If you want the girl next door: SAY A LITTLE PRAYER

Say a Little Prayer by Jenna Voris
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

SAY A LITTLE PRAYER easily cements Jenna Voris as a must-read author for me. If you haven't read one of her earlier books, EVERY TIME YOU HEAR THAT SONG, you should.

In PRAYER, Voris delves into the world of religion and queer teens, introducing us to Riley, a teenager reckoning with her sexuality. Once a member of the Pleasant Hills Baptist church, she and her family left after its powerful leader, Pastor Young, publicly humiliated and kicked out her older sister, Hannah in front of the entire congregation. And then, shortly after Riley came out, Pastor Young's entire sermon focused on the sins of homosexuality.

Unfortunately for Riley, many of her friends are church members, including her best friends Ben and Julia, who just happen to be Pastor Young's children. The Hannah incident has caused some distance from her friends. But she finds herself reunited with both of them when she's forced to attend Pleasant Hills youth camp after an altercation at school with another student, who has been insulting her sister. (Because, of course, just punishment involves attending a religious camp.)

Once at camp, when Riley realizes Pastor Young will be preaching about the seven deadly sins, she decides to write an essay about each one and expose Pastor Young and his church for how hypocritical it truly is. While at camp, even though she can't talk to Julia about her father, she feels very close to her best friend. As in, you know, gay close! Scandal!

PRAYER is very YA, with our dear Riley making some terrible decisions, but it's perfect for its intended audience. It's also smart and witty and does a wonderful job of exploring religion (while still holding teen interest). What happens when religion doesn't bring joy or peace, the story asks, but instead comes from a place of fear, dictating lives and forcing children and families to act a certain way out of a forced sense of terror or humiliation.

Through Riley and Julia's characters, we see how life can be for queer teens--and how difficult it can be for religious ones. Voris illustrates the pressures both Riley and Julia feel from the church and shows how different it is when Riley receives familial support but Julia only hears of fire and brimstone. Their stories are inspiring and truthful and will ring incredibly truthful to kids going through the same thing.

As the book asks why and how pastors decide who is worthy, we see Riley's growth, as she struggles with why no one is questioning Pastor Young's culture of fear. She begins to understand how people--including those whom she's been very angry with--in religious situations maybe do not realize how things could be different, or that there are other options.

There are some moments in this book that made me cheer out loud. Others made me sad, as I felt so deeply for these teens. This is such a well-written, emotional book. There's not a ton of resolution with the ending, but it's certainly realistic. This is a story with a lot of religious talk, but it's not preachy, and you shouldn't let the religious angle scare you off--it's a wonderfully written and well-done story.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Viking Books for Young Readers in return for an unbiased review. Look for SAY A LITTLE PRAYER in March 2025!!

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