Thank you so much to Putnam Group for the advance copy!

This book will be published on January 30th.

I have been sitting on writing this review because I have no idea how to begin. This book was very different compared to other books I have read. Kiley's prior book Such a Fun Age was one of my first books I read when I started reading again as an adult and I loved that one.

I think the biggest thing was I was waiting for something HUGE to happen. Yes things occurred and it was climatic but it wasn't that jaw dropping for me. I don't read many books that are primarily character driven and now I understand what that means because this book definitely was that. I can't really articulate what it was that was missing but just something to really give it that umph. Either way I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to see what was going to happen to the characters.

I definitely was interested in each of the interviewee's backstory and that to me was my favorite part. Especially after I got to Kennedy's story - man oh man did I verbally gasp when I got to a certain part (those who know, know). I was also very interested in Millie and Agatha's relationship and could've used more. The dynamics between all of the girls was so interesting and just thought it could've been explored more.

The book itself was well written and I thought Reid did a great job with setting the scene and really describing the characters.

I will continue to read her work because of how well Reid writes and the complexity of her characters. .

If you are a fan of literary fiction, character driven book, college setting and a cast of characters - check this out!

3.5

I didn't love this as much as the author's debut but it was still an interesting college campus tale about the dynamics of life in residence between both the dormmates and their RAs. Told from multiple POVs, this was a complex tale about race, class and the fine line between morally questionable acts that can get out of control in unexpected ways. Good on audio narrated by Nicole Lewis. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Millie Cousins is spending her senior year at the University of Arkansas as an RA, dreaming of graduation, a job, and buying a house of her own. Enter Agatha Paul - a writer and a professor visiting the university. She offers Millie an easy but unusual (and maybe not 100% ethical) opportunity. Somewhat swept away by Agatha, Millie agrees, but her intended hustle risks being jeopardized by her odd new friends and fellow RAs, vengeful dorm room pranks, and illicit intrigue. At its heart, this is a story of desire and consumption, and the reckless abandon that comes with chasing those.

First, let’s talk about the fact that Kiley Reid’s colorful covers alone make me want to pick up whatever she writes. Second, let’s address the fact that this is a character-driven story. Very light on plot. I think it’s important to know that going in and stave off disappointment. For that reason, it won’t be for everyone. But let me tell ya, I was really into it.

I cannot overstate how well Reid absolutely nails the idiosyncrasies of college life. It is such a strange time and there’s a particular lifestyle that goes along with the schedule and the living situations. I felt like I was reliving that time all over again. The vernacular. The insecurities. I felt the shame and anxieties all over again through her capture of these female characters.

Did it also give me the ick at certain points? Definitely. But human behavior is often kind of icky. It also made me giggle out loud and held up a mirror to issues of race and money without being preachy. Thank you to Netgalley and GP Putnam’s Sons for the ARC!

Come and Get It by Kiley Reid focuses on the lives of several students living in a dormatory at University of Arkansas. I struggled to finish this book. While I enjoyed the prose, the characters were generally one dimensional and the plot was lacking. I really struggled to make it through this book. I really enjoyed Ms. Reid's debut novel, Such a Fun Age, and I felt that Come and Get It was not of the same calibur. I will give her third novel a chance when it publishes in hopes that it will challenge my thinking in the way Such a Fun Age did.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnum for an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A coming-of-age story about a RA at a college university and her involvement with a professor, the other RAs and the dorm residents under her watch. Millie Cousins is an older than average resident assistant worrying about life after school. When a visiting professor and well-known author, Agatha Paul presents her with an opportunity, Millie is more than willing to help. What she underestimates are dorm residents with their own issues, problems and agendas.
I think the author has captured some of the unfortunate but realistic down sides of college living. She brought together a diverse group of very flawed and immature characters who must all find a way to live together. While I appreciate this is probably a snapshot of actual dorm living these days, it was a lot of self-absorption and pettiness. And while the story hinted at several deeper traumas, I don’t feel like it adequately explored them. For me, there wasn’t much happening plot wise until the very end of the book. And that made it slow going for me.
However, that being said, I’ve seen some great reviews for this book. So, I do think it’s because I’m not a fan of books with unlikeable characters. If you like messy character driven books, you might very well like this one.

Millie Cousins is having a hard time. She's coming back to school after a year off, trying to save money to stay on track with her dreams… and navigating who she thinks she is, who she truly is, and who she wants to be. As an RA at the University of Arkansas, her world collides with a visiting professor who offers a glimpse into this future, but may also wreck her carefully laid plans. Also faced with her dorm residents—who have their own issues, desires, and connections—Millie quickly finds out you can't have it all, so you might as well have a little bit of fun.

MY REVIEW: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
👉 I was OBSESSED with Such a Fun Age, and this was such a strong follow-up to Reid's debut novel!
👉 The entire story is VERY character driven, and while I read some reviews that argued the book had "no plot" and/or was "going nowhere," I STRONGLY disagree—SO MUCH HAPPENED and I was on the edge of my seat dying to know where we were going.
👉 We get a deep dive into all of the central characters, and let me tell you… you'll hate them then love them then hate them again. They were all very real and very fucked up in the best ways.
👉 Read this ASAP if you love literary fiction, light satire on the state of our world, women supporting women (okay, and maybe some feuding 👀), academia and coming-of-age.

Just like Kiley Reid’s first novel, “Such a Fun Age”, Come and Get It, is a winner. Now, I will say this book is not for everyone but let me tell you why.

I love books about nothing. I know that’s a weird thing to say but there is just something about character driven novels with no real plot that I really enjoy. The characters in Come and Get It are expertly written. You will know these characters, you will be able to picture someone who is like each one.

Most of the book it feels like you are getting an inside glimpse into the lives of college students and professors. Like you are watching hidden cameras but not really supposed to hear and see what is happening. Near the end the pacing really speeds up and the book becomes even more absorbing. I would highly recommend this one if you enjoy reading about flawed characters and questionable choices they make.

Also, love the cover!

Kiley Reid’s latest novel, Come and Get it,
takes place at the University of Arkansas. The novel features Millie, a black senior resident assistant, who is in many ways wise beyond her years. She wants nothing more than to make money ($12,000/year as an RA), graduate, get a job and buy a house.

Millie’s dreams are scuttled by the young women living next door in the dorm, who play tricks on her, blame her for all problems in the universe, and describe her in derogatory racial terms such as “ghetto.” Millie is also challenged by Agatha Paul, a visiting professor and writer, who offers Millie a financial proposal while blithely betraying her trust.

The novel is slow to get into as the story is not told in a sequential manner, but feels chopped up before the reader has the chance to figure out who the characters are and how they are connected. However, the novel picks up steam and is well-worth the effort finishing. The novel is well-written, as Reid does a good job capturing both the humor and the pathos of the university experience. It is also socially-relevant. Despite each character’s many flaws, it is money and race that dictate the punishment. 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a complimentary advance readers’ copy of this book.

A bit messy but a decent read. The resident girls were all appalling but Agatha was even worse. Everyone in this story was stepping on someone else to try to get ahead l or at least that’s how it seemed. It’s hard to feel bad for Millie when she made all of these choices herself. 24 is not a child, but in some ways she was more of a child than her resident charges were.

Sadly this book is no longer working for me. I am greatly appreciative of the author’s for the opportunity to have early access. The book began with so much promise. I loved the way the author could talk some everyday mundane fights and feelings and make me feel so seen and understood. However, this book started to quickly fall apart when it began to feel more like an older-YA/“new adult” book. The book began to lag under the unbearable weight of all that petty, college “drama”. The RAs stealing the girl’s idea for Halloween decoration and the confrontation that ensued was the final straw for me. If you like late-teen, early-twenties immature “drama” then this one is for you. If not, steer clear!

I loved Kiley Reid’s first novel, Such a Fun Age, and was so excited to receive an early galley of Come and Get It! Thanks to NetGalley and GP Putnam for this early copy.

The first thing you need to know is that Come and Get It is completely character driven. There is not a plot. There is a moment when all of the characters converge and honestly, that part of the book was my favorite. But there were so many moments where I thought “where is this going”. And the ending really just left me wanting for more.

None of the characters are good people. In fact I found them all unlikeable. They had their redeeming qualities I’m sure but they were just hard to root for and in a character driven book I need someone to root for.

There is also unintentional animal violence that surprised me. It is essential to one of the characters backgrounds but I can always do without animal violence. There is also an inappropriate age gap relationship, suicidal ideation and blood involved.

This book is readable and I finished it very quickly but it was not for me. I do think that there are readers out there that will enjoy this though which is why I’m rating it 3 stars.

Thank you to Penguin Random House and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Look, I love a character driven story as much as the next person. I would even go so far to say I enjoy those types of books far more than the average reader. But there is no discernible plot to this book.

Before getting more into that, let me just say that I didn’t completely hate this because Reid is a phenomenal writer. This is an incredibly well-written book. The prose is lovely and relatable.

But the “plot” (which I put in quotes because there barely is one) is terrible. I don’t understand the point of this story at all. It’s just really horrible people doing bad things to one another, and it kind of all gets resolved but I don’t think any of these characters learned anything or grew at all.

I think what I’ve learned from this is that I love a character driven story when the characters don’t suck. But this book was not for me.

Come and Get It is out 1/30

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for an eARC of this book.
As someone who was an RA in college, this book put me back in my memories HARD. Millie is an RA at the University of Arkansas. As she navigates her (second) senior year of college, tensions on her hall rise as she becomes involved in the lives of her residents and an English professor on campus. How does money lead Millie astray?

I love how Kiley Reid plays with the grey areas of life. Reid excels in creating uncomfortable chains of events without condemning characters for their actions. Every character's decisions in this book made me full-body cringe (in a cathartic way). Its awkwardness also makes it really funny, if you're into that.

This book is very slow moving but I could not put it down. It takes place over one semester of college, and does not stray far from its main five characters. If you like character studies, definitely pick this one up. Additionally, this books deals with the politics of race, money, power dynamics, and class in a college setting. If you feel like your dark academia books are missing discussions of race, Come and Get It doesn't let you forget how race plays into every character's life. I heartily recommend it.

This was my first time reading anything by Kiley Reid, and I was absolutely blown away by her writing. She could write a grocery list and I would want to read it.

This story was extremely character-driven rather than plot driven, so I would only recommend this to people that enjoy that in books. I thought this story was incredibly compelling and nuanced; so many little details that made each character feel so real to me.

This was a very tense coming-of-age story that is stuffed full of dialogue on ethics, race, financial privilege, and social micro-aggressions. I thought I was going to struggle with reading this book, but the writing was so immersive that I simply couldn't put it down.

This review was posted on my Instagram page (linked below) on 1/25/2024. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book!

3.5 stars. I thought the novel started well, but it never really went anywhere. More character driven than plot driven, very few of the characters were likeable. So many characters make poor decisions. The book touches on race, but it mostly focuses on money, consumption, desire, and bad behavior.

"It's 2017 at the University of Arkansas. Millie Cousins, a senior resident assistant, wants to graduate, get a job, and buy a house. So when Agatha Paul, a visiting professor and writer, offers Millie an easy yet unusual opportunity, she jumps at the chance. But Millie's starry-eyed hustle becomes jeopardised by odd new friends, vengeful dorm pranks and illicit intrigue."

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam/G.P. Putnam's Sons for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

I read this one quickly, and loved the writing style. However, for the longest time, I wondered where the story was going. It is very character driven, although there is finally some conflict/plot at the end.

I was really looking forward to this book after loving Such A Fun Age so much! However this novel fell flat for me. What was the point of this novel? It felt really random at times.

This was my first ever ARC and I am such a fan! I have loved Reid’s writing in the past and was equally charmed by the latest story, which was so unique in its voice.
Reid creates beautiful character-driven stories that have such good development of each character that you can’t help but love them (or at least feel sympathetic to them).
I found myself falling in love with Millie, Agatha, Kennedy, even Tyler, and had trouble putting the book down at any point. This one is a whole hearted recommendation from me!

Come and Get It
This wasn’t my favorite as parts of it felt clunky and it was difficult to tell where it was going. In terms of action, not a lot take place until the very end and even then, it felt like somethings were rushed to a close or not fully developed.

On the other hand, what the book did really was highlight how when we give others a narrow view of ourselves, either purposely or through overheard conversations or cursory interactions, this limited view becomes the basis for opinions, conclusions and misses key aspects of our identities. When our whole selves aren’t seen or welcomed, isolation and feelings of loss can grow when connection is what we crave.

If you're looking for a smaller town college sceneset with college drama, a touch of academia, and plenty of ethical quandaries... you will get that with Come and Get It. Set in Arkansas at a college, 38 year old Agatha comes to do research and the way it progresses - what she does, what she takes, and how others live, all come into play through multiple POVs.

I felt while the pace was slower at first, Reid's writing kept me engaged. Many of the characters were hard to like and I found myself sometimes having a hard time believing how adults (college age or not) could respond, but doesn't that happen in real life too?

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group for the ARC. #ComeandGetIt #NetGalley