One of my favorite reads this year! I loved how the author connected all of the town people’s stories and the different POVs in some chapters.

What an unexpected delight of a book! The author sauntered across a tightrope where a misstep would fall into farce or preaching. When Lula Dean dove onto banning books as her cause, she was hoping to finally get the respect she felt she deserved. Then someone replaced all the books in her wholesome little library with the titles she had pulled off the library shelves. Only they left her sanctified covers on the banned books. As residents borrowed books, they. often found the hidden titles eye opening in unexpected ways. Yes many of the characters were stereotypical Southerners, but therein lies the humor and ultimately humanity.

Lula Dean advocates for a whole bunch of books to be banned and over many objections, she wins and not only gets all sorts of books removed from local libraries and schools but she also puts up a little Free Library with all her "acceptable books" inside. One mysterious hero sneaks into the Little Free Library and replaces all of the books with the banned books by exchanging the dust covers so it appears that the town citizens are taking books that are approved but they're not. And they read the books anyway. The beautiful mayhem that takes place is addicting, sometimes disheartening, sometimes extremely satisfying. Told from different perspectives of different townspeople, this book was just. so. good.

#arc
#netgalley
#luladeanslittlelibraryofbannedbooks

LULA DEAN'S LITTLE LIBRARY OF BANNED BOOKS by Kirsten Miller is meant to be a comedy. The story is set in small town Georgia with a plethora of stereotypical characters, including Lula Dean, a fanatic who wants to ban books like Maus, Are you There, God? It's me, Maragaret, Nickel and Dimed, The Diary of Anne Frank, Speak, and Beloved. Almost all of those are actually taught in our curriculum. So, while it may be difficult to understand the reasoning behind these book challenges, Miller soaks her readers in misogynist, racist, and Nazi views. It's depressing, not funny even though this satire was a LibraryReads selection for June. Lula Dean is craving attention and power when she decides to run for mayor against Beverly Wainwright Underwood, the local school board chair and mother of Lindsay, a gay college freshman. While briefly home, Lindsay uses dust covers from books in Lula Dean's little lending library to camouflage several banned texts. Miller is clever in the pairings (e.g., The Art of the Deal dust cover hides Maus) and in the townspeople's transformations resulting from reading these hidden books. However, the text is difficult to wade through even though Miller may have good intentions in highlighting how "keeping people scared and ignorant is an effective means of controlling them." Pick up a banned book instead! 2.5 stars

Given the current political climate in this country, I thought this book sounded like it could give some comic relief to the situation, and was very much looking forward to reading it. It sounded like it was going to address important social issues that challenge our society today. However, I was a little disappointed. While I realize this could be categorized as a "modern fairly tale", I found it a little unrealistic that anyone who needed some help or understanding conveniently picked a random book from Lula's library, with false dust jackets,and it was just the one they needed. The first few chapters seemed like a series of short stories strung together into a "novel" as an after thought. I appreciate this book exposing the dark side of the conservative, christofacist, white supremacist movement that is terrorizing the US of late. While they deserve to be called out, and their bigoted imperiousness to be challenged, this wasn't the book to do it. I think the author was trying to over too many topics, and right too many wrongs. I found the characters lacking in depth, stereotypical, and bordering on the cartoonish, and the book not particularly funny. Having said that, I will admit that my sense of humor is not for everyone. I found the warm fuzzy ending unrealistic given the entrenched divide we have in this country. I would not discourage anyone from reading this book if they find the concept interesting. It does have a great underlying message- Books Can Change Lives. People should be able to read whatever books feed their soul. Thanks Net Galley for this ARC opportunity.

What a delightful take on book banning! Set in a small Southern town which has decided to ban “pornographic” materials, one citizen takes it into her own hands to switch out the “good” literature in the lead banner’s little library with the banned books. Chaos ensues, but good chaos. What follows is a story of a town whose citizens start to learn the truth about their heritage, their lives, and themselves, with the literature that they end up picking from the little library. The chapters are told in vignettes from the people whose eyes are opened to the books that they pick out from the little library, and you get to see how these books help them grow and change. I liked how book banning was tackled, and I thought that the author did a good job of highlighting some of the common arguments for censorship and book banning in here, while also providing a solid defense against censorship. I thought that some of the conversations were pretty didactic, but they would be useful to a reader who hasn’t encountered book banning arguments before. I loved the reveal at the end, and overall, I thought this book was well-done.

Told as a series of interconnected stories that make up a larger narrative, Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books is about what happens when one small Georgia town goes to battle over banned books. This is not a subtle story: It's a humorous but bracing and unapologetic exploration of many topics at the forefront of America's current culture wars.

I would like to say that this book is over-the-top, but unfortunately my own small Midwestern town recently elected a school board that would have been Lula Dean's BFFs. They started with banning books and pride flags and railing against CRT -- which was actually not even being taught in classrooms. Now they are coming for social-emotional learning and undermining teachers' choices at every turn. And they sadly have plenty of support from the community, a group of individuals that might as well call themselves the Concerned Parents Committee. So I assure you, the events outlined in this book may be exaggerated for narrative effect, but things like this are happening -- not just in my own town, but around the country.

That was my mindset in reading Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books, so it (unfortunately) really resonated with me. There are several characters I wish I would've gotten to know better, and there are places where it is a bit too heavy-handed, but overall this book is a relevant and necessary battle-cry. It's a reminder that, historically, the book-banners have never been the good guys; that fake media and fear-mongering are insidious diseases; and that censorship actually goes against everything it means to be an American, no matter how anyone tries to spin it. And, of course, it reads like a love story to the power of books: how they can empower and connect us, no matter how different we are.

Thank you to William Morrow for the early reading opportunity.

Absolutely loved this! If you’re on the side of “banned books” keep people oppressed, then this book is certainly for you.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lula Dean is the leader of the committee who removes “bad” books like Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret and Diary of Anne Frank from the school and public libraries in Troy, Georgia. When she provides a Little Free Library of books she encourages people to read instead, things go awry & the go awry quickly. I found myself cheering for the townsfolk as they took down the long-standing beliefs the town held on to. The characters felt alive on the page. But warning: you’ll likely *know* someone who acts or thinks just like Lula Dean.

Lula Dean is a satirical look at a small Southern town at a crossroads.

Lula Dean is on a mission. She’s going to remove “bad” books from the library, keep good ole southern values (including support for confederate history) in tact and call out anyone who veers from her worldview. Well, Lula Dean, hang on to your bonnet because the more progressive townspeople aren’t going to let that happen without a fight!

So many thoughts! Obviously this is throwing every political controversy into a blender and churning it up in the microcosm of this small town. As a fairly progressive person the narrative was pretty satisfying if not maybe oversimplified but overall I was really entertained. As a book lover and someone who is vehemently opposed to book banning it was nice to see a story that shows how harmful banning can be and how important books are- to educate, to comfort, to help people desperate to see someone like themselves. There are quite a few characters to keep track of but the way they converged together was smart and I loved the way the author set up each chapter based on a book that influenced each character. Recommend for those that won’t be offended by social commentary and love books.

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.