This was wholly engrossing. I had high expectations for this after loving Such a Fun Age but this sophomore novel greatly surpassed them.

Yikes. This is hard one to rate. First off, Kiley Reid is a talented writer. Her prose is so funny and electric. The reason I am conflicted about this novel is the overall storytelling/plot. THERE IS NO PLOT. Nothing happens in this book! It's like an episode of "Seinfeld". The whole novel is a bunch of random scenes that don't really lead to anything in terms of moving the story along. There's definitely no pay off or character development. The only character I really liked was Millie. She was down-to-earth and sweet. Agatha didn't seem like a real person and her backstory was pretty lackluster. If the writing wasn't so strong, I probably would have DNF'd this book. It's a mixed bag for me.

I missed the highly recommended debut offering by this author and I still plan to read Such a Fun Age soon. In this second novel, Millie Cousins becomes a senior resident assistant at the college of Arkansas and becomes recklessly entangled with a visiting professor. This new infatuation may not only shake off her boredom . . . it could also unsettle her plans for the future.

I like to keep my mind both open and sharp, so I do not shy away from diverse perspectives, especially ones that do not necessarily align with my personal experience . . . in this practice I find growth. This storyline felt a bit watered down and did not have the emotional maturity or intensity that I was expecting, though it did provide brief intervals of content that held my interest.

I think high school seniors and young adults will appreciate this novel for its intimate observations on the transition into campus life. The period of time during which we first start to develop deeper feelings and more meaningful relationships with ourselves and with others.

I'd like to thank NetGalley for an advanced copy of Come and Get It for my unbiased evaluation.  3 stars

There were points in this book that I thought “I don’t know if I like this,” but by the end Kiley Reid had circled it back to her core thread of Come and Get It: how people (college women) relate to money.

Millie is working hard to save up to buy a house. She’s driven, responsible, and on track to become Resident Director next year. She is paid $50 a month to check in on a house nearby, then starts fixing it up and latches on to a hint that they may want to sell it. I was so worried she would do all that work and not get to have it.

A suite of college students live in the “scholarship” / transfer form Belgrade. One student gets a monthly allowance from her dad for “working” for him (on payroll, not working). Another student is on a diversity scholarship secured by threadbare means.

Visiting professor Agatha Paul pays students for their participation in her research (about weddings initially, which turns into being about financial mindsets). Separated from her wife, her backstory sheds light on her own perspective of money and relationship to it, within her relationship. She pays for everything, her parter is financially irresponsible, but that’s not all that it’s about.

Agatha and Millie start seeing each other; Agatha continues to pay Millie for assisting her research on Thursdays at the dorm, where she sits in her room to eavesdrop on the students in the suite next door.

Things I didn’t like:
Kennedy’s backstory of why she’s at Belgrade and why she’s depressed. The reveal that she killed a dog on accident almost had me put the book down and not finish.
The absurdity of a pizza cutter falling at just the eighth angle through the air to slice open the wrist of a girl who was just then considering killing herself.
The ongoing discomfort of anticipating the sh** hitting the fan, though kudos to Reid for creating that tone.

Things I liked:
Reid captures college vernacular and the student experience in a small southern university well. She is gifted at writing nonverbal communication gestures (I admire!). She says enough that gaps can be filled in, and leaves some endings ambiguous. She writes friendships and offense well. She creates icky situations that point spotlights to irresponsible power dynamics, racial insensitivity, friction of values and identity, hopes and disappointments, and privilege.

Agatha’s exit chapter with Tyler.
The banality of some characters with the big events of others.
Reid’s writing. She’s plain and layered.

While reading, I was unsure about this one. By the end, I appreciated it and Kiley Reid’s sly accumulation of theme and impact

This novel follows the intertwined lives of a group of college girls, their RA, and a visiting professor. Kennedy is new to the University of Arkansas, her RA Millie is back after time off, and professor Agatha is working on her next book. Their interactions and relationships are complicated, as everyone brings their own baggage and experience to the campus.

This book started out quite slow, but I flew through the last 25% when the three women’s lives collide in a way that will change them all forever. It’s also a story that is filled with trigger warnings: racism, homophobia, animal death, suicidal ideation. It makes it real, but sad and hard to read at times. Overall, I enjoyed this book but felt it was a bit heavy at times.

I really enjoyed this book - I like the way Kiley Reid describes characters, and sets up a situation that has you holding your breath for how it's all going to end up in shambles, and of course, it does. I probably wouldn't have otherwise picked up a book set around a college campus, but I was pleasantly surprised by how entertaining this was.

I really enjoyed this book about college women at the University of Arkansas. Reid has a definite ear for realistic dialogue and the book was a very fast read, but I didn't want it to end! Highly recommend

While Kiley Reid's SUCH A FUN AGE was a phenomenal read for me, unfortunately COME & GET IT did not hit nearly as hard. While I love a character-driven novel, I think the fatal flaw of this book was that there were too many characters Reid tried to have us focus on. We have the core 3 of Millie, Kennedy, and Agatha, but are also supposed to be tuned into Kennedy's roommates and Millie's fellow RAs. With so many characters to cover in such a short amount of time, some of the characters fell a little flat to me. This made the characters *almost* feel like tropes or caricatures, but it did not feel as though that was the authors intention.

There was also really no disernable plot whatsoever, and the "main" plot points were not exactly capitivating. The major plot point is that one college students play a prank on their RA, a very simple on at that, and the RAs have to decide whether or not to relaliate with an equally elementary response.

As someone who worked in university housing as a full time professional, I can say Reid captured dorm life and the RA position with accuracy, leading me to assume she was an RA when she was in school.

Overall this book was a bit of a letdown after SUCH A FUN AGE, but I will continue to read everything Reid puts out!

Thank you Netgalley, and G.P Putnam's Sons / Penguin Group Putnam for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As a fan of Such a Fun Age, I was eagerly looking forward to her sophomore novel. Following such a critically acclaimed bestseller is a daunting task--but her second novel is just as powerful, if not more so, and gripping as her debut novel. Kiley Reid is officially on my "automatically read" list of authors.

Through an entanglement of college students and Resident Advisors at an Arkansas university (and a visiting researcher), Kiley Reid brilliantly depicts the conflicts and drama that inevitably arise in a college dorm (and then some!). She has an enviable knack for capturing the ups and downs of early twenties life through her main character, as she did in Such a Fun Age. She also brilliantly incorporates serious real-life issues (microaggression, mental health) within the storyline.

This story is a bit of a slow-burn at first, but snowballs into an avalanche of bad choices and situations that would seem "over the top" in other stories, but are wholly believable in her skillful storytelling. There were times that I actually had to step away from the story for a bit, because I was dreading the consequences (I quickly returned because I absolutely had to find out what happened!). It doesn't end with a tidy conclusion, but that makes it all the more realistic and believable.

Many thanks to Penguin Random House/G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Kiley Reid's sophomore novel isn't for plot lovers. She dives deep into several main characters, focusing on their behaviors and relationships with other characters. I love her portrayal of multidimensional women, exploring their thoughts and the actions they take in response to them.

I had no idea, really, what I was getting into with this book. I requested an ARC based on a little bit of buzz I had heard from other book reviewers on the basis of the author's previous book being a hit. The cover doesn't give much away, but within the first few pages I was pretty solidly into the story.

To give a quick synopsis: The story is set at the University of Arkansas (where the mascot is a razorback hog, which explains the pig on the cover) and revolves around the lives of a few college roommates and their RA, Millie. Millie is a little bit older than her residents and she is saving her money for a house. Over the course of the school year, Millie gets entangled a little too closely with a visiting writing professor and one suite of residents; as you might imagine, consequences ensue.

Overall, I give the book 3.5 stars. The character studies in this book are striking-you learn a lot about the characters both from their individual point of view as well as through the eyes of the other characters. This is the strongest aspect of the book, in my opinion. It's been a long time since I lived in a dorm myself but the portrayal of dorm life (from both a resident and an RA's point of view) felt very accurate.

Where the book felt short for me is that none of the characters ended up being likable. Millie, who was the strong contender in the beginning of the book as to being the most interesting, ends up making some really terrible decisions. Agatha, the visiting writing professor, turns out to be very selfish and does some things that are morally just awful. The residents in Millie's dorm are all strange and have some pretty significant flaws (except for Peyton, who I felt sorry for because she lived with such a selfish band of characters). Everyone's flawed decisions end up at a crisis point with characters landing in the hospital, and the rest of the book is about the aftermath of that crisis.

The frustrating thing is that this book could still be salvaged to a 4.5 star book if the ending were fleshed out a little more. It ends in a strange way, and I'm not sure all of the characters get resolution. I finished it thinking, "That's it?" It would have been so smart if there were another section that is a flash forward 10-20 years into the future. Have all the characters returning for an alumnae weekend and let the reader see where they all end up in life. (Actually, one or more of the characters would probably NOT attend-I could see at least one of them throw the invitation in the trash saying "I will never, ever go back to that place." And that would be a great chapter in and of itself.) The others could come with varying degrees of success and awkwardness. I would 100% love that ending!

I think one of the truths about the college experience is that when you're living it, you feel so adult and grown and as if the events and decisions you're living through are part of your permanent, adult self. Fast forward a couple of decades and we all look back at our new adult personas (as well as our friends and acquaintances from that time period) with such nostalgia. Things that seemed so important in college-who was going to room with whom, honor code violations, parties/social events, romantic complications-have very little bearing now on my life as a middle-aged married mom of school-aged kids. If I could go back and talk to my 20-year-old self, I would tell her to not take college life so seriously...it's a short phase, and even at graduation you aren't really grown yet. The rest of your 20s are a time when you really get to come into your own as a full-fledged adult. People who were unlikable in college may still come out to be decent human beings. People who were immature and flighty may still turn into responsible, productive members of society. And some people who were the source of a lot of drama may still have those tendencies later in life. That would have been a great ending for this book and would have resonated with a lot of readers (at least this one!).

I do have 2 big warnings about this book. One: There is something awful that happens to an animal in this book. It is a minor plot point, but it made me physically nauseous when I came to it. I would have chucked the entire book aside at that place in the story had I not agreed to review it in exchange for the ARC. I have a big hang-up about animals being hurt in a book and what happens in this story is terrible. (Also, how the character at fault responds is so cold-blooded that it changed my opinion of that character entirely!) Secondly, there is a pretty major storyline that involves a much-older adult becoming romantically involved with a student. I'm sure this actually happens in real life and it may not be illegal because of the ages of the parties involved, but it sure felt gross. Again, if we had a flash-forward into the future and the teacher ended up experiencing punitive consequences for her actions-that would have made it feel a little less icky.

Overall, I'm glad I read this book. I think it will get more buzz as it comes closer to release date and I always love having had a first peek at a much-anticipated new book! Thank you to the publisher for giving me an ARC!

What happens when first year students move into a dorm - knowing no one - wanting to find themselves - bringing each of their preconceived bias, perspectives and needs? Oh, just a bit of college dorm fun and frustration! This is a study of personalities and characters - age, gender, race, and socioeconomic differences - who much live and interact with one another. Read on ....

Love Kiley Reid. Every book keeps getting better. The college dorm setting was a great place to explore racial commentary. Loved the characters and setting and the writing as always.

This was really a lot to follow. I ended up DNF-ing it because it didn’t keep my interest. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

"Come and Get It" by Kiley Reid, the celebrated New York Times bestselling author of "Such a Fun Age," presents a fresh and provocative story set in 2017 at the University of Arkansas. The novel revolves around Millie Cousins, a senior resident assistant with aspirations to graduate, secure a job, and buy a house. The narrative takes an unexpected turn when Agatha Paul, a visiting professor and writer, offers Millie a seemingly straightforward yet peculiar opportunity.

Reid's storytelling prowess shines as she weaves a tale of desire, consumption, and reckless abandon. The tension in the narrative is palpable, driven by odd new friendships, vengeful dorm pranks, and an undercurrent of illicit intrigue. The plot unfolds as a nuanced exploration of money, indiscretion, and the consequences of bad behavior.

The characters in "Come and Get It" are intricately developed, each contributing to the multifaceted dynamics of the story. Millie Cousins, as the central figure, navigates a world filled with challenges and temptations, creating a character readers can empathize with and root for. The interactions and relationships within the novel add depth, providing a rich and engaging reading experience.

The novel is not only a compelling exploration of personal desires and choices but also a commentary on the complexities of university life. Reid captures the essence of campus existence, complete with its blend of ambition, relationships, and the quest for identity.

Kiley Reid's writing style is both fresh and intimate, inviting readers into the lives of her characters with a keen eye for detail. The author's ability to tackle themes of money, indiscretion, and the consequences of one's actions adds layers of complexity to the narrative.

"Come and Get It" is a highly anticipated addition to Kiley Reid's body of work, and it promises to captivate readers with its thought-provoking storytelling, sharp observations, and the exploration of contemporary themes. Reid's ability to blend literary fiction with a keen understanding of human nature continues to make her a standout voice in modern literature.

Major thanks to NetGalley and Putnam's Sons for an ARC of this book in exchange for my thoughts:

*DNF @ 60%

girlll what the heck even is this???

i'll be honest, i had a fun time with Such a Fun Age, and though Reid plays with the usual class/race issues that i so loved in her debut novel, this ones falls short. like 100 to 0. real fast. real quick. in a huge cast of characters, there is no one to care for because there is so little care for any of them. these characters still feel like they're trapped in the first or second draft. the whole book has chess moves, but there are no chess pieces. there are motivations, but no why's to the motivations. this needs a few more rewrites to get where it needs to be.

if anything, i think this would've been better executed if done in the ttfn/ttyl series by Lauren Myracle. i think it would cut out the unnecessary scenes and set up as the dialogue truly drives the story.

homegirl go back to the drawing board with this one!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the ARC. I have read Such a Fun Age and enjoyed it more than this book. I did not like most of the characters and Agatha Paul was so back and forth and annoying. At times the story became confusing with past and present. I am sad to say I just did not enjoy this book.

I have seen this book described as a character study and I agree. As I went to describe the plot here, I struggled and remembered that it really, well, didn’t seem to have one. The book is about people. And perhaps had I not been looking for a plot, I would have enjoyed the book more. Set at the University of Arkansas, the book focuses on five college girls, as well as three RAs and one professor. They don’t really do much. They just live/work/hang out. The ending has a bit more going on, but it’s the ending, so it lasted for maybe half an hour. However, as Reid shared her characters’ stories, I realized they all had some depth. After you read this, you may question that observation and I’ll admit that perhaps depth is a strong word. If not deep, maybe you’ll allow multi-faceted. I thought I really liked Agatha at first, but you know, I didn’t. Millie was lovable, but also what the hell was she doing? There is more than meets the eye with these characters - that much I’ll stand on.

Did I like the book? Um, well, I didn’t dislike it. I prefer more of a story that’s nice and clean with a nicely-tied up (but never rushed) ending. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t like this one - it’s just not my favorite type of story. Overall, it was a fun read.

I wouldn’t rush out and buy it, but I wouldn’t DNF it. If you are looking for something to read and it happens to be available, it’s an enjoyable read. Not life-changing, you probably won’t love it, but it works for when you’re in a waiting room or can’t sleep.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC in return for my honest review.

A unique read from Reid, that analyzes the relationships between a Professor, an RA, and several college students at a University. There are several perspectives/storylines going on at one time which is helpful in giving the reader further insight into the minds of these individuals and the larger scheme at work.


Without delving too much into potential spoilers- In the heart of the story, I found that each main character deals with their own selfishness in a unique and Inter way- whether it be an extramarital affair, swindling a professor for money, playing pranks on an RA for personal gain, or even blackmail. Collectively these stories weave a web that is unique and makes Come and Get It a novel that makes you laugh, drop your jaw, makes you a bit angry, and even makes you a little bit sad.

I flew through this novel and I highly recommend to those looking for a unique but quick read literary fiction. Not only does the writing and characters capture the reader- but we’ve all been in our 20s…we know how complex, stupid, and complicated that can feel! Riley did a wonderful job capturing all this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the ARC!

I loved Kiley Reid’s last novel but this took me forever to finish. I think it was trying for like a slice of life in a dorm and the politics between the RAs and students but there was so much dialogue and not a lot of driving force to keep turning the page. Still think she’s talented and open to reading her future books!