Loved, loved Kate Kennedy's retrospective on what it means to be a grown adult millennial with parents who grew up and lived so more traditionally than we did, with traditional expectations, in a very non-traditional world. As a note, I am right in Kate's demographic and related to all the tiny references to stores she shopped at, clothes she wore, shows she watched, etc. Each one of those things shaped me in who I am. And many of those little things she mentioned were memories I had forgotten. I just loved this one. Highly recommend for any millennial women struggling with identity!

I really enjoyed this book - Kate captures the millennial experience like no other. If you are middle age upper middle class white woman who went to high school and college in the US, she knows you. She knows all of us. She captures the mundane in a hysterical format. Some of the middle of the book lost me but she caught me back in during her exploration of the childbearing age for women. Much like her podcast, her discussions can be long but if you dig in, you will feel validated and understood.

Part memoir, part collection of musings on the collective experiences of growing up in the 90s and early 00s, this book of essays is a delightful and poignant trip down millennial memory lane.
Kate has a way of putting into words feelings and experiences that I did not have the words for myself and some of which I didn’t even know were universal. I loved her writing style; it felt like listening to her podcast a bit, which was so fun! The use of word play and pop culture references throughout was super well done. This book made me feel so nostalgic, and, most importantly, it made me feel seen. Yes, this was a funny and entertaining read, but it was also an important look at the experiences that shaped a generation of millennial women. I already have the hard copy on pre-order, and I recommend you do the same asap!

Read this if:
💿 you are a millennial (obvi)
💿 you like pop culture
💿 you’re a fan of Kate’s podcast, Be There in Five
💿 you enjoy essays or memoirs

SO MANY GOOD QUOTES, but I’ll leave you with this one “But that's the thing about girlhood. You and your friends have to take yourselves seriously, because no one else will.”

I truly wanted to enjoy this book, but I just couldn't get into it. I am only a year older than the author, and although I am not familiar with her podcast, I thought it would be a good read since I am also pop-culture-obsessed and the book blurb made it sound interesting.

As many times as the author liked to state that it "wasn't a memoir" - that's basically what it was. It was a lot less of a pop-culture exploration/celebration of the millennial zeitgeist (she also WAY overuses the term "zeitgeist") and more of a meandering look at her childhood, college years, and present-day happenings. Even though she acknowledges her privilege several times throughout, a lot of passages come across as incredibly insecure/unrelatable for what's supposed to be a trip down Millennial Memory Lane.

Some of the wordplay/turn of phrases were fun at first but eventually became tiresome and heavy-handed. Again, maybe you have to be a fan of the podcast to really connect with the work. Sadly, I wasn't one of those people.

There were moments of brilliance in the book, diving into feminist problems of Saved by the Bell, along with fear of being called "basic" for ordering Pumpkin Spice Lattes. It was also fun to read about familiar songs/movies/trends that I also grew up with. That is what I wanted/was led the book would be about. As a proud Millennial, I have to say I'm disappointed with this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this novel.

One in a Millennial by Kate Kennedy will strike a chord with every millennial in one way or another. From discussing American girl dolls to purity culture Kennedy dives deep into the millennial psyche. It did feel a little too long.

This book is a collection of essays about millennial culture, bordering on memoir. Some essays were more compelling for me than others, but as a millennial, they provided exactly the kind of nostalgia hit I was looking for. I wonder if this would have worked better for me on audio because there is A LOT of wordplay that the voice in my head was just not used to delivering. I especially liked her perspective on 90s purity culture and her candor about the reality of quitting your 9-5 for your 'dream job'.

This one wasn’t for me. The references were hilariously on point for millennials and there were a lot of them packed in to each sentence, but I found it tough to get through. I think if I listened to this on audio it would have been more enjoyable but in book format it didn’t work for me.

This book made me feel seen in the best way possible. Having grown up in Germany for most of my childhood, I feel like my teenage years in the states were compacted into a really saturated experience and I felt so aligned with the author on many of the topics she discussed. The first two sections were by far my favorite, and I loved the trip down memory lane. The musings were funny, honest and super nostalgic. If you like her podcast then you’ll love this, I sure did!

“ As I sipped my seasonal drink, it was a bit bleak trying to discern what interests were actually mine, fearing I’ve curated my existence based on how I want to be perceived, not who I am.”

There are SO many great passages in this book - incredible nostalgia, deep diving millennial culture, and more. But most of all this book made me feel SO SEEN. Throughout this book I just kept thinking “she is me and I am her.”

Admittedly, I did skim the passages more related to religion - but I devoured the rest of this!

As a millennial, I wanted to love this book but “I just can’t.” Full to the brim of millennial slang, heartbreak and fandom, I felt like this would make a better MySpace bulletin post than a book. Did I understand every reference? Sure. Do I worship the idols of the past? Negative. There are some great memories amongst the pages, but there are just as too many pages.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(5/5)

Ohmygoddddd I loved!!!!

Are you a millennial child (born 1981-1996)? Do the terms suede Uggs, lifeguard culture, Limited Too, inflatable furniture, funky hair accessories, Spice Girls, Auntie Anne’s mall pretzels, cucumber melon scented anything, Fierce cologne from Abercrombie, American Girl dolls, Hollister graphic shirts, Mary-Kate + Ashley’s Fun Club, Limewire and burned CDs, AIM, Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me,” puka-shell necklaces, lifeguard sweatshirts, and Backstreet Boys bring back some pretty strong core memories?!

If so, this book is for you, baby!

I literally died reading this. I’m always reading and like “oh that’s funny,” but Kate Kennedy had me acccccctually laughing out loud and reading back parts to my husband.

I mean, let’s be real. When I saw the cover of this book I was 100% sold. Beautiful blush pink? A burned CD written on with sharpie marker?The burned CD alone sent me straight back to 2001 in the best way possible 🤣

But in all seriousness, even though her humor was on point and I had a ton of laughs, Kate Kennedy made a ton of SPOT ON assessments that I was like…oh shit. Some the obvious, like how we millennials love the word “like.” But also that the news always portrays millennials as ruining or disrupting things, and we can’t defend ourselves otherwise we’re being whiny millennials. She also talks about how fucking crazy it is to be the generation born into the crazy groundbreaking technology of the internet where we were so young posting our hormonal teenage lives without really appreciating or understanding the perpetuity that is the internet.

She also talks about being in an age group of extreme vulnerability during a time where self-help gurus “who crossed over into boss-babe territory” (eeeek, I just finished Under the Influence by Noelle Crooks so this totally resonated), and mental health in an era when mental health is finally talked about. She talks about how in your twenties and thirties is when you witness through friends or even yourself that the marriage and babies plan doesn’t always go as smoothly as you’d hope…and damn if that ain’t the truth.

If you are a millennial, you need to get your hands on this beauty. Preorder, request at the lib, set your alarms for January 23, 2024, you don’t want to miss this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Kate Kennedy for an advanced copy of this book. Make sure to preorder - this baby hits shelves January 23, 2024!

Kate Kennedy is a well known podcaster, and this book is exactly what her listeners will expect. Perfect for those that love pop culture!

I have long been a fan of Kate’s podcast and was so looking forward to reading her first novel. It did not disappoint! If you are a fan of Kate’s quick witted dialogue and deep dives into 90s and early 2000s nostalgia then you will love this book.

This book was a delight as an elder millennial I could identify with part of the story ARC. From AIM screenames, working your early 20s in NYC and accepting that your corporate job might not be so miserable after all. I may listen to this on audio as I can imagine this will feel like a long-form podcast session.

One in a Millennial by Kate Kennedy is an acutely accurate portrayal of growing up as an elder millennial. It's not a memoir but a series of essays on quintessential female millennial issues. How can someone else write so accurately about my childhood!? Kennedy does an expert job digging into the zeitgeist and connecting childhood issues to what many millennial women are currently experiencing. Will any generation experience as much as those of us who attended college from 2005-2009? It's hard to believe that will ever be the case. This is best read one chapter a day. Those familiar with Kennedy's podcast know the comparison to Lorelai Gilmore is accurate. Kennedy thinks fast and speaks quickly and it comes through in her writing. She also covers SO much so one chapter to digest is much easier than trying to read the book in a few sittings. Could not recommend more for female millennials especially those who attended college anywhere from 2004-2010.

Kate Kennedy is a delight and her book felt like a deep dive conversation with a smart, funny friend. As a follower of her podcast I was thrilled to get my eyes on her latest and it did not disappoint. Her insights are always interesting and her voice is both hilarious and relatable. This book was both fun and thought provoking from start to finish. Go Kate!!

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for the eARC! I’m hesitant to admit that I’m not usually one for non-fiction outside of celebrity memoirs because I don’t want to discredit how absolutely satisfying and brilliant One in A Millennial is.

That being said this reads like talking to an old friend which makes sense given Kate’s background as a podcaster. This book resonated with me so much, I will admit that Kate and I have a lot in common mental health wise and geographically in terms of upbringing that certainly impacted my reading experience and allowed me to have that quintessential millennial experience of feeling seen or like you’ve never had a truly unique experience (in the best way).

This ticked all of the boxes for me and I had no knowledge of Kate’s podcast or previous ventures (doormats that say “Did you remember to turn off your straightener?”) and I identified with her experiences so much. If you’re a female millennial or a pop culture fiend then this is definitely for you.

This book is everything I wanted and more! I love Kate and knew I’d love her book, but even still, I was so impressed by her debut novel! Her ability to use wit alongside deep, true emotions is really a skill. I found myself relating to almost everything she wrote (and was proud I could identify almost every pop culture reference, like watching Gilmore Girls!). Her ability to articulate some feelings I’ve had over the course of my millennial life was wonderful. It was also very validating for me to not feel so alone in some of these feelings!

This book is fantastic and I can’t wait to gift copies to my female friends!

SO SO good. I feel like I relived my childhood with this book! I will be recommending to all my fellow millennial girlfriends when this comes out!

Once A Millennial is a nostalgic throw back for anyone that grew up in the 90s/2000s. Part autobiography, part social commentary I enjoyed the parallels between the authors experience and my own. With topics such as AOL instant messenger, Limited Too, polo shirts, American girl dolls, etc. it’s a fun throwback for any millennial. The parts which I enjoyed the most is the authors take on her high school/college experience and mental health. Mental health was more stigmatized prior to the 2010s and representation then in the media was subpar and I enjoyed the discussion on this. The pacing was a bit off for me and the amount of references were a little over the top but I really enjoyed this book and found it very relatable.