Thoughts & Preyers

by Andrew Franks

Your thoughts and prayers are NOT coveted.

A decade ago, Dalton Folmer spent one hellish night in his father's church. With his brother James' soul in the balance, he waged war against the hordes of Hell while confronting the darkest hollows of his family's veiled secrets to set his brother free.

Now it's James' turn.

Filling in as a last resort counselor at a church summer camp, James places his torturous past behind him to be the leader he is called to be… But when the mark of the beast makes an appearance on the wrists of every child in the camp, and counselors begin disappearing, the fun-filled days quickly turn to chaos. Before the beast can claim its prey, James must rise up to protect the camp and save the souls of the children.

THOUGHTS & PREYERS is the sequel to the award winning horror novella Prey Without Ceasing by Andrew Franks.

Genres: Horror

140 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 21, 2022

About the author

Andrew is a former pastor that now tells horror stories that reflect the mental struggles his young mind dealt with as it navigated church culture.

Reviews

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't really vibe with this one. The main character didn't particularly interest or engage me and the story was choppy in a way that didn't quite work.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoughts & Preyers is Andrew Franks follow up to Prey Without Ceasing, but both of these winning books can be read as standalone stories. These novella-length works of indie horror carry strong themes that center on spiritual abuse within the family and the church. Andrew Franks’ books are incredibly validating to those who have experienced this type of spiritual dysfunction, specifically when growing up in the Bible-belt Pentacostal church (in the 1980s/early 90s for me). The play on emotions, the shame, the guilt, the fear. Being told that nearly every human thought and action is a sin. Begging forgiveness multiple times a day just in case the rapture occurs or you get hit by a bus. Hell is just one unsolicited thought away. It shouldn't be this way... and children should NEVER feel this way.

Thoughts & Preyers is set at a children’s church camp. The main character is James, Dalton's brother (Dalton was the MC in the first book). The children's pastor invites James to serve as a camp counselor. What could go wrong? Andrew Franks inserts intense horror scenes to represent the vulnerability of children and the desperate need to protect them at all costs. This book is not anti-church or anti-religion. But if you have lingering memories of fear-based ministry back in the day, then these books may help you feel seen.

You want to save tiny souls? There's more than the devil to save them from.

To all the protective ministers out there like Uncle Marvin, I thank you for being a safe place for our children. And to Andrew Franks, thank you for another incredible book.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

THIS is how you do a religious horror! I loved this one! I loved the way that it explored ways in which organized religion can be harmful and how to work past/through the trauma. Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy! 🖤

[Sharron Joy Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a decade since Dalton saved his brother in a battle against demons now Janes us working as a camp counsellor and something is marking the wrists of the children and it is his turn to fight for the souls of the innocent.

Both of these novellas can be read as standalones but both deal with the spiritual abuse within family and church. This is religious horror and the innocence of the children is used here to heighten the horror. The author is a Christian and is not afraid to stand against the human evil as well as the demonic, a fantastic religious horror.

[Carl Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoughts and Preyers by Andrew is more than just an ordinary horror story because it is eerily relatable. More than that, it is relatable in a way that is sacred, or used to be sacred to many people. In reading this story, I found myself remembering moments in my own childhood and teen years that mirrored the protagonist's bizarre experiences a little too closely and it turned an enjoyable horror short into something more introspective. Many people who will read Thoughts and Preyers will have had their own horrific religious experiences they had to navigate growing up through leaders who were too charismatic or passionate to care about what it might sound like to a newcomer or child. Not many people use those experiences to write a book, however, and it goes to show how, regardless of our upbringing, all of us have our own Thoughts and Preyers.

A solid, scary, and intriguing read that could easily be done in a day or afternoon that will bring back haunting memories of a time when we were too young to know truth from fiction and too frightened to ask our mentors questions.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was more in line with what I wanted from a church-based horror book. Horror - kicked up a notch. Weird cult-like Christianity - kicked up a notch. God - still present in a positive way that I was disappointed in but that's me, not the author or the book.

I realized, during this read, that while the author is an ex-evangelical, he's still very pro-God and that comes across in his writing. While I'm not very pro-God, the authenticity of his personal struggles with religious identity can be clearly seen and I respect that. 

I wish the witch was referred to as a demon though, feel like it would make more sense for the entire story. Just sayin'.

Thoughts and Preyers > Prey Without Ceasing 

[Megan Opava · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in a two book series. Both of them were amazing! I connected with this book on such a deep level and it was so validating to read that other people had intense traumatic experiences in church that were so similar to mine. Obviously, the book isn’t real and has elements that couldn’t possibly happen on our earth or so we think. Franks is a master at writing how it felt instead of what actually happened. He brings the reader into the minds of those who experienced the darkness of abusive churches.

[Brianna Winn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a great deprivation of what religious trauma can look like. I love how the author incorporated the fruits of the spirit and managed to put a horror twist in it. Not the biggest fan of the ending but I loved the book overall.

[tim Skaggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vary interesting

[J.M. Horn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Franks picks up where we left off from the previous book with the same non-stop action and character development readers fall in love with.

He finds a way to bring make his mark throughout the story. Whether it is the family relationships or our own inner struggles.

The story works as a standalone, but who are we kidding. Do yourself a favor, pick up "Prey Without Ceasing", you won't regret it.

[Damien Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good old backsliding. When a person gets saved and starts “sinning” enough to make that savin’ go away… I guess. Backsliding is just one of the many toxic elements of Christianity that Andrew Franks; an author who lives close to the beach, but doesn’t go to the beach, touches on in great detail in Thoughts and Preyers. The book is a great follow up to Prey without Ceasing; Franks knows how to make a story where the real world horror hits just as hard as one of those flags he talks about people waving. Seriously, sometimes those things are scarier than the angry dudes in a “Christian hardcore” pit who forgot that Zao hasn’t identified as a Christian band since that one album about God dying. Franks writes the things people are afraid to write about Christianity; being as Franks identifies as a Christian this makes me respect him so much more than I would if he wasn’t. It takes a strong author to use the ugly sides of their own personal beliefs to try and make a better space within that culture and Franks deserves Kudos for doing so in a book that also features one of the gnarliest creature descriptions in print. K thx.

[Zachary Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once more into the breach and once more cutting to the bone

If Prey Without Ceasing was a testament of the corruption of church leadership, Thoughts & Preyers is a testament of how youth ministry exploits its members. I could smell the scent of wood burning and cabin musk of the youth camp, triggering memories, good and bad, from my own experiences at such religious camps.

Andrew Franks writes with wit and passion that expresses lived experiences with an artist hand that is capable of creating the beautiful and the grotesque with the same brush stoke.

I am looking forward to what Mr. Franks with conjure up next.

[Danielle Krenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughts and Preyers is the follow-up book to Andrew Franks' Prey Without Ceasing. I enjoyed this one so much more than the first one. I know the first one was a setup for the story as a whole, but this one packed so much more of a punch. The horror was well spread throughout and so uncomfortable at times. It actually had a lot of cosmic horror aspects to it, and I thought those scenes were so well done. Sometimes cosmic horror is a mess, but I love the way Andrew did it so effectively. I loved the twists and turns and really not knowing if something was actually happening to the characters in real life or not. Don't sleep on this one!

[Tabitha Howell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Prey Without Ceasing series has definitely made my heart happy. It is so super refreshing to have a 1) horror book with 2) spooky religious trauma with scares the heck out of me (literally) BUUUUUUUT 3) Christian characters that aren't horrible, and shows how strong and caring they really should be, especially in the face of someone leading His followers astray. Andrew Franks has a new fan in me and I will be eating up all his books.

[Jesse Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoughts and Preyers

This is not my normal type of book. Normally I’m a science fiction or adventure. However, I do love a good horror novel every now and again. And boy is Andrew Franks, damn good horror nove. Highly suggested. 10/10 also, it’s always good to support independent authors. They need to eat to. lol

[Mercedes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Gripping Tale

The second installation of Frank's story is more gripping than the first. I liked how James made it through a very difficult situation and stood up to tyranny when all others would not. This is a must read! Looking forward to more of Andrew Frank's works!!!