Julie's Review: Are We There Yet?

Author: Kathleen West
Series: None
Publication Date:  March 16, 2021
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 352
Obtained: publisher via Netgalley
Genre:  Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 5/5
Bottom Line: Parenting in the social media age
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Summary: Alice Sullivan feels like she’s finally found her groove in middle age, but it only takes one moment for her perfectly curated life to unravel. On the same day she learns her daughter is struggling in second grade, a call from her son’s school accusing him of bullying throws Alice into a tailspin.  When it comes to light that the incident is part of a new behavior pattern for her son, one complete with fake social media profiles with a lot of questionable content, Alice’s social standing is quickly eroded to one of “those moms” who can’t control her kids. Soon she’s facing the very judgement she was all too happy to dole out when she thought no one was looking (or when she thought her house wasn’t made of glass). Then her mother unloads a family secret she’s kept for more than thirty years, and Alice’s entire perception of herself is shattered.  As her son’s new reputation polarizes her friendships and her family buzzes with the ramification of her mother’s choices, Alice realizes that she’s been too focused on measuring her success and happiness by everyone else's standards. Now, with all her shortcomings laid bare, she’ll have to figure out to whom to turn for help and decide who she really wants to be. ~amazon.com 

Review: I think we all can remember our Junior High days and agree while we all came out of them alive but not unscathed. In her Sophomore novel, Kathleen West examines what it's like to navigate Junior High as a parent and in the age of Social Media. Bascially, it's not easy. How much privacy do you give them? Do you install spying software on their phone? 

Alice is one of those characters that is proud of everything she can handle. She likes being someone to everyone. She loves thinking that she can do it all, until she really can't. Until it all comes down on her. When did her son turn into an asshole? When did he start acting out at school? Had she missed the signs? Also, how did she miss that her daughter was behind in her reading? It's like everything comes at her at the same time. Little does she know the biggest shock of all is coming from her mother. 

I don't want to give away the whole plot because I think you should read it yourself. It's an eye opening novel about Social Media, Peer Pressure both for kids and adults and dealing with friendships that have changed over the course of years. I loved that Alice's husband was there to support her and he really was her rock throughout the turmoil. It was up to Alice to decide how to navigate the waters and figure out what she wants to do and whom she wants to be. 

This book hasn't left my mind and has my kids looking at me weird when I ask them about their social media accounts and fake accounts. Even if you don't have kids, I think everyone can relate to some aspects of this novel. 

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