Gay the Pray Away

De: Natalie Naudus

Narrado por: Natalie Naudus

Duración: 7 h y 12 m

Resumen del Editor

Valerie Danners is in a cult. She just doesn’t know it yet. When she finds a queer book at the library and smuggles it home, her conservative Christian homeschooling world begins to crack. And when the cutest girl she’s ever met shows up to Bible class, she starts to question everything.

Riley is so confident and kind, and she and Valerie bond quickly over existing as multiracial teens in a very white Christian community. As Valerie explores her feelings for Riley, she begins to see that the world she knows is a carefully crafted narrative.

Publicly, the girls are close friends—holding hands in prayer, rooming together at a conference. Privately, they grasp at any chance to continue their forbidden romance—until they are found out. Now, Valerie must choose between staying with a family she fears will never accept her, or running away with the girl she loves.

©2024 Natalie Naudus (P)2024 Natalie Naudus

Stunning debut

This is Natalie's debut and she has done a spectacular job writing Val and Riley's story. The characters are well developed throughout the book. The type of religious fervor portrayed is hard to realistically capture unless you have been there, and Natalie has done that.

As an exvangelical and a bisexual person who grew up in a religious environment much like Val's, I empathize so personally with her. The fears, emotions, and brainwashing Val must work through are all starkly real.

Natalie also narrates Gay the Pray Away and is stunning in her performance. I suspect it helps to be the author, but her voice flawlessly pulls us into the story and along the journey.

Gay the Pray Away is a powerful story of breaking free and living authentically. I will reread this, will give it to friends and family, and will recommend it wholeheartedly!!

🌶️ Spice level = .5 (1/2) YA-level kissing and nudity
🌈 Bisexual rep, Sapphic rep
Religious trauma/deconstruction

I saw myself

it's a really good book. anything else would be far too personal. you should read it

The morning devotional I needed

Deconstruction of religious trauma, finding your true self while trying not to suffocate in the mold of what others want, and a love story that explores that journey in an authentic and heartwarming way. This book has it all. It truly was heart wrenching but still managed to pick you up, dust you off, and tell you that everything will be okay. It made me feel all the things and more.

Stunning! Deeply moving, beautifully written and read! Wow

I just finished it and I'm stunned at everything I just lived through. This was a journey into a worlds I never knew existed. I wasn't prepared for this and I can tell you it was amazing. The beautiful expression of love, hope and compassion has had a profound effect on me. I'm so grateful for this book, and hope it offers us. Beautifully written and performed!

I could not stop reading!

This book was fantastic! I found myself wanting to get home from literally everywhere to continue listening! The story was heartwarming, heartbreaking and enlightening. Narration by the author was on point! I highly recommend this read/listen.

Fast, Easy, Hopeful Read

This was such an amazing book. I know it's influenced by the author (who also narrates!) and her upbringing. It's a beautiful story about breaking out of forced expectations to realize that you are good and worthy of love and acceptance as you are. Highly recommend!

Such an important voice

What an incredible perspective from someone who has clearly borne the brunt of some religious trauma. I am gifting this book to several people and hope they will do the same, perhaps together we can continue lifting more people up and out. Oh, and while the narrator’s not as good as One Last Stop’s, she’s still exceptional. ;) LOL. Wonderful!

So Raw

This beautiful, true, and honest book resonates so deeply with me. I wish I could have read it in the late 90s when I was the young queer kid kicked out of her parent's house of high-control religion. I couldn't read it then, but now some young queer teen will find this book, will take comfort in it, may take hope from it, and choose to really live. Thank you so much for writing it.

Fantastic

A truly good book. This is something every queer kid needs. Although the book covers painful topics, especially religious trauma and family trauma, but the main character, Valerie, works to get free. This is a book about self-love and looking for found family. It is kindness in a world that, at times, can be cruel to queer kids.

Excellent Story

In her debut novel, Natalie Naudus weaves a captivating and poignant story that resonates with today’s young LGBTQ+ community. Set against the backdrop of a conservative Christian homeschooling environment,

Naudus skillfully portrays the pain and struggle faced by queer individuals within fundamentalist Christian communities. The forbidden romance between Valerie and Riley is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, as they navigate their feelings while hiding from a world that condemns their love. The author’s writing is realistic, raw, and unflinching, capturing the emotional turmoil and resilience of these characters.

Naudus, a beloved audiobook narrator, brings depth and authenticity to the characters. Her performance enhances the emotional impact of the story, making it a powerful listening experience.

This novel is more than a love story; it’s a call for acceptance, understanding, and compassion. Naudus sheds light on the harmful treatment faced by LGBTQ+ individuals within religious circles, urging readers to question the narratives they’ve been taught. “Gay the Pray Away” is a must-listen for anyone seeking hope, healing, and a reminder that love knows no bounds.

If you’re looking for an audiobook that combines captivating storytelling with important themes, “Gay the Pray Away” is an excellent choice