I love a good “pray the gay away” type of story with religion and bisexuality involved. I am always impressed with Voris’ writing!

Say a Little Prayer was a fun, feel-good YA romcom. I felt like I was watching a teen movie! The characters and themes were engaging and entertaining. This was such a cute sapphic YA coming of age romcom! Would recommend to anyone who is a fan of teen movies!

Oh, this one was a romp and an adventure and a cutting commentary rolled into one delightful package.

Voris reminds me of Sophie Gonzalez and that's my highest praise. This is so "of the moment". Riley is relatable and tugged at my heartstrings so thoroughly. Julia was the quintessential pastor's daughter. Anyone (especially queer) who has been to an all caps CAMP will really feel seen in this.

I had been looking forward to this book for so long before it came out, and it was one I really enjoyed. Jenna Voris does a great job at portraying difficult topics in the story and managing them with balance. It was a quick read for me, and one I didn't want to put down, even when it was over.

I didn't have time to read much of this before the time ran out, but I can say the cover is designed very well (it creates a lot of intrigue for the book) and what I did read was well writen.

this book honestly gives you A LOT to think about. i think the handling of (TW) teen abortion and sexuality are handled with such care that keeps momentum yet adding lightheartedness to the story as a whole. the romance is a (very) slow burn and i went into it thinking it was more so a romance book than not- i stand corrected, so adjust your expectations if needed 😅 i can see it being cathartic for those with religious trauma especially

Falling in love as a teen is hard. Imagine that you are finding out you are queer AND your best friend is the pastor’s daughter!

I would have done anything to have this book when I was a teen! It felt so true to what it felt like being a teen navigating queerness when you were still learning what that even means. The friendship struggles felt so true and honest. Every second of this book I was on the edge of my seat to see what would happen next and not a second of it disappointed!

dear lord. this book dude. THIS BOOK. it captures religious trauma so, so, SO well. i went in with the expectation of a cute romance with some religious trauma sprinkled in, came out with a wider perspective on religious trauma as a whole. it is beautifully written and captures yearning so gorgeously well, and both riley and julia's experiences struck me right in my heart as horribly relatable. this book made me feel incredibly seen. i loved it.

The summary for this story pulled me in as it is one I have experienced for myself, and it did not disappoint. I loved having a perspective of not belonging in a place you were never made to feel wouldn't accept you. I loved not feeling so alone in those feelings for just a little while. The protective nature and forceful personality of Riley really spoke to me, and I really enjoyed watching her story come about.

Thank you Netgalley for providing this arc. 3.65 rounded up. Thy is was pretty good. It’s a 3 star book, but it was 4 stars in the way it was easy to get through. I read the majority of it in one sitting. It was pretty decent, not my fav. I liked how they wrapped it up though.

This book was a lot of fun!*

*And by fun, I mean it had me laughing, crying, and at times swearing at almost every single adult in this book.

Short recap: Riley leaves her fire & brimstone, conservative church about a year before our story begins, and after witnessing the fallout of her sister getting an abortion a few months later, decides she's gonna go on a one-woman mission to expose the bigoted hypocrisy of the church and its pastor. She's got one week to do it while she's at a spring break church camp retreat (which she's at because after smacking an ex-friend in the hallway at school, the principle said it was this or miss out on theater club). This would be a lot simpler of course, if she wasn't totally in love with her best friend - who's also the daughter of the aforementioned pastor. It's complicated.

As silly as it sounds, this book shines because every single character is so incredibly believable. Sometimes I wanted to shake Riley and tell her to take a couple deep breaths, but damn, if I wouldn't have been exactly the same as a teenager. And every teen was exactly like this. The good, the bad, they were developed so well - they felt like people I would've gone to school with when I was younger. They all made mistakes, and were a little selfish, and made assumptions, and just wanted to have some laughs and fit in - and that was what really made them feel realistic.

Even the pastor was really well written - at times he toed the line to villainous caricature, but never went over it. He really did capture that smiling, "I just want to help you" exterior as he spewed underhanded hatred.

This was a book that easily could've become depressingly serious or veered into saccharine territory, but it was really well balanced and that's what made it an awesome read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Saved!, the 2000s movie with Mandy Moore and the cover gave exactly those vibes so I was intrigued. I also loved Voris’ Every Time You Hear That Song, but unfortunately Say A Little Prayer just did not work for me. It’s probably a mood thing more than anything else, but while I had fun when I was actively reading, when I’d put it down I wasn’t feeling compelled to pick it up again. DNF p 45.

Book Review: Say a Little Prayer by Jenna Voris - @jennavoris
Released: March 7, 2025
Format: e-book ARC via @netgalley
The Low-Down: F/F. Young Adult. First person single POV. Bisexual rep. Religious trauma.

I will be apologizing to every author from here on out since my ability to get to and review ARCs was non-existent as I deal with personal health. While I finished this one a bit ago, I never sat down to collect my thoughts on it until now.

When Riley is given an ultimatum, to be suspended from school and miss the Shrek Musical, she's a tech for or attend church camp with the people her and her family have been alienated from... she sacrifices for the greater good. Now she finds herself in a cabin with girls who never stood up for her family and with her best friend, who she's falling for. The problem? Her best friend is the pastor's daughter, and he's the reason Riley has such a distain for the church.

I adore Jenna Voris with every fiber of my being, so when she announced this book, I could not wait to read it (plus, this cover 🥰!!). Religious trauma and forbidden love? Say less.

This book was so witty and sarcastic. It had me cackling often. I think most of my bookmarks are of Riley's banter and internal monologues. While being gay is often the center of any religious debate, I love that we see Riley's challenges with the church are more than just her being bisexual. This book reflects a lot on the good of a church community, but how easily that can be tainted by one person's toxic leadership.

For Fans Of: The Rebel's Guide to Pride by Matthew Hubbard. Autoboyography by Christina Lauren. We Got The Beat by Jenna Miller. My Fair Brady by Brian Kennedy.

I’ve mentioned in other reviews that I don’t live in America, and this feels like a distinctly American story - like it could only really happen there. Of course, other countries have religious fanatics and people who believe they know best, but something about this particular tale feels uniquely American.

Riley's older sister was pressured into an abortion by a boy who was welcomed back to the congregation, while she was shunned and picked on. The unfairness drove Riley to leave, which the pastor has taken as a personal affront. When Riley gets in trouble at school, her only option is to attend the week long church camp. But Riley is determined not to fall for it again. She won't let Pastor Young get under her skin. In fact, while he's preaching the Seven Virtues, she's going to be working on the Seven Deadly Sins!

Riley's an interesting character. She's right, of course, that the pastor is overstepping and wields too much power; but she doesn't consider that other people might have reasons for acting and believing as they do, instead writing them all off as sheep who are too afraid to stand up. This arrogance is one of the things she has to face during the novel. It is kind of terrifying how much power Pastor Young has, the terror he wields to keep people adhering to his own vision of what's right.

Riley's friend group is fun and there's a wonderful moment I don't want to spoil. While she didn't learn what Pastor Young wanted her to at camp, she did learn not to judge people and she got to know some of them better, which is far better than the weekly plan! This is a great read to show teens how to stand up and be counted, and we need more books like this in the world.


Book Recommendation: Seed by Lisa Heathfield is the story of a teenage girl who realises that her gentle, idyllic life is actually a dangerous cult. It's more intense than Pastor Young's congregation, but the themes are the same.

TV Recommendation: For a much lighter, more wholesome look at religion, try the TV series Seventh Heaven. Reverend Campbell leads a non denominational congregation, counsels his flock, and helps his children figure out their various troubles and trials.

Cute YA book about rebelling and doing what you know is right even if it's supposed to be wrong. Cute characters and development. I was rooting for them the entire time.

Say a Little Prayer by Jenna Voris completely wrecked me in the best possible way. As someone who grew up in fundamentalist Christianity and is now out as a queer woman, this book hit so close to home I had to pause more than once just to breathe. Voris captures the tension, the longing, the guilt, and the quiet defiance of queerness in a world that tells you it’s wrong with honesty, compassion, and so much heart.

The characters feel real: messy, brave, scared, and still somehow full of hope. The way faith and identity are explored is so nuanced. It doesn’t villainize belief, but it doesn’t flinch from the damage that rigid systems can do either. That balance felt like someone finally understood both who I was and who I’ve become.

Beyond the emotional resonance, this is just a beautifully written story. The romance is tender and grounding, and the narrative voice is sharp and vulnerable in all the right ways. Jenna Voris has written something profoundly healing here, and I’m so grateful for it.

If you’ve ever wrestled with faith and queerness, especially in the same breath, Say a Little Prayer will feel like someone reaching out and saying, “You’re not alone.” I can’t recommend it enough.

After Riley is presented with the world's worst ultimatum--miss the spring musical she's poured so much into or go to church camp with the church that has now shunned her whole family--she ends up having to spend a week at church camp. Riley hasn't really been welcome at the church since she came out as bi, but last fall, when her older sister got an abortion and then was publicly shunned at church and was abandoned by all her friends in her time of deepest need? Riley hates Pleasant Hills for that. When she learns that the seven virtues and by extension, the seven deadly sins, is the theme of the week's camp, she sets out to commit every deadly sin and prove that it's not always so black and white as the pastor makes it out to be. All the while, she's thinking a little bit too much about her lifelong best friend...the pastor's daughter.
Equal parts hilarious and heart wrenching, I loved this. The goofy chapter titles took me out. Think Percy Jackson titles but gay and musical theater themed. Also, the spring musical is Shrek the Musical and she keeps whipping out that knowledge at the best times, just as soon as you've forgotten. The nostalgia/trauma is real for anyone who grew up in that kind of a church environment, and especially anyone who ever did church camp. There's nothing quite like the camaraderie of late nights whispering and campfires and bonding over the fact that you're apparently all going to hell. Too real. Riley was such a nuanced character, and honestly, I appreciate Voris's nuance around religion and religious trauma. There's a lot of variety in the characters and their desire to still engage in religion, if that makes sense, and it felt genuinely reflective of real life? At least in my experience. Anyways this one brought on a lot of complex feelings but was ultimately so sweet and heartfelt and wonderful that it was worth the cringey memories.

Oh, this was a really fun read. I picked this up because I just fell in love with the cover as soon as I saw it. So when I started reading it I was delighted to immediately see some of the funniest chapter headers ever. Luckily all of that translated to a great story as well.
Riley was a really great main character to follow. She's very determined, and sometimes she has trouble seeing past the war path she is on. However, throughout the book she really develops to be more open, and hearing out other people's perspectives. She ends up building a lot of bridges instead of burning them down, just like she intended. Her determination to live in sin throughout this Church camp creates a lot of really funny situations. However, all in all it mostly creates some beautiful moments of connection. Considering she can't do these things alone, nor can she tell anyone really about her plan it creates some genuine, heartwarming moments. Overall the idea of friendship and community is really central in this book, and I just adored seeing Riley connect with her different new friends throughout.
I also just loved the romance. You know I am a sucker for friends to lovers, and this book shows of why. The connection they have together translates so well off page. I loved their dynamic. It is a bit complicated, of course, but those complixities is what makes it so compelling to read. The romance is fully packed in the questioning of the pastor and the church, and I really liked how that was done. I like how it didn't really villainise religion, it villainised the people abusing religion to push their own bigotry, or just generally abuse their own power. It's just a really nuanced discussion throughout the book, in my opinion, and I love the way it was executed.
Overall, it was a really fun and quick read. It was quite addicting, as I didn't want to put it down. It made me laugh a lot, but also had great emotional heart to it. I adored Riley, and the group of friends she builds throughout the book. The camp setting also caused for a great framing device, and ultimately I loved the discussions this book was trying to have.

I have been on a literary kick this past year of reading books that complexly explore the relationship people have with religion. Memoirs, graphic novels, movies, you name it- I've engaged with it. My excitement for this book reflected that itch.

And it did not disappoint. I've heard the sonnets of Jenna Voris's young adult prowess and this book made me a believer. It was funny, heartfelt, complex, and really dug deep into the questions a lot of less probing YA authors would've preferred to steer clear of. The intersectional feminist approach to female solidarity at the church camp in particular gets a chef's kiss gesture out of me every time.

Riley's story is frighteningly relatable in the spaces I grew up in. I knew lots of folks who left the church with a whisper or a bang from the homophobia they witnessed or experienced. I respect how Voris approached this without a blanketing "religion is evil and religious people are fools" but also does not let characters (or people) off the hook for their actions or their silence. People are complicit in systemic wrongs and this book tackled that well while also reminding the reader that these are kids, and kids are allowed to make mistakes and ask questions.

I really liked this one. It made me think.

I think the audience for Say a Little Prayer is too broad for me to say "you'll like this one, if" but I can say that Jenna Voris's acclaim is well deserved. Highly recommend.

Pre-Read notes

The introduction of this book left me feeling really good about my choice to read it! It's a fresh concept, a queer young girl strives to commit all the deadly sins over a summer bible camp, as an act of revenge against the church that misunderstands and excludes her.

As a very very untraditional Christian, I like opportunities to question ideas believed by a huge portion of my constituents. This book claims to do just that, so I really wanted to read it. It's YA so I think it's targeting the audience who would benefit from it most.

Final Review

Review summary and recommendations

This one was an arc that got away, but I found an audiobook copy of it on Libby. So, here is my extremely late review!

As you may have noticed, I didn't take many notes on this book and it's because once I hit a certain point, and it was early in the book, I just wanted to listen! It's a YA book (read, addictive pace) about issues I myself wrestle with as a Christian. I feel a great deal of conflict over many of the positions taken by different Christian institutions. I found Voris's approach to her characters and themes engrossing.

If you liked this, you might like the memoir, A Well Trained Wife (my review!). I recommend Say A Little Prayer to fans of queer lit, coming of age stories, and rebellious characters, subversive stories.

Reading Notes

One things I loved:

1. It's almost a pity I don't believe in God anymore. I think this would probably be a good time to pray. (0:24:26) I adore irony and I bet there will be a lot of it!

Rating: 👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏻👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏻👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏻.5 /5 girls at prayer camp
Recommend? yes!
Finished: May 2 '25
Format: digital arc, NetGalley; audiobook, Libby
Read this book if you like:
♀️ sapphic lit
👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏻 girl's coming of age stories
👩🏻‍🎤 rebellious characters

Thank you to the author Jenna Voris, publishers Viking Books, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of SAY A LITTLE PRAYER. All views are mine.
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