Overview: Agatha's life is falling apart, so when she gets an offer to guest lecture for a year at the University of Arkansas, she takes the leap of faith. It's a fresh start and will hopefully offer new inspiration for her next book. Millie is a second time senior after taking a year off to care for her mom and an RA in a dorm few are excited to work in. Unlike her fellow RAs, she cares deeply about her job and saving up money for a house downpayment. Within the dorm, there's on suite that stands out. Kennedy has transferred to Arkansas after things went horribly wrong at her Iowa school, and she struggles to adjust. Tyler is a social butterfly with a typical mean streak, and Payton only wants the dishes out of the communal sink by morning. While seemingly unrelated, all of their lives intertwine to somewhat devastating effect. Overall: 5

Characters: 5 We spend the first part of the book getting to know the major players within their own lives. You'll spend a little while wondering what all these people have to do with one another, but if you can be patient, the payoff is great. Told in third person, the book mainly focuses on Agatha, Millie, and Kennedy's point of view with Tyler, her friends Casey and Jenna, and Payton getting filled in by their interactions with the other girls and Agatha's spying or "research". This ends up being a very effective way to tell the story because each POV character has such a unique perspective.

The specifics of the characters are where the richness of the book comes from, and I don't want to diminish that experience, so I'm just going to speak on it broadly. Reid excels in getting us to understand and empathize with the motivations and actions of each character when we're looking through their eyes but then does a fantastic job of flipping the perspective around and allowing you to see the flaws that exist within each characters. Even the ones that seem angled as characters we're not supposed to like have a real humanity that still pulls at your heartstrings. The development here is remarkable, and they play off each other so well.

Plot: 5 It's hard to talk about what this book is about except for summarizing it as a bunch of confused, lost people at one small town college. There's definitely a major moment at the end where tension is ratcheted up to a ten and all the tiny bad choices pile on top of each other to spell disaster. It's satisfying to watch all of the small moments from earlier in the book collide and bring all these seemingly separate characters together, but it definitely takes patience and investment in the individual characters themselves to get there. I read it in two days, though, so it's definitely interesting and will grab your attention if you trust that Reid is going somewhere.

The payoff of the book is remarkable and somewhat haunting, though. At its core, Come and Get It is about how we all make choices that seem tiny and inconsequential on our end. A note quickly dashed off, an easy dismissal that doesn't get a single thought, the wrong moment to finally decide to chill out. You might not know the consequences immediately or ever, but your small choices can have massive repercussions in others lives. We see those cause and effects ripple through this small community.

Writing: 5 I was already a huge fan of Kiley Reid from Such a Fun Age, and this book did not disappoint. I actually think I liked it a little more. Reid ups the complexity and sets more plates spinning in the air to bring together in the end than Such a Fun Age that primarily focuses on two characters. There is plenty of connective tissue, though, between the books in themes handling privilege, class, racism, and the question around inappropriate age and power dynamics, but they manifest in a completely unique way in Come and Get It. Reid packs a lot into these pages without ever weighing down the prose, and it comes together to create a truly breathtaking final image.

On a quick final note on the ending, this isn't a direct spoiler but could maybe be viewed that way, I really like the balance that Reid found. There are consequences and things fall apart, but there is a lingering note of hope and possibility there as well. There's a pathway for these characters to get back to what they really want, and they're not left stripped of everything they've worked for, which is a place that too many literary fiction books like to leave their messy cast.

The first thing I thought when I finished this book was, “people are going to hate this, aren’t they?” Nothing much happens in it, almost none of the characters are particularly likable, and the folks who enjoy a no-plot-just-vibes situation will be sad to learn that the vibes are mostly tense, cringy, and anxiety-inducing.

But I LOVED this! Even though I knew we were heading towards a massive crash, I could not turn away! I had to know exactly what would happen, how bad it would get, and how it would turn out in the end. I delighted in disliking the frustrating aspects of these characters and enjoyed the more nuanced aspects of their personalities.

I also found the book to be quite funny — I laughed out loud *multiple* times, which is rare for me. So even though I was tense and anxious, worried about what would happen, I had a hell of a good time along the way.

I do urge folks to check content warnings for this, because I can’t say that this is one of those books where the story itself will make sitting through the triggering content worth it, even if it was for me. (In particular, there is a lot of suicidal ideation.)

I keep trying to find faults in this book, but I just don’t have any. I am 100% the target audience because I enjoyed every second. And I’m certainly glad I did!

I can’t fully explain it, but this book is literary bravo in the best way. If you feel front end is slow, know it’s really (like a southern charm season set in a college dorm) all build for what is a messy explosive season finale. I was a big fan of Kiley Reid’s last book Such a Fun Age and therefore went in with high expectations that were fully exceeded. Thanks @netgalley for my advanced copy, publishing 1/30!

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Kiley Reid's "Come and Get It" is an exploration of ambition, desire, and consequences set against the backdrop of the University of Arkansas in 2017. Senior resident assistant Millie Cousins is offered an unusual opportunity by visiting professor Agatha Paul, leading her down a path of odd friendships, vengeful pranks, and illicit intrigue. Reid's fresh and intimate prose paints a captivating portrait of desire, consumption, and the perils of unrestrained pursuit. The novel promises to be a thought-provoking and engaging read, showcasing Reid's talent for storytelling and her keen understanding of contemporary dilemmas.

This book had SO much going on, but at the same time nothing really happened. We got a ton of details on all of the main characters and there were a ton. There were so many character that I had a hard time discerning between them and got a little confused at times. I felt so bogged down in details that when something actually happened it was almost hard to realize it, or more weight was put on an event that doesn't seem like a big deal. With a disappointing ending, this just wasn't the book for me. 2.5 stars.

Summary: Primarily set at the University of Arkansas, Come and Get It follows Millie, a resident assistant, Agatha, a professor, and a group of students living on Millie's floor. Like Reid's debut novel, this book examines themes of race and money.

Review: This book is hard for me to wrap my thoughts around. It is very slow-paced, with multiple instances of over-description and extended backstories on the characters that didn't seem to serve much purpose. Strangely, despite not having much plot to it, the book keep me intrigued and I was curious to see what happened to the characters. I also enjoyed Reid's pointed commentary on the racial and socioeconomic dynamics portrayed in the story.

After sitting on it for a few days, I still found myself thinking about the characters and themes. Had it been edited down a bit, I think this would've been a really stand-out book.

I'm a huge fan of Kiley Reid's SUCH A FUN AGE, so I was really excited to pick up COME AND GET IT. Personally, I loved it just as much, although it's told in a very different format. I really enjoyed following the different cast of characters and multiple POVs. Can't wait for more from this author!

I was a fan of "Such a Fun Age" so I was excited to read Kiley Reid's newest book. She knows how to write people. A lot of this book brought me right back to my dorm days and I felt like I knew these characters well. I've met them all, lived with a few of them, even been a few of them. There were several times where I laughed out loud at things these characters said or thought. I will say I wasn't quite expecting it to go the direction it did and I wish more time was spent focusing on the college students and not the professor. I didn't care much for her story line but I was very invested in Millie, Tyler, Kennedy, and the others from the dorm. It was a very realistic look at college students that wasn't boring in a way most of these books turn out to be. I kept thinking about the characters and wondering what would happen next. And with the way the book ended, I suppose I always will be. But in the best way.

Thank you to Putnam and netgalley for the eARC of COME AND GET IT!

I was incredibly excited for Reids sophomore novel after absolutely loving her debut, SUCH A FUN AGE. I love how Reid writes, and her stories are always so interesting and in depth.

A few things - This read more like ... an exposé ?? I don't know if that is the word I'm looking for. It was incredibly character driven, which aren't my favorite novels. In addition, nothing happened for the first 70%. It was very "hold my hand - now we wait, now we wait, now we wait .. NOW WE GO"
It was primarily just background knowledge on all of the characters, with very little plot. At the 70% mark, the book got so interesting and action packed ... and then it dropped off again at the end.

What I did love was the characters. I love reading about messy people, and BOY HOWDY were these characters MESSY (as college usually is) Each character had their own messes and trauma, and I love how Reid really uses race as additional character in her books.

Over all, an interesting read. I enjoyed it, but I wish it had more plot.

Millie is an RA at the University of Arkansas. When she meets Agatha, a writer and visiting professor who is doing research on her next book, both of the women's already complicated lives get more complicated. They make poor choices and alternately take on lots of responsibility and shuck it.

I really liked Reid's first book, Such a Fun Age, but I thought of her an a "topic author". She is not that with this book, which I liked even more. She writes about women who live in the grey area- you love them and connect with them, but they are messy and imperfect. I found myself rooting for them but also annoyed at some of their choices. I really enjoyed all the side characters as well and this book is smart but completely readable. I did not feel like it was heavy handed at all and just really enjoyed a story, set at a Southern university, about people just figuring it out.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

Ahh no one is more disappointed than me that I didn’t like this book ☹️ it started out fairly strong with an opening scene and set of characters that intrigued me, but unfortunately the lack of plot left me with nothing to root for or care about. I think had it followed just one of the characters instead of multiple POVs, I could have latched on to their story and followed them through an entire arc which would have felt more satisfying. I did love Kiley Reid’s writing and the little bit of social commentary throughout the story but wanted a lot more. Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC as well as Libro FM for the advanced listeners copy!

I was excited to be approved for this arc as I loved Kiley Reid’s debut novel Such A Fun Age and couldn’t wait to see what was next from her. Unfortunately, Come and Get It left me underwhelmed. While it still has the multiple character driven plot lines that all intertwine together that I loved in her debut, it focuses more on creating individual back stories to this multitude of characters rather than creating a truly gripping plot. The exposition feels like it takes up too much of the book leading up to very mild payoff. I think a lot of people will still enjoy this book but it was not for me personally.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the e-ARC!

Like Reid’s debut novel, Come and Get It deals with the same themes of micro aggressions and White women who are older/have money and their privilege, and the way they insert themselves into young Black womens lives, in a “white savior” type of way.

The events in this novel take a bit longer to come to that dramatic point, this being more of a character driven novel, but the trip there was so tense and enjoyable that even though I knew where it was going, I was still “O” surprised when it happened.

While I enjoyed Millie’s and Agatha’s POV chapters, learning about Kennedy’s background were my favorite parts.

If you love slow burns that have a lot to say, you will enjoy this one!

Hmm. I think I just didn’t get it…? Very character-driven. Definitely feels more satirical than SUCH A FUN AGE but this one just didn’t land for me. That said, I’m still impressed with Kiley Reid and excited to see the trajectory of her career. I think this just wasn’t my thing.

ARC REVIEW

Come & Get it
By Kiley Reid

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

PUBLISHING DATE: 1/30/2024

This book follows the stories of a few different characters, all at the University of Arkansas in 2017.

MILLIE is an older RA who is trying to balance becoming an adult, trying to gain her independence and being a good friend/leader to her students.
AGATHA is a professor at the university who begins interviewing some of Millies residents about weddings for an upcoming book. MILLIE and AGATHA spend more time together,  Agatha changes her books trajectory, and this relationship becomes a bit blurred...but technically no rules are broken?
KENNEDY is one of Millies residents who is having a difficult time adjusting to her first year in Arkansas, but it's not her first time in college. She left her previous university and the awesome experience she had due to an unfortunate situation. 
The story follows these women(and some side characters such as Millies friends and Kennedys suite mates) and their interactions while at the University of Arkansas that eventually come to a tumultuous head.

This is one of those books where 50% in you realize..."Wait. I feel like nothing is happening?" But by the end, you still FEEL.

Even though the plot seems slow, the story was captivating to me. This was my first time reading Kiley Reid, but her writing sucked me in.  I found myself living  in this dormitory world, and I became really invested in the characters. 

I felt something for each of the women in the book. By the end, I felt really overwhelmed with...indifference (?not sure of the word I'm looking for here) for each of the women featured. Their situations made me sad, but then you look at the ethical side as well, and it's hard to find the "correct" way to feel? If that makes sense.... it really made me think!

I think this proves it was a well written story. I think some readers will find it "boring" but I really enjoyed it. I felt it wrapped up nicely, and it was some great character development.

I recommend you read this one later this month!

Thank you @putnambooks and @netgalley for the chance to read this gem early. Greatly appreciated!!

I was so looking forward to this, I loved Such a Fun Age. That book was a romp while still being smart. Come and Get it just dragged with way too many characters that have too many backstories. There's so much setup that it takes half, if not three quarters, of the book for something to actually happen. Once it does it kind of just happens.

This book wasn't sure if it wanted to be a satire or a straight up campus novel and in the end it never rose to either. The characters weren't interesting enough to make this a riveting character study, the writing wasn't gorgeous enough to sweep me away, and did I mention there's a whisper of a plot?

Here's the thing, that first chapter shows you that Reid knows how to open a book, she's so good at exploring class and race. There was so much promise there! She could have had so much fun with the money and power angle if we had just focused on Agatha and her using and writing about the students. Instead the story is halted by the constant groundwork needed for each new character that is introduced and with the ins and outs of dorm room life.

I hope that this was just a sophmore slump and that Reid's third brings her back to form.

Five women’s lives collide in a messy spiral on the University of Arkansas campus. A visiting professor/author offers a senior resident assistant in the college’s least popular dormitory an opportunity she can’t pass up. But when a group of students living in the dorm plan an ill-advised prank, it leads to a tragic accident that changes everything.

This is absolutely a layered, observational character study of a novel. If you're here for the plot, it might not be for you! But if you're fascinated by people and how they interact — particularly young women — you're in for an absorbing experience. Kiley Reid builds tension and creates messy relationships like no other.

Such a Fun Age was one of my top 10 books of 2020 so I was eagerly awaiting Kiley Reid’s sophomore novel. I was forewarned by reviewers that Come and Get It lacks plot or purpose, so I managed my expectations accordingly. I’ll say, this book does have an extra long setup, but there IS a point. The rising action doesn’t hit until about 80% in, after we have become well acquainted with a cast of characters who live in and around a University of Arkansas dorm. It’s a perfect Petri dish for mixing young people of different races, classes and backgrounds, who are mostly well-meaning but still products of their sometimes problematic upbringing. Reid is brilliant at crafting awkward moments without over-explaining, expecting readers to be intelligent enough to draw their own conclusions. I understand the criticisms of this book, as I feel it could have been tightened up with editing, but I also very much enjoyed it.

I adored Such a Fun Age. It was so biting in its commentary and a fun read. When I saw Reid was writing her second novel, I jumped on requesting the advanced copy. Unfortunately it was not at all to the caliber of her first. Centering around dorm students at a southern university, there is frankly no point to this book. Nothing happens and I have no idea what this book was trying to tell me. Character studies of the various college people could have been interesting alone, but they aren't deep or nuanced. Even the characters were boring. There is one shining chapter of interest with Kennedy and her school life before transferring, but even then that sort of fizzles. What was this book even about? Why did I read this? How did things go so badly? Why would I rather have read Iron Flame again instead? (this is a scathing statement). I'm so disappointed. I look forward to more from Reid in the future and hopefully back to her Such a Fun Age level self.

Thank you NetGalley and GP Putnam's Sons for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I started 2024 with 2024 release and I’m happy that it’s one I enjoyed. I’m a big fan of campus novels and this one was entertaining and full of interesting, dynamic characters. I’m also very intrigued by colleges in the South as they are so different from CA colleges like the one I went to. Race, class, and LGBTQIA themes are explored, as well as friendship and loneliness. This book won’t be for everyone, but I think if you liked Reid’s previous book, Such a Fun Age, then you will like this one too