackets on, so that readers will be surprised with what they find inside.

What follows is at once laugh-out-loud funny and completely terrifying, as we get a glimpse into the minds of the townspeople. Some of them view the world in a narrow-minded, hateful way, while others warmed my heart with their openness and desire to bridge the gaps society tries to create.

I loved this book, and it’s perfect for anyone interested in the complexities of literature, politics, and social justice. It's a (very important!) reminder of why protecting the freedom to read is so important, and a tribute to the negative impact of banning books and the ongoing fight against censorship. If you value free expression, read this!

In the tiny town of Troy, Georgia, Lula Dean went on a book banning crusade and purged all of the schools and the public library of all the books she deemed "pornographic: - none of which she had ever even read. Then she started a little free library in front of her house and filled it with good "wholesome" books. One night, under the cover of darkness someone goes and removes all of those books takes off their dust jackets, and puts them on books that people would actually want to read and then re-stocks Lula Dean's library. One by one, neighbors who borrow books from her library get a surprise...and more often than not, the book ends up helping them in some way. When the mayor of Troy is forced to step down due to a scandal, Lula Dean decides to run, and her arch-nemesis Beverly Underwood runs against her, just to make sure she doesn't win. It is bad enough what she did with the town's books - just think what she would do if she got even more power....

This book was delightful. The antics in it kept me laughing. I had really enjoyed the previous book I had read by this author, but this one was even better. Being from a small town myself, at times it felt like I was reading about my hometown. The situations in the book were very timely, and I appreciate that the author was able to lighten the dire situations with a heavy dose of humor. This is perfect for anyone who has ever had their lives changed by a book. Raise your hand if you have!

I loved this story about how banned books make their way into the hands of the reader that needs that book the most. I enjoyed the simple prose and story telling. There is ageism, racism, LGBTQIA+ issues, anti-Semitism, sexual assault - a whole spectrum of hate - but it’s not nuanced conversations, or gratuitous violence and details, and it doesn’t come across as a heavy read. It’s simply stated and in your face. The point of the story is a hard one for some people to swallow and I think the straight forward words and writing help get the point across. It’s an interesting take to have such complicated concepts, relationships, and emotions written about so plainly. I hope this book finds its way to the readers that need it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

Lula Dean is on a mission to rid a small Southern town of books that she thinks should be banned. She puts a lending library in front of her home that is filled with books that she seems acceptable. Unbeknownst to her, someone else places the books that Lula banned inside the covers of the "wholesome" books! This sets off a saga of changes in the town that is riddled with homophobia, anti-Semitism, racism, white supremacy, etc. This book is very applicable to our current climate and is very funny! I highly recommend this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced digital copy of the book.

The topic of banned books generates many heated conversations across the world. Who decides why a book should be banned and under what authority is the decision challenged. Kirsten Miller has taken this hot topic and built an engaging story of people and their community that will leave you thinking long after you finish the last page.

Two women, both positive that they are doing what's right for the children of their community, take sides on the question of banned books. Lula has a long list of titles that she feels should not be read by children. Beverly is the vocal member that pushes for choice. While the matter is under consideration, the titles have been pulled from the library. Lula decides to set herself up as an example for good choices so develops a small library of "good" books available in her home library. BUT....Lula's library is set up in front of her home, everyone has access.....a good deed just asking to be pranked. When her books are replaced with many of the banned titles, the community will borrow.....and read.......these books, forming their own opinions.

The story is written from the perspective of these newly formed opinions and will cause many emotional reactions. It's a different kind of story told in a different manner that's sure to find a huge fan club. 5 easy stars.

3.5 stars rounded up.

This is a tough book to rate. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Before I start, let me air my biases. I'm a librarian and as a result, have STRONG feelings about censorship and book banning.
This book did a great job of highlighting a bunch of people with a bunch of values and painting a picture where no one is really "bad". It made characatures of some of them, sure, but did a good job of highlighting good and bad, even of Lula Dean. That being said, I think I would have enjoyed this book more if it weren't quite so exaggerated, or if it leaned more fully into the exaggeration to ensure that it was super duper goofy. As is, it feels like it's not quite goofy enough to be goofy, but not quite serious enough to be serious, and for that reason I struggled just a little with suspending my disbelief for this objectively wild story.

That all said, this was fun and touched on some real serious issues in a really great way, and I think it is a great read. Be prepared that there are some obvious political overtones, but I do think that the way each character is portrayed is really balanced and sympathetic. I just also think that there are people who could get upset about said political overtones.

With so many book bannings all over the country, this book is very timely. While this book does focus on book banning as well as the many reasons people think books should be banned, at it's heart Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books is about the people of a small Southern town and how their lives are connected and how they support each other. The behavior of a small group of people is infuriating, but the overall love and compassion that is seen in the book is heartwarming.

Thank you to William Morrow and Net Galley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. The book is now available to purchase so I highly recommend adding it to your TBR!

I was excited to read this book because of the description- and I’m glad I read it because of the story.

There are so many things to unpack from this super special read. I found myself frustrated with Lula, inspired by Beverly, rooting for Bella, sad for Logan and on and on and on. There isn’t a character in this book that the author doesn’t make you feel something for.

I cried, I laughed, I highlighted and there are so many lessons in this book we all know, some we may have forgotten and a lot I know I personally learned.

The idea that books are banned calling them pornography or propaganda making sure that people who may need to the message or information don’t have it makes me sad and sick. I was thankful for the list of banned & recommended books at the end of the by the author (and plan to read them!)

Thanks for NetGalley for this advanced copy. My life is better having read this amazing book.

Oh my goodness! I absolutely LOVED this book! This might be my favorite book of the year so far!

Kirsten Miller does a fabulous job including many of the issues Americans face today in a fun way. While it was fun, the way she did it really highlights the seriousness of each topic and how it effects different groups of people.

I really can't recommend this book enough. If you're tired of all the book bans in particular, get this one and devour it!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Marrow for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books is out now.