Novella Review: The Purpose of Life by Jason Hershey
The Purpose of Life
Series: To Die To Life #3
Author: Jason Hershey
Published: May 26, 2026
Kindle: 117 pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: June 7-8, 2026
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars
Novella Description:
Thelonious Mitchell came to Kansas to start over. A college freshman who walked away from a football scholarship, he found new purpose working with at-risk youth at Riverside Learning Academy — mentoring kids like Tommy, who needs someone to believe in him, and DeMarco, whose anger is really just grief wearing a different face.
Then a broken taillight that wasn’t broken changes everything.
After a racially motivated traffic stop leaves Theo humiliated, handcuffed, and carrying wounds he doesn’t know how to name, the man who taught kids to control their feelings can no longer control his own. The trauma spreads — into his work, his relationships, and finally into the one place it was never supposed to go: the gym where the children who trust him are just trying to play basketball.
The Purpose of Life is the story of what happens when the person who holds everyone else together starts to fall apart — and what it takes to put yourself back together without losing who you were trying to become.
Jessica’s Review:
The Purpose of Life is the third novella in the To Live To Die series with Theo Mitchell as our protagonist. This part of Theo’s story takes place just two months after Book Two: The Chosen Path, which was left on a ‘To Be Continued’ note all the way back on May 3, 2017. Theo is a college student who has given up football to help at-risk kids, much like he was. He is now working as an after-school youth counselor.
This series is true-to-life and these novellas do not end in a ‘happy ever after’. This time in Theo’s life he is going home from work (like we all do) and he is pulled over by a police officer and extremely mistreated. The rest of the novella deals with the after-effects that Theo is having to deal with. Theo’s life is permanently changed from this pullover. It affects all aspects of his life including his job with the at-risk kids he is trying to help.
Theo recognizes he needs help and I know he will work to overcome his experience and become a better man for it! Many thanks to Jason Hershey for introducing me to his novellas. If I wasn’t before, I am now fully invested in what happens with Theo next! The Purpose of Life ends in another ‘To Be Continued’, but fortunately we only have to wait until the fall of this year to get the next story. There is even a teaser included with the Prologue and Chapter One after the end of Purpose.
This novella realistically focuses on racism, the impact of decisions and actions that are taken, and PTSD. If I had to give any kind of critique, I would have liked to have seen more of what happened with officer Kowalski after the fact.
Please note that you do not have to read the series in order, these novellas can be read as standalones; but I insist that you should read them all. They are not long, just a little over 100 pages and you can’t help but become attached to Theo. Hershey just has a way with words to completely pull you in to the realness of each situation that Theo finds himself in.
I will be looking forward to The Long Road Home in the Fall!
Book Spotlight: The Purpose of Life by Jason Hershey
Today I am bringing you a book spotlight for the upcoming novella The Purpose of Life by Jason Hershey. This is the third novella in the Thelonious Mitchell series. This one comes out May 26th and I will be reading and reviewing it very soon! My goal is to read and review it this month and I still have time! Plus, I have an extra day off this weekend thanks to Memorial Day here in the US. I reviewed the first two novellas in the series this week. The reviews are linked below.
If you are intrigued by these novellas, go ahead and buy a copy or even pre-order and ‘meet’ a new-to-you author! You can’t loose as these are not long stories! And Even Better: The first two in the series are currently FREE on Kindle! That’s right: They are FREE through May 25th! Pick up a copy as you have NOTHING to lose!
About The Purpose of Life
Author: Jason Hershey
To Be Published: May 26, 2026
134 pages
Book Description:
One traffic stop. One moment of injustice. One man’s struggle to remain whole.
Thelonious “Theo” Mitchell has spent his young life overcoming tragedy—losing his mother to addiction, watching his best friend die in the streets, and fighting to escape the zip code that tried to define him. Now a college student and youth counselor, Theo has finally found his purpose: helping at-risk kids believe in a future beyond their circumstances.
But on an ordinary evening drive home from work, a routine traffic stop shatters everything Theo has built. Officer Kowalski’s handcuffs are too tight, his questions too probing, his assumptions too dangerous. And though Theo has done nothing wrong, he learns a brutal lesson: sometimes being Black in America is reason enough to be guilty.
In the aftermath, Theo finds himself unraveling. The anger he’s spent years controlling breaks through at the worst possible moment—in front of the very children who need him most. Suspended from the job that gave his life meaning, haunted by sleepless nights and a voice in his head that won’t stop saying “son,” Theo must confront an impossible question: How do you teach kids to trust a system that has just proven itself untrustworthy?
The Purpose of Life is a raw, unflinching exploration of trauma, resilience, and the weight of carrying other people’s burdens when you’re barely holding your own together. Ultimately, it’s about finding the courage to heal—not just for yourself, but for the children watching to see if broken things can ever be made whole again.
For readers who loved The Hate U Give, Long Way Down, and All American Boys—a powerful story about surviving injustice and learning that asking for help is the bravest thing you can do.
Pre-order Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Buy the rest of the series here:
Amazon
Amazon UK
To Live To Die at Barnes & Noble
The Chosen Path at Barnes and Noble
Previous novellas in the series and my reviews:
To Live To Die: 5 stars
The Chosen Path: 4 stars (I love this cover!)
About the Author:
Jason Hershey is a high school English teacher and author who draws inspiration from his experiences growing up in the inner city of South Phoenix, Arizona. His books explore themes of resilience, identity, and personal transformation, connecting deeply with young adult readers through authentic storytelling.
Contact Jason:
Website
Instagram @authorjasonhershey
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Audiobook Review: The Chosen Path by Jason Hershey
The Chosen Path
Series: Thelonious Mitchell #2
Author: Jason Hershey
Narrator: Jacob Ross
Published: May 3, 2017
Audiobook: 1 hour 47 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: May 4, 2026, re-listen: May 18, 2026
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
Thelonious “Theo” Mitchell thought he’d finally found his spark. After losing his mother and best friend, Draven, college was supposed to be his fresh start—a chance to play football, chase his dreams, and maybe even fall in love.
Then he meets Sabrinna. Beautiful, broken, and guarded, she becomes the person who makes him feel whole again. For the first time since his mother’s death, Theo allows himself to hope, to trust, to open his heart completely.
But Sabrinna carries wounds of her own—a painful past that makes her push away the one person who truly sees her. As their relationship spirals through passion, confusion, and heartbreak, Theo must confront an impossible question: How do you hold on to someone who’s determined to let you go?
When a devastating encounter forces Theo to face the truth about their relationship, he’s left with a choice that will define his future. Walking away might break him, but staying could destroy him.
Raw, honest, and achingly real, The Chosen Path is the second book in the Theo series—a powerful story about first love, self-discovery, and learning that sometimes the most important person you need to save is yourself.
Jessica’s Review:
Jason Hershey is back with the second novella in the Thelonious Mitchell series. Theo is starting his college career which includes playing football. Of course a girl comes into the picture, so we have a novella that includes Theo’s first love and everything that encompasses. The novella is realistic in that not everyone gets a ‘happy ever after’, but that is life and Theo takes life as it comes to him. He learns about life and experiences some self- discovery and that sometimes that he himself is the most important person.
I didn’t like Sabrinna from the beginning, something about her did not sit right with me. Because of that I felt more emotions for Theo as he experienced his first love. In some ways I think I identified with Theo’s experience, just a female perspective. And I am just attached to Theo after To Die To Live!
I have to add that I really love the cover to this one! Life is a journey for us all and we have to choose our life path and take what it brings. The cover is just perfect for this part of Theo’s life. I myself have experienced going down a different life path than expected with my divorce almost two years ago.
We have a new narrator with this story, Jacob Ross. Theo comes off older with Ross’s narration, and his voice felt perfect for portraying Theo this time around. The only issue I had with the audiobook was the transition between chapters. When one chapter ended and the next began, it felt pieced together too quickly. For me, the narration needed an extra second or two of pause before Ross started the next chapter and said “Chapter X,” and went into the new chapter.
The Chosen Path is a quick read/listen and Hershey just brings Theo’s story to life for me. Now, be forewarned that this one ends in a bit of a cliffhanger as Theo makes a decision for himself. This novella was written back in 2017, and fortunately I do not have to wait years to see what happens next in Theo’s life as the third novella will be coming out very soon!
Many thanks to Jason Hershey for sending me an audiobook copy to listen to and review!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
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