Ok this book started out great. It was funny and punny and filled with talk of things that I could relate with even though I am not a millennial. But at about 10% into the book the puns got old. And the topic matter got serious and oddly dry. I felt like I was reading a research paper and not a fun book taking me on a journey of my childhood. So, I didn’t finish the book…but I just cant.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an advance copy of this book.

There were so many parts of this that were so nostalgic, in both good and cringey ways. I was reminded of stuff I'd forgotten about being a millennial. The author is so funny! I love the random bits and the chapter titles the most.

Entertaining and engaging. A recommended purchase for collections where memoirs and pop culture titles are popular.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for my advanced electronic copy. My opinions are my own.

Kate Kennedy is a pop culture commentator and podcast host (Be There in Five), focused on her generation, the "millennials." This generation is roughly defined as those born between 1981 and 1996, coming of age around the turn of the millennium, and serving as a bridge across a period of economic, technological, and cultural upheaval between the 20th and 21st Centuries. Kennedy's essays focus on "pop culture, nostalgia, the millennial zeitgeist" and her reflections on her lived experiences as part of this generation that has...let's be honest...been blamed for a lot.

The prologue hit me right across the face and in the gut. I FELT it. There was a lot to relate to there. And lots of references to things that you may not get if you didn't live them too--indeed, they pulled me back into memories and snatches of memories, elements of which I'm glad are documented here by a memory and pen better than my own. The rest of the book is relatable to me in varying degrees, but Kennedy anticipates this, explaining that her perspective both as an individual and a self-proclaimed lover of pop culture will present a worldview that not everyone can relate to in all ways. She's right. For example, while I agree that our generation (I'm an older millennial myself) is much-maligned, I also think that it is not atypical for each generation to look down on those that come before and after, which sandwiches us in the middle at this space in time. And she's also right that in adolescence we struggled a lot to fit in...is that unique to millennials, though? Or is that what we do while we're trying to survive while figuring out who we are? But she is obsoletely spot-on that millennials serve as a pivot point and that's a rough place to be. It took a while for us to be taken seriously. We were raised/programmed with the expectations of the previous generation (century?), and are now having to adapt to a new reality for which we were not in the least prepared. Her memories and perspectives are universal while being unique, and are entertaining while being informative. And that's not easy to do.

As a millennial, I absolutely love the premise of One in a Millennial by Kate Kennedy. However, I'm used to reading fiction, so it was difficult for me to get used to the writing style in this book. I found the parts that I did read of One in a Millennial to be very humorous and nostalgic, so I might attempt to finish it one day.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a nostalgic read, it felt like sitting with old friends talking about the good old days. So much relatable content. Sometimes I feel like I'm perpetually stuck in the 90's (with no shame about it) and as such, this book was made for me!

I am on the late end of Gen X, so while I recognize the references, I feel a bit more cynical about how pop culture from the nineties had such a huge effect on how we see ourselves. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style. The author inserted random mentions of pop culture into her sentences in a bid for cleverness. Overall, this was just okay. Maybe I’m more of a Gen Xer than I thought.

I went in to this book thinking it would be a nostalgic trip down memory lane. And I some ways, it was. The first half was particularly fun to read as a millennial. I especially loved the chapter about AIM and how it shaped the way we talk to each other. The second half of the book fell a little flat for me, and seemed like a lot of essays about why she wanted to write a book. I am not familiar with her podcast, so that may be a part of why the rest didn't resonate with me. I wanted more nostalgia! I loved reading her take on Limited Too, gel pens and Saved by the Bell. It is an enjoyable read for anyone who came of age in the early 2000s and touches on the early internet, purity culture, boy bands and also the trauma our generation has endured through countless school shootings.

Kate Kennedy's "One in a Millennial," is a sharp, witty, thoughtful analysis of pop culture through the frame of womanhood. Kate's observations and one-liners had me laughing out loud. There was no millennial stone left unturned from American Girls to the Spice Girls, with some Taylor Swift lyrics aptly sprinkled in. The zeitgeist topics were uniquely and candidly explored. These essays were a fun trip down memory lane and helped me remember things about my childhood that I had forgotten, like AIM screen names and popular-girl handwriting. Kate's approachable writing style made me feel like I was having a conversation with a friend over coffee. Her essays left me with a lot to reflect on. The humor was clever and serious topics were dealt with reverently. This is a book you'll want to reread and lend to all of your friends!

I feel both seen and attacked.

The way I laughed, sent quotes to friends, and cringed while reading this book is wild. I was unfamiliar with Kate Kennedy prior to reading this book - but will definitely seek out more of her work. She so perfectly captured the zeitgeist of the time and so many of the small, cultural influences that impacted my girlhood. From the classic white girl sleepover, complete with some spooky stuff, to American Girl Dolls to fashion and sororities - I laughed so hard reading this book.

“One in a Millennial" is a fun, nostalgic read. Structured in the form of essays in three parts spanning the 90s, 00s, and 2010s, Kate touches on everything from her experiences growing up through to adulthood, and frames these alongside nostalgic pop culture moments & memories that you'll find yourself laughing and thinking "girl, same".

I want to cry thinking about it. My girlhood is wrapped in every morsel of nostalgia that Kate Kennedy immortalizes in the pages of her book, One In a Millennial. Kate is a podcaster but I see her as a modern historian and thought leader of the millennial experience. Kate leaves no facts unchecked in her book of essays on the millennial experience. I believe that life is difficult to simultaneously live and dissect and Kate does such a good job of reverencing girlhood experiences while not blindly praising them. I envision myself turning to this book again and again not only for the nostalgic hugs but for the sharing of feelings over drinks and snacks that this book feels like to me. This book is like getting together with the girls of your girlhood and rehashing memories and feelings with all the insight, humor and compassion that age brings. If you love Kate’s podcast, Be There In Five, you will love her book. And even if you’ve never listened to her podcast, her book will still hit you right in the feels.

I loved the concept of this book, but the execution is a little flawed. It reads much more like a trip down the author's memory lane than what I expected - a commentary on how millennials like me became the way we are. While I love the reminiscing of the past, I struggled to get through this book because of the writing style. I am a completist, so I will finish it, but it will likely take me a while since it isn't really grabbing me. Not sure if I'd recommend this one or not. If you like her podcast, you'll probably like it, but otherwise... I'm not sure.

I absolutely love Kate Kennedy’s podcast Be There in Five, but this book was missing a little bit of some thing for me. For those who love the idea of a book, full of
Kate’s podcasts in written form, this will be for you, but I myself was expecting something a little different than the podcast. I wish I could’ve given this all the stars but ultimately it was I typically look for in a nonfiction.

I’ve never listened to Kate’s podcast, but I really loved this book!
Born in 1993, I’m a full on millennial and I found this so poignant and interesting even though this book ended up being a lot different than I expected.
I expected this to be more like a memoir than a think piece, but I think the think piece structure this is in works much better for the subject matter.
This was so niche but it made me feel really seen. For most millennials, we grew up in that weird in-between time where social media was absolutely a big part of our teen years but not quite what it’s like today.

I'm definitely the target audience for this (32 year old mom of 2) but I had trouble getting into this one! If you follow her on Insta and are already a fan of her wordsmithing and style then I'm sure you'll be a big fan. I needed a little more funny pop culture references and honestly just less big words. I don't want to have to work so hard to read this style of book. This would be a great gift for the millennial in your life though and I see how people can connect with her message!

Fans of Kennedy's podcast will love this book, it is written in her signature long form, pop culture heavy prose. Not for every reader, since Kennedy seems a little over impressed with her own cleverness, but a relatable reflection on millennial girl to womanhood.

This millennial pop culture/memoir was totally hit-or-miss for me throughout. Half of the time I really enjoyed the references, recollections, and stories Kate Kennedy told, but then the other half it was way too full of random unrelated stories and tangents that had little to do with the essay topics. I feel like this book could have really been great with tighter editing and less thrown in at the end that has less perspective than earlier chapters.

Overall I did enjoy, and would recommend to others who grew up in the 90s and came of age in the 2000s. I think audio might also be a better experience.

I was expecting more of a memoir, but it's not that. It's more of Kate's musings on many different millennial topics, some of which deeply resonated for me since Kate was born a mere two months before me. If you like her podcast, you will obviously like the book. If lines like "I wasn't in the market for someone being Contempo Casually cruel (in the name of being honest) about my outfit" make you laugh, then this is also probably up your alley.

Really fun, sharply perceptive, and laugh out loud funny. I can’t wait to listen to the audiobook version of this too! If you’re a pop culture obsessed millennial, don’t wait to read this. It’s gold.