I first was introduced to Kirsten Miller from a friend who suggested we read The Change for book club. It was incredible and just like it, Lula Deans Little Library of Banned Books was amazing. I wasn’t sure what to expect of this book, but as a resident in a small town in the South, it hits every single point. Why reading is so important and access to materials is just as important. I loved the characters that came with each book and the story overall. Definitely a hit and will recommend to anyone!

This was very cute and humorous, with hints of Carl Hiaassen or Christopher Moore. Good distinction between characters, however they did evolve into caricatures of every hot topic in the US. I’ve recommended it to two customers, one wanting something funny and one who wanted a lighthearted story.

Oh, this was a fun, timely read! This is a book for book lovers! I loved how Miller took such important topics (book banning, racism, homophobia) and wove them so carefully through the use of other books. For such heavy topics, there is also so much humor and warmth in this story.

This is a fantastic timely read.  When Lula decides to start a crusade against books in her small Georgia town she puts a free little library in front of her house filled with "wholesome" books. However someone has switched out all the book covers and replaced the books with books on Lulas banned list. As the town starts finding reads in Lula's library they discover more about themselves and the world. 

As we all know the more you read the more your eyes are open to the world around you.  The more you learn the more open to new experiences you become.  Banning books keeps people ignorant and ignorant people are easily led. As the town starts to learn, their eyes open to what is going on around them, secret nazi's hiding in plain sight, disturbed young men in need of guidance, queer young people who need acceptance, older people becoming brainwashed by the fear mongering media and women who realize they are worth more than being subservient to the men in their lives. 

I want to stock every free little library in my town with this book! Reading is the key to acceptance, empathy and compassion.

⭐️4/5

This book is so timely and relevant for all the discussions that are happening around book banning right now. While parts might be a little idyllic, it’s really important in driving the gravity of the situation.

This book has a huuuge number of characters and I really thought I was going to get lost trying to remember them all. And there were times when just the mention of somebody’s name didn’t trigger who they were to me. However, the way this book was written was so good, in that I was able to be reminded who was who within less than a sentence of a character being mentioned. It really did feel like I knew the whole dang town by the time I was finished.

Sometimes this book was super cheesy and sometimes it was super serious, and sometimes it felt like I was getting whiplash going between the two. I’m not sure how this could’ve been avoided, but it did have me rolling my eyes at some parts and just cringing at others.

Overall it’s a feel good book with the always needed reminders to look inward while also trying to care for those around you.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest rating and review

I loved this wonderful book from Kirsten Miller. It made me laugh, it made me cry and it just made me happy in the end. The characters, while sometimes stereotypes, were all so real - every town has a Lula, a Beverly, a Logan and couples like the Wrights or the Kellys. It did a great job on focusing on so many issues that are dividing our country today. The message really came through that books don't hurt people - only people hurt other people. I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

This book was so entertaining!
The overall concept of a little free library full of banned books is truly unique and the execution was delightful. This book dives into book banning and the ripple effect it has on a community. I enjoyed how each chapter was a different vignette within the community and it was interesting how all of these individual stories intertwined and built off each other. I highly recommend this one for anyone looking for a fun story about a relevant topic.

"I don't know how she manages to be evil and boring, but damn, if Lula ain't killing it."
Somehow the author manages to tackle truly serious and sometimes dark subjects such a racism, homophobia, and much more, yet keeping it light and not suffocating. The story of Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books takes place in a rural town in Georgia. Lula has taken it upon herself to ban books that "...encourage our children to use drugs, have sex, and pursue the homosexual lifestyle." We have a phrase that we use here in the south to refer to someone like Lula, "Bless Her Heart."

A 2013 NIH study concluded "The study shows that fictional narrative experiences have effects on people’s skills, such as empathy." By banning books such as the "smut" known as The Diary of Anne Frank (um, alrighty then Lula,) how can we correct and learn from past mistakes? How can we learn to accept people that aren't like us if we don't know their stories?

The author weaves together the lives of many townspeople throughout the story, and while it can be a tad confusing keeping up with who is who at times, it all comes together with a wonderful and powerful message of inclusivity and oftentimes with a humorous undertone. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the stories of the diverse cast of characters we meet along the way. But let's keep this book a secret from our friends in Florida, we wouldn't want this one to get banned too! /s

I read The Change and absolutely loved it so I was very excited to get a copy of this book.

This is a light hearted take on social issues. It’s written with both comedy and warmth and has a good message of kindness.

The book takes place in a small town in Georgia. Lulu is a hardcore conservative. She goes overboard with her ideology and starts a campaign to ban books that she has never even read. She creates a little library of wholesome books for the community to borrow but then someone switches them for the banned books.

Each chapter introduces a new town resident that is struggling with their own issues and finds comfort and motivation from the banned books. The issues addressed in this book range from homophobia to racism.

Overall I did enjoy this book. The author is funny and her humor shines through in the pages. I found the characters interesting. I do have a few mixed feelings about this book though. I felt like there were a lot of characters and I wanted to see more of a concise plot. At times I felt the book wandered off point. I can say that I recommend this book though.

Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

I work at a library in a small Southern town, so this book touches on my biggest concerns - a “concerned citizen” with an agenda. Definitely relevant, and thought-provoking, but also funny. Loved it.

As an owner of a book store, bookseller and Library Board Member, I was anxious to read this book. I so enjoyed this story. There is, of course, the antagonist and her followers and the good guys. (My opinion).there are many intertwined stories involving the young, the middle aged and the aged and their back stories. As in many small communities there are many grievances from the past that seem to reappear in the current story. It is such a timely story and is handles with humor and compassion.

While dealing with a very serious subject - book bans, Kirsten Miller delivered a fantastic story
full of humor, some mystery and plenty to think about.

This is one of the best books I’ve read this year. The topic is so important and this book really got me thinking more about book bans.

The novel kicks off in small-town Georgia where two middle-aged women who have been feuding since high school are battling over what books are appropriate for the town’s children. You know the classic stuff - fear mongering, scaring people saying there are books that will “turn you gay,” “books pushing CRT, “ etc. - that garbage. The neighbor who is working to ban books puts up a Little Free Library full of “wholesome” books by Trump, conservative politics and baking/craft books. It quickly moves into a young woman “infiltrating” this Little Free Library (LFL) by taking banned books and placing them in the “wholesome” dust jackets and placing them back into the library. The town starts reading them and comedy, drama, and chance ensues!

The plot moves well, there are well developed and diverse characters, the writing is great and the topics explored are fascinating. This is a must-summer-read!

We all see the little free libraries out in our communities, but it wasn’t until I read this book that I thought one could be a tool for change. I’m going to put some important books in my local LFLs this summer… including this one!!

This book is going to get banned! And that is probably the highest praise! Seriously, if it is a subject that riles up the conservatives looking to control what people have access to reading, then it is in this book! Between that and the constant grandstanding against racism, sexism, homophobia, witches, indigenous people, transgender, sex work, etc (did I leave a box unchecked?), this book hit all the book banning boxes! And, before I start telling you all the things that maybe I didn't like about the book, I will tell you that I really really really enjoyed it! I loved the characters. Some felt more nuanced than others, some felt a bit typecast, but being set in a small town, the reader is told about interpersonal histories that still impact relationships now. And I liked that it discussed topics that exist everywhere but aren't visible to those not directly impacted by them. But, then at times it got a bit too heavy handed and preachy. At some points it made me chuckle but at other points it felt a bit too forced, like there was a list that needed to be checked to not miss a subject. While all the stories were resolved by the end, I would have preferred fewer of them. Some times this felt more like a collection of connected short stories instead of a solid book. The reader almost forgets what the main plot was while enjoying all the random stories that popped up. End result: I loved the book and the subject! I wish many of the topics had been touched with a lighter hand, or maybe fewer of them. But if that is what it took to have this book to read, I'll take it!

The world is a crazy place these days and this book tackles all of the controversial issues facing society. It was funny and satirical while still being serious about the “hot topics” in our nation. Lula Dean is leading the charge banning books in a small town in Georgia, but what occurs after she opens her little free library is unexpected. All of the character’s storylines were weaved seamlessly into one major plot. Bravo Kirsten Miller! Save the books! This is a story that needs to be told. I was so lucky to read the ARC of this one! Thank you to @netgalley, @williammorrowbooks, and @kirstenmillerbooks. This one may get people talking but I think that's the goal right? Have the conversations about the tough topics!

Thank you to netgalley and William Morrow Publisher for allowing me to read this book. This book is fast paced and full of humerus stories. The book has some serious issues as well but funny stories outweigh it. Lula Dean has a little free library in the South but, it is not the little free library that everyone is accustomed to. I enjoyed this story and couldn't put it down I was lucky to read an advanced copy. This book will be popular when it comes out.

In the small southern town of Troy, Georgia, normal life has been disrupted by a sudden push for book banning. Lula Dean, instigator of the book banning, becomes an overnight celebrity as she pushes for a return to the good old days. Lula creates her own little library with approved books, but things take a turn when someone switches out her books with the very books Lula vilified. When Lula decides to run for mayor, her arch nemesis Beverly Underwood also begins a campaign, hoping to save the town before Lula can destroy their small community. However, things are already beginning to change as people begin to reveal their true feelings.

Told in alternating chapters, townspeople share their stories and their opinion on the book banning and other strange events that have begun to happen in Troy. Kirsten Miller manages to grab your attention and run with it; I flew through this one. This book handles some very disturbing but relevant social issues, and at times the dialogue is uncomfortable. Although I did not expect this book to hit as many serious topics as it did (racism, rape, homophobia, antisemitism, Nazism, etc), I was pleasantly surprised (and I had big expectations having read The Change).

This book captivated me from the first page. I was completely invested in the shenanigans of the townspeople, their lives and interactions. Some were upsetting, most were hilarious.

I loved the characters. Lindsay and Bella were probably my favorites, but they were all amazing. The way each book touched the character that grabbed it was amazing. I loved the amount of character development.

Fast paced with a great plot, this was probably one of the books I read the fastest this year. I could not put it down; it was so addicting! You just keep turning pages because you have to know what they’re going to do next. From triping on mushrooms and allowing yourself to commit a crime with an angel, to making a penis cake to piss off your family… you just never knew what you were going to see. For me, this was definitely a five star book. I will be buying a paper copy when it comes out so that I can share- though I will probably be sending the eBook to a few buddies as gifts.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
We touched on some really heavy subjects here: language, racism, homophobia, emotional/ physical abuse, and sexual abuse. Miller took the book banning, white supremecy/ nazi leanings and everything else and added just enough humor without making light of the issues. I would say this one is geared toward adults and new adults, but I don’t think there’s anything here that would be too inappropraite for any age.


I recieved an eARC of this book from Netgalley working with William Morrow Publishing in exchange for an honest review. While I am grateful, it did not have an impact on my opinion of the book. My thanks!

Sometimes you read the right book at the right time - for me, Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books made me have hope for the South. When Lula Dean goes on a rampage to rid the library of books that are "unsuitable for the town's youth - the daughter of her sworn enemy decides to switch the books she has curated, like "The Southern Belle's Guide to Etiquette" or Chicken Soup for the Soul with actual banned books like "The Diary of Anne Frank" or "'How the Word is Passed" by Clint Smith. Some parts of this book made me laugh at loud, and others made me frightened at how quickly people be swayed by public opinion. The book covers topics like rape, LGBTQ, abuse, racism, and book banning. In the book there is a happy ending, which I can only hope for in real life.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC of this novel. This was a very entertaining story about how books that are now being banned can change lives. It takes place in a small town in Georgia where the scourge of book banning has taken root and there are lots of references to America's new MAGA reality. As a former small town Southerner, I appreciated this alternate reality where just about everyone learns a lesson, and the connections that are drawn between banned books and small town lives. Books certainly got me through my childhood.
Also, the ancestry part is spot on. Southerners have been living in willful denial about this since forever. I also think the book was a Hallmark movie and I kept playing through what actually would have happened in my small town under these circumstances. It would be a much more complex and less sunny story. But I think this book does deftly handle the seriousness of the issue of book banning without taking itself too seriously.