Books On Board

Yada Yada Prayer Group Books in Order

  • 13 Books
  • 2003 – 2018 Published

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Reading order
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How to Read the Yada Yada Prayer Group Universe

The Yada Yada Prayer Group series, primarily written by Neta Jackson, started a massive literary phenomenon in contemporary Christian fiction. Spanning seven core novels, a prayer journal, recipes, and multiple interconnected spin-offs co-authored with her husband Dave Jackson, the collection is officially known as the Windy City Stories. Because the books share a setting (Chicago), overlapping characters, and chronological timelines, reading them in a specific sequence is highly recommended to avoid major spoilers and fully appreciate character growth.

For the best experience, readers should begin with the original Yada Yada Prayer Group series before moving on to the spin-offs. Below, we break down the recommended reading path, the parallel reading order for key spin-offs, and lists of all books in publication order.

The Core Starting Point: The Yada Yada Prayer Group

Every reader should start at the very beginning. The main series follows Jodi Baxter, a suburban Chicago schoolteacher and mom who attends a women's conference and gets placed into a multiracial, multi-class prayer group. The women in this circle come from vastly different backgrounds—including former ex-convicts, recovering addicts, and immigrants—challenging Jodi's preconceptions and leading to deep, life-changing relationships. Reading this core series in publication order is essential, as the characters' lives develop sequentially from book to book.

Publication Order of the Main Series

  • The Yada Yada Prayer Group (2003) – Jodi Baxter is pushed out of her comfort zone when she is grouped with a diverse, vibrant circle of women who eventually form a tight-knit prayer group.
  • The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Down (2004) – The group faces severe relational and external crises that test their unity and trust.
  • The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Real (2005) – Focuses on forgiveness and confronting personal biases as the women deal with neighborhood changes and domestic trials.
  • The Yada Yada Prayer Journal (2005) – A companion devotional journal featuring scriptures, prompts, and reflections.
  • The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Tough (2005) – The women deal with intense struggles, including street violence and personal loss, demanding deep spiritual resilience.
  • The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Caught (2006) – Relational tensions and long-buried secrets threaten to unravel the group.
  • The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Rolling (2007) – A devastating fire shifts the direction of the group, forcing them to embrace new callings.
  • The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out (2007) – The final main novel, which wraps up the primary storylines of the core group around the winter holidays.
  • The YADA YADA Celebrations and Recipes (2018) – A companion cookbook featuring recipes, stories, and celebrations from the Yada Yada community.

The Direct Spin-Offs: House of Hope & Harry Bentley

Once you finish the main series, you can transition into the spin-offs. The most direct continuation involves the House of Hope series (written by Neta Jackson) and the parallel Harry Bentley series (written by Dave Jackson, also referred to as the Yada Yada Brothers). These two series take place at the same time, following overlapping events from different perspectives.

The House of Hope series centers on Gabby Fairbanks, a wealthy suburbanite who finds a new calling volunteering at the Manna House Homeless Shelter (first introduced in the main Yada Yada series). The Harry Bentley books follow a retired police officer and doorman who assists at the shelter and helps establish a men's group, the Yada Yada Brothers.

The Recommended Parallel Reading Order

To avoid spoilers and see how the storylines interweave, the authors recommend reading the House of Hope and Harry Bentley books in this specific alternating order:

  1. Where Do I Go? (House of Hope Book 1) [2008]
  2. Harry Bentley's Second Chance (Harry Bentley Book 1) [2009]
  3. Who Do I Talk To? (House of Hope Book 2) [2008]
  4. Who Do I Lean On? (House of Hope Book 3) [2010]
  5. Harry Bentley's Second Sight (Harry Bentley Book 2) [2010]
  6. Who Is My Shelter? (House of Hope Book 4) [2011]

Expanding the Windy City: Other Related Series & Standalones

Beyond the primary shelter storyline, the Windy City Stories universe includes other series and standalone novels that share the same neighborhood setting, Chicago flair, and thematic focus on community, faith, and reconciliation.

SouledOut Sisters Series

This two-book series written by Neta Jackson focuses on characters connected to the SouledOut Community Church, which plays a prominent role in the lives of the Yada Yada prayer group members. It should be read in publication order:

  • Stand by Me (2012)
  • Come to the Table (2012)

Windy City Neighbors Series

Co-authored by Dave and Neta Jackson, this five-book series shifts focus to a specific Chicago street, showing how neighbors from different walks of life connect and support one another through everyday struggles.

  • Grounded (2013)
  • Derailed (2013)
  • Penny Wise (2014)
  • Pound Foolish (2014)
  • Snowmageddon (2015)

Standalone Windy City Novels

These novels can be read at any time, but reading them after the main Yada Yada series adds extra depth to their settings and references:

  • Forty to Life (2012) – Written by Dave Jackson, this novel is inspired by a true event of gang violence and forgiveness in Chicago's Rogers Park.
  • Lucy Come Home (2012) – Written by Dave and Neta Jackson, telling the story of a woman finding her way back to community and family.

What to Know Before You Start

Neta Jackson based the Yada Yada Prayer Group on her own real-life experiences in a multicultural, multi-denominational Bible study in Chicago that met for over ten years. Because of this, the series is highly acclaimed for its authentic portrayal of diverse characters without falling into stereotypes. While these books deal with real-world issues like racism, addiction, incarceration, and urban poverty, they maintain a warm, hopeful, and community-driven tone. Reading these series in order will help you witness the slow, rewarding transformation of the characters and the community they build together.

Frequently Asked

Can I read the Yada Yada Prayer Group books as standalones?

While each book has a self-contained plot, it is highly recommended to read them in order. The characters grow, get married, face major life challenges, and develop relationships that carry over directly from one book to the next.

What is the correct order to read the House of Hope and Harry Bentley books?

To follow the timeline correctly, read them in this alternating order: Where Do I Go?, followed by Harry Bentley's Second Chance, then Who Do I Talk To?, Who Do I Lean On?, Harry Bentley's Second Sight, and finally Who Is My Shelter?.

Who wrote the Yada Yada Brothers / Harry Bentley books?

These books were written by Dave Jackson, the husband of Neta Jackson. They function as parallel novels focusing on the male characters and doorman Harry Bentley from the Yada Yada universe.

Are the SouledOut Sisters books connected to the Yada Yada series?

Yes, the SouledOut Sisters series is set in the same Chicago neighborhood and features characters who attend the SouledOut Community Church, which is a frequent location in the Yada Yada books.

Where does the recipe book fit into the reading order?

The YADA YADA Celebrations and Recipes (2018) is a companion cookbook rather than a novel. It is best read after completing the main seven novels of the Yada Yada Prayer Group series as a fun bonus.