PICKY — Julie T. Kinn

A compulsive, quietly unsettling read about a woman slowly waking up to her own story. Zillah's narration is unreliable in the best possible way — the gap between what she tells herself and what the reader can plainly see makes for a gripping, often uncomfortable experience.

Watch her grow. Worry for her. Will her further.

For readers who like their character studies with a little darkness underneath.

A beautifully crafted unreliable narrator done right — Zillah is frustrating, sympathetic, and utterly compelling. Ideal for book clubs with plenty to discuss.

I really enjoyed this! The mother was infuriating, and Zillah gave her more grace than I would've, but I liked seeing Zillah's growth and gradual realizations that her understanding of her own life was off-kilter. Though I wish listening in on three sessions of someone else's therapy could really be as useful as it was for her.

With a title like Picky, I didn't know what to expect the book to be about. Julie Kinn surprised and enchanted me with her characters in her book Picky being published July 1, 2026 from Kennedy Creek Press.

Zillah, a twenty-three year old woman lives with her mother in Chicago. Zillah feels trapped in her life. She desparately wants to get out on her own, but her mother must approve her decision and declare her ready before she is "allowed" to move. Zillah is picky. She is a young woman who only eats 10 basic foods. Much like a young child. She follows her mother's edicts and lives in an anxiety filled state. As the story progresses, the reader learns that it may not be Zillah who is truly the culprit to the life she is living. Her mother is troubled as well. With spunk and bravery, Zillah faces her challenges to come out stronger and more independent in the end.

Not wanting to include any spoilers to the book, I left out MUCH in the synopsis. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Picky for many reasons. It is filled with humor. Humor in how Zillah struggles with mental illness and finds ways to live a fuller life. She is virtually betrayed and or abandoned by all the adults in her young life, which allows her world to be one of pleasing others by meeting their expectations in lieu of creating her own.

Kinn's book gives a "real" picture of what living with generalized anxiety can look like. Zillah lives it in a smaller dose, her mother lives it with all it's manifestations. I could relate to the story. I have always lived with anxiety, from a small child onward. I could relate to the characters. Thankfully I connected more with Zillah than her mother. It is a heavy burden to bear, and can rule your life if it is allowed to take hold. Finding healthy coping mechanisms are important. It is very easy to create unhealthy habits to deal with the illness. The story includes some therapy techniques that are presented through a friend also battling mental illness. I an thankful that those are woven into the text. I have sought help and I could recognize the interventions and appreciate how helpful they are.

After reading Picky, and looking up Kinn's biography, I found out that she is a licensed therapist with a P.H.D, specializing in multiple disorders such as OCD, GAD, panic disorder and many others. Here is her website. https://www.juliekinn.com/

I did not know what to expect when I requested an advanced reader's copy of the novel Picky, by Julie T. Kinn from NetGalley.com in return for an honest review. I liked the cover and it sounded intriguing. Having read the book, I am so thankful I did. Through Kinn's engaging sense of humor I took a peek at my own anxiety as I read and learned about her character Zillow's. I related to her overcoming some of her fears and learning to live with her other ones. I grew up with a parent who also struggled with anxiety, and multiple other family members do as well. I am hopeful that others might read the book and find help and encouragement through doing so.

Look for Picky to be available July 1st, 2026, from Kennedy Creek Press!

Picky will break your heart. It is a fascinating, terrifying tale of codependence and inter generational trauma and you will find yourself wanting to hug Zillah and give her a good shake. There are so many complex relationships in this book and the author cleverly exposes more than Zillah intends in her dialogue and observations. The focus on character and relationships makes the plot seem more action-oriented than it actually is, such is the skill of the author. A very moving book.

Picky is well written and makes you feel deeply for the character. There were times I wanted to reach into the book and shake Zillah, her mother, and other characters to wake them up. Picky explores generational trauma, anxiety, and mental illness in a thoughtful and inventive way. It makes you think about your own life, what's stopping you, and how you can change.

Just delightful. This is such a tender, well rounded novel that takes on the "woman who wants more" theme that is so popular in fiction these days, in a thoughtful, cozy way. You can feel the affection between the characters, and all of the nuance of a complicated family. As a mental health care provider, I have an extra critical eye for mental health stuff in novels and I think Kinn wrote it all so deftly, especially the way that our beliefs about the world and our "rules" for safety can be fine - until they suddenly aren't. Definitely recommend for a book club! Or a reader looking for a kind hearted story with character growth and a lead you really root for. I think this one has the potential to be a very buzzy summer release. Thank you to NetGalley and Kennedy Creek Press for the ARC!

This book is an excellent example of the right way to combine humor and the painful process of evolving as a young woman.

The tone here reminded me a little of Green Dot, starting out almost flippant and gradually moving toward something far more serious and at times achingly sad. It’s a good way to guide a character through change and self-improvement, but most authors can’t quite pull off the tonal shift without destroying the original voice.

Kinn, however, does so flawlessly, and the result is an oft-hilarious but sometimes sharply painful look at a young woman desperate to expand her tiny world but unable to navigate how to do so.

Zilla’s situation is an interesting take on food/eating issues and a bit of Munchausen Syndrome. For the reader it feels fairly obvious what the big reveal is going to be for Zilla in terms of why she is the way she is, but it’s also all too clear why Zilla herself can’t see what’s right in front of her.

She’s an intensely lovable character, and I rooted hard for her to become the person she desperately wants to be. In alll, this is a sweet, uplifting story with a lot of humor and a lot of charm that still manages to address some fairly serious issues.

Kinn serves up an excellent portrayal of life with a mentally unwell and abusive parent.

I particularly enjoyed the subtle plot hints cleverly sprinkled through the characterisation and found myself engrossed as the plot unravelled.

Though I held minor reservations towards the resolution, namely the pace of Zillah's individual healing as well as relational repairs, it nonetheless infuses the reader with optimism.

I feasted on this novel and look forward to new additions to Kinn's menu.

Julie T. Kinn’s Picky is an impressive and deeply empathetic debut that stands out for its nuanced exploration of ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder). What makes this novel especially compelling is how grounded and realistic the portrayal feels. It’s clear that this authenticity is rooted in Kinn’s professional background, which lends the narrative a level of insight and sensitivity that’s hard to fake or base only on reasearch. One of the book’s greatest strengths is its honest depiction of how a parent’s mental health struggles can quietly but profoundly, shape a child’s world.

The characters feel real, too. They're flawed, layered, and believable in their choices. Zillah's POV is a particularly interesting narrative choice her voice is observant and often perceptive about the outside world and other people, which makes it all the more intriguing that she sometimes appears almost willfully unaware, or at least less perceptive, about the dysfunction in her own home. This contrast adds complexity to her character, though at times it creates a slight dissonance, as she seems more naive about her personal circumstances than her broader insights would suggest.

Overall, Picky is a strong debut that balances emotional depth with psychological realism. Kinn has crafted a story that not only sheds light on ARFID but also captures the intricate, often messy dynamics of family life with honesty and compassion.

Is it OCD? Anxiety? Or just plain Zillah? I found myself laughing, cringing, and oddly rooting for Zillah as she and her mother, Paula, navigated their whirlwind of quirky habits and enabling behaviors.

Zillah is a “failing-to-launch adult” whose immaturity is simultaneously frustrating and endearing. Her longtime boyfriend Cliff… well, he’s not winning any sympathy points from me. Enter Lise, a socially anxious friend who nudges Zillah to face her fears and start growing up—finally.

The story digs into the mother-daughter dynamic, exploring how Paula’s anxieties may have shaped Zillah’s pickiness and life choices. And yes, while Zillah’s eventual growth felt a little rushed, I still thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Funny, relatable, and just messy enough to feel real, Picky made me root for a character I fully expected to annoy me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kennedy Creek Press for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This is the mental health story "I want to die but I want to eat tteokbokki" tried (and failed) to be. Witty but sensitive to various mental health struggles, with both likable and REALLY unlikable characters that each have their own struggles. The premise is a funnier version of IWTDBIWTET as well, with the therapy theme being the common point, but here, there's some eavesdropping and DIY therapy involved, again adding a humorous note to this story which otherwise deals with some heavy topics such as intergenerational trauma, codependency, abuse, various mental health struggles, asshole boyfriends, etc.

I really like how Zillah definitely did fuck up, and took accountability for it, and she's ready to learn from her mistakes, and that's ultimately what really sets her apart from her mother. She is willing to grow, of her own volition. Still, she also clearly sets boundaries around said growth, such as telling her friends that she IS willing to try new stuff, but on her own terms, and while they may suggest/introduce a food, they are NOT allowed to tell her to try to eat it. That decision is entirely her own, and her friends respect this boundary. That was something I really appreciated in this novel, as, when dealing with mental health struggles, it can frequently feel like any tiny first step is immediately seen as an okay to push you further and further, and if you refuse, it is seen as a refusal of getting better altogether. This novel clearly showed that that is not the case, and that just because someone needs help or support does not mean that they are or should be giving up any and all agency.

This was a very fun, but also emotional novel, and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone interested in mental health depictions (and especially people that were as disappointed by IWTDBIWTET as me).

(Also, HELL yeah explorations of consent! Asking is sexy! Finally some good fucking romance.)

An unusual story with unusual characters. Zillah made for a fascinating read, with her picky habits and restrictions. Few people realise how much a phobia can restrict your life. This is a heartwarming story that angers you on behalf of Zillah, and saddens you on the struggles so many quietly face everyday. An important read for empathy and awareness.