Hey there! Would you like to relive your religious trauma in the relatively safe space of a sapphic novel? Neat, because that's pretty much what we're doing here.

At times, I felt that Riley, our main character, was a little too flippant and snarky, but as the story progresses, the emotions also gain depth. I will admit that I was often quiet uncomfortable reading this because my IRL experience of Christianity has been so consistently negative. At the same time, I have people in my life who find so much comfort and community in their faith, including people in the alphabet mafia. I was surprised, and somewhat gratified, that this book's basic thesis is that some people use faith as a way to bully and control people, while still acknowledging that there are welcoming and inclusive spaces in which to practice faith. That's a tricky line to walk, and I think this book did a pretty good job of that.

In terms of story and characterization, "Say a Little Prayer" doesn't break the mold, and I was never moved, for example, to the point of tears. I did enjoy this story and the message, and the relationships between the various characters were complex and continued to shift and evolve over the course of the story. Riley in particular starts off fairly flat, but as she grapples with her anger, both her self-awareness and her perceptions of other people evolved. Around chapter three, I was getting worried that the book would be dominated by pithy one-liners and sarcasm, but I'm glad I wasn't deterred, because Riley's attitude is challenged by her community even as she challenge's that community's apathy about their pastor's poor behavior.

At times, I felt that the author could have dug a little deeper and lingered more with certain uncomfortable questions or scenes. On the other hand, I was already getting pretty wound up by moments that tied to my own experiences within the church, and the fact that things stayed relatively light and upbeat made it easier to get through some of the more upsetting and/or frustrating scenes.

Riley's anger rings true to me, and I suspect that there will be readers who find her relationship with her faith and her congregation to be cathartic. The book also serves as a bit of a call to action for people who have faith but recognize when it's being used to harm others. I have a lot of feelings on this topic, so I'll end this here by thanking NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. I read it absurdly fast, since I had trouble putting it down once I got into the story.

Say A Little Prayer is a queer YA novel about Riley, who ends up attending church camp over spring break, and her best friend Julia who also happens to be the pastors daughter. At church camp, Riley decides to commit all of the seven deadly sins to prove that they are not as deadly as a pastor makes them out to be. Readers follow Riley as she struggles with her feelings for her best friend while also navigating growing up and feeling like an outcast at church/church camp.

This was a perfect queer coming of age story that sends a powerful message to young queer people who are struggling with their faith. I definitely think that at times this was cheesy at times but that’s expected with YA novels. Honestly, I would have liked to see more romance between our MC and her love interest. I didn’t feel a connection between them and felt that their relationship from friends to lovers wasn’t as fleshed out as it could have been.

Overall, this is a good read for teen readers looking for a fun and lighthearted sapphic read.

I loved this book so much!! As someone raised in a very religious household that has a much different relationship with religion as an adult it really spoke to me. I identified with so many of Riley’s feelings. Funny, cute, and oh so relatable!

My overall feelings about “Say a Little Prayer” are mixed. I think this novel excelled in exploring religious trauma, and that honestly was the larger theme of the novel more than the romance. I was worried that it would end up being a more preachy than I anticipated and that Riley would reconnect with her faith and somehow find a way to coexist as a bisexual woman and a Christian. And she doesn’t really. I worried that Paster Young would somehow be moved by Riley and Julia and re-evaluate his Baptist teachings. But that doesn’t happen. I think that was the most realistic portrayal of dealing with religious trauma as a gay individual. As a lesbian and ex-Catholic, though I tried to find a way to keep up my faith for a few years after coming out, truthfully the two just weren’t meant to coexist for me (unless everyone gets real cool about about a bunch of stuff really quickly). I really think the author excelled in portraying all the nuances of religious trauma and internalized homophobia.

I was glad too that Julia isn’t forced to have a coming out scene at the end. I think, especially in a religious-centered story such as this one, coming out would typically be a major plot point and central conflict, but the end chapter shares that Riley and Julia are keeping their relationship private for Julia’s safety and that once Julia moves out in a year, they’ll be afforded more freedom to live their lives more authentically. As someone who felt pressured to come out when it would’ve been wiser to keep the secret a little longer for my own convenience, I’m really glad the author shared a message of “come out when it’s safe to do so.” There’s a beautiful message about how remaining closeted for a bit longer doesn’t make invalidate your experience as a queer individual.

In terms of all my more negative thoughts…I just don’t think this book broke away enough from traditional contemporary tropes. That’s not entirely the fault of the novel, I just think I am not much of a contemporary reader these days, and certainly not a YA reader anymore. Now that I’m the ripe old age of 25 with a fully developed prefrontal cortex and all that jazz, I couldn’t stand reading about high school drama and found myself glad to be so far separated from that stage of my life. And I also just find contemporary novels to be written a little too cringe at times with their hyperspecific modern references that inevitably age out in a year or two (although the chapter titles were funny, very Percy Jackson inspired). Ithink there were also too many characters for each of them to get proper development. And I was visibly cringing at the “No, I’m Radio Rebel!” inspired scene at the end when Pastor Young is trying to figure out who wrote the homoerotic journal entry. I felt it would’ve been more impactful if it had just been Riley claiming the journal, but I get that it was good to have the other girls in the cabin show their allegiance to Riley too, albeit I wish it had been done a little more tastefully.

I also just didn’t know what the book really wanted to be by the end. The plot of going to camp and writing the essay kind of goes out the window once the camp gets rained out and Julia kisses Riley. Yes, some pieces are wrapped up in little ways, but the big themes that carried 75% of the book, like Hannah’s social repercussions from her abortion and Riley’s relationship with Pleasant Hills Church and commitment to the theater department just didn’t seem to get the closure I was looking for. It’s true that Riley’s ideals change, and the people around her change, but then why did we put so much emphasis on those other factors of the story for SO LONG without them getting a proper send-off?

All in all, “Say a Little Prayer” did some things differently than its contemporary counterparts and tackled some religious and homophobic themes well, but unfortunately I don’t think it made up for my problems with the novel.

I liked this book! It enticed me from the start with the blurb and the plot of it because it just sounded so interesting to me. The characters were well thought out, particularly the main character, she was so well-developed, and written, that it was easy to find myself relating to her. Even though I'm not religious, the church camp setting seemed realistic, and I loved the background characters. The plot was engaging and fast-paced, and the book overall was easy to read in one sitting. Even though it was more of a comedy book, it dealt with some heavier themes at the end which I thought she wrote fabulously. There's one scene in particular that is my favorite and the author wrote it SO WELL, I felt like I was in the room with the characters, watching everything happen. Overall it was a very enjoyable book, and I would recommend it to anyone else who is also enticed by the blurb.

I read Say A Little Prayer expecting a sapphic love story set in church camp, and while I did get that in this book, I also got so much more! This story is an absolute roller coaster of emotions. It involves a fair bit of growth and nuance while speaking about religious trauma and different ways to deconstruct from it. As someone who did not grow up in a church BUT did grow up in Texas, this book was healing to me and I greatly appreciated the grace (ha) that was given to character's who were still deeply entrenched in church culture and following the beliefs they grew up in. The only small part of this book that bothered me was the ending feeling a bit unrealistic, however it was a sweet and hopeful journey. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I have to say that the humorous chapter titles were one of my favorite parts- especially "The epic highs and lows of church camp capture the flag"

Say a Little Prayer by Jenna Voris is an emotional rollercoaster that dives into themes of faith, love, and forgiveness. The story follows a protagonist grappling with a personal crisis of belief while navigating complex relationships and heartache. Voris does an excellent job of portraying real, raw emotions, making the characters feel relatable and grounded. It’s not just a romance; it’s about growth, understanding, and the messy, beautiful process of healing. The pacing can drag in a few parts, but overall, it’s a powerful and heartfelt read.

Honestly when I first read the synopsis I was ready to get my hands on this books
And reading especially the beginning I think took me a second to fully get into because it brought back some of my own religious trauma and issues
I wanted a little more of the romance between between Riley and Julia but the story is also more than just that
I honestly enjoyed this read

I wasn't sure how I would do with this book, but I actually loved it. While it was extremely fun, it was also gut wrenching about realities of growing up (and what a lot of folks face growing up). I wish I had something like it to read when I was a queer kid at church camp growing up because it felt very relatable. The characters were brilliant. I could not put this book down and read it very quickly (I think I read it in just under 24 hours, which is crazy considering I have a full time job, so you can see how eager I was to finish the story.) Jenna Voris really knocked this one out of the park and this book meant so much to this queer reader personally. I cannot wait to follow along for more of Jenna's books.

BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!!

Jenna Voris has done it again! While this is only my second book of Voris', she's rapidly becoming an auto-buy author for me. Say a Little Prayer has the perfect balance of romance, humor and the examination of religious (and small town) mindsets. Every chapter was named something laugh out loud worthy, and that element carried through most of the novel, helping to balance out some of the more absurd moments while keeping things from getting too serious when it came to heavy topics. While I loved the relationship between Riley and Julia, the relationships and bonds between Riley and the girls at camp were one of the other standout parts for me because of their complexity and contrast in beliefs - all without invalidating Riley and her family's experience. Overall, Say a Little Prayer is a book teen me needed and one that adult me loved, and I'm so happy that it exists for queer teens living in religious rural areas.

For the religiously traumatized, this one is for you.

It felt like my adolescence written into the pages of this book. It was a therapeutic experience, especially that ending.

The author really explores so many aspects of growing up with religion, then leaving that space behind, and the spaces it leaves behind in you. The people and experiences you miss even though it is an environment you can’t or won’t be a part of any longer.

This was deeply nuanced while also being extremely digestible. It was laugh out loud funny and also very serious at times. I really appreciate the focus on shame and guilt. This is excellent and I would HIGHLY recommend.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Jenna Voris, and the publisher for this ARC!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC of 'Say a Little Prayer'! This review is my full, honest opinion.

I've been in a reading slump for months, and this book has officially ended that! 'Say a Little Prayer' is about our main character Riley who is no longer an active member of the church having to participate in church camp to not jeopardize the school production of Shrek. While everyone is delving into the seven heavenly virtues, Riley tries to prove a point that the seven deadly sins aren't so bad.

I love and devoured this book! Even though I had been in a reading slump for four months, I went through this book in less than 24 hours. The writing and story are hilarious; I laughed out loud several times. I especially loved the chapter titles. The characters are dualistic and have both a good and a bad to them which makes each character very human. The main characters and side characters are so memorable. Ben and Julia have my heart and soul!

This book is easy to digest and has important messages about religion, caring for friends and other people as human beings, and how life and people have duplicities that don't follow the love and kindness we should be giving all others. I would easily recommend this to anyone. I am so glad to have read this at the time I did - now I'm excited to continue picking up other books! I need more like this. It makes reading fun!

Say a Little Prayer is a fantastic YA novel that looks at the role that religion can play in a small town, and the effects that one pastor can have on the whole congregation. I really enjoyed this one! It follows a girl whose family has fallen out of their church group and who ends up having to go to church camp to fulfill a school requirement. At camp, she fights back about sins being always wrong, and other conservative beliefs. There were times that I wished that things were handled with a little more nuance, but as someone who grew up in a small, religious town... it was also pretty accurate.

Thanks to Jenna Voris, Penguin, and NetGalley for the chance to read and review. My opinions are my own!

Not too long ago I read Every Time You Hear That Song by Jenna Voris and really loved it. When I then got the opportunity to get my hands on Jenna Voris new book Say a Little Prayer, I grabbed it with both hands.

Say a Little Prayer follows Riley, who not too long ago left the church she and her family used to go to, not seeing a place for her bisexual self there. And after how her sister’s been treated and outcasted due to her abortion, Riley is angry. After a confrontation at school, her love for theatre leads her to accept an alternate solution to suspension, to not miss the rehearsals for the school play, which is how she ends up at church camp. There she has to deal with the pastor, who is the best friend she might like a little more than that’s dad, preaching about the seven deadly sins, as well as people she used to know, before they sided with the church instead of with her sister.

It is a really great book that deals with a lot of mixed feelings. Nostalgia over fond memories and the comfort of community clashes with anger and sadness over the homophobia, bigotry and rejection. Faith is nuanced, complex and not the same for everyone, sometimes it’s hard to ever reconcile with it after bad experiences and sometimes it might take a different shape. I found it a very comforting book, whilst dealing with a lot of hurt and anger. The queerness in this book was one that required quietness and caution, once again portraying the reality of a lot of queer people. Whilst not every problem have easy solutions that fix everything, you do what you can for the time being. Once again, a really great book by Jenna Voris, that explore the complexities of church, faith, queerness, acceptance, love and friendship. And just like with Every Time You Hear That Song, I’m looking forward to revisiting Say a Little Prayer in the future as well!

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

The chapter titles are honestly what drew me in immediately. They were so comedic but fitting for each chapter.
Riley makes the most classic teenage mistakes and missteps but with humor. This book is well written and emotional and overall has a very positive messaging

Thank you NetGalley and Viking Books for an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. 3 ⭐️ This book was enjoyable enough and definitely had its moments, but overall felt a bit too far fetched for me and sometimes was more dramatic than it needed to be to make its point. Sometimes I feel like I hold this viewpoint a lot with YA and maybe I’m too old and crotchety. 🤪

This was my second Jenna Voris read and I was really excited for it to drop and even more excited to get an early peek, but unfortunately, was a bit let down. It was giving me Easy A’s Emma Stone vs. Amanda Bynes vibes but make it gay in the best of ways, but I felt like it was a bit too easy premise wise. 7 days to commit 7 sins? I like the theory that sins shouldn’t always be sinful and that what we see as a sin like gluttony or pride, can be a positive, but I feel like the idea wasn’t introduced the best way that it could be. This may be a better read for someone who wants to revisit their relationship with religion after leaving the church or along similar lines, and I do really really appreciate pointing out religious figures who would rather shame and outcast someone for false reasons than include and try to help and embrace them. All in all, I like the lessons at the heart and the ideas behind the plot, but I didn’t feel connected to the main character or invested in her story or how it shook out and was a bit disappointed with how it was painted

This one was just okay. It considered the seven deadly sins and how to use them for good while being at a church camp run by a bigot pastor. The LGBTQ themes kept the plot going, but were not heavily involved. Overall, it wasn’t my favorite thing I’ve read, but it was quick and I didn’t hate it.

I laughed so hard at a few innuendos made from the church billboard message, and chuckled over the line where Riley complains about the nothingness of Kentucky and her sister Hannah responds they shouldn’t make fun of other Midwest states considering they live in Ohio. Although the beginning of the story was a little too convenient, I liked the growth and progression and friendship developments of the main characters. This is sadly an aprópiate timely story told in a manner of stereotypical specifics that’s easy to understand, with lots of fun details and references.

Jenna Voris’ Say a Little Prayer is a heartfelt and emotionally resonant story about love, healing, and the power of second chances. The characters are deeply relatable, and Voris captures the delicate balance between faith, hope, and vulnerability. With its tender moments and rich storytelling, this novel is a touching reminder of the strength that can be found in both ourselves and others. A must-read for fans of heartfelt contemporary fiction.