Many thanks to my friends at @harperaudio for the free #gifted audiobook.  

 

Engaging, impactful, and all-around fun!

 

Lula Dean wants her small Georgia town to read, but she wants to control what they read.  Lindsay won’t hear of it and sneaks to the lending library each night determined to thwart Lula Dean’s plan.  

 

Book bans are no laughing matter, especially at the alarming, record breaking rates we’re currently seeing.  And yet, Miller manages to take on this serious issue with perfectly plotted humor and heart.  

 

Steeped in satire, Miller’s storytelling delivers a fresh and welcome voice within the ongoing debates regarding censorship.  It’s provocative and candid.  It’s clever and witty.  She manages to create a narrative that is wildly entertaining without sacrificing meaning and purpose.  

 

As each character experienced one of the banned books snuck into Lula’s lending library with profound impact, my heart swelled.  The narrative pays homage to the power of books in a way that reinvigorated my own passion about reading.  

 

While some might see the ending as contrived, this native Georgian found it uplifting and full of hope.  In such a fraught political environment, this book painted a way forward.  A way towards empathy and compassion.  A way to overcome the pains of the past.  A way to unite with understanding.   Miller has me cheering for a joy filled future!

 

What starts as a teen prank becomes a heartwarming story of lessons learned and lives changed.  This book was a true delight.  

 

🎧January LaVoy is a master at her craft.  This book had a wide range of characters, and yet LaVoy delivered. Her performance was full of nuance and emotion.  It heightened the laughter and endeared those tender moments.  I devoured this audiobook.