I thought this was a pretty interesting book. As a millennial, I jumped at the opportunity to read this. There was a lot that I could relate to, but, unfortunately, there was just as much, maybe more, that I couldn’t relate to. Maybe this was because the author is an older millennial than I am. So while we still had a lot of similar experiences, we also had a lot of differences. For example, she had that whole boy-crazy, pop culture-addicted tween phase, but me and almost all of the girls I grew up with didn't. I also think that because she’s American and I am not, there are a lot of differences because of that. Because of that, I felt a bit disappointed, but obviously that’s on me and not the book or author.
I thought this was well written and put together. Each chapter was full of nostalgic millennial references, jokes, and puns. Even though some of the chapters and even references were irrelevant to me based on my age, it was still great to see the development that Kate went through in finding herself and becoming who she is today. Millennials grew up in such a weird time; technology and the online world were a huge part of our lives and had a huge impact on us too. It’s nice reading about others experiences through it all.
I had both the ebook and audio, and I definitely prefer the audiobook. I loved hearing the book read by the author. Hearing the emotions in her voice at certain parts of her story really added to the audiobook.

Wow. What can I say about this book?
Kate Kennedy writes and narrates a memoir/series of essays/poems/chapters describing her life growing up as a Millennial, as well as shares her thoughts and feelings about friendship, growing up, loss, love of pop culture, and all things 90s and 2000s.
Listening to this book was like finding out there are more fries at the bottom of the takeout bag. With each chapter, I related more and more to her beautifully written poetry and prose. Many times, the leaving sentence in a chapter left me either misty-eyed, or with goosebumps.
I have never read a book that so deeply resonated with my inner thoughts and feelings as this one did. I even bought my own copy to annotate with my PGH, or Popular Girl Handwriting, as she so eloquently dubs in one of the chapters.
I also marvel at the time she takes to think deeply about things that many of us gloss over, without actually taking a deeper dive into the "why". For example, Kate discusses in one of the later chapters about the LMBCP - "love, marriage, baby carriage pipeline" and how "it's important to remember that someone's position in the LMBCP involves both their choices and chances, and both situations are worthy of our respect and empathy." (271)
In summary, I have been recommending this book, especially the audiobook because of her humorous and emotional narration, to everyone I know. It has healed my American Girl Doll-Taylor Swift-Polly Pocket-Cosmic Brownie heart to hear some of my innermost thoughts and feelings validated, experienced, and read aloud by someone else. 1000000/5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my review.

I'll be honest--I requested this book based solely on the cover and the title. I had no knowledge of Kate Kennedy's podcast (though I do now and will absolutely be listening), and I fully anticipated a mostly fluffy book about millennial pop culture. It proved to be so, so much more.

I loved this book. It took me a minute to get used to Kate's pun-filled, slant-rhyme-obsessed phrases, but once I settled into her quirky style of writing, I loved the content of the book. One in a Millennial was a true trip down memory lane. Kate resurfaced memories that I didn't even know I had--of toys, shows, even *experiences* that I had long forgotten. Perhaps it's because I'm more or less the exact same age and from more or less the same socioeconomic demographic as Kate, but I was shocked at how much of her story felt deeply familiar. I do wonder if people who grew up in a different time or had different experiences may not enjoy the book in the same way, because there are many references to TV shows, song lyrics, cultural moments, etc. that really made this book a fun read for me.

What I was most impressed with was the Kate's sensitivity and self-awareness throughout this book. She was quick to recognize her privilege, vulnerable when sharing her experiences, and very intentional with her language choices.

As mentioned before, Kate is a podcast host, so she was a natural choice to narrate the audiobook. While I generally prefer books that are not narrated by the author, Kate does an excellent job. You can often hear her starting to tear up at some of the more emotional moments in the story, and it added so much to the reading experience.

One in a Millennial by Kate Kennedy is elder millennial girl required reading. As someone who was born in 1990, I probably fall in the "mid-millennial" category. Nevertheless, I found this book to be both a love story and nuanced commentary on growing up during the 1990s and becoming an adult during the Aughts. One in a Millennial details many vulnerable moments that most people growing up during this time period encountered and does so in a delightful but informed voice. Kennedy specifically addresses issues I faced growing up that I had yet to quantify but spoke directly to the little girl or young teen in my heart. Popular girl handwriting was an art I never mastered and to this day am disappointed I can't count as a part of my particular skillset. Kennedy also does an excellent job of detailing the privilege that many of us had but weren't aware of growing up and how that shaped her as well as many other millennials.

This well-written memoir discusses pillars and stereotypes of the millennial generation. I related to so much of what the author recalls about how pop culture in the 90s and 2000s shaped our worldview for better and for worse. That said, I am in the target audience for this book, as I am currently trying to decide whether I actually need to put away my skinny jeans and still working through the desire to be a Blue Crush surfer. Still, anyone could benefit from reading this for a glimpse into a millennial’s experience. I laughed and cried listening to this audio as it is full of both funny and serious stories. I also loved the pop culture references and the commentary on politics and religion (“now, it’s a little scary, but mostly upbeat!”). I may be one of the few readers who found this book outside of listening to the author’s podcast, but I (a former Kappa Delta standards committee member, love in AOT!) am so pleased to be here.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Three ✨ for this Millennial tale.

While I do think if you have more of a connection to this author or listen to her podcast, you will like it a lot more, it was sort of just ok to me. I went into reading this thinking it would be a general overview of being and growing up a millennial woman. It turns out it is much more a memoir for this specific author’s experience. While I connected with quite a few chapters (American Girl dolls, creating your AIM account and popular girl bubbly writing) the rest was a very specific experience this author had.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Publishing and Kate Kennedy for this advanced audio!

Was this book written by me? Kate Kennedy describes the millennial girl’s experience perfectly. I was hooked with the American Girl essay, and was validated through her Spice Girls section. Thank you Kate for touching on the even more sensitive topics of religion (True Love Waits) and abortion (your ectopic pregnancy). I laughed, cried, and cringed. I don’t think I’ve read a book more insightful and hilarious! Kate narrates perfectly, getting choked up herself at times. It felt like I was listening to my best friend recall our childhood, coming of age, and middle life crisis. Can we be best friends? Do yourself a favor and listen to this book to reminisce about the good old days of AIM and Boy Band Ballads. If you are a millennial, you’ll love it just as much as I did.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

This was a really enjoyable and relatable audiobook to listen to! Filled with so much nostalgia and pop culture. And to be completely honest, I did not know who Kate Kennedy was before checking this one out. I kinda just thought “hey, I’m a millennial” and I pressed play.

I finished listening to this one in maybe 2-3 sittings. Listening to this really proved that those who grew up in the 90’s and 00’s have a ton of shared experiences. Kate talked about growing up a millennial in such a fun and funny way!

She dove into not just quirky millennial topics, but some serious ones too. Everything from Backstreet Boys, Mary Kate and Ashley and specific Bath and Body Works scents to mental health, sexism and infertility/miscarriage.

If you’re a millennial, I recommend you check this one out in print or on audio!

Big thank you to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for a copy of this audio, ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Happy #pubday to “One in a Millennial!” This book was so wonderfully sweet, weird (in a millennial way) and authentic - and I can say that as a fellow millennial.

Each chapter is filled with references to the things that made growing up equal parts cringe and empowering. Did I discover what girl power meant via the Spice Girls? Yes. Was I, as a redhead, forced to be Ginger Spice (aka Sexy Spice) when dressing up as the girl group with my friends at a time when I was in the throes of puberty? Also yes. It was…a time.

I would recommend the audiobook, as Kennedy herself reads it. Through the voice of the author, the book reads like a diary and we, as listeners, get to hear very juicy detail.

I know this is a very *millennial* phrase but this book made me feel very seen. Thanks to Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Press for the ALC.

An absolute must read/listen for my fellow millennial homegirls. I so appreciated Kate's perspective on the experiences, societal shifts, and pop culture randomness that shaped our generation. This collection of essays on topics including school, friendship, boys, fangirling, feminism, evangelical Christianity, the "love/marriage/baby carriage pipeline," and more is poetic, witty, insightful, and moving. It is also a lot easier to follow if you're a Swiftie (I'm glad to say that I am one as of the last year or so) and can keep up with Kate's many Taylor Swift references. 😅 I plan on adding her Be There in Five podcast to my regular rotation.

I am a millennial through and through, so I immediately pressed “request” when I saw this one! Kate Kennedy’s voice shines through so well in the audiobook, so I definitely recommend listening to it, but with that being said, I will also be purchasing a hard copy for my shelves.

I could personally relate to ~95% of this book, and the other 5% was still thoroughly enjoyable! Kate Kennedy has quick wit, humor, and an amazing ability to create captivating and engaging prose.

While the beginning of this book is a super fun, lighthearted walk down memory lane, the second half or so has a more serious tone, touching on issues such as mental health, millennial motherhood, societal pressures, and more.

“One in a Millennial” was intense flashback after flashback of what feels like every product and catch phrase that existed during my life ( and it was a bit overstimulating for that reason) but still enjoyable to a girl born in 1983. I was not familiar with Kate Kennedy’s social media fame but was intrigued by the name of the book. There was a few take away that will stick with me hence the 4 star rating. A well narrated book overall- I’m sure fans would enjoy even more!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars. I suspected I would love this, but went in cautiously optimistic. I’m a bit younger than the author, don’t listen to her podcast, and wasn’t really plugged into pop culture as a kid, so I worried I wouldn’t get a lot of the references. There were definitely a lot of references I didn’t get, but it didn’t matter - like in Gilmore Girls there are a ton packed into the dialogue and you’re not necessarily supposed to pick up on every single one.

Your mileage with this book may vary based on how much your identity and background overlaps with Kennedy’s. In chapter after chapter I was delighted to hear her discuss and experiences from my youth that I hadn’t thought about in years, from Milky Way pens and Vera Bradley to American Girl, from popular girl handwriting (which I’d never labeled but knew exactly what she was talking about) to our revulsion of being labeled as a feminist growing up (it’s wild to think about now). Her experiences with the Evangelical movement particularly struck a chord with me (I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that referenced True Love Waits or See You At the Pole). It might seem like a frothy ode to Millennial nostalgia, and it is at times, but there’s a lot of depth here. Her analysis is what makes this a great book, and I really appreciated her real talk on mental health and struggles with fertility.

If the idea of reading a book celebrating Millennial culture sounds good to you, or if you just want some encouragement that it’s ok to love what you love, definitely pick this one up. And I recommend the audio, narrated by the author!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the free ALC in return for my honest review!

Many thanks to NetGalley and to St. Martin's Press for the digital review copy and audio review copy! I started this book on ebook but quickly switched over to the audio when it got approved, because if there's one thing I love, it's listening to an author tell their own story.

One in a Millennial: On Friendships, Feelings, Fangirls, and Fitting In is part memoir, part cultural exploration of growing up as a millennial woman. Kate Kennedy has a podcast called Be There In Five, so some readers/listeners may already be familiar with her, but I personally was not. This book looks at the things she loved or pretended to love while growing up, with a lens on how these cultural moments impacted millennials and shaped who we would become.

Kate is a little bit older than me, so some of her touch points are a smidge before my time, but overall this was still an incredibly relatable book. I loved hearing her unpack the "little" things about growing up that were often minimized but that actually did have a huge impact on us, like deciding which Spice Girl you would be or trying to have the right trendy items to fit in with the popular crowd. So often, the things that young women like are considered trivial or not worth examining, and I like how Kate points out the wider and personal impact of things like American Girl dolls or Lisa Frank backpacks.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and highly recommend the audio version. I will say that Kate is super into rhyming and wordplay, which is a fun element of the book, but at times felt a little bit forced, particularly on audio where she emphasizes certain things. While I loved the humor and personality, at times it did distract me because it was just so prevalent. I suspect I wouldn't have noticed it as much in print.

After listening to this book, I'm off to explore the entire back catalog of Kate Kennedy's podcast, and honestly, I can't think of higher praise than that for a memoir introducing me to a person and their way of examining pop culture. I highly recommend One in a Millennial to millennial women looking for some validation about how the ways things were impacted who we are, and to anyone who enjoys a close look at the impact of pop culture.

If you don’t have the “One in a Million” song, from Miss Congeniality, stuck in your head upon reading this title, are you even a millennial?! This book is a battle cry for all of us. It’s our history. It’s our song. It’s at times a hilarious commentary on what molded our generation, and at times a raw reflection not only of Kennedy’s experience, but of so many of ours. We pioneered social media, and we have the scars to show for it. Although the book is funny and sweet at times, it unexpectedly gets under your skin, and helps to expose the root of so much of our collective trauma. This book was like an episode of Dawson’s Creek. Emotional, yet addictive.

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for this advanced copy, in exchange for my unbiased review!

I hate to think of myself as a Millennial because I am such an old soul - but after hearing it I can tell I was a good target audience for this book and it resonated with me on a variety of levels. This book is full of nostalgia that brought me right back to movies, dolls, and all of the things that were so important to me growing up. The subtle allusions to tv shoes or other pop culture moments had me laughing out loud. This book also has serious moments too, touching on fertility, loss, and grappling with the impacts of religion and purity culture. I appreciated the focus on how millennial woman are taken seriously, or not, depending on how we show up. I’m not familiar with Kennedy’s previous work at all but I really enjoyed this.

Kate Kennedy is a new voice for me. I found One in a Millennial to be an exploration in pop culture, nostalgia, and life lessons from the POV of a member of the millennial generation. Kate is the host of the popular millennial-focused podcast Be There in Five and I am now subscribed and enjoying that podcast.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review One in a Millennial.

I found the book to be partly funny, but mostly serious as Kate navigates the complicated nature of celebrating and even criticizing the culture that shaped her as a woman. I was engaged all the way throughout the audiobook due to her trademark style and vulnerability. She is sharp, funny, and heartwarming all at the same time.

I think what I enjoyed the most here was the fantastic commentary on feminism, privilege, reproductive rights, and the effect of social media on how millennial women were raised. Being Gen X, I think it is very important to read and learn from the other generations, so I was easily drawn in here.

4 stars!

Kate Kennedy's "One in a Millennial" will make people like me, elder millennial people born in the late 80s-early 90s, cheer, squirm, and gasp at our collective shared memories. Did we all really experience the same things during the 90s and 2000s?! It sure seems like it, if Kate's memories are any indication! From AIM to purity rings, the Spice Girls Chupa Chups to American Girl Dolls, this book is full of humor, cringe, and nostalgia. Nostalgia is a heck of a drug. I frequently listened with my mouth agape in mutual horror and adoration at how similar our stories are. I have listened to Kate's podcast on and off, and this book feels very authentic to her brand, her sense of humor, and her play on words. This entire book felt like one giant trip through scrapbooks, yearbooks, J14 magazines, catalogs, and burned CDs, as if I were sifting through old digital cameras with a friend reminiscing about the "good 'ol days." Kate is quick to point out that these are her own myopic experiences, that bigger picture issues about what her youth and growing up really meant came later for her in regards to gender, race, and especially religion. Her essays and poetry range from spectacularly fun to depressingly insightful, from casual to deep. I do think the book as a whole is a bit long and could have been truncated, but I did enjoy reading this overall. I love that Kate herself narrates the audiobook portion. I wish she had talked a tad bit slower, but I still think she did a fantastic job narrating her memories and essays and stories!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Kennedy, and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

I have a personal issue with generational zeitgeists. This really stems from feeling very divided between two. Often, to the delight of my older friends (cue eyeroll), I am stereotyped as “the millennial.” My inherent problem with this is I was born in 1982. I get it, we need a start and cutoff point, but this review is for all of us that feel like we are X-ennials…silly I know but IYKYK.

Kate Kennedy does a fabulous job delivering a witty, insightful, and introspective view of the formative years of many millennials. She tells this story by analyzing her own life and though this WILL NOT fit the lives of all millennials there are parts many will find poignant and characteristic of their coming-of-age story. Being on the older end of this generation, there were unrelatable parts of her life for me; however, I could appreciate her storytelling throughout.

The most insightful parts of this book delved into the latent misogynistic behaviors of the generation and how for many of us, feminism was curated in a way that was made unpalatable in our young adult lives. I personally feel that my grandmother’s generation filled the “radical” ranks of NOW out there fighting the fight, only for my mother’s generation to become the apologists beginning a chant of “lighten up” and “don’t be so dramatic”. Fast forward to our generation and there is no wonder it was steeped in the confusion of the 90s and 00s. Fortunately, this has led to the current feminist spirit. With the work of epic women seen in popular media such as Barbie; we are now recognizing toxic masculinity for what it is and no longer laughing at jokes at our expense that are not funny.

I was not a follower of Kennedy’s podcast, but having listened to the audio production of this book I am very interested to listen in. If at all possible, I would absolutely recommend listening to this book. You can hear her passion for telling her story as well as her humor throughout. There are several parts that are incredibly personal for her and in the telling of them her emotion can be felt as well as heard.

Kate Kennedy, host of the Be There in Five podcast, takes a look at the culture that shaped her. It’s part memoir, part deep dive into growing up in the 90s and early 2000s, all nostalgia.

There were moments in this book when I felt like Kate and I lived the exact same childhood. Wow, the way I could relate to the chapter on AIM and pretending to be “away” and online relationships and waiting for your crush to IM you.

There are funny moments, lots of lines that had me furiously nodding my head in agreement, and some more serious thoughts as well. Kate digs into sleepovers, feminism, motherhood, and so much more.

This book had plenty of parts I really liked and related to but others that seemed to drag. Overall, it’s a fun walk down memory lane and I’m so glad I did it on audio to hear all the emotion and excitement in Kate’s voice.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.