As a girly on the cusp of millennial-hood, I wasn't sure how relatable this book would be but the nostalgia and emotions were so there. This book will make you feel less alone and less guilty for being a little cringe. I love when the author reads the audiobook and this was such a great example of that! I will be purchasing a physical copy to highlight and mark with gel pens and share with friends.

I normally am not a fan of essays, but when this book was announced it definitely landed on my TBR shelf. I'm so glad I took a chance on this book. The author shares her thoughts and experiences on Mall Madness, bubble lettering and having been raised in the internet era. I found this book so relatable that I was wishing that I had a copy of a Mary Kate and Ashely movie I could pop in the VHS. The author also shares her thoughts as a millennial adult wrestling with infertility in the age of the Roe V. Wade overturn, feminist culture, and misogyny that all of us have a tendency to face at some point in our lives. Very well thought out and would definitely read future books by this author.

LYLAS <3

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC copy of this audiobook!

While I fall just outside the author’s experience (I’m a Xennial, so the younger age stuff I missed), the majority of this book felt like reading my own journals. The chapter about youth groups and the church had me nodding so hard my neck hurt. I don’t want to give too much away, but if I could recommend one thing, it would be to go with the audio. The author allows for emotion in appropriate spots which add a little something extra special. Additionally, the inflection for “like” made me feel true 90s joy.

As an aside, I had not listened to the author’s podcast prior to reading the book. During one specific chapter, I finally had to go hunt down her Instagram (at which point I followed her). Upon finding it, I cried tears of joy. I also cried through the last few lines of the last chapter, the following epilogue, the note, and the acknowledgements. This book was a joy. I am thankful I got to read it. (And I liked the nod to the OG (Mom) Bloggers. That felt nice.

One in a Millennial by Kate Kennedy was like reading a much more creative and funny version of my own internal monologue and journals growing up. As an elder millennial I related to almost every word of this book. My favorite parts were discussion of 90s white feminism through the lens of Saved by the Bell and deconstructing purity culture’s impact on a large portion of millennial women. Revisiting the music, tv, movies and pop culture events of my childhood and adolescence through this book was so much fun. If you grew up in the 90s or early 2000s, you’ll have a blast with this one. A fun, beautiful, honest and hilarious ride through the last 3 decades. Thank you to the author and Net Galley for this audio copy to review. The author’s narration made this extra fun.

This book proves that those who grew up in the late 90s and early 2000s had a lot of shared experiences. Kate’s memories from the 90s, 2000s, and today are much the same as mine. She describes the millennial experience in a fun and funny way, sprinkled with pop culture references, puns, movie quotes, and song lyrics. While she shares her love of Mary Kate & Ashley and American Girl Dolls, she also shares the struggles of the realities millennials face with raw emotion and honesty.

TW: pregnancy loss & infertility, school shootings

LOVE LOVE LOVE! Be there in five is one of my favorite podcast and this feels like a longer version of it. Kate is the older sister I never had! Love that my obsession with pop culture is justified.

This is a great read for all the millennials and people who want to know more about millennials. Reading this brought back so many great memories of my youth. I recommend for is looking to remember all the fun times of the 90's.

This book was amazing. I laughed, I cried, I felt so darn nostalgic!! Kate is me, I am Kate. This touched on so many big important topics for females of my generation and it was done in a fun way.

This book feels like I unlocked the password journal of a fellow millennial.
(Spoilers ahead)

- ⚠️ warning, this book mentions: glitter body gel, making up dances, NSYNC, canopy bed dreams, sweet pea perfume, dream phone game, Mary Kate & Ashley, American girl dolls, emo bands, MANY Taylor swift quotes, digital flirting, Lizzie McGuire, gauchos, Laguna Beach, Tiffany & Co, The Holiday, AOL, and much more.

I believe I am the target audience for this type of book, all the nostalgia had me in my feels. I can honestly relate to at least 90% of everything in this book, if not more.

I love that she brought up the inclusivity problems American Girl dolls faced, when they really only catered to one race and lacked diversity.

She brings up the impacts growing up as a millennial has had on our mental health and the challenges we still face from it.

The little note to her husband and also the part about her infertility struggles.. and the end❤️😭.

Similar to her, I know I’ve grown up with a lot of privilege, I know I’m not the “cool girl” and not everyone can relate to many of these things. But I absolutely related to her life and I’m so grateful to have got to listen to this book early.

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Did I write this? I mean, I WISH I wrote this. I honestly can say that I have never felt more "seen" by a piece of writing. Kate Kennedy is my millennial long-lost sister who is wise, hilarious and has an (impressively) impeccable memory. While I am a year (or so...) older than her, we grew up basically the same. I was nodding, laughing, aww-ing, and cringing my way through this gloriously written book of the '90s, '00s, and "today" nostalgia. She reached into the depths of my memories and out popped young me playing Mall Madness, Pretty Pretty Princess, and Girl Talk with my sisters. She tackles hard-hitting topics like American Girl Dolls (I was a Samantha, right GranMary?), vacation boyfriends, AOL screen names, sleepovers vs. slumber parties, cool girl handwriting, and so much more. Her expose on gaucho pants belongs in the freaking Smithsonian. Her eloquent trope on pre-gaming before going "out-out" put me right back on that carpeted apartment floor in front of a dirty mirror with my hair-damaging straightener deciding which $7 "going out top". to wear. And wait, did I mention she sprinkles Taylor Swift lyrics brilliantly throughout? Well, she does and I SWORE I was the only one who loved "My Tears Ricochet" (guys, she even quoted my all-time favorite TS prose. Why ARE you at the wake??).

Sentimentality aside, Kennedy approaches more serious topics like sexism, peer pressure, mental health, and body image as a voice of MY generation. She examines the role that the culture in which we all grew up shapes us Millenials, good, bad, and ugly. As she (we) grew up into the women we are now, more fun topics arose like Millenial motherhood, infertility struggles, and finding that "passion" in your career (is that a thing?).

This book was an unexpected delight and I am now a full-on Kate Kennedy fan (a Beth? Is that right?). She also has a podcast, Be There in 5, which I will be immediately downloading. If you're a Millenial gal, run (in those heels with jeans or Uggs with a short skirt) don't walk and listen or read this book. It's like a "burnt CD your BFF made you" for the soul.

Very nostalgic if you're a 90s kid! A little preachy at times (i.e. railing against the patriarchy - I thought I was just here to be entertained but you do you) but overall I was entertained by Kate's story & enjoyed it! The audio was excellent & I'd definitely go that route.

I wanted to like this book so much but it was a solid no for me. While I truly enjoyed so many different memories from the past there were too many parts that felt like one person pushing their narrative on a whole generation. Like the religion piece where she pushed that religion had impacted her later in so many negative ways but that’s certainly not every millennials story and if paints religion in a crappy light. Add that into her weird obsession with how AIM impacted her life and the political point on roe v. Wade that was completely unnecessary…0/10. Do not recommend.

Millenials! This is your read! What a fun look back at so many things that make us who we are today - the trends and culture of our generation.

I was fortunate enough to receive both an ebook and audiobook ARC of One in a Millennial for review so thank you to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley!
I am a long-time listener of Kate’s podcast, Be There in Five, and was so excited for her book of essays on her Millenial experience. This memoir (despite protestations that it’s not), is a feminist look at millennial girlhood and womanhood. To paraphrase Kate, it’s deep dive into the shallow topics woman have often been made to feel bad for loving.

Kate’s belief in the importance of celebrating and liking what you like is one I share, and I found many of these essays both hilarious and honoring of my own experiences. She handles topics like “popular girl handwriting” with the same reverence as she does the decision to become a parent, and I have always loved that about her perspective. If you enjoy her podcast, her voice is just as strong in One in a Millennial.

I will note that this worked MUCH better on audio for me. Kate’s writing can be dense and sometimes sacrifices clarity/readability for wordplay and cleverness, and I found that significantly more noticeable in ebook than on audiobook. Kate is very clever and an earnest lover of wordplay, but I do think this translates best on audio.

All in all I’d recommend if you’re a fan of the podcast or an elder to mid millennial woman (maybe ‘85-‘96 ish?) as I t

i’ve enjoyed following kate on ig and have followed her podcast a bit too, i was thrilled to receive an ARC of this! it was incredibly witty, poetic in parts and reminiscent. very specifically for millennials about things from our childhood that take you right back, niche pop culture and about the joys/misconceptions of girlhood.

thanks netgalley for the opportunity to review this :)

Have you ever read a book and thought, “This was written for me”? One in a Millennial is that book for me. It dredged up Lisa Frank coloured memories from the river than is my childhood, and left me simultaneously wrung out emotionally and cackling with glee.
While there were things I couldn’t fully relate to (American Girl dolls, Greek life, fertility issues) the feelings expressed regarding those topics still resonated with me. And while I have never started my own welcome mat empire, I am definitely on the “bed soup” level and an avid participant in “Amelia Bedelia-Core”. For every moment that alluded me (probably because I am Canadian) there were plenty of ones that had me slack jawed thinking, “Oh my God; she’s right!” Kennedy exposes so many millennial truths, ones I hadn’t had the words or background knowledge to fully comprehend. There were so many things I had been feeling growing up but didn’t have the language to label them. There are so many things I can look back on now and recognize the damage done.
I think many millennials have a complicated relationship with the moniker, but this book helped me come to terms with it. It was nice to have Kate Kennedy narrating her own words, leading me to my revelation. It was like having a conversation with a much cooler, funnier friend.
I leave this book a proud millennial and a honoured member of the “Up All Night” Club.

Relive your life as a millennial via an audiobook? Yes, please! When I read the premise for this book, I was in! I enjoy memoirs and one that reminisced the 90s sounded delightful. I enjoyed the nostalgic notes but this book falls a little flat. It feels a little chaotic in the way it’s put together and some parts are so slow! It feels like you’re slugging through. I think the audiobook is well produced and the narrarator works. Overall, super promising but doesn’t quite deliver.

Truly an ode to the millennial, this book had me smiling, nodding in agreement, and the occasional sigh in a heartfelt moment. The author reads the audiobook herself which was fantastic, especially for fans of her Be There in Five podcast. It really felt like a deep dive longer podcast episode. I would hand this book to any woman born from the mid 80s to mid 90s and guarantee they will be able to relate to so many of Kate's experiences.

This book was really difficult to get into. A book that reflects on our past as a millennial. Definitely nostalgic but not sure if a whole book was needed to reflect on it? I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Book Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Kate Kennedy’s autobiography, One in a Millennial: on Friendships, Feelings, Fangirls, and Fitting in, somehow managed to turn her very personal life experience into a story that perfectly encapsulates an entire generation!

Uniquely formatted, Kennedy employs stream of consciousness writing amongst essays and poetry. Her raw, honest, and vulnerable outlook is not only refreshing, but comforting. Not only did I feel seen, but I was also reminded of so many things I had long since forgotten.

While this is a fantastic read, I believe it is a true disservice if you do not listen to it on audio. Kate does a phenomenal job narrating the book. Getting to hear her story in her own words, made the entire 10 plus hours feel like I was catching up with a dear friend at a coffee shop.

Special thanks to Netgalley, Macmillian Audio, St. Martin’s Press, and Kate Kennedy for allowing me to read/ listen to this book in exchange for my honest review.