This was such a cute book and one that touches on the realities of religious trauma in such a relatable way. I loved Riley and felt she was fiercely loyal to those she loves and isn’t afraid to stick her neck out for others. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys LGBTQ+ coming of age stories, with a heavy dose of church camp trauma healing.

Genre 📚: YA Contemporary, Queer Lit, Romance
Tropes 💁‍♀️: Forbidden love, Friends to lovers, Falling for pastor’s daughter
Rep ✔️: Bisexual main character, POC side character
CW ⚠️: Religious trauma, Homophobia
Rating ⭐️: 4/5

Riley is done with church — she doesn’t feel safe in that environment being bisexual, and she resents the pastor for shunning her sister. But after getting in trouble at school, she’s forced to go to church camp for a week with the very pastor she hates. And rather than participate in the pastor’s mission to be “saved,” she decides to set out on her own mission to commit the seven deadly sins: sloth, greed, gluttony, wrath, lust, envy, and pride.

The camp setting is sooo nostalgic and fun, especially with Riley going around trying to figure out how to complete her next sin. Some of her strategies are clever, some simple and straightforward, and I love that she gets her fellow campers involved. Things get a little complicated, however, as her feelings for her best friend Julia deepen. Because Julia is also the pastor’s daughter.

The romance was sweet, and the themes of faith and coming out were handled really nicely for a YA book, but I was left wanting more. I would’ve liked Riley’s story to have taken place over summer instead, so we had more time to develop the characters and their relationships. I still had a good time with the whole seven days/seven sins thing, though, and definitely finished the book with a smile on my face.

🌅Say a Little Prayer by Jenna Voris🌅

Ratings:
4.5⭐️ / 0🌶️

When I first heard of Say a Little Prayer by @jennavoris I was really excited! I don't normally read YA books, but the premise of this one called to me. A Sapphic love story where the mc is set on proving her pastor wrong? Uh, yeah. Count me in. I had so much fun with this! Even though the overall topic is pretty deep, the story is pretty light and fun. Riley is written VERY well, meaning I found her super frustrating, but she's 17. What 17y/o isn't? But just be ready for that. Overall, the story is really good, and I enjoyed it a lot!

Available 3/4/25

Thank you NetGalley and Viking Books for the ARC of this book!

This was such a great book! Who doesn’t love a queer YA novel about church camp?

Despite having some fairly heavy topics (queer phobia, religion trauma, cultish mentality, bullying), the book managed to have a fairy light tone overall.

This book does have some tension that feels very high school - the miscommunication, the angst, and the teenage anger - but since this is a YA book with high school characters, it felt perfect. I loved the FMC, and I resonated with her so much. Reading about church camp also took me right back, and it was so fun to see all the characters’ dynamics!

When Riley messes up for the last time at school, she's given the worst punishment she could possible get... a week at church camp. Riley hasn't been back to church since they shunned her family, isolating them from their community. Going to church camp for the week will be hell haha get it but it can't be that bad if her best friend Julia will be there too right? But what happens when feelings start to form and lines start to blur but Julia's dad is the pastor and Riley doesn't know what's real and what isn't?
This book gave me all the feels. The perfect coming of age queer story. I really enjoyed the format styling of the book, breaking it up into the seven deadly sins, making that an important part of the story. I think having new queer ya novels that just focus on the queer romance not a coming out story is just as important as the coming out novels we've gotten and this gives that perfectly. I think a lot of people will enjoy this story as a coming of age queer rom com esque story!

First, I want to thank Netgalley and Penguin Random House for giving me the opportunity to read Say A Little Prayer by Jenna Voris. This opinion is solely my own. I loved this story. The story follows Riley, who left her church a year ago after listening to Pastor Ypung preach about gays going to hell. After the sermon, she came out to her super supportive family as bisexual and they stood by her decision not to go back to church. The big problem with Riley's hatred for her church... her best friend Julia is Pastor Young's daughter. Riley is forced to agree to spend Spring Break at her old church's camp. Riley decides to embrace the 7 days she's spending at camp by committing one of the deadly sins each day. The only problem, the feelings she continues to have for Julia as they spend more and more time together at camp. I easily gave this book 5 stars and definitely recommend it.

Book Description: Say a Little Prayer by Jenna Voris is a novel following a young teen by the name of Riley who spends spring break at a church camp to avoid suspension. Lucky for her, Riley is joined by her best friend (Julia)—who also happens to be the daughter of the pastor (Young) who shunned her sister from the church they attended. Subsequently, Riley decides to go on a mission to commit each seven deadly sin during the week she's at camp to prove Paster Young wrong. However, as the days passed, Riley finds herself falling for her best friend. Say a Little Prayer is a story about romance, friendships, and religious trauma.

Book Review: I was able to read this one in two days. It’s easy to digest, has witty chapter titles, and inspiring friendships and family dynamics. Technically, I thought this was a well written novel that I flew through. Story wise, I thought it was funny, cute, and heartwarming. One of my favorite things about the book was the relationship between Riley and her sister Hannah, and their friendship with Julia and her brother. The tight dynamic was so warming to read.

However, I will admit that I felt like we needed more romantic interactions between Riley and Julia to make the romance more believable. Additionally, I felt like a Julia POV would have strengthened the novel and possibly turned this book into a 4 star read for me.

Further, this was a very funny book. I was not expecting to laugh as much as I did. The banter between multiple characters kind of reminded me of my own friendships. The characters, in general, were well written—with each feeling like a real person. Finally, I actually liked the way the author explores religious trauma. This is a book for teens and young adult, so I thought it was done in a tasteful way.

I recommend this book for individuals interested in coming of age young adult novels with romance. 


Rating: 3.5/5 (Good and will recommend!)

Review will also be posted on Instagram on publication day.

Irreverent yet undeniably charming. This book continues the tradition of ‘But I’m a Cheerleader,’ taking subject matter that has long been a source of queer trauma and finding the fierce joy and humor without compromising on tough realities.

I truly enjoyed this book and everything about it. It was simultaneously funny and serious, and did a good job of keeping the balance. As a former member of the church who has since left because of their opinion on queerness, among other things, this book struck a cord within me. I struggled a lot with the purity culture that was taught and getting over that having sex does not make you less of a person. I struggled to accept myself as bi when I was taught it was wrong. This is a book that so many young people who are in the same position I was need to have. There are always going to be some people are going to hate you and what you stand for no matter what you do and you can't change their mind. But you will always have people who are on your side and who see the bigotry that is displayed and disagree with it. What has been designated as a safe place in the past, may not always be in the future and that is ok. I think it is important for young queer people to read this, especially those who have been harmed by the church. And that is so needed right now in this current political climate.
I genuinely have no criticisms of this book. The content was well handled and balanced, the chapter titles were hilarious, there were callbacks to her previous book, and the theater kid references were spot on. So long story short, I support gay wrongs, abortion is healthcare, and fuck homophobes.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

This was a book I was excited to read as it has LGBT representation, and as a strong ally I love to read books about this community. Unfortunately< I thought this book was executed poorly as the author used cringeworthy terms in order to try and connect with her audience. And unfortunately when I say she used cringeworthy terms, I mean that she overused them. So in conclusion, I liked the message and the plot of this book, I just thought that execution was poor.

What a fun sapphic slow burn about a girl who is forced into church camp but who does everything she can to prove the lessons of god wrong. Oh and she also might have a huge crush on her best friend.

Riley's family lives across from Julia and Ben, the kids of the local church's pastor. But when Riley's sister Hannah has an abortion and the church finds out, they're ostracized and forced out. Due to anger issues, Riley finds herself at the church camp having to write an essay and what better theme than doing the opposite of the seven deadly sins!

This was a slow burn young adult cute sapphic romance about being in the church and having these supposedly forbidden feelings. It's also about friendship and standing up for things together. The ending really deals with the struggle of having these feelings but god will forgive you I promise. I also loved Ben, he was so funny.

I just wish we had proven the pastor wrong more. We spent the whole novel leading up to a conflict with him only to brush right past it. I wanted to see more closure and proving the church and congregation wrong in general. It fell a little flat to me and I really wanted to see more of Julia and how their relationship will affect hers with her father.

This is still a very enjoyable book otherwise! Especially if you are an ex-convert like me

I liked this book but I didn’t love it. It had all the right ingredients but it fell flat for me and I can’t really put my finger on why. Maybe I needed more flirting and just interactions in general between Riley and Julia in the first half of the book for the second half to feel more real. I also needed literally any adult to stand up for their child in a public way.

This is heavy on religious trauma and mean girl dynamics so if that’s triggering then please skip this one.

Those of us who went to religious summer camps and are reconciling with the trauma .... You should read this 1) because it's funny 2) it sheds light on religious trama 3) because it's good

After reading Jenna's debut novel, "Every Time You Hear That Song", I knew she would become an auto-buy author for me.

This YA, sapphic, coming of age novel, stars Riley who is queer and is practically forced to attend a Spring Break church camp in order to avoid suspension (this sounds like something Oklahoma would do tbh). Unfortunately for Riley, her family has been shamed by this church because her sister had an abortion and because Riley is bisexual. Riley hasn't attended since then until she's packed up and ready to go to camp for a week. Her only saving grace is that her best friend, Julia (also the pastor's daughter) will be there. Riley sets herself on a mission to commit each seven deadly sin during the week she's at camp. What could possibly go wrong?

This book is funny! Those chapter titles literally had me giggling so hard. These characters are relatable. As I was reading this book, I was reminiscing on my time as a teenager at church camp and yikes some of these realities are harsh!!
Through out this book Riley does make some questionable decisions but like what 17 year old doesn't ya know??

I FELT deeply in this book in regard to my own religious trauma + upbringing. It brought feelings of nostalgia and also some good memories from my times at church camp!

I had a great time reading this silly book. Totally recommend for those who love coming of age YA novels with silly antics and a deeper message about how harmful church culture can be sometimes.

Thank you Netgalley + Viking Books for Young Readers for this earc!!!

God bless YA that feels like YA.

A headstrong bisexual teenager, who left her church a year ago because 1) The pastor publicly shamed her sister for having an abortion and 2) The congregation wouldn't accept her sexual orientation, winds up at that church's week-long spring break camp.

In typical teenage fashion, Riley comes up with a plot to do the opposite of every lesson the camp is trying to teach. Along the way, she realizes that she's not the only one with a desire to shake the Fire and Brimstone teachings that still inhabit her brain and leave her riddled with guilt. She learns the simple act of holding a girl's hand can lead to a whole lotta pining. (Even when that girl is the vicious pastor's daughter.) And she learns forgiveness doesn't come easy, and it doesn't need to be asked for in front of a congregation.

There is good ol' pining and some sweet kisses.

I love the added touch of the funny chapter titles. "My Lord and Savior Daddy Christ" and "God Gives His Toughest Battles (Surviving Church Camp) to His Gayest Soldiers (Me)" stand out amongst my favorites.

If you are a queer Swiftie with religious trauma, this one is for you!

I really loved this book! It definitely had vibes from the movie Saved, which has always been a favorite of mine.

I could really relate to Riley’s personality and her take on most churches that have judgmental worship practices and/or pastor. She was very blunt and honest about her feelings regarding her sister which I appreciated having several sisters myself.

My only issue I had was how could you know your best friend for years and not once sense they had feelings for you?

Overall, it was a great read and loved the ending!

This book was everything I wanted it to be. The chapter names were laugh out loud funny and I was invested in the FMC's story from the very jump. The premise is so clever and so well executed. Riley, an outspoken theater kid, is very easy to root for - she's witty, fiercely loyal and protective and unapologetically herself. I loved the bisexual representation but loved that when Julia came out, she announced plainly that she was a lesbian - that moment felt so real and relatable and feels like we don't see that represented often in media. I wish we got to know more of Riley and Julia's story post-church camp but in my head, they have a happily ever after. Can't wait to read more from this author!

This was something that young me needed and I’m so glad that there are kids that will be getting this in their hands/be able to potentially see themselves in this story.

thank you to netgalley for the arc!!

this was a really nice story! i went into it expecting a romance but i actually think the non-romance part was my favorite -- amanda & greer both had great character arcs and i felt like the ending was pretty realistic. I think with friends-to-lovers i often have trouble when i don't see the WHY for their friendship, it's tough to see it develop into romance when you don't see it develop into friendship. but by the end i did really like julia! i just wish we saw more of why riley liked her so much, maybe more memories from their shared childhood.

at the end of it all i just hope hannah is happy <3

I thought this book would be a romp. Instead, it has a great balance of humor and big thoughts about faith, religion, and group ostracism. Riley is a very realistically selfish teenager, in that she cares so much that she sometimes forgets to look outside herself. Julia is a bit of a nothing character, but this book isn't about romance, really. I think there's enough pining for the average teenager to get into it.

I got a little teary at the Big Scene (you'll know when you read it).

This book had some really interesting insights into how religion can be twisted to harm people in the united states. I also believe it has some interesting insights into the complicity of people who put up with bigotry in religious organizations because it does not effect them personally.

In this story Riley learns the difficult lesson that her church is only a supportive community if you don't break their rules. Once she has that revelation she sees many layers of hypocrisy and sexism and wants desperately to open everyone else's eyes.

This story has wonderful characters and I loved watching the romance develop. It also had a great sense of humor and made me laugh. However, I felt that the eventual conclusion was a bit unsatisfying though realistic. I hope this story will help open people's eyes to how the communities they are a part of do harm, even if they are not the people harmed.