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The Redemption of Daya Keane
The end of Daya Keane’s junior year in Escondido, Arizona, is anything but expected.
And it starts when her longtime, swoon-worthy crush, Beckett Wild, actually talks to her at a party neither of them should’ve been at.
But as Daya’s best friends, Stella and B’Rad, are quick to point out, smart, cute, artistic Beckett is also the poster girl for the wildly popular youth group at Grace Redeemer, the megachurch Daya’s mom prays at and pushes her daughter to attend.
Amid the concert-worthy light shows, high-energy live band, and pastor preaching to love thy neighbor so long as thy neighbor “gets right with God” first, Daya struggles to find her place in a house of worship that doesn’t seem to create space for someone like her. Then again, she never planned to fall this hard for a girl like Beckett Wild.
Now Daya has to decide how far she’s willing to surrender to Beckett’s world of Grace Redeemer, and who she’s willing to become to be with her.
A fearless and profound tale ideal for readers of Jeff Zentner and Jennifer Dugan, The Redemption of Daya Keane gives an intimate and unforgettable look into a world that demands to be seen.
And it starts when her longtime, swoon-worthy crush, Beckett Wild, actually talks to her at a party neither of them should’ve been at.
But as Daya’s best friends, Stella and B’Rad, are quick to point out, smart, cute, artistic Beckett is also the poster girl for the wildly popular youth group at Grace Redeemer, the megachurch Daya’s mom prays at and pushes her daughter to attend.
Amid the concert-worthy light shows, high-energy live band, and pastor preaching to love thy neighbor so long as thy neighbor “gets right with God” first, Daya struggles to find her place in a house of worship that doesn’t seem to create space for someone like her. Then again, she never planned to fall this hard for a girl like Beckett Wild.
Now Daya has to decide how far she’s willing to surrender to Beckett’s world of Grace Redeemer, and who she’s willing to become to be with her.
A fearless and profound tale ideal for readers of Jeff Zentner and Jennifer Dugan, The Redemption of Daya Keane gives an intimate and unforgettable look into a world that demands to be seen.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 28, 2024
1 person is currently reading
2347 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
May 28, 2024
This is not the coming of age story I was expecting. The writing was good and I liked the characters. I wanted to love the story more than I did, but I have to respect the realism the author went for. But when I read a queer story I want the happy ending since I see enough unhappy endings in the real world. Daya knows who she is, but she knows her mother and small town don’t accept that she likes girls. Daya wants to be true to herself, but she is worried about the reactions of people around her. She bumps into a girl at a party and neither of them really belong there. Beckett belongs to the church world and took a purity pact and has a boyfriend. Things with her mother are tense when she tells Daya she is attending church with her, but she sees Beckett and can’t help but want. This was a good book and quick read. I definitely felt for Daya and I was interested in her story. Overall I gave this one 3.5 stars which I rounded up to 4 stars for being a unique story.
May 21, 2024
Daya knows who she is—and she knows that her small Arizona town will never be fully on board. This is not a town where queer kids thrive; it's a town where conservative Bible culture is thriving and the safest thing to do is keep your head down and submit. To not be a girl crushing on other girls—and in particular, to not be a girl crushing on the girl who is the poster child for the local megachurch.
I'm drawn to stories of queerness and also stories of religion, and I like intersections in my reading—and, better, I like it when it's not all fire and brimstone, and even the...let's call them 'less sympathetic'...characters are allowed some complexity. Here, although Beckett's parents stay pretty one-note, Daya's mother is interesting—she reminds me a bit of Aunt Ruth in The Miseducation of Cameron Post: trying to do the right thing, but not always able to see that not everybody falls under the same 'right thing'. Or maybe Jeanette Winterson's mother in Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? (who asked the titular question, which...tells you something about her, no?)...in any case, she's trying, but not in a way that is helpful to Daya.
The thing that interests me most about the book is the end, and...well, to avoid spoilers I can't say too much about it. But I'm always glad when a book takes the expected ending and turns it on its head. (This is even more true for YA books, which—partly because of the common emphasis on romance—can start to feel predictable.) The Redemption of Daya Keane did not go where I was expecting it to, and although I wouldn't mind a clearer tying up of certain threads (let's call this 3.5 stars), a bit more mess and a bit less predictability than usual makes me a happy reader.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
I'm drawn to stories of queerness and also stories of religion, and I like intersections in my reading—and, better, I like it when it's not all fire and brimstone, and even the...let's call them 'less sympathetic'...characters are allowed some complexity. Here, although Beckett's parents stay pretty one-note, Daya's mother is interesting—she reminds me a bit of Aunt Ruth in The Miseducation of Cameron Post: trying to do the right thing, but not always able to see that not everybody falls under the same 'right thing'. Or maybe Jeanette Winterson's mother in Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? (who asked the titular question, which...tells you something about her, no?)...in any case, she's trying, but not in a way that is helpful to Daya.
The thing that interests me most about the book is the end, and...well, to avoid spoilers I can't say too much about it. But I'm always glad when a book takes the expected ending and turns it on its head. (This is even more true for YA books, which—partly because of the common emphasis on romance—can start to feel predictable.) The Redemption of Daya Keane did not go where I was expecting it to, and although I wouldn't mind a clearer tying up of certain threads (let's call this 3.5 stars), a bit more mess and a bit less predictability than usual makes me a happy reader.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
February 14, 2024
fantastic story and I loved daya's journey and arc throughout! I did not love the arc of Beckett and its ending but yeah thanks so much for the ARC
April 26, 2024
thank you to netgalley for providing me an arc of this book!
3.5/5 rounded down.
i have mixed feelings about this book... let me try to write them out.
i think that the writing style just wasn't for me, same with most of the characters. daya had her good and bad moments, but she just didn't register to me. it felt like she was overly worried about the wrong things, such as how pretty and perfect her crush is, even though we have no context for her perfectness. at first she talks about beckett as a slight, vague crush, but by the time they're talking a bit more, daya is basically in love, and keeps going on and on about how she would never like a straight girl but oh my god beckett is so perfect and ethereal and beautiful.
i had some issues with the friendship between daya and stella. they felt very superficial until the very end. when they got into a fight, it was like nothing was wrong by the time they were both together again. some of daya's internal thoughts about stella felt very condescending as well. however, i did really love b'rad, though. i thought he was a really interesting character and i liked his friendship with daya and eventually stella too.
i will say, major trigger warning for domestic abuse/violence and religious trauma. it was more intense than i was expecting, and the ending felt really abrupt and honestly sad. i will admit it was probably pretty realistic, but i'm just tired of tragic queer stories, and the way beckett and her family was handled at the end was honestly a little uncomfortable to me.
3.5/5 rounded down.
i have mixed feelings about this book... let me try to write them out.
i think that the writing style just wasn't for me, same with most of the characters. daya had her good and bad moments, but she just didn't register to me. it felt like she was overly worried about the wrong things, such as how pretty and perfect her crush is, even though we have no context for her perfectness. at first she talks about beckett as a slight, vague crush, but by the time they're talking a bit more, daya is basically in love, and keeps going on and on about how she would never like a straight girl but oh my god beckett is so perfect and ethereal and beautiful.
i had some issues with the friendship between daya and stella. they felt very superficial until the very end. when they got into a fight, it was like nothing was wrong by the time they were both together again. some of daya's internal thoughts about stella felt very condescending as well. however, i did really love b'rad, though. i thought he was a really interesting character and i liked his friendship with daya and eventually stella too.
i will say, major trigger warning for domestic abuse/violence and religious trauma. it was more intense than i was expecting, and the ending felt really abrupt and honestly sad. i will admit it was probably pretty realistic, but i'm just tired of tragic queer stories, and the way beckett and her family was handled at the end was honestly a little uncomfortable to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2024
Daya Keane is a junior in Escondido, Arizona. For the last several years, at least since her father left when she was seven, Daya and her mother have co-existed, but are not really living. Daya's mother refuses to accept that Daya is queer and it's something the two dance around at all costs as rumors run around their small religiously conservative town. While Daya has always shied away from the megachurch gospel her mom sought following her divorce, she can't help but be intrigued by Beckett Wild, a beautiful, popular posterchild girl for Grace Reedmer's youth group. A chance encounter at a party leads Daya to wonder how much lies under the surface of Beckett's church going persona. When the two are paired for a school project, it becomes clear everything is not as perfect in Beckett's life as she would have the outside world believe. But how close can Daya and Beckett get with everyone watching?
Daya is a fantastic protagonist. There is something magical about her. I love her ability to define her own beliefs and faith when faced with the overwhelming "righteousness" of the megachurch, Grace Redeemer, whose kool-aid her mother and most of her small town have drank. The friend group of Stella and B'Rad are amazing and the queer community and support that Daya finds even in her small town is hopeful. That's not to say she isn't dealing with a lot of shit, but when she finds herself in the worst situations there is someone who comes through. That is clearly not the case for Beckett. I both admire and am driven crazy by the unresolved nature of Beckett's ending in this story, but in some ways that makes Daya's even more potent. There was a lot going on here and the unresolved bits of Beckett and B'Rad's stories when they felt so pivotal to their interactions with Daya are all that kept me from giving this five stars.
Daya is a fantastic protagonist. There is something magical about her. I love her ability to define her own beliefs and faith when faced with the overwhelming "righteousness" of the megachurch, Grace Redeemer, whose kool-aid her mother and most of her small town have drank. The friend group of Stella and B'Rad are amazing and the queer community and support that Daya finds even in her small town is hopeful. That's not to say she isn't dealing with a lot of shit, but when she finds herself in the worst situations there is someone who comes through. That is clearly not the case for Beckett. I both admire and am driven crazy by the unresolved nature of Beckett's ending in this story, but in some ways that makes Daya's even more potent. There was a lot going on here and the unresolved bits of Beckett and B'Rad's stories when they felt so pivotal to their interactions with Daya are all that kept me from giving this five stars.
June 18, 2024
Edit: Since reading and reviewing this book, I realized I was wrong about the setting. Super sorry! Now, I hope someone writes a modern story set in a "Don't Say Gay" state, but I was wrong about this being one that didn't mention these homophobic laws at all! Sorry for any confusion, especially to Gia Gordon.
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It must be hard being a baby gay with religious trauma in Florida right now.
I really like Daya as a character, but I was left scratching my head after reading this. What happened to Beckett? I wish I could get more into Daya's head about her religious beliefs and possibly explore her trauma around having an unsupportive religious mother. I almost wish we could have heard this story from Beckett's point of view to see how she feels for Daya.
It's one of those books that could have gone deeper and dropped the ball by not doing so. I'm so glad Daya had support outside of her family, but I wish the author would have driven deeper into these issues.
The writing is fun, but be wary of suggesting this book if some of these topics might be triggering to readers, with little to no payout by the end of everything.
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It must be hard being a baby gay with religious trauma in Florida right now.
I really like Daya as a character, but I was left scratching my head after reading this. What happened to Beckett? I wish I could get more into Daya's head about her religious beliefs and possibly explore her trauma around having an unsupportive religious mother. I almost wish we could have heard this story from Beckett's point of view to see how she feels for Daya.
It's one of those books that could have gone deeper and dropped the ball by not doing so. I'm so glad Daya had support outside of her family, but I wish the author would have driven deeper into these issues.
The writing is fun, but be wary of suggesting this book if some of these topics might be triggering to readers, with little to no payout by the end of everything.
June 9, 2024
The last thing Daya expected for anyone to ever talk to her at a party is her ultimate crush and church poster girl, Beckett. Not only does Beckett talk to her at a party, but also talking to her more at school. But the church who seems so loving and forgiving, doesn't seem to include people like her.
This was a ride! Daya trying to navigate her life with her mom, her friends, her crush, and her town was definitely something. I love that she got a mix of the best people in her corner, and everyone else that seems against her.
The emotions you feel while reading was truly what makes this book really good. Story-wise, though good. was not something that's new. The cherry on top of this book was B' Rad. I loved his character and even though he's not the main character, he was truly shining.
The book was good, and I love how Daya finds what she was truly hoping for.
* I received an eARC of this book )
This was a ride! Daya trying to navigate her life with her mom, her friends, her crush, and her town was definitely something. I love that she got a mix of the best people in her corner, and everyone else that seems against her.
The emotions you feel while reading was truly what makes this book really good. Story-wise, though good. was not something that's new. The cherry on top of this book was B' Rad. I loved his character and even though he's not the main character, he was truly shining.
The book was good, and I love how Daya finds what she was truly hoping for.
* I received an eARC of this book )
June 19, 2024
I enjoyed this book very much, right up until the ending, which felt kind of like stumbling off a cliff when you thought you were taking a meandering walk. It's not that it didn't end happily ever after, because I actually respect that, especially in this genre. It's more that it just suddenly stopped without tying up any of the plot threads. I didn't necessarily need closure for Daya and Beckett, but I would have liked closure on something. Daya and her mom, or Beckett on her own, or...I don't know. We were right in the middle of a scene and then suddenly the story was over and it felt weird.
I love a happy ending, but I love a realistic one just as much sometimes, and for all its faults, this did feel very realistic. People are messy and life is fucked up and small towns are awful and religion can be poison, and mix all of those elements together and a happy ending probably would have felt forced. This is a hopeful ending, to me, although maybe not for poor Beckett. I also love a good ride or die friend group, and although this group was small, they made me so happy. I hope B'Rad eventually found his nerd girlfriend. He deserved one.
I love a happy ending, but I love a realistic one just as much sometimes, and for all its faults, this did feel very realistic. People are messy and life is fucked up and small towns are awful and religion can be poison, and mix all of those elements together and a happy ending probably would have felt forced. This is a hopeful ending, to me, although maybe not for poor Beckett. I also love a good ride or die friend group, and although this group was small, they made me so happy. I hope B'Rad eventually found his nerd girlfriend. He deserved one.
April 30, 2024
This was a super interesting representation of queer Christianity that's definitely worth a read if you're into exploring further into queer YA lit. Pair with MILO AND MARCUS AT THE END OF THE WORLD. Not a starter title but one that adds nuance I think.
Full review available on Booklist.
Full review available on Booklist.
May 29, 2024
It's going to be impossible for this book to escape the comparisons to The Miseducation of Cameron Post, in both a good and a bad way- but even down to the name of the novel I'm pretty sure the book steers into that skid.
I really enjoyed this overall and it scratched several itches for me that I look for often in LGBT literature. Especially with my religious upbringing I associate with stories like this heavily.
I really loved all the characters in this, from Daya who has my heart, to Beckett who was fighting her demons, and Stella and B'Rad for being great ride of die friends I instantly wanted in my life when I was a young closeted teenager.
I think a lot of people will be unsatisfied with the ending of this book. But personally I didn't mind it- and it definitely leans in to the Cameron Post of it all, which feels thematically appropriate.
If I were to have a criticism of this book, the timeline of events all seemed really short- just over a couple weeks. I feel like if it was plotted over a semester of school that might have worked better. Especially for the relationship between Beckett and Daya being so fast and short yet instrumental to the rest of their lives.
And as a final and insignificant note, shoutout to the audiobook narrator for pronouncing "saguaro" correctly. Whenever books are set in Arizona I lookout for this and more often than not the narrator gets it wrong.
I enjoyed this quite a bit. Outside of the "adult reading YA" I feel like I'm the exact target audience for it growing up in the church and now escaped, and I'm here for it. 4.5/5
I really enjoyed this overall and it scratched several itches for me that I look for often in LGBT literature. Especially with my religious upbringing I associate with stories like this heavily.
I really loved all the characters in this, from Daya who has my heart, to Beckett who was fighting her demons, and Stella and B'Rad for being great ride of die friends I instantly wanted in my life when I was a young closeted teenager.
I think a lot of people will be unsatisfied with the ending of this book. But personally I didn't mind it- and it definitely leans in to the Cameron Post of it all, which feels thematically appropriate.
If I were to have a criticism of this book, the timeline of events all seemed really short- just over a couple weeks. I feel like if it was plotted over a semester of school that might have worked better. Especially for the relationship between Beckett and Daya being so fast and short yet instrumental to the rest of their lives.
And as a final and insignificant note, shoutout to the audiobook narrator for pronouncing "saguaro" correctly. Whenever books are set in Arizona I lookout for this and more often than not the narrator gets it wrong.
I enjoyed this quite a bit. Outside of the "adult reading YA" I feel like I'm the exact target audience for it growing up in the church and now escaped, and I'm here for it. 4.5/5
June 25, 2024
Daya lives in Escondido, Arizona. It isn't a big place, so everyone knows everyone. Most people attend Grace Redeemer megachurch, a place Daya knows is not friendly to people like her. Daya's mother would love to have Daya start going to church so the huge congregation could "pray the gay away" for her wayward daughter.
Daya does consider trying the church because her longtime crush Beckett Wild goes there. She knows Beckett is dating Cason, but that doesn't mean Daya can't dream about hooking up with this colorful girl. When Beckett chooses Daya as a partner for a class project, Daya can't believe her luck.
They work together in the library until they decide to work from home. Alone at Daya's house, which is against her mother's rules, Beckett and Daya kiss. It seems Beckett's relationship with Cason may be just a cover for her true feelings.
News around the school is about the upcoming prom and the Pure Prom being hosted by the Grace Redeemer congregation. Daya has a plan to attend the Pure Prom with B'Rad who promises to keep Cason busy so Daya can have time with Beckett. Will things go as planned or will reckless decisions foil their plans?
Author Gia Gordon deftly deals with life as a queer teen in an ultra-religious community. She takes readers into Daya's and Beckett's world as they try to satisfy parents but still try to be true to themselves. Life isn't easy and doesn't come with a perfect ending. Instead, readers will feel the frustration and pressure for these determined teens.
Daya does consider trying the church because her longtime crush Beckett Wild goes there. She knows Beckett is dating Cason, but that doesn't mean Daya can't dream about hooking up with this colorful girl. When Beckett chooses Daya as a partner for a class project, Daya can't believe her luck.
They work together in the library until they decide to work from home. Alone at Daya's house, which is against her mother's rules, Beckett and Daya kiss. It seems Beckett's relationship with Cason may be just a cover for her true feelings.
News around the school is about the upcoming prom and the Pure Prom being hosted by the Grace Redeemer congregation. Daya has a plan to attend the Pure Prom with B'Rad who promises to keep Cason busy so Daya can have time with Beckett. Will things go as planned or will reckless decisions foil their plans?
Author Gia Gordon deftly deals with life as a queer teen in an ultra-religious community. She takes readers into Daya's and Beckett's world as they try to satisfy parents but still try to be true to themselves. Life isn't easy and doesn't come with a perfect ending. Instead, readers will feel the frustration and pressure for these determined teens.
January 5, 2025
3.5 rounded up to 4
This was an interesting read, with some heavy themes of religious trauma, family love and loss and coming out. I thought the ending was actually surprising, and it made this a unique read and redeemed some of the sagging in the middle of the story. The main relationship in this book was honestly really toxic, with cheating taking place and never being addressed. I also didn’t understand the purpose of the discussion on virginity near the end. Felt like it returned a bit to purity culture which it was trying to break away from?
This was an interesting read, with some heavy themes of religious trauma, family love and loss and coming out. I thought the ending was actually surprising, and it made this a unique read and redeemed some of the sagging in the middle of the story. The main relationship in this book was honestly really toxic, with cheating taking place and never being addressed. I also didn’t understand the purpose of the discussion on virginity near the end. Felt like it returned a bit to purity culture which it was trying to break away from?
August 26, 2024
love me a good lesbian story but beckett had no character development tbh esp after the plot twist i felt like she never really learned anything or changed at all. also personal beef w this book but daya was too neat and clean with her views on god and i wish we got to see her grapple with that more because honestly i came for the lesbian love story but stayed for the religious trauma unpacking but was sadly disappointed by the later. liked but didn’t love
November 10, 2024
3.5 stars I’m not sure if there’s a second book to this or not while I enjoyed the whole book I want to know what happens to Daya and her moms relationship and what happened to Beckett and does this mean she’s going to end up with Natasha?
April 25, 2025
I liked this book more than I thought I would, considering at first I DNF'd it a few pages in. But that really isn't saying much.
It was just not realistic in the slightest to me. The writing worked, but the characters didn't.
It was just not realistic in the slightest to me. The writing worked, but the characters didn't.
July 19, 2024
3.5, this was gonna be a 4 but i hated the ending!!!!!!
July 25, 2024
I was going to rate this book four stars, but the ending was the worst ending I've read in a while. Almost every single plot line was left unresolved, and it was very abrupt.
November 19, 2024
A little more earnest than I thought it’d be. I was expecting to lean into the full cultiness of the evangelical megachurches but there wasn’t even that much about them as a concept in the end.
December 10, 2024
Good topics discussed, but disappointing ending
December 25, 2024
Achingly honest and beautifully written with exquisitely drawn characters. I wanted a richer ending as it felt abrupt but hopefully there will be a sequel.
June 21, 2025
Kind of hated the way Beckett was treated by the author. This story feels unfinished. There are a lot of threads that feel unfinished.
I love B’Rad so much.
I love B’Rad so much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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October 13, 2025Absolutely loved the voice in this.
March 9, 2025
This book was beautiful and heart-breaking at the same time. The writing is gorgeous and there are lines in it that I'm still thinking about. Daya is a gay girl living with a mom who's too focused on her church, Grace Redeemer. She doesn't accept Daya and wants her to be saved by religion. Daya is courageous and strong in living her authentic self. At such a young age, she is already accepted who she is and determined to live as she is. She has a crush on a classmate who belongs to Grace Redeemer Church. I won't expound on that because the journey of Daya's crush should be experienced as you turn each page.
I highly reccommend this book to teens and adults. It's such an important book.
I highly reccommend this book to teens and adults. It's such an important book.
August 31, 2024
I feel like I say this all the time but this is the type of book I needed growing up. This was so beautiful & I loved reading about Daya’s journey. The author did an amazing job of making Daya’s life feel real. I truly felt like I knew her, knew her friends (I loved Stella and B'Rad!!!) & I certainly knew her mother.
I want to give a warning however that this book does not have the type of happy ending that you might be expecting. I might not even call it a “happy ending” but rather a “hopeful ending.”
I want to thank NetGalley & the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.
I want to give a warning however that this book does not have the type of happy ending that you might be expecting. I might not even call it a “happy ending” but rather a “hopeful ending.”
I want to thank NetGalley & the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.
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April 29, 2025I liked Daya and really felt for her. I have a soft spot for sapphic books exploring religious trauma. And while I would have like a little more internal grappling when it comes to Daya’s thoughts and feelings on God/religion, I still really enjoyed reading her story.
I wasn’t expecting what happened with the romance. And I’m not totally sure how I feel about the ending. While I found it realistic, I would have liked an update on what happened to a certain character whether it be in an epilogue or something.
I wasn’t expecting what happened with the romance. And I’m not totally sure how I feel about the ending. While I found it realistic, I would have liked an update on what happened to a certain character whether it be in an epilogue or something.
November 18, 2024
First of all, gorgeous cover. Yum!
Second of all, and more seriously, from the first page, I felt as if I had fallen into Daya's world: her school, her friends, her mom, and her crush. A realistic yet gentle romance, an all-too-true church group that preaches love but judges everyone who is different as sinful, I wanted Daya to get everything she desired in her small town. Or I wanted her to get outta there, lol...
Second of all, and more seriously, from the first page, I felt as if I had fallen into Daya's world: her school, her friends, her mom, and her crush. A realistic yet gentle romance, an all-too-true church group that preaches love but judges everyone who is different as sinful, I wanted Daya to get everything she desired in her small town. Or I wanted her to get outta there, lol...
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