3.5 stars! I loved Jenna Voris's last book, EVERY TIME YOU HEAR THAT SONG, so I was especially excited to read SAY A LITTLE PRAYER. The premise was really fascinating, and overall, I think Voris struck a good balance between the more lighthearted tone of the story and the heavier topics discussed. Riley was such a great main character to follow, too, and readers can definitely see how much she grew throughout the book. There were a couple of things I wanted more from—I wished the romance had been built up a little bit more, and I wanted to see more of the musical storyline/get more closure related to that aspect of the story. Still, I would recommend this one for YA readers, particularly those who like coming-of-age stories, stories that focus on religion and sexuality, books set at summer camp, and/or friends-to-lovers romances! Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for the ARC.

The ya romance space is definitely the one meant for Jenna Voris. This book is fantastic, especially with bringing up and dealing with religious trauma. Something about how Riley and Julia's stories are told felt healing in a way. Riley is ready so how how sin can be different for everyone while having a crush on hee friend, who is working through her own feelings. I feel like Riley a lot, especially with how I perceive faith and this book made me feel scene.

I knew I’d love this book, but really I LOVED THIS BOOK. As someone who went through her own religious trauma and deconstruction, I related to it so much. I liked that the book didn’t demonize all Christianity, but focused on the people who see themselves as better than others and misuse/misinterpret scripture for their own gain and power. Riley was such a well written character and I loved how she stood up for herself, her sister and her friends. Also, the humor in this book was TOP NOTCH. The chapter titles of this book were hysterical! Anyway, Here’s Wonderwall (The Lord’s Version) was probably my favorite, but seriously they were all fantastic. I also loved the girl power moments throughout the book, especially at the end. And the romance was honestly just so sweet. I HIGHLY recommend this one. I’m so happy I read it.
P.S. Any book that mentions/references Taylor Swift, Riverdale AND The Gallagher Girls series is 100% for me.
CW: abortion, homophobia, religious bigotry

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the advanced digital reader’s copy!

No words can express how much I LOVED this book. It's somehow simultaneously silly and heartbreaking and was one of my favorite reads yet. I love a girl proving a stupid pastor wrong!

any queer kid who went to church camp deserves financial compensation (me)

i really feel like so much of this book was pulled from my own head. i truly felt like i was a teenager again sitting in church, listening to the sermon and thinking about just how wrong every thing is and the shame and ache of just wanting to scream out. i love that this book was able to tackle this deeper topic while also keeping the book feeling light hearted and fun and capturing the nostalgic moments of camp. the friendships are truly the heart of this book and the chapter title names alone deserve a full 5 stars.

thank you to netgalley for the arc, i wish preteen sarah would have had the chance to read this.

I was a little hesitant with this book because I DNF'd Every Time You Hear That Song, but the premise (Saved! meets Casey McQuinston??) really got me. I'm so glad I picked this up. Really quick read, engaging characters a lot of heart. I'm sure this won't be for everyone because of their own baggage with religion but I would encourage picking it up if you're able to put it aside or even if you've managed not acquire any.

I have to admit, when I first read the synopsis for this one, I was a little wary. As a lesbian who grew up Catholic, I remember spending hundreds of hours at the church, in every youth group, camp, choir, and volunteer opportunity; trying to convince myself that I *couldn’t* be gay.

But Jenna Voris did such a good job with this one. I loved every moment, and her use of humor (especially in the chapter headings... hey, Chapter 10: I felt called out!) breaks up this otherwise very heavy topic of religious bigotry. It was fast-paced, but also well-timed, and Riley gets the chance to grow and realize that her ability to walk away from the church with a supportive family is not possible for some of the others. This is the book I wish I had in high school.

Say a Little Prayer is available March 4th!

Thank you to Penguin group and NetGalley for this eARC.

This was an absolute blast to read! SAY A LITTLE PRAYER is so very gay and so much fun while also tackling some serious topics like homophobia within Christianity. Jenna Voris's sophomore novel is pretty different from her first, but still just as amazing and well-written!

I think this one has a good portrayal of teen angst and rebellion. The issues with religion made it seem like it was one evil pastor with control over his specific Parrish rather that the issue of organized religion as a whole. It was hard to root for the main relationship when most of the history and buildup was before the book and not a lot of conflict was resolved.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: March 4, 2025

This YA read centers around a queer theater kid who ends up at church camp attempting to commit the 7 deadly sins in 7 days. It is billed as Saved meets Casey McQuiston, which are impossibly big shoes to fill. This has some hilarious moments but with no break from the religious theme, the ick built up the further I read. Yes, it’s about them breaking out and forming their own thoughts, but it all still happens under dark religious cloud that made it difficult to fully enjoy. I imagine if you’re a recovering church camper, this will be a hit.

As a huge Casey Mcquiston fan, "Saved! meets Casey Mcquiston" set my expectations for this story pretty high. I also have a habit of finding highly rated books very intimidating. Reviewing books like this is harder than you'd think. Maybe it's because I am bisexual myself but it feels so important to get this right. I'd imagine authors of queer books feel that way even more. I will always remember the first time I read any queer romance and realized how much I resonated with these stories. This one is especially important because of the other topics it touches on. Yes, Riley is bi. But her family was also exiled from their church because her sister had an abortion. These are extremely polarizing topics that NEED to be addressed. Not only should queer people be accepted, celebrated even, but nobody should be shunned by a church. The way the author described missing the church environment but also feeling like it was all wrong anyway is not something I personally had read about enough growing up, so I really appreciate that part of this. My grandmother was a devout catholic and after I chose to stop going to church, I still envied her faith. I think more kids need to feel understood in this way, instead of feeling untethered. The world is falling apart around us and this felt like a little bit of light. It had a lot of funny moments, good tension, a sweet ending and I have a feeling I'll be adding it to my own library for my kids to read someday. Queer kids need art they can see themselves in. They need hope and I feel like this book hits all those marks. Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Teen for this ARC!!

YA book for any gay kid that felt like they were not "enough" or that being gay is a sin. It isn't. God doesn't make mistakes. Not all church people think being gay is a sin, and there are lots of devout Christians that interpret a lot of "clobber" verses differently than you may have been told. The church has been terrible to gay people, especially our youth. If your church is teaching you that, I am so so sorry. You can leave or find another church or attempt to change things from the inside.

This is Riley's story, she was in a fight at school and she was given the chance to make amends by attending church camp. The Pastor is a bad guy who often preaches that being gay is terrible and sinful. He also takes action to kick people out of the church, like excommunicating them, if they don't follow his rules.

The theme of the camp is the "seven deadly sins" (which are not in the Bible and were invented 400 years AFTER Jesus died, by the way) and so Riley tries to practice each of the deadly sins and journal about it to prove the concept wrong. She has a crush on the pastor's daughter, who she has been friends with for years.

Narrative is best for middle grades, I hope libraries will carry it and kids will steal it from the libraries if their parents won't let them check it out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Viking books for the ARC. Book to be published March 4, 2025.

Thank you once again to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC :)

This was very cute and right up my personal alley, but I can't help but feel that it was written more for millennials than teens. I'm sure that there is a demographic of teenager that will be super into it, but if my teen department gets it, I'm envisioning it dying on the shelf since it's just not the type of thing my teen patrons ask for.

Other than that, it was very charming and funny and incredibly easy to read--I blew through it in maybe half a workday's worth of time. I especially appreciated the chapter titles! "The Epic Highs and Lows of Church Camp Capture the Flag" is my personal favorite. I liked how scrappy Riley was as a character and appreciated the different insights we got from the other girls in her cabin, and I liked that they sort of inadvertently challenged her to think a little harder about her crusade and how she was carrying it out. I also felt like it offered valuable insight on how easily people can fall into a status quo when there's an established order or expectation and how hard or nerve-wracking it can be for someone to challenge it or break free from it!

Overall I liked this and will definitely be looking for chances to recommend it to our patrons!

Thanks to NetGalley and Viking Books for the advanced copy!

This was a super highly anticipated 2025 release for me and unfortunately it fell a little flat for me. I was really excited about the camp setting (my favorite) and to sink into a new queer romance, but both of those elements felt like afterthoughts. Initially, I was hooked on the concept and it was an easy read, but as the book continued I felt like I was forcing myself to pick it up/push through.

Also, why did we not hear about the tech week and/or performances of the musical (her entire motivation for going to camp)??

I think a combination of starting to be more selective with my YA reads, and not having a religious background compounded to make this read less compelling for me, so take my review with those grains of salt!

The book had a great start, had me hooked for the first few chapters but then it kept getting harder and harder to read through chapters. I was about to DNF it but I pushed through it.
The titles of the chapters were pretty interesting tbh the only thing I enjoyed the most.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book

This was not for me! I really don't know what it's like to leave a church community or how it feels to have a pastor father. Paired with the overblown silliness of being a teenager, I just couldn't really enjoy this. I felt like everything was kind of an unbelievable stretch -- from the setup to the conflict to the romance. (I was mostly extremely disappointed when I found out the love interest was NOT the mean girl who got slapped at the beginning). Honestly, those things could have been improved by making some edits to the beginning of the book, but it still wasn't for me. I think individuals with more religious trauma might really enjoy this one though!

This is the first book by Jenna Voris that I have read but it definitely won’t be the last! I’ve been meaning to pick up one of her books due to her being from the same state as me, but I hadn’t gotten around to it. Thankfully Netgalley and the publisher allowed me the ARC of Say a Little Prayer.

I saw so much of myself in Riley. Her anger, her passion, her want to do what’s right and fight for what’s right, reminded me of high school me. Julia’s inaction at first bothered me but then I had to remind myself that she is 17 and dealing with her own issues and has to go home to her judgmental pastor of a dad. For spoiler reasons, I’ll be vague, but it all makes sense her lack of action.

One small thing I noticed was one of the characters calling Kentucky the Midwest, when it’s the south.

I loved the chapter titles—they were clever and witty. It was a nice touch.

While this is a YA, it does cover tough topics like abortion, religion, homophobia in the church, etc. The author did an amazing job at depicting the religious bigotry. Growing up in the Midwest, a lot of what Pastor Young said were things I had heard growing up.

Say A Little Prayer is a friends to lovers coming of age story that isn’t afraid to tackle tough topics. You don’t have to be a teen or young adult to enjoy and will find yourself laughing out loud at some of the things that are said. Anyone who had to deal with religious trauma can find a happy ending in Say A Little Prayer.

I really need to stop reading contemporary YA where I just get annoyed at teenagers being fixated on teenage problems to the exclusion of all sense. Not a bad book, and it has potential, I just couldn’t get into it because of how young everyone feels.

Riley has decided that she won’t be attending church when she realized that her congregation wouldn’t have space for a bi girl. It wasn’t until the pastor shunned her older sister, Hannah, for getting an abortion that Riley’s frustration and need to eliminate that specific church began. Unfortunately for Riley, she was sent to the principal’s office after slapping a girl who was talking negatively about Hannah, and she was given the option of suspension or attending church camp during spring break. Riley can’t be suspended as she has a very important role in the upcoming school play, so she decides to go to camp, where at least she’ll be with her best friend, Julia. Julia’s dad is the pastor and in charge of camp. Riley makes it her mission to spend the week committing all seven deadly sins to show the other campers that sometimes a little bad for the greater good isn’t the end of the world. Things get a bit complicated for Riley as she begins to recognize her feelings for the pastor’s daughter, Julia, what will happen now?

What I liked: Throughout the book you get a chance to see Riley tackle various emotions that she feels towards herself, her friends, her family, and other adults in her life. Her journey is filled with moments of anger, doubt, and self reflection as she continues to question the teachings of the pastor and how she fits into Julia’s world now. There is a moment in which Riley has a conversation with the girl she slapped, Amanda, for speaking negatively about her sister, Hannah, and this conversation is healing for both of those characters. This moment shines a light on the complexity of being a teenager and also the difficulty of peer pressure. Riley’s interactions with others are powerful, showing how much influence she has in this story, even when she feels that she is fighting a losing battle.

One aspect of this story that stands out is the way the religious aspects tie together, and this book showcases the power of religion to unite and the potential to harm. It was fascinating to read about each of the seven deadly sins and then their connections with the virtues. Seeing Riley go against each of the virtues in her own manner was eye opening as it shows how some sins are in the eye of the beholder rather than a message from the religion. The pastor’s influence on the community showcases the ways in which religion can have a negative impact on people and can do more harm than good. His role in the community is striking as his influence dictates the town’s beliefs and stifles individual thought, and all of this begins when individuals are young and impressionable.

This book is ultimately about the bravery it takes to stand up for what is right, even when that might alienate you from the people you love. There are moments throughout the book in which you want to scream at the adults who are speaking to youth about the virtues and there are moments in which your heart breaks for them knowing how this is the reality within some religious institutions. This book is relatable to those who struggle with religious teachings and question what they are being taught. Riley’s journey challenges the idea that faith and critical thinking are mutually exclusive, instead showing that questioning doesn’t mean that you are abandoning belief, rather you are making it your own. This story showcases the difficulty of holding identities that seem at odds, such as being religious while supporting abortion rights or being a part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Final Verdict: Say a Little Prayer is a powerful and necessary read for young adults ages 12 and up who are struggling with topics such as religious extremism and conflicting beliefs. It highlights the struggle of reconciling faith with personal beliefs, making readers ask difficult questions about community and identity. This book reminds us that speaking up even when others are against you is an act of courage and can change lives.

SAY A LITTLE PRAYER offers a sharp take on organized religion, so don’t go into this expecting a romance. this is more of a literary/coming-of-age story, full of self-discovery with a lot of emotional depth and growth. oh, and it made me laugh out loud multiple times.

riley left her church a year ago after realizing it wasn't a safe space for a bisexual girl, but when her pastor shuns her sister for getting an abortion, she becomes determined to challenge the system. now, to avoid suspension, she's sent to the church camp run by her best friend julia's dad, the pastor of pleasant hills. instead of following the camp’s teachings, riley plans to rebel by embracing the seven deadly sins, hoping to spark a revolution, all while unexpectedly falling for her best friend.

this book stands out as an insightful commentary on organized religion, shedding light on the complexities and contradictions within its institutions. jenna voris does an outstanding job of exploring how faith plays a unique role in each person’s life, while challenging established church norms and encouraging deeper reflection on personal beliefs and societal structures. she doesn’t shy away from asking tough questions, or broaching divisive topics.

voris comes in hot with the commentary, but keep in mind we're following a teenager who has been hurt. i feel like a lot of people could get scared away from the beginning, and feel like they're being attacked (i mean, if the shoe fits....). however, the story evolves and becomes so much more. that said: pastor young can eat dirt!!!! he's definitely a character you won’t forget, and his audacity literally left me speechless and furious at times.

i really loved all of the characters. the side characters were developed enough for me to be rooting for them (or disappointed in them), but not so much that it felt overwhelming. riley's anger was palpable. she cares so deeply for those around her, and she's just trying to work through how to show that and get her true feelings across. i want to give julia a big ol hug. i just know she would have "good luck, babe!" on repeat in her earbuds if camp allowed phones.

their time at camp felt so real. if you've ever been to church camp, this story is for you. period. you will feel seen, and maybe (strangely????) reminiscent. while we're at camp, a few chapters seemed to follow a repetitive structure, jumping between present-day events and random flashbacks that serve as metaphors. i can see what voris was going for, but sometimes it felt a bit choppy.

that ending, though? perfect. no notes. i really wasn't sure how things would go, and it ended up being powerful. it wrapped everything up in such a satisfying way, and put me back together after feeling broken for a little bit.

i absolutely loved the clever chapter titles. here are a few of my favs: it's not gossip if it's in a prayer request, god gives his toughest battles (surviving church camp) to his gayest soldiers (me), jesus might have been a carpenter, but i most certainly am not, and pov: you're watching me have a proper, full on gay crisis

overall, this is a compelling read that digs deep into religion and personal growth, with an ending that really hits the mark. definitely worth picking up!!

4.5 rounded up to 5 stars