One in a Millennial
By: Kate Kennedy
Review Score: 3 1/2 Stars

Boogie’s Bulletpoints

-There is so much that any millennial can relate to in this book!

-The author runs a podcast, but you do not need to listen to it to enjoy the book.

-Kennedy really points out all of the hallmarks of our childhood, and how it impacted us as adults.

-The essays run a bit long, which can make it hard to stay engaged.

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One in a Millennial was kindly provided as an ARC by Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press. Thank you for allowing me to read this wonderful book!

Release Date: 1/23/24

I was so excited to read One in a Millennial. I knew there would be fun stories, throwbacks to childhood that I had not thought about before, and a better look into the shared times we all had.

There are so many little pieces I loved about this book (AIM, Lisa Frank, common Millennial cars, Going Out Tops…the list goes on and on). It was fun to see that we all went through those same things, and I loved reminiscing about those times.

What I did not like, however, was how much politics was mentioned. There are constant mentions of it, and for me, it took away from the stories (a little bit here and there is fine, this just felt like too much for my personal taste).

Regardless, this was an enjoyable read, and I think any fellow millennial out there will enjoy it.

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I wasn't familiar with Kate Kennedy or her extremely popular podcast before picking up ONE IN A MILLENNIAL so i went in blind and was completely delighted. Kennedy has an incredible way of bringing nostalgia to life from the page, taking us millennials back to the early days of the internet, the love affairs with pop culture, and what it truly means to be a millennial women. I found it moving and funny, and while I probably would have gotten more out of the references if I had grown up in America, I still felt seen and had a great time taking a trip down memory lane with Kennedy. I was also very affected by her pregnancy journey, as I have been on a smilier path as Kennedy, and being seen in this surprising regard as well was just the icing on the cake.

Kate Kennedy speaks to my millennial SOUL.
This book is laugh-out-loud funny, very cleverly written, and filled with heart. The author’s poetic way with words elevates this work in a way I didn’t expect.
5 Stars.

As a millennial myself, albeit one with quite different life experiences than the author, I really enjoyed this book. While it is wordy at times, the word play and references (esp all the Taylor Swift lyrics) truly delighted me. Though I am a bit younger, am the eldest child to the author’s youngest, am short and fat compared to the author’s “plain and tall,” and was raised in California compared to the author’s Virginia, we still both were part of the same shared straight, cis middle-class white girl culture and liked many of the same things, from Limited Too to Spice Girls to boy bands, and who can forget the Forever 21 going out top. What’s more, the way she connected her past interests to her current musings on feminism, equality, and becoming an adult in American society were pretty insightful. The author knows that she represents just one type of lived experience and expresses that clearly. For me, the first sections of the book were perhaps the most fun to read, as chock-full of said references as they were, but I did also enjoy reading about her path to motherhood and her take on the “love-marriage-baby carriage pipeline” in the latter section as well. She doesn’t speak for every millennial, but I’ll take Kate Kennedy over Hannah Horvath any day (not a reference she makes, though she does appear to watch HBO, as she did give us Sex & the City allusions). I loved it,

One in a Millennial is a walk down memory lane for those of us like myself who were born in the mid 80s. There were so many instances that I related to, and so many little bits of pop culture that lived on the edge of my memory that were re awakened reading through this book. In that way, it was an enjoyable read and what I was expecting when I started this book.

That being said, it wasn’t everything I wanted it to be. I wanted more of the cultural zeitgeist of growing up as a millennial, and less of the personal stories that seemed to be repeated and not really fleshed out. I’m not sure I would read it again, but it was definitely worth the read the first time, if for nothing more than the nostalgia.

I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest and fair review

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of One in a Millennial by Kate Kennedy.

Holy cow, if you are a 90's girl who is parched for a bubbly can of nostalgia, this is for you! Kennedy is your HS bff coming to remind you of the wonder, fascination, and sometimes disappointment that was the 90's. She goes into HS culture, popculture, movies, dating, college, etc. She has a charming and quirky way of words, sometimes to a fault. I found myself skimming the rambles every so often. However, I loved the walk down memory lane, and I even learned a bit about my own era that I'm happy to see is improving over time. Well worth the read!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for sharing this arc!

Kate Kennedy has become one of the most insightful and relatable voices of the millennial women in the US. Though I am a big fan of her podcast Be There in Five, I think every woman in our shared experience can absolutely understand and empathize with all of the things Kate touches on in One in a Millennial. In fact, the entirety of our experience can be summarized from this passage in the introduction: “We were raised in preparation for a world that no longer exists and are forever trying to navigate the terms.”

This book explores all of the things that we lovingly remember (and cringe at), and Kate does an excellent job of sharing her experience as it relates to being a millennial. I am looking forward to listening to this in audiobook format!

Oh my gosh I absolutely devoured this book, and loved every minute of it! I don’t read many non-fiction books but I’m so glad I took a chance on this one!

Thank for an ARC of this book..I follow Kate on Instagram and have listened to many of her podcasts, so was anxious to read this book. It's just like her podcasts, witty and fun and very observational and relatable. Kate has some clever play on words, observations and thoughts on being a successful woman in this age. I of course loved all the Taylor Swift references too! Nothing heavy or deep but a fun, clever read!

This is a fun and witty memoir.
I am not a millennial myself, but still found myself relating to this book.
The American Girl Doll mentions made my day, I was fully invested in my little world of American Girls and all that included when I was young.
I enjoyed this book, made me nostalgic for a time that I can hardly remember but also for what I grew up with.
There are so many times when I would laugh out loud reading this book!
So many things I thought only I experienced, but we are not all so different. I would recommend!

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martins Press for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

One in a Millennial delves into the massive task of unpacking the trials and triumphs of coming of age in the last 30+ years and does so with unique expertise and a sense of humor to boot. With her remarkable intellect, sharp wit, poignancy, clever wordplay, and creative prowess, author Kate Kennedy takes readers on a nostalgic journey to explore the nuanced landscape of our collective memory.

With skillfully intertwined personal anecdotes and important broader cultural analysis, Kennedy recreates a vivid picture of the past. From the pangs of adolescence to the joys and heartbreaks of young adulthood, she captures the hilarity and struggle of figuring out who and how you want to become. Through vivid storytelling and thoughtful reflection, she bridges the gap between nostalgia and introspection. Notably, she offers readers the grace to see their younger selves in a far kinder light whether or not their experiences mirrored her own.

The act of creating means putting part of your being, your core, out into the world irrevocably — this is always a gift, full stop. However, the excavation of memories used throughout this book surely required an even deeper layer of personal investment which shines through page after page.

I laughed, I cried, I watched The Parent Trap for the first time in a long time (Yeah, wow, Elizabeth James and Nick Parker were the *worst* parents).

A massive thank you to Kate Kennedy and Netgalley for the ARC — I enjoyed every minute. Don’t miss this fantastic book coming in January 2024! 5/5 ⭐️

Let me first say I’ve been listening to Kate’s podcast for years and I truly enjoy her wit and insight. But… I don’t know how to rate this book. I always enjoy Kate’s quips, and I feel like she understands me even though she’s never met me, but this book just felt too repetitive and long-winded for what I got out of it. The paragraphs were too long (a groan every time Kindle said “1 hour 15 minutes left in the chapter) as were the sentences. If you listen to BTIF, then you’ll see the same stories and puns and jokes here. It’s not a bad book at all, just not for me/not what I was expecting.

loved the book. very enjoyable read. it did take me longer than usual to get through because of all of the wordplay (the wordplay was fun, it just slowed me down significantly). i also did occasionally forget what an acronym stood for between chapters. overall great read though and truly captured the life of a milennial woman!

One in a Millennial is a fun memoir to explore ideas of gender, nostalgia, and coming of age. I whipped through it, and it unearthed so many things that I had forgotten about. I'm not a regular podcast listener of Kate Kennedy's, but I may try to tune in more often because I loved the book.

Reading One in a Millennial the same week that I saw Greta Gerwig’s Barbie was such a treat! This book is chock full of pop culture references, 90s kid nostalgia, and, of course, Kate Kennedy’s signature wit.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for sending me an ARC! Looking forward to it hitting shelves next year!

Kate has written a book that I deeply relate to as a millennial woman. She breaks her story in to chapters that reflect different parts of her life and I was able to draw parallels to my own life through all of her chapters. Kate has a way with words and having been a fan of her social media presence and podcast, I am used to her long form way of presenting herself. Her word play is artistic and witty. Reading her book I could hear her voice in my head. It was like having a conversation with a friend. I think any woman would enjoy this book, but millennial women will feel a real kinship.

I was a teenager in the 80's so I loved the nostalgic vibes of this. The author has a strong voice which will inspire generations to come. With a keen eye and a flair towards the humorous. Will be buying multiple hard copies!!! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for making this ARC available

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

Full disclosure: I have never listened to Kate Kennedy’s podcast, nor had I any idea who she was before I requested this book on NetGalley. I was drawn by the cover (millennial pink, duh!), the title, and the hope that I would be able to relate to a fellow gal in my hotly-debated age bracket.

I must say, this book was EVERYTHING. I felt like I was talking to a younger version of me, or sitting with a girlfriend from my elementary days. It was so relatable and validated a lot of my life experiences! Kennedy grasped so much of the millennial experience and I loved every minute.

My one tiny tiny criticism is that some of the sentences felt a little long to me. Maybe that’s the teacher in me being picky, but aside from that, no notes.

While I had not known of Kate Kennedy beforehand, I can say I am a fan now. Thank you again for this awesome read!

I’ve always liked Kate Kennedy! She wrote a great book here. Funny and unique, inspiring. I enjoyed listening to her podcast and this was just as good.
I was born in the late 80’s so this book definitely applied to me.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this e-arc. My opinions are my own.

This was one of the best books I read this year. It was soo good that I can’t wait to buy in both hardcover and audiobook. Kate is the voice of a generation of women that have been silent for too long, while being described as too chatty. Her chapters about college years were the exact way I felt but didn’t have the vocabulary to express.