Welcome to Glenfair, New Jersey's Little Moscow, where fifteen-year-old Alyssa Bondar lives with her Russian-born, Jewish parents. In their culture, drinking is as traditional as blinchiki and piroshkis. So when her mum starts having bad days, it seems like Alyssa's the only one who notices - or cares. Alyssa would love to focus on regular stuff like her first kiss with Keith, her cute track team partner-or simply come home without dread of what she might find. But someone has to clean up her mum's mess. Her dad is steeped in work, the evening news, and denial. Her best friend Lana is busy-shamelessly vying for a place with the popular crowd who ridicule their Russian heritage. It's up to Alyssa to save her mum - and her family. But who will be there to catch Alyssa when her mum's next fall off the wagon drags her down, too?