Are We There Yet?

January 18, 2021
In West’s funny page-turner (after Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes), a mother struggles to help her children navigate the challenges of school without losing sight of her career. Alice Sullivan’s life is imploding. Her daughter, Adrian, is behind in second grade reading; her seventh grader, Teddy, is accused of bullying a classmate; her architectural design business partner is losing patience over Alice’s personal life distractions; and Alice’s husband is often away on business trips. The narrative unfolds via several viewpoints, including Alice’s childhood friend Meredith Yoshida; Meredith’s synchronized-skating champ daughter, Sadie; Alice’s adoptive mother, Evelyn Brown, a psychologist; and Teddy, who taunts Sadie over suggestive photos posted on her “Finsta” account. Meanwhile, a series of lewd drawings appear around town (“Who would draw a rocket ship in permanent ink?” asks a concerned, naive parent on NextDoor). West has her hand on the pulse of adolescent angst fed by academic and social pressure, jealousies and raging hormones—all compounded by social media—but also the self-doubts experienced by parents (mothers in particular) who can be as lost as their children when it comes to handling the challenges of puberty. Soulful and entertaining, this offers plenty of insight on the space children need to make their own mistakes.

February 1, 2021

Suburban angst is at the center of this new novel by West (Minor Dramas and Other Catastrophes). It features Alice Sullivan and the clique of moms who have been friends since their children were in kindergarten, but friendship is a tenuous thing here as the moms are all secretly judging one another. As the children enter middle school, things begin to change; the good girl isn't quite as good, the good boy is acting out, and the bad boy is getting better. Social media is at the forefront here and is wreaking havoc among all these families. Alice also has to deal with a boss who promised her a partnership and now seems to be pushing her out and her attorney husband, who is working a case that takes him out of town all week, leaving her to deal with the kids. But it is her mother's secret that is the final straw for Alice. VERDICT First-world problems abound in this Midwestern family drama, but West makes the most of her material. For readers who enjoyed Bruce Holsinger's The Gifted School, Lauren Weisberger's When Life Gives You Lululemons, and Laura Zigman's Separation Anxiety.--Stacy Alesi, Eugene M. & Christine E. Lynn Lib., Lynn Univ., Boca Raton, FL

Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2021
Meredith, Alice, and Nadia, a tight-knit group of middle-school moms, thought they had all the tools to tackle the challenges their seventh-graders would face. They knew about attachment parenting, helicopter parenting, ethical parenting, thoughtful parenting, and whatever ethos Thinking Mother magazine had published that month. But much like in their kids' infant days, new phases seem to appear just as everyone gets comfortable with the old routines. When one woman's 13-year-old daughter sends a racy picture to another mom's son via Snapchat, rumors start swirling and all three are left reeling. West (Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes, 2020) explores topics like social media, blended families, learning disabilities, and online bullying. Multiple characters narrate, letting mothers, children, and grandparents offer their perspectives on the central incident. With situations familiar to parents anticipating, in the midst of, or just happy to be past their kids' teenage years, Are We There Yet? brings grace, wit, and warmth to a challenging time. Fans of Emily Adrian and A. H. Kim will find this compelling and relatable.

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