This one wasn’t for me. The references were hilariously on point for millennials and there were a lot of them packed in to each sentence, but I found it tough to get through. I think if I listened to this on audio it would have been more enjoyable but in book format it didn’t work for me.

This book made me feel seen in the best way possible. Having grown up in Germany for most of my childhood, I feel like my teenage years in the states were compacted into a really saturated experience and I felt so aligned with the author on many of the topics she discussed. The first two sections were by far my favorite, and I loved the trip down memory lane. The musings were funny, honest and super nostalgic. If you like her podcast then you’ll love this, I sure did!

“ As I sipped my seasonal drink, it was a bit bleak trying to discern what interests were actually mine, fearing I’ve curated my existence based on how I want to be perceived, not who I am.”

There are SO many great passages in this book - incredible nostalgia, deep diving millennial culture, and more. But most of all this book made me feel SO SEEN. Throughout this book I just kept thinking “she is me and I am her.”

Admittedly, I did skim the passages more related to religion - but I devoured the rest of this!

As a millennial, I wanted to love this book but “I just can’t.” Full to the brim of millennial slang, heartbreak and fandom, I felt like this would make a better MySpace bulletin post than a book. Did I understand every reference? Sure. Do I worship the idols of the past? Negative. There are some great memories amongst the pages, but there are just as too many pages.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(5/5)

Ohmygoddddd I loved!!!!

Are you a millennial child (born 1981-1996)? Do the terms suede Uggs, lifeguard culture, Limited Too, inflatable furniture, funky hair accessories, Spice Girls, Auntie Anne’s mall pretzels, cucumber melon scented anything, Fierce cologne from Abercrombie, American Girl dolls, Hollister graphic shirts, Mary-Kate + Ashley’s Fun Club, Limewire and burned CDs, AIM, Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me,” puka-shell necklaces, lifeguard sweatshirts, and Backstreet Boys bring back some pretty strong core memories?!

If so, this book is for you, baby!

I literally died reading this. I’m always reading and like “oh that’s funny,” but Kate Kennedy had me acccccctually laughing out loud and reading back parts to my husband.

I mean, let’s be real. When I saw the cover of this book I was 100% sold. Beautiful blush pink? A burned CD written on with sharpie marker?The burned CD alone sent me straight back to 2001 in the best way possible 🤣

But in all seriousness, even though her humor was on point and I had a ton of laughs, Kate Kennedy made a ton of SPOT ON assessments that I was like…oh shit. Some the obvious, like how we millennials love the word “like.” But also that the news always portrays millennials as ruining or disrupting things, and we can’t defend ourselves otherwise we’re being whiny millennials. She also talks about how fucking crazy it is to be the generation born into the crazy groundbreaking technology of the internet where we were so young posting our hormonal teenage lives without really appreciating or understanding the perpetuity that is the internet.

She also talks about being in an age group of extreme vulnerability during a time where self-help gurus “who crossed over into boss-babe territory” (eeeek, I just finished Under the Influence by Noelle Crooks so this totally resonated), and mental health in an era when mental health is finally talked about. She talks about how in your twenties and thirties is when you witness through friends or even yourself that the marriage and babies plan doesn’t always go as smoothly as you’d hope…and damn if that ain’t the truth.

If you are a millennial, you need to get your hands on this beauty. Preorder, request at the lib, set your alarms for January 23, 2024, you don’t want to miss this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Kate Kennedy for an advanced copy of this book. Make sure to preorder - this baby hits shelves January 23, 2024!

Kate Kennedy is a well known podcaster, and this book is exactly what her listeners will expect. Perfect for those that love pop culture!

I have long been a fan of Kate’s podcast and was so looking forward to reading her first novel. It did not disappoint! If you are a fan of Kate’s quick witted dialogue and deep dives into 90s and early 2000s nostalgia then you will love this book.

This book was a delight as an elder millennial I could identify with part of the story ARC. From AIM screenames, working your early 20s in NYC and accepting that your corporate job might not be so miserable after all. I may listen to this on audio as I can imagine this will feel like a long-form podcast session.

One in a Millennial by Kate Kennedy is an acutely accurate portrayal of growing up as an elder millennial. It's not a memoir but a series of essays on quintessential female millennial issues. How can someone else write so accurately about my childhood!? Kennedy does an expert job digging into the zeitgeist and connecting childhood issues to what many millennial women are currently experiencing. Will any generation experience as much as those of us who attended college from 2005-2009? It's hard to believe that will ever be the case. This is best read one chapter a day. Those familiar with Kennedy's podcast know the comparison to Lorelai Gilmore is accurate. Kennedy thinks fast and speaks quickly and it comes through in her writing. She also covers SO much so one chapter to digest is much easier than trying to read the book in a few sittings. Could not recommend more for female millennials especially those who attended college anywhere from 2004-2010.

Kate Kennedy is a delight and her book felt like a deep dive conversation with a smart, funny friend. As a follower of her podcast I was thrilled to get my eyes on her latest and it did not disappoint. Her insights are always interesting and her voice is both hilarious and relatable. This book was both fun and thought provoking from start to finish. Go Kate!!

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for the eARC! I’m hesitant to admit that I’m not usually one for non-fiction outside of celebrity memoirs because I don’t want to discredit how absolutely satisfying and brilliant One in A Millennial is.

That being said this reads like talking to an old friend which makes sense given Kate’s background as a podcaster. This book resonated with me so much, I will admit that Kate and I have a lot in common mental health wise and geographically in terms of upbringing that certainly impacted my reading experience and allowed me to have that quintessential millennial experience of feeling seen or like you’ve never had a truly unique experience (in the best way).

This ticked all of the boxes for me and I had no knowledge of Kate’s podcast or previous ventures (doormats that say “Did you remember to turn off your straightener?”) and I identified with her experiences so much. If you’re a female millennial or a pop culture fiend then this is definitely for you.

This book is everything I wanted and more! I love Kate and knew I’d love her book, but even still, I was so impressed by her debut novel! Her ability to use wit alongside deep, true emotions is really a skill. I found myself relating to almost everything she wrote (and was proud I could identify almost every pop culture reference, like watching Gilmore Girls!). Her ability to articulate some feelings I’ve had over the course of my millennial life was wonderful. It was also very validating for me to not feel so alone in some of these feelings!

This book is fantastic and I can’t wait to gift copies to my female friends!

SO SO good. I feel like I relived my childhood with this book! I will be recommending to all my fellow millennial girlfriends when this comes out!

Once A Millennial is a nostalgic throw back for anyone that grew up in the 90s/2000s. Part autobiography, part social commentary I enjoyed the parallels between the authors experience and my own. With topics such as AOL instant messenger, Limited Too, polo shirts, American girl dolls, etc. it’s a fun throwback for any millennial. The parts which I enjoyed the most is the authors take on her high school/college experience and mental health. Mental health was more stigmatized prior to the 2010s and representation then in the media was subpar and I enjoyed the discussion on this. The pacing was a bit off for me and the amount of references were a little over the top but I really enjoyed this book and found it very relatable.

I am a huge fan of Kate’s podcast and was so excited for her book! I enjoyed reading it, but will say a lot of the content has been discussed already on her podcast. While that meant it was a bit repetitive for me, I think it would be a great way to introduce Kate to non-listeners! Will definitely be recommending!

This book made me feel seen in ways I didn’t know were possible. As much as I enjoyed reading this, I can’t wait to listen to the audiobook. Hearing Kate’s voice tell her stories is going to make this book that much better. This is a must read for millennial women who love nostalgia and also thought-provoking commentary.

Not going to lie, it really felt like Kate was talking directly to me and we were laughing about our Chi straightener or Northface obsession in college. It was a joy to read this, even when topics got heavier towards the end.

I am a big fan of Kate Kennedy’s podcast, so I was really excited to get an advanced reader copy of her book. It was perfection! I loved everything about it, and I can’t wait for her next book!

Just finished this book (thanks to an ARC from NetGalley) and loved it. All the 90s and 2000s nostalgia and Kate’s essays about childhood, college and early adulthood are so relatable.

I hope this book can morph into a screen inspired adaptation to act as the Millennial answer to the movie Now and Then or Are You There God, It's Me Margaret?

I realize that the former came out during my formative years as a millennial, but I need something to represent my own time frame to reminisce and show my kids.

Until then, we have this lovingly long winded book, One in a Millennial. Job well done.

In this book, Kate Kennedy was in my teen millennial head, making me realize that just maybe my own Polo concerns, gel interests, PGH observations and Vera desires were not One in a Millennial but rather a shared generational and developmental experience. Obviously I was aware of trends and being influenced, but even more unique observations by my teen self turned out to be more basic than I realize. Are we all just the same person, going though the same things, Step by Step?