Claire, Eleanor, and Brezzen have little in common. Claire fled to Minnesota with her older brother, Eleanor is the face of a social movement, and Brezzen retreated into the fantasy world of Wizards & Warriors. But a year ago, they were linked. They all hid under the same staircase and heard the staccato shots going off around them. They later learned that some of their classmates and one of their teachers were killed. In the aftermath of the event, they disconnect, they rage, they dissociate. They cope with the trauma as best as they can as the world around them moves on. Thoughts and Prayers is a story about gun violence but, more importantly, it is the story of what happens after the reporters leave and the news cycle moves on to the next tragedy. Acclaimed author Bryan Bliss has made a place for himself writing books that face difficult and emotional topics head on with nuance, empathy, and a deft hand. Thoughts and Prayers is an extraordinary novel that explores what it means to heal and to feel safe in a world that constantly chooses violence. For fans of Marieke Nijkamp and Jason Reynolds.