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.

This book was so relatable as a bisexual gal who was forced to attend church in my teen years long after I stopped believing. The voice was fantastic—Riley, though flawed, was immediately lovable. I also got a kick out of the premise: trying to check off all seven deadly sins while stuck at church camp. The friends-to-lovers romance was also sweet, though I found the evolution of Riley’s feelings toward Amanda and vice versa most interesting.

I was slightly disappointed that Riley’s plan got cut short since I really wanted her to see it through to the end, but I did think the show of support from her new found family was lovely. I also wanted to see the Pastor face more consequences for his cruelty, but I suppose that wouldn’t have been realistic.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

I received an advanced copy from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving this review.

Really really loved this book! A queer reckoning and a sapphic romance and a romp through church camp!

This was a really fun read! I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump lately, definitely due to being a busy college student, but this was exactly the kind of book I needed to get me on my book grind again. This was such a fun rom-com! Riley is a high school student in Ohio (coincidence because one of my best friends is named Riley and my other best friend is from Ohio?) and lands herself in church camp. During the week fun Riley learns that there is more to her peers than she previously thought. Especially about her best friend, and the preacher’s daughter, Julia. If you like a queer YA rom-com, you will probably like this. It reminded me a lot of Dahlia Adler’s books in the best way. I am definitely going to read more from Voris (probably also in less than a day)

I loved the premise of this book. It was so original. The plot was well thought out and the characters were well developed. I really enjoyed reading this book. This book is cute and fun, while addressing some intense topics that teens in my area face. My heart went out to the characters in this book. It was an incredible read.

Thank you for the opportunity to read the e-arc of Say a Little Prayer. I read it the week of elections and conversations happening around booksta/gram about books being political or not and conversations with my religious family members who voted for trump. So it's safe to say that Say a Little Prayer was the perfect read and reminder that deconstructing is worth the after-glow. Though my one thing is I thought the cover said Slay instead of Say and that's just a missed opportunity. Slay a Little Prayer would have fit Riley's personality well.

Thanks for the ARC review. If you loved the cult classic saved. Read this very LGBTQ book that takes Saved, adds a dash of But, I'm a cheerleader and makes something even more magical.

Riley stopped attending church when her sister was publicly banished from the congregation, and when she realized that she would not be accepted there for being bisexual. Even though her next door neighbors are the minister and his family and the minister's twins are her best friends, Riley tries hard to avoid the church and anything associated with it. When Riley slaps her sister's former friend at school and her place in the school musical is on the line, Riley volunteers to attend the church's camp during spring break. Having to attend camp and write an essay for the principal feels like a better option than being forced to miss out on the musical completely. The theme of the week is the seven deadly sins/seven heavenly virtues and Riley decides to try to commit all of the sins to prove that sometimes things labelled as sins aren't necessarily bad. Riley starts to discover that she really missed church and some of the people there and that maybe she has judged people in the same way her sister was judged. What if she actually gained something good from the thing she's been actively avoiding for the last year? Very sweet and funny, but also a deep look into the power of faith in your fellow humans.

I really enjoyed this book! I love how unique the plot is, I don’t think I’ve read something like it before! As someone who grew up in the church, it’s crazy how accurate this book is!! It really handled themes like religious trauma very well and with care.

This book was so good! I really like the plot, and think it is a unique concept that was developed nicely. I also like the main romance in the book, and think the main character and the love interest had good chemistry. Honestly, my favorite part was probably the chapter titles. I found myself laughing reading them, and they were a very enjoyable part of the book. As well as making me laugh, this book also just has something raw and real about it, it isn’t super dark and sad, but isn’t overly idealistic and unrealistic. I have never read the author’s debut novel, but definitely plan on reading it now that I’ve seen some of her work. I definitely would recommend this book, and am excited to see what this author does next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Viking Books for Young Readers, and Penguin Young Readers Group for this advanced copy! You can pick up Say a Little Prayer on March 4, 2025.

This book was perfection. I could not put it down and was sucked in immediately by Jenna Voris's voice and tone. It was exactly what I needed at this time -- a little revenge, a little sticking it to the man, a lot of queerness, and some truly relatable religious trauma. Not only did Riley's growth throughout the course of the book tug at my heartstrings, but her newly formed friendships made me want to cry. Girlhood is just the best, y'all.

I can't believe how expertly Jenna wove in the contradictory feelings of anger and guilt and shame and righteousness and pride when dealing with leaving a church or similar community. Pastor Young is my #1 enemy, only because I can totally relate to his passive-aggressive comments about Riley's "sins," his need to punish her, and yet his ability to act like a totally normal Midwestern dad when taken out of the church context. Religion can be rough on various kinds of relationships, and I think Voris showcased that really well.

Not to say that this book is anti-religious -- in fact, I think it shows how truly multi-faceted religion can and should be, and how we should be celebrating various forms of worship. No spoilers, but by the end, I think you'll see what Riley sees in her small-town Ohio community --faithful people who seek to uplift others instead of tearing them down.

And, of course, we can't forget about the romance. The best-friends-who-secretly-pine-for-each-other-but-can't-show-it-at-church-camp-because-she's-a-pastor's-daughter-romance. Delicious tension, really emotional moments, and a lot of giggling and kicking your feet.

Plus, Voris's prose is HILARIOUS and had me laughing out loud at times. Truly, this book had it all. So you better go pick it up come March!!

Once again, Jenna Voris has absolutely stolen my heart with her latest book. She manages to balance out all of the anxiety of being queer (among other things) in a more conservative, religious environment with just the right amount of heart and humor. Riley *feels* like a teenager - sarcastic and convinced she's always right and struggling with integrating nuance into her worldview - but her reticence and flaws aren't frustrating to the point that she's unlikable. We're in her corner even when she makes mistakes. I often struggle to relate to younger protagonists as I get older; I didn't have that problem here, and that's a testament to Voris' skill.

The secondary characters felt generally flushed out enough for their presence in the story, though I could have used a *little* more development for Julia overall. There were several left turns in the last third of the book that I didn't see coming but that worked really well.

(All of the little easter eggs to "Every Time You Hear That Song" were fucking DELIGHTFUL and I love that these stories exist in the same universe. I gobble that shit up every time.)

I will absolutely be purchasing this upon release!

[NetGalley was kind enough to provide me with an ARC for this title.]