Tag Archives: Julie Lynn Hayes

Wednesday Briefs: October 25, 2023

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Here is a list of all the authors flashing this week, along with a brief snippet from their latest free work. Click the link after the snippet to be taken to the complete story on the author’s home page.

Bad Karma and the Family Plan #91 (19.3) by Julie Lynn Hayes

 “I’m sorry, baby, I’m sorry,” Ethan murmured in a continuous stream, his breath warm in my ear, his strong arms like a lifeline I could not seem to let go of had I even wanted to, while I continued to sob my heart out. I was angry, and I was frightened, and even a little guilty for yelling at Ethan when I knew everything he did was in my best interest. Our best interest.

“You know I wouldn’t put you through this unless I thought it was absolutely necessary. We can’t go on with this hanging over our heads. It needs to stop. Now.” His hands stroked my back in soothing circles while I worked at evening out my breathing.

Suddenly aware we were

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Saturday is Horror Day $136 – Cobweb

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Cobweb

Peter (Woody Norman) is a shy, introverted boy with no friends, who is constantly bullied by is peers, especially by Brian (Luke Busey). When he hears tapping in his room at night, his parents, Carol (Lizzy Caplan) and Mark (Antony Starr) tell him he just has an overactive imagination and refuse to take him seriously. Even after he tells them someone is speaking to him.

Peter has a substitute teacher, Miss Devine (Cleopatra Coleman) who is concerned for him, especially after she sees a picture he painted which she interprets as a cry for help. She goes to the family home and speaks to Carol, who assures her that her son is fine, just imaginative. But the voice Peter hears continues, and encourages him to do things, one of which gets him expelled. His angry parents ground him, but not in his room. Instead, they make him stay in the dark dank basement.

Miss Divine, very concerned by now, comes by the house once more, ostensibly to give Peter his last paper, but she has written her phone number on it so he can reach her. The voice tells Peter that she is his sister and he must rescue her! And she says their parents have committed murder. In the meantime, Brian the bully decides, with the help of his older cousins, to get vengeance for what Peter has done to him. On Halloween night, of course.

I thought this film had possibilities at first. The idea of knocking on your wall in the middle of the night is terrifying, if handled well. But that isn’t the case here. The titular character of the sister reminds me of a spider-like version of Samara, the girl from The Ring. There are definitely things that don’t make sense here, such as why the parents chose to distance themselves from their oldest child, rather than help her. The sheer inhumanity of what they did to her is mind-boggling. From the beginning, they seemed off in their attitude toward Peter and to the world at large. A lot of the plot feels cliché, from the stereotypical bullying to the strange parents. The ending is odd, with Peter and his teacher locking the sister up again and her threatening to haunt him forever. Are they actually going to leave her to die? I assume the mother had been taking care of her. Also, how are they to explain all this to the authorities? What will become of Peter then? Looks like room for a sequel. I honestly don’t think it deserves it. I’ll give this film 2 Stars.

Wednesday Briefs: October 18, 2023

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Here is a list of all the authors flashing this week, along with a brief snippet from their latest free work. Click the link after the snippet to be taken to the complete story on the author’s home page.

Bad Karma and the Family Plan #91 (19.3) by Julie Lynn Hayes

“I’m sorry, baby, I’m sorry,” Ethan murmured in a continuous stream, his breath warm in my ear, his strong arms like a lifeline I could not seem to let go of had I even wanted to, while I continued to sob my heart out. I was angry, and I was frightened, and even a little guilty for yelling at Ethan when I knew everything he did was in my best interest. Our best interest.

“You know I wouldn’t put you through this unless I thought it was absolutely necessary. We can’t go on with this hanging over our heads. It needs to stop. Now.” His hands stroked my back in soothing circles while I worked at evening out my breathing.

Suddenly aware we were not alone, I glanced around us. No one was paying us any particular attention, for which

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Saturday is Horror Day #135 – Wrong Turn (2021)

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Wrong Turn (2021)

Scott Shaw (Matthew Modine) is concerned about his daughter, Jennifger (Charlotte Vega). She and her boyfriend, Darius (Adain Bradley), along with two other couples, Adam and Milla (Dylan McTee and Emma Dumont) and Gary and Luis (Vardaan Arora and Adrian Favela) left to hike the Appalachian Trail. But he hasn’t heard from Jennifer and he can’t reach her, so what else is a father to do, but head for the trail to look for her.

Six weeks previously, the three couples set out to hike the Appalachian Trail. They book rooms in a small

inn in a very small town and decide to go to a local bar for the evening, and begin the hike the next day. They quickly learn that not everyone in the deep woods is friendly to outsiders, and they almost rumble with some of the men at the bar. A well-meaning woman tries to discourage them from going, and warns them to never leave the trail. But when is good advice ever taken?

As they are hiking, and having a good time, Darius says he knows of a nearby fort that dates back to Civil War times and proposes a detour. Everyone goes along, although Jennifer reminds them of the woman’s words to stay on the trail. But Darius argues that it won’t take long and they’ll get back on track once more. Ah, the best laid plans…

Hopelessly lost in the woods, they make camp and go to bed. Jennifer thinks she sees a silhouette outside their tent in the middle of the night, but then decides it’s her imagination. Until the next day when all their phones go missing. Then an accident takes a life, someone goes missing, and Adam is dragged away on a chain. They had come across a plaque talking about an old group called The Foundation, formed prior to the Civil War. Is it possible that their descendants still live in the area? And if so, what is their intent toward the young people?

The only thing this film has in common with the other Wrong Turn films is the title.  Okay, same author, and also set in the woods. No inbred cannibals with bad make-up here. No gratuitous sex scenes. Not saying this is a great film by any means, but it is a cut above those others. I found the most interesting thing about this movie was the debate concerning right and wrong, and the willingness to accept the consequences of one’s actions. If one character hadn’t acted rashly, perhaps the other events would not have been triggered. On the other hand, those like the Foundation who choose to live by their own rules aren’t exactly role models either.

Jennifer is an interesting character, well acted. The ending suggests the possibility of a sequel or two. Hopefully we’ll see Matthew Modine again. I’ll keep an eye out for it. In the meantime, I’ll give this film 3 Stars.

Book Review: Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, Vol 2

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Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, Vol 2

Author: Mo Xiang Tong Xiu     

Publisher: Seven Seas

American release date: May 17, 2022

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/LGBTQ+/Fantasy Romance/412 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Cultivators Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan are seeking to solve the mystery of the left arm that wreaked so much havoc at the Mo Estate. To that end, they are traveling together. They find themselves in Yi City, a strange place that seems largely uninhabited. They have been led there by a blind female spirit. To their surprise, they encounter a group of young cultivators , including Wei’s nephew Jin Ling.  Circumstances force them to seek shelter in an inhabited building. Wei makes them eat congee that he cooks for them, in order to combat the effects of the poisonous fog that has overtaken the town.

They are joined by another living person. When Wei sees his sword, he recognizes it, and realizes this is none other than Xiao Xingchen! But how has he become blind? There must be quite a story here, indeed! Xiao Xingchen was once a highly regarded cultivator who wished to start a sect with his best friend Song Lan. But he had disappeared mysteriously a long time before, never to be seen or heard from again. Unfortunately, as they soon learn, this man is not Xiao Xingchen at all, but Xue Yang! He flees, with Lan Zhan in hot pursuit.

Wei and the young ones follow the blind spirit to the charitable mortuary, where they discover a body in a coffin. Could this be the real Xiao Xingchen? Wei decides to use Empathy on the girl in hopes of learning their stories, and how they all came to be here, including Song Lan and Xue Yang.

Wei Ying and Lan Zhan present their suspicions of who is behind the dismembered corpse to Lan Xichen, but naturally he doesn’t wish to believe them. So they must investigate further on their own. Wei projects himself into a little paper doll and sends it to enter the private rooms of Jim Guangyao, but he seems more than he bargained for, and almost fails to escape capture. Their suspicions are confirmed, but can they prove the man’s duplicity? A confrontation takes place, during which Wei Wuxian’s identity is revealed. He is forced to run, but is surprised when Lan Zhan chooses to go with him.

Even as we travel with Wei and Lan Zhan in the present, we take deep dives into the past lives of other people, as well as our heroes. The intricate tale told by A-Qing, involving Xiao Xingchen, Song Lan, and Xue Lang is both fascinating and heartbreaking. Also the story of how Meng Yao became Jin Guangyao. Everything is told so well, it’s hard to put the book down. I especially loved the story of Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian and the headband. Although I saw it in the series, I didn’t realize the significance of what happened, and it opened my eyes even wider to Lan Zhan. Still waters run deep indeed.

Great volume, already loving the third one!

Wednesday Briefs: October 11, 2023

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Here is a list of all the authors flashing this week, along with a brief snippet from their latest free work. Click the link after the snippet to be taken to the complete story on the author’s home page.

Bad Karma and the Family Plan #90 (19.2) by Julie Lynn Hayes

I admit that there are times when I can be somewhat oblivious to the world around me, especially when I’m with Ethan. But even I couldn’t help but notice that we were not headed in the direction I had assumed we’d be traveling. I shot Ethan a confused glance. “Aren’t we going home?”

Ethan didn’t answer immediately, which sent a chill creeping down my spine. Was something wrong that I was unaware of? What now? Hadn’t we

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Saturday is Horror Day #134 – The Sadness

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

The Sadness

After a year of combating a relatively mild pandemic, known as the Alvin virus, citizens are skeptical and become careless in taking precautions. Kat (Regina Lei) and Jim (Berant Zhu) had planned a week-long get-away, and Kat becomes upset when Jim tells her he has to work a shoot that week. He is sorry, but work is hard to get.  A discontented Kat heads to work.

Thanks to people’s negligence, the virus unexpectedly mutates, and the result is catastrophic. Blood and

violence erupt as those who are infected begin to rampage, the virus escalating the need for violence, including sexual assault.

While riding the subway, Kat is harassed by a businessman who won’t leave her alone. And as the virus begins to affect those around them, he becomes one of the casualties, releasing inner demons. And he is determined to have Kat. After great bloodshed, Kat escapes the subway and heads to the nearest hospital with a wounded young woman, Molly (Ying-Ru Chen). It’s closed but the two women are admitted so Molly can get treatment.

Jim and Kat text one another, and Kat gives Jim her location. He vows to get to her, to protect her. The question is, will she survive until he can arrive? And can he reach her in one piece with blood and mayhem everywhere?

The Sadness is a different take on a zombie film, with the infected having their limbic system invaded, crossing violence and sexuality in a horrific way. I have to warn you, this is not for everyone. There is a great deal of blood and sexual violence. Some may be triggered. It is riveting, as you wonder how it will turn out, and will this couple find their way to one another? Also, how will this carnage end? I think it was worth watching. I’ll give this film 4 Stars.

Book Review: Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, Vol 1 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

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Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, Vol 1     

Author: Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

Publisher: Seven Seas

American release date: December 14, 2021

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/LGBTQ+/Fantasy Romance/396 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Wei Wuxian once had it all. He grew up at Lotus Pier, having been found abandoned on the streets and taken in by Jiang Fengmian. Wei, whose birth name is Wei Ying, was raised alongside siblings Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli. Handsome and intelligent, Wei was taught the ways of the cultivator, learning to not only use his sword, but how to manipulate qi and how to use his flute as a weapon. He was also fun-loving and irreverent, and he was wont to speak his mind, a habit which did not sit well with all. Especially a certain member of the Lan clan of Gusu – Lan Zhan, also known Hanguang-jun. Lan Zhan is highly renowned among cultivators, and greatly esteemed, as well as also being very handsome and talented. But as far as temperament, he is the opposite of Wei, being very reserved and somewhat stand-offish.

Wei and Lan Zhan are thrown together when the clans send their young cultivators to Cloud Recesses, the home of the Lan clan, for training. Wei is easily bored by the tedious studies and the many clan rules, especially the no liquor rule. He doesn’t hesitate to break those rules when he sees fit, and never seems to take his studies seriously. It comes as no surprise he would come into conflict with Lan Zhan.

However, due to circumstances not of his making, Wei, also known as the Yiling Patriarch becomes notorious for his demonic cultivation, and when he is killed, no one seems to mourn his passing. There has been too much water under that bridge, so to speak. Well, perhaps one person mourns. Sixteen years pass, and a tortured young man named Mo Xuanyu, whose life has been one of torment because of the circumstances of his birth, decides to exact a steep revenge. His plan is to call down the soul of a dead villain into his body and have it carry out that revenge on his horrible family. But for this to happen there is a terrible price to be paid, one which he willingly accepts – he sacrifices his own soul.

And so Wei Wuxian awakes to find himself in the body of Mo Xuanyu – and with a job to do. Assuming he can navigate this new world without being discovered and killed again. What if he runs into people he once knew, a not unlikely possibility. Will anyone recognize him? Will he be killed again? And will one person in particular know who he really is?

The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation books are the inspiration for the Chinese drama The Untamed. It is beautifully written and very compelling. Having already seen the Untamed and fallen in love with it, I was excited to learn about the book, which only fleshed out the characters in ways the series was unable to. The books themselves are beautiful, and contain many wonderful illustrations. At the back of the book is a great deal of useful information, including characters, locations, pronunciation of certain words, and more.  Now that I am up to volume 3, I have started to rewatch the series again.

What this comes down to is a romance between two souls. Twin flames, if you will, who seem forever drawn to one another no matter the circumstances. Now I see more clearly how Lan Zhan is able to recognize Wei Wuxian, even after sixteen years of thinking him dead, and despite a sixteen year search for him. Wei has much to learn of what transpired during his absence, and the repercussions of some of his actions. He has a nephew he’s never met, and a brother who hates him. Then there is the Ghost General, Wen Ning, who will respond whenever Wei calls him.

As Wei and Lan Zhan investigate the mysterious disembodied left arm that wreaked havoc at the Mo Estate, they wind up in the mysterious Yi City. Much occurs there, but this volume ends on a cliffhanger, to be continued in the next. This is such a riveting tale, and so universal. How can you not love it? I certainly do.

Wednesday Briefs: October 4, 2023

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Here is a list of all the authors flashing this week, along with a brief snippet from their latest free work. Click the link after the snippet to be taken to the complete story on the author’s home page.

Broken Path, Starless Tail: Chapter Twenty-six by Cia Nordwell
 
The one-eyed-winking windbag, as Beckett dubbed him in his mind, looked like a tube that had been unrolled, then inflated partway. Lumpy, with no real defined shape, it still filled the entire archway that appeared to have a set of stairs leading down into a squat stone building. Every time the thing breathed out of holes on either side of its eye, it emitted a cloud of… something foul into the air with a greenish tinge. The mix of cooked broccoli and three week old gym socks made Beckett gag and then have to swallow down a thin stream of
 
 

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Saturday is Horror Day #133 – The Eternal Daughter, Wrong Turn 6: Last Resort

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

The Eternal Daughter

Julie Hart (Tilda Swinton) and her elderly mother return to an eerily almost deserted hotel which was once their former home in order to find answers to unanswered questions. The hotel receptionist (Carly-Sophia Davies) is unpleasant at best, and not very cooperative. It doesn’t take long for the hotel to get to Julie, and she isn’t sure how much of it she can take.

I normally don’t read reviews before I watch something so that I can make up my own mind about a film.

In this cast, I wish I had made an exception to that rule. This is not a good movie, despite having Tilda Swinton in a double role, as both Julie and her mother. I suspected the truth from the outset and was proven correct at the end. What came in between beginning and end was not very scary nor interesting. In fact it wasn’t much of anything at all. My advice is to avoid this at all costs. I’ll give it 1 Star, just for Tilda.

Wrong Turn 6: Last Resort

An unexpected inheritance of a resort hotel in the middle-of-nowhere West Virginia brings Danny (Anthony Ilott) and his friends to investigate the windfall. The resort is being managed by Jackson (Chris Jarvis) and his sister Sally (Sadie Katz), who welcome their newly found kin with open arms. There is some confusion as to the relationship between Jackson and Sally, since she slides between calling him brother, husband, and cousin. But hey, it’s West Virginia, so some people have a different definition of family.

Danny’s girlfriend Toni (Aqueela Zoll) isn’t sure she likes this place, nor Danny’s new kinfolk. Especially Sally.  But if she could read Sally’s mind, she would like her even less. Strange things began to happen and people are getting hurt. And they begin to discover that maybe there are other people here who are, let’s say less than normal. Toni wants to leave, but Danny is adamant that he wants to get to know his family better, and they him (especially Sally). But at what price?

Well, I managed to finish watching this one, which is more than I can say for the three that came before it, which should tell you something. I sit great cinema? No, but it’s done fairly well considering the writing and the horrible plot. I think part of the reason it is better is that there are fewer of the inbred freaks, and the two family members with the most interaction appear deceptively normal. Jackson is even considered by some of the older female guests as very charming and attractive and they like to attract his attention in silly ways. Even if that attraction turns deadly.

Once again, I could have done without the gratuitous sex scenes, but whatever. If that’s your cup of tea, so be it. If you like cannibalism and gore, you might enjoy this. There is one more in the series (as of this writing0 and I read somewhere it was good, so I guess I’ll let you know when I watch it. In the meantime, I’ll give this film 2 Stars.