Oh man, this book hit me with all the feelings -- and predictably, all the nostalgia -- right from the introduction. It's so easy to look back on the Y2K era with rose-colored glasses, especially as a '93 baby who came of age right in the middle of it (and who feels both decrepit and grateful for the recent resurgence.)

Shade is really great at blending the view from those rose-colored glasses with the bleak realities of both then and now. From AIM and Starbucks to 9/11 to the rise of internet porn, Shade covers it all in a satisfying blend of wistfulness and valid critique. As strange as it is to even be so far-removed from the time that we're reading books in retrospect of it, I'm so glad I stumbled across this one.

(Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.)

Nostalgic in the best and worst ways. A recommended purchase for collections where pop culture and history titles are popular.

When I saw the title, I knew I had to read this book. Being just a couple of years older than the author, I vividly remember all the events and pop cultural events she describes. All of these moments, both political and entertainment-related likely shaped our current culture, which were fascinating to reflect upon.

Initially, I expected a relatively light-hearted read, but it turned out to be a profound commentary on how that era influenced our world today. There were critiques of the era and how certain things in pop culture were problematic, then and now. The writing was insightful and thought-provoking. It took me back to my early teens where I loved glitter eyeshadow, logging onto AIM, and seeing if my favorite song was number on TRL. The book also delves into significant events/people like 9/11, Occupy Wall Street, Starbucks, unions, global warming/climate change, George Bush Jr, etc, making it a comprehensive reflection on the era.

As a fan of nostalgia, I appreciated the references to pop culture and the political climate of the time. I had just about every single experience myself that she had in that time period. The book made me recall both the good and bad, and it made me realize how optimistic us millennials were right at the start of the millennium. As time went on, I saw how those feelings faded in the post-millennium era. It makes me wonder are those same millennials optimistic now or do they still feel existential dread and hopelessness for the future

Thank you to the publisher Dey Street Books for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley