The hallowed halls of Liston Heights High School exude an image of perfectly coiffed hair, the latest styles, and eyes on Ivy League colleges. In reality, however, helicopter parents buy their kids’ way to the top of the class and declined enrollment has the threat of layoffs hanging over the staff’s heads.

When American Lit teacher Isobel Johnson receives a voicemail – on her home phone – she doesn’t take it as seriously as she should. A thinly veiled threat isn’t going to scare her off from doing what she loves, even as she’s accused of pushing an anti-American, Marxist agenda. She might have a much more liberal view than her fellow teachers, but she wants her students to think for themselves, whether it’s essays about “the motherhood penalty” or Nick’s possibly romantic interest in Jay Gatsby.

Julia Abbott takes helicopter parenting to the extreme. When her daughter suddenly announces she has no interest in becoming a mother, why, Julia refuses to accept it. Clearly that English teacher has been putting ideas into Tracy’s head. And so what if she marches down to the school to have a little chat with the principal about her son and how he’s paid his dues long enough (working in the prop department, no less); it’s time he has a lead role in the play. Julia and Henry practically paid for an entire wardrobe for the drama department, these things come at a price you know, it’s just the way things work – and a ninth grader isn’t going to get the part over her child.

When a video of Julia goes viral – her exuberant reaction at the cast list might look to some as though she’s punching a student, tomato, tomahto – and a secret facebook group starts gaining a following, claws come out.

First thing’s first: if you’re a reader who does not enjoy multiple narrators, Minor Dramas is NOT the book for you. I, however, live by the phrase “the more the merrier” and delighted in this robust cast of characters. Everyone from Isobel and Julia to Julia’s children and husband to a fellow parent and even the school’s principal offers up their own perspectives. Secondly, despite clocking in at just under 400 pages, Minor Dramas is an extremely fast read. As in, this would have been a one-sitting read if I hadn’t started late in the evening when I needed to be up early the next day for work. Part of the reason it reads so fast is due to the content: this is a total beach read, full of over-the-top antic of wealthy parents. The chapters are also very short, the longest ones coming in at a handful of pages. When a chapter is only a page and a half, it’s easy to whip through it in no time.

Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes was an absolute joy to read. Who’s behind the secret facebook group? Did Julia seriously just hit a teacher with her car?? What’s the big secret in Isobel’s past? Though the ending does come together a bit too neatly for my liking, I had such a blast reading this one and can’t wait to see what West writes next!

The story was slow going at the beginning until it got to a point when I couldn’t put it down anymore. I spent my Sunday finding excuses to listen to the audiobook, and thanks to the captivating story, I finished the biggest part of the audiobook in just a few days.

When it came to the two main characters, Julia was the one that was the least likable at the beginning. She made me roll my eyes so hard. That woman just couldn’t stop interfering in her kids school life. She was the epitome of every helicopter mom, and she definitely had a hard time recognizing her faults. But I think what made her so believable in the end was that I’ve met parents like her, the overzealous super mom.

Where Julia was a super mom, Isobel was a super teacher. Her zeal for helping her students to become kind and caring adults was admirable. But she was also someone that always pushed the limits. If I had been her principal she would have driven me nuts with her demands. On the other hand, her passion for teaching was palpable and heart-warming. She was definitely one of my favorite characters.

The social media fallout which was part of the storyline was like a train wreck – impossible to stop, but also fascinating to watch. Moreover it turned this novel into a timely and relevant story.

Most of all I really enjoyed that the POVs weren’t just limited to the two main characters Julia and Isobel, but also included the husbands, the principal, and the kids. It was fascinating to hear their thoughts on what happened, and the way they tried to make sense of it all. Even though there were many different POV’s, they were easy to follow, and all added to the overall enjoyment of the story.

Overall, the book was an easy and fast read. There was never a boring minute, especially in the last half of the book, and for a debut novel it was EXCELLENT!!!

This is a fabulous book that made me fear for other parents once my toddler gets to high school! I loved the cast of characters and how they all developed in the story. Although Julia was really intense she was also very believable. Isobel was a great inspirational great and I really enjoyed her parts. It was also great to see the students have a voice and fight for their beliefs as well. Overall I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend checking this one out!

While I didn't care for either the title or cover of this book, I kept hearing about it and decided to download it! Boy am I glad I did. While the title didn't really capture the essence of the book, I found it to be an amazing book. It's obvious that Kathleen West has spent a significant amount of time in today's schools. Loved the story and how it was told from multiple points of view. Thanks for the advanced copy.

As an educator, I love reading books that take place in schools, especially private schools. This was an easy to read story, very believable and realistic, that would have you laughing at times and cringing at others as the characters go about their very self-centered lives. You can see the trajectory of where things are headed! I really liked the ending, as I’m a true fan of the theme of redemption.

Recommended to those who like this genre. It reminded me a bit of Big Little Lies, but not quite so “gaspy” if you know what I mean. No big reveals, etc.

Thank you for my ARC to review!

I adored this funny and charmingly written book about a privileged high school and the lengths that its students' parents go to will ensure to their children succeed. Kathleen West delivers a hilarious and relatable take on helicopter parenting and PTA politics that often rings alarmingly true.

Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes is a nuanced look at school politics at a prestigious school in an affluent Minnesota community. Written with humor and plenty of drama, West succeeds at sharing a look at high school life from the perspective of a well-meaning teacher who gets caught in the web of meeting the demands and expectations of parents/administrators and other teachers. We meet a slew of characters who set the scene and it is all too relatable to anyone who has ever been a part of a school community, whether as a teacher, parent or both. 

There are helicopter parents, bullying on social media and conflicts between faculty and families. And then there are the students just trying to get through their high school years. The overbearing parents rule the roost at this school and West shares a great balance of laughable moments that seem totally unbeliever (unless you have been there and then you get it!) mixed with insight about just what students AND teachers are up against these days. 

I found this book to be a light read with a great mix of thought-provoking and timely topics many of us can relate to. While some of the storylines may seem over the top, for me, they added to the complexities schools deal with in this digital age. I did struggle at times with keeping track of all the characters but all in all, this was a very enjoyable book that would make for a great book club discussion! 

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for an advanced copy.

Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes follows the story of a couple of teachers, a fiercely determined parent and a few of the students at the prestigious high school and all the drama that follows the awful event of a mother injuring a student that was caught on video and the social media circus it causes.

Isobel Johnson is an English teacher at Liston Heights High and loves it. She is one of those types of teachers that doesn’t just give a lesson and that’s it, she encourages her students to look further into the books they read and make their own decisions about them. The students seem to adore her which is great, except one of them is Julia’s kids. Julia is big with the jealousy bug and stirs up some trouble for Isobel. Her life is turned upside down when she is accused of pushing her own agendas during her classes.

Julia Abbott is the epitome of a helicopter mom. She is involved in every aspect of this kids life, inserting herself when she shouldn’t sometimes too causing not only some embarrassment but sometimes problems for both of her teenage children. I will say that her heart is in the right place for the most part. But I could tell that this is woman who wants her kids to be the best at everything. She can be down right viscous. But her world is also turned upside down when the video of her injuring a student goes viral.

The story is told from multiple points views. Of course there is out two main characters Isobel and Julia but we are also given the points of view from a young new teacher named Jamie who is just trying to win the affection of her students and fit in with the teachers. A teacher named John who is also Isobel’s friend and then of there is the schools principle Wayne. We also have Julia’s husband and children too in the mix. With so many points of view you’d think it might get a little confusing but it really didn’t and I enjoyed having the multiple views as it was a clever way to see what those involved think and feel and and their motives behind their actions. It gave the whole picture.

The story had many different things going on here. Isobel and her teaching ways and those who don’t like the way she does things. A mother who has given up her life dreams to become a stay at home mom who now feels that part of her life is slipping away now that her kids are getting bigger A new teacher that gets ahead of herself wanting more from her career. A secret gossip group on Facebook telling all there is to know about things at the school. So, as I reading I began to wonder who the bad seeds really were. Each person had their own set of struggles both past and present. Yes, some did some things that were just plain wrong and of course they suffered the consequences. While others fought for what they thought was right. (sometimes I think the kids acted more mature than the adults on this sense…) The journey to the end had it’s fair share of drama but it was so worth it in the end to see how everything worked out for both Isobel and Julia and a few others that I learned to really enjoy too.

Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes is a story that has plenty of juicy gossip and drama with parents behaving badly but there was so much more to it too. It was a story of courage, strength and motherhood. It was a really enjoyable read and I hope you’ll give it a try.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley and Kathleen West for the opportunity to read and review this novel - I loved it! This would be a fabulous book club read, especially for parents/teachers dealing with high schoolers.

In the wealthy suburb of Liston Heights, Minnesota, Julia is an intense helicopter mom of Andrew and Tracy. Julia gave up her journalism career to stay at home and the kids have always been her complete job. Desperate for Andrew to have a more substantial part in the upcoming school play, she persuades her husband to make a big donation to the costume shop for the drama club and talks to the principal about the fact that Andrew is owed this part. In her excitement to see what part he is selected for, she sneaks into the school to see the posting and inadvertently hits another student. Of course, the moment is captured on video and goes viral.

Isobel, an English teacher at the high school, grew up with a cross to bear from her father's actions and is adamant that the kids in her classes will understand the responsibility of their privileged life and encourages them to view the novel's in the curriculum with a more liberal viewpoint than others are comfortable with. Tracy becomes attached to her teacher and starts questioning women's roles in the world, much to the chagrin of Julia.

Enter social media. Besides the viral video, there is also a gossip website that encourages parents to talk badly about the teachers in the school.

There is so much to discuss in this book - rank and privilege, helicopter parenting, mean mom attitudes, and a healthy respect for the damage that social media can play in all these. But the writing is spot on and it made for a very enjoyable, light read while exploring more complicated subjects.

There are some good bits to this new title skewering helicopter parents and school politics: 1) Reminders of the ills of bullying on social media. 2) A book that ends with adults modeling adult behavior. 3) A catchy title. Honestly, though, this book was a tough read for me. I considered making it a DNF several times. Many of the characters in this book engineer their own catastrophes through their ignorant and/or irresponsible behavior. My takeaway from this book is the reminder to respect others and avoid making snap judgments and engaging in gossip. Parents and teachers need to partner together, not be in opposition to each other.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Need a little mix of Gossip Girl and Glee on your TBR? Then this novel is for you.

Minor Dramas and Other Catastropes begins with Julie, an overzealous helicopter parent punching a student in the gut while checking out the school play’s cast list. When the video goes viral, events start spiraling that end up revealing even more drama at a private school. Isobel is a teacher with a social justice mentality and her teaching has come into question as parents start berating each other on a social media page. Somehow these two women will come together to clear the air and their reputations.

Kathleen West does a wonderful job mixing in her humor and insight as she writes a book that develops a narrative about intense pressure on students today as well as the determent of social media. The storyline and characters are well done and it is clear West knows her stuff. The plot read quickly while still providing thought-provoking scenes that created a bit of depth to her story.

While the story is strong, I never wanted to pull for Isobel, who was supposed to be a free-thinking teacher but was just pushing her agenda on her students without allowing them to disagree. There were also too many perspectives written in the book, a few of them did not add to the overall end of the story.

I give this novel a 4/5 star rating for the quick pace, juicy gossip tinged with mystery, and themes explored.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkeley for a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This novel is available on February 4, 2020.

Very well-written saga about a high-income suburb and the parents, students and teachers who live and work there. The author does an outstanding job of keeping all characters three-dimensional. There are no bad people in this book, just folks who sometimes behave badly. Highly recommend.

Secrets and drama and scandals, oh my! This one was a winner for me!

Set in a well-to-do suburb outside of Minneapolis, this story centers on the dramas and catastrophes in a high school. There’s an overeager helicopter mom, a passionate English teacher with a yearning to open her students’ minds, and a supporting cast of other teachers and parents, school administrators and, of course, the students themselves. A video of the helicopter mom behaving badly goes viral, the English teacher comes under fire, and the consequences ricochet throughout the community. The author deftly handles a whole bunch of points of view (I lost count—but there was a lot!) while exploring questions about parenthood, the risks and benefits of social media, and the responsibility teachers hold to their students. It’s lots of fun to read and reminded me of Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies because of the school and parent drama (though no one is murdered 😉) or When Life Gives You Lululemons.

Releases Feb 4 so put this one on your list!

(Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for my advance copies in exchange for an honest review)

Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes by Kathleen West
Source: NetGalley and Berkley
My Rating: 3/5 stars

**MINI-REVIEW**

The Bottom Line: Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes is one of those reads that I finished and after 24 hours of reflection find that I mostly just feel ambivalent towards this story and its characters. There are a lot of threads and plot lines in this book and while they are all connected to one another, they don’t always connect well. What’s more, outside of the teenagers (GASP!) there isn’t really a decent character in this book. The adults are simply pathetic, each looking for ways to better others or tear down those they perceive as having slighted them. The pettiness is next level with personal and professional attacks alike. The greatest level of maturity, proper behavior, and actions in the book come from the kids and that simply makes no sense given who their parents are. At the end of it all, I walked away from this book thankful there wasn’t anything left to read, no more drama and no more catastrophes.

This is a fast paced back and forth book with multiple POVs. Each character gives more depth to the story and what's happening. I felt like all the characters were real and could be my neighbors, even though some of them were over the top.

Helicopter parents and overworked teachers collide in this family drama. Will appeal to parents that can relate and find the humor in school yard drama.

PICK IT UP IMMEDIATELY.

This novel is so nuanced and covers a variety of different social issues without being preachy. The character development in this books is fantastic as is the way it is told from many different POV which all intersect is superb.

I don't why I find books that satirize helicopter mothers so entertaining. Yet, as soon as this was compared in a blurb to Small Admissions, I put in a request.

Isobel is a free thinking English teacher of a school where the mothers are so demanding, they joined a private Facebook to gossip and criticize teachers. The mothers start to complain about Isobel discussing privilege and reading subtext whether a male character is in love with another male character. The anger the mothers have at the notion that Nick is in love with Gatsby is funny because I've heard that theory and I never read The Great Gatsby.

This Facebook group brings down Isobel and Julia, another helicopter mother who was too much for the other mothers. Julia was a hard character to find likable to the point where I don't think I'm supposed to like her. Though, it was interesting to see what next insane thing she was going to do next on accident.

Fun book and it was nice that the teenagers were more mature than their parents.

Kathleen West's new book, Minor Dramas and Other Catastrophes is about a family, a school, teachers, students and events that expand until they get completely out of hand. The story is told from many points of view. Helicopter mom, Julia Abbott is over-zealously trying to make sure her son Andrew gets a meaty roll in the Liston Heights High School play. She sneaks into school to check the cast list and accidentally hurts a student in her excitement. She also is very nasty to English teacher, Isobel Johnson, about her grading and choice of reading material. We hear from Henry, Andrew and Tracy Abbott, Julia's husband and children as they try to figure out what is going on with their Mom and as the kids come to the defense of their favorite teacher. Isobel is mentoring Jamie Preston, a mediocre young teacher who will stop at nothing to insure her job. Principal Wayne Wallace weighs in as do various other members of the Theatre Booster committee and the play director. How the mess snowballs out of control then is resolved makes for entertaining and interesting reading. West does a great job balancing the parents' point of view with the teachers'. The multiple points of view were a little confusing at first but were clearly marked and easy to follow. Anyone who enjoys a good read will love this book. I appreciate the chance to read the ARC!

This is about the teachers and parents at an elite high school and the drama and challenges that come with working with kids from hyper-privileged backgrounds. It took me a minute to get to know all of the various characters, but I enjoyed the story. I was impressed with the kids and thought the parents were over the top, but the author is a teacher so I know she's drawing from experience. Teachers would especially appreciate this one! 3.5 ⭐️ Out 2.4.2020.