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Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
2004 | Drama, Horror, Mystery
The 2004 remake of the hugely influential Dawn of the Dead retains some key elements from it 70s counterpart, but is essentially, its own separate thing (This doesn't really bother me, because truth be told, I'm not the biggest fan of the original...)
The iconic shopping mall setting remains, and like the OG film, it's the best character. The mall lends such a unique feel to a genre that is well trodden. The similarities essentially end there. This time around, the zombies themselves are fast, vicious, definitely a modern upgrade to Romero's classic slow moving bois. There are some decent action scenes throughout (the opening 10 minutes is genuinely fantastic) and doesn't skimp on the gory stuff. It's ticks all the right zombie boxes.
Unfortunately, this version is absolutely brimming with asshat characters that really drag the experience down. With the exception of Ving Rhames, the dude who owns the gun shop, and the dog (because dog), it's really difficult to give a flying shit about any of these walking horror clichés - I genuinely think this movie takes the gold for the characters-who-make-really-dumb-decisions-and-put-everyone-else-in-danger category.
What's worse is that just when you're about getting used to all of these douches, a whole bunch more are suddenly introduced at the half way point!

That being said, Dawn of the Dead is still a perfectly entertaining popcorn horror that will satiate zombie fans. It's unsurprisingly not-as-good as the original, but I fully respect that Snyder tried to do something different instead of going through the motions, even if that does mean it loses most of the subtext that runs beneath the original's surface. Worth it if anything, for the weird CGI zombie baby....
  
My Best Friend's Exorcism
My Best Friend's Exorcism
Grady Hendrix | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry, Horror
10
9.0 (10 Ratings)
Book Rating
I have a new guilty pleasure and it’s name is Grady Hendrix. After finishing My Best Friend’s Exorcism, I find myself hungering for more of Hendrix’s work. Fortunately, the audiobook was not read by the same narrator as Horrorstör. Instead, this 80s style book is read by Emily WooZeller – the woman that narrated Shallow Graves.

My Best Friend’s Exorcism reads exactly like a cliché. If you’ve seen any horror film from the 80s, you probably know exactly what I mean. All the way down to the dog. Normally this would put me off, but instead I found it oddly comforting. Totaling only ten hours, it’s not a terribly long read either.

I really wish I had more to say, but honestly with that last description I’ve pretty much said everything. Just take your average 80s horror flick elements and apply them!
  
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Hazel (2934 KP) rated Die Last in Books

Apr 22, 2018  
Die Last
Die Last
Tony Parsons | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
7
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Not my favourite but still great
Not my favourite book in the Max Wolfe series but still very enjoyable with a very relevant and disturbing story line with great characters, twists, gritty tension, violence and humanity all written at a great pace that makes you want to continue reading well into the wee small hours of the night. I continue to love getting to know Max and adore his relationship with his daughter, Scout and their dog, Stanley with their moments adding a depth and warmth to Max that can be hidden under his strong policeman persona.

Although not my favourite, I would still highly recommend this series and Tony Parsons as a great British author and would like to thank the publisher, Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for my copy in return for a review.
  
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Merissa (12038 KP) created a post

Mar 12, 2019  
#PREORDER #SALE
When you’ve been hurt and broken by love in the past, how do you learn to trust someone else again?
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When Ronan Carter returns home from his service in the National Guard, he is devastated to find that his loyal friend, Henry the mastiff, is missing. He embarks on a journey to find his beloved dog, but his life changes forever when the trail takes him to Ridgewood, Virginia. As he gets to know Ally Hunter, orphaned and searching for a new start to life, Ronan will learn that sometimes the path to redemption is paved in pawprints.
#romance #standalone #mustlovedogs #trail_preorder
     
The pint sized detective is back for his second case, this time trying to figure out for his neighbor Oliver who is breaking into Oliver’s trashcans every night. Nate’s excited for his first night time case, but can he catch the culprit?

This is the second picture book to feature Nate the Great, and it is a lot of fun. We are introduced to Oliver and Nate’s dog Sludge, who would become main characters in the series, here. The mystery is good with Nate hitting a couple of dead ends before he reaches the conclusion. The pictures might be a little dated, this is from the mid-70’s after all, but that’s my only issue, and it’s a very minor one.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/10/book-review-nate-great-goes-undercover.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
I picked up this book solely because it contains "Hunter Kiss," the novella that precedes <i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2281814.The_Iron_Hunt">Iron Hunt</a></i>. Liu certainly didn't disappoint me.

The other three novellas didn't suck as much as most romance-centered works do. Maggie Shayne's "Animal Magnetism" was working for me, but then a mention of a dog seeing a color brought my suspension of disbelief crashing down around me. "Paradise" by Meljean Brook was, eh, okay, I guess. I just couldn't really get excited, and the "plot" seemed a lame excuse to bring the man and woman together. Alyssa Day's "Wild Hearts in Atlantis" would have been much, much better without the all-too-common "Oh, I'm so unattractive!" crap from the female lead. I suppose it would be fine for romance fans.
  
G
Granite
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This picture book introduces us to Granite, one of the dogs used by Iditarod Trail racer Susan Butcher in her races in the 1980’s. Granite was the runt of his litter, and but Susan felt a bond to him. Will that bond be enough to win races? What else might the pair endure on their quest to win?

This is a heartwarming picture book for dog lovers of all ages. It captures the love between Susan and Granite perfect with pictures and words. It’s hard not to smile as you read and be concerned for the pair when they face danger. The fact that it is based on a real story makes it all the more memorable.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/09/book-review-granite-by-susan-butcher.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
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Deborah (162 KP) rated Tides of War in Books

Dec 21, 2018  
TO
Tides of War
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I found this novel took a while to get in to, when I did I quite enjoyed it, but I'm not sure it's something that's going to stay with me.

The novel takes place predominantly during the Peninsular War, following both some of the soldiers and seeing how those in England cope with the situation. There were quite a few characters and quite a lot going on; I did feel that we never really got deep enough into any of the characters to really know them - really, my favourite was Racket the dog! It was the sort of book where I wanted to see how it ended, but didn't care enough about the characters to feel much about what happened to them - I felt they wren't developed enough and had revealed enough to the reader to earn my sympathy