Say a Little Prayer was a fun read that covers serious topics. Riley and her family left the town church about a year ago, after her sister was vilified for having an abortion. Riley is bisexual and that also isn't well-regarded by church leader Pastor Young. While Riley doesn't regret the decision, it does feel complicated: her best friend is Pastor Young's daughter and a lot of the town's social happenings are tied up in the church. When Riley gets in trouble at school, her way out of suspension is a week at church camp.

The book follows a somewhat predictable arc with Riley as a likable protagonist, despite her missteps. Riley's journey in learning about herself, the layered complexities of humans, and a vindicating ending make this an easy read. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Recommended.

A bisexual junior is forced to spend her spring break at church camp with the congregation that rejected her family. Instead of living by the seven virtues (one virtue for each day of camp, of course!) she decides to go after the seven deadly sins instead…while also maybe falling for her best friend, who happens to be the pastor’s daughter.
This book has such a fresh voice and is genuinely hilarious without trying too hard or being over the top. Everything from the chapter titles to the comedic timing of the dialogue is spot on—smart, quick, and truly funny—which is so hard to do. There were many times while reading I thought, “this would make a great teen movie.” I’d love to see Say A Little Prayer adapted because it is just THAT good. Sweet, irreverent, and nuanced. Ex-church kids will feel so seen by this!

This book was absolutely incredible and something I didn’t know I needed someone to write until I read it. Growing up around the same type of setting and situations, down to the camp and games, this book really struck home for me and it was fun reading about an experience I am all too familiar with. I really really loved it. It was snarky and fun and relatable and cute.

There were parts of this book that resonated with me so, so strongly (especially as someone who grew up with church--but thankfully got out before high school). The way the author depicted the little hypocrisies of those who claim to worship God while projecting an holier-than-thou image was spot-on. The way the church and those in it rely on methods of guilt and fear to make their messages stick; the conflict that a young person faces when coming up against the wall of reality versus faith; how it's difficult to stick with faith when parts of the church believe you or your loved ones are "wrong"; but also how there's a sense of kindness and community inherit to faith that often gets lost because of some bad faith (ha!) actors. All of this was just really spot-on and spoke to an author who Gets It.

I think, though, where I struggled a bit was the romance didn't quite feel as fleshed out as I wanted it to be. I think the ending of the book both came on a bit too suddenly and also seemed to smooth things over too quickly to be satisfying.

I definitely appreciated what the author was trying to do (and what they did well), I just wanted and needed a bit more to really make it hit for me. Still recommend it, though, especially if you're someone who struggles or struggled with faith and the community surrounding it.

This book is so relatable and laugh out loud funny. Truly fantastic. Growing up in a small town church I totally relate to this book. The feelings of anger and resentment... Why does one small town pastor get to decide who we are? If we're good people?

This book met all of my expectations!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! Summer camp excitement is present, but it strikes a balance between serious content and lightheartedness to keep the topic approachable. People can relate to and believe the characters. I was a little concerned that it would be a biased tirade about everything religious, but faith is not demonized; instead, difficult problems are discussed and considered. This was a well-written, entertaining, and captivating story!

I loved basically everything about Say a Little Prayer, to be honest.
First of all, the chapter titles hooked me from the jump. I usually don't pay attention to chapter titles at all, but these were hilarious and I couldn't wait to see what each one was.
I loved the dialogue. It felt real and was equal parts heartfelt and hilarious. I literally laughed out loud on multiple occasions. Riley's voice felt so true and authentic to me, and I found the struggle she and her friends faced about their church community and wanting to belong and not get kicked out -- to be so honest and real. Riley's family was amazing and I love her parents. We don't often get great parents like them in YA, or if we do, I'm not reading the right books, but I loved them so much. I loved the nuance imbued in every page of this book. I am definitely in the "Good Book Afterglow," but I can't think of anything I didn't love about this book right now.
Thanks so much to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Riley is a teen struggling with her faith. She left the church after feeling like there truly was no room for a girl like her in the congregation. When her sister is removed from the church for getting an abortion Riley is questioning faith even more.

After getting into a fight at school and being given an ultimatum: attend church camp and write an essay or no spring play (she's worked really hard on this play) Riley is headed to church camp for spring break.

Once at camp she is reminded of the fact that nothing has changed with Pastor Young since her family left the church. He is still preaching sermons that are aimed more at harboring fear, guilt and shame than really spreading the joys of faith to the young people in the congregation. This is where Riley's great idea comes into reality. Seven days, seven deadly sins for her to commit, this essay is going to be great!

I loved this book! It is my first read by Jenna Vortis and I truly enjoyed it. This is truly a story of putting yourself out there, finding yourself, standing up for what you believe in and making friends along the way. The way the teens came together in this was so heart-warming. I found myself rooting for the characters.

Althought I wouldn't classify this as a HEA ending I am very happy with how it ended and would love to see a follow up on these characters in the future!

there is a phenomenon that happens in some young adult novels in which the author is trying to “connect with the kids” and fails miserably. Say a Little Prayer is a perfect example of this phenomenon. i can tell that the author has good intentions with this book, but it just comes off as cringe instead. the amount of times variation of the phrase “Daddy Christ” appeared was WAY too many. i simply couldn’t take it anymore. yet another book delicious sounding premise ruined by millennials trying to connect to gen z 😔

Jenna wrote this beautifully from the perspective of a queer teen navigating so many heavy feelings and also church trauma. I laughed out loud a few times, but mostly just wished this book existed 20 years ago when I was navigating those feelings and church trauma myself. She nailed the heavy and lasting effects that the church can have on so many people and did it by simultaneously telling a great story. Would highly recommend this read to any person, queer or not. Loved it!

This was really well written, I was invested in what was going on with the story and characters. It had a fun concept that I was hoping for and enjoyed getting to know these characters in this setting. Jenna Voris does a great job in writing this and I can’t wait for more.

UGH. this was SO GOOD. and that says a lot because i’m not usually on the friends-to-lovers bandwagon. but this was EVERYTHING - even though i’m biased because i did get an ARC 🥰 the only critique i really have is that i would want to see more of riley’s story wrapped up at the end. overall i’m so lit for this to come out so i can buy a physical copy 💖

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for this ARC.

WHAT A FUN BOOK! I usually stray away from YA but this premise had me extremely curious. I thought this book handled serious topics (abortion, coming out, religious intolerance, etc.) extremely well while also maintaining a fun, campy vibe. Bonus points for funny chapter titles! My only gripe is the Kentucky slander!! 😔

Perfect for Casey McQuiston and Julie Murphy fans.

3.75 stars.

First off, a thank you to Penguin Group for providing me with an ARC of this book.
I believe this is a good book for anyone who's ever had to deal with the conflicted with their sexuality and religion. I think a lot of people will relate with Riley's struggles with her religion and church - not only because of how they treated her when she came out, but also how they reacted to her sister's abortion. My only critique of the book is that the romance felt a little underdeveloped. I would have liked to see more of a build up to it. That being said, I think the book overall was still enjoyable.



Currently only on Good Reads but will be on my bookstagram as well once I'm able to post.

3.8

Thanks to Netgalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for an ARC of this title! I actually enjoyed the all the little jokes and references to memes in the chapter titles, they weren't too ham-fisted and made me laugh. Riley's character at times felt a little TOO self-righteous, especially with the whole "I'm gonna write a bomb essay and expose this pastor who everyone knows is an asshole but is too afraid to stand up to" thing. Sometimes the religion itself isn't toxic, it's the harmful rhetoric spread around it, and this book understood that. Being queer and having faith can go hand in hand, and Jenna Vorris wrote from that angle rather than the same "God sucks and I'm an atheist now" comparison. That's fine and all but religion is something that brings people a lot of comfort so I found this particular story pretty true to life. A 3.8 out of 5 stars!

I had such a good time reading this book! It has the excitement of summer camp but manages to tow the line between a heavy subject matter and levity that keeps the subject approachable.

The characters are believable and relatable. I was a little worried going in that it would be a one sided rant about all things religious, but faith is not vilified, rather complex issues are grappled with and examined.

This was a fun story that was engaging and well written!

Church used to be a comfortable place for Riley—until she realized that her queerness would never be accepted, and until the pastor threw her sister Hannah out for getting an abortion. She doesn't regret leaving and not going back...except that she's been quietly in love with the pastor's daughter for years. And except that the pastor isn't happy that she left without his say-so. And except that after an altercation at school, she's been banished to church camp in Kentucky for a week...and now things are just a little bit awkward.

This is so far up my alley it's basically in my backyard. I love that although Riley feels rejected by the church, she isn't rejected by the people she loves most; her family has zero problem with sexuality, and neither does Julia, her best-friend-slash-crush. Better, the deeper into the book we get, the more complicated she finds her relationship with the teenagers who have been making her life, and her sister's life, difficult since they found out about Hannah's abortion. Riley is very much a teenager (her rantings in her notebook are *ever* so slightly cringe, which fortunately I think is the point), but on the whole things feel balanced.

Readers who have read Voris's "Every Time You Hear That Song" will be pleased to find a few easter eggs (though this is not a sequel and can be read 100% independently of "Every Time"). I read "Say a Little Prayer" partly on the strength of "Every Time", and I'm pleased to report that "Prayer" lives up to the standard set by its predecessor.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

This was a sweet and fun story, with some silly moments and believable character development and relationship dynamics. The commentary on religion and queerness was hilarious at times!

This book was delightful! Funny, sweet, and full of yearning. As a person who grew up bisexual in a church congregation that condemned being gay, I really related to Riley’s struggle. I will certainly be purchasing this book for my home and classroom libraries!

One of the funniest and most heartfelt books I've read all year. Voris did an absolutely wonderful job of diving into the ways some religious communities rely on conformity to function and how teenagers are uniquely impacted by these situations. Each character was so well written and their bonds with each other felt completely authentic. I will be recommending this book to every teenager I know.