Say a Little Prayer by Jenna Voris (2025)
I'm beginning to think that no genre takes on religious hypocrisy more effectively than YA, Nothing works better than a rebellious teen girl to burst the bubbles of pretentious, all-knowing adults who think they hold the moral high ground.
Okay, maybe I sound a tad facetious here, but that doesn't make "Say a Little Prayer' any less enjoyable. It's a fast paced rollicking read, filled with plenty of heart, humor and no end of insights into a group of teens coping with that greatest of challenges.....impending adulthood.
More than equal to the challenge: 17 year old Riley Ackerman, who's abandoned her local church after its high-handed, holier-than-thou Pastor Young banished her older sister Hannah for having an abortion. And Hannah's only one among others who've suffered under the Pastor's dictatorial power over his flock (and the way he wields it like a controlling crime boss).
Riley, a dedicated theater kid, puts herself in the Holy Roller's crosshairs when at school, she slaps a girl for making a smirky insult about Hannah. Her principal offers her a deal - either take a suspension (and miss show rehearsals) or attend Pastor Young's Spring Break Church camp. Maybe it won't be all that bad......after all she'll get to hang with all-time BFF Julie, a sweet friend who also happens to be Pastor Young's daughter.
Well, there's bad and good. Queer Riley realizes her love for Julie goes beyond friendship and that it's entirely possible that Julie might feel the same way. And while her fellow campers must absorb lessons about the Seven Virtues, Riley's secretly having fun going through a checklist of Seven Deadly Sins. As for the bad, Pastor Young never misses a chance to exert his moral authority, always with a mirthless smile pasted on his insincere face.
Of course things go awry for Riley in all sorts of ways and you'll ache for her as she navigates her feelings about herself, Julie and the world at large. I loved the showdown-reckoning episode that borrows a trope from a classic movie.....which I'll now shut up about to not spoil anyone's fun.
Overall a thoughtful read that remembers to entertain and throw in some sharp wit along the way.
Okay, maybe I sound a tad facetious here, but that doesn't make "Say a Little Prayer' any less enjoyable. It's a fast paced rollicking read, filled with plenty of heart, humor and no end of insights into a group of teens coping with that greatest of challenges.....impending adulthood.
More than equal to the challenge: 17 year old Riley Ackerman, who's abandoned her local church after its high-handed, holier-than-thou Pastor Young banished her older sister Hannah for having an abortion. And Hannah's only one among others who've suffered under the Pastor's dictatorial power over his flock (and the way he wields it like a controlling crime boss).
Riley, a dedicated theater kid, puts herself in the Holy Roller's crosshairs when at school, she slaps a girl for making a smirky insult about Hannah. Her principal offers her a deal - either take a suspension (and miss show rehearsals) or attend Pastor Young's Spring Break Church camp. Maybe it won't be all that bad......after all she'll get to hang with all-time BFF Julie, a sweet friend who also happens to be Pastor Young's daughter.
Well, there's bad and good. Queer Riley realizes her love for Julie goes beyond friendship and that it's entirely possible that Julie might feel the same way. And while her fellow campers must absorb lessons about the Seven Virtues, Riley's secretly having fun going through a checklist of Seven Deadly Sins. As for the bad, Pastor Young never misses a chance to exert his moral authority, always with a mirthless smile pasted on his insincere face.
Of course things go awry for Riley in all sorts of ways and you'll ache for her as she navigates her feelings about herself, Julie and the world at large. I loved the showdown-reckoning episode that borrows a trope from a classic movie.....which I'll now shut up about to not spoil anyone's fun.
Overall a thoughtful read that remembers to entertain and throw in some sharp wit along the way.
4 stars (****).
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