Say No to the Bro Hardcover – May 2, 2017

Helgeson's latest is a fast-paced book that takes a hard look at one of the fundamental markers of growing up: determining who you are by the lines you are and are not willing to cross.When Ava is thrust into a prom competition with increasingly risky events that pit the other teen girls against each other, she must sort out if she can play the game while stay staying true to herself. When things spiral out of control, she must face the question of whether to simply withdraw or to turn in her peers.Helgeson has written another accessible book with interesting, likable characters who may not get everything right, but who are believable works in progress. Relevant, real, and memorable. Although many teens will love this book on its own, the plot is a great jumping-off point for parent/teen discussions, and the educator in me absolutely recommends it as a tandem read for parents and teens.

I am not a normal reader of YA but I really enjoyed Ava and Mark's growing into adulthood. The story reminds me of what it felt like to make the hard choices at a young age.

Ava’s new in town, a senior in high school, and the daughter of her high school’s football coach. Mark is the quarterback. There’s an instant connection when they meet. But their budding relationship is put off balance by a school event called Prom Bowl. A tradition that’s been going on for years, Prom Bowl raises money for the end-of-the-year dance by auctioning off senior girls as prom dates. Against her will, Ava is added to the list and starts competing in a game she doesn’t even want to play.Say No to the Bro by Kat Helgeson asks readers to look at traditions like the one in the story and consider whether they are still relevant or outdated in today’s world. Ava just wants to get through senior year at her new school, not be in the spotlight for a contest she objects to. Other girls in the class are thrilled to be chosen for the list of auctionees. Ava wants to end the practice so girls don’t have to get pressured to join in years to come. Others want to keep the tradition. It’s an interesting look at the kinds of activities that were probably not questioned when they started decades ago, but that today may be considered sexist.Also, light supervision from faculty at the school means events relating to prom bowl escalate what the girls are required to do. Even Ava gets caught up in competition, wondering how she can so no or limit what she’s willing to do when others around her seem to happily comply. Mark also doesn’t like what goes on for Prom Bowl, but he’s pressured by his best friend to play along. Other forces at play come from teachers, Ava’s dad, even the principal.I found secondary characters in Say No to the Bro tended to be one dimensional, and the book could have easily been longer to explore some of the issues hinted at with Ava and Mark’s friends and parents. But issues Ava and Mark deal with directly provide plenty of interesting food for thought. They are each pressured by their parents, their friends and society at large, and they struggle with knowing how to react to events they don’t control. Anyone who has ever felt pressured to go along will surely relate. Ages 14 and up.The publisher provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 3.5 StarsAva is forced to start over in a new high school after her parents' divorce. She thought she would just fly under the radar, until she is named as the wild card in the Prom Bowl. The Prom Bowl is a time honored tradition at Patterson High, where senior girls complete challenges, and are bid upon by the senior boys.This book started off as a very adorable YA romance. Ava describes herself as not a traditional beauty, and perhaps curvier than the classically pretty girls. Therefore, she is shocked, when Mark, the attractive star quarterback of the football team, shows a genuine interest in her. These two were adorable together, and I greatly enjoyed watching those first romantic sparks between these two. They were both such likable characters, and I hoped their plot to sabotage Ava's chances in the Prom Bowl were successful."It's Tradition.""Oh, what are you, the Fiddler on the Roof?"Then, the story took a turn. The focus was less on the romance, and more on issues. One thing that took center stage, was this concept of when a tradition goes bad. Do you go along with something that is "tradition" even if it's destructive in nature? Hazing freshman, buying prom dates -- these were traditions at Patterson High, and it took an outsider to call attention to these issues.Helgeson gave us a great hero and heroine, and a compelling story filled with lots of great messages: being true to yourself, swimming against the current, not blindly following the crowd, beauty coming in all shapes and sizes. This was quite an enjoyable read, but I still wish we would have gotten a little bit more at the end. I am an epilogue kind of girl. I abhor open type endings, and I just wanted a wee bit more from Helgeson, so I could have a little closure.