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A very odd mix of stories that feature a harvest moon and only the first by Lackey fits the cover, of which makes me think of fairies and moonbeams.
Overall: <b>3.5 stars</b>

<i>A Tangled Web</i> by Mercedes Lackey (Light Fantasy)
A retelling of the Greek myth pertaining to Persephone and Hades, with some added Norse mythology. A cute story, if a little thin on actual plot. I'll probably forget it by next week.
<i>2.5 stars/5</i>

<i>Cast in Moonlight</i> by Michelle Sagara (Fantasy/Urban Fantasy hybrid)
Fascinating mythology and world-building, intriguing characters and races. If I hadn't already been interested in reading the Chronicles of Elantra series, this would have done it. Pretty much a perfect story that stands alone quite well.
<i>5 stars</i>

<i>Retribution</i> by Cameron Haley (Urban Fantasy)
A solid short story dealing with a sorcerer and enforcer for a mob boss. Has some interesting ideas and is a promising beginning to a new series. While it does have cursing, it feels authentic and fits the scenes and characters. This is definitely not a story for the faint of heart.
<i>3 stars</i>
  
Hummingbird (aka Redemption, Crazy Joe) (2013)
Hummingbird (aka Redemption, Crazy Joe) (2013)
2013 | Action, Drama
8
7.0 (3 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Well, if anyone was going to play an ex-special forces homeless man who interferes romantically with a nun and turns up to a knife fight carrying a spoon, it was going to be Jason Statham. The plot of this one honestly feels a bit like a mix-tape of the best bits from the great man's back catalogue (Chinese gangsters, people trafficking, mob enforcement, improbable threats) but it's put together with skill and conviction.

It does have that slightly crazy quality you often get in J-Stat films, but for me this is the source of much of their charm, and this one also manages to address some slightly deeper topics than usual and even ends up with a bit of gravitas and emotional depth. It almost feels like a drama as much as an action film, and you genuinely do care for the characters by the end of it. Definitely one of the better Statham vehicles, although one has to wonder about the film's fairly blatant attempts to position him as a gay icon - is J-Stat on board with this? Has anyone even thought to tell him? Good fun either way.
  
Find Me Guilty (2006)
Find Me Guilty (2006)
2006 | Comedy, Drama
There are many ways you could frame defenses/reasons to watch this, but at the end of the day it will always be a one-man-show for Vin Diesel's consummate performance first and foremost. Unlike many I can't say this is his finest acting hour while 𝘍𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘍𝘪𝘷𝘦 still exists, but it's undoubtedly in his top 5. While the film itself is riddled with sins (ungodly long, content with being just a breezy comedy rather than really interrogating its fascinating real life subject matter with anything deeper, pretty melodramatic, paced like shit, and why the ever-loving fuck is that score so loud lmfao it's embarrassing), this performance is faultless. Comedy and drama is married within it in such a way that makes it just unforgettable. Without Vin, there is no movie - he singlehandedly makes you sympathize with the mob, and he can effortlessly go from hilarious to heartwrenching in the very same scene. Even as a Vin defender, I didn't think he had this one in him. This is what full commitment to a role looks like, and that hairpiece is just intrinsically funny.
  
The Furies
The Furies
Katie Lowe | 2019 | Thriller
6
6.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
This novel may be better than expected, simply due to the disservice done by comparing it to The Craft. Inevitably, one begins reading this story actively looking for likenesses and parallels with the movie which most likely masks the true plot that, in my opinion, is much more realistic and powerful than witchcraft and “friendships”. The need for adolescents to belong, especially those who feel left out or different is so strong that they often forgo their own identities and end up with a “mob mentality” of sorts which contributes to actions they may not otherwise engage in on their own. As an adult reading this novel, I had to remind myself of my own adolescence and the possibilities portrayed in this novel, every time I began to roll my eyes at the thought of people behaving this way. The “academics” depicted were a bit unnecessary for me, dragging the story into a lull more times that advisable. The slight element of the supernatural or the hint of it enhances the minutiae people will cling to in order to believe and belong. Not my favorite read but certainly more layered and real than some others.