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Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books
The provocative and hilarious summer read that will have book lovers cheering and everyone talking! Kirsten Miller, author of The Change, brings us a bracing, wildly entertaining satire about a small Southern town, a pitched battle over banned books, and a little lending library that changes everything.
Beverly Underwood and her arch enemy, Lula Dean, live in the tiny town of Troy, Georgia, where they were born and raised. Now Beverly is on the school board, and Lula has become a local celebrity by embarking on mission to rid the public libraries of all inappropriate books—none of which she’s actually read. To replace the “pornographic” books she’s challenged at the local public library, Lula starts her own lending library in front of her home: a cute wooden hutch with glass doors and neat rows of the worthy literature that she’s sure the town’s readers need.
But Beverly’s daughter Lindsay sneaks in by night and secretly fills Lula Dean’s little free library with banned books wrapped in “wholesome” dust jackets. The Girl’s Guide to the Revolution is wrapped in the cover of The Southern Belle’s Guide to Etiquette. A jacket that belongs to Our Confederate Heroes ends up on Beloved. One by one, neighbors who borrow books from Lula Dean’s library find their lives changed in unexpected ways. Finally, one of Lula Dean’s enemies discovers the library and decides to turn the tables on her, just as Lula and Beverly are running against each other to replace the town’s disgraced mayor.
That’s when all the townspeople who’ve been borrowing from Lula’s library begin to reveal themselves. It’s a diverse and surprising bunch—including the local postman, the prom queen, housewives, a farmer, and the former DA—all of whom have been changed by what they’ve read. When Lindsay is forced to own up to what she’s done, the showdown that’s been brewing between Beverly and Lula will roil the whole town...and change it forever.
Beverly Underwood and her arch enemy, Lula Dean, live in the tiny town of Troy, Georgia, where they were born and raised. Now Beverly is on the school board, and Lula has become a local celebrity by embarking on mission to rid the public libraries of all inappropriate books—none of which she’s actually read. To replace the “pornographic” books she’s challenged at the local public library, Lula starts her own lending library in front of her home: a cute wooden hutch with glass doors and neat rows of the worthy literature that she’s sure the town’s readers need.
But Beverly’s daughter Lindsay sneaks in by night and secretly fills Lula Dean’s little free library with banned books wrapped in “wholesome” dust jackets. The Girl’s Guide to the Revolution is wrapped in the cover of The Southern Belle’s Guide to Etiquette. A jacket that belongs to Our Confederate Heroes ends up on Beloved. One by one, neighbors who borrow books from Lula Dean’s library find their lives changed in unexpected ways. Finally, one of Lula Dean’s enemies discovers the library and decides to turn the tables on her, just as Lula and Beverly are running against each other to replace the town’s disgraced mayor.
That’s when all the townspeople who’ve been borrowing from Lula’s library begin to reveal themselves. It’s a diverse and surprising bunch—including the local postman, the prom queen, housewives, a farmer, and the former DA—all of whom have been changed by what they’ve read. When Lindsay is forced to own up to what she’s done, the showdown that’s been brewing between Beverly and Lula will roil the whole town...and change it forever.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published June 18, 2024
About the author
Kirsten Miller
29 books2,297 followersKirsten Miller grew up in a small town in the mountains of North Carolina. At seventeen, she left for college in New York City, where she lives to this day. Kirsten's latest novel, Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books, is a side-splitting satire that takes on some of the most controversial issues of our day. Her first adult novel, The Change, was a Good Morning America Book Club pick for May 2022. Kirsten is also the author of over a dozen middle grade and YA novels, including the acclaimed Kiki Strike books, (which tell the tale of the delinquent girl geniuses who keep Manhattan safe), and How to Lead a Life of Crime. She is not the Kirsten Miller who wrote All That Is Left, but she assumes that Kirsten is lovely and talented. Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,390 reviews
June 23, 2024
4.5⭐️
I loved Kirsten Miller’s The Change and was eager to read her latest offering. Well-crafted, satirical and humorous (with several laugh-out-loud moments), but also hard-hitting, Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller is an engaging read.
“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.”
Set in the small town of Troy, Georgia, the novel revolves around tensions that arise from one of the townspeople’s missions to ban books that are deemed inappropriate – a mission she has successfully executed resulting in the removal of said books from the public library. Lula Dean also sets up her own lending library with hopes of circulating what she considers acceptable books among the townspeople. Beverly Underwood, also a lifelong resident of Troy and on the school board, vehemently opposes Lula’s actions. Beverly’s daughter Lindsay takes matters into her own hands and unbeknownst to her mother, replaces the books in Lula’s library with those which have been banned. To avoid detection, she places the banned books inside the dust jackets of acceptable literature. As the narrative progresses, we see how these books impact the lives of the townspeople and the dynamic between Beverly and Lula, both of whom are running for mayor.
“When you have everything, the only luxury left is taking things away from others.”
The novel features a large cast of characters, multiple perspectives and several sub-plots seamlessly woven into the primary narrative. The pacing is consistent and the story flows well. At no point did I lose interest or feel that there was too much going on. I loved how the author emphasizes the transformative power of books and how important it is for people to have the freedom to choose what to read and/or what they want their children to read. I loved that the author incorporates certain books (a few of which are banned in some parts of the US) into the plotlines and shows how those books not only inspire individuals to effect change in their own lives but also enable them to gain perspective and expose those spreading hate in the community.
“I think you’re scared that your children are going to open a book and discover the truth. They’ll realize that the Holocaust happened and that slavery was worse than they ever imagined. They’ll find out that both men and women like sex and that gay and trans folks are just regular people. These seem to be the things that you’re trying to hide from them. Why is that?”
There is a lot to like about this novel. The author injects a healthy dose of humor into the narrative, rendering it an entertaining read while also conveying a strong message. The author tackles several heavy themes and social issues such as censorship and book banning, homophobia, bigotry and racism, antisemitism, sexual abuse, racially motivated violence, misogyny and much more. All the characters are well thought out - even the unlikable ones. Beverly is an admirable character and I appreciated her efforts to do the right thing in the face of much adversity. I adored Wilma and I wish we had more scenes with her. I liked how the author depicts the impact of ideological differences and conflicting views on critical issues on the dynamics within a small town. I particularly liked how the author has portrayed the younger crowd and their efforts (a tad misguided at times, but with best intentions) to bring about change in their community.
I did feel, however, that a few aspects of the novel could have been explored further, but with so many characters and subplots, this is to be expected. I also believe that some might not be entirely comfortable with certain content and the tone of the narrative. The ending is a tad too neatly tied up, but I’m glad that the author ends the novel on a positive note.
Thoroughly enjoyable yet timely and relevant, this is a book that I would not hesitate to recommend.
I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Do read the Author’s Note where she talks about the themes addressed in this novel and much more.
Many thanks to William Morrow for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on June 18, 2024.
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
{ On a personal note, I loved that one of the characters (not Indian, to be noted) mentions their favorite Indian dish being "kosha mangsho" (a savory mutton curry that is a favorite in most Bengali households) from West Bengal. This made my Bengali heart so happy!}
I loved Kirsten Miller’s The Change and was eager to read her latest offering. Well-crafted, satirical and humorous (with several laugh-out-loud moments), but also hard-hitting, Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller is an engaging read.
“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.”
Set in the small town of Troy, Georgia, the novel revolves around tensions that arise from one of the townspeople’s missions to ban books that are deemed inappropriate – a mission she has successfully executed resulting in the removal of said books from the public library. Lula Dean also sets up her own lending library with hopes of circulating what she considers acceptable books among the townspeople. Beverly Underwood, also a lifelong resident of Troy and on the school board, vehemently opposes Lula’s actions. Beverly’s daughter Lindsay takes matters into her own hands and unbeknownst to her mother, replaces the books in Lula’s library with those which have been banned. To avoid detection, she places the banned books inside the dust jackets of acceptable literature. As the narrative progresses, we see how these books impact the lives of the townspeople and the dynamic between Beverly and Lula, both of whom are running for mayor.
“When you have everything, the only luxury left is taking things away from others.”
The novel features a large cast of characters, multiple perspectives and several sub-plots seamlessly woven into the primary narrative. The pacing is consistent and the story flows well. At no point did I lose interest or feel that there was too much going on. I loved how the author emphasizes the transformative power of books and how important it is for people to have the freedom to choose what to read and/or what they want their children to read. I loved that the author incorporates certain books (a few of which are banned in some parts of the US) into the plotlines and shows how those books not only inspire individuals to effect change in their own lives but also enable them to gain perspective and expose those spreading hate in the community.
“I think you’re scared that your children are going to open a book and discover the truth. They’ll realize that the Holocaust happened and that slavery was worse than they ever imagined. They’ll find out that both men and women like sex and that gay and trans folks are just regular people. These seem to be the things that you’re trying to hide from them. Why is that?”
There is a lot to like about this novel. The author injects a healthy dose of humor into the narrative, rendering it an entertaining read while also conveying a strong message. The author tackles several heavy themes and social issues such as censorship and book banning, homophobia, bigotry and racism, antisemitism, sexual abuse, racially motivated violence, misogyny and much more. All the characters are well thought out - even the unlikable ones. Beverly is an admirable character and I appreciated her efforts to do the right thing in the face of much adversity. I adored Wilma and I wish we had more scenes with her. I liked how the author depicts the impact of ideological differences and conflicting views on critical issues on the dynamics within a small town. I particularly liked how the author has portrayed the younger crowd and their efforts (a tad misguided at times, but with best intentions) to bring about change in their community.
I did feel, however, that a few aspects of the novel could have been explored further, but with so many characters and subplots, this is to be expected. I also believe that some might not be entirely comfortable with certain content and the tone of the narrative. The ending is a tad too neatly tied up, but I’m glad that the author ends the novel on a positive note.
Thoroughly enjoyable yet timely and relevant, this is a book that I would not hesitate to recommend.
I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Do read the Author’s Note where she talks about the themes addressed in this novel and much more.
Many thanks to William Morrow for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on June 18, 2024.
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
{ On a personal note, I loved that one of the characters (not Indian, to be noted) mentions their favorite Indian dish being "kosha mangsho" (a savory mutton curry that is a favorite in most Bengali households) from West Bengal. This made my Bengali heart so happy!}
July 5, 2024
In a Nutshell: A contemporary satire about what happens in a small Southern town after a woman campaigns against controversial books. Excellent if you read it as a satire. Might ruffle feathers of a few people. Better for those who enjoy character-oriented storytelling and are liberal in their thinking.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Bookish Yays:
📚 A satire that works exactly as a satire should: thought-provoking, humorous, hyperbolic yet rooted in reality, and provocative. Love how the book tackles such a serious topic in a sensible and fun manner.
📚 The characters: Coming from varied age groups, genders, professions, financial status, and racial backgrounds. Beverly Underwood was my favourite. For a while, I thought she'd go the stereotypical hyper-PTA-mom way, but she turned out to be a treasure. Old Wilma Jean Cummings was another exceptional woman. A special shout-out to the Indian rep of Dr. Chokshi – I'm delighted with the refreshing authenticity of his portrayal.
📚 Despite the multitude of characters, the author writes them in a way that it is fairly easy to keep track of them. I especially loved the way she ensures that their age is clarified right towards the start of their chapter – so important to do this!
📚 The representation deserves its own Yay. Not only is the list of characters inclusive in every way, but many characters also have traumatic pasts and hardships in their present, which adds further depth to their arcs.
📚 The depiction of the small-town lifestyle through the fictional location of Troy, where everyone knows everything about everybody, and supports and gossips in equal measure. Not sure if the name “Troy” was chosen by the author to be ironic, but it made me think of Lula Dean’s library as the famous Trojan Horse, where the innocent-looking outside disguised the unexpected inside content.
📚 Each chapter is named after a “book”, with most titles being actual books, including some banned titles. Love how the title bended seamlessly with that particular chapter.
📚 The best part of the novel is that there's no generalisation. It focuses on the good as well as the bad of most of the represented segments, whether in race or religion or even location. I appreciate how the author highlighted the positives of Southern lifestyle such as the food and the hospitality.
📚 Adored the Christian content! It was so nice to see criticism against the misguided idiots who twist biblical beliefs into their own version of righteous Christianity, but without any hateful slings against the religion itself. A related quote from the book: "They are fighting for the glorious past instead of ensuring a glorious unified future."
📚 An interesting array of relationships: parents and children, siblings, couples, friends. Loved how almost every character arc felt almost like a short story because of the detailed backstory of the relationships and issues of that character.
📚 The title made me assume that Lula Dean would be the hero of the story, the person who fills her LFL with banned books. But Lula Dean turned out to be more like Dolores Umbridge. Regardless, I loved how the book banning theme was tackled. We get to hear from both sides of the book ban argument, so obviously, we can rationally decide which side is right. (Not that there was any doubt about whom to support!)
📚 The author's note at the end of the book: honest, heartfelt, excellent! (As she too comes from the South, this is like an OwnVoices novel.) There is also a list of the books named in the chapter titles, with a mention of whether they are banned or not.
Bookish Didn’t-Make-A-Difference-To-Me-But-Could-Be-A-Nay-For-Others:
📖 By sheer coincidence, this is my third composite novel in a row, where each chapter is from a different character and hence the overall effect is like that of linked short stories. I enjoyed the shifting character perspectives, as each had enough merit on its own, and yet added to the events established until that point. But those who don’t enjoy short fiction or too many character arcs might not enjoy this novel.
📖 The book gets politically intense after a certain point, with a clear stance taken against one political party. Might offend a few readers. (Oh, and there are also many cuss words, just in case that also bothers you.)
Bookish Nays:
📕 It goes overboard on the themes:, misogyny, gender discrimination, racism, homophobia, religious discrimination, discriminatory school policies, mental health, gaslighting, anti-Semitism, closet Nazis, slavery, rape, the role of the media in spreading hate, fake news, and many more. Every single theme was important, no doubt. But not all of them needed to be in a single book.
📕 Most of the characters slot neatly into good and bad categories. There are hardly any in-between shades. I wish there had been some layers to the unidimensional portrayal, though I do understand how having so many character perspectives reduced the scope for depth in the individual arcs.
📕 The last couple of chapters were a bit dragged, and the finale was too neat to be believable. There was also an extended infodump, of which I am never a fan.
🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, clocking at 10 hrs 12 min, is narrated by the usually reliable January LaVoy. For a book with such a wide range of characters, she did a very good job. A couple of the character voices felt a bit off as per their age or gender, but on the whole, the audiobook is fabulous. That said, it is only for seasoned audiobook listeners. Newbies might get confused with the sheer number of characters and their arcs.
All in all, I enjoyed this amazing satire that highlights the restricted thinking of many people. It is light-hearted in its approach, yet unflinching in its agenda and impressive in its declarations. The book would have rated even higher for me had the overly neat ending not spoiled my mood so much.
As the author rightly says, this problem isn’t limited only to Southern USA, and the book certainly isn’t indicative of everyone in Southern USA. But the topic and the setting are such that I can see many features being ruffled by this title. Remember that it's a satire, and is meant to be over the top.
This is my first Kirsten Miller book. And I am quite impressed by her outspoken writing style! I am surely going to try more of her works.
Definitely recommended to those who enjoy short-story-styled novels, literary fiction, hot issues, and character-oriented writing. Keeping my fingers crossed that this book doesn’t get banned. It would be quite ironic if it does!
4.25 stars.
My thanks to HarperCollins UK Audio for providing the DRC of “Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Forty-something Lula Dean has always lived in the shadow of her arch-rival Beverly Underwood in the small (fictional) town of Troy, Georgia. Lula has finally hit celebrity status, thanks to her latest campaign: ridding the local libraries of inappropriate books. To set the right example and provide the townspeople with quality reading material, Lula sets up a Little Free Library outside her home and fills it with “wholesome” books. Unknown to Lula, Beverly’s daughter Lindsay sneakily changes the composition of the free library, by replacing Lula’s books with the banned books but retaining the original “wholesome” dust jackets. As the neighbours borrow books from Lula’s library, they realise that the content isn’t exactly what the cover promises, and see how the right book can change their lives. A secret revolution is brewing in Troy, and Lula doesn’t even know that she has caused it.
The novel comes to us as interconnected stories from various townspeople, with each chapter coming from one specific character.
Bookish Yays:
📚 A satire that works exactly as a satire should: thought-provoking, humorous, hyperbolic yet rooted in reality, and provocative. Love how the book tackles such a serious topic in a sensible and fun manner.
📚 The characters: Coming from varied age groups, genders, professions, financial status, and racial backgrounds. Beverly Underwood was my favourite. For a while, I thought she'd go the stereotypical hyper-PTA-mom way, but she turned out to be a treasure. Old Wilma Jean Cummings was another exceptional woman. A special shout-out to the Indian rep of Dr. Chokshi – I'm delighted with the refreshing authenticity of his portrayal.
📚 Despite the multitude of characters, the author writes them in a way that it is fairly easy to keep track of them. I especially loved the way she ensures that their age is clarified right towards the start of their chapter – so important to do this!
📚 The representation deserves its own Yay. Not only is the list of characters inclusive in every way, but many characters also have traumatic pasts and hardships in their present, which adds further depth to their arcs.
📚 The depiction of the small-town lifestyle through the fictional location of Troy, where everyone knows everything about everybody, and supports and gossips in equal measure. Not sure if the name “Troy” was chosen by the author to be ironic, but it made me think of Lula Dean’s library as the famous Trojan Horse, where the innocent-looking outside disguised the unexpected inside content.
📚 Each chapter is named after a “book”, with most titles being actual books, including some banned titles. Love how the title bended seamlessly with that particular chapter.
📚 The best part of the novel is that there's no generalisation. It focuses on the good as well as the bad of most of the represented segments, whether in race or religion or even location. I appreciate how the author highlighted the positives of Southern lifestyle such as the food and the hospitality.
📚 Adored the Christian content! It was so nice to see criticism against the misguided idiots who twist biblical beliefs into their own version of righteous Christianity, but without any hateful slings against the religion itself. A related quote from the book: "They are fighting for the glorious past instead of ensuring a glorious unified future."
📚 An interesting array of relationships: parents and children, siblings, couples, friends. Loved how almost every character arc felt almost like a short story because of the detailed backstory of the relationships and issues of that character.
📚 The title made me assume that Lula Dean would be the hero of the story, the person who fills her LFL with banned books. But Lula Dean turned out to be more like Dolores Umbridge. Regardless, I loved how the book banning theme was tackled. We get to hear from both sides of the book ban argument, so obviously, we can rationally decide which side is right. (Not that there was any doubt about whom to support!)
📚 The author's note at the end of the book: honest, heartfelt, excellent! (As she too comes from the South, this is like an OwnVoices novel.) There is also a list of the books named in the chapter titles, with a mention of whether they are banned or not.
Bookish Didn’t-Make-A-Difference-To-Me-But-Could-Be-A-Nay-For-Others:
📖 By sheer coincidence, this is my third composite novel in a row, where each chapter is from a different character and hence the overall effect is like that of linked short stories. I enjoyed the shifting character perspectives, as each had enough merit on its own, and yet added to the events established until that point. But those who don’t enjoy short fiction or too many character arcs might not enjoy this novel.
📖 The book gets politically intense after a certain point, with a clear stance taken against one political party. Might offend a few readers. (Oh, and there are also many cuss words, just in case that also bothers you.)
Bookish Nays:
📕 It goes overboard on the themes:, misogyny, gender discrimination, racism, homophobia, religious discrimination, discriminatory school policies, mental health, gaslighting, anti-Semitism, closet Nazis, slavery, rape, the role of the media in spreading hate, fake news, and many more. Every single theme was important, no doubt. But not all of them needed to be in a single book.
📕 Most of the characters slot neatly into good and bad categories. There are hardly any in-between shades. I wish there had been some layers to the unidimensional portrayal, though I do understand how having so many character perspectives reduced the scope for depth in the individual arcs.
📕 The last couple of chapters were a bit dragged, and the finale was too neat to be believable. There was also an extended infodump, of which I am never a fan.
🎧 The Audiobook Experience:
The audiobook, clocking at 10 hrs 12 min, is narrated by the usually reliable January LaVoy. For a book with such a wide range of characters, she did a very good job. A couple of the character voices felt a bit off as per their age or gender, but on the whole, the audiobook is fabulous. That said, it is only for seasoned audiobook listeners. Newbies might get confused with the sheer number of characters and their arcs.
All in all, I enjoyed this amazing satire that highlights the restricted thinking of many people. It is light-hearted in its approach, yet unflinching in its agenda and impressive in its declarations. The book would have rated even higher for me had the overly neat ending not spoiled my mood so much.
As the author rightly says, this problem isn’t limited only to Southern USA, and the book certainly isn’t indicative of everyone in Southern USA. But the topic and the setting are such that I can see many features being ruffled by this title. Remember that it's a satire, and is meant to be over the top.
This is my first Kirsten Miller book. And I am quite impressed by her outspoken writing style! I am surely going to try more of her works.
Definitely recommended to those who enjoy short-story-styled novels, literary fiction, hot issues, and character-oriented writing. Keeping my fingers crossed that this book doesn’t get banned. It would be quite ironic if it does!
4.25 stars.
My thanks to HarperCollins UK Audio for providing the DRC of “Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
April 8, 2024
Monsters are often just ordinary people.
In Troy, Georgia, Lula is known as the town crank while Beverley Underwood is seen as the pillar of the community. One thing is for sure, Lula likes attention and has decided the children of Troy are in terrible danger from a list of books that have no place in a “God-fearing” town. As a consequence of her campaign, books are taken off library shelves until a final decision can be reached, and as a further challenge, Lula has created her own ‘worthy’ lending library outside her home. However, what she doesn’t know is that Beverley‘s daughter, Lindsay has swapped the wholesome novels, replacing them with banned books, hidden behind covers such as The Southern Belles Guide to Etiquette. I’d love to read that – not. This deception, which comes from a good place, is just the start of change and a voyage of self discovery in Troy. Things are about to get REALLY stirred up if not all hell breaking loose. It’s a tale of unintended consequences and is done in a highly entertaining way.
This is a clever novel which I enjoy very much as via the polar opposites of Lula and Beverley, the author has created a thought
provoking tale. It partly exposes hypocrisy, and definitely misogyny, racism, antisemitism and affiliations to the Alt-right and is part caricature and carries an excellent message. It’s safe to say the author doesn’t hold back which will inevitably means it will divide the crowd! It is far-fetched though creates scenarios that aren’t beyond the realms of possibility and it is certainly an ambitious novel.
Via the books, Kirsten Miller shines a spotlight on a small southern town, and its different inhabitants and the divergent views and lives. This inevitably means there’s a large cast of characters and some stories chime more than others, especially those which show examples of bravery. Some stories are funny and make me laugh out loud and some of the exact opposite of that giving chills and sending shivers down the spine. I cheer when some of these characters get their just desserts or see the light via the banned books. If only. Lula is clearly a fool but she knows how to work a crowd which leads to some dramatic scenes. Throughout the storytelling is lively, it’s a never dull moment read, you laugh, you cry and you’ll probably rage at times as it sets out to challenge.
Overall, this is a relevant book, which makes powerful points about knowledge and understanding versus ignorance and it delivers a good message, especially at the end. I strongly suspect that it will be banned somewhere, probably somewhere Southern! I’m very glad to have had the opportunity to read it.
With thanks to NetGalley, and especially to HQ for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
In Troy, Georgia, Lula is known as the town crank while Beverley Underwood is seen as the pillar of the community. One thing is for sure, Lula likes attention and has decided the children of Troy are in terrible danger from a list of books that have no place in a “God-fearing” town. As a consequence of her campaign, books are taken off library shelves until a final decision can be reached, and as a further challenge, Lula has created her own ‘worthy’ lending library outside her home. However, what she doesn’t know is that Beverley‘s daughter, Lindsay has swapped the wholesome novels, replacing them with banned books, hidden behind covers such as The Southern Belles Guide to Etiquette. I’d love to read that – not. This deception, which comes from a good place, is just the start of change and a voyage of self discovery in Troy. Things are about to get REALLY stirred up if not all hell breaking loose. It’s a tale of unintended consequences and is done in a highly entertaining way.
This is a clever novel which I enjoy very much as via the polar opposites of Lula and Beverley, the author has created a thought
provoking tale. It partly exposes hypocrisy, and definitely misogyny, racism, antisemitism and affiliations to the Alt-right and is part caricature and carries an excellent message. It’s safe to say the author doesn’t hold back which will inevitably means it will divide the crowd! It is far-fetched though creates scenarios that aren’t beyond the realms of possibility and it is certainly an ambitious novel.
Via the books, Kirsten Miller shines a spotlight on a small southern town, and its different inhabitants and the divergent views and lives. This inevitably means there’s a large cast of characters and some stories chime more than others, especially those which show examples of bravery. Some stories are funny and make me laugh out loud and some of the exact opposite of that giving chills and sending shivers down the spine. I cheer when some of these characters get their just desserts or see the light via the banned books. If only. Lula is clearly a fool but she knows how to work a crowd which leads to some dramatic scenes. Throughout the storytelling is lively, it’s a never dull moment read, you laugh, you cry and you’ll probably rage at times as it sets out to challenge.
Overall, this is a relevant book, which makes powerful points about knowledge and understanding versus ignorance and it delivers a good message, especially at the end. I strongly suspect that it will be banned somewhere, probably somewhere Southern! I’m very glad to have had the opportunity to read it.
With thanks to NetGalley, and especially to HQ for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
March 20, 2024
I laughed, I cried, and thoroughly enjoyed every single page of this deliciously mischievous, truth-telling, heart-warming story. While the subject of book-banning is a serious matter, the author strikes the perfect balance of using humor as well as rich and powerful storytelling to lift up the negative consequences of doing so, of whose voices are squelched, who doesn’t get to see themselves in history or literature to know that they can be better than their stereotypes or their ancestors, or find commonality, respect and compassion for others’. And, conversely, the positive outcomes that can come from opening someone’s heart or mind through reading.
Yes, it makes a mockery of Lula Dean, a caricature of a town busybody who is trying to fill a whole in her heart with attention, drama and power and seizes on book-banning as a vehicle for that. But through each character’s story, even Lula’s, the author illustrates how books don’t hurt people - people hurt people. Books do, however, give people access to new ideas as well as historical truths, a wide array of perspectives, belief systems and role models to choose from in finding their own moral compass, live their best lives, and heal old wounds and relationships.
It’s only January, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this ends up being the best book I’ll read all year. I’ve already advance ordered a copy to re-read and share widely.
Thanks to NetGalley, Kirsten Miller and Harper Collins for the privilege of previewing an advanced reader copy.
Yes, it makes a mockery of Lula Dean, a caricature of a town busybody who is trying to fill a whole in her heart with attention, drama and power and seizes on book-banning as a vehicle for that. But through each character’s story, even Lula’s, the author illustrates how books don’t hurt people - people hurt people. Books do, however, give people access to new ideas as well as historical truths, a wide array of perspectives, belief systems and role models to choose from in finding their own moral compass, live their best lives, and heal old wounds and relationships.
It’s only January, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this ends up being the best book I’ll read all year. I’ve already advance ordered a copy to re-read and share widely.
Thanks to NetGalley, Kirsten Miller and Harper Collins for the privilege of previewing an advanced reader copy.
June 22, 2024
I never used to give starred reviews because 1) I used to work in publishing and I don’t want to yuck anyone’s yum, and 2) they flatten the highs and lows into an average.
Here’s my basic stance: if I like it, it gets a 4 or more. If I think it’s okay, but not great, it gets a 3. If it’s something that frustrates me more than anything else, it has to get lower than average, because I’d rather be honest than polite. My intent is to be both! But this book frustrated me…
Allow me to explain. I share this book’s belief that books are magic, and banning them is a sign of something rotten (of deeply insecure). Honest, difficult change comes from looking for new information and perspectives, not from trying to protect anyone “until they’re ready.” I have sold and then made and now sell books for a living because I deeply believe that connecting people with books makes the world a better place.
Why a two star review, then? Well, this book shares one thing with its villains’ world view: there are two sides, and you’re either with us or against. This sort of simplistic duality of enlightened and irredeemable simplifies things, and ultimately flattens the world into a comforting (or scary) place.
I’m on the side of enlightenment, but the villains in this book are straight out of Needful Things, and everything seems, well, as self-righteous as the views we’re being asked to leave behind.
I know which side I’m on, but being preached to sets off my spidey senses. And apparently that goes for people I fundamentally agree with!
So is this a fun read? It depends! It’s definitely a fairy tale, and that may really sit well with some more than others.
But it didn’t create a world I recognize, and as much as I wish it was true, it sure does cut some corners in the process, and takes a fair amount of delight in dehumanizing whole swathes of people (who I don’t agree with!)
Okay, that’s a long way of defending why I liked a lot of bites from this meal, but ultimately was left with a stomach ache.
Here’s my basic stance: if I like it, it gets a 4 or more. If I think it’s okay, but not great, it gets a 3. If it’s something that frustrates me more than anything else, it has to get lower than average, because I’d rather be honest than polite. My intent is to be both! But this book frustrated me…
Allow me to explain. I share this book’s belief that books are magic, and banning them is a sign of something rotten (of deeply insecure). Honest, difficult change comes from looking for new information and perspectives, not from trying to protect anyone “until they’re ready.” I have sold and then made and now sell books for a living because I deeply believe that connecting people with books makes the world a better place.
Why a two star review, then? Well, this book shares one thing with its villains’ world view: there are two sides, and you’re either with us or against. This sort of simplistic duality of enlightened and irredeemable simplifies things, and ultimately flattens the world into a comforting (or scary) place.
I’m on the side of enlightenment, but the villains in this book are straight out of Needful Things, and everything seems, well, as self-righteous as the views we’re being asked to leave behind.
I know which side I’m on, but being preached to sets off my spidey senses. And apparently that goes for people I fundamentally agree with!
So is this a fun read? It depends! It’s definitely a fairy tale, and that may really sit well with some more than others.
But it didn’t create a world I recognize, and as much as I wish it was true, it sure does cut some corners in the process, and takes a fair amount of delight in dehumanizing whole swathes of people (who I don’t agree with!)
Okay, that’s a long way of defending why I liked a lot of bites from this meal, but ultimately was left with a stomach ache.
July 2, 2024
This is clearly a message book. But the message was better delivered in the author’s note when she shared…
“I want to make it clear that the issues addressed in this novel – book banning, white nationalism, anti-Semitism, etc. – are by no means unique to the South. These are American problems. Pretending they occur in the South has allowed them to flourish unchecked elsewhere in the United States.”
I agree. I believe her intention in writing a story about a clearly prejudiced woman who started up a Little Free Library, in which individuals decided to disguise her books with banned books that this woman, Lula Dean was labeling as “pornographic and propaganda” was different.
What set Lula Dean in her “hateful” motion? What really happened to her “perfect” twins after they graduated high school? Why don’t they visit their “perfect” mother?
So many of us who have Little Free Libraries appreciate what our mission is as a steward. It is to provide books to our neighborhoods as a service and as an opportunity to educate and bring together the community by our love of books. The idea that Lula Dean was doing anything but, felt despicable and counter to the little free library mission. So, in many ways it was really difficult to read “her” story. And, definitely to like her character or feel any sense of empathy toward her.
But thankfully she was not the only character. There were others to appreciate. They were the fighters for this small town of Troy in Georgia. The fighters of hate and homophobia and prejudice and of course, the banning of books. The ones who wanted to make a difference and to help their little town overcome people like Lula Dean.
And, yes eventually the mystery of what happened to Lula Dean’s twins will be resolved in a very unique way.
I’m sure that fighting the hate was the intended message of the author, but I’m not sure that this book delivered the message in the best way. It felt like it rambled its way through and then took too long to get to the end.
“I want to make it clear that the issues addressed in this novel – book banning, white nationalism, anti-Semitism, etc. – are by no means unique to the South. These are American problems. Pretending they occur in the South has allowed them to flourish unchecked elsewhere in the United States.”
I agree. I believe her intention in writing a story about a clearly prejudiced woman who started up a Little Free Library, in which individuals decided to disguise her books with banned books that this woman, Lula Dean was labeling as “pornographic and propaganda” was different.
What set Lula Dean in her “hateful” motion? What really happened to her “perfect” twins after they graduated high school? Why don’t they visit their “perfect” mother?
So many of us who have Little Free Libraries appreciate what our mission is as a steward. It is to provide books to our neighborhoods as a service and as an opportunity to educate and bring together the community by our love of books. The idea that Lula Dean was doing anything but, felt despicable and counter to the little free library mission. So, in many ways it was really difficult to read “her” story. And, definitely to like her character or feel any sense of empathy toward her.
But thankfully she was not the only character. There were others to appreciate. They were the fighters for this small town of Troy in Georgia. The fighters of hate and homophobia and prejudice and of course, the banning of books. The ones who wanted to make a difference and to help their little town overcome people like Lula Dean.
And, yes eventually the mystery of what happened to Lula Dean’s twins will be resolved in a very unique way.
I’m sure that fighting the hate was the intended message of the author, but I’m not sure that this book delivered the message in the best way. It felt like it rambled its way through and then took too long to get to the end.
June 2, 2024
An interesting (if at times a bit twee) look at the fate of one small town in Georgia when Lula Dean, a woman who has felt ignored for too long, decides to become the town's arbiter of decency and the consequences when others fight back.
I listened to a very well read audio. The narrator, January Lavoy, had a good clear voice and the differences between characters was very good. I liked listening to her mild Southern drawl and she gave just enough drama to the text which could have easily fallen into melodrama at times.I also had a hard copy and it was great to swap between the two. It was an excellent book for audio though.
The story is an interesting one and was written in response to the increasing amount of book banning going on in the USA. Although I'd have to say its not just an American problem- it is worldwide. The wider premise of the book is to show that history is not what you may think it is - there's a famous quote about history always being written by the victors. The history in Troy, Georgia is of a very personal nature as very different people discover their shared history.
The book, on the whole, is an easy read even if the contents are quite astonishing at times. For example I was bewildered by why any of the books would be banned but then I'd read quite a lot of them.
The book is quite funny at times but it is sending a clear message of tolerance, understanding and being judgemental when you don't know the true facts. For that alone it should be applauded.
I would definitely recommend this book and the audio to anyone.
Thankyou to Netgalley, Harper Collins HQ and Harper Collins Audio for both the hard copy and the audio. Very much appreciated.
I listened to a very well read audio. The narrator, January Lavoy, had a good clear voice and the differences between characters was very good. I liked listening to her mild Southern drawl and she gave just enough drama to the text which could have easily fallen into melodrama at times.I also had a hard copy and it was great to swap between the two. It was an excellent book for audio though.
The story is an interesting one and was written in response to the increasing amount of book banning going on in the USA. Although I'd have to say its not just an American problem- it is worldwide. The wider premise of the book is to show that history is not what you may think it is - there's a famous quote about history always being written by the victors. The history in Troy, Georgia is of a very personal nature as very different people discover their shared history.
The book, on the whole, is an easy read even if the contents are quite astonishing at times. For example I was bewildered by why any of the books would be banned but then I'd read quite a lot of them.
The book is quite funny at times but it is sending a clear message of tolerance, understanding and being judgemental when you don't know the true facts. For that alone it should be applauded.
I would definitely recommend this book and the audio to anyone.
Thankyou to Netgalley, Harper Collins HQ and Harper Collins Audio for both the hard copy and the audio. Very much appreciated.
June 22, 2024
When you have everything, the only luxury left is taking things away from others. It was an indulgence that Lula Dean certainly seemed to relish.
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 while 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 about 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.
July 17, 2024
Lula Dean’s Library of Banned Books is a timely fictional story about a small town busybody who takes it upon herself to initiate a book ban at schools and in the public library. While some residents are in agreement with the ban instigated by Lula, all residents certainly aren’t. When the books in Lula’s little free library are secretly restocked with the banned books, things in town begin to change.
Despite being under 300 pages, Lula Dean’s Library of Banned Books began to feel quite long, and there were several characters to keep track of across many storylines. Overall though, I enjoyed the message of this book, about the power of standing up for what’s right, and being open to learning (through what we read) — 3.5 stars
Despite being under 300 pages, Lula Dean’s Library of Banned Books began to feel quite long, and there were several characters to keep track of across many storylines. Overall though, I enjoyed the message of this book, about the power of standing up for what’s right, and being open to learning (through what we read) — 3.5 stars
January 10, 2024
“𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒍𝒖𝒙𝒖𝒓𝒚 𝒍𝒆𝒇𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔. 𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒖𝒍𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑳𝒖𝒍𝒂 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉.”
𝘓𝘶𝘭𝘢 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘯’𝘴 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 will probably be the funniest and most heartwarming novel you will read about a banned books list.
In the town of Troy, Georgia, Lula Dean—widow, empty-nester, and local busy-body—takes her quest for attention and crusade against “woke” lifestyles and values to new heights. As the founder and leader of the Concerned Parents Committee, she pulls books that are supposedly filled with pornography and propaganda out of schools and libraries. To help provide Troy with better reading material, she then sets up a Little Free Library in her front yard and stocks it with “wholesome” books like 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘭 and 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵��� 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘦𝘴 for her neighbors to borrow. Unbeknownst to her, the daughter of her archenemy switches the books out with ones on the banned list, hiding them under the more “decent” dust jackets. And that’s when things get really interesting. Book by book, reader by reader, the lives of the townspeople begin to change for the better. The little library sparks self-discovery, new or mended friendships and relationships, and citywide changes.
This was a fun read that was entertaining yet also reflected on significant issues like racism, misogyny, antisemitism, and the disturbing rise of the alt-right movement. Though, in my opinion, a few storylines were a bit outlandish and the ending was a little too neatly tied up and somewhat far-fetched, I would still recommend 𝘓𝘶𝘭𝘢 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘯’𝘴 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 for its charming storytelling and important message—books, libraries, and the sharing of knowledge and experiences matter.
4.75 stars rounded up. Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
𝘓𝘶𝘭𝘢 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘯’𝘴 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 will probably be the funniest and most heartwarming novel you will read about a banned books list.
In the town of Troy, Georgia, Lula Dean—widow, empty-nester, and local busy-body—takes her quest for attention and crusade against “woke” lifestyles and values to new heights. As the founder and leader of the Concerned Parents Committee, she pulls books that are supposedly filled with pornography and propaganda out of schools and libraries. To help provide Troy with better reading material, she then sets up a Little Free Library in her front yard and stocks it with “wholesome” books like 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘭 and 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵��� 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘦𝘴 for her neighbors to borrow. Unbeknownst to her, the daughter of her archenemy switches the books out with ones on the banned list, hiding them under the more “decent” dust jackets. And that’s when things get really interesting. Book by book, reader by reader, the lives of the townspeople begin to change for the better. The little library sparks self-discovery, new or mended friendships and relationships, and citywide changes.
This was a fun read that was entertaining yet also reflected on significant issues like racism, misogyny, antisemitism, and the disturbing rise of the alt-right movement. Though, in my opinion, a few storylines were a bit outlandish and the ending was a little too neatly tied up and somewhat far-fetched, I would still recommend 𝘓𝘶𝘭𝘢 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘯’𝘴 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 for its charming storytelling and important message—books, libraries, and the sharing of knowledge and experiences matter.
4.75 stars rounded up. Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 6, 2024
I very much enjoyed this story about a woman in a small Southern town who wants to implement a book ban. The topic is timely and relevant.
The author does a good job describing life in the town, the different characters and their viewpoints, and explores many issues including banned books, racism, nostalgia for the way things were, and homophobia. It is a well-written book and one that shines a light on the importance of reading and how books can be a solace and a help in dealing with life’s challenges.
The author does a good job describing life in the town, the different characters and their viewpoints, and explores many issues including banned books, racism, nostalgia for the way things were, and homophobia. It is a well-written book and one that shines a light on the importance of reading and how books can be a solace and a help in dealing with life’s challenges.
July 1, 2024
Loved the subject matter.
Attempting to ban books 📚 is something that has been occurring in the public school systems in Northeast Ohio. So, when I heard about this book from one of my podcasts, I just had to pick it up. If the importance of libraries, librarians, censorship, and free speech are of the upmost importance to you I highly recommend checking out this book. You will not be disappointed.
This will rank up there as one of my favorite books of the year.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Attempting to ban books 📚 is something that has been occurring in the public school systems in Northeast Ohio. So, when I heard about this book from one of my podcasts, I just had to pick it up. If the importance of libraries, librarians, censorship, and free speech are of the upmost importance to you I highly recommend checking out this book. You will not be disappointed.
This will rank up there as one of my favorite books of the year.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 27, 2024
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.
Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for the chance to read this digital copy!
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.
Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for the chance to read this digital copy!
June 21, 2024
Another FANTASTIC Kirsten Miller book that did not disappoint! Arguably my MOST anticipated book of 2024, I was sooo excited to receive an early ARC copy of this one and devoured it in one sitting!
EXTREMELY relevant, this book is set in Southern Georgia and follows the happenings in one small town as an older woman, Lula Dean, advocates book banning and has her little free library taken over surreptitiously by banned books hidden inside the sleeves of more innocuous ones.
Told from multiple POVs that highlight the difficult lives of various town members, who are targeted for being Jewish, queer and a number of other 'taboo' things, this book does such a great job fighting for why it's important to stand up to hate in all forms and fight for the freedom to read books that serve to change lives and open minds.
An impassioned, must-read with tons of heart that could literally be ripped from the headlines of any American (or Canadian) town, this book will have you rooting for the underdogs and cheering for justice to be served.
I loved how secrets and wrongs from the past get dragged into the light and the way Lula Dean's own children come to save the day in the end through a Drag story time!!
10/10 recommend. I don't think I could love this book more if I tried, especially as a proud steward of a Little Free Library myself.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy, William Morrows for a physical ARC and Librofm for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest feedback.
⚠️CW: anti-Semitism, rape, hate crimes, homophobia, transphobia
EXTREMELY relevant, this book is set in Southern Georgia and follows the happenings in one small town as an older woman, Lula Dean, advocates book banning and has her little free library taken over surreptitiously by banned books hidden inside the sleeves of more innocuous ones.
Told from multiple POVs that highlight the difficult lives of various town members, who are targeted for being Jewish, queer and a number of other 'taboo' things, this book does such a great job fighting for why it's important to stand up to hate in all forms and fight for the freedom to read books that serve to change lives and open minds.
An impassioned, must-read with tons of heart that could literally be ripped from the headlines of any American (or Canadian) town, this book will have you rooting for the underdogs and cheering for justice to be served.
I loved how secrets and wrongs from the past get dragged into the light and the way Lula Dean's own children come to save the day in the end through a Drag story time!!
10/10 recommend. I don't think I could love this book more if I tried, especially as a proud steward of a Little Free Library myself.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy, William Morrows for a physical ARC and Librofm for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest feedback.
⚠️CW: anti-Semitism, rape, hate crimes, homophobia, transphobia
June 24, 2024
I'm here for this book.
It's basically Pleasantville if written by Hallmark.
I've seen a lot of reviews say this book kept driving the same point home. Yeah, that's called a theme, and the theme of this book is empathy. If you're someone who is bothered by people evolving to be more kind and loving versions of themselves, then this isn't the book for you.
A lot of people will get hung up on the politics of it, but things like Nazis and rapists shouldn't be partisan issues. Literally, everyone should just be against Nazis and rapists.
This book had a lot of cheesy and heartwarming moments to offset some of the more serious topics. It worked for me. I wish those who needed to read it the most would, but according to their reviews, they were to scandalized by talk of butt plugs to finish it.
It's basically Pleasantville if written by Hallmark.
I've seen a lot of reviews say this book kept driving the same point home. Yeah, that's called a theme, and the theme of this book is empathy. If you're someone who is bothered by people evolving to be more kind and loving versions of themselves, then this isn't the book for you.
A lot of people will get hung up on the politics of it, but things like Nazis and rapists shouldn't be partisan issues. Literally, everyone should just be against Nazis and rapists.
This book had a lot of cheesy and heartwarming moments to offset some of the more serious topics. It worked for me. I wish those who needed to read it the most would, but according to their reviews, they were to scandalized by talk of butt plugs to finish it.
July 4, 2024
The book claims to take have the rare ability to take a serious subject and make it very, very funny. I enjoyed the book and think it brought forward important topics, and there was definitely humor, but I don’t think it met the funny bar that was set.
The book is set in a small town in Troy, Georgia. A teen places an erotic cookbook at the library as a joke, and it leads some in the town into a frenzy. Led by Lula Dean, they scoop up books from school and public libraries and remove them - their intent to burn them, but they are temporarily put aside. A group of “concerned citizens” decides that anything to do with LGBTQ, slavery, the holocaust, etc is trash that will damage children (and I guess adults?).
Lula Dean sets up a Little Free Library outside her house with “proper” books. A joke ensues where books are switched for the banned books (with the jacket remaining). Surprisingly people find they learn and their knowledge and horizons expand with reading these “terrible” books (I say this sarcastically).
There are MANY characters… I lost track of who they all are. But together they do show the broad experiences and views of a town. It highlights prejudices that have existed, secrets that have been buried… but also healing that occurs when people are honest and open to growth.
While it is a fun book, it touches on a lot of serious subjects that are so important in our towns and country right now if we will ever move together in unity…and yes, I realize this is a naive and unrealistic goal… but really is it so unrealistic to set expectations higher than a kindergartner- be kind, play well with others, don’t call each other names, treat others how you’d like to be treated…
The book is set in a small town in Troy, Georgia. A teen places an erotic cookbook at the library as a joke, and it leads some in the town into a frenzy. Led by Lula Dean, they scoop up books from school and public libraries and remove them - their intent to burn them, but they are temporarily put aside. A group of “concerned citizens” decides that anything to do with LGBTQ, slavery, the holocaust, etc is trash that will damage children (and I guess adults?).
Lula Dean sets up a Little Free Library outside her house with “proper” books. A joke ensues where books are switched for the banned books (with the jacket remaining). Surprisingly people find they learn and their knowledge and horizons expand with reading these “terrible” books (I say this sarcastically).
There are MANY characters… I lost track of who they all are. But together they do show the broad experiences and views of a town. It highlights prejudices that have existed, secrets that have been buried… but also healing that occurs when people are honest and open to growth.
While it is a fun book, it touches on a lot of serious subjects that are so important in our towns and country right now if we will ever move together in unity…and yes, I realize this is a naive and unrealistic goal… but really is it so unrealistic to set expectations higher than a kindergartner- be kind, play well with others, don’t call each other names, treat others how you’d like to be treated…
June 24, 2024
Kirsten Miller does it again! 5 ⭐️_
Thank you, William Morrow, for the gifted copy of Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books {partner}
Genre: Fiction
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 6.18
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
“That’s why libraries exist — to make sure people always have access to the information they need. Every day, we help people find answers to questions they’re terrified to ask.”
What I loved the most about Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books is that it covers some very serious subjects that are currently a concern for our country/world but never makes you feel overwhelmed or weighed down by the content. Instead, we’re met with humor and lovable, quirky characters who are all just trying to get by.
LDLLOBB is one of those stories that everyone could stand to read this year. It’s full of hope and heart and truly about loving your neighbor for who they are. It’s about spreading the message that books don’t hurt people; people hurt people. And it’s one of those I’ll be recommending to all my friends and family. It may even be one that I’ll read again as we get closer to the end of the year.
Not that you asked, but my favorite character was Dr. Chokshi. His approach to the fallout of the town meeting is something that we could all take note of.
Read if you enjoy:
💨 Binge reading
😜 Quirky characters
📖 Short chapters
🗣️ Multiple POVs (lots of characters)
😂 Witty banter
🏘️ Stars Hollow like setting
x - rape, sexual assault
I recommend picking up a copy of Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books and going into it with an open heart and mind.
____
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Thank you, William Morrow, for the gifted copy of Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books {partner}
Genre: Fiction
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 6.18
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
“That’s why libraries exist — to make sure people always have access to the information they need. Every day, we help people find answers to questions they’re terrified to ask.”
What I loved the most about Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books is that it covers some very serious subjects that are currently a concern for our country/world but never makes you feel overwhelmed or weighed down by the content. Instead, we’re met with humor and lovable, quirky characters who are all just trying to get by.
LDLLOBB is one of those stories that everyone could stand to read this year. It’s full of hope and heart and truly about loving your neighbor for who they are. It’s about spreading the message that books don’t hurt people; people hurt people. And it’s one of those I’ll be recommending to all my friends and family. It may even be one that I’ll read again as we get closer to the end of the year.
Not that you asked, but my favorite character was Dr. Chokshi. His approach to the fallout of the town meeting is something that we could all take note of.
Read if you enjoy:
💨 Binge reading
😜 Quirky characters
📖 Short chapters
🗣️ Multiple POVs (lots of characters)
😂 Witty banter
🏘️ Stars Hollow like setting
x - rape, sexual assault
I recommend picking up a copy of Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books and going into it with an open heart and mind.
____
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaptersofc...
Follow me on Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/chaptersofc...
Follow me on StoryGraph:https://www.instagram.com/chaptersofc...
Shelved as 'dnf'
May 8, 2024This was a Goodreads win for me and I was looking forward to it. I really liked the premise but I had to DNF this. By page seven, there had already been two butt plug jokes and numerous other unnecessary vulgarities. I'm sensitive to this so anyone not offended by such things might enjoy this.
June 6, 2024
This book is cutesy, refreshing, well-written, highly political, and important. There are so many characters and storylines, which are effortlessly intertwined into the story of a town in Georgia and its history. Everything discussed in this book is relevant to today's landscape of the United States. Since I'm not from the US, any version of relatability didn't really work for me, but that didn't stop the story from being relevant. Everything seemed extremely familiar as news that I'd read, yet endlessly fascinating to read as a fictional town. Some of the characters are almost interchangeable, and pretty one-dimensional, but hard not to love. The books name-dropped left me shocked when I learned that they were truly suggested to be banned in the States at some point. The Diary of Anne Frank? Beloved? Maus? What a nightmare, truly.
This was the perfect summer/airport read. It also requires a little suspension of disbelief to enjoy. People who hold certain viewpoints and opinions often don't change them by hearing talking points. One can wish for it, though. Considering I picked this up as a casual read, I found surprising depth to the plot with some unexpected twists. A 4.5/5 read!
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was the perfect summer/airport read. It also requires a little suspension of disbelief to enjoy. People who hold certain viewpoints and opinions often don't change them by hearing talking points. One can wish for it, though. Considering I picked this up as a casual read, I found surprising depth to the plot with some unexpected twists. A 4.5/5 read!
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
April 1, 2024
I really like the sound of this book, but unfortunately I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. The book began well with the story behind Lula Dean and her chosen books. I liked the first couple of stories, and enjoyed meeting the different characters. The chapters alternated with the different characters stories and the books that they took from Lula's library. The stories were interesting but weren't very happy reads. I did though struggled with the book as a whole and lost interest half way through. It does seem that I'm in the minority of not enjoying this book, but it just wasn't for me.
June 21, 2024
Having read Miller’s debut novel earlier this year, I was excited to have the opportunity to read her newest release. I was bit uncertain to start with: enjoying a first book so much, I was anxious that the next read would be just as good. And I was definitely not disappointed.
This is a clever novel that made me laugh, shudder and everything in between. Exploring racism, censorship, LGBTQ, slavery and more, this story shows how books can change your life. The idea of books being banned is not uncommon, even in today’s more liberal society and in this read, Miller explores how much of an impact the written word can have.
Lula Dean is part of a committee that has successfully removed books that are considered as harmful to the young children of Troy, Georgia. She sets up a little library at the bottom of her driveway, containing all the books that she considers as wholesome reads for the community. Except a prank that sees the books replaced by some banned ones has an impact on the people of Troy forever. As these banned books move back into circulation, lives change, secrets are exposed and families are not the same ever again. All thanks to the power of the written word.
This was a fast-moving and engaging story. I was entertained throughout the story and even with the deeper, more sensitive topics, I still felt that Miller presented them in a way that made the plot just as interesting – to the point that I couldn’t put the book down and I raced through it. I liked how the chapter titles were names of these banned books and the content matter became relevant to the theme of the story. I could not foresee how the book would conclude and loved how Miller kept giving surprises all through the narrative.
However, there are a lot of characters in this book to be reckoned with. After all, this book deals with the entire town of Troy, even if it is considered to be quite small. You do need to concentrate with this one as, after a few chapters, the characters start to blend across one another. In this way, I think it would have been helpful to have a character list at the start of the book – I ended up making my own character notes so I didn’t get too confused. This certainly helped and I think I would have enjoyed the book less if I became confused by all the people.
Miller explores really interesting and relevant topics and I enjoyed how the story concluded. The characters all learn something about themselves and I loved seeing how Troy had completely evolved by the end. Not only does the novel present the power of the written word, but also ignorance versus knowledge. Censorship has lead to control and this book shows that having little exposure to information can be more dangerous than knowing nothing at all.
This is a story that will stay with me for a while. There are so many layers to this story that made it more enjoyable and thought-provoking. Another great book from Miller.
With thanks to HQ and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a clever novel that made me laugh, shudder and everything in between. Exploring racism, censorship, LGBTQ, slavery and more, this story shows how books can change your life. The idea of books being banned is not uncommon, even in today’s more liberal society and in this read, Miller explores how much of an impact the written word can have.
Lula Dean is part of a committee that has successfully removed books that are considered as harmful to the young children of Troy, Georgia. She sets up a little library at the bottom of her driveway, containing all the books that she considers as wholesome reads for the community. Except a prank that sees the books replaced by some banned ones has an impact on the people of Troy forever. As these banned books move back into circulation, lives change, secrets are exposed and families are not the same ever again. All thanks to the power of the written word.
This was a fast-moving and engaging story. I was entertained throughout the story and even with the deeper, more sensitive topics, I still felt that Miller presented them in a way that made the plot just as interesting – to the point that I couldn’t put the book down and I raced through it. I liked how the chapter titles were names of these banned books and the content matter became relevant to the theme of the story. I could not foresee how the book would conclude and loved how Miller kept giving surprises all through the narrative.
However, there are a lot of characters in this book to be reckoned with. After all, this book deals with the entire town of Troy, even if it is considered to be quite small. You do need to concentrate with this one as, after a few chapters, the characters start to blend across one another. In this way, I think it would have been helpful to have a character list at the start of the book – I ended up making my own character notes so I didn’t get too confused. This certainly helped and I think I would have enjoyed the book less if I became confused by all the people.
Miller explores really interesting and relevant topics and I enjoyed how the story concluded. The characters all learn something about themselves and I loved seeing how Troy had completely evolved by the end. Not only does the novel present the power of the written word, but also ignorance versus knowledge. Censorship has lead to control and this book shows that having little exposure to information can be more dangerous than knowing nothing at all.
This is a story that will stay with me for a while. There are so many layers to this story that made it more enjoyable and thought-provoking. Another great book from Miller.
With thanks to HQ and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 11, 2024
What an absolutely delightful love letter to the power of banned books while simultaneously dishing out sweet southern revenge on the small minds that support them! Read this amazing book with sweet tea and peach pie!
Kristen Miller’s most recent novel “The Change,” a Good Morning America Book Club choice, was a feel good feminist revenge fantasy mostly against a patriarchy. In “Lula Dean” Miller constructs a new story about bullies vs otherwise normal people. The main bully is crazy book banner Lula Dean vs the head of the school board, Beverly Underwood. They have been rivals since their cheerleading days in the little town of Troy, Georgia. Until recently, Lula was mainly the town crank, having detergent pods locked up so they weren’t eaten by gullible teenagers and campaigning to have certain very intimate personal items removed from Walmart. But suddenly Lula’s recent crusade has, to Beverly’s dismay, taken off and supposedly sensible people (the mailman knows otherwise) are actually talking about burning books. Ack!
Lula has erected her very own Little Library with totally wholesome books (bought at Goodwill to fake out proof that she actually reads). But Beverly’s adult daughter Lindsay takes some undercover action and decides to swap out all those bland comforting books — switching dust covers with the banned books that ended up languishing in her mom’s basement (saved from the bonfire). And as the surreptitious banned books are borrowed and new ones are added by people who realize the clever deception, minds are awakened and lives change. There’s an excitement every time a book gets borrowed — what is the real book?!
Miller dubs her chapters with book titles and creates a multitude of vignettes, set against a developing mayoral race between Lula and Beverly. This book is funny, charming, raunchy, and empowering all at once. Readers who agree that “those who seek to ban books are never on the right side of history” will love this novel! 5 stars!
Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): SORT OF Crystal has turquoise eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): YES There are no purple hydrangeas, white, blue or pink only. Also of note: no need to read the “Georgia Field Guide to Mushrooms” when the library flower beds have enough poisonous varieties to pluck for free in order to off your husband.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!
Kristen Miller’s most recent novel “The Change,” a Good Morning America Book Club choice, was a feel good feminist revenge fantasy mostly against a patriarchy. In “Lula Dean” Miller constructs a new story about bullies vs otherwise normal people. The main bully is crazy book banner Lula Dean vs the head of the school board, Beverly Underwood. They have been rivals since their cheerleading days in the little town of Troy, Georgia. Until recently, Lula was mainly the town crank, having detergent pods locked up so they weren’t eaten by gullible teenagers and campaigning to have certain very intimate personal items removed from Walmart. But suddenly Lula’s recent crusade has, to Beverly’s dismay, taken off and supposedly sensible people (the mailman knows otherwise) are actually talking about burning books. Ack!
Lula has erected her very own Little Library with totally wholesome books (bought at Goodwill to fake out proof that she actually reads). But Beverly’s adult daughter Lindsay takes some undercover action and decides to swap out all those bland comforting books — switching dust covers with the banned books that ended up languishing in her mom’s basement (saved from the bonfire). And as the surreptitious banned books are borrowed and new ones are added by people who realize the clever deception, minds are awakened and lives change. There’s an excitement every time a book gets borrowed — what is the real book?!
Miller dubs her chapters with book titles and creates a multitude of vignettes, set against a developing mayoral race between Lula and Beverly. This book is funny, charming, raunchy, and empowering all at once. Readers who agree that “those who seek to ban books are never on the right side of history” will love this novel! 5 stars!
Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): SORT OF Crystal has turquoise eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): YES There are no purple hydrangeas, white, blue or pink only. Also of note: no need to read the “Georgia Field Guide to Mushrooms” when the library flower beds have enough poisonous varieties to pluck for free in order to off your husband.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!
June 23, 2024
In Troy, Georgia's town square stands a statue of Augustus Wainwright, a Confederate Army general who owned a large plantation on the town's outskirts. Some of the residents take pride in the statue while others recognize that it is a shameful symbol of hatred and oppression that should be removed. Lula Dean, a lonely widow whose children have moved out, seeks attention and is using the subject of banned books to give her life some purpose. She compiles a list of books she believes should be banned from the community and sets up a lending library in front of her home to distribute books she considers appropriate. Beverly Underwood, the head of the school board, is outraged by the backing Lula receives from a small but vocal group of townspeople. Beverly's daughter Lindsay secretly replaces all the books in Lula's library, concealing the titles of the banned books with the dust jackets of the original books. As people begin reading these banned books, which address topics such as racism, sexual identity, and antisemitism, they experience a positive impact. Ultimately, Beverly goes head-to-head with Lula in an effort to combat her outdated and hateful messages.
While the issues in Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books are very serious, author Kirsten Miller tackles them with satire and humor. This engaging book features numerous characters and subplots, demonstrating the transformative impact of books. The heroes are the younger members of the community who won't tolerate prejudice and intolerance. And books, which are such precious treasures.
Enjoy this delightful story.
Rated 4.25 stars.
Review to be posted on MicheleReader.com.
While the issues in Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books are very serious, author Kirsten Miller tackles them with satire and humor. This engaging book features numerous characters and subplots, demonstrating the transformative impact of books. The heroes are the younger members of the community who won't tolerate prejudice and intolerance. And books, which are such precious treasures.
Enjoy this delightful story.
Rated 4.25 stars.
Review to be posted on MicheleReader.com.
March 14, 2024
A cute little tale to upend that manages to provoke and upend everything in a tiny rural town. Lula lives in Troy, Georgia and has made it her mission to ban books that are inappropriate. It does not matter if she has read them, they are wrong! They are pornographic!
To supplement her mission of removing all the nasty books in the libraries and schools, Lula creates a little library outside of her home. Unbeknownst to her, the books in the little library are replaced with banned books. Then town starts borrowing them, conversations kick up and all heck breaks loose!
A fun testament to the not so fun beliefs and powers of the alt-right movement. Join Lula's town for a day- a great conversation starter for you at work, book club and your library
#williammorrow #luladeanslittlelibraryofbannedbooks #kristienmiller
To supplement her mission of removing all the nasty books in the libraries and schools, Lula creates a little library outside of her home. Unbeknownst to her, the books in the little library are replaced with banned books. Then town starts borrowing them, conversations kick up and all heck breaks loose!
A fun testament to the not so fun beliefs and powers of the alt-right movement. Join Lula's town for a day- a great conversation starter for you at work, book club and your library
#williammorrow #luladeanslittlelibraryofbannedbooks #kristienmiller
June 18, 2024
In 1984, Kevin Bacon plays a teenager named Ren who moves from the big city of Chicago to a dinky little town only to discover dancing is banned there. At one point, Kevin Bacon becomes so frustrated with strict rules and small minds he rage dances it out all by himself in an empty warehouse - iconic.
His rebellious ways infect the teens around him - they just want to dance! So the teens, led by Kevin Bacon, mount a campaign asking the town, led by a local minister played by John Lithgow, to allow them a senior prom. Not only will the town not allow senior prom they double down on their bullshit and begin burning the town's library books!
When John Lithgow sees this he realizes things have really gotten out of hand. He disperses the book burners and asks the town to pray for the kids who have been forced to host their prom over the county line (not for fear dancing will cause their eternal souls to burn in hell or anything, more supportive like, but too little to late John Lithgow.) And glitter confetti rains down from the sky as the kids have their barn prom, dancing the night away to the title track: Footloose.
Footloose is inspired by true events and has many important lessons for us: fascism is bad, it's important to be involved in local politics, and when the mob starts burning books shit has gone too far.
Lula Dean has clearly never seen Footloose.
In a small southern town in the throes of culture war Lula Dean is the head of the Concerned Parents Committee, a group of parents "protecting children" by clearing shelves of any books they personally define as inappropriate. Lula Dean, in an effort to expose the townspeople to quality literature, erects a Little Free Library in her front yard stocked with classics such as The Southern Belle's Guide to Etiquette, Buffy Halliday Goes to Europe!, and Our Confederate Heroes. But one young townsperson fights back (they probably have seen Footloose!) by inserting copies of the banned books into the dust jackets of Lula Dean's library. As the books are borrowed and read the town is challenged and changed in unexpected ways.
Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books follows a cast of characters around town whose stories all connect. It's a cautionary tale hoping to instill a feeling of understanding and interconnectedness, a reminder to stand against fear mongering and censorship, resisting those who exploit these tools for power, and of course a respect for the magic of books (hot tip: never, not once, are book banners on the right side of history.) I found this very readable and unfortunately relevant if a little too heavy handed for my personal preference.
Thanks to the publisher for providing a complimentary review copy.
His rebellious ways infect the teens around him - they just want to dance! So the teens, led by Kevin Bacon, mount a campaign asking the town, led by a local minister played by John Lithgow, to allow them a senior prom. Not only will the town not allow senior prom they double down on their bullshit and begin burning the town's library books!
When John Lithgow sees this he realizes things have really gotten out of hand. He disperses the book burners and asks the town to pray for the kids who have been forced to host their prom over the county line (not for fear dancing will cause their eternal souls to burn in hell or anything, more supportive like, but too little to late John Lithgow.) And glitter confetti rains down from the sky as the kids have their barn prom, dancing the night away to the title track: Footloose.
Footloose is inspired by true events and has many important lessons for us: fascism is bad, it's important to be involved in local politics, and when the mob starts burning books shit has gone too far.
Lula Dean has clearly never seen Footloose.
In a small southern town in the throes of culture war Lula Dean is the head of the Concerned Parents Committee, a group of parents "protecting children" by clearing shelves of any books they personally define as inappropriate. Lula Dean, in an effort to expose the townspeople to quality literature, erects a Little Free Library in her front yard stocked with classics such as The Southern Belle's Guide to Etiquette, Buffy Halliday Goes to Europe!, and Our Confederate Heroes. But one young townsperson fights back (they probably have seen Footloose!) by inserting copies of the banned books into the dust jackets of Lula Dean's library. As the books are borrowed and read the town is challenged and changed in unexpected ways.
Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books follows a cast of characters around town whose stories all connect. It's a cautionary tale hoping to instill a feeling of understanding and interconnectedness, a reminder to stand against fear mongering and censorship, resisting those who exploit these tools for power, and of course a respect for the magic of books (hot tip: never, not once, are book banners on the right side of history.) I found this very readable and unfortunately relevant if a little too heavy handed for my personal preference.
Thanks to the publisher for providing a complimentary review copy.
Shelved as 'dnf'
July 12, 2024DNF at just over 50 pages. This is too twee, simplistic, and ham-fisted for my taste. The best part seems to be the author’s note which includes the following:
“But I want to make it perfectly clear that the issues addressed in this novel- book banning, white nationalism, anti-Semitism etc. are by no means unique to the South….”
You don’t say!
“But I want to make it perfectly clear that the issues addressed in this novel- book banning, white nationalism, anti-Semitism etc. are by no means unique to the South….”
You don’t say!
March 25, 2024
Synopsis: The results of a book ban and Lulu Dean’s little library shake up the small town of Troy, Georgia.
Thoughts: I had such high hopes for this book. The premise sounded amazing but definitely fell short for me. I did not find anything about this book funny. It was very depressing how divided this country is. The book ended up being very political and after a few chapters, it felt like the same theme hammered into the reader over and over again. This book is definitely left leaning politically. Topics of racism, LGBTQIA+, rape, suicide etc. are included in this book.
Thank you to Kirsten Miller, William Morrow and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!
Thoughts: I had such high hopes for this book. The premise sounded amazing but definitely fell short for me. I did not find anything about this book funny. It was very depressing how divided this country is. The book ended up being very political and after a few chapters, it felt like the same theme hammered into the reader over and over again. This book is definitely left leaning politically. Topics of racism, LGBTQIA+, rape, suicide etc. are included in this book.
Thank you to Kirsten Miller, William Morrow and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2024
I'm pretty sure I'm going to be an outlier here. The premise of this book deals with the serious topic of banning books. While I agree that no book should be banned, this book is quite liberal and I don't think I am the right audience. I consider myself somewhat conservative. I also did not like the amount of foul language. This is my first book by the author and went into it not knowing what to expect. I think many will enjoy this book, but it's not a writing style I prefer.
Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
May 21, 2024
This may honestly be my favorite book so far in 2024. It was so relevant to things that are going on in the world today. People who can’t even be bothered to know what they’re talking about want to decide what everyone else should be reading. And how a little education and magically the right books finding their way into the hands of those that need them most at just the right time can change the world.
June 23, 2024
4.5 stars
Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books was funny and heartwarming while tackling some serious subjects. It’s a book for book lovers that addresses issues such as book banning, white nationalism, anti-Semitism, and prejudices.
I absolutely loved the structure of this book. There are 35 chapters that put us in the heads of 28 different POV characters ranging from a ten-year-old boy to an eighty-five year old woman. Don’t let that intimidate you, because it’s easy to follow along with who’s who. Once a character is introduced, you’re sure to get a POV chapter or background on that character in a following chapter.
The plot centers around a small southern town where some books have been recently banned. Someone decides to switch the covers of these banned books with some other books in a lending library outside of the house of Lula Dean, who spearheaded the banning. What follows is the reader seeing how these banned books have impacted the residents of this small town.
This book is a satire, so know going in that it’s full of caricatures and you’ll need to suspend your disbelief. Everything is a bit over the top, but if that doesn’t bother you I’d highly recommend this book. I laughed, smiled, cheered, and even shed a tear or two while reading.
Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books was funny and heartwarming while tackling some serious subjects. It’s a book for book lovers that addresses issues such as book banning, white nationalism, anti-Semitism, and prejudices.
I absolutely loved the structure of this book. There are 35 chapters that put us in the heads of 28 different POV characters ranging from a ten-year-old boy to an eighty-five year old woman. Don’t let that intimidate you, because it’s easy to follow along with who’s who. Once a character is introduced, you’re sure to get a POV chapter or background on that character in a following chapter.
The plot centers around a small southern town where some books have been recently banned. Someone decides to switch the covers of these banned books with some other books in a lending library outside of the house of Lula Dean, who spearheaded the banning. What follows is the reader seeing how these banned books have impacted the residents of this small town.
This book is a satire, so know going in that it’s full of caricatures and you’ll need to suspend your disbelief. Everything is a bit over the top, but if that doesn’t bother you I’d highly recommend this book. I laughed, smiled, cheered, and even shed a tear or two while reading.
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