Movie Review: Dracula (2025)

Title: Dracula - A Love Tale

Length: 2h 9m

Released: 2025 (2026 US)

Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Romance
Rating: R
Where I Got It: Apple TV

SUMMARY:

When a 15th-century prince denounces God after the loss of his wife he inherits an eternal curse: he becomes Dracula. Condemned to wander the centuries, he defies fate and death, guided by a single hope - to be reunited with his lost love.

Trailer

REVIEW:

I saw this trailer a while back, and I have been waiting and waiting for it to arrive in the US. When it finally did, I dragged Hubby to the couch to make him watch this with me. I looove a good Dracula film!

Here we have Dracula, who was a prince in the 15th-century. He killed and did many bad things in the name of God. The only thing he asked for was protection for his wife. Well...she was murdered and died in his arms, so he turned his back on God, which in turn God gave him an eternal curse. Condemned to never die and to drink blood for survival. He hopes his beloved will be reincarnated since she was of a pure soul. 400 years later...he has found her and no one will stop him from reclaiming his love. 

What a lovely cast. What a lovely story. I really, really enjoyed it. The guy who played Dracula was amazing. 

This rendition certainly played up the love story and made this more of a romance. Still some horror elements, but certainly more romantic. 

That last scene literally broke me. SOO good. SOO perfect.

No issues for me. Hubby said he liked it, but he thought it had some weird elements. I disagree. I liked the change-ups. 

We have the romance and the horror. We also were given splashes of comedy that made me smile. 

I'll give this 5 stars. I want to watch it again!

DNF Second Chance Poll - Add Your Vote!

It is that time again to give another book another chance! If you want to get in on the action, please feel free! 

Rules:

- The book must be sitting on the DNF shelf for at least one year. Time heals wounds...right?

- Honor the poll choice (if you do a polling)

- Read at LEAST 125 pages before giving up. 

- Be completely and utterly honest

- If it is a physical book and it was another DNF...the book must be rehomed. 

Click HERE to vote!

Voting ends 5pm est 3/23.

**If the link doesn't work, just put your vote in the comments. I'm testing out Google's poll. 

Book Review: Blossoms and New Beginnings by Susanne Ash

Author: Susanne Ash

Title: Blossoms and New Beginnings

Series: The Alphabet Sweethearts

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Novella, Short stories

Format: ebook

Pages: 57

Published: January 21, 2025

Where I got It: Kindle Unlimited

Summary: 

Can love bloom again where it once began?

Lila Bloom has built a beautiful life in Juniper Falls, running the town’s flower shop and organizing the beloved Spring Blossom Festival. But when her high school sweetheart, Graham Hart, returns after nearly three decades away, old memories—and old wounds—resurface.

Graham never planned to come back to Juniper Falls, but caring for his ailing father has brought him home. Seeing Lila again is both a comfort and a challenge. The girl he once loved has grown into a vibrant, independent woman, but the hurt he left behind still lingers between them.

Thrown together to prepare the festival’s centerpiece garden, Lila and Graham must confront their shared past while navigating the unspoken feelings that still bloom between them. As whispered doubts and fears threaten to pull them apart again, they’ll need to find the courage to believe in second chances—and the love that never truly faded.

Review:

Yayy, another short story! Love the idea of this series. :) 

In this one, we are following Lila and Graham. They were high school sweethearts, and it went wrong when Graham left. Decades later, Graham is back to take care of his ailing father. Seeing Lila again is both a comfort and a curse. She was the one, but he had to leave her behind. This is their chance to find love again, but will the past and doubts pull them apart?

Another sweet short. I'm liking this series. It's quick and sweet. 

I am soooo picky with second chance stories. It depends on WHY they broke up the first time. In this one, I didn't mind the reasons, and I was rooting for them to get back together. Get over the past and love each other. 

A little more drama than the last one, and I was here for it. It was balanced. 

The ending was lovely. 

Can't wait to read book 3! 

5 stars from me. 

TMST: Narrators/Audiobooks

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

Do you prefer single narrator, duet/dual narration, full cast, or "graphic audio" audiobooks?

I'm not picky when it comes to how many narrators the book has. However, it needs to make sense for the story and POVs happening. If we get a whole cast...cool, but if the narrator is good they can manage it themselves. It all depends on the story and the narrator(s) involved. 

I do LOVE when they have sound effects though and some music. It just adds an extra glitter to the story happening.