Tag Archives: Julie Lynn Hayes

Book Review: The Way of the Househusband, Vol 12 by Kousuke Oono

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The Way of the Househusband, Vol 12   

Author: Kousuke Oono

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: August 20, 2024

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Comedy/168 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

When another baseball shatters a window in the Boss’ home, he becomes fed up and determined to do something about it. So he sends for the troops, his purpose to go to war. Tatsu and the others arrive on the field to face their opponents – a baseball team of youngsters, who promise to “crush them inta dust.”  Can age hold its own in the face of youth?

Masa decides he wants to be a YouTube content creator and hopes to grow it to be his main source of income, as he explains to Tatsu. Tatsu notices that Masa’s view counts are rather sad, though. As Tatsu is visiting and relaxing with Masa, Masa suddenly starts filming for his channel, and announces he has his first guest – none other than Tatsu, who is taken by surprise. Masa’s intent is to review convenience food items, but maybe Tatsu wasn’t his best choice?

Tora is annoyed to find new competition for his crepe cart in the form of a nearby oden cart. He and Tatsu come down a little hard on the owner of the cart, especially considering the poor guy hasn’t even had a customer yet and isn’t doing very well. So Tatsu and Tora decide to help the newcomer out by critiquing his food.

A group of parents and kids, including Tatsu, are attending a traffic safety class being given by Officer Masaki and the police department mascot, a monkey named Fuzz. Masaki demonstrates safety by putting Fuzz into dangerous situations so he can explain what to do if that happens, but Tatsu is having none of it, and butts heads with Masaki, concerned over the mascot’s own safety.

It’s Halloween, and Tatsu is determined to show the kids the ins and outs of trick or treating!

While taking tea with some of the women from the committee, Tatsu reveals that a Starbox Coffee has opened in their town! They decide they need to check this out and hurry over there, only to be met by a rival gang with the same idea. The leader and Tatsu get into a contest to see who can outdo the other with their orders.

Tatsu and Masa are on a mission to thoroughly clean Tatsu’s apartment. But when Masa mistakenly tries to burn one of Miku’s Policure figurines, she decides to bring in an expert to show them how it’s done.

Miku invites Tora’s sister, Koharu, to go with her to buy a Valentine’s present for Tatsu. Koharu buys a chocolate making kit and Miku decides to help her so they can both give chocolates. Miku has a unique style, perhaps influenced by Tatsu, and she turns the experience into a game of Russian roulette for Tatsu and Tora, who are less than thrilled at spending time together.

Another great volume of The Way of the Househusband. Tatsu is always up to something and it’s invariably entertaining. By now, everyone has become a familiar character and I look forward to seeing them all and what they are up to. I never get bored, and I look forward to the next volume, which I have already pre-ordered.

Saturday is Horror Day #181 – Tucker & Dale vs Evil

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Tucker & Dale vs Evil

You might consider Tucker (Alan Tudyk) and Dale (Tyler Labine) to be hillbillies, but they’re just two good ol’ boys living their best lives in backwoods West Virginia. Tucker buys a “vacation” home, and the two friends head up to check it out and work on it and have a vacation, fishing and whatnot. On their way there, they encounter a car full of college students, also on vacation, who look at them with disdain. They cross paths again at the local store. Tucker encourages the shy Dale to talk to the girls, to get his courage up, but the girls are scared of him and that doesn’t end well. So the two groups go their separate ways.

Later, when they are fishing, Tucker and Dale spot the college kids again, one in particular,  Allison

(Katrina Bowden) who is getting ready to dive into the lake. They accidentally startle her, she slips and hits her head before falling into the water. Alarmed that she doesn’t quickly resurface, and none of her friends paying attention, Dale jumps in and rescues her. They decide to take her back to the cabin to take care of her wound, but her friends think they have kidnapped her.

Now the kids are determined their kidnapped friend but they are terrified to confront the two hillbillies. Meanwhile, a frightened Allison awakes, terrified that Dale has evil intentions. But honestly, it’s only breakfast. So while she is recovering and she and Dale begin to talk, the college kids begin their rescue mission. But things go haywire from the beginning. As the body count rises, the sheriff (Phillip Granger) appears, and naturally he thinks the boys are guilty. But there is a darker story at work here, one that no one suspects.

This is one funny horror movie, and it just goes to show that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Tucker and Dale are just two nice guys, and Dale is actually a lot smarter than he looks. Laughs and blood abound in this film. Labine and Tudyk are awesome as Tucket and Dale. I’m just sorry there wasn’t a sequel. I’ll give this film 4 Stars/.

Book Review: Assassination Classroom, Vol 19 by Yusei Matsui

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Assassination Classroom, Vol 19   

Author: Yusei Matsui

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: December 5, 2017

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Action Adventure Manga//200 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

High school acceptance letters have been sent out and received, and all of Koro Sensei’s students have been accepted either by their first or second choices, happily. After yearbook photos are taken, Koro Sensei decides to make a better yearbook just for his class, including photos of them they weren’t even aware existed! Naturally, not everyone is happy about this.

Time stands still for no one, including Koro Sensei and his class of would-be assassins. The deadline for his assassination is drawing near, and the government is taking it seriously – deadly seriously. Far from relying on a classroom filled with young assassins-in-training, they have put their own plans in place. They manage to trap Koro Sensei on the mountain so he can’t escape. Then they have Karasuma tell the students to stay home. When they insist on going to school anyway, they find their way up the mountain completely blocked. The students end up being taken into custody… “for their own protection.” Will they take this lying down? Of course not!  Where there is a will, there is a way! After all, they have been trained by Koro Sensei!

Karasuma visits the students in lockdown and gives them invaluable information, followed by a visit from Ms. Vitch, with what they will need to carry out their plans.  Thanks to Karasuma, they know when to make their move. The Head Assassin has people deployed all over the mountain. No way those children can get past his trained men. But they never took into account that these same students have been training on this mountain for the past year and know it like the back of their hand, whereas they do not. Not a fair match, is it?

Down to the wire now, only two volumes left. The students are determined to complete their assignment of assassinating Koro Sensei, despite not wanting to do so. But can they overcome the hurdles that have been placed in their way? They’re still only kids at the end of the day. But these kids have been trained by the best. So maybe they can save Koro Sensei’s life, rather than take it.

One way or another, the end is coming soon. But will it be a happy ending for anyone? Looking forward to the next volume, somewhat apprehensively.

Saturday is Horror Day #179 – The Wicker Man (1973)

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

The Wicker Man (1973)

Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) is sent to a Scottish island village after a report is received of a missing young girl, Rowan Morrison. From the moment of his arrival by seaplane, Howie is met with a definite lack of cooperation, beginning with the locals at the harbor who tell him to go away. But of course he won’t do that, he’s an officer on official business. So they reluctantly send a dinghy to bring him to shore.

Whenever he asks the villagers about the missing girl, they all say they don’t know her and there has never

been anyone by that name there. Even the woman is supposed to be her mother says she only has one daughter, and she is right there. Whenever Howie tries to look at official records, he is told to seek the permission of the lord who owns this place, Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee).

Howie takes a room at the local inn that is also above the pub. His puritanic nature is offended by the familiarity of the locals with the barmaid, Willow (Britt Ekland). She doesn’t hesitate to flirt with him, and wantonly tries to lure him into her room with a lewd song and dance in the room next to his, which he has to fight against with all his strength. When he investigates the girls’ school, he sees an empty desk, but no one will admit it belongs to Rowan. He finally takes the class register by force and finds Rowan’s name and knows they have all been lying to him. But where is the girl and what has happened to him. These people have some very strange beliefs, and they are very open in their sexuality. In fact, the teacher, as he came to the classroom, was openly discussing the subject of the penis. But Howie is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery, or else…..

Do not confuse this with the 2006 Nic Cage version which is the same story basically but badly done (love Nic Cage, but not this film). The older version has Edward Woodward, who will later become the Equalizer, and talented actor Christopher Lee. It’s not perfect, it is a 70s film and it has the feel of one. I would argue that the script isn’t the best, but I read that Lee very much liked it and it gave him a chance to actually act in something than a horror film. If you don’t look at the Wicker Man as a horror film, it actually becomes a battle between the strict Christianity of Sergeant Howie and the paganism that the people of the island wholeheartedly embrace. At the same time, the things they do are… well, you have to see that for yourself.

I would have watched this just to see Christopher Lee in a skirt and a dress. Edward Woodward does a fine job of playing the baffled uptight policeman who never quite understands what is going on until it’s too late. You recall Britt Ekland as one of Peter Sellers’ wives. I wonder if her character was meant as an offering to Sergeant Howie to convince him to either join them or leave them alone. It’s worth mentioning that there is some nudity, mostly bare bosoms and Ekland’s derriere. She does what must have been a very risque “dance” (I use the term loosely) which mostly consists of moaning and writhing.  All I can is is I am very glad I don’t live on this island. I’ll give this film 3.5 Stars.

Saturday is Horror Day #178 – Paranormal Activity

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Paranormal Activity

Katie and Micah move into their dream home in San Diego. But something is not quite right. There seems to be someone… or something else…. there. When Katie reveals that she has been followed by a demonic entity since the age of eight, Micah is skeptical. But he wants to reassure her, so he sets up cameras all over the house and they call in a demonologist, a Doctor Frederichs. He leaves this feeling no more reassured than when he arrived. Katie quickly tires of Micah constantly filming her. And when he suggests they bring in a Ouija board, she emphatically vetoes the idea.

However, it quickly becomes obvious, even to Micah, that something is going on. The camera is capturing

evidence of paranormal activity, but they can’t see the entity, just its tracks. Such as slamming doors. Noises in the middle of the night… and foot prints. Katie knows it’s useless to run, as the thing will just follow. What’s a girl to do?

This is a very low budget film, as the action takes place all within this house. But don’t let that fool you into thinking it can’t be a good movie, because it is. I know the reviews are split on this one, but my opinion is that it’s very scary just because it is so believable, and you can imagine yourself in this situation – and that is a terrifying thought. The actors weren’t working from a script, they were given guidelines to work within, which makes the dialogue all the more realistic. After living through this terror for days, I would be losing my mind too. Imagine someone is in your room, watching you sleep, but you can’t see them. And then it pulls on your sheet…

I plan to rewatch all these films. I’ll give this one 4.5 Stars.

Saturday is Horror Day #177 – Infested

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Infested

Kaleb (Theo Christine) hasn’t had an easy life. Almost 30, he’s fighting with his sister Manon (Sofia Lesaffre) over the inheritance left by their late mother, an apartment located inside a rundown French apartment building. Although they are at odds, she attempts to help with the maintenance of the apartment. Kaleb is also estranged from his one time best friend Mathys (Jerome Niel). Kaleb’s one passion is exotic animals. He has a number of them in his bedroom, but he becomes upset whenever his sister turns off the power to his room because it endangers his animals. To help make ends meet, he resells designer footwear illegally.

One day, Kaleb acquires an unusual spider. He takes it home and makes it as comfortable as he can. But

the spider gets loose, to his chagrin. He searches for it high and low throughout the apartment building. Which is when he discovers that this is no ordinary spider – not only does it reproduce rather rapidly, but each generation is progressively bigger than the one before. But the worst part is that they aren’t afraid of humans, and will be more than happy to kill them…

I ran across this French film on Shudder and I didn’t know what too expect. But I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw. The characters are well-written and interesting, especially Kaleb. He seems much younger than his years would indicate, but in some ways, he also seems worldly-wise as well. He tries to portray himself as tough, but you know he is hurting inside for the people in his life that he has loved. I thought the acting was good, as was the direction and editing. And spiders… already creepy by nature, these spiders would paralyze me with fear too. There are scenes where I don’t know what I would do, and I’m very glad not to have to decide or be in that situation.

Altogether is was an enjoyable but creepy film to watch. Probably not advisable for people with arachnophobia. I give this film 4 Stars.

Book Review: One Piece, Vol 15: Straight Ahead!!! by Eiichiro Oda

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One Piece, Vol 15: Straight Ahead!!!       

Author: Eiichiro Oda

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: August 7, 2007

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Manga/Action Adventure/216 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Pretending to be Mr 3, Sanji has a strange conversation via snail phone with someone who calls himself Zero. He must be the leader of the Baroque Works! Sanji lies and says the Straw Hats are dead, no need to send anyone else to do the job. But will Zero believe him, or will he want some kind of evidence? Both men are unaware that their conversation is being overheard via a listening device by none other than Captain Smoker of the Navy!

A joyous Sanji reunites with his friends. Usopp is rather angry, though. “He wasn’t around when we needed him, but he has the nerve to show up now?” Sanji tells them about his conversation with Zero. And also how he happened to find the Eternal Pose for Alabasta. Huzzah! Now they can leave! If not for that, they would have to stay there a year until their own Pose resets. They bid a fond farewell to Broggy and Dorry and off they go!

To their horror, they discover that Nami is burning up with fever!  Oh dear! She needs a doctor and she needs one now! Plans to head toward Alabasta have to be shelved in favor of locating the nearest island with a doctor! What’s this up ahead? Is that someone standing in the middle of the ocean… on the water! Gasp! How can that be? No, there’s a submersed ship beneath the figure, and up it pops, and with it Captain Wapol of the Tin Tyrant Pirates! Surely this can’t be good?

After the encounter with Wapol and his crew, they sail on, and everything starts to grow colder. Viv explains that they are approaching a winter island. As they near the island, they spot people on the shore, obviously waiting for them. A rather large man tells them to go away, before the people fire on them! Luffy’s first impulse is to respond with anger, but cooler heads prevail and they apologize profusely and beg for help for their friend Nami, who is terribly ill and needs a doctor.

Luffy and his crew are allowed to land. They’re taken to Big Horn Village. The big man’s name is Dalton. He’s the Protector of the island. Unfortunately, there’s only one doctor on the island, and she’s a witch who lives in the castle far away on the hill. They have no way of contacting her, so Luffy decides he’ll take Nami to the witch. Sanji volunteers to go with them, while the others remain behind and wait. Dalton warns them to watch out for the Lupins.  Dalton tells them that they were once called the Drum Kingdom and they were ruled by the worst king ever, whose name was Wapol. That name rings a bell! Wasn’t that the pirate they encountered? Dalton realizes that he is still looking to find his way back to the island, and woe betide everyone should that occur!

A lot to unpack in this volume, a whole lot going on.  From finally being able to leave the island, Nami getting sick, the encounter with the strange pirates, and then their frosty reception on the Winter island, never a dull moment. Sanji’s conversation with Zero is hilarious. Naturally, he’ll figure out at some point that the Straw Hats are not dead and the search for them will recommence.  Will they get to the witch doctor in time to save Nami? Will they live to get to the witch doctor? Have to wait until the next volume to find out!

Saturday is Horror Day #176 – Warning: Do Not Play

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

Warning: Do Not Play

Mi-Jung(Seo Ye-ji) is running out of time to get her horror film finished. The trouble is she’s been working on one for 8 years and has gotten nowhere. But then she hears about a student film which was banned and she begins to research the film and its director. When she steals a clip of the film, she posts it online, only to be contacted by someone demanding she delete the post. Of course, she refuses, only to learn that the request has come from the film’s director himself, Jae-Hyun (Jin Seon-Kyu). She agrees to meet with him, and he tells her to forget about his film, Warning. Of course, she doesn’t listen.

I think what began as an interesting premise needed a little work. It becomes more of a mystery than a

horror film, including some jump scares. I would have liked to know more about Mi-Jung, and why, if she is so determined to make a horror film, she feels the need to steal one. I would have liked more horror and less obsession on Mi-Jung’s part. That being said, I think it was worth watching, however, and I’ve seen far worse. I’ve been told the director of the film has a better film called The Butcher. Might have to check that out. I’ll give this film 3 Stars.

Saturday is Horror Day #175 – The Advent Calendar

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Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

The Advent Calendar

Once a graceful dancer, Eva (Eugenie Derouand) has been a paraplegic for three years. Her job and her boss are terrible and her love life nonexistent. For her birthday, her best friend Sophie (Honorine Magnier) gives her a gift she brought from Germany, where she is working – an unusual wooden Advent Calendar. But this calendar is not your typical advent calendar – it comes with rules. One is that if you eat one candy, you eat them all. Another is you obey all the rules, or you will die.

As she opens the candy for each new day, Eva is finding that the effects are both good and bad. Is it

possible they will eventually lead to her walking again?

I found this French movie on Shudder and wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. The calendar says sacrifices must be made if she wants to walk, and Eva very badly wants to walk again. At first she is determined not to hurt anyone, but as the days go by, she is forced to continue to open the calendar at midnight, and she finds herself on the slippery slope of a dark descent. Into what? See for yourself.

I thought Eugenie Derouand was excellent as Eva. The writing was good, so was the direction of Patrick Ridremont. It’s definitely worth watching. I’ll give this film 4 Stars.

Book Review: Isabel and the Rogue (The Luna Sisters Book 2) by Liana De la Rosa

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Isabel and the Rogue (The Luna Sisters Book 2)   

Author: Liana De la Rosa

Publisher: Berkley

American release date: June 4, 2024

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Multicultural & Interracial Romance/352 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

A couple of years have passed since the arrival of the Luna sisters in Great Britain. Ana and Gideon are happily married, the civil war in the United States is over, but the French are still harassing the people of Mexico, at the behest of the faux Napoleon who has wangled his way into power.

Isabel Luna is the middle sister – the bookish, quiet overlooked sister. The wallflower.  Few people ever seem to notice her, especially when she’s in the company of her far more beautiful sisters. But that can be an asset, as Isabel discovers. Far from home, and the turmoil that is taking place there, she has received a request from her sister Ana’s former fiancé prior to leaving Mexico. He wants her to look for any information she can find regarding the French and their movements inside of Mexico. She readily agrees, knowing her parents’ fate is linked to that of the nation through its president, Juarez. Having entrée to the best homes in society, she is often invited to their gatherings. Being virtually invisible makes it easy for her to steal away unnoticed and peek into certain gentlemen’s studies, searching for whatever she can find.

Captain Sirius Dawson is a veteran of the Crimea and has a great deal of PTSD to show for it. Guilty for having survived what many of his men did not, he does what he can to aid their families as well as those who came back with him. He also has his work with the Home Office, which is looking into what the French are up to, particularly in Mexico. He too knows everyone and is invited everywhere. He met Isabel when she and her sisters took refuge in his home, fleeing from a traitorous nobleman. He gave her little thought then but suddenly she is on his mind a lot. And he is watching her. So it is with some surprise that he sees her steal away to what should be rooms without interest to her, and he follows her.

The second book in the Luna Sister series is every bit as good as the first. Despite her thinking otherwise, Isabel is a wonderful protagonist – she is intelligent, witty, beautiful, brave and very strong. All attributes she comes to realize she possesses in the course of this book. Her attraction to Sirius Dawson baffles her. Sure, he’s very good looking, very charming, and very well-spoken. Not to mention they have similar taste in books. But he is also a rogue, and he goes through women without a second thought. On the other hand, Lord Westhope is also nice looking, kind and sweet, and he has a title. So why can’t she feel the same way about him as she does about Sirius? It would certainly make life easier. Plus, she feels a little guilty about spying on him, taking advantage of his kind nature.

Sirius survived the war, but his wounds are not readily visible, and he carries a great deal of guilt. He is attracted to Isabel, even as he wonders what she is up to and why he keeps finding her in the unlikeliest of places. But he also realizes that he doesn’t see her the same way as the other women in his life and there is the problem – he can’t treat her the same way. Love’em and leave’em will not do for Isabel.  Furthermore, he doesn’t think he is nearly good enough for her, as he considers himself to be damaged.

Watching these two characters grow and develop was wonderful. Their blossoming romance is heart-fluttering, and the sex scenes are hot, hot, hot! I loved every minute of it. And now that the second sister’s story is done, that just leaves Gabby for a third book. I have my suspicions as to  who her love interest will be, but I’m not saying. If you want to know, read this book for yourself. I highly recommend it.