June 2026 Indie Book Reviews

Mary, Everything by Cassandra Yorke

One Minute Daydreaming, the Next: Poof!
An Indie Book Review by Joseph Poopinski
4 Stars

My kindle version’s great formatting & the outstanding introductory blurbs excerpted from future memorandum or publications as commentary on the events of each applicable chapter added a retroactive scholarly dimension to Mary, Everything & the science of Versology. Courtney’s story swapped between an oppressive, tangible prolonged loneliness & exciting Xena/magical battles with interludes of cuddling, featuring Sadie or Mary. The contrasts between modern times & the 1920s had a plausible feel with some humorous vocabulary discrepancies. Despite Sadie’s sudden, urgent errands & Courtney facing her ex’s knife-wielding, murderous boyfriend (instead of scooting out the side exit two hours earlier thereby avoiding serious injury), the gifted young ladies eventually regrouped happily in the appropriate realm just in time to battle a gang of malicious thugs, including Meatface & Bedpan.

In a quotation for the ages, practicing an alternative version of emergency medicine, Courtney urged herself onward: “So the only sane thing to do when you’ve got a six-inch death trench up your arm—spewing blood like crazy—is to get to that haunted forest & look for an ancient road that’ll take you to an interdimensional portal. I mean, use your common sense.”

The Rill Lord by L.L. Stephens

On the Wielding of Uncontainable Power, a Treatise
An Indie Book Review by Joseph Poopinski
4 Stars

Of all the excellent parts of The Rill Lord etched in my mind’s eye, the most saliant was (and is) an image of Cortogh the Dog Man. Vibrantly drawn one forlorn & frigid night during a bestial storm, it punctuated a shift in tone from ominous to hopeful (albeit just a smidge). Like an iconic demonic werewolf petrifying villagers & frightening soldiers alike, he howled, “his feral bellow ringing against the stones. ‘Handuuurin!’” Not everyone treated the cursed Dog Men decently, but Hans did & they appreciated it, pledging their allegiance to him. Leading his army with trademark trustfulness & equitability demonstrated his suitability to rule as king but also provided dangerous ammunition to the diabolical Nammuor. Trickery & treachery plus a little innovation (harnessing the sun’s energy to boost his own), the becrowned sorcerer nearly vanquished our heroes from atop his fortress’ highest spire. Horrible casualties & arduous repercussions ensued for many chapters until another showdown, the inevitable final showdown—showcasing wits, fists & magic, of course—concludes the Triempery Revelations series.

Assorted highlights: Hans, Dorilian, etc. daring the impossible because something must be done. Dorilian’s confession of still hearing Mark Frederick’s footsteps conveyed personal meaning & the depth thereof so simply. And then, the ghost-fearing Robdan’s awesomely spelled out reaction: “Some cultural reflex not yet unlearned inside Robdan’s Kheldish brain jumped out of its box at that.” Witnessing the much-anticipated epic clash between the armies & their leaders which has been brewing for five books as gritty & hectic and gut-wrenching & horrible, without any John Wayne war movie glory nonsense. Countless necessary but extremely costly battlefield sacrifices that when completed sequentially salvaged everything just long enough. Resourcefulness & blindness occurred as potent themes, maybe as results or effects on opposing edges of a single continuum, the spectrum of humility/arrogance. Of course, a few rewarding Kwisatz Haderach moments.