This book is nostalgia and girlhood all wrapped up in a perfect bow. I loved it. Kate is so eloquent and smart and her words come to life on these pages. Highly recommend!

I am not a 90’s baby. I wanted to read this book in anticipation of a 90’s themed convention experience. However, this book is much more a memoir centered on pop culture than the 90’s deep dive it advertises itself as.

Nevertheless, this book was still entertaining. Kennedy is a witty, engaging author, and I found her insights on childhood and the cultural zeitgeist to be valuable. This book masterfully handles experiences both humorous and serious through its clever incorporation of media. Still, I hope that the eventual marketing for this book as it nears publication better matches its actual content.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have never listened to Kate Kennedy’s podcast, but now I certainly will. I picked up this book solely based on the cover art and title but throughout this reading experience, I genuinely questioned if I AM Kate? I kept thinking of girlfriends to recommend this to but, at times, I’d think “maybe they wouldn’t really relate to that” but there was not one thing that didn’t hit home for me (though my college tragedy was the suicide of a partner I never truly dealt with/healed from versus Kate’s experience).
I feel this is a must-read for all millennial women. Seriously. Maybe not every topic/memory will connect as it really is a tailored memoir to Kate’s lived experiences, but anyone will find aspects to relate to and learn from. I already have a list of like 25 girlfriends I want to gift this to.
This book is sweet, nostalgic, and heartfelt. I laughed out loud and literally teared up.
Highly recommend.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF at 30%  for me. I thought I was really going to love the nostalgia and the reminiscing, but I found myself bored and skimming through the chapters looking for more substance. I think I like this more in an audio media and I would have made it through an audiobook with a different opinion. 
Sorry but thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

*3.5 stars

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. As a millennial, this brought all of the childhood and teenage feels that were super nostalgic. I laughed when one part mentioned the elementary school answer of "What do you want to be when you grow up?" and the general answer was "Marine biologist". I can 100% confirm - this is true. Ask my dad. My literal answer growing up - I actually took oceanography and marine biology in high school lol.

While I enjoyed the early and mid sections of the book. The latter section went into darker millennial topics - which I 100% agree with the author on, however, I thought I was going to be reading a commentary on my childhood feels, not my reproductive rights as an adult millennial woman.

I think marketing on this could have been a bit more specific. Going into this, I had no idea it was a memoir, so I was a bit unfocused for some of the content as I do not follow the author or her podcast.

That said, I do believe millennials will be able to relate to sooo much of this and it was a good read.

First thing, in complete honesty, I don't know who Kate Kennedy is. As a millennial, I was intrigued by the title and synopsis. I was born in 91 and categorized as an elder millennial. I have never related to a nonfiction book so much before. We grew up very different however still went through the same things and same feelings. I had an American girl doll, loved the books, a day bed and an obsession with pop culture. This book was comforting to know that someone else went through the same things. Watching one generation end while the next developed. I think a lot of Millennials would enjoy this book and will definitely be recommending it.

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.

I’ve been a big fan of Kate Kenndey and her podcast Be There in Five for many years! When Kate announced she was writing a book, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it!

Reading One in a Millennial by Kate Kennedy is like listening to a long(-er) version of a podcast and I just couldn’t get enough! I could hear her voice narrating the stories. I couldn’t stop laughing, smiling and relating.

If you’re a millennial woman who’s enjoyed Kate’s podcast or you’re looking for a laugh, be sure to pick-up ne in a Millennial in January 2024!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was hoping for more cultural commentary, but this was mostly memoir. As a younger millennial (1995) I could relate to some things but not others. I think fans of Kennedy’s podcast would probably like this more!

ARC REVIEW

One in a Millenial
By Kate Kennedy

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5

Publishing date:1/23/2025

I was super excited to read this one! As a fellow millenial I love nostalgia and this book does give that throwback feeling,for sure!

Each chapter touches on various topics that were heavy hitters throughout millennial youths and early adulthood-music,clothing,"going out", doorframe beads, etc

However, it had a lot of extra dialogue. I found myself skimming because it felt like there was a lot to read but it wasn't NEEDED? Also, Some of it felt unrelatable. For example, the author lived on $40,000 for a year that she SAVED, while she started business.....yeah can't relate lol I mean, good for you but yeah...lol

Overall it was enjoyable. I think millennials will like it, but it may be hard to get into it if you are not a part of our generation.

Thanks to @stmartinspress for the opportunity to go back in time! Also, a thanks to @netgalley for the arc 😊

I really took my time with this book, savoring the chapters. As a podcast listener, I'll admit I was predisposed to love this book, but it truly exceeded my expectations. So much of Kate's personality shines through in the writing, with subtle rhymes and puns at every turn. While much of the content contained sentiments I've heard Kate express on her podcast over the years, there were plenty of new ideas and new framing that made me consider issues in a different light. As a millennial, I felt SO seen and validated while reading. Many of my own experiences and perceptions seemed to overlap with Kate's, and it felt good to have someone voice what I'd felt in such a clear way, and with much more depth. I found comfort in her connections between religious music and romantic expectations, not to mention her continued advocacy for a woman's right to delight in whatever the f*ck she pleases.

While some chapters resonated more deeply than others, I appreciated the wit, transparency and humor throughout. The constant injection of fun word play often surprised me and made me laugh out loud.

This book is an absolute gem, and while it wasn't one that I binge-read, not one that I "couldn't put down," that was only because I needed to let each long chapter/essay marinate. Millennial women NEED to read this book! Not just to feel seen but to revisit, reflect and perhaps reframe our childhood and teenage experiences.

This was a very relatable book. As a millennial myself I loved all of the references. Pick up this book.

Kate is a pop culture commentator and in this book, she takes a closer look at the high level culture moments that were happening that impacted her life as a millennial female. While she is very good an noting that her experiences are not representative of everyone, the topic she covered were relatable. It made me stop and reflect how I was taking in things like Purity Culture, American Girl dolls, and the 'going out' culture at the time and how they impacted me then and now as an almost 40-something.

Thank you netgalley.com for providing an advanced copy of this ebook.

I want to doodle a chain of hearts and write TLA all over this book like the 90s child I’ve embraced inside me! Thanks to NetGalley, I received an advanced digital copy of this book and I will be ordering these for my sister, friends and my own daughter to consume someday. Kate Kennedy took me on a RIDE through her/(our!) childhood and wove in nostalgia, observations and her own vulnerability to create such a beautiful story. The reader gets to know Kate really well and the order of the story reads very smoothly. There a few short poems included that I swooned over and longer essays that sat deep in my heart. She uses really fun wordplay and pop culture references that sparked a lot of joyful memories. She didn’t avoid some darkness, and took the chance to preach (which I applaud). I think a lot of women could relate to at least a little of what’s in these pages. I’m glad this book exists.

I love me some non-fiction and I am so thankful to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, Kate Kennedy, and Netgalley for granting me advanced access to this gem before it hits shelves on January 23, 2024.

I resonated with this book so much because I too was a teen of the 2000s and I lusted after things like Limited Too and American Girl Dolls, and even later in life I partook in the Sorority Life/Night Club hangs and I had several going out tops that were staples of my college experience, outside of all the learning and thousands of dollars being spent on a degree and whatnot.

As I listened, I laughed, I empathized, I revolted, and I cringed in response to the various essays and short stories that signified what growing up in the 2000s looked like for girls everywhere.

This was an interesting read for a millennial woman, but I’m not sure if it will appeal to audiences outside of that group. Going in, I thought the book was going to be about what it was like growing up as a millennial woman, but it was actually a memoir, a very specific experience of one millennial woman. There were several ideas and experiences that I identified with as a millennial woman, but also many things that I didn’t connect with at all. This book explored some really deep and meaningful reflections on feminism, sexism, and body image issues that were great. A fun read for a millennial woman if you go in knowing it is a memoir. I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

Kate is great! I wasn’t sure how much this would resonate with me as I’m technically considered a Gen X (1979) but 90% of it did. Loved all the pop culture references and her dissection of how those have shaped us. How flawed so many of them are yet they are precious childhood memories for us. We loved Saved By the Bell but Slater treated Jessie like a dumb dumb. How feminism was tainted from an early age and thought of as some enraged woman.

I love that she gives us permission to love surface level things - makeup, celeb gossip, bravo etc while also still allowing for deep meaningful connections with others.

I really appreciated what she shared in regards to infertility. How ingrained it was growing up - playing Mash - how many kids we would have, only to later face that sometimes parenthood isn’t a choice.

I felt like a kid again reading about slumber parties, the mall, dream phone, Now and Then, CPK, gaucho pants lol. She doesn’t corrupt those memories but expands our understanding of them. Giving space for love and growth.

I’ll definitely be reading more from Kate.

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.

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

There was not a doubt in my mind that I wouldn't love this book and it lived up to every expectation I had. Kate's writing style is just like her podcast style; it's long winded, in the best way possible, and is ridden with little jokes and pop culture anecdotes. It's very Lorelei Gilmore (without all the selfishness). If you've never listened to Be There in 5, it might take some getting used to but it's so fun and I know you'll eat it up in no time.

One in a Millennial covers everything from Britney Spears, Limited Too, Going Out Tops, the Internet and Pumpkin Spice fascination. It covers the 1990s-2020s and hits on every major milestone young millennial woman have gone through. It's a look behind the curtain of what it was like to grow up in a time where everything was promised to us, but nothing was delivered.

While the topics Kate discusses might seem surface level, she has a way of deep diving into them and finding the depth and seriousness. She can analyze a situation, a pop culture moment or phenomenon and discuss how that moment shaped us. She allows us to look at things a little differently than before.

This book, and everything Kate puts out, makes me feel so seen. I've always felt deeply connected to pop culture, to the nostalgia of my childhood, and the idea of the millennial generation. We're the last generation to know what it was like before the internet, before cellphones, before streaming services. We're very special in a lot of ways and it makes me sad that so many people dislike us for no reason.

I take being a millennial very seriously, it's half of my personality (half joking, half not) so this book was like coming home for me. It was so funny, so witty, so interesting, and just a good time. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me nod along and reflect on my own memories.

One in a Millennial is a quick, fun, witty, and beautiful read that feels perfect coming off of the year of Barbie, Beyonce and Taylor Swift. 2023 was truly the year of the girl, and One in a Millennial is the best way to kick off 2024.

This book was full of nostalgia for me. From the very first line I knew that I was going to relate hard to this one. I loved the book about as much as I loved Dreamphone as a child.