Picky

by Julie T. Kinn

Editor’s Choice — BookLife Reviews (Publishers Weekly) and Bardsy First Chapter winner

Zillah’s twenty-three and stuck. She’s stuck living with her quirky mother, stuck with a diet of ten toddler-approved foods, and stuck in a relationship with a man who thinks sharks are immortal. Zillah desperately wants to move out on her own, but first she needs to prove she’s brave enough and that her mom won’t self-destruct. Things change when she secretly listens to her neighbor’s exposure therapy and decides to DIY her own mental health. But her first therapy experiment accidentally injures her mom, and life gets even stranger when she befriends the neighbor she’s been spying on.

Zillah gets to see the power of leaning into fear up close. But she also topples her carefully constructed home life, questions the “facts” of her childhood, and risks her mother’s stability as long-buried truths start to unravel. Zillah must decide who she wants to be and what she’s willing to leave behind.

Tender, funny, and full of nervy optimism, PICKY celebrates the courage it takes to reject the meal you were handed and instead choose from the buffet.

Genres: Audiobook, Fiction, Psychology, Mental Health, Contemporary, Literary Fiction

296 pages, ebook

Expected publication July 1, 2026

About the author

Julie T. Kinn is a writer and clinical psychologist based in the American Pacific Northwest. Since earning her PhD in 2009, she has dedicated her career to making mental health information interesting and engaging through technology, media, and story. Julie entertains readers while sneakily offering insight from a psychological perspective. When she's not writing or working with her clients, Julie's in the woods with her children and dogs, trying a new hobby, or experimenting with butter and sugar in the kitchen.

Reviews

[Leticia🌻 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

Picky follows the story of Zillah, a quirky 23-year-old woman, who lives with her equally quirky mother. Zillah was brought up in a unique environment, only eating foods that are listed in her Excel spreadsheet (contains only 10 foods); and doesn't have many friends. She maintains a relationship with her boyfriend, because she thinks that's what society expects to do at 23 years old and to prove to her mother that she can eventually move out. Because she lives in an apartment building with very thin walls, she is able to hear her neighbor's therapy session and applies some of the advice the therapy gives her neighbor to her own life.

Throughout the story, we continue to follow Zillah on her journey to become more independent, new friendships and relationships.

The author did an amazing job with the narration; her pacing and tone were perfect for depicting the characters in this story.

Thank you Kennedy Creek Press for providing this Audio ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Jess W · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of the audiobook.

I easily fell into this audiobook. Julie’s voice provided the perfect narration to the story. The topic resonated with me, as the mum of a former picky eater. The book provides an insight into what life is like in a household where mental illness controls everything, and the generational impacts. As the story unravelled, I was enthralled by the connections between Zillah and Paula’s behaviours. A very listenable story, and I hope to hear more from Julie in the near future!

[Grandma Susan]

DNF’d at 5%. Profanity.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially, this book is about an infantilized 23-year-old woman living with her mother. Zillah wants to be an adult and move into an apartment with her boyfriend, but her mother says she is not ready. She and her mother only eat 10 foods. But then, Zillah overhears her neighbor (who also lives with her brother and their mother) having a therapy session via Zoom. She can't help but listen. As a result, their lives change dramatically as they meet and become friends. I was initially bored with Zillah's timidity, but came to really like the character and root for her. Obviously, there is a mental illness theme, but it is handled very well by the author, who is a psychotherapist and also narrates the novel. In the end, I found it fun and uplifting. 4.4
My thanks to the author, @KennedyCreekPress, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook #Picky for review purposes. Publication date: 1 July 2026.

[Chrissy Hampton · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picky was a deeeeeeeply relatable book for me, but I don't think it will necessarily be for everyone. I think readers who enjoy flawed and often frustrating characters, stories about mental illness, OCD/ADHD/other neurodivergent experiences, and/or character-driven novels that don't rely on a heavy plot will likely really enjoy this story.

What I loved most about this book was the writing. It managed to be funny, heartbreaking, suspenseful, and deeply honest in such a short span. I felt for all of the characters, and I found myself really relating to our MC Zillah in particular FAR more often than I expected. As someone who grew up with a mentally ill mother who certainly passed down many of her issues to me, I felt like Julie was pulling a Zillah on me (iykyk haha)

I zoomed through the audiobook in a single sitting because I was so invested. I loved that it was narrated by the author because I really enjoyed how she brought her characters to life.

My only real criticism is that I wish the side characters had been developed a bit more. While the focus on the main character worked well for the story being told, there were a few supporting characters I would have loved to spend more time with. For instance, Paula's sister Bethany seemed rather one-dimensional.

Overall, I really loved this book. It won't be for every reader, but it absolutely worked for me. 4.5 stars, and I will definitely be picking up more books by this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kennedy Creek Press for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picky by Julie T. Kinn is a really warm, optimistic story that mixes humour with a thoughtful look at mental health.

At its heart, it’s a genuinely uplifting read. It touches on things like anxiety, OCD, and how mental health can affect families across generations. Without giving too much away, I liked that it doesn’t just focus on the struggles, but also shows the messy, very real ways the characters deal with and work through them.

That said, the tone did feel quite young at times, which made me wonder if it’s aimed more at a YA audience. It didn’t take away from the story (and actually worked in places, especially in showing the main character’s upbringing) but it did mean some parts weren’t explored as deeply as I would’ve liked. I definitely wanted more about the mum’s background, as that felt like it could’ve added a lot. And while the ending was really lovely and uplifting, I was left wishing we got a bit more of what happens next (honestly, I’d take a sequel!).

Overall, Picky is a light but meaningful read that handles mental health with care and positivity. I’d recommend it if you’re after something uplifting, a bit funny, and centred around family and connection.

⭐️3.5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley & Kennedy Creek Press for the ARC!

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Selling Pitch:
OCD nature vs nurture in a quirky girl lit fic family drama.

Pre-reading:
I love messy girl lit fic.

(obviously potential spoilers from here on)
Thick of it:
So a neurotic Mom, and is this OCD or autism or both?

I too am weirdly afraid of stairs I think largely because my balance is so bad.

I fear this book is diagnosing me lol.

An ironic kickball league! Oh my god, she read him for filth!

She’s just like me, for real!

Painting a personal O’Keefe over flick the bean is so good.

I touched a cantaloupe, and I liked it!

This is reminding me so much of Big Swiss.

The dog vs cat people made me guffaw.

I would die for Halsted.

I love bratty banter.

I thought she couldn’t eat the applesauce because there was lemon in it?

Detritus sin

Stahging like hodge not staging like a play, no? Or is that just my restaurant? (Audiobook mispronounced it. Just a hiccup I noticed.)

Ben and these kids are really cute.

So much about pooping in this book.

I think this is a 3.5 I’ll round up. Just a good character study.

The audiobook is so well acted, especially with the shrill mother character.

A red cap in this political environment is a choice.

I’m surprised how common thinking you ran someone over is with OCD. I was just reading the Noah Kahan article where he talks about his experience with it.

I think fiestaware is hideous.

Post-reading:
A solid little character study. I always enjoy quirky lit fics. I like inhabiting a character’s consciousness and watching them spiral. I think this book did a really good job at representing OCD and how it’s not really about obsessive cleanliness but rather distressing, almost magical thinking. I think it was a unique spin to ask how much of an anxiety disorder is nature vs nurture. I wish we got a little more backstory as to how Elise developed all of her phobias besides one traumatizing incident.

I think the audiobook was phenomenally acted. The shrill voice she put on for Paula is appropriately annoying and grating.

I think there were some great food flavor and texture descriptions in this, and they never felt overdone which I think would’ve been an easy trap for a book about a picky eater to fall into. There was however way, way too much about bathroom habits and poop. It’s icky the first time, but it was mentioned constantly.

I think the pacing for this book was also excellent. It moves at a steady clip, and the short chapters propel you through it. There’s no annoying time jumps just to flashback. You just get to plow through the piece.

It’s not a new favorite, but I really enjoyed the story, and I’m glad I read it. I think if you like quirky girl lit fics, you’ll probably like this one too. It’s got that Fleabag, deadpan humor that a lot of this genre uses, and I enjoy it every time.

Who should read this:
Quirky lit fic fans
Mental health representation fans
Family drama fans
Character study fans

Ideal reading time:
Anytime

Do I want to reread this:
Maybe? I feel like I would reach for other similar titles before this one

Would I buy this:
Yes!

Similar books:
* Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman-lit fic, family drama, autism
* Interesting Facts About Space by Emily R. Austin-lit fic, cozy mystery, family drama, queer romance, autism
* Big Swiss by Jen Beagin-lit fic, queer romance
* Open Wide by Jessica Gross-lit fic, psychological horror, family drama, autism
* Cleaner by Jess Shannon-lit fic, family drama, autism
* Sky Daddy by Kate Folk-lit fic, family drama, autism
* Paradise Logic by Sophie Kemp-lit fic, psychological horror, autism

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 all, 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.

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picky is an authentic, relatable, and at times deeply stressful, portrayal of life with OCD.

Picky is written in first person following our main character Zillah, an infantilized 23-year-old woman living with her mother. Both Zillah and her mother are consumed by a wide range of “quirks” and compulsions that leave Zillah feeling trapped and unable to move forward in life. The title perfectly captures one of Zillah’s most visible struggles: only tolerating ten toddler-style safe foods (calling all other foods “yuck foods”). However, it quickly becomes clear to the reader that this food-thing is only the surface of the complex OCD tendencies shaping both of their lives.

Julie T. Kinn’s background as a psychologist is evident throughout the novel, particularly in the painfully accurate depictions of intrusive thought spirals, anxiety, and therapy practices. As a reader who struggles with OCD personally, I often find fictional portrayals of the disorder exaggerated or misunderstood, so it was incredibly refreshing to read something that felt so raw, honest, and true to my own experiences.

The author’s note at the end was a wonderful addition to the conclusion of this story. While the descriptions throughout the novel did feel accurate, I appreciated learning that the book was cross-checked by multiple psychology clinicians to ensure clinical authenticity. I think readers without personal experience with OCD would especially benefit from that context.

Despite dealing with such a heavy subject matter, Picky somehow manages to maintain a fun, quirky, and occasionally silly tone. And the fact that Julie T. Kinn narrated the audiobook herself made the experience even more personal and impactful.

This was a truly fabulous work. I LOVED it. Literally left me in tears. Thank you, Julie, for capturing the exhausting reality of OCD with compassion, humor, and honesty.

“In all, we followed the campsite rule and left each other better than we started”

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the advanced listening copy of Picky in exchange for an honest review.

[Meg.RecsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

audio / 4.25* / netgalley

Picky is a wonderful novel all about overcoming nature vs nurture. How fear of the unknown overtakes you, how overthinking can actually stop you from progressing in life. In the end I was left feeling incredible proud of Zilly for everything she chose to do for herself. Mental Health struggles can really change how someone is raised and how finding new people can broaden your experiences.
The narration was extremely well done and I found that overall this book was eye opening into a world that most of us don’t live in, and an interesting take on recovery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kennedy Creek Press for the opportunity to listen to and review this book in advance of it's release, always an honour.

[Sharlene Smith]

I kindly received an advanced copy of this audiobook from the publisher via NetGalley

I really enjoyed this book! It follows a young women who is an extremely picky eater and explores how it effects her life and how this came to be. I enjoyed the relationships explored, the plot and pacing. There was an incredibly strong narrative voice so I felt I really understood the main character. There were twists and turns and it’s very rare a book will make my jaw drop but this definitely did! While touching on very serious topics, these were handled responsibly and sensitively while maintaining a sense of humour and ease throughout. Additionally, I think the narrator did a great job breathing life into the story.

[readwithdenisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Kennedy Creek Press for the ARC of "Picky"!

Initially, I wasn’t sure if the story would fully capture me, but as I read on, it did. Zillah’s journey, from a life shaped by her mother’s anxiety and picky eating, to finding her independence, felt both heartwarming and authentic.

The twist, revealing how much her mother’s behavior had shaped her life, added depth. I only wished we got even more after that moment—more detail on Zillah’s experience and perhaps more accountability from family who stayed silent. Still, it was balanced: an easy, dialogue-heavy read with short chapters, making a serious topic accessible.

I appreciated the nuanced portrayal of mental health. It’s not black and white, and the mom wasn’t “evil.” I was rooting for Zillah to break out of patterns, and her friendship with Liza and budding connection with Liza's brother Ben felt hopeful. Overall, it’s a charming, introspective, and surprising story in its warmth.

[Kelsey 7 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short novel centers a young adult navigating “picky” eating, a stale relationship and an uncertain future. Zillah lives at home with her mom but wants to move out. She’s held back by fear of the unknown, as well as her mother’s anxieties. It doesn’t read like a therapy book per se. There are some subplots involving a dog, romance, and being a child of divorce. However a solid chunk of the book is about dealing with anxiety, so if that is not of interest to the reader they might not enjoy this book.
The perfect reader for this book is a young adult struggling with OCD, ARFID or anxiety. It would also be a good fit for someone seeking to understand their family member with an anxiety disorder. (There’s some sexual content so it would be best for a young adult audience.)

This is a good introduction to OCD, ARFID and exposure therapy, and it covers these disorders and their therapeutic treatments in a clinically sound way.

(I received an ARC from the author in exchange for my honest review)

[Stacey Reads It All · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! What starts as a story about a wonderfully quirky FMC navigating the messy landscape of her own mind slowly becomes something that feels deeply personal. The way Kinn handles anxiety, mental illness, and trauma is not heavy-handed, but rather tender and a little funny and bracingly honest. She weaves in CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) and exposure therapy in a way that feels organic to the story rather than instructional.

It is worth noting here that Julie T. Kinn narrates her own audiobook, and she is genuinely wonderful in the role. It’s hit and miss when authors read their own work because it so rarely goes well, but Kinn is the exception. There is an authenticity to her performance that a professional narrator might not have been able to replicate. She knows exactly where the humor lives and where the weight is, and does a great job. The production quality was excellent.

Reading this felt like spending time with an Emily Austin novel, which is just about the highest compliment I can offer. There is that same deadpan warmth, that same willingness to let a character be strange and wounded and still completely worth rooting for. The story is meaningful, the writing is sharp, and the emotional core is genuine. If you are a fan of Emily Austin or just a fan of fiction that takes mental health seriously without losing its sense of humor, this one belongs on your list.

Thank you to Kennedy Creek Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Kathleen Alexandria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into Picky by Julie T. Kinn a little uncertain, but underneath the humour and awkwardness is a genuinely thoughtful and surprisingly emotional story about anxiety, control, family dynamics, and figuring out who you are outside of the life you’ve always known.

What I appreciated most is how well this balances humour with heavier themes. Zillah is such a specific type of character - awkward, sheltered, frustrating at times, but also incredibly endearing. The fact she only eats ten “safe foods" could have easily felt gimmicky, but instead it becomes a really interesting reflection of fear, routine, and the ways anxiety can quietly shape someone’s entire world.

Her anxieties and dependence on familiarity slowly stopped feeling quirky and started feeling quite sad in a very human way. Watching her question the systems and relationships she’s grown up with was honestly one of the strongest parts of the book. There’s this underlying loneliness to the story that really worked for me.

I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the fact it was narrated by Julie T. Kinn herself. I love an author narration, and here there’s an authenticity to the delivery that made Zillah’s inner thoughts, spirals, and emotional growth feel even more natural and believable. One minute something would genuinely make me laugh, and the next there’d be this quiet emotional weight underneath it all surrounding family, fear, and identity.

Overall, I found this really engaging and unexpectedly heartfelt - a strange, quirky, and quietly emotional story that ended up having a lot more depth than I initially expected.

Thank you Julie T. Kinn, Kennedy Creek Press, and NetGalley for this ALC.

[Bri Ozalas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook ARC provided by NetGalley

[Rossella Fimiani · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have received an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review, so here my thoughts:

Picky was a hilarious, uncomfortable, and almost annoyingly relatable read. The author does an incredible job weaving humor into really heavy topics like anxiety and eating disorders, generational trauma and mental illness without ever making them feel watered down or overly dramatic.

What I appreciated most was how nuanced the story felt. Watching the heroine slowly find her truth, grow, and learn was genuinely moving, especially because the book refuses to create clear-cut villains. Her mother is awful, but you also understand how much she’s a product of her own trauma, which made the whole story feel very human.

I also loved that the audiobook is narrated by the author herself: she’s incredibly talented and adds so much personality and emotion to the story. I hated every time Paula spoke, which honestly just proves how good she was!

Overall, it’s such a tender, heartwarming story, one that somehow manages to handle deeply painful topics with an incredible amount of humor and warmth.

I would absolutely recommend it to anybody that has ever experienced any of the issues listed above, or honestly, to anyone who just wants a genuinely funny, moving read.

[Kayla Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook.

As someone who has been a picky eater my whole life, Picky immediately caught my attention, but it turned out to be so much more than a story about food. Zillah is eager to start her life, yet she is held back by fears, anxieties, and uncertainty about the world around her. When she accidentally overhears a neighbor’s therapy session, it sets her on an unexpected path that slowly begins to turn her life upside down.

At first, I honestly wasn’t sure this book was for me. Zillah’s inner monologue made me anxious, and I found myself annoyed with her at times. But as the story unfolded, I started to genuinely care about her and became deeply invested in where her journey would take her. Watching her navigate fear, growth, and self-discovery made this a surprisingly heartfelt and engaging read. By the end, I was glad I stuck with it.

[Sarah (heartfeltthrills) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tender, honest look at what it means to take up space on your own terms.

Picky by Julie T. Kinn is a thoughtful story that explores identity, expectations, and the complicated relationships we have with food and family. Kinn does a great job capturing the emotional nuances of being labeled “picky” and how that label can shape self-perception over time.

What stood out most to me was the authenticity of the voice. The narrative feels personal and grounded, with moments that are both tender and quietly powerful. The author balances humor with deeper emotional beats, making the story engaging without feeling heavy-handed. I listened to the audiobook (ALC), and the narration added an extra layer of personality to the story that really brought it to life.

The pacing moves steadily, the character development made it easy to stay invested, and I appreciated how the story avoided overly neat resolutions in favor of something more realistic.

Overall, Picky is a heartfelt and relatable read that will resonate with anyone who’s ever felt out of place at the table—literally or figuratively. It’s a strong 4-star read for me, and I’d definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy character-driven stories with emotional depth.

Thank you to the author and Kennedy Creek Press for gifting me this ALC through NetGalley. As always, this review contains my candid thoughts and opinions.

Trigger warning: there is profanity throughout, so readers/listeners who are sensitive to language may want to keep that in mind.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

This audiobook was awesome! I didn’t even take a whole day to finish. I love how authentic the thoughts are. This book reminds me of how awkward trying to make friends can be as an adult, with anxiety.

Zilla is learning how to be an adult while her mom is continuing to treat her like a child. She makes mistakes and has to learn how to handle them on her own. I loved the ending and I’m so proud of her!

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This started out as a comic story of a twenty something who is struggling to fit into the adult world but then developed into something quite lovely.

Zillah only eats ten foods which is quite limiting but she makes it work, then one day she hears a neighbours online therapy session through the thin walls of her apartment. This leads her to try and help her neighbour which is the first step to helping herself to grow.

It was very funny in places and I really liked the ending. The author narrates the audiobook and she made the characters feel real.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kennedy Creek Press for the arc.

[Frankkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars rounded up - This was a really enjoyable read. I found something endearing and likable about every character, which makes a difference in a character-driven novel.

The story centers on mental illness and intergenerational trauma, but it’s written in a way that feels relatable even if your life looks nothing like the characters’. There’s a real tenderness in how it shows the humanity behind the quirks - these aren’t flat, two-dimensional portrayals of mentally unwell people. The people around them are, for the most part, empathetic and helpful instead of just judgmental, which adds a lot of warmth.

As the story progresses, Zillah begins to want more autonomy and new experiences, and it was genuinely nice to watch her step outside her comfort zone - even if that’s something as small as touching a melon at the grocery store. The book could have easily gone in a more insular direction, with Zillah clinging to her mother and their rigid rules, so I’m glad it didn’t. Her curiosity, sparked in part by overhearing her neighbor, opens the door to something bigger.

It fits into the “weird girl” category, but with the sense that Zillah might grow beyond that label and become more than just the misunderstood girl who only eats ten foods.

I received this book as an ARC.

[Kerri]

The premise of this story sounded really interesting, but unfortunately I don’t think the story telling was right for me. I have decided to DNF at the 35% mark.

The main character is 23 and is working toward moving out and becoming a “real adult”. It seems like she is largely at peace with her small world and is surrounded by people who enable her to stay in her comfort zone. Her and her mother have a codependent relationship and they both keep each other stuck.

The story is very repetitive. At this point I wish we could have had a deeper dive into the characters or more progress in the story. I feel like things are going to pick up more with her befriending her neighbor, but I am afraid I just don’t care. The author repeats the same daily life and internal monologue. We learn things by being told very plainly. There is no showing. Zillah’s internal dialogue is very literal and we get an unfiltered view into her mind. This includes a lot of talk about poop and vomit and while I understand these are part of real life and people have anxieties and issues with them, I am not interested in reading about this so frequently. I will commend the author for doing a great job at making these characters feel very real. The story is very easy to follow.

I think this may be better for people who like slow building, character study type stories. I did feel like I was authentically witnessing Zillah’s daily life as I was listening. If you’re looking for anxiety and OCD representation in a story I think you’ll find this story does have an accurate representation of people with these mental health struggles.

Thank you NetGalley for the ALC.

[Ceri · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

my first Netgalley review!

I enjoyed this audiobook, although in the beginning I did find it to be a little repetitive. I struggled not to DNF all the way up to the 50% mark, but after that I think the story really found its footing and I was really invested in Zillah’s arc.

At first I struggled with the narrative style – being confined to Zillah’s internal monologue felt a bit stagnant and repetitive at times – but there is a subtle shift in tone when Zillah begins to take control of her own life. What started off as the novel’s weakest point, to me, by the end became its strongest, because its structure mirrors the protagonist’s own arc in gaining her independence and autonomy.

I would characterise the novel as a bildungsroman which utilises the protagonist’s “picky eating” as a narrative tool. I think this book is perfect for a young adult audience, but perhaps too simplistic for a more mature audience.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this audiobook via NetGalley. As a picky eater myself, I related to many parts of this story. I enjoyed reading about Zillah, a young adult who is trying to gain control of her life so she can move out and be more independent, and her mom, Paula, who makes that very difficult. The relationships in Zillah’s life felt realistic and flowed easily throughout the story. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but those relationships will help guide her to making different choices, even ones she doesn’t expect to make. The audiobook is narrated by the author. She has a great narrating voice and the way she voices certain characters, especially Paula, helps me picture them better in my mind. Many times when I’d sit down to listen, I’d end up listening for an hour or more without realizing it! Her flow really helps the pacing of the story move along well. I highly recommend this story to anyone who loves books about overcoming challenges, young adult fiction, or needs a little motivation.

[Aster Carlyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tender, quirky, and quietly devastating - Picky pulls you into Zillah's world one uncomfortable step at a time, and before you know it, you're rooting for her with your whole chest.

What This Book Does Well
At its core, Picky is a healing story about intergenerational mental health and the complicated, often painful reality of family dynamics. What sets it apart is how fully it commits to that premise. There's no rush toward resolution, no illusion of a quick fix. Zillah's journey is gradual and often messy, and the book trusts that to be enough.
Zillah's narrative voice is the heart of the story. It's quirky, but in a way that feels completely earned - specific, consistent, and deeply immersive. Your fully inside her head as she starts to question everything she thought she knew about her family and herself. Her voice subtly grows alongside her without ever losing what make it hers. Zillah might not click with every reader, but when she does, she really does.
The mental health writing is handled with obvious care and authority. I didn't learn until I finished the book that Kinn is a Psychologist herself, but her clinical expertise shows. The book doesn't lean on jargon or over-explanation - it trusts readers to feel what Zillah is going through rather than spelling it out. For those unfamiliar with these spheres of mental health will also get a sprinkle of educational threads woven throughout the story, but as someone more familiar with these topics, I never felt like the educational aspects were overpowering the story. Kinn did a great job of keeping us grounded in Zillah's current experience, which makes her story hit even harder.
Emotionally, the book incorporates humor in a way that doesn't fully soften the heavier matters, but actually makes them land with more weight because those moments are more digestible with the lighter tones. When Zillah starts recognizing the ways she's been let down, it stings in the best way.

Where This Book Falls Short
I think most of the friction here will come down to personal taste. A few of the side characters lean a little idealized, especially against Zillah's more complicated family dynamic. This didn't bother me since the entire story is filtered through Zillah's perspective, and her tendency to put certain people on a pedestal reads as intentional character work rather than a writing gap.
The pacing may not work for everyone either - particularly those who aren't as familiar with mental health. The story has a clear arc, but it unfolds naturally rather than through plot momentum. If you're looking for quick breakthroughs or a faster resolution, this might feel slow. For readers who appreciate realism, it's actually feature.
While none of these issues derailed the story for me, there are a few recurring elements that are worth flagging because I know they can be deal breakers for some readers - public bathroom anxiety, vomit references, and a fair amount of modern references like TikTok and Instagram, and while this is not set "during" the pandemic, they do reference the COVID-19 pandemic.

Narration & Audiobook Experience
Author narration is always a gamble, but Kinn pulls it off. Her performance adds emotional authenticity that genuinely enhanced the story for me. Zillah's voice translates well to audio - distinctive without becoming grating - and Kinn handles the complexity of Zillah's mother with real nuance, giving her humanity rather than flattening her into a villain.
There were a couple of minor dips in audio quality, but nothing that meaningfully disrupted the experience. For audiobook listeners, this one is a solid choice.

Who I'd Recommend This To
Picky is for readers who love character-driven stories that sit with discomfort - mental health, family wounds, personal growth - with a healthy balance of humor and emotional honesty. If you gravitate towards literary fiction that lives inside its characters rather than racing through plot, this will likely hit.
That being said, Zillah's quirkiness and the humor may not land with every reader. If you are looking for a quick, light comedy, this may not be for the book for you.
If you liked Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine or Convenience Store Woman, you might find a lot to love here.
There is one author in particular that I kept being reminded of throughout this book, but I want to be clear that the tone of Picky is much lighter and the prose style is very different. But the mother-daughter dynamic and OCD representation reminded me of Jennette McCurdy's I'm Glad My Mother Died and Zillah gave me a slightly older, less intense Waldo vibe from Half His Age also by McCurdy.

Final Thoughts & Opinions
I honestly did not expect to get this attached to Zillah. I literally barely put this book down, because I was rooting for her so hard. It was like watching my quirky little sister untangle herself from messy family dynamics. I found myself wanting to protect her and literally out loud "Oh, Zillah honey, no..."
What got me most is that this book never pretends that growth is clean. It leans into the mess - the secondhand embarrassment, the small moments that don't feel like progress until you look back. Zillah's story is thoughtful and grounded in a way that will genuinely stay with me. If Kinn ever returns to this world, I'll be first in line!

My thanks to Netgalley, Kennedy Creek Press, and Julie T. Kinn for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Star Breakdown:
Personal Enjoyment: 5
Overall Execution: 5
Craft & Writing Quality: 4.75
Characters: 4.25
Plot: 4.5
Final Score: 4.7

[❀ Tia ❀ · Rating 3 out of 5]

| ARC REVIEW | 🎧 ~ Audiobook

This was such an interesting and unique premise. I thought the idea of overhearing your neighbour's therapy sessions and that jumpstarting your own journey of personal growth was a fun and interesting plot. However, the ending was a little predictable (albeit, still very wholesome and enjoyable).

The main character, Zillah, is 23. At the time of writing this, I am 25, and I couldn't help but think that Zillah appeared more immature than what I would expect for someone in my age bracket. Her somewhat childish tone could have been deliberate in order to reflect the repercussions of her mum's chronic overprotection for her entire life. However to be honest, the entire book felt that it was written in a rather YA style. There's not necessarily anything wrong with this, but had it not been for the occasional swearing and references to sex and masturbation, I would've assumed that this book was geared towards a teenage audience.

Zillah's mum, Paula, clearly has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder — a disorder I have also struggled with for as long as I can remember. For this reason, I could really empathise with her. The way OCD and the accompanying anxiety was written about was incredibly true-to-life and portrayed the realities fantastically — the irrational thought processes, the fear, and the desperate attempts to neutralise the anxiety via rituals that deep down you know are irrational but you still can't let go of.

However, I also found Paula exasperating. She is self-centred, cruel, and thoroughly unlikable. Allowing her OCD, anxiety, and eating disorder (ARFID) to influence her parenting and therefore resulting in Zillah inheriting them really frustrated me, mostly for Zillah's sake. I couldn't shake the feeling of how unfair it was for her to have to shoulder the burden of mental disorders she has inherited.

It also infuriated me how Paula was always putting Zillah down instead of encouraging her to step outside of her comfort zone. For example, she refers to Zillah's picky eating as "special needs" and uses them as a way to suggest that her moving in with her boyfriend would be too much responsibility for him to deal with, and that living without her mum would be too hard for her. I felt this was manipulative and a huge reflection of Paula's own co-dependency on her daughter.

I also actually felt that Paula's behaviour — forcing Zillah to participate in the compulsive rituals, severely restricting her diet, and then deliberately preventing her self-development by constantly putting her down and discouraging her growth — indicated an element of Munchausen syndrome.

I didn't love the narration as the pacing, tone and expressions occasionally fluctuated between "just right" and "over the top". However, the voice the author used to narrate Paula perfectly matched the character — irritating and grating — which very effectively made the character come to life.

Overall, the OCD representation was realistic and perfectly portrayed how mentally draining and isolating living with this disorder can be. I loved following Zillah's wholesome journey towards independence, and although it was somewhat predictable, it was still heartwarming to witness her personal growth. Despite nailing the raw realities of sensitive topics, Julie T. Kinn also incorporated a comical tone which, despite the humour not always landing for me, still contributed to the book maintaining a tender and lighthearted vibe throughout. I found it enjoyable, but the writing felt a bit too YA for my liking and I occasionally found myself losing interest.

Thank you to NetGalley, Julie T. Kinn, and Kennedy Creek Press for gifting this audiobook in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

[Laura Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[Marlienable · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drop what you're doing. Clear your schedule. You need to read Picky by Julie T. Kinn.

Zillah is twenty-three and stuck. She lives with her mother, studies a subject she doesn't exactly love, subsists on a self-imposed diet of only ten foods and is in a codependent relationship: an exit strategy from her current life. 

Both Zillah and her mother are severely limited by what reads as undiagnosed anxiety disorder, their worlds shrinking around them anytime tension builds: "Our world gets a little bit smaller every time we make a new ritual or safety practice. Eventually, we'll just huddle in a closet with a toilet bucket and wait for the apocalypse." That line made me laugh and wince in equal measure. 

Kinn, who is a therapist herself, has a profound gift for capturing the internal logic of anxiety. The way it presents itself as protection while quietly closing every door. The constraints Zillah puts herself through made me physically tense up. This is one of the most accurate, compassionate portrayals of anxiety I have ever read in fiction.

And yet this book is also so gloriously, irresistibly warm. There are no villains here. Not one. Zillah's mother is complicated and deeply sympathetic. Zillah's friendship with neighbor Lisa is the kind of fictional friendship you want for yourself. Zillah herself is an absolute joy to spend time with. Funny, optimistic, observant, and described in wonderfully vivid terms: "I'm antsy with tension and red polka dots." That colorful inner world, hinting at synesthesia, gives her a texture unlike any character I've encountered recently.

The therapy in this novel is handled with real expertise and care, unsurprising given the author's background. Zillah's growth feels completely earned. The mother-daughter relationship at the heart of this story is rendered with such love and complexity, and it's worth knowing that the author's own daughter was a partner in shaping it. ❤️

And the audiobook! I was genuinely surprised to discover the narrator is the author herself. Julie T. Kinn gives a stellar, nuanced performance that is perfectly pitched to Zillah's voice. Do yourself a favor and listen to this one.

If you loved the coming-of-age energy of Elizabeth Acevedo or Angie Thomas, Picky is your next obsession. It is tender, funny, real, and full of the kind of nervy optimism that stays with you long after the last page. This is one of my favorite reads of the year and I cannot recommend it enough.

I received an advance audiobook copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Kennedy Creek Press.