As a podcast fan and an overall Kate Kennedy fan, her contemplation of the millennial experience is one of my absolute favorites. I tell people all the time "she just gets it" and this memoir is a great example of how she just gets it. .

Absolutely love this book by Kate Kennedy. Her stories are nostalgic and endearing and I love h how clearly her voice comes through in her writing. Would recommend this to girls and women everywhere!!

I’ve been following Kate and Be There in Five since the beginning. I literally had a custom doormat! So I was so excited to get an early copy of Kate’s book. But, at the risk of sounding like a mean girl from a Mary Kate and Ashley movie, it was not worth the read. It comes it at a whopping 330 pages, and the chapters take long, meandering trips to get to the point (don’t even get me started on the pages about some song called Quack Diddly Oso in the chapter about sleepovers) — which speaking of, I’m not sure the blurb even knows what the point of the book is? Is it a memoir? Is it an analysis of the early 2000s? I’ve read the whole thing and I’m still not sure.

Kate’s turn of phrase and word play works so well on her podcast, but it is so incredibly heavy handed in this book. I hope it works better on the audio version. Also, I can’t think of a single topic covered in One in a Millennial that Be There in Five listeners haven’t already heard multiple times on the pod. Disappointing that there wasn’t more new material.

The best parts of this book are the random interstitials and snorkels Kate does into specific pieces of pop culture — this is what I wish the whole book had been. Chapter 11, about how the term “basic” and the way women’s popular interests are used to undermine and discredit 50% of the population was the best chapter and should’ve been the first chapter and outline for the book. I truly wish we could’ve seen more of that conversation. Because girls rule and boys truly drool.

I think Kate is a fun, kind person who has created a wonderful place on the internet, but unfortunately her sheltered life as a middle income white women with almost every privilege on the planet does not make a her the prime person to be the voice of women’s empowerment. Reading dozens of pages about Kate, a thin, white, conventionally attractive, blonde woman wasn’t able to land guys in college … until she shortly after met her husband… just doesn’t sit well in 2023. Despite the hundreds (thousands?) of pop culture references, I remember only a handful about trends and moments that included or would’ve been pivotal for people of color.

All that being said, I know many of her listeners will love this book and in the spirit of Kate’s message to embrace what you love, regardless of others’ opinions, I hope it’s what their dreams are made of (hey now).

I think Kate is so clever with her words and I can identify with her as a millennial. We grew up with pop culture surrounding us; how could we not be obsessed? This book covered a lot of the media in the 90s and early 2000s. This book was almost too introspective and made the fun diminish a bit. I was impressed by the poems she included for each chapter. I would definitely read another book by her. Thank you Kate and Netgalley for this free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a fan of the pod and loved this book! This would be an awesome “primer” to anyone new to the pod!

I read this book with no idea who Kate Kennedy was and not having listening to her podcast. I had a difficult time with this book and battled between wanting to like it because nostalgia, and trying not to dislike it because it's kind of (don't hate me for this) cringey. I jumped in thinking this would be more of a narrative on Millennials as a whole and how trends etc. shaped our mindsets, but it ended up being an informative explanation of each decade us Millennials have lived. There is such a thing as too many throwbacks and references. There were multiple times throughout this book where I could not get through a page because I was so lost with how many references to pop culture/trends etc, while I appreciated remembering jelly bracelets and Abercrombie and the various lipglosses, I didn't find the deeper connection I was hoping for. It was ramble-y and really tough to get through.

I'm giving this 3/5 stars, as I like it well enough as a reminder of all the fun trends, and explanations of American girl dolls, etc, but I didn't see what the blurb on the book was giving.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thoughts:
Thank you, @netgalley, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I am not usually a nonfiction girly, but y’all. For all of my millenial friends, this is a must read. I found myself laughing out loud along with her the whole time. And the NOSTALGIA. I feel like we lived the same journey through life and loved the explanations of the experiences we shared and the worldviews we have based on those.
Do yourself a favor, and pick this one up and go through a walk down memory lane of your childhood 🤍

This book releases January of 2024.

nostalgia heaven!!! i adore this more than anything and truly is something special. thanks netgalley & the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I'm a huge fan of Kate Kennedy's podcast, Be There in Five, so I was especially excited to read and review her book, One in a Millennial! It was such a well-written, witty, and fun read, perfectly balanced between engaging longform pop culture narrative and heartfelt memoir. I would recommend it! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

I didn't think Kennedy was doing anything new in this book. That would have been fine, except she also wasn't doing old particularly well. I just didn't feel like this book brought anything standout to the table.

One in a Millennial made my 30-something teeny bopper self so happy! I related so much to all of Kate's ups and downs through life, having gone through many of the same things myself. Her throwbacks to 90s and early 2000s music, fashion, and gadgets brought back so many fond memories from those years. Overall, this book just made me happy. The only thing I didn't like about this book was the chapter on her "deconstruction" of faith. While I can understand that sometimes things happen that make you question your faith, I think implying that you should turn your back on faith because things don't go the way you think they should is uncalled for. Beyond that, I strongly related to this essay on growing up as a millennial. It was nice to see someone who understands us.

So let me say from the top, I was not familiar with this author before finding this book on NetGalley. I have not listened to her podcast, so Kate is a new entity to me.

I really really wanted to love this book. From the prologue, I thought Kate might be the next Amy Krause Rosenthal with her excellent takes, pop culture references, poetic writing style, and love for wordplay. I loved the first section on the 90s. I mean, the section on American Girl dolls and church camp/the harms of purity culture felt like they were written for me. I was nodding my head along saying “YESSS this is the book I’ve been waiting for!”

But by the second section, the 2000s, I felt like the book had lost its momentum. The author’s takes were sporadic, and it felt like filler, the fluff between the two pieces of bread. The mid drift of this book was - like mine in the early 00s emulating a Britney Spears power outfit - bare.

By the final section, the author was back in her stride, striking a good balance between pop culture references and expanded takes on how the millennial zeitgeist impacts the perception of women. I was back on the One In A Millennial train by the final page.

I really felt like the first section deserved 5 stars, but the inconsistency between the sections and essays made the reading experience for me feel disjointed, netting 3 stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love Kate's longform, nostalgic podcast Be There in Five, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to review her new book, One in a Millennial. It was everything I hoped it would be. Her book of essays about growing up a millennial literally brought me right back to my childhood and had me texting my best friend "Remember when?" multiple times in one week.
My only criticism is at times she can be wordy, but since knowing her from her podcast that she proudly deems as "longform", this is clearly to be expected....And boy, does she really does have a way with words.
I felt understood. At times, I thought "Hey, I wasn't making this up; this really did happen!" "Rain sticks, yessss!" Seldom moments in the book did I feel a little detached (the religious, Jesus camp stuff didn't really resonate with me, but did at the same time....Long story).
I can't wait to read more of Kate's books, because she has such potential in her writing. And let's be honest, there needs to be a whole damn book about how boyband culture shaped our views on love as millennials.
Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Life has the ability to change in an instant and sometimes there are moments in life that we will forever define as what happened before this incident and what happened after.
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Kate Baker’s young daughter Olivia vanishes among the waves on a beach vacation in a heart-racing, eyes wide moment, only to resurface a moment later. Told through parallel storylines, one where Olivia resurfaces and one that she doesn’t, this book gave off TJR, Maybe in Another Life Vibes and I was here for it.
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Readers witness Kate's journey through grief, loss, and a custody battle, exploring the profound impact of different kinds of loss. This thought-provoking book challenges readers to live with eyes wide open.

Once in a Millennial explores the unique challenges of growing up as a Millennial. Kate Kennedy takes us through the experience with layers of nostalgia, witty pop culture references and personal anecdotes. As a female millennial who also loves thinking about and talking about the "why" we are the way we are, this book hit the mark.

Special shout outs to the 10 Things I Hate About You and Legally Blonde analysis. I also felt especially seen by the Chi hair straightener, going out shirt and wanting to be a designer jean girl discussions. Kate really has away of verbalizing experiences that are ubiquitous but hard to describe.

This book is a meld of cultural commentary and memoir, on what it means to be a female millennial and why. I highly recommend it to millennials, Be There in Five fans and people interested in cultural commentary in general. I read a copy of this book but I think it would be especially great on audiobook. A lot of the chapters feel like Kate is talking directly to you and can imagine myself loving this book on a road trip. Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

One of the most relatable and skillfully crafted memoirs I've read in a while. It's so FUNNY and it made me feel seen and heard. As someone who is growing up as a "Zillenial", I felt like I could relate to so many of the topics Kate discussed and it's nice to know that I'm not alone in this crazy journey!

Proud Millennial here. These chapters are way too long and meandering for a memoir. I tried to keep up with where I think she was trying to go but it just seemed like it took her forever to get to the point. I loved the nostalgia and at times I did feel like I’ve never had an original life experience but this needed some hard editing.

First let me start out by saying I am a through and through physical book girlie. Receiving a digital ARC was great, but the pages to turn on an e-book will forever confuse me. Oops I bumped it ahead 3 pages, or was it 4? Each time I did this (a lot) I got excited 1) because I was elongating the amount of time I could check out and feel the nostalgia and 2) because even if I re-read a page or two on my quest to get back to my original spot, I took something new away from the story I read, a new memory unlocked, or just experiencing the general easiness of Kate's words. I can't wait for the physical copy, I can't wait for the audiobook, I will be consuming every form until further notice to feel the hug that is One in a Millennial.

One In A Millennial is Kate Kennedy’s hilarious, yet poignant commentary on the experiences and nostalgia to which many women in their 30s can relate.

As an enthusiast of Kate’s podcast, Be There In Five, this collection of essays shares her clever command of the English language (word play all day!) and contains a stunning analysis of the often maligned culture of a generation.

Are there an excessive number of references to Limited Too? Perhaps. But is she also able to so perfectly articulate the contradictory and impossible expectations placed upon women in our society from the moment they are born? YES! And there are many laugh out loud moments and references that make Kate feel like an old friend you maybe snuck out of the house with to perform a séance in a nearby cemetery. IYKYK.

If this title piques your interest, buy a couple extra copies to pass on to your BFFs; I already did.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I've been listening to Kate Kennedy's podcast for a couple of years now, and I was so excited to get to read an ARC of One in a Millennial. This was such a fun, witty, and engaging read. This book is a great look into how pop culture helps shape us and the nostalgia we feel toward it.