Stellar Picks

Below find reviews of all the best movies, shows, books, games, and more according to Cosmic Circus contributors and writers.


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‘The Apothecary Diaries’ Season 1 A Successful Beginning

Thank goodness, warm weather is here. It’s spring at long last, which means the winter season of anime is coming to an end. One of the shows wrapping up its first season on Crunchyroll is The Apothecary Diaries. The Apothecary Diaries is the story of Maomao, a young girl living during the Tang Dynasty working as an apothecary in the red-light

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What to Watch: Romance Anime ‘A Sign of Affection’

Let’s be honest: sometimes you need to relax from a long hard day by watching fictional characters experience the joys of first love. Sometimes fake people kissing can heal you. If you’ve been needing that feel-good, lovey-dovey energy lately, oh boy do I have a recommendation for you. A Sign of Affection is an anime currently airing on Crunchyroll, and it

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Book Review: A Feather So Black (Fair Folk 1) by Lyra Selene

Twelve years ago, twelve girls disappeared from Fodla. They were stolen by the Folk in an effort to end a war between Humans and the Fair Folk. In their place were left sticks, bees, and other things. But when the princess of Fodla was taken, something different was left. A young girl who looked almost exactly like her, but wasn’t quite

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‘Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth’ Game Review: Among the Franchises’ Best

“The unknown journey will continue.” This was the promise made at the end of the first installment of the Final Fantasy VII: Remake trilogy. When the game came out in April 2020, Square Enix and Director Tetsuya Nomura embarked on the daunting task of reimagining one of gaming’s most iconic RPGs. Remake (and the later enhanced Remake Intergrade) received high praise from Final Fantasy fans, becoming one of the

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Book Review: Song of Carcosa by Josh Reynolds

In Song of Carcosa we once again join Countess Alessandra Zorzi and her protégé Pepper as they travel the world recovering dangerous occult items. This time they are in Venice, Zorzi’s hometown. But there’s precious little time for sightseeing or reminiscing. Pepper is slipping further and further down a supernatural rabbit hole that she might not be able to climb out

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‘The Thaumaturge’ Game Review: Thrills and Spells Captivate Early Century Poland

The Thaumaturge is an isometric, narrative RPG game developed by Fool’s Theory Studio and published by 11 bits Studio. It tells a story of a Polish Thaumaturge and aristocrat Wiktor Szulski who decided that after long years of being away from home, it’s time to return. It’s time he finally finds out his family’s actual past. As a proud Polish person,

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‘Dune: Part Two’ Review: Denis Villeneuve’s Fully Realized Childhood Dream

The opening moments of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two is a distinct departure from the cold and mechanic action of Dune: Part One, as Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and the Fremen, lead an attack on Harkonnen scouts as they are about to reach Sietch Tabr. The action doesn’t feel as stilted as in Villeneuve’s previous works, which, while beautifully shot, had

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Book Review: ‘Two Twisted Crowns’ by Rachel Gillig

In Rachel Gillig’s One Dark Window, we are introduced to the kingdom of Blunder. Here magic is real and so is the cost. We also met Elspeth, a girl with a terrible secret. And Ravyn, the man who is both her best hope and biggest danger. Together they embark on a mission to end magic in Blunder. In Two Twisted Crowns,

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Top 10 Avatar: The Last Airbender Episodes from the Animated Series

Everyone and their mother seems to have seen and loved the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender, and for good reason. It’s a masterpiece of a show. Despite originally airing in 2005, the world and characters remain relevant to this day. From the potent themes of striving for balance in the face of war to the dialogue, “My girlfriend turned into

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Read ‘Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up’ by Alexandra Potter Before ‘Not Dead Yet’ Returns!

Ever felt like you don’t know what you’re doing? Did life not exactly live up to the plans your thirteen-year-old self made? Are you sure that everyone else has it figured out and you’re the only one who doesn’t? Well, guess what, you’re not actually alone! From time to time, we all feel like f**k ups! And finally, Alexandra Potter dared

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Book Review: ‘Wicked’ by Gregory Maguire

Nearly thirty years ago, Gregory Maguire published his first book for adults. A reimagining of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West started a phenomenon. Wicked spawned a multibook series about the citizens of Oz, a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, and now a two-part movie series set to

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‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ Review: Refreshing Reboot With it’s Own Flair

Sometimes casting speaks for itself, so when the announcement of rebooted Mr. and Mrs. Smith came through with Donald Glover attached to star, co-create, and produce, I was totally on board. Alongside him is the amazingly talented Maya Erskine (who you may recognize from voicing Mizu in the Blue-Eyed Samurai) who was an excellent choice to replace Phoebe Waller-Bridge. If your

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