"One In a Millennial" is an exploration of pop culture, nostalgia, and the life lessons learned from coming of age as a millennial. As a pop culture commentator and the host of the popular millennial-focused podcast "Be There in Five," Kennedy brings her perspective to the table in this book, featuring a blend of humor and seriousness.

Kennedy's narrative is undoubtedly from the viewpoint of one millennial's lived experience, but she still delves into important topics such as intersectionality, feminism, privilege, reproductive rights, and the pervasive misogyny that has defined millennial culture for much of our lives.

The author's ability to intertwine personal anecdotes with broader societal reflections makes "One In a Millennial" a thought-provoking read. It invites readers to reconsider the depth that can emerge from seemingly surface-level interests. This book serves as a mirror to millennial experiences, encouraging introspection and fostering a deeper understanding of the complexities inherent in navigating the cultural landscape of our generation.

This was as nostalgia inducing and relatable as I had hoped, with lots of humor and interesting insights. Made me feel simultaneously old and young again hearing about malls, fashion trends I would like to forget and the complicated highs and lows of sorority life. Her writing style was at times too cheesy/blog writer humor for my sensibilities, but I think a lot of people may enjoy that type of cleverness. Just was too heavy handed on the puns and wordplay for me in that regard.

In this memoir he author writes about various topics from her childhood and adolescence through college and her adult working life. All the references to the 90's and 2000's pop culture were spot on. TW: Also touches on pregnancy loss.

I absolutely loved everything about this book! I am only a couple of years older than the author, so this book was very nostalgic for me, and I could relate to so much in this book. I loved the author's honesty throughout. The chapter that really resonated with me the most was when the author opened up about her struggles with fertility. Again, I really appreciated the honesty in this chapter specifically, and it really made me feel less alone in my own struggles. This book also really opened my eyes to a lot of the messaging that was pushed onto us as kids that totally went over my head, and honestly, still did as an adult. It was very eye opening. I think this is a wonderful book for millennials to read. I can't wait to purchase my own copy and dive into again, and I will definitely be recommending it to our patron's. I already have a few in mind who I know will love it.

Like most of Kate’s podcast episodes this one took me a long time to finish but in a good way. It is very similar to the podcast but in written form. She covers things from her past with nostalgia and pop culture mixed in!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this title.

I really, really wanted to love this book.

As an elder millennial, it's my job to look back fondly on my childhood. And if all of the moments aren't fond, I've worked through them or tried to blur them out for the sake of self-preservation.

I will be honest. I decided to DNF this book at 10%. I almost never do this with a book I've been given in exchange for a review. I typically want to give it my best shot and see if the ending pulls it all together.

As the author states at the beginning of the book, she is just one millennial voice. Hearing things through her voice made me quickly realize we did not have the same childhood experience at all.

I was raised an only child of a single mother in an era when this was extremely looked down upon. My childhood was financed by long, long hours of work by my mother and the deadbolt firmly latched on my front door. Shopping at Limited, Too or not having the right American Girl doll was not part of my upbringing. I was thrilled to get to read American Girl books from the library. I got jacked every time PBS was hosting a fundraiser because I knew it meant I'd get to see Anne of Green Gables on TV..

This book very much starts like Clarissa looking back, and Explaining It All to a gen Z crowd.

It didn't feel like this book was for me, so I closed it. I'm training myself out of my millennial people-pleasing ways and not finishing something I dislike just because I got it for free.

That doesn't mean it wouldn't be a fun read for you.

I don't even know where to start with how much I loved this book. As a '91 baby, reading this book felt like I was leafing through my own childhood and teenage journals. Kennedy has such a way with words that ends each chapter with a reflective mic drop. She touches on important topics like feminism, self-acceptance, and marketing while still making you smile and laugh out loud at nearly each page...not an easy feat! While incredibly nostalgic, this also provided me with lots of insights to consider as I raise my own daughter in today's media and consumerism-obsessed world. Regardless of whether or not you're a millenial, everyone needs to read this book. Not only does it bring back great memories (or cringey ones...like my old AIM screennames...), but Kennedy serves as the guide I wish I had when I was a teenaged girl. I can't express my love for this book enough - thanks so much for the ARC!

Once in a Millennial strives to be a cultural commentary on growing up in the 90s and early 2000s, but it really reads as a memoir. I did find much of it extremely relatable, as a white middle class evangelical kid. I think fans of Kate Kennedy’s podcast who are interested in her as a person will enjoy this book.

I hate to write this review, but I was disappointed by this book. I think the cute cover and idea of finding a relatable book about millennials really sold me on requesting this - but it felt more like a memoir about someone I don’t know. While the author did touch on topics that brought me back to my youth, the story was mostly about her life. The chapters were so long, I had to check if the book was over 500 pages, only to see the book is under 350. I just really struggled and I’m sad to say it. I am sure there is an audience who will love this book, especially if they are fans of this podcaster. At a certain point, I had to skim to get through it. I also found myself getting thrown back into some cringe memories so maybe I was triggered? Again, I hate to say this because I know the author put a lot of heart and vulnerability into this book. I hope it reaches the right audience.

First things first, I feel like I would have preferred this book in an audio book setting, That being said, I did enjoy the way the author balanced all the negative things of the past and with our society about being a millennial, and showed both sides of each issue very well in terms of its negatives and positives! I liked the way the book was structured and as a ‘97 baby, there was a decent amount I could relate to throughout the entire book.

I feel like I wrote this book. This audio got me through all my Christmas baking and I ended up baking MORE just to keep listening. I loved the anecdotes in between the chapters, and the quirky/punny chapters and comments throughout had me rolling. I am a new Kate Kennedy fan! I highly recommend this to all millennials!!


I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Bring your walk man, juicy couture jumpsuits, and your best spice girl dance! This was more of a retelling of Kate Kennedy's life being an older millennial and how things that she went through back then shaped her in being who she is now. I related a lot to what she was talking about. Especially the mental health aspect of it. The stigma behind "hiding" how you really feel and walking around like a robot not acknowledging it and how, in reality, wasn't normal. Looking back on the way we were brought up, there was a lot of sheltered logic behind it all. I wouldn't trade my upbringing for anything. But, there were a lot of things that we were shown that were under valued, under appreciate, and definitely not addressed enough. Bravo for Kate for bringing this to light. I think it was written well.

4.5 stars

Thanks SO much to SMP and NetGalley for the eARC and Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

I enjoyed ONE IN A MILLENNIAL so much I read it twice last year! I got the ARC over the summer, loved it, and immediately preordered my physical copy. Then when Macmillan offered the audiobook, I had to take it and read via audiobook so I could hear @katekennedy read it herself. (If you’re not familiar, the author is a podcaster, so I definitely wanted to experience this book that way.)

When you read this, you’ll definitely laugh, you may cry, and you’ll reflect on what it means to be a woman in this world, specifically a millenial woman. It was funny and nostalgic, but also incredibly insightful— Kate is very smart and has a way with word play that will have you smiling along to all of the references to our childhood while also really thinking deeply about how the ways of the world (much of which is cringe-worthy looking back) in our early years shaped us into who we are now, for better or worse. I will absolutely be rereading when I have my physical copy and tabbing to remember all of the important things I think this book brought to mind.

I loved all of the 90s/early 2000s talk, Taylor Swift and Gilmore Girls references and so much more.

I love Kate’s podcast so it’s not surprising that I love her book! This was such a fun read! It was like talking with my childhood best friend. Kate has so much humor and personality.

I have decided to DNF this book as I am a Canadian millenial so I feel like there are a lot of things that don't really vibe for me, and it's also an extremely wordy history lesson on events that I lived through being spun to be a lot more psychologically dramatic than it really needs to be. Yes, we were boxed in as young girls, but we were also given a LOT of great role models.

I am going to be honest, I had no idea who Kate Kennedy was nor had I heard of her podcast, Be There in Five, prior to reading this book. I was intrigued by the fun cover, witty title, and the promise of tales that would that would resonate with my millennial self.

After reading, One in a Millennial, I can say that I enjoyed nearly every aspect of this book. I am a few years younger than Kennedy so we did not have all the same "millennial" experience (I was unfortunately not quite old enough for a real stake in the NSYNC vs Backstreet Boys divide, but I did love the Spice Girls and was always Baby in our basement performances), however, the underlying tales of girlhood, forging an identity in the face of peer pressure and what it means to be "popular", and finding ourselves in an ever-evolving world, is something I can relate to.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

As a longtime listener of the Be There In Five podcast, I was super excited to receive an ARC from NetGalley for this one. I have a similar background to the author and identify so much with her story and commentary on millennial nostalgia and perceptions of millennial women. I enjoy her writing style, which goes back and forth between a sort of stream of consciousness and a spoken word style with lots of clever wordplay. While I enjoyed reading the digital book, I do think that the audiobook will be the best experience for this one when it’s available.

As a millennial who has spent most of her life being a fangirl, Kate has such a way of making me feel seen. This book gave me the biggest nostalgic hug at times and had me yelling “yes!” (à la Meryl Streep’s reaction to Patricia Arquette’s Oscar speech) at other times.

The sentences and paragraphs felt a little long winded at times and as a fan of short chapters, I struggled with the length of the essays but I also have been a listener of Kate’s podcast for some time so I know that’s just her and it didn’t take away my enjoyment of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Kennedy, and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I want to preface this by saying that I was born in 1998, so I am technically Gen Z, but in reality, a "Zillennial" is a real thing, and I am one. Most people don't realize that those born before 2000 are much closer to a shared experience of later millennials than of younger Gen Z. My dream was to be decked out in Limited Too head to toe, I poured over American Girl catalogs to find the latest mini accessories for my Kit doll, my Disney VHS collection was miles long, and I didn't get a cell phone (that had a sliding keyboard) until I was in junior high. Whereas millenials might have been in high school/college in the mid-00s, I was in elementary school, and they were the cool, older girls I was dying to be, hence many shared experiences with fashion and pop culture that we as preteens tried our hardest to emulate. With this disclaimer, I was drawn to Kennedy's essay collection/memoir because she seems like she was my spirit sister. Another disclaimer that I am a cis, white woman, and so is Kennedy, and we were both Girly Girls. So this will not resonate with everyone. But it did with me. One in a Millennial is filled to the brim with clever, sometimes too on the nose, puns and pop culture references in an essay collection that starts off funny and turns more serious and into a memoir as it proceeds. The nostalgia of being a girl at a sleepover pouring over MASH games and trying my hardest to have the "popular girl handwriting" was almost too much to handle at times. Even though there is a bit of an age-gap between us, it was refreshing to read how girlhood stays the same in so many ways throughout the years. Moving into the later chapters, I was surprised to see Kennedy opening up so much more about very real topics, such as mental health and infertility. I wasn't expecting this book to be more of a memoir, and for me, it was a pleasant surprise to be let in to Kennedy's experiences on these deeper topics. The book didn't always work for me and was a bit over the top, and I can see how some might not relate with the book, whether they want more objective essays or can't relate to the author's experience. However, I think if you have any sort of nostalgia for "girlhood" in the 90s/early 00's and go into this prepared to read it as a memoir, it can be a surprisingly good time.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for a copy of One in a Millenial in exchange for an honest review!

One in a Millenial says many times “this is not a memoir!” But it is most definitely a memoir. Told through the lens of a white, firmly middle-class millenial, we learn about how growing up in the “90s, 2000s, and Today” affected Kate throughout her life. Topics explored includes Limited Too, AIM, boy bands, slumber parties (light as a feather, stiff as a board anyone?), going out tops, unrealistic dating expectations set by rom-come, toxic diet culture, the “lazy millenial” label.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book. Kate very relatably writes about the experiences of coming to age in the 90s/early 2000s and how it formed her worldview. The last few chapters where she wrote about career changes and fertility struggles - while interesting and common concerns of millennials - felt a little too long to me.