In the heart of Galveston, Texas, where the Gulf's whispers meld with the city's thrum, Kimberly Garza weaves a poignant tapestry of lives intertwined by fate and bound by the relentless pursuit of belonging. "The Last Karankawas" peers into the soul of a community as vibrant and resilient as the coastal land they inhabit, telling the story of Carly Castillo, a woman caught between the fragments of her past and the allure of an uncharted future. Abandoned by her parents and tethered to her grandmother, Magdalena, whose mind is slowly succumbing to dementia, Carly's existence is a testament to the strength found in roots that run as deep as the ocean is vast. Yet, as a storm brews on the horizon, threatening to upend everything she has ever known, Carly stands at the precipice of discovery: about her family, her community, and ultimately, herself. Garza masterfully navigates the complex tapestry of Mexican and Filipino American families in Galveston, crafting a narrative that is as much about the individual as it is about the collective. Through the eyes of Carly, Jess Rivera—her seaman lover who clings to the island's salt-kissed air—and the constellation of souls that orbit their world, "The Last Karankawas" unfolds as a lyrical exploration of identity, survival, and the indelible mark of home. As Hurricane Ike looms, threatening to erase the physical and emotional landscapes they have come to know, each character is faced with a choice that will define their path forward. Rich with emotion and unflinching in its portrayal of a community standing on the brink of change, Garza's debut is a luminous ode to the enduring human spirit and the invisible threads that connect us all.