Really enjoyed this funny and insightful novel with a little free library full of banned books as the heart of a small southern town. Kristen Miller is such a skilled author — loved her novel The Change, too — so I knew going in this was going to be great — and it was. Each chapter highlights a character in the town and how their story is changed by a banned book. Miller weaves these stories together for maximum impact. Her novel could have been picked from the headlines of recent times as it touches on politics, anti-LGBTQ policies, white supremicists and more, but the characters in the novel fight back against these things, and the story is uplifting. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an advanced readers copy.

I was a big fan of Kirstin Miller’s last book and have been very excited to read Lula Dean since I was approved for the arc!

This book is very tongue in cheek and I think it is one that will really work for some people and won’t work for others. I found it a fun book with a lot of great observations on culture. I personally loved how it pointed out the hypocrisy in conservatives but can’t imagine that this book will do well with that group.

My only complaint is that everything and everyone was a bit over the top. I did really enjoy how in the beginning each chapter started with a book and who found it and how later you began to see how the community was tied together. I felt like the book moved really quickly and I loved the different POV although there were a lot of characters to keep track of.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc.

One of the small favorite books of 2024. I loved everything about this book. I loved how the small town in Georgia went up against the radical left-wing minded people. I loved that one young woman could make a difference. Sadly, there are people like Ladine in the real world people who want to band books and stop ideas and reading this made me feel even more powerful about sharing all the great books that are out there. This is a must read and I’m going to be seeing his praises for months to come

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the chance to preview Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller. I requested this book based on my love of Miller's previous novel, The Change. I was not at all disappointed! Like The Change, Miller's latest work takes a serious subject and spins a sometimes heartwarming, sometimes hilarious story around it. Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books has a large cast of characters in small town Georgia who are each affected in some way by discovering a banned book that changes their outlook on life. Coming from Alabama, I could relate to a lot of the issues facing the town's residents. If only we could get these books in the hands of people that need them in the real world!

I highly recommend this to anyone who needs a good laugh and some optimism about the current state of the US.

This book was everything I wanted it to be. Kirsten Miller did an excellent job making this book have an excellent balance between nuance and satire, and I appreciated the depth she gave every character - even the villains who are supposed to be, well, very villainous in a satire. I can't wait to handsell this to everyone - those who will love it like I did, and those who really need to read it for a wake-up call.

The author did not hold back on exposing many of today's hot-topic issues. This book did a good job of showing how people want to view our history with rose-colored glasses. My only complaint was the numerous characters being a bit difficult to keep straight. Thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow and the author for a copy to read and review.

LULA DEAN’S LITTLE LIBRARY OF BANNED BOOKS by @kirstenmillerbooks was excellent, and I will keep saying that to anyone that will listen. Definitely in my top book list for 2024! Lula Dean wants to ban more books from the library and schools in her small southern town but someone has other plans. Lula stocks her own cutesy little free library with books she deems appropriate to read while someone replaces them with banned books, switching out the dust covers to hide them. I loved how each chapter introducing a new character had them finding a banned book and made the learn and grow. These characters were so great (and there were a lot of them) and the book was fun. I have been recommending this to any and all since I started it.

Thank you so much @williammorrowbooks for this egalley! I most definitely will be buying a hard copy for my shelf.

Wow! One of the best books I have read this year which focuses on all the strange political movements happening in America today. The plot was spectacular and the author captured each characters beliefs and personalities perfectly and fairly portrayed based upon their upbringings in the south. Although this is a tale of fictional characters, truths lie within the story. Definitely an eye opening book for those who struggle with politics in the world today. Read with an open mind and heart.

REVIEW 📚

Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books ~ Kirsten Miller
Pages: 304
Genre: Literary Fiction

Gist: Lula Dean is on a book banning mission and has started her own little lending library to bring morals and old fashioned values back into people’s homes. Only problem is someone has replaced all her books with the “pornagraphic” literature being banned. When these books get into the hands of the people of Troy, all hell breaks loose.

Thoughts: As I knew she would - Kirsten Miller mentions it ALL in her latest release and I loved every minute. Taking of-the-minute issues that have caused a rift in our political infrastructure (gay rights, gun violence, CRT, banning books, antisemitism, removing confederate monuments, antifeminism, etc) - Miller weaves a story that blends humor with that which is relevant and pressing. True genius.

Loved that I managed to laugh and be enraged all at the same time. This presents as satire but I can’t help but acknowledge, particularly in an election year, that this could be our staggering reality come November 2024 (although aren’t we seeing this now? Fiction not so much!) Miller sends a message but does so with a sly smile - and I smiled right back!

“Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books” by Kirsten Miller was a decent satire of the culture wars currently going on in the US. It offers solid tongue-in-cheek commentary on the various book banning efforts that are going on today.

What worked for me: I enjoyed the approach toward this subject. The interconnected stories within the book were funny and provided some laughs along the way. It’s much easier to have a book about this topic that is full of rage and facts, but this novel completely turned that on its ear.

What did not work for me: It was way too “in your face” for me. Maybe I like a slower-paced novel, but it felt like I was being told things instead of shown things by reading this book. Characters were too one-dimensional for my liking. It seemed to me that the author really wanted this book to end on a happy note, and it seemed like she really rushed to get there.

Overall, this was a three-star read for me. Many thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Having eagerly anticipated this book following my enjoyment of The Change, I can confidently say that it lived up to my expectations. Kirsten Miller's writing style is both sassy and humorous, which I thoroughly appreciate. The novel thoughtfully touches on a variety of social issues including: book banning, homophobia, antisemitism, racism, and fake news. The characters were well-developed and engaging, and the small town of Troy, Georgia was a fascinating setting. The book concluded on a high note, although I did find that some of chapters felt more like standalone short stories rather than interconnected parts of a novel. Nevertheless, Kirsten Miller proves herself to be an exceptional storyteller, making this book a highly recommended read!

Lula Dean is a woman living in a small Southern town, one of those towns where everyone has known their neighbors their whole lives. She is older, but she still seethes with resentment of not making the cheerleading squad. She seizes her moment of revenge from her nemesis by banning books in the local school's library, then setting up her own little library with recommended titles. Only someone interferes with her plan and switches the books Lula has recommended with some of the banned titles.

Each chapter deals with a different character in the town who gets one of Lula's books, now the banned books, and how reading it affects and changes their lives. I enjoyed meeting a different character in each chapter and having spent quite a lot of time in my relative's small Southern towns, I felt the dynamics portrayed were pretty spot on. It always amazed me how everyone seemed to know their neighbor's business, and how much drama bubbled beneath the surface.

I enjoyed the story and wholeheartedly agree with its message against book bans, and against prejudices in general. I am sure there will be a large population who doesn't appreciate this book. If you are of the ilk that think your opinions and determinations should affect other people who disagree with you, then you won't like this story. Although the message in the book may be hammered home a bit heavily, that doesn't mean it is not an important message to portray. I found the way the author presented her story through multiple viewpoints in a small town kept me engaged in what otherwise might have become a repetitive storyline.

I would rate this book 4.2 stars and I enjoyed reading it. And don't ban books, people! Even the ones I don't approve of! Thank you!

Thanks to NetGalley, Kirsten Miller, and William Morrow Books for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kristen Miller takes a highly charged topic and makes candid points with humor and a cast of delightful characters.

When Lula Dean convinces a small town to ban books of any substance (none of which she's actually read), she begins a little free library with ridiculous books. Lula's arch enemy Beverly Underwood is fighting her but not successfully until her daughter, Lindsay, sneaks banned books behind the covers in the little free library. The town begins changing as they start reading books that make them think. A showdown is coming as both women run for mayor.

This was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me. I am using it as the literary fiction book club pick for my bookstore next month. These quirky, small town characters taking on this big subject just worked for this one! Kristen Miller did a fantastic job!

Thank you to @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for an advance copy!

I love Kristen Miller and her writing. She always tells an entertaining and funny story with such important messages. The ending felt slightly rushed but otherwise a solid read from Kristen!

"Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books" by Kirsten Miller is a satirical novel set in the small town of Troy, Georgia. The story revolves around Lula Dean, a local busybody who embarks on a mission to cleanse public and school libraries of books she deems inappropriate, despite not having read them. To replace these books, she sets up her own Little Free Library filled with what she considers wholesome literature.

Unbeknownst to Lula, a local troublemaker swaps her chosen books with banned ones, including literary classics, gay romances, and books on Black history. As residents borrow these books, their lives begin to change in unexpected and profound ways. The novel humorously explores themes of censorship, prejudice, and the transformative power of literature, while also addressing serious issues such as racism, misogyny, and the rise of the alt-right movement.

The story is entertaining but certainly not "hilarious" as the publisher summary projects. While I appreciate the author's intent to reflect on significant societal issues (as explained in more detail in the author's note), it was a bit "much" for me as a reader - with every issues crammed together into one small town.

Kirsten Miller is the new queen of relevancy! This book is so important, but it’s also funny and sweet. I love how the author doesn’t really lecture or shove political topics down your throat, she makes it fun but also makes you think. Like The Change, this is a must-read for our times.

I enjoyed this book about books with a little twist to it. Small town setting. Central characters are Lula Dean and Beverly. Lula Dean sets off on a mission to rid the libraries of inappropriate books. She starts a little lending library with books she thinks people should read. Secretly, someone replaces her books with some of the banned books hidden under the original dust jackets. People start to take these books. Their lives are changed and the town is changed.

What a fun and entertaining book! I am team "stop banning books" so I knew I had to read this hysterical tale of a woman who, in an effort to provide wholesome books to her neighbors and fighting to ban inappropriate books from the town's libraries, inadvertently finds herself in the middle of a small-town scandal when it's discovered that the "good" books in her little lending library have been replaced with "pornographic" ones and the townspeople are loving it. Until someone blows the whistle and a showdown ensues. This is a great story about the power of books and the effect books, ALL books, can have on the people who read them.

NetGalley Review

I definitely wasn't expecting anything in this book. It was fun, quirky and eye opening. The best way to describe this book would be Gilmore girls small town with quirky people mixed with current political issues. I enjoyed the book, but I also like to read books to escape the debates, issues and political views of real life so even though it was well written and eye opening I'm giving it 3.5 stars, but it didn't give me reality escape I like from books.

Thanks to @williammorrowbooks and @netgalley for the #gifted copy of this book.

“What matters is never letting people tell you what to think. Don't let them convince you that one way is right and another way is wrong. Gather as much knowledge as you can, because information is power. And choosing how to use it is freedom. The more you know, the freer you will be.”

Summary: In the tiny town of Troy, Georgia, Lula Dean is the self-imposed enforcement of appropriate books for their small community. To help her community read appropriate books, Lula created a lending library in her front yard. Lula's arch-enemy, Beverly Underwood, also lives in town and is on the school board. Beverly's daughter, Lindsay, one night replaces the wholesome books with banned books using dust jackets to hide the books within. From this moment, the people of the town find just the right book for them, and it changes their lives in so many different ways. Of course, Lula Dean is horrified once she finds out what has happened, and is determined to make Beverly and her daughter pay for their indiscretions.

Thoughts: After absolutely loving The Change, by the same author, I was excited to check out this book as well. I was a little overwhelmed at first with SO MANY characters throughout and introduced in each chapter. But what I loved is how each character's story built and led into the next character with them all converging at some point. This book covered so many topics that we are currently experiencing in our world today, and I liked the unique way of exploring these heavy topics. It was neat how she used the titles of banned books as the chapter titles, but those books also correlated with what was happening on the page. The end of this story had me gasping as I did not see certain events playing out the way they did.

This is a fantastic book for a book club, and I'm so glad I was able to read along with mine.