I had fun with this. It might not be the most memorable read, but there are parts that really stand out, especially as someone my age. The physical and audiobook we both equally enjoyable. For a specific crowd, but those who it appeals to will enjoy the reading experience.

A must read for every 28-30 something who fondly looks back on their childhood and teenage years with fondness, nostalgia and a twinge of embarrassment. Kate so beautifully puts words to our collective consciousness and helps us know we weren't alone

I’ve been a long time listener to Kate Kennedy‘s podcast and a follower of hers on Instagram. I absolutely adore the way she dives deep into the randomness topics that millennial women are seriously invested in. I still remember listening to her three hour podcast about Mormon mommy bloggers and wish she had done multiple sequels. One in a Millennial a deep dive into the pop culture that made the millennial generation. She really understands how it is to live in the in-between everything. Kennedy does a an excellent job of bridging the gap of the modern millennial women. I was so glad that Kennedy narrated her own book. As a listener of the podcast her voice carries so much weight!

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Parts of this book were a lot of fun to listen to and felt so nostalgic! Crazy how so many of us had similar experiences in our childhoods. Trigger warning for infertility and miscarriage. I’ve never listened to Kate’s podcast but I definitely want to check it out now. She’s a great storyteller, the book just kind of fell a little flat for me. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

One in a Millennial has all of the makings of a Gilmore Girls and PEN15 crossover event. This book was such an interesting look into the psyche of a true 90s girlypop who has been shaped by online culture. As a Zillenial, I was at the tail end of most of the experiences Kate Kennedy mentions in this book but I was just close enough to feel the nostalgia - especially when she jumped into the 2000s.

I didn't realize when I began reading this book that it’s non-fiction and I wasn’t sure how I would feel because I do not gravitate towards NF… but I am so pleasantly surprised by this book! It was honest, vulnerable and charming. I related to so many of her personal experiences, from southern religious trauma to the gnawing and ever present need to be online.

Kennedy was a great narrator and really brought each thought to life! Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I finished this book two days ago and I'm still unsure what I thought about it because I loved and hated it in equal measure.

What I Loved:

This book touches on some of the very serious issues our generation faces. She sums it up best when she explains that we were mostly raised in very traditional homes, often with one parent home, much of the generation raised in middle class/upper middle-class situations thanks to the booming economy of the late 90s, and for that reason we banked (often literally) on a traditional future..... but that doesn't exist for us due to wage stagnation, inflation, cost of living, climate change, socio-political issues, and a rapidly shirking middle class. This is such a serious problem and it's uniquely Millennial since Gen Z and Gen A are being raised primarily by Gen X or Millennials themselves and never expected a traditional existence. They're much more prepared for the world as it is than we are. This is an absolutely fascinating issue that I wish the author would have done a deeper dive into.

There were MANY extremely relatable observations. Fo example when she talks about how if woman take interest in stereotypically female things they're written off as "basic", but when they take an interest in stereotypically male things it becomes an inquisition. As a life-long rabid Green Bay Packers fan, I can't count the number of times I've been wearing a jersey and been approached by men who ask me if I can name five plays (though generally they leave me alone when instead of naming quarterbacks the names Woodson, Hawk, Driver, Freeman and Kuhn roll of my tongue). Why do mean feel the need to do that? Again, I would have loved an elaboration.

Things I Hated:

I'm unsure if it's every chapter because it's hard to tell from the audiobook, but it seemed like most chapters started with a bit of a lengthy poem? I absolutely hated them. Way too many dramatics, word play, etc. It sounded like the TikToks I see of young women reading super dramatic poetry that I scroll past so quickly I'm shocked it ever comes up on my algorithm ever again. I get the idea, but it just wasn't for me and seemed to further confuse the issue--- is this book poetry? a memoir? social commentary? I'm still unsure.

I also really started to wonder if this audiobook was ever edited. In print I often see overused phrases and it's a lot but it's not distracting, whereas in an audiobook it is glaringly obvious and very distracting. Can you search an audiobook like you search text? I would be genuinely interested in the number of times this author said "Going Out-Out", "Zeitgeist", "A Little More Time on" (You/Me/Them/It/However else she referenced one of the crappier NSYNC songs). It was just overkill, especially in combination with all the Carrie Bradshaw type word play. I LOVE a good Carrie Bradshaw monologue, but it seemed like this author went way, way, way out of her way to find the absolutely maximum amount of word plays she could fit into a book. It was chocked full of repetitive words and phrases like, "Eating too many kettle chips and not going hard enough with the kettle ball", I get it, and I appreciate a good word play but it was honestly difficult to listen to at times.

Overall, I love a good Millennial musing or a solid push of the nostalgia button, and this book definitely hit the mark on that point. I just think it was a bit too random (many, many bits literally start with 'So Random') for me. The deeper parts of the absolute insanity that is Millennial middle age were glossed over and I think harping so hard on the superficial things only helps to further perpetuate this idea that Millennials are self-obsessed and shallow. Ultimately, this is a cute read for a Millennial book club and/or fans of the 'Be There in Five' Podcast.

Going into this book I didn’t know anything about the author Kate Kennedy. So it was cool to learn that she’s just a few years older than me, grew up like an hour away from where I lived, and went to college two hours away from my alma mater. It made a lot of the stuff she discussed feel very close to home. Even when the types of millennial activities or styles she was discussing weren’t things that directly applied to me, they were things I remember noticing with other girls I grew up around.

Memoirs or books of essays where people use the pop culture that was important to them to explore different facets of their lives really appeal to me. It’s definitely important to know going in that much of this book is about Kate’s life and experiences. It will probably be relatable for a lot of women close to her age, but it’s also a way to get a glimpse into what life was like for a specific subset of millennial women.

I absolutely loved the writing in the book. It’s very poetic without ever feeling too flowery or too self important. The book covers a wide range of topics from the appeal of day beds, American Girl dolls, polo shirts, purity culture, mental health, AOL instant messenger, slumber party games, popular girl handwriting, and so much more.

I definitely recommend checking out the book if you’re interested in a mix of 90s & early 2000s nostalgia, modern reflections and commentary, and personal anecdotes. I did a mix of both reading the eBook and listening to the audio. Kate narrates the audiobook herself, and there are parts where you can hear her start to get choked up at emotional moments, which made listening to the book a really immersive experience.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ALC. Wow, talk about taking you back to the past. This was such a fun listen. Made me remanence and relate. I'm not technically a millennial but close enough. I highly recommend this one.

I knew this book may not be for me, as I myself have a hard time identifying as a millennial, (technically I’m the first year of this generation, an elder millennial—eye roll) but I gave it a shot anyways. Though, it claims to be commentary on millennial pop culture, it's very much a memoir of one millennial’s experience, and because of that its likely that fans of the Be There in Five podcast will love this book, and for everyone else it will simply be somewhat relatable.

Kennedy divides her book into three parts—her childhood in the nineties, emerging adulthood during the 2000s, and today. Several of her essays in the 90s were nostalgic to me, hello all I wanted was a Samantha Parkington doll, and I spent an embarrassing amount of time in high school crafting my perfect AIM away message before I walked away from the family computer in our game room. Some I was too old for—read Mary Kate and Ashley movies.

Her part two section was bleak to say the least, but not not important as she confronts head on her struggles with mental health and entering the work force during an economic crash. I appreciate her transparency with her problems, and reiterating how society claimed she was just another “whiny millennial” that needed to grow up. Her declaration that it’s okay to not be okay sometimes needs to be shouted from the rooftops.

The final part of her book is very reflective of how far she has come in her thinking and how society hasn’t always followed along. Her honesty about her relationships and her journey to become a mother will definitely make some cry. Her stance on women’s bodies will make some cheer and others get defensive, but I appreciate that she doesn’t sugar coat her position.

Overall, this was an interesting enough memoir, her voice is loud and clear in her writing, but I wish it was more general to the generation and less specific to her personal story. Her commentary regarding generation stereotypes was the most interesting part throughout the book. And I get it, she’s a wordsmith, but the amount of rhyming and puns through the book was distracting to me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and the author Kate Kennedy for the advanced copy of the audiobook. One in a Millennial is out on January 23rd. All opinions are my own.

This book is a nostalgic and empowering look at one millennial woman’s experiences. The shared reality many of us experienced in our formative years shaped much of our lives and there are common themes that define our generation. This book brought that to light in fun, at times serious ways. The pages are filled with anecdotes and tidbits that will only be fully appreciated by millennials. I enjoyed the Taylor Swift references, DMB lyrics, reliving pop culture moments, and feeling validated as a female and a millennial.

“Never let anyone who drafts fake football teams make you believe your interests aren’t important.”

Thank you to Kate Kennedy, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of this audiobook! The sound quality was excellent, and the I enjoyed listening to the author narrate the book. It was especially touching to hear the emotion in her voice when talking to/about her loved ones.

I had already read the galley of One in a Millienial, but also wanted the chance to hear it read by the author herself Kate Kennedy. Hearing the book read in Kate's own voice brought even more to this book full of nostalgia and niche topics! As an avid fan of her podcast, Be There in Five, I am familiar with Kate and her tangents, so it was fun to hear her read the "So Random" portions of the book as it felt like it might just be part of the pod. This book is definitely not for everyone, but if you are a millennial, especially in your mid-30's, there for sure will be parts of this book that resonate deeply with you and bring you back to your childhood or teenage self. I got chills just listening to Kate's poems at the beginning of the 90's chapter thinking of being a young elementary school aged girl and what things were most important to us at the time. 5 stars for Kate!

"May the milk be chocolate and the pizza be square" -Kate Kennedy

This is going to be mandatory reading for my friends and sister! What a fun trip down memory lane...a mix of fun and some cringe moments listening while remembering some things I did pre-facebook times (thank goodness!) As a Xennial (late GenX/Elder Millennial), I enjoyed the insight Kate brings us about what makes us who we are, and I fully appreciate that. While never a Spice Girl fan, I understand the fandom and the sudden "uncoolness" of being a fan when the boys decided it wasn't cool ... because NKOTB forever!

While this book is for a particular generation, that is okay. Not every book is for everyone...this book is for the 80s and 90s kids who had a childhood of Walkmans and teen years of hoping to hear "you've got mail" after the screech of the dial-up connection.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for the ARC. The review is my own. LYALAS!

One in a Millennial by Kate Kennedy was so relatable as a millennial. I loved that Kennedy read this audiobook herself, I felt like I was having a sleepover with her, getting to muse about shared childhood experiences. I think this would be an amazing choice for a millennial book club!

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.

4 stars

As a person who was born in the last moments of what is widely considered the Generation X range and has taught college for almost 20 years, I'm always hesitant about how I'll connect with anything including "millennial" in the title, but then I go for it to better understand (?) my students. That's why I initially picked up this one: the podcast, the cultural insights, the millennialness... What I got instead - a memoir involving all of these things - actually worked better for me than a 'millennials for dummies'-style guide might have.

Kate Kennedy is an interesting character, and this memoir - as good ones do - does focus on the cultural and generational connections, but it also goes into more moving elements of her at times challenging life experiences. A motif that may strike some readers more profoundly is her discussion of fertility struggles. If this content is too much for you right now or in general, hold off. She does not shy away.

I started this with no previous exposure to this author, and I came away enjoying the listen (go for the audiobook, which she narrates). I expect but cannot confirm from personal experience that incoming fans of hers will be even more thrilled to get to know her on a more personal level.

I loved this audiobook! Not just about millennial fads and pop culture but a great memoir for Kate's life so far.

She had me laughing and I ended the book with tears in my eyes. I was originally worried about the length of the audiobook but time flew by because I was so entertained. Kate also narrated the book perfectly and I enjoyed parts where I could tell her emotions were taking over.

I highly recommend if you are a millennial or you love generational memoirs. I have never listened to Kate's podcast but I'm adding it to my list immediately!!

Pros: I assumed I would love this book because of how much I enjoy the author on Instagram and on her podcast Be There In Five, and it was everything I hoped it would be. Kate Kennedy’s voice is genuine, thoughtful, vulnerable, smart, and funny. My favorite thing about her is how relatable she is, which I know has a lot to do with us being the same age and having the same pop culture references (American Girl Dolls! Gilmore Girls! Boy Bands!). My favorite section was about the 1990s, especially the essay about faith/evangelicalism/purity culture.

I loved this book in print, but I loved it even more on audiobook because I am used to hearing the author's voice on her podcast. I've preordered it on Audible to listen to again!

Cons: Although I gave this book 5 stars (which I almost never do), I don’t think this will be the perfect book for every reader because it is an examination of a specific generation. I think readers who are not as close in age to the author will enjoy the book but not deeply connect with it like millennials will.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read this book.

(I've shared this review on Goodreads and Storygraphy but could not get the Goodreads link to work.)

I really do think this book needs a different marketing strategy. I requested an advance copy of this because the description said it was a commentary on millennial pop culture when this is really a memoir. The author writes about various topics from her childhood and adolescence through college and her adult working life.

This book is definitely a sipper.. in the best way! You’ll eat up each bit of nostalgia little by little. Millennials are going to be screaming yesssss to so much in this cutie. I’ve never highlighted more on my kindle!

Growing up in conservative west Michigan, she talks at points about the problematic issues in religious communities in the 90s/00s and how they still effect millennials today. I say that to share that it gets deeper than just spice girls and beanie babies 😘

She is hilarious and raw. So relatable. This would be the perfect gift for any millennial in your life!

I did the first 85% on my kindle and the last 15% on audio. I LOVED them both but the audio is really well done! ❤️

Thank you NetGalley for my copies!

This was a shot of nostalgia straight to the veins. It was social, cultural, and generational commentary wrapped up in a 90s canopy bed bow. I laughed, I cried. No seriously, I cried - I'm a sympathy crier and when the author (also the narrator) got choked up, I got choked up. This is one of my top reads of 2023 and I desperately hope that my fellow millennials put this on their "most anticipated reads of 2024" lists. This made me feel shots of nostalgia about things I hadn't thought of in years. Like Pop-Up Video and Pentel RSVP pens (the superior pen for us with a penchant for fine-tip pens). The writing was a beautiful combination of super relatable, like talking with an old friend over brunch, but also lyrical and poetic enough to pack a punch without getting drawn out.

I look forward to the publishing date so I can pick up a physical copy of the book. To re-read and annotate, with my barely-visible Milky Gel pens.

Big thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a free audiobook advanced listener copy. All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.