I love the idea of this book, and I think it's one we need to be talking about, but this is unreadable. Sentences cut off or started in the middle, publisher's copyright interrupting sentences. I'll look out for the real one but I can't read this.

Sorry. I wasn’t able to read this - for some reason it wouldn’t send to my kindle in the way that other netgalley books have done. I will wait until it’s released

All the stars!
I’ve never read anything like it. It’s captivating and so unique. Kirsten has taken a hard-hitting topic - the slave trade - and written a book that will make any generation understand and take note of what impact this era had on people. The characters were compelling and I just couldn’t wait to go back to reading it. Loved it.

Using her well fleshed out characters and incredible story telling skills Kirsten Miller has made this book a book that tackles so many hard subjects (homophobia, racism and sexual assault to name a few) not feel like a really heavy read. I loved the nod to banned books and how they can inspire change. Just a brilliant read from page one.

Unfortunately I won't be able to give a proper review on this arc. There are words missing off the end of sentences and the publishers name is all over the text so it's became unreadable.

I feel like this would be a great book if I could finish it. I will be picking a copy up when it is published. Quite disappointed as I was really looking forward to this.

The star rating I have given is purely based on status of the arc.

I'm dropping my review to three stars for the simple fact that the EArc just isn't readable for me in its current format. Although for me, I do believe that without these issues this book could easily be a 4/5 star read so I shall be waiting until publication to pick this book back up as I have thoroughly enjoyed the story so far.
Missing words at the end of sentences and the publisher's bold print split between words and paragraphs is too distracting and is taking away my ability to truly lose myself in the writing.

An ode to the power of books! Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books Kirsten Miller explores themes of racism, sexism, slavery and so much more through a series of intertwined stories.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

Hmmmmm a little bit crazy but compulsive reading. Book banning, I wasn't even aware it still existed, how little I know. Read this if you dare and then try not to have an opinion. Riveting.

Like other reviewers I felt bad publishing ruined readability and what could have been a really great review. I enjoyed the book, the story, the characters but having to guess the end of sentences, missing words and words that had others on top made a clunky read.
That being said for a book I requested not knowing what it was about I was hooked! Yes, there are a lot of characters but there are in any small town. Is the 'ten years later' needed? I don't know. It could have been covered a different way that was less obvious. But I would advise a good read when published properly.
Thank you the Netgalley and Harper Collins for the arc.
3.5 stars for the bad copy - 4 when fixed

Lula's book banning really got out of hand. A booklovers worst nightmare.

Well written funny and the author not afraid to take chances with delicate topics. Think this book would have been banned if it was in schools at the time.

Tried putting this book done to do other things, but thought nah they will still be there later so continued to read. Late night it turned into, (well early morning)..
So enjoyed this book.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book.

Book banning has always been a deeply controversial issue and it is deftly explored in this profound and wickedly funny novel about the power of literature. This story certainly took me back to my schooldays when I would hide a novel inside a textbook during dull lessons.

The concept of an entire library of suitable texts being replaced with banned books is a genius one. Chapters hop from character to character. as each discover the 'wrong' books in the covers of the 'approved' books. This creates a ripple effect which is felt by everyone within the community.

I live in the UK and have personally not witnessed the book banning demonstrated in the novel, which I understand reflects what is happening in the USA right now. However, I think all of us who loved books when they were younger - regardless of location - have had at least one encounter with an adult who told us the book that we were reading was inappropriate, and baulked at it. The conversation that is stimulated by this novel's premise is so important, especially when it pertains to young people. I'd wholeheartedly recommend this novel to book lovers everywhere.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and HQ for the ARC!

It’s the stuff of nightmares for book lovers: the banning of books. Lula Dean wants to rid Troy, Georgia, of books that have been deemed unsuitable, reserving only those who feels are ‘appropriate’ reads. Which is all well and good if you’re Lula, but not if you’re part of the reading revolution who won’t be told what they can and cannot enjoy. However, not everything is quite as it seems in this Georgian town which follows individual characters as that make a book choice that may just leave their lives changed. Clever and astute, I’d expect nothing less from the author of The Change, which was a cracking read.

I read an eARC of this book so thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley.

I made the mistake of starting this book late at night before I went to bed. A mistake because it’s not a book I could put down. Even after I stopped reading I couldn’t stop thinking about it!

This book is so full of rage, it’s a simmering, then blistering indictment of ignorance, bullying and hypocrisy. In a small town in Georgia, a woman starts a campaign against books that contain anything she doesn’t like. She starts a little free library outside her house with what she considers to be wholesome books (that she bought from a charity shop in bulk for this purpose) and passes off as the books that made her who she is. However the daughter of the leader of the school board replaces them all with books that were banned from the library, hiding the banned books under the dust jackets.

Gradually townsfolk find themselves reading books that they didn’t expect and it starts to change their perspectives, creating unexpected perspectives and alliances against the insidious forces looking to suppress free will and rights in their town. This book is so well structured, in the early chapters we come across different characters and the books and challenges they come across. These are very different people and the diversity of opinion helps make this book feel well-rounded. These storylines all come together so well in the later part of the book as we see how the books in the library bring people together with a common cause.

I loved this book, it was compelling, well-written and utterly fascinating. I would be really surprised if this doesn’t end up in my top ten books of the year.

An ode to books and their power, in Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books Kirsten Miller explores themes of racism, homophobia, sexism, anti-semitism, slavery and so much more through a series of intertwined stories.

Although the mass cast of characters was difficult to keep up with at times, and a lot of the America-centric references were lost on me, this was a great and engaging read

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the ARC

When I got over the faults of the text - missing ends of sentences and publisher's name, etc. in the middle of the pages, I thoroughly enjoyed this. It was funny and yet tackled serious subjects which resulted from this; white supremacism, homophobia, racism, far right- wing attitudes, gun culture and misogyny, all of which were tackled in a sensitive way. I appreciated the author's note at the end which explained her point of view., To be honest, I fear for the United States because of these intolerant and fearful attitudes, encouraged by some of the churches and sanctioned by the likes of Donald Trump, (who may become President again soon - in which case, I fear for the world.) Back to the book - I was a little confused by the characters as the chapters switched between them with no warning, but the style of writing was flowing and easy. The choice of books, especially the ones which changed some of the character's attitudes was interesting. The book is amusing and sense prevails in the end.

Miller’s debut The Change was a really powerful book for me as a reader and I wasn’t quite sure how she would match it, but she absolutely has. Here she holds a mirror to America (but also to many other countries at current times tbh), looking at book banning and all the prejudices that lie behind it and are rife in our supposedly modern societies. Miller’s portrait of Troy, Georgia, is a pass-the-baton between the towns people, in what is a well-observed, funny, razor sharp and insightful portrayal of current thinking, as fuelled by the media and forces that seek to divide and pervert truth under the guise of ‘protecting our young and vulnerable’. A brilliant and important story which I loved and think will be seen later as a snapshot of personal politics at this point in history.

Loved it !!
The idea of someone switching out the books just brilliant I laughed so much but a truly lovely book :)

This book is a real pearl.
Kristen Miller has come up with a gem of a story. It deals with racist hatred and the apathy of it, anti gay behaviour, misogyny and coercive control and general narrow mindedness and yet more things in a small town called Troy in Georgia in the southern USA.

A local narrow minded busy body has pushed through a plan that results in a lot of books being banned from the local library. She set up some shelves outside her home of books that she deems appropriate. People are welcome to borrow these books. These books of course represent her idea.ised view of the way life should be in Troy. However things do not turn out the way she intended, the results of which ultimately affect many of the people in the town.
Although this book deals with many serious subjects, not just censorship, the author manages to introduce humour at several points thar really lift the story to another level.

A page turner of a read that had me chortling away, but also got my blood boiling. Under the light-hearted comedy are some big themes - racism, sexism, rape, homophobia, violence...and fear. The baddies are cartoon-like baddies, we're cheering on the goodies. Sometimes you just need a book like this that makes you laugh just as you're starting to feel rage.

Why do people ban books? How do we stop them?

This book shows the power books can have and how they can open our eyes. And the difference one person really can make in it all.

It's a little saccharine in places, but I'll forgive that as the world is so bitter at the moment and sweet was just what I needed.

Unfortunately I won't be able to send feedback on this book. The formatting of the e-arc made it impossible to read. There were random words interspersed throughout and at some points, there were even sections of the book missing. I'm so sad because I was really looking forward to this one.