Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid is an engaging and original story about race and privilege. Your first must-read book of 2020!

I picked up Such a Fun Age on a Saturday afternoon and I planned to read a few chapters before dinner. Well, I ended up making us late for our dinner plans because I absolutely could not put this book down! It’s such an interesting story that is full of wit and biting social commentary. Racial biases and class divides are covered in such a unique way. It will also make you think about the impact of choices, perceptions and biases.

That night for Emira is, of course, horrifying but she quickly pushes it away as she tries to tell herself it’s just par for the course as a black woman in America. But what I found also interesting is that there are two white characters who keep trying to tell Emira how she should feel about that night and also what to do next. They can’t seem to accept her reaction as they’ll never be able to truly understand what it’s like for someone like Emira. Definitely some fake “wokeness” happening there.

Another key aspect that makes this story stand apart is how it’s very much a coming-of-age novel for Emira. All her friends either have started their careers or know exactly what they want to do in life. But Emira feels kind of lost and trapped in a post-college lifestyle where one still kinds of acts like they’re in college but they have to pay their own bills. While Emira does love Briar, it doesn’t mean she’s meant to be a babysitter for the rest of her life, especially with the lack of health insurance. I think anyone who is currently in that situation or remembers what it’s like, will very much relate to Emira’s dilemma.

Final review thoughts: An original story that covers serious topics but in a way that is relatable, sometimes funny, and always engaging.

This book was a page turner! While it wasn’t particularly unpredictable, I still couldn’t put it down. The plot advances quickly and Reid has a lot of interesting things—if not anything strikingly original or poignant—to say about race, class, and the little ways in which people use each other.

I was so excited when I got approved to read this book. Had been in a reading slump and this was the perfect book to bring me out of it. The writing style was fresh and incredibly engaging, I never found myself wanting to put it down. Both women were really fleshed out so you understood there character and their reactions. The story is important and makes you think about your own actions and they may come across. Great read and would recommend to everyone!

THIS BOOK! This book is incredible, and one of the best books I've read in a while. Definitely had me examining my own whiteness and behavior. Reid handles weighty issues with a deft touch. This book is done so well; I've been recommending it to everyone.

This is a Fantastic and Fabulous read! A stunning debut that I could not put down and read in two sittings. Emira is my new heroine! This book is instantly on my best of all time list. It really is an amazing story that needs to be enjoyed by many. I can't wait to read more from author Kiley Reid. Beyond 5 stars. Thank you to the publisher and #netgalley for my copy.

I enjoyed the writing of this book, it is light and the small events that happen kept me always wanting to know what's next.

It involves delicate subject such as racism and feminism but not in a too sharp way.

One of my great 2020 read!

What a great book! This story fascinated me, I found myself completely engrossed in the events from start to finish. I was also surprised at how many relevant issues were addressed. The author did a superb job in presenting these societal concerns and showing readers how these challenges and struggles are dealt with on a daily basis. I will 100% recommend this novel to my book club!

This was a very timely read focusing on racism and privilege. This was thought provoking and well written. I kept on trying to find ways to sneak in some reading time so I could read this story. Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for making this available. I hope I am not like Alix in requesting books in exchange for reviews :)

An intriguing book with complex characters and a compelling storyline that keeps you engaged, as well as eye-opening moments that really pack a punch. A quick and easy to read story on the surface with much deeper ramifications for readers willing to take a closer look.

3.5 stars. I couldn’t really connect with the characters and the ending left me wanting more. It covers racial issues but overall it was just ok

I had been hearing good things about this book, so I expected to really like it. The book is very well-written, and the characters feel real. But, honestly, I have a really hard time with books with such spectacularly self-absorbed and unlikable main characters. And Alix Chamberlain is 100% that. Oh my goodness, I spent the whole book kind of wanting to smack her. And maybe that's the whole point, but it don't find that very enjoyable as a reading experience. I did really like Emira's part of the story, hence the 3-star review. Note: I received a review copy of this book from the publisher, but the views expressed here are wholly my own.

A page-turner that will keep you up at night, make you mad, and have you rooting for the main character along the way. It's a needed voice for those of us living in the age of social media. We are constantly consuming the "best of" highlights from our friends and sometimes are "achievements" don't look as shiny or boost worthy. Emira is in her mid-twenties surrounded by friends stepping into the adult life with cool jobs and she is a talented typist and nanny. She hid these jobs from her parents. We are almost taught the "respectable" jobs we should aspire to from a young age but does that mean other occupations aren't just as important or meaningful?

Such a Fun Age immediately pulls you in in the first chapter. It raises your heart rate as the realistic imagery of a Black woman is raising her voice and not only being unheard but also being seen a threat to the safety of another. This moment will make you shake right with Emira as if you were a witness yourself. It is something that could be pulled from a headline today and makes you angry.

Emira and her relationship with the Chamberlain family will take you on a journey. Alix Chamberlain is a mother of two running a business and her choices and interactions with Emira (her babysitter) leave you feeling a range of emotions. You get to see different perspectives of the characters but in the end you just want Emira to come out on top. It was a page turner with drama that makes you want more.

This is a debut you will want to tear through and then ponder. It is one of those books that hits the sweet spot of being a whole lot of fun while also having a whole lot to say.

Such a Fun Age features an unforgettable cast of characters written with such honesty that it’s easy to empathize with and judge each of them, sometimes simultaneously. I warn you though that I also think they can be perceived as stereotypical. Its brisk, sharp dialogue is incredibly funny, awkward and real. The book is always better but seriously, this dialogue was MADE for the movies. There are several moments that positively shine including the opening scene and an expertly written Thanksgiving dinner that makes this book worth reading all on its own.

I especially loved two choices that the author made. 1) By not giving Emira any social media, a platform where we brand ourselves daily, it emphasizes that she’s unsure of who she is, and 2) By setting this in 2015, before the election that embedded and exposed many of our country’s darkest issues, it highlights that just because it’s not in the daily news doesn’t mean these “smaller” moments of racial bias haven’t been happening every day.

Recommend for: Readers looking for a book that balances social commentary with humor and enjoyability.

May not be for you if: You’re highly sensitive to stereotypes

I'm really in between a 3 and 4 star rating on this book. My enjoyment of this book went up and down throughout it. I didn't consistently love it or consistently not like it.

Here is what I did like about the book - overall it's a good story. The writing style is light and breezy and easy to read. I like that it does highlight an issue that we currently have in our social profiles of people. And I think what I appreciated most is that the main character Emira doesn't respond to the situation in a manner or way that I see 25 year old girls behaving these days. She reacts in the complete opposite way. That made for an interesting story for me. It also gave Emira way more credibility in my eyes. I feel she showed a maturity and awareness that not many young people have these days (in regards to how she wanted to handle the situation in the grocery store). I very much enjoyed Emira's character, as I did Briar's character. And it surprised me how much of a role Briar ends up playing in the whole storyline. There is a subtle twist at the end of the book that puts everything in perspective and makes you sit back and say "wow". That right there is what pushed my swing to the 4 star versus the 3 star. The ending is what makes this book.

Here is what I didn't like about the book - the conversations between Emira and her friends absolutely drove me up the wall. I get this is a generational thing here, but I couldn't understand what they were saying. I wanted to scream "talk like a normal person". I have friends of all different races and backgrounds and none of them talk like that (hence the generational difference I guess). I also have nieces and nephews that age and would be horrified if they spoke like that. Do young people actually talk like that? That really turned me off. I personally did not like Alix's character. She's conniving and manipulative. However that can work for the benefit of a story having an unlikable character. But here we have another rich white woman who feels entitled and has to setup this lame big production instead of just saying "I'd like to be your friend" to Emira. Just as not every black girl needs saving, not every white woman who wants to be friends is trying to save you (while in the terms of this story Alix is totally trying to "save" Emira while Emira does not need to be saved. She is doing just fine figuring things out on her own). I guess what made me roll my eyes with this is how many of these stories do we need?

Now, having said what I did and did not like about the story, it was overall a good story. I realize I listed alot of what I didn't like, but the ending really does make the story. The ending is what brought me out of the funk of not really liking this book. I have to say I was rooting for Emira in the end. I wanted to give her a high five! I think this was a good debut novel. At times it was even fun.

My thanks to Kiley Reid, G.P. Putnam's Sons and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When I first heard the plot of this book was about a young black woman being confronted by a security guard due to him believing she may be a kidnapper I immediately dismissed the idea of reading it because I thought “that is stupid – most people would just assume she was the nanny.” And then I realized I either had to read it or drink a gallon of poison because did my brain say that due to my subconscious already having that information? Or was it due to me having some sort of implicit bias that would automatically categorize a 20-something black woman as some sort of hired help (that’s where the poison comes in)? And would I feel that way about young women of any color who were accompanying a child of a different race? What if it were a 30-something? Or a 40-something? What if it were a man? What if I’m not “woke”?!?!?!?! (Just kidding – I am well aware that I am not woke *sad face emoji*)

Anyway, that’s the type of things this book makes you think of. Hot button topics like race and socioeconomic status and perception and appearance vs. reality are all tackled within the pages, but not done so in a heavy-handed manner. You see the goings on from each character’s individual perspective – including all of their biases. And those characters are all flawed. From the vapid Alix (I’m not even going to address the stupid pronunciation of her name), to Emira and her state of arrested development, to their male counterparts, to their friend groups. It was a real thinker (but again delivered with humor) that one minute had me “aww how cute-ing” a scene (for those interested I’m referring to the Kelley and Emira exchange on the bus where he declares her to be his girlfriend), that by the end of the book had me wanting to grab that poison again because “holy hell that was maybe not so cute after all.”

Reese’s Hello Sunshine Book Club has been a fairly consistent deliverer of what I like to call “Saturday Reads.” They have kept me not only interested but also invested and are light enough to get through in an afternoon. Such a Fun Age would easily be another 4 Star selection, if not for the addition of Briar bumping it up to the full monty. If you know me you know that I don't like children. (Probably not someone who should have had a couple of my own, huh? Hindsight is 20/20 and I like mine okay since I have molded them into mini-assholes much like myself, but other people’s kids? Blech.)

Anyway, every couple of years a kid comes along that I’d like to meet. The last one I can remember is Frank and now there’s Briar. Not only did her description conjure up an angelface, but her worldly observations????

Briar asked questions like, “Why can’t I smell that?” or, “Where is that squirrel’s mama?” or, “How come we don’t know that lady?”

“If you eat all your toes?” Biar looked back at Emira, and whispered, “Then, then guess what, Mira? No more toes.”

“Should I come eat pie with you this week?”
“Yes,” Briar decided. “But you can only have ten pieces.”

Oh my lord I just wanted to kidnap her from a grocery store!

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!

The character development in this book was insane. Kiley Reid created characters in this book that were so specific, complex, and real. Such a Fun Age is one of the best books I've read in a while. It captured the complexities and nuances of race relations in America so well while telling an engaging story at the same time. I highly recommend that everyone check this book out.

What a delicious book! Emira and Alix couldn't be more different. Emira is middle-class black college grad who hasn't yet figured out what to do with her life. Alix is white from a wealthy background who is super-successful social influencer, but she's having trouble juggling motherhood and angst and her new move to Philadelphia from NYC. When she lists an opening for a babysitter and Emira gets the job, Alix bends over backwards to show how woke she is, while Emira tolerates it. I don't want to give too much away, but there is a riveting intersection of circumstances and people that made me breathlessly read to the end. Eviscerating social commentary handled with humour and empathy. I'll be looking for more books by this author. #netgalley

This is a compelling read about the lives of two very different women and the ways their lives are intertwined. It's a multi-layered story about race and class. A book that at first appears like it might be fluffy, but is definitely more complex.

So many mixed feelings about this one. I'm leaning 3.5 stars so I am rounding up. I was frustrated by certain things in this book- can Emira please speak a sentence without it coming out as an uncertain question? Alix and Kelley are terrible people that I couldn't stand throughout. I kept waiting for this book to get better and it did when Emira finds out the "big reveal" - but everything in the fallout was slightly disappointing to me and didn't feel realistic or in character for several of them, especially Alix and what happens after the big action at the end. However, I could barely put it down, plus the last 30% or so of the book, I'll round up to 4 stars. I would definitely like to read more from this debut Philly author. EDIT: The more I think and reflect, I'm bumping down to 3 stars. I just can't stand a lot of what happened here.

I think i'm the unpopular opinion that didn't really love this book! I was really underwhelmed with this book and I am surprised it was one of reese whitherspoons book club picks.