I was really excited to read Kiley Reid's follow up to Such a Fun Age, and while I did enjoy it, I was also very confused by it at times, namely with the pacing and plot. We follow a number of characters over the course of a few months at the University of Arkansas. We have an RA, some students in her dorm, and a journalist/professor writing articles about the students. Honestly, that is pretty much the entire plot.

What I liked: the details writing style (similar to Curtis Sittenfeld), we get very detailed brand-specific information about each character, really grounding the reader in collegiate 2017. I really liked this meandering writing style and just let it flow. But it really did flow and flow, because...

What I didn't like: the lack of plot/weird pacing. There feels like a lot of set up for not a lot of plot, and a lot of false starts and things that don't really pan out. I can see this really bothering a lot of readers. I didn't love it, but it wasn't a dealbreaker for me.

I think overall I enjoyed the writing style and academic setting enough to be able to ignore the many flaws of this novel. This will definitely not be a book for everyone, so please don't expect a tight story, resolution, or any sort of intricate plot.

I was looking forward to Kiley Reid's new book Come and Get It because I enjoyed her first book Such a Fun Age. I enjoyed this book and grateful for the chance to read an advanced copy of the book. As most people mentioned in the reviews, there were a lot of characters in the book. I did like the college setting at the University of Arkansas. I do think a few scenarios in the book were a bit far-fetched but that did not really bother me in this book. The book did touch on many topics that are prevalent today on campus' and in society in general. Overall I did think the characters were well developed.

I will recommend reading Come and Get It.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book! #NetGalley #ComeandGetIt #KileyReid

This was a messy, character-driven book with little to no plot. I disliked many of the main characters, but really identified with Kennedy until her backstory came out (way too late in the story). I probably wouldn’t have stuck with the book if not for her relatable experiences. Sharing a dorm or apartment with other girls in college is not easy, and it’s so hard when some of them become fast friends and leave you out for no discernible reason. I somehow found her part of the story comforting, but that was the only thing I enjoyed.

Even though I could clearly see how it related to the rest of the events of the book, the opening still felt so convoluted and irrelevant to the rest of the story, and I really could have cared less about Agatha’s story, even though I feel like she was supposed to be the main character. I think this needs some tightening up before it can be published.

I loved Such a Fun Age, so I was excited to read “Come and Get It”! It took a little bit for me to get into, but I am glad I stuck with it! I definitely felt transported back to college life and found the characters entertaining!

It pains me so much to write this, because I loved Such a Fun Age, but I had to DNF this one from Kiley Reid. As someone who loves character-driven novels, I wasn’t turned away by other reviews that say there’s not much of a discernible plot. That being said, if you are relying on characters to drive your novel, they can’t be as flat and one-dimensional as these ones (which is interesting, because one of the things I loved the most about Such a Fun Age was that the characters were so alive).

With no plot and unoriginal characters, this book was just boring. Maybe I’ll revisit it when it’s published, because I do think Kiley Reid is a talented writer based on her other book, but more than likely this one is a skip for me.

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for my advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was the most fun I’ve had reading a book in a minute. These characters were so funny and interesting and authentic.

So many reviews say that nothing happens in this book, and I see why they say that, but I feel like SO MUCH happens. There is something so satisfying to read about all of these various characters oscillating around one another to finally get to the moment where they’re all in the same room. The climax of this story had my heart racing.

And of course I cried. I love the way Reid depicts different dynamics and relationships. I love her characters because they never hang on one thing. There is always something else going on, another layer to their personality.

It was all really well done and I was very excited to read it and to talk about it. Give it a chance! It’s very different than Such a Fun Age but expands on Reid’s strengths. I liked Such a Fun Age a lot and I think about it all the time. But I LOVED come and get it.

This is definitely a character driven book. That being said, I don’t really understand the reviews saying this book has too many main characters. The story really revolves around three women:
Kennedy, a transfer student living in Belgrade dormitory
Millie, an RA in Belgrade and one of the few Black students on campus
Agatha, a professor and journalist “researching” the lives of wealthy college students

There are a bevy of secondary characters: Kennedy’s mom, her two roommates and their friends; Millie’s fellow RAs and her boss, and Agatha’s ex and a few colleagues. While that is a lot of people to keep up with, they’re all distinct enough and there are enough context clues that I didn’t find myself getting the side characters confused once I got into the story.

I will say I agree with the reviewer that said Kennedy’s back story came too late into the book. The fact that there was an incident before arriving in Fayetteville was alluded to a lot but when we get the details, they feel kind of absurd. What a weird freak accident. Sure Kennedy didn’t make the right choice but a lot of teenagers in that situation wouldn’t. I’m not sure her actions would result in an entire campus bullying her relentlessly though. Before the incident was revealed I just assumed she had severe social anxiety and spent too much time with her mom. She kind of reminded me of someone I went to pharmacy school with. She just wanted to fit in but she was too uncomfortable to make connections and be herself.

Agatha is pretty unlikable and shady. She’s incapable of taking full responsibility for her actions. She uses her status to get what she wants and she certainly doesn’t have a problem lording her power over people. The fact that she comes out unscathed minus a few grand (clearly chump change to her) is not at all surprising since that’s how the world works. We see it time and time again with rich and powerful men and I’m sure someone like Agatha would go on a talk show and say something to the effect of “Men get away with this all the time. Why shouldn’t women?” Rather than understanding no one should and that power structures within society need to be broken down rather than reinforced in the name of equality.

After I finished reading this book, I realized the way Tyler, Casey, and Jenna talked and thought is exactly how me and all of my friends acted in college. College in the south is rife with internalized misogyny, racism, and classism and religion is a tool used to prop up all of those ideals. Most satire books with the overarching theme of racism are set in the Northeast where there is a lot of liberal elitism. Racism has a different tone in the South. There are A LOT of micro aggressions and especially in the aughts and 2010s, most young people were too ignorant to recognize just how racist they were. I HATE that that’s how I was but I’ve done a lot of work to correct those thoughts and behaviors. Many people my age have not.
All that to say, many people in the south will recognize these girls and these scenarios immediately.

Well, that was a lot. Nothing light about this one.

Come and Get It is the second book I have read (and enjoyed) by Kiley Reid.

The cover — ha — I wondered why there was a pig, and I soon found out it was because of the University of Arkansas. Pig Soo! (Or something like that.)

So, I don’t know where to start. There was a lot going on with this books and a lot to digest.

Millie is an RA at the Belgrade dorm, a dorm for students on scholarship, upper class men, and transfer students. There is a suite next door to her with three girl — Peyton, a peculiar girl who likes cleanliness and order, Tyler, a girl who goes out with friends and is obsessed with dogs, and Kennedy, a transfer student from Iowa, who has a troubled past and doesn’t fit in.

Agatha, is a writer from the big city, who leaves her partner at home, to do research for her next book and work as a professor at the University of Arkansas.

Millie has two close RA friends, Colette and Ryland. Tyler has two close friends at the college, Casey and Jenna. Agatha has Robin. Peyton has Simi. Kennedy has her mama. As you can see, there are a lot of characters in this book!

There is a mishmash of stories interwoven throughout the book and a lot going on. It’s kind of all over the place.

I did enjoy the book. I wish Kennedy had spoken her truth at the end. I wish Peyton had too. I wish girls were not so cruel to each other (in the book and real life!).

I wanted to find out what happened, and it kept me turning the pages as quickly as possible. I wish there was a little more resolution in the end.

This one is ⭐️⭐️⭐️3/4 stars. Rounded up to 4️⃣⭐️.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this advanced readers copy of Come and Get It by Kiley Reid in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed reading this book, as I felt I had a front row seat in the room of a current college dorm. It was easy to read through as I was excited to see what was going to happen next. That said, I usually read to learn something or to go places I won’t likely see in my lifetime, and this story had a ‘been there, done that’ vibe for me. The entitled characters were grating to me. The mean, catty characters seemed to win, and the hard working nice characters got hammered. The predatory professor, that wantonly used others for her gain made me wince. The author writes very well about those unfortunate circumstances, but I have been too close to those behaviors to enjoy this read. I watched a YouTube with the author and liked her very much. I know life is messy and we all make mistakes. Reading about them in this book was hard for me.

Come and Get It was slow to develop and slow to happen. The premise of the book is intriguing - straddling adulthood in a college setting. A bit disconcerting at times, the behaviors are difficult to reconcile.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read this ARC.

The author of the widely acclaimed “Such a Fun Age” strikes gold again. This time her characters are in college and creating chaos in every direction you look. “Come and Get It” will ring true in part to most everyone who lived in a dorm in college and had a R.A. (Resident Assistant) who always seemed to be in your business or trying to make life more difficult. This is one book I found hard to put down. Keeping up with all the action almost required a mental map. I’d highly recommend this book to anyone who ever wondered about the secret lives of R.A.s.

This novel has a bit of a slow burn quality. It can feel like a compilation of conversations and moments that seem rather aimless until you get toward the end and understand why Reid constructed and layered these details the way she did. Fans of SUCH A FUN AGE expecting something similar may be disappointed because this novel is more subtle. COME AND GET IT is a nuanced story looking at race and class with Reid's trademark wit.

This book was so busy, I really wanted to like it but it went too far in depth with too many characters. I feel like there wasn't a clear cut plot.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

This read follows a residential assistant (RA) trying to find her way into adult hood. After taking a year off for family matters, she comes back as an older student and RA at the University of Arkansas. Her ultimate goal is to continue saving money to purchase a home. When a professor approaches her needing access to students for research, she obliges and eventually develops a relationship with her along with money associated with allowing her to learn more about her residents. This book follows a few of the students, Millie the RA and Agatha the professor. All the entanglements and secrets eventually come to head after a tragic accidental situation in the dorms.

Plot was a bit slow compared to Kiley Reid's previous book but overall an enjoyable story. I was a bit disappointed because I loved her previous book but this one was just "ok" for me.

I have so many feelings about this book. This was one of my most anticipated new releases after reading Such a Fun age but I ended with mixed feelings. Starting with the positives I really loved how character driven the book was and felt like each highlighted character was given a depth storyline that brought up a lot of feelings. Similarly to Such a Fun Age I really liked how the author addresses topics of race, class, and privilege. I also think that she really effortlessly taps into the way college students/20 year olds speak without it seeming like she''s trying so hard. The reason I struggled with this one was because I felt like the plot was hard to find and follow. This book has a lot of characters that all have a lot going on and the plot isn't super clear. I felt for most of the book that I was just trying to figure out why I was reading about the characters. I think if there were less characters I might've walked away with a clearer understanding of the book. Overall I liked this book and really love Kiley's writing style, I just didn't like it as much as Such a Fun Age.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

I mostly enjoyed the story, it kept me interested. I just have two complaints.

1) There were so many characters. I read in spurts here and there when I have time and it was hard to remember who was who with so many characters.

2) It felt like the phrases “Yeah, no” or “No, yeah” were used excessively. If I search my kindle, it shows 21 instances. Listen, I’m from Michigan. I say those phrases, but this seemed like a lot for a book.

Other than that, I did like this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this author's debut novel, Such a Fun Age, and was looking forward to her sophomore novel. Sadly, this one missed the mark for me. Having worked on a college campus in the 90's I enjoyed the setting, and the plot potential. After reading over 50% of the book, it had been mainly character studies of the story's characters, and how each of them ended up where the story takes place. Plot development occurred around 75% of the way into the book, after which the story and its ending seemed abrupt and dissatisfying. The story is told from several perspectives and like Reid's first novel, brings attention to ethics, microaggressions, and white privilege. I like Reid's writing and will definitely read future books, but this was not one of my favorites.

Thanks to NetGalley, Putnam Books, and the author for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you @netgalley and @penguinbooks @penguinrandomhouse for this advance copy.
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I know this doesn’t publish for awhile, but it felt like perfect timing with the start of school and football season. The story follows a professor, a resident assistant and students living in a dorm at the University of Arkansas in 2017. The publisher describes this as “a tension-filled story about money, indiscretion, and bad behavior.” There are a lot of characters, and this is a more character driven novel, but I found it compulsively readable. Reid creates fascinating and distinct young women, all from different backgrounds, who come together through dorm life. It read like a more literary, college version of Mean Girls. If you love an academic setting, do not miss this one! I enjoyed it even more than Reid’s Such a Fun Age (a Reese’s book club pick).

This is the story of a college professor and several college students. Honestly, that's it. It didn't work for me because I love character-driven works, but I needa bit of plot. If you love books where nothing much happens and it's all about the characters, this will work well for you. Reid is a fantastic writer.