Reviews in Brief

An unassuming but remarkable collection of short stories, I Never Knew How Old I Was by David Joseph is a heartfelt gathering of narrative philosophy. From wisdom about setting expectations and the noble charm of gullibility to seeing beyond ignorant societal judgments and the love imbued in our everyday nourishment, these seemingly simple tales overflow with profound lessons from ordinary sources. Celebrating the magic of small-town life, the significance of family legacies, and the persistence of imperfection, these pieces are carefully crafted, but ring with the authenticity of a casual chat. Impressive in its breadth of subject matter and delicacy of analysis, this collection is a kaleidoscopic portrait of nostalgia.

A charming travelogue with a spontaneous quartet of entertaining companions, A Girls’ Road Trip: From Texas (U.S.) to Prince Edward Island (Canada) by Eula Woodyard McKown is an affecting slice of inspiration for people who long for the open road. Detailing a road trip of over 2,000 miles from Texas to Canada, from eccentric diners and scenic boardwalks to the JFK Museum and covered bridge adventures, the author’s tone is both informative and personable, welcoming readers into the unique challenges and triumphs of a largely unplanned journey. Reading at times like a road novel, this is a quick and empowering story that celebrates both the backroads of America and the enduring friendships in our lives.

Revelatory in its fearless narrative exploration, Every Saint a Sinner by Pearl Solas takes an unflinching look at a modern crisis of faith, truth, and community. A young boy is assaulted by a trusted figure in the church, launching a mother’s hunt for higher justice, no matter what resistance she faces, in this raw tale of shattered belief. The visceral narration and rollercoaster plot will hold readers’ rapt attention, bringing emotion to the fore and never getting lost in the weeds of legal proceedings. Timely in its subject matter, this story stands as a crucial reminder of the echoing ripples of trauma caused by this shocking chapter in Catholic history.

A newly liberated doctor launches herself into a high-seas journey of self-discovery in Transit by Marty Malin, a smart and scintillating read about taking control of your own story. When Dr. Quilter boards the MV Andaman Pearl in Japan, she is hoping for excitement, but multiple love interests, a tragic murder, rebel pirates, and some disturbingly feline dreams end up spinning her onto a much different and more dangerous adventure. Her particular skill set makes her both an asset and a target, while the ship’s eclectic cast of travelers makes this dauntless doctor’s dream vacation more exhilarating and enlightening than she could have imagined. A visionary read that is at once action-packed and cerebral, the novel totally defies any expectations of genre, resulting in a story that is continually surprising and intellectually audacious.

Riveting maritime drama with explosively high stakes and a consistent edge of gritty realism, Indies Inferno by Edward M. Hochsmann is a military procedural flavored with a romantically entangled and unforgettable crew. The experienced pros onboard the Coast Guard cutter Kauai face another deadly challenge, but outsmarting a group of radical environmentalists is just the beginning of their high-seas heroics. When a natural disaster interrupts a classified mission, the crew must balance duty to their country with the humane responsibility to preserve life. Boosted in believability by the author’s own experience, the prose is immersive, the action is steeped in authentic suspense, and the dialogue crackles with realism. Drawing on diverse themes of emotional attachment, patriotism, the trauma of disaster, and law enforcement ethics, this latest installment of Hochsmann’s series is a multifaceted and gripping read.

A once-in-a-lifetime offer of the impossible turns into a deadly moral dilemma in The Methuselah Project by Jim Nelson. Professor Lindstrom, a morally conflicted academic and a passionate insect-lover, finds himself caught in the conspiratorial web of an immortality-seeking billionaire when he infiltrates a strangely long-lived tribe in Papua New Guinea. Boasting quick-shot chapters and vividly depicted characters, the story rockets ahead after its brutal opening, edging readers into the suspenseful grip of Nelson’s well-drawn prose. Fanciful as the story may be, the novel poses essential questions about progress and ethics in a time when the veil between science and fiction feels thinner every day.