Wow. Wow. Wow. What a book to kick off 2020 with! The characters sucked me in, and the writing style, swapping from current and past points of view, was delightful to read. It's a story of racism and trying to make ends meet, but more than anything, it's a story about imagining other people complexly and seeing outside of your own life and into others'. It's about how we are often quick to judge people who are, in turn, quick to judge us. I'll be thinking about this one for a while.

SUCH A FUN AGE by Kiley Reid is so hot right now. I mean, come on, the brilliant Lena Waith snatched up the film rights before the book was even published! It’s a fast-paced read that tackles big, important issues and I totally devoured it! Y’all know me (#ProudSlowReader) so when I say I finished it in a few days you know it’s good!

Emira is a young, black woman and like many people in their twenties she is unsure what to do with her life. But she needs money so she babysits a toddler named Briar. Briar’s mom is Alix, a wealthy, white blogger with a “confidence-driven brand.” One night while out with Briar, Emira has a confrontation with a security-guard which sets into motion a series of events that shines a light on issues of race and privilege in the US.

I found it truly amazing the way in which SUCH A FUN AGE discusses racism. Racism is often presented is extreme terms: racists are KKK members or neo-Nazi’s and their racism is violent, obvious, and direct. But racism can be more subtle and even unintentional. The white characters in SUCH A FUN AGE do not consider themselves racists (they have black friends, they are liberals) but how they treat, use, and even try to help Emira is done in a way that is controlling and dismissive. I commend Reid for tackling the hard to discuss subject matters of racial profiling, non-violent discrimination, and white-saviorism without falling into stereotypes or using one-dimensional characters.

Though at times the language was stilted and the ending seemed a little rushed, I found the book wildly entertaining and totally contemporary. You will definitely be hearing about this book a lot so do yourself a favor and read it!

This book was really buzzy even before Reese picked it for her book club, and I think this book deserves the hype it’s received.
Kiley manages to write about race, class, and privilege without the book feeling too heavy or preachy. She has been on record saying she loves writing about awkward moments between her characters, and she really delivered on this. There is one scene in particular (Thanksgiving) that reads like a car crash you know is going to happen, but you can’t take your eyes away. My heart was beating like crazy from the thrill of it.
Not all of the characters are likeable, but I really liked reading about all of them. Many people won’t like Alix (and I didn’t either), but she is so fascinating, and I enjoyed all of the layers that Kiley gives her.
It’s a wonderful debut, and I look forward to seeing what else Kiley Reid will do.

This book deserves every single bit of the hype that it is receiving! Thank you so much to the publisher/Netgalley for the advanced copy. It is a phenomenal book - the writing is straight-forward, yet there is so much depth. The voices and dialogue are unique and feel so real. Every character is flawed and, still, you get where they are coming from. I had the pleasure of meeting Kiley Reid last night at Books Are Magic in Brooklyn and she is brilliant. I can't wait to see what she comes out with next.

Such a Fun Age was everything I needed, it dealt with many complex themes concerning race, but in an extremely engageable and easy to read way that made me unable to put the book down. I loved the character development of the three main characters, and how multifaceted they were. If you love books that make you reflect on the way you behave, this is the one for you.

This was a really smart and well-written debut novel. It made me think about who I am and how my race defines what I’m able to do. It made me think about how I interact with people of other races. It made me think about what it means to be in a child’s life. It made me remember what my mid-20s were like. It made me cringe about what high school was like. It reminded me that great friends can still give bad advice. It reminded me that relationships and families and friendships can change over time and sometimes can’t be fixed. Overall, an excellent book that will stay with me for months.

Highly recommended and intensely readable (I could hardly put it down!).

What I found most touching about this book is the relationship between the babysitter Emira and the child she is watching, Briar. Emira has genuine affection for the young girl who is possibly on the autism spectrum (?) and seems to understand her and bond with her in a unique way. An interesting book about about how we react to one another, this one will make you examine your own prejudices.

I enjoyed this book but don’t think it lived up to the hype. In fact, I’m not even sure what this was all about. I feel like the beginning with the grocery store scene never got resolved and should’ve maybe been a bigger issue. It took until chapter 18 for things to really unravel and happen and even then I was waiting for something else to happen. It was a quick, fun read but otherwise unfulfilling.
Thanks to Netgalley for my ebook copy.

The characters in this book are so well drawn and nuanced that the almost leap off the page. I almost expect to run into them on the Philadelphia streets. Even the antagonist doesn't have just one side. This book could be the start of so many conversations about race, what it means to care for a child, what constitutes a successful life really, and our obligations to each other. On top of all that, it was an enjoyable read.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a different concept which was nice. But at times it was hard to decide which characters to like.

I felt like this book touched on a lot of different subjects that are hot topics right now. It touched on racism, women's empowerment, stay at home mom vs Nanny and many more. The characters were interesting and from different backgrounds that made them act the way they did in this story. It is amazing that things that happened to Alix as she was growing up affected her so much as an adult, who pretty much had everything anyone could ask for. I understood Emira's feelings doubt being stuck where she was and unable to make a decision on her future career. I really liked how it all came together at the end.

I’m so sorry but I just didn’t enjoy this book at all. I wasn’t able to connect with any of the characters and it just didn’t make me feel it. I didn’t think it was the kind of book for me maybe. I sure didn’t like the interactions and the way the author made the characters sound so juvenile. Or possible childish is a better word. It just did not do a thing for me.
I’m very sorry but this one is a huge no for me.
Thank you to, #SuchAfunAge #NetGalley

I finished this book a few days ago, but felt like I needed to sit with my thoughts before writing my review. This book, while written in such a light, breezy tone is one of the most impactful that I've read in quite some time, as it gracefully touches on topics including racism, classism, white feminism, and white saviors. I thought the book did an excellent job of highlighting what happens when people make an assumption about the lives, socioeconomic status, and obstacles faced by those that they meet. My only 'gripe' with the book was the twist that was included at the very end. I just didn't feel like it was true to the character of Alix, since I interpreted her as someone who desperately needs to be in control of the narrative. But complaints aside, this was still an excellent novel and I have a feeling will be a top 5 read of the year for me.

Such A Fun Age
⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Emira, a 25 year old babysitter, has no idea what she wants to do with her life. One night, she's out with her friends when she's called to babysit Briar in an emergency. Emira leaves her friends at the bar they're in, picks up Briar and heads to the local grocery store so that her parents can sort out their emergency situation. This is the first interaction we read between Briar and Emira & it is so obvious how good Emira is at her job & how much Briar means to her. Suddenly, Emira finds herself being questioned by a security guard on suspicion of kidnapping. Why? Emira is black and Briar is white.

Race is very much a theme in this book. We're living in a world where racism shouldn't be an issue anymore but it is. Reid covers this heavy topic in a modern way and really highlights (for me anyway) the idea of racism being a spectrum.
To me, this ranges from outright racist remarks to subtle racism. I don't know what the proper term for that would be but I feel like it's the kind of racism that makes you wonder if it was a racist comment or not. And in my experience, if you're thinking it is...it probably is.
Because of this, this book is so relevant for today's society and it resonated with me for 2 reasons. Firstly, because the women in this book are all successful in their own right. Some through their careers, some through their strength and some through their independence. They do not tolerate bad behaviour. They're there for each other and they don't take s*** from anyone! Secondly, all that racism. I could really relate to Emira at times as subtle racism is something I've experienced a number of times.

This book is worth a read as it's quick, lightly written, yet there is a lot to dissect. Emira is a woman who is figuring out what she wants to do with her life. We've all been there and her honesty about her situation makes her relatable. She has a strong network of women around her and the dialogue between them made me smile and miss my own friends. It's not a heavy read even though the themes are and this shows Reid's skills as an author because it was only when I really began to think about what I was reading did I realise how many underlying topics were addressed. And, the twists! This book had so many and they were so good because I didn't see a single one of them coming. 

Thank you Netgalley for my ARC of this book.

When I originally read the synopsis, Such a Fun Age was such a highly anticipated book for me, so I was excited to receive an advanced copy. After finishing it, I needed to take some time to digest the story and its ending to decide on how I wanted to rate and review it because it leaves a lot to be unpacked.

The plot focuses on important issues, such as race and privilege and growing up/living in our current society. While these topics are usually heavy and sometimes hard to talk about, they are presented in a way that I know many people can understand and relate to. The first half of the book really drew me in with this, and it's the main reason why I liked the book.

The characters were fun, but I'm still not fully sure how I feel about them. For example:
-Emira is a gem, and her relationship with Briar is so beautiful. She is obviously a very gifted baby sitter/nanny and has a way with children, especially Briar. She is the typical 25/26 year old simply trying to find herself and figure out what she wants to do with her life (and hopefully get her own health insurance along the way!). Her decision and actions near the ending left me shocked, as it seemed almost out of character for her.
-While the relationship between Emira and Briar is one that I loved, the relationship between Alix/Alex and Kelley was over the top dramatic. It seemed full of he said/she said petty HIGH SCHOOL drama coming from adults in their 30s. Sure, we've all probably been wronged during our high school years, but it's not something I would bring up in my current stage. That was weird to me, especially since it was a large chunk of the plot in the second half

Such a Fun Age follows twenty-five-year-old Emira, a young black babysitter for the affluent Chamberlain family. Emira loves babysitting inquisitive and precocious three-year-old Briar Chamberlain while she figures out what to do with her life. While babysitting one night, she is confronted by a security guard in a local supermarket. Alix Chamberlain, Briar’s mother, gets wind of the situation and becomes obsessed with making Emira feel like part of the family. When a video of that night comes to light, it unearths someone from Alix’s past and makes Emira question if Alix has her best interests at heart.

I loved Such a Fun Age. I found it to be an incredibly quick read. There is very little exposition, it jumps right into the story, introducing Emira as she leaves a night out to head to babysit. It’s funny, heartwarming, and at times challenging. It focuses on themes of race, affluence, and privilege in a way that seamlessly flows into a beautiful story. The quiet hero of the story is young Briar. She’s wise beyond her years, but her individuality is seemingly only truly valued by Emira. It was heartbreaking watching as she realizes her mother does not appreciate her unique personality and individuality.

Thank you to @netgalley and @putnambooks for the review copy!

Emira, a young black woman in her mid-twenties, is a babysitter for a wealthy family of two little girls. When Alix, the mother of the two girls, calls Emira up to watch her three year old late one night, a security guard at the local grocery store accuses Emira of kidnapping the little girl. Alix, feeling second-hand embarrassment for Emira, makes a plan to right the wrongs that have been done to her sitter. At the same time, a handsome bystander from the grocery store also offers his help to Emira in the wake of the racially-fueled incident.

Ive seen many reviews that have stated this was quick and easy to read, i couldnt get my head around the writing style at all. i want to try this book again on audio as i think i would enjoy it more.

I really enjoyed this author’s style of writing. While the writing stayed light and breezy, she deals with some heavy racial issues without feeling overbearing. It was superbly written. There is one character who drove me batty throughout the story but I think that was the point. How she dealt with her insecurities was beyond aggravating and she put herself in some really awkward situations. I was hoping she would redeem herself by the end but just like real life, some people just won’t get it. I hope those reading this story do get the point the author is trying to make and that is affluence and privilege (or lack of) affects how you view the world. You have a responsibility to educate yourself about how your privilege affects others.

Thank you to #netgalley for an ARC of #suchafunage for my honest review.

Whew. This was a great book, but a thinker. The insidious nature of every day racism is on full display in "Such A Fun Age". Reid does a great job of showing the casual manipulation and unrecognized aggression that can occur in every day society, and indirectly highlights all the ways a person can be racist without "BEING RACIST". A must read for fans of Samira Ahmed and Angie Thomas.

This book was wonderful and not what I expected at all. Strong women characters and a great insightful look at social issues without being preachy or overdramatic.