Despite the cute cover this book touches deep. It hits all the touch points our society is currently struggling with. The secrets in this small Georgia town are all revealed after a brave young girl chooses to switch dust jackets on all the books in Lula Dean's self curated little library of "appropriate " books.

What I liked: A quirky story about a small southern town dealing with the racism and bigotry which go hand in hand with banning books.

What I disliked: Too many characters (none of whom were particularly likable or stood out), causing a very muddled plot.

This book was such a great summer read! The chapters are independent enough to pick up and put down easily (although I couldn’t put this one down), yet they are all interconnected into a great story about a crazy, southern, small town. Having lived in just such a town, the characters were realistic and definitely resemble people I have encountered. The lead characters, Beverly and Lula Dean’s rivalry is fit for tv/movie. I could almost picture Reese Witherspoon and Kristin Chenowenth in the showdown in front of the church. Under the humorous story of small town rivalry, this story also calls out some very real issues that have become all too real in small American towns. This story shows that even in small, racist, bigoted small towns, there are always those who disagree, and that a little harmless mischief can wake up a town. Love this book from beginning to end and would absolutely recommend it to my friends.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#LulaDeansLittleLibraryofBannedBooks #KirstenMiller #smalltowndrama #foundfamily #summerread #goodpeople #LGBTQA+ #ARC #NetGalley

This story is about a woman in a small town named Lula Dean who decides to start making a ruckus about the books kids are exposed to in schools. The books are what people are banning today, anything with sexual content, LGBTQIA+ content, violence, books that honestly discuss history like The Diary of Anne Frank or anything Holocaust related & books like “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret”. 🙄😤

Any perspectives that don’t align with Lula Dean’s agenda is on the chopping block so she decides to provide everyone with a little free library full of “appropriate books”. These contain themes such as “proper women’s etiquette”, baking books, cutesy hallmark books + things of that mundane nature.

Clearly these are books that are mind-numbingly dull & do not add any value to society except perpetuating old values. Except, somehow, the banned books are getting placed inside of these books with swapped out dust jackets. Little by little everyone is exposed to these “bad books” and start to realize hmmm maybe we all should be challenging our long ingrained beliefs and consider that just ***maybe*** books about homosexuals don’t turn children gay + MAYBE books about sex and periods help teens understand their bodies because KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

Teens have been reading about sex for decades & all of these books that are on the shelves aren’t porn- but the book banners would never know unless they read the entire book & didn’t take it out of context. Instead, ppl are reading one section & clutching their pearls.

This was witty + funny. I wish I could get some close ppl in my life to read this. This book is about freedom, tolerance + unconditional love. As a future librarian it truly moved me.

BTW the worst thing kids can be exposed to is what’s in their pockets every day…

Thank you NetGalley & William Morrow for this ARC!

What a delight! It's cutesy but fun and packs a major whollop of a statement on the crazy times in which we live. I did struggle sometimes to keep track of the characters but adored the beginning chapters showing each book changing lives. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was just an unbelievably pleasant surprise! I went into this book not really knowing what it was about, and I could not put it down. I was so wrapped up in the story line, characters and dynamics between everyone. I loved how the multiple stories, perspectives and characters all tied into one story. They were all so dynamic and different that I was never confused about what or who I was reading about. It is not easy to write a book this way, but Miller did an incredible job. The story flows well and its fast pace works perfectly. The topics touched upon are serious and real - racism, rape, homophobia, antisemitsm, sexism and much more all connected to the censorship and banning of books and stories. Yet, it is also an entertaining book that will make you laugh out loud. I think this is a must read for everyone, it touches on important topics without feeling too heavy or pushy.

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

This book literally touches very important topics even political ones in a very interesting way. It focuses on Troy in Georgia where Lula Dean and Beverly are on opposite sides on the topic of banned books and book policing to decide what books are good for their society and this key plot is what held it for me. But somewhere the execution faltered for me with introduction of too many characters and slightly preachy approach. But the way it shows how books impact the lives of so many people was beautiful. Also it was pretty straightforward touching multiple important relevant topics with a great message and intent. But using so many topics all in one book was probably too much. I still encourage everyone to read it for the underlying message!

I rated it 3.5 stars.

This was a great tale explaining the issue with book bans. The author intertwines these books and characters in a way that gives them all an even greater meaning and shows the possibility of closed minds becoming more open. Overall I loved this story, but towards the last 20% things seemed rushed and character lines seemed to be a bit extra fantastical (which made it feel like a very very far fetched dream).

This story takes place in a small town in Georgia. Lula Dean and Beverly Underwood have been rivals since high school and things get pretty sticky when Lula makes it her mission to rid the school and town libraries of books she deems inappropriate. Beverly is on the school board and she isn’t going to let Lula get away with banning books. But Lula is swaying many in the town to get on the book banning bandwagon and books are pulled off library shelves. Lula sets up her own little lending library in front of her home filling it with “safe” books. Unbeknownst to her or the rest of the town though Beverly’s daughter Lyndsey pulls those books out, removes their dust jackets and wraps them around some of the very books that have been banned. She puts them back into the little library and that’s when things in town really start changing! People pull a book thinking it’s one thing, but they get something else all together and it turns out it’s often just the book they need!
I like the premise of this book. I don’t support banning books. I don’t want someone else dictating to me what I can and cannot read. There are lots of other hot button issues the book presents as well such as racism, misogyny, homophobia and antisemitism to name a few. The story is told from quite a few different viewpoints as different characters pull books and we learn how reading these banned books affect them and what they learn from them that meets their needs at just the right time. I had a few favorite characters and enjoyed their stories. I also enjoyed seeing various townspeople step up and make their voices heard to effect positive change in their town.
Here is what I didn’t enjoy however: I didn’t find the book “hilarious” as the description states. It was actually kind of dark. And I felt that it was very heavy handed on pushing the topics it presented. It felt very “us vs. them” juxtaposing the conservative vs the liberal. I don’t support anything Lula or the rest of the book banning whack jobs in that town supported. That’s what just hit wrong with me because I feel like conservatives get grouped in with all the whack jobs like them in today’s world. The conservative people I know would never support the dark, ugly agendas many of the characters in the book pressed.
One final thought involves the town’s physician, Dr. Chokshi who is of Indian ancestry. He takes the time to chat with Mitch who was initially supporting Lula’s agenda. I loved how he explained his ideas to Mitch. He used humor and found some commonalities between them. It took Mitch off his guard and he really listened and changed some of his thoughts. It’s a great example of how we can approach someone with differing viewpoints and have a civil discussion. Beating someone over the head doesn’t seem the best approach to me.

Thought provoking story of Tory, Georgia that showed how people and a community can change from reading books. The book dealt with some heavy topics including racism but also included some humorous parts. I liked that it had a positive ending.

Lula Dean has filled her "Little Library" with books that she considers wholesome reads for her community. What she doesn't know is that a local prankster has sneaked in and exchanged the books with "banned" books and then replaced the original covers. As folks check out Lula's books, they are surprised by what they are reading, and chaos ensues. The story has a moral message and the ending is quite satisfying.

The story takes place in a very conservative town in the South, and the characters are just a little "over the top". I couldn't wait to finish this book (though it's really well written) because I know people like Lula, and I just don't want to spend my spare time reading about such people. I found her and her cronies so annoying, and it was hard for me to get past that.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

This is a very hopeful book in these current times. I was heartened to see the influence of books on the community. I would have liked to see some change in the villains of the story, but you can't have everything.

TONS of characters and the way the book is written is very disjointed and often difficult to follow when it comes to weaving them all together. But three and a half stars rounded up because the freedom to read is so near and dear to me.

As a book-lover, I can’t really resist a Little Free Library - but in all the times I’ve visited one, I’ve never experienced what this town in Georgia goes through…

Book-banning is a hot topic, & in this scathing & comical satire the author expertly captures a wide variety of issues with a diverse cast of characters. History is unearthed & lives are changed when the woman spear-heading the movement to remove “inappropriate” material from the local library sets up her own lending library with “quality” books inside. Unbeknownst to her, someone secretly slides the slipcovers off all of her “good” books & puts them on banned ones, giving the borrowers a number of surprises…

I adored this book! It made me angry & it gave me hope & it somehow is also extremely funny. The way the author connected the townspeople was complicated & ingenious, & people featured at the beginning of the story coming back up again towards the end led to multiple awesome conclusions. I also really enjoyed that all the chapters had titles :)

Thank you very much to NetGalley & William Morrow for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely LOVED The Change by Kirsten Miller, so I jumped at the chance to read her latest novel about hot-topic book banning. As a Little Free Library owner, reader and mother of a little, this topic really makes my blood boil.

The premise of the book is wonderful, I enjoyed the book titles for chapter headings, and there were definitely moments that made me laugh out loud. Overall, however, I felt like this book fell a little flat for me. I get where the author was coming from, but it felt like she pushed each hot-button topic a little too far at times and pulled in every type of person that’s considered controversial. I get that it’s satirical, but this felt overly done. I wish that there had been more plot versus tiny snippets of each character in the town.

While I struggled with this one, I think this book is perfect for people passionate about reading and getting books in the hands of young minds. I don’t agree with banning in the least, and am grateful to the author for tackling such a meaty and controversial topic.

Thank you to Kirsten Miller, William Morrow and NetGalley for a digital ARC of the book for an honest review.

I loved Miller's first book - seriously loved it. This seemed like a departure, but it did remind me of The Change in a few ways. Mostly in how people come together, I think.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this one. At times, it seemed almost too in your face, too didactic, but it's not wrong.

I think I'll be reading all of Miller's books, so get cracking on more! (Just kidding, but not really)

This was a great story, but took me a while to get into it. Doesn’t compare to her book from 2 summers ago, but still absolutely worth the read.

This book needs to be on everyone’s summer reading list! Witty, bold, and timely, Kirsten takes a touchy topic and faces it head-on with zero apologies necessary. This book is wildly entertaining with wonderful characters who have vastly different ideas on book banning. Lula Dean is trying her best to make a name for herself in town and banning all the books she deems inappropriate is definitely making waves. Her nemesis, Beverly, is on the school board and doesn’t agree with Lula’s views. When Lula puts up a little free library in her yard containing all the books she finds wholesome, a local “troublemaker” sees this as an opportunity. Under the cover of night, they swap out the books in the library with books that have been banned, covering them with Lula’s dust jackets. This small act will either tear the town apart or bring them together in ways they never saw possible.

This book needs to be on everyone’s summer reading list! Witty, bold, and timely, Kirsten takes a touchy topic and faces it head-on with zero apologies necessary. This book is wildly entertaining with wonderful characters who have vastly different ideas on book banning. Lula Dean is trying her best to make a name for herself in town and banning all the books she deems inappropriate is definitely making waves. Her nemesis, Beverly, is on the school board and doesn’t agree with Lula’s views. When Lula puts up a little free library in her yard containing all the books she finds wholesome, a local “troublemaker” sees this as an opportunity. Under the cover of night, they swap out the books in the library with books that have been banned, covering them with Lula’s dust jackets. This small act will either tear the town apart or bring them together in ways they never saw possible.

I flew through the audiobook in a day and was once again awed by the sheer talent of January LaVoy! The character voices and personalities she creates are always top tier and this performance is no different! If you haven’t listened to January yet, let this one be your first and then promptly go and listen to Kirsten’s The Change because January knocks that one out of the park too!

Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow!

Kirsten Miller has written both a laugh out loud and thought provoking book. She takes you on a tour of the little town Troy and gives you an in depth look at the lives of it's citizens. Which it just so happens that close to every closet in that town has a skeleton or two....or three.

Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books is a story of strong personal beliefs and the consequences that come with the inability to view any other perspective but your own.

This was a joy to read and Kirsten made it easy to fall in love with not only the town of Troy but also the mix bag of people who live there.