This was a fascinating book, but also one that had me hopping around to other nonfiction resources to fill in my own educational gaps. (How did I miss knowing about Shirley Chisholm?) For that alone, so long as it works seamlessly with the plot, I'll always give a novel bonus points, and in this case it most certainly worked.

Based on the author's experiences, Louisa Carmichael loves to play basketball. Her sport-crazy school offers boy sports only. Seen as a leader, she's invited to speak at an event offering youth perspective when Gloria Steinem comes to town. This experience propels her into growing activism about getting her school to follow the Title IX law and offer sport teams, specifically basketball for girls. This is not well met by the coaching staff at the school and her words are frequently twisted. She's dealing with some things in her personal life - dating, friendship, family illness.
A compelling read with a glimpse into the 1970s and realities for girls. ( )

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. If I am being honest, I don't usually read sports books. They aren't something that I find particularly interesting. But I really enjoyed this book! The characters were likable yet still relatable, and their growth arcs were moving and intriguing. It almost felt like I was just hearing a story from a friend. I heavily recommend and look forward to future works from the author. ( )

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is everything young adult fiction should be - characters and plot that feel real and don't try to coddle the reader along the way. I saw a lot of my teenage self in Louisa; I, too, was basketball-obsessed, still trying to figure out my own feelings about sexuality and love, and I couldn't help but root for Louisa throughout. The peripheral characters are all very distinct, and Bledsoe seemed to perfect the art of making each one unique without distracting the reader from the larger storyline at play considering the sheer amount of characters for such a short book.

I'll admit I requested this one for the historical context. Basketball may have been the most important thing in my life for a time, but I didn't really give a passing thought to Title IX or how recently it had actually been implemented in practice when I was playing in the mid-2000s. As an adult now, it seems all the more important to be able to look back and appreciate what real-life Louisas have done for the rest of us, and Bledsoe does a fantastic job of doing just that.

I'd recommend this book to any school athlete, any former school athlete, or readers interested in historical fiction with a feminist lens. It's a great representation of the genre, and I'm grateful to have been able to read it and cheer Louisa on from the sidelines. ( )

Title IX was passed two years ago in 1972, but Louisa’s high school still only has golf and tennis available for girls. Louisa really wants a basketball team that is funded through the school. After hearing Gloria Steinem speak at an event, Louisa knows she’s got to be the one to get the girls team going.

But after speaking with her principal about making a girls basketball team, Louisa is soon targeted by male coaches at her school telling her to back down, lied to by the school board, dismissed as being a “bra burner”, and misquoted by the newspapers. On top of all of this, Louisa may be finding love, or love(s), her best friend suddenly becomes MIA, and her grandpa’s dementia is getting worse. Based on the author’s true story, No Stopping Us Now shows what it means to have the courage to stand up for what is right.

I don’t usually do sports books, as I’ve never really been passionately into sports. But I really liked the story for this and had no idea what Title IX was so I wanted to learn. And boy did I learn a lot from this book. Mostly about women’s sports, like how crazy different the rules used to be for women’s basketball and what Title IX was and how long it took some cities and states to adhere to it… it’s all crazy. It is a sports book for sure, but it was also way more than that.

I loved Louisa as the main character and narrator of this story. She was a strong willed girl with so much drive and passion that I was rooting for her from the beginning. The relationship with her grandfather was also super cute and adorable and reminded me of my grandmother who also has dementia and comes and goes.

There is love in this story, but it’s really not the main focus at all, and it kind of makes me love Louisa even more for it. I’m also glad for the storyline with Carly, Louisa’s best friend, and what she goes through and how Louisa, even though she feels like she was left behind/forgotten, doesn’t give up on Carly.

This historical sports novel based on true events of the authors is a great read for basketball lovers and non-basketball lovers alike. It’s about standing up for what is right and having the courage to possibly be standing alone. I highly recommend this book to everyone who would like to know more about sports history as well.

*Thank you Three Rooms Press and LibraryThing for the advanced readers' copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! ( )